[SMM PV News] U.S. extends solar manufacturing tariff exclusions

Published: Dec 3, 2025 08:59

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The USTR has extended Section 301 tariff exemptions for 178 product categories, including key solar manufacturing equipment until November 10, 2026, pushing back the original November 29, 2025 expiration date. The move aligns with the U.S.-China trade and economic agreement signed on November 1, 2025, and addresses limited non-Chinese supply of the covered items: 147 exemptions received public support citing the need for more time to diversify sourcing, while 10 faced opposition.

The exempted solar gear includes critical manufacturing machinery such as monocrystalline silicon growth furnaces, diamond wire saws, wafer texturing/etching/coating equipment, and screen-printing lines (with sintering furnaces).

Context: The Biden administration’s Section 301 tariffs include 50% duties on Chinese solar cells (doubled in May 2024), polysilicon, and wafers (both doubled to 50% in December 2024). Other tariffs under the scheme cover Chinese EVs (100%), EV batteries (25%), non-EV batteries (25% from 2026), and steel/aluminum products (25%).

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