Trump’s Tariffs: Assessing the Impact on Solar Panel Production

Abstract: In 2018, the Trump administration imposed the first of many tariffs, targeting solar cells and modules imported from China in response to a US International Trade Commission that identified injury to domestic producers. While the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has since led to a resurgence of US solar panel manufacturing, questions persist over whether domestic manufacturing can meet rising market demand. This article examines how trade protectionism has reshaped the US solar panel supply chain since 2018, considering its industrial and energy security impacts. It assesses the ongoing tension between global supply-chain interdependence and the transition towards a decarbonized global economy.