After a dizzying week of escalating tariffs between the United States and China, the U.S. government issued exemptions on smartphones, semiconductors and other electronics, including one solar product: solar panel frames.
The tariff back-and-forth started with President Trump’s “liberation day” announcement on April 2, which eventually drew focus specifically to China. In a late Friday announcement, the government issued a list of exclusions from the reciprocal tariffs, which largely focused on consumer electronics. Almost all smartphones, computers or other devices are made in China or Asia, and these exclusions to the tariffs would provide relief to American tech giants like Apple.
Included in the tariff exemptions is the HTS heading 8541.90 for electronic “parts,” which solar panel frames have regularly been categorized under. Solar panel frames are the aluminum or steel framing that finishes a solar panel.
No other solar products were specifically called out in the electronics exclusion.
Thanks for all your good info, Kelly. Unfortunately, the saddest part of this whole scenario is that many large Western companies started to produce their goods in Asian countries decades ago with strictly their profit margin in mind. There was never any consideration of how this practice could affect our economies in the long run. Mr. Trump, as much as I don’t care for that person, opened the nasty can of worms and basically told on himself. We, as a society, need to be reminded of all the wrongdoings, even though they are very painful. The economic power is rapidly shifting to other parts of the world and will never change back to how it was.
Thank you for letting me voice my thoughts, Rolf.
Thank you, can you elaborate on what is a solar panel frame vs cells or complete panel?