On Thursday, August 6th, 2026, the Trump administration announced it will impose a 15% tariff and a minimum price on imports of polysilicon, a critical raw material used in solar panels and semiconductor chips. This move aims to push back against China, whose companies currently hold 96% of the global production of polysilicon.

The solar industry is the main consumer of polysilicon, while semiconductor chips accounted for 2.4% of annual consumption in 2025, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. The tariffs reflect ongoing trade tensions and efforts by the US to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains for key materials.

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