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Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020

Do most solar panels used in the US come from China?

Jacob Alabab-Moser, Gigafact
no

Other Asian suppliers, notably Malaysia, have displaced China as the main source of solar panels used in the U.S. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, imports accounted for 94% of total solar photovoltaic module (solar panel) shipments in 2019. Malaysia was the largest source, representing about a third of shipments. Other major suppliers included Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand.

The U.S. began imposing anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese imports in 2012. The Trump administration has continued to add additional levies as part of its overall China trade policy. The EIA notes that manufacturers from China and other more developed economies have relocated operations to Malaysia in recent years.

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