Reject Blanket Tariffs on Solar!
Tariffs on solar cells will slow U.S. solar production, raise costs for consumers, and put thousands of domestic jobs at risk. Here’s why we need a better approach.
The U.S. solar industry is made up of two key components: solar cells and solar modules. U.S. companies manufacture solar panels, but the essential solar cells that are the input materials for them must be imported due to a lack of domestic production.
Here’s the problem: The U.S. doesn’t currently produce solar cells for new panel manufacturers domestically. Instead, we rely on imports to assemble solar panels locally until we can build up our domestic supply of cells.
On top of that, incumbent manufacturers are pushing tariffs to limit competition – which would increase costs, hurt consumers, and slow down the shift to clean energy. New manufacturers welcome the competition with incumbents. It’s the foundation of American ingenuity.
Here’s what’s at stake:
- A blanket tariff on imported solar cells would raise production costs by 45-66%.
- This could lead to 9,000 job losses, many of them union jobs.
- It would stall the progress we’ve made toward affordable, clean energy.
Instead of protecting the solar industry, these tariffs are doing the opposite. With no domestic solar cell production, the tariffs will hurt small manufacturers and slow clean energy production.
We need a smarter solution.
To truly protect U.S. solar, the Department of Commerce should split the analysis and take both components of solar manufacturing into consideration in policy decisions related to the petition for tariffs. Rejecting blanket tariffs on solar will support affordable, homegrown solar innovation.
Tell the Department of Commerce to reject one-size-fits-all tariffs on solar. This will protect jobs, lower costs, and keep America on track toward clean energy independence.