US polysilicon tariff offers boost to Korean solar makers

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Thursday (local time) imposing a 15 percent tariff on polysilicon derivative products and minimum import prices (MIPs) on polysilicon, ingots and wafers, creating both opportunities and risks for Korean solar-material and panel makers by potentially narrowing the price gap with Chinese suppliers in the U.S. market. The measures, which will take effect on Dec. 4, are aimed at strengthening U.S. production of polysilicon and its derivatives, a key material for both the solar and semiconductor industries. “Polysilicon is the base material underpinning the security of America’s semiconductor and solar-power supply chains,” Trump wrote in the proclamation. “These tariffs — combined with the MIP program — will promote United States production of polysilicon derivatives by ensuring a commercially viable market for them.” The proclamation sets minimum prices at $21 per kilogram for polysilicon, $100 per kilogram for polysilicon ingots and wafers, 22 cents per watt for solar cells and 38 cents per watt for solar modules. For Korean s