Can a solar panel surplus help protect the U.S. solar industry from tariffs?

The “Liberation Day” tariffs, which the White House announced in early April, brutally hit Southeast Asian countries, a region that supplies the vast majority of U.S. solar imports. Cambodia was initially slapped with the single highest tariff rate at 49%, followed by 46% tariffs on imports from Vietnam, Thailand (36%), and Malaysia (24%). 

After stock indexes plunged, Trump issued a 90-day pause on all “reciprocal” tariffs except for China, which now faces a tariff rate of 145%. Meanwhile, a baseline 10% tariff remains in place for most other trade partners.

In addition to the Trump tariffs, the U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced anti-dumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) as high as 3,521% on Southeast Asian solar imports following a yearlong trade probe. The tariff rates vary by country and manufacturer and haven’t been finalized yet. The International Trade Commission (ITC) will vote on whether to approve the probe’s findings in June for the tariffs to take effect.