Solar energy is facing fresh headwinds as the Trump administration ramps up enforcement of a trade law intended to keep goods made with Chinese forced labor out of the United States.
A review of U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showed a sharp uptick since June of detentions of electronics, which includes solar cells and modules, from abroad under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The enforcement effort is already slowing the U.S. entry of polysilicon cells used by domestic solar panel manufacturers and comes as the Trump administration has sought to tighten policies against China and stunt U.S. wind and solar production.
The enforcement has expanded beyond impounding solar modules from countries like Malaysia — a known route for circumventing U.S. laws rooting out imports made with forced labor by China’s Uyghur minority group. CBP for the first time in June held up polysilicon from South Korea destined for manufacturing facilities owned by Qcells, a subsidiary of Korean firm Hanwha.
From January through May, CBP took action against $5.73 million worth of electronics imports. But in June alone, that total soared to $15.67 million, according to CBP data.
