US customs frees detained Ethiopian solar cells as duty probe continues
US Customs released detained Ethiopian solar cell shipments after supply chain documentation review, while a duty probe into circumvention continues.
Toyo Co. announced that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released shipments of solar cells produced at its Ethiopian facility following a review of supply chain documentation, including polysilicon and wafer sourcing. The company did not disclose the number of shipments, their release dates, or the specific authority under which they were detained. Toyo’s statement did not confirm whether the two cell shipments totaling 0.094 MW, valued at $13,770, detained on May 27 and 28, were among those released.
Toyo also disclosed it is pursuing certification under CBP’s Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program and has expanded its import compliance program supporting US manufacturing operations in Humble, Texas. Chief Executive Officer Takahiko Onozuka emphasized the need for customer confidence in supply chain transparency, stating the company aims to ensure this across its entire supply chain.
The US Department of Commerce initiated a country-wide circumvention inquiry on July 17 into solar cells and modules completed in Ethiopia using Chinese components, following a request filed in May by eight US manufacturers that named Toyo and Origin Solar Manufacturing. A preliminary determination is due within 150 days, placing it in mid-December unless extended.
Toyo denied allegations related to forced labor, asserting its Ethiopian cells use polysilicon sourced from the United States and Malaysia. The company operates 4 GW of TOPCon cell capacity in Hawassa, Ethiopia, and expanded its Humble module plant to 2 GW in October, with plans for a 1.5 GW heterojunction cell line in Texas, targeting pilot production in early 2028.