First Solar Backs US Section 232 Measures on Polysilicon Imports, Citing Solar Supply Chain Security

First Solar, Inc.has expressed support for the Trump administration’s action under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act concerning imports of polysilicon and its derivatives.

The measure targets a critical input used in crystalline silicon solar modules. According to First Solar, Chinese producers account for more than 90% of global polysilicon supply, raising concerns around supply-chain concentration, material availability and exposure to forced-labor risks.

First Solar CEO Mark Widmar said the Section 232 action could help address supply-chain vulnerabilities and reduce dependence on China-linked polysilicon supply chains. He noted that the framework includes a minimum import price, an ad valorem tariff and enforcement provisions.

First Solar said the policy action is aligned with efforts to expand domestic solar manufacturing and supply-chain capacity in the United States. The company operates five manufacturing facilities in Alabama, Louisiana and Ohio, while a sixth facility is under construction in South Carolina. The first phase of the South Carolina facility is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2026.

The company expects to have invested more than $5 billion in US manufacturing and R&D infrastructure since 2019 by the end of 2026. First Solar also forecasts approximately 17 GW of US module manufacturing capacity by 2027, which it said will not depend on Chinese crystalline silicon supply chains.

A study commissioned by First Solar and conducted by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette estimated that the company supported nearly 30,000 US jobs and $3 billion in labor income in 2025, while contributing approximately $5.8 billion to US GDP. The study projects that First Solar’s economic contribution could rise to approximately $7.8 billion in GDP, with more than 39,000 jobs supported, by 2027.