President Donald Trump signed a Section 201 trade action this afternoon that places a 30 percent tariff on imported photovoltaic solar cells.

After nine months of protest from solar industry stakeholders, the Trump Administration has approved a 30 percent tariff on imported photovoltaic cells, as recommended by the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

With a final decision just weeks away in the Section 201 solar trade case, President Trump’s top trade adviser held a public hearing on the matter last week.

President Trump now must decide what action to take after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) prepared specific recommendations in a Section 201 trade case brought by Suniva and Solar World.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2017 - Representatives from all segments of the solar industry, including American manufacturers, testified in a remedy hearing last week before the U.S. International Trade Commission following an ITC ruling that a flood of solar panel imports from abroad had hurt the U.S. industry.

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2017 - The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates 88,000 jobs could be lost if Suniva gets trade protections proposed in its petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2017 - Major solar industry players are lining up to fight a Suniva trade petition that calls for new tariffs on solar cells and modules from countries around the globe, potentially doubling prices and causing demand for solar energy to drop.