The US government is reportedly set to reinstate tariffs on bifacial solar panel technology imported from China and other nations, reversing a two-year-old trade waiver. This follows a request by South Korean solar cell manufacturer Hanwha Qcells, aimed at protecting the company’s $2.5-bn US solar manufacturing expansion plan from cheaper Asia-made products. The petition was supported by seven other sector players, including First Solar, Heliene, Suniva, Silfab, Crossroads Solar, Mission Solar and Auxin Solar. The tariff exemption was initially implemented by former president Donald Trump in 2018 and extended by president Biden in 2022. This comes after a group of US lawmakers led by Senator Jon Ossoff urged the administration to increase tariffs on Chinese solar imports, citing a recent study showing that the price of a solar panel manufactured in China dropped to USD 0.15 per watt, more than 60% below the US-made one.
Solar Dominates US Energy Capacity Growth
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has published data showing that solar accounted for over 75% of US electrical generating
