U.S. Moves to Partly End Duties on Some Solar Products from China
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The U.S. Department of Commerce said it may take away some trade duties on certain solar cell products from China. This comes after a request by Nextracker LLC, an importer of solar cells. The government shared its early plan on September 30, 2025. People and companies can comment on this plan.
Background
The U.S. put special taxes on solar cells from China in December 2012. Nextracker asked for a review of these taxes in June 2025. The company wants the government to stop the duties on certain products. Nextracker says it is an interested party because it brings these solar cells into the country.
Other groups and companies involved in making solar cells in the U.S. said they do NOT oppose Nextracker’s request. The following groups sent letters of no opposition:
- The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing
- Bila Solar, Inc.
- Sunspark Group
- Jinko Solar
- Canadian Solar
Current Scope of Duties
The rules right now cover:
- Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells.
- Modules, panels, and laminates with these cells.
- Parts for final solar products, even if assembled after shipment.
Some items are NOT included. These are:
- Thin film solar made from amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, or copper indium gallium selenide.
- Tiny solar cells (10,000mm² or less) built into consumer goods that use the power for their function.
- Modules and panels made outside China from Chinese cells ARE included.
- Modules and panels assembled in China from third-country cells are NOT included.
What Products Are Part of the Proposed Change?
The U.S. may remove duties for “off-grid” solar cell panels that:
- Have a glass cover.
- Have an aluminum frame.
- Output 140 watts or less per panel.
- Are long and skinny (the long side is at least 3.5 times the short side).
- Are less than 8,200 cm² in area.
- Connect using 12-16 AWG wires, 1200-1310 mm long.
- Do not include a built-in inverter.
Nextracker says these products are used:
- As a controller for panel tilt and tracker position.
- As a weather sensor to protect from extreme weather.
These items are smaller and less powerful than normal solar panels. They are used only to power Nextracker parts, not to compete with other solar products.
Why the Change May Happen
The law lets Commerce change or cancel duties if most U.S. makers of these goods agree. If these makers show they no longer want the duties, the government can end them in part or whole. The Commerce Department says that at least 85% of U.S. makers must agree.
For these reviews, almost all the main U.S. solar cell makers said they do NOT oppose Nextracker’s plan. The Commerce Department says this shows there is enough support for the change.
Next Steps
Anyone interested can send written arguments by 14 days after this notice. Replies can be sent five days after that. These documents must include a summary of each point, limited to 450 words per topic.
If Commerce decides to go forward, duties would be ended on the special off-grid solar cell panels. This change would apply only to solar panels that entered the U.S. after January 1, 2024 (for one order) and December 1, 2024 (for the other). If the rules are changed, Customs will not collect the duties and will give refunds for deposits made on these products after those dates.
The review should finish within 270 days, or 45 days if all parties agree.
More Details
You can read the full notice and updates at the Federal Register or at access.trade.gov.
Contact
For questions, contact Maureen Shaheen at the U.S. Department of Commerce, phone (202) 482-3004.
Legal Disclaimer
This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.
