| Key Points – US plans tariffs up to 3,521% on solar panel imports from four Southeast Asian nations. – Domestic solar stocks surged, led by First Solar and Sunnova Energy. – The move could revive US-based solar manufacturing and reshape the industry. |
Solar stocks rallied Tuesday after the US Department of Commerce unveiled plans to impose massive tariffs — as high as 3,521% — on solar panel imports from four Southeast Asian countries. The move sent shares of domestic solar manufacturers sharply higher as investors bet on a wave of renewed demand for American-made panels.
First Solar (FSLR) led the charge, soaring more than 9%, while Sunnova Energy (NOVA) jumped over 12%. Other solar-related names like SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG), Array Technologies (ARRY), and Enphase Energy (ENPH) also posted notable gains. The Invesco Solar ETF (TAN), a barometer for the sector, rose nearly 5% on the day, signaling a broad-based rally.
The proposed duties follow a yearlong investigation into claims that Chinese solar manufacturers were using proxy operations in Southeast Asia to circumvent earlier trade restrictions. The Commerce Department concluded that imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam were being “dumped” into the US market — sold at artificially low prices — with the backing of Chinese state subsidies. Companies in Cambodia that failed to cooperate with the probe face the stiffest penalties.
If approved by the International Trade Commission (ITC), the tariffs could reshape the competitive landscape for solar panel manufacturing, providing a significant tailwind for US-based producers. The ITC has until June 2 to determine whether the subsidized imports harmed the domestic solar industry — a key requirement before the Commerce Department can implement the levies.
The decision is a major victory for the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing, a coalition of US-based producers that pushed for the trade probe. The group has long argued that Chinese-headquartered firms have gamed the system by establishing operations in neighboring countries while continuing to benefit from Chinese subsidies. Advocates say the resulting price suppression has undermined domestic companies and led to job losses across the sector.
For US manufacturers, the announcement caps years of efforts to shift production closer to home — a trend first accelerated by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which offered tax incentives for domestic clean energy development. Companies like Enphase and First Solar have been actively reshoring production. First Solar, for example, opened a new facility in Alabama last year and now boasts a sizable manufacturing footprint in Ohio and Louisiana.
Despite Tuesday’s rally, solar stocks have struggled in 2025. Rising interest rates have increased financing costs for consumers, putting downward pressure on demand. The sector was also rattled by political headwinds following President Trump’s return to the White House and his vocal support for traditional energy. The tariffs, however, may signal a shift — a more nuanced approach to energy independence that could favor domestic solar even under a fossil fuel-friendly administration.
While the solar ETF TAN remains down more than 13% year to date and 27% lower over the past 12 months, the tariff announcement could serve as a turning point. Investors appear to be recalibrating their expectations for the space, betting that the tariff protections will help stabilize margins and renew growth.
If finalized, the tariffs could usher in a new chapter for American solar, one where domestic innovation and manufacturing play a central role in the industry’s expansion.
