End of an Era: Sec. 201 Tariffs on Imported Solar Panels Expire

Why It Matters

The expiration removes a key cost barrier for U.S. installers while exposing domestic manufacturers to renewed import competition, accelerating the need for alternative trade remedies. Upcoming Sec. 232 polysilicon duties could further influence supply chains and pricing across the solar industry.

Key Takeaways

• Sec.201 solar panel tariffs expired Feb 6, 2026.
• Tariffs fell from 30% to 14% before expiration.
• Bifacial panel exemption weakened tariff effectiveness.
• AD/CVD actions target imports from Southeast Asia.
• Potential Sec.232 polysilicon tariffs could reshape industry.

Pulse Analysis

The Section 201 investigation that launched in 2017 was a direct response to a surge of crystalline‑silicon solar cells flooding the U.S. market. Intended to shield fledgling manufacturers, the tariff regime began at a steep 30 % duty, with a modest 2.5 GW exemption for domestically assembled modules, and was tapered each year to 14 % by 2025. Over eight years the policy created a predictable cost structure for importers, but its gradual decline and eventual expiry on February 6, 2026 signal a shift toward a more open trade environment for solar equipment.

Industry analysts quickly identified loopholes that eroded the tariffs’ potency. A 2018 exemption for bifacial panels—high‑efficiency modules increasingly favored by large‑scale projects—prompted a sharp rise in those imports, and subsequent reversals only provided temporary relief. As a result, manufacturers turned to antidumping and countervailing‑duty (AD/CVD) petitions, successfully securing duties on products from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing now seeks similar measures against India, Indonesia and Laos, reflecting a broader strategy to combat what they describe as a ‘whack‑a‑mole’ pattern of trade circumvention.

Looking ahead, the pending Section 232 review of polysilicon imports could redefine the competitive landscape. Unlike Section 201, which focused on market injury, Section 232 invokes national‑security considerations, allowing the Department of Commerce to impose duties on any foreign source deemed a threat. If applied to polysilicon—a critical feedstock for cells, wafers and modules—the ruling could raise prices across the entire supply chain, incentivizing domestic production and reshaping project economics. Stakeholders are therefore monitoring both the timing of the Sec. 232 decision and potential legislative adjustments, as the next wave of trade policy will likely dictate the pace of U.S. solar manufacturing revitalization.