Bipartisan US lawmakers urge Trump administration to crack down on solar imports evading trade duties

On July 16, 2026, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers urged the Trump administration to crack down on imports of partially finished solar cells, known as blue wafers, used to evade tariffs and claim federal tax credits. While domestic manufacturers like the SEMA Coalition support the crackdown to protect investments, installers warn that blocking cheap imports, which have cut solar prices by 50%, will stall clean energy deployment.

Blue wafer tariff evasion

• ▪Imported solar panels have reportedly caused solar prices to plummet by over 50%, threatening domestic factory investments spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act
• ▪Importers of partially finished solar cells complete final processing in the United States to improperly claim federal manufacturing tax credits
• ▪Some companies import blue wafers, which are thin slices of ultra-pure silicon, to evade United States duties on solar cells

Chinese solar manufacturing dominance

• ▪Many Chinese solar companies have shifted manufacturing to other countries to serve the United States market and avoid tariffs
• ▪Chinese companies account for approximately 80% of the global solar supply

Bipartisan congressional enforcement letter

• ▪A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers sent a letter on July 16, 2026, urging the Trump administration to crack down on partially finished solar cell imports
• ▪The congressional letter was signed by Republican Representatives Mike Bost and Pat Harrigan and Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna and Marcy Kaptur
• ▪The bipartisan letter asks Customs and Border Protection and the Internal Revenue Service to take action against importers of blue wafers

Solar import duties

• ▪Domestic solar manufacturers are demanding new tariffs ranging from 70% to 271% on certain solar imports
• ▪United States solar installers and developers are lobbying against solar import crackdowns, warning they will stall clean energy deployment and eliminate installation jobs
• ▪Solar cells made in China and eight other Asian countries are subject to anti-dumping and countervailing duties

Domestic solar manufacturer advocacy

• ▪The Solar Energy Manufacturers for America Coalition praised the bipartisan congressional letter urging a crackdown on solar imports
• ▪The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee argues Chinese firms route solar cells through Southeast Asian nations for minor processing to dodge duties