On February 4, 2022, the White House announced that President
Biden extended for another four years the Section 201 tariffs on
imported crystalline silicon solar panels. The president raised the
annual tariff rate quota for solar cells from 2.5 gigawatts to 5
gigawatts. The U.S. imported approximately 2.7 gigawatts of solar
cells last year.
The decision also upheld the current Section 201 tariff
exclusion for bifacial panels, which absorb light on both sides and
are used most often in utility-grade solar projects, and are the
preferred panel of large developers.
The decision also allows for duty-free imports from Canada and
Mexico, but those markets currently comprise less than 1% of solar
imports to the U.S. The U.S. International Trade Commission
previously supported this tariff extension in November on the
grounds that tariffs were necessary to prevent serious injury to
domestic competition. Congress has been considering proposed
legislation to provide
