On Thursday, August 7th, 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 is seen as a pushback against China, whose companies hold 96% of the global production of polysilicon.

According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, the solar industry is the primary consumer of polysilicon, while semiconductor chips accounted for 2.4% of annual consumption in 2025. The tariffs aim to address the heavy reliance on Chinese-produced polysilicon in the US market.

This development highlights ongoing trade tensions and efforts by the US to reduce dependency on Chinese supply chains in key technology sectors.

Sources