The United States has imposed a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon and introduced minimum import prices for polysilicon, wafers, solar cells and modules under Section 232. The measures are aimed at strengthening domestic solar and semiconductor manufacturing and will take effect on December 4, 2026.
The United States has announced a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon and established minimum import prices for key solar manufacturing materials under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, in a move aimed at strengthening domestic solar and semiconductor manufacturing.
The measures will take effect on December 4, 2026, and are intended to reduce dependence on low-cost imports while supporting domestic production capacity.
In addition to the tariff on polysilicon, the new policy introduces minimum import prices of USD 21 per kilogram for polysilicon, USD 100 per kilogram for solar ingots and wafers, USD 0.22 per watt for solar cells, and USD 0.38 per watt for solar modules.
The combination of tariffs and price floors is designed to prevent imported products from undercutting US manufacturers through aggressive pricing and to provide greater certainty for domestic investment.
The decision follows a year-long national security investigation by the US Department of Commerce into the polysilicon supply chain. Polysilicon is a critical raw material for both solar photovoltaic manufacturing and semiconductor production, and the government has argued that expanding domestic manufacturing is important for economic and national security.
US policymakers have highlighted the decline in domestic polysilicon production over the past two decades and said the measures are intended to encourage new manufacturing investment, protect existing production facilities and strengthen supply chain resilience for strategic industries.
The policy has received support from several US solar manufacturers, who argue that minimum price mechanisms will improve long-term investment visibility and help offset the impact of heavily subsidised imports.
However, the measures are also expected to increase the cost of imported solar components, potentially affecting project economics for solar developers, EPC contractors and module importers across the US market.
The move reflects a broader shift in US trade policy towards strategic manufacturing protection, with Section 232 measures increasingly being used to support domestic production in critical industrial and clean energy sectors.
The new tariffs and price floors are expected to influence global solar manufacturing and trade flows, particularly for exporters supplying the US market, while accelerating supply chain diversification across the international solar industry.