Commodities
Home›Commodities›Energy Transition›China solar equipment exports fall 21.4% in July
China solar equipment exports fall 21.4% in July
The decline extends a three-month slide tied to the April 1 removal of export tax rebates for photovoltaic VAT, with additional rebates set to be withdrawn for battery products on January 1, 2027.
China’s exports of solar cells and panels continued to weaken in July, with solar equipment shipments down 21.4% from a year earlier, according to Chinese customs data cited by OilPrice and Reuters.
The drop reflects the ongoing impact of China scrapping export tax rebates effective April 1, 2026, for the VAT value of photovoltaic products including solar cells and panels, a change expected to raise export costs and make Chinese PV products more expensive abroad.
OilPrice also reported that China will withdraw the export tax rebate on battery products effective January 1, 2027. The China Photovoltaic Industry Association said the policy shift is intended to support “rational pricing” in foreign markets and reduce the risk of trade frictions.
OilPrice noted the trade policy change was widely expected to slow solar exports from April 2026 onward, after Chinese solar exports surged into March ahead of the deadline, reaching a record high of 68 gigawatts, based on data analyzed by Ember.