Sec. 232 polysilicon results: The price of all imported solar panels is going up

The federal government has set new tariffs and price floors on imported solar panels and their components, a move likely to raise costs for anyone planning solar installation. Starting December 4, 2026, a 15% tariff will apply to imported polysilicon (the base material used in solar cells) and anything made from it, including wafers, cells, and finished panels, no matter which country they come from. The government has also set minimum prices these imports cannot fall below, including 38 cents per watt for finished solar panels.

The change matters because imported panels have generally been cheaper than U.S.-made ones. Panels assembled in India have been running around 14 cents per watt and Southeast Asian panels around 27 cents per watt, compared to about 31 cents per watt for U.S.-assembled panels. With the new price floors and tariffs, that cost gap should shrink or disappear, meaning solar quotes may run higher than they would have otherwise, though the exact effect on any one project will depend on where the panels come from.

The stated goal is to rebuild U.S. polysilicon production, which shrank dramatically after China came to dominate the global market. Only two U.S. companies currently produce polysilicon domestically. The administration is also setting up an incentive program for companies willing to invest in building or expanding U.S. polysilicon facilities, which could eventually mean more domestic manufacturing capacity and, potentially, more homegrown supply options for future solar buyers.