Trade Measures & Tariffs

Clean technology tariffs remain concentrated in specific markets and products. While global tariffs on clean technologies remain low-moderate overall, higher duties are concentrated in specific markets, with duties above 25% for solar modules in Türkiye, Canada, the US, and Brazil, and for electric vehicles (EVs) in Canada, the EU, and the US. US solar tariffs reached up to 326% in March 2026, driven by standard import tariffs and China-specific trade measures (BloombergNEF).

US trade policy shifted from emergency tariff powers toward a more fragmented legal framework following the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruling in February 2026 that emergency tariff powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were invalid. A temporary across-the-board tariff initially set at 15% and subsequently adjusted to 10% was introduced, applied to most trading partners and scheduled to expire in July 2026 (BloombergNEF). US tariff authority has shifted across multiple legal instruments, including Section 301 (unfair trade practices, particularly China), Section 232 (national security tariffs on sectors such as steel, aluminum, and automotive goods), and Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (temporary blanket tariffs).

China expanded the use of export controls on critical minerals and clean energy inputs, which have nearly tripled over the past five years (E3G), reinforcing trade policy as a strategic tool in global competition for clean technology supply chains.

Regional Insights

Despite a decline in average US tariffs from 15.3% to 8.3% , trade protection remains elevated, with exemptions limited to selected critical minerals, energy inputs, pharmaceuticals, and some transport and electronic goods. The US maintains some of the highest global tariffs on clean technologies imported from China. BloombergNEF estimated cumulative tariff burdens of up to 326% for solar modules and 128% for EVs, as of March 2026.

Mexico has introduced higher tariffs on selected clean technology imports from China amid pressure from the US to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains, although this does not represent a broader global trend (BloombergNEF).

As trade barriers increase in advanced markets, Chinese exports of solar, batteries and EVs are increasingly shifting to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Mexico also saw rapid growth in Chinese EV imports (a 2,300% YoY surge in Chinese EV shipments in 2025, with nearly 90% of battery EVs sold in the country now originating from China). This growth follows high US tariffs on Chinese EVs (including rates of up to 100%), reinforcing Mexico’s role as a potential entry point into the wider North American market.

China’s solar and battery exports surged to record levels in March 2026, as exporters accelerated shipments ahead of reductions in China’s export tax rebates effective 1 April 2026 (from 9% to 6% for batteries and from 9% to 0% for solar). Battery exports rose 44% month-on-month, while solar shipments more than doubled (BloombergNEF).

The surge was also supported by rising demand in emerging markets and elevated energy prices, with trade barriers (particularly import duties on Chinese panels in markets such as India and the US) shifting demand toward Southeast Asia. As a results, Southeast Asia’s imports jumped 203% from February to March, with the Philippines nearly quadrupling imports YoY as solar deployment accelerated.

Chinese solar shipments to Africa surged in March 2026, with imports rising more than 200% YoY, including strong growth in markets such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflecting both tariff-driven diversion and rising electrification demand.