Sizzling US tariffs may singe solar panel makers

The United States Department of Commerce is imposing higher tariffs on Chinese solar products imported to the US marketplace.

It had indicated that Chinese companies may be entitled to lower rates, but the decision announced on Wednesday to impose tariffs of 238.95 percent reversed that.

The department had conducted a review of whether Chinese solar manufacturing firms had received subsidies from the government between March 2012 and November 2013. Producers now face anti-dumping and anti-subsidy rates of about 31 percent on Chinese products.