The Biden Administration signed a proclamation on Friday that imposes a 200{7bfcd0aebedba9ec56d5615176ab7cebc5409dfb82345290162ba6c44abf8bc8} tariff on aluminum imports from Russia, calling such imports a threat to national security, according to an investigation conducted by the Secretary of Commerce.
This tariff also applies to aluminum extrusion imports from Russia. It will take effect on March 10, 2023 for aluminum products directly imported from Russia; and on April 10, 2023, the tariff will be imposed on anything imported with “any amount” of aluminum smelted in Russia.
Aluminum is a common material found in solar panel frames and racking and structural mounts used on PV arrays. These new aluminum duties accompany a 25{7bfcd0aebedba9ec56d5615176ab7cebc5409dfb82345290162ba6c44abf8bc8} tariff that was imposed in 2018 and extended in March 2022 on all structural steel imported from China.
Russia is the fifth-largest importer of aluminum to the United States. President Joe Biden called Russia’s war with Ukraine “unconscionable,” and the proclamation notes that its “aluminum industry is a key part of Russia’s defense industrial base.” The proclamation claims this tariff is also meant to bolster domestic aluminum production.