U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Final Results of Changed Circumstances Reviews on Certain Solar Cells From China

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The original duty orders were put in place on December 7, 2012. On August 28, 2024, Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. asked the Department of Commerce to review the orders. Lutron asked to remove certain small, low-wattage, off-grid CSPV cells from the orders.

The Commerce Department started the review on October 21, 2024. They asked for comments from other companies and interested groups, but did not receive any comments.

On April 23, 2025, Commerce said they believed most U.S. producers were no longer interested in keeping the orders for these specific products. Commerce planned to end, in part, the orders for certain CSPV cells. Commerce again allowed for comments or requests for a public hearing. No comments or requests were received.

The Department of Commerce found that there is no interest from U.S. producers to keep the orders for the products under review. No parties opposed this change.

Because of this, Commerce ended the duty orders for CSPV cells with these exact features:

• Off-grid CSPV panels in rigid form, with or without a glass cover.
• Permanently attached to an aluminum extrusion that is part of an automation device controlling natural light.
• Total power output of 20 watts or less per panel.
• Maximum surface area of 1,000 cm² per panel.
• No built-in inverter for powering third-party devices.

The orders cover crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and panels. Many exclusions apply. These include products like thin film photovoltaic products and panels with very specific outputs, sizes, or applications.

The order details other exclusions, such as:

• Panels not exceeding 10,000 mm² and permanently built into a consumer good.
• Specific panels with surface area, voltage, ampere, and watt constraints.
• Off-grid panels in rigid form of 100 watts or less per panel and certain design features.
• CSPV panels in rigid form with a glass cover, used for converting water vapor into water, with detailed size and feature requirements.
• Small portable off-grid panels with outputs of 200 watts or less and carrying features like a handle and integrated kickstands.

Exclusions are detailed by product size, power output, design, and intended use.

Commerce will apply the change retroactively. For the AD order, it covers goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for use on or after December 1, 2022. For the CVD order, it starts on January 1, 2022.

Unliquidated entries fitting the exclusion will be liquidated without AD or CVD duties. Deposits for such duties will be refunded on these entries.

Instructions will go to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, usually 35 days or more after the date of the notice. If a legal challenge is filed, liquidation of entries will be paused until the court process, with specific timelines for filing an injunction.

This notice serves as a final reminder to companies under an administrative protective order (APO) to return or destroy APO materials as required by law.

The Department of Commerce issued and published this result under sections 751(b) and 777(i) of the Tariff Act and related regulations.

The action is effective July 24, 2025.

For questions, contact Tyler O’Daniel, Office of Policy, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC, telephone: (202) 482-6030.

Christopher Abbott, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, Department of Commerce.

Federal Register Document No. 2025-13953, published July 24, 2025.

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