U.S. solar manufacturers are petitioning for tariffs on panels imported from Laos, alleging that Chinese companies are circumventing existing trade restrictions. The petition arrives as Laos expands its own solar energy sector, with major projects like the 600 MW initiative backed by a $600 million MOU with Power China [https://www.pvknowhow.com/news/laos-solar-power-project-600-million-mou/]. Meanwhile, domestic companies like SolarBank are focusing on U.S.-made panels for projects such as a 2.9 MW community solar installation in Gainesville, New York, highlighting the complexities of the global solar supply chain.
Details of the Solar Tariff Petition
In a formal petition to the U.S. Commerce Department, the American Solar Manufacturers Against Chinese Circumvention (A-SMACC) alleges that solar cells and panels are produced in Laos using Chinese components before being exported to the United States to avoid tariffs. The coalition—which includes companies like Auxin Solar, New Energy Equity, and Heliene USA—is pushing for tariffs on Laotian solar products similar to those already imposed on Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand. This move coincides with rapid growth in Laos’s solar production capacity [https://www.pvknowhow.com/solar-report/laos/].
Background on U.S. Solar Tariff Disputes
This dispute is part of a decade-long effort to regulate solar imports, which began when the U.S. Commerce Department imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on products from China and Taiwan. In 2022, the department determined that Chinese companies were circumventing these rules by assembling panels in other Southeast Asian nations using Chinese-made components. To maintain supply for its clean energy goals, the Biden administration delayed new tariffs on these imports until June 2024. The potential impact of these measures on the U.S. solar industry remains a key concern, mirroring previous tariff disputes involving countries like Malaysia [https://www.pvknowhow.com/news/malaysia-solar-tariffs-final-tariffs-announced/].
Laos Solar Imports Surge Amid Tariff Scrutiny
Laos has rapidly emerged as a significant exporter of solar panels to the U.S. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows the country exported 1.7 GW of panels to the United States in the first half of 2024, a substantial increase from just 0.4 GW in the previous year. This surge made Laos the fourth-largest source of U.S. solar imports. The petition claims these shipments made up 10% of total U.S. solar imports from January to June 2024, while the 2.1 GW imported from Laos in 2023 accounted for roughly 6% of total U.S. panel imports. This growth is bolstered by broader clean energy investments in the country, including a $1.45 billion deal with China’s PowerChina for wind, solar, and transmission projects [https://www.pvknowhow.com/news/laos-clean-energy-deal-1-45-billion/].
Future Implications of the Solar Tariff Dispute
If the U.S. Commerce Department investigates and imposes tariffs on solar products from Laos, the move could significantly reshape the global supply chain and the U.S. market. Potential consequences include increased costs and a slowdown in solar deployment. This dispute highlights the ongoing challenges the renewable energy sector faces as it navigates complex international trade dynamics [https://www.pvknowhow.com/news/renewable-energy-barriers-5-critical-challenges-revealed-in-2025-report/].