Global polysilicon prices hold steady as U.S. unveils Section 232 import floors

The U.S. government has set new minimum import prices for polysilicon, the raw material used to make solar panels, and its derivatives. Starting December 4, imports must meet floors of $21 per kilogram for polysilicon, $100 per kilogram for ingots and wafers, $0.22 per watt for solar cells, and $0.38 per watt for modules. Imported polysilicon derivatives will also face a 15% tariff. This follows a national security investigation under Section 232, a trade law provision.

For homeowners, this is mostly background news about the solar supply chain rather than something with an immediate effect on your household. Global prices for polysilicon made outside China have been steady, and one major non-China producer plans to double its production capacity by 2029 and expand wafer manufacturing, with U.S.-bound wafer shipments expected to start in 2027. That company says it has already locked in long-term supply contracts with U.S. customers, though some in the industry question whether demand will keep pace with all the new production being planned.

Separately, China's solar installations fell sharply in the first half of 2026 compared with the year before, even as its polysilicon output kept rising. Chinese regulators have started pushing for more coordinated oversight of solar manufacturing costs and pricing, which caused a jump in futures prices for the material.

None of this changes prices or rebates for a home solar or heat pump project right now, but the new import floors could eventually affect the cost of panels installed in the U.S. once they take effect this December.