- The Biden administration is expected to grant a request by South Korea’s Hanwha Qcells to reverse a two-year-old trade exemption that has allowed imports of a dominant solar panel technology from China and other countries to avoid tariffs, two sources familiar with the White House plans said on Wednesday.
Those plants are critical to Biden's plan to fight climate change, revitalize American manufacturing and create millions of union jobs. Biden administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, in recent weeks have said the U.S. is evaluating trade remedies to deal with threats posed by China's massive investment in factory capacity for clean energy goods.
The tariffs on imported modules started at 30% and currently stand at 14.25%. They are due to expire in 2026.Most panel imports come from Southeast Asia but are made by Chinese companies there. Bifacial panels can generate electricity on both sides. The technology was nascent when the tariffs were first imposed but now accounts for 98% of imported modules, according to the petition.