Solar panel assembly at Maxeon’s facility in Mexico.
1:45 p.m. Update: Mexico reached an agreement with the U.S. that will delay tariffs for a month, but tariffs against Canada and China are still set to go into effect on February 4, according to The New York Times.
5:22 p.m. Update: Canada struck a deal with the U.S. to pause the tariffs for 30 days as well, according to NPR.
President Donald Trump announced a new 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China, effective February 4 at 12:01 a.m. ET. “Energy resources” from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff, but this rate is likely exclusive to oil and gas imports as defined by Trump’s Jan. 20 National Energy Emergency Executive Order, according to law firm White & Case.
The President’s executive order does not include a list of applicable products, but could apply to all imported merchandise. White & Case anticipates a full list of tariffed products will be released in a follow-up notice.
The increase will bring tariffs on some Chinese solar products up to as much as 60% and introduce tariffs on solar products from Canada and Mexico for the first time.
In December 2024, President Biden’ U.S. Trade Representative increased tariffs on certain tungsten products, wafers and polysilicon made in China. The rates for tungsten products increased to 25%, and the rates for solar wafers and polysilicon increased to 50%, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The new tariffs could bring those numbers up to 35% and 60%, respectively.
As Solar Power World previously reported, it’s unlikely U.S. solar panel assemblers interact much with Chinese solar wafers, as much of the supply to the United States comes from Southeast Asian countries instead — which now have their own antidumping and countervailing duties. Avoiding Chinese polysilicon may be harder — seven of the Top 10 global polysilicon producers are located within China.
Outside of China, a few major U.S. solar suppliers will be affected by new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, including solar panel manufacturers Heliene, Silfab and Maxeon and inverter manufacturer Hoymiles.
Kelsey if you could explore the Maxeon CBP issue and getting them released for import, that is much more important than any potential tariffs. Please look into why the CBP is holding up Maxeon product flow since last summer without any progress or updates. Product with a tariff is better than no product.
/2024/11/cbp-continues-to-detain-mexican-assembled-maxeon-solar-panels-at-u-s-border/
Allegedly because of UFLPA searches.
Kelly thanks for your reply and link to November article. The CBP promised a decision by 1/17/25 on the Maxeon product held at the border. There is something fishy going on here, needs some good investigative reporting…
This is not the first time T-rump imposed solar tarrifs on Canada..he did this in 2017, putting two solar panel manufacturers out of business, and forcing the other two to move manufacturing off shore. Ex..Canadian solar, which now only manufactures commercial panels at their Guelph plant.
“President Donald Trump announced a new 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China, effective February 4 at 12:01 a.m. ET.”
Welcome to Trump administration 2.0. The narrative has changed some, it seems Mexico is ‘supposed’ to get another 30 days while negotiations continue. What I’d like to see is determining (if) Maxeon is in compliance to allow the CBP to release Maxeon panels from Mexico into the U.S. for solar PV distributers to get the flow of panels to installers and ‘customers’ who want Maxeon, and Maxeon series 7 panels for their installations. That may not last till tomorrow with ‘President Donny Waffle’.