Trump sets 15% tariff and price floors on polysilicon

President Donald Trump announced new trade measures on Thursday, August 6, 2026, imposing a 15% tariff and establishing minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products, a move aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing of semiconductors and solar panels. The proclamation, signed at the White House, targets imported polysilicon, polysilicon ingots and wafers, photovoltaic cells, and solar modules. The tariffs and price floors are scheduled to take effect on December 4, 2026.

The action stems from a Commerce Department national security investigation launched in July 2025 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Officials cited U.S. over-reliance on foreign supplies, particularly from China, which holds a near-monopoly on global polysilicon production, as a threat to economic and national security. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated the order would bring the supply chain to the United States, arguing the domestic industry is poised to grow.

The new policy sets specific minimum import prices: $21 per kilogram for polysilicon, $100 per kilogram for polysilicon ingots and wafers, 22 cents per watt for solar cells, and 38 cents per watt for solar modules. The...