Will China Export Tax Rebates for Photovoltaics Be Cancelled?

According to a report by PV Europe on November 3rd, Gerard Scheper, CEO of European Solar, stated that China's photovoltaic (PV) product export policy will undergo significant changes. The original 9% export tax rebate will be reduced by 4.5% in November and December respectively, eventually leading to its elimination.

PV Europe's November 3rd report stated that Chinese authorities initially planned to set September as the expiration date for the elimination of the PV product export tax rebate policy. However, manufacturers acted swiftly, factories ramped up production, warehouses filled up, and exports rushed before the policy expired. According to Scheper, "They loaded trucks and rushed to export, squeezing out the last drop of the old policy."

The report stated that the surge in exports before September surprised the authorities, leading to a postponement of the "expiration of the export tax rebate policy," with rumors suggesting a phased implementation during a transition period.

In 2024, due to severe overcapacity in upstream polysilicon production, the prices of Chinese PV cells and modules plummeted below the cost line proposed by the CPIA, further exacerbating concerns in Europe and the United States about the dumping of Chinese PV products. Against this backdrop, China lowered export tax rebates for photovoltaic products for the first time to safeguard the country's best interests.

In 2025, although China's anti-competitive policies led to a recovery in upstream polysilicon prices, reports continued to circulate that photovoltaic module prices had fallen below US$0.085 /watt. Furthermore, the retaliatory tariffs imposed by the United States significantly increased export costs for photovoltaic manufacturing countries like India and Mexico. If China were to completely eliminate export tax rebates for battery modules at this time, it might not necessarily affect the export competitiveness of Chinese products; on the contrary, it could offset the losses from excessive competition and reduce the negative impact of "dumping." PV Europe reports that photovoltaic module prices from China may rise in the future.