U.S. customs releases Toyo Co. Ethiopian solar cells amid duty probe

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released solar cell shipments from Toyo Co. that were previously detained during a duty investigation. According to pv magazine USA, CBP issued detention notices on May 27 and May 28, halting the movement of specific inventory.

The two shipments subject to the detention order totaled 0.094 megawatts of solar cell capacity.

Detention details and value

The detained shipments carried a total value of $13,770. U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspected these goods of an association with forced labor when issuing the detention. The agency has not disclosed the number of shipments released, the specific date of the release, or the authority that initially ordered the detention. It remains unclear whether the recently cleared goods are the same consignments held in May.

Commerce inquiry context

On July 17, the Department of Commerce launched a national investigation into circumvention. The probe focuses on solar cells and modules finished in Ethiopia from Chinese-made parts. A preliminary decision is expected in mid-December, marking the 150th day since the inquiry started.

Company response and capacity

• Takahiko Onozuka, CEO of Toyo Co., emphasized that "customers need confidence in where their solar products come from."
• Toyo rejects the claims, pointing to its reliance on polysilicon from the U.S. and Malaysia.
• The firm maintains 4 GW of TOPCon cell manufacturing capacity in Hawassa, Ethiopia.
• In October, Toyo finished expanding its module facility in Humble, Texas, to a 2 GW scale.
• Plans are underway for a 1.5 GW heterojunction cell line in Texas, aiming for pilot production by Q1 2028.
• The company is seeking approval for the CBP’s Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program.

Prior releases and trade actions

CBP previously cleared detained solar imports following supply chain reviews, a process that included cells destined for Qcells’ Georgia factories in 2025. The current Commerce inquiry stems from a request filed in May by eight U.S. manufacturers, specifically naming Toyo and Origin Solar Manufacturing. In September, the Department of Commerce finalized antidumping and countervailing duties on solar cells and modules from India, Indonesia, and Laos. These nations became major suppliers to the U.S. market after duties were imposed on Southeast Asian imports. Toyo’s filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission detailed the May 27 and 28 detention notices, which cited suspected forced labor associations for the 0.094 MW of cells. The company’s expanded import compliance program supports its U.S. manufacturing operations in Humble, Texas, where it completed the 2 GW module plant expansion in October.

What to watch

Toyo Co. stated on October 29 that customs authorities released the Ethiopian cell shipments after reviewing supply chain documentation. The company also reported expanding the import compliance program supporting its manufacturing operations in Humble, Texas.

Additional reporting: pv magazine.