From April 1, 2026, my country will officially adjust the export tax rebate policy for photovoltaic products. This move has affected the nerves of the entire photovoltaic industry.
This adjustment is divided into two core directions: first, the export tax rebate for some photovoltaic modules and accessories products will be directly cancelled; second, the tax rebate rate for photovoltaic cell products will be reduced from the original 9% to 6%.
The essence of export tax rebate is that in order to support domestic products to enter the international market, the state refunds the value-added tax paid by enterprises in the production process to export enterprises in proportion. This can reduce the export costs of enterprises, enhance the price competitiveness of products in the international market, and set aside profits for enterprises to use for research and development and expansion of production capacity.
This tax refund policy adjustment has significantly increased the operating pressure on enterprises.
Take the export of photovoltaic cells as an example. If a company exports a batch of photovoltaic cells worth 5 million yuan after April, it can get a tax rebate of 450,000 yuan under the old policy, but only 300,000 yuan under the new policy, a tax rebate of 150,000 yuan less.
The impact is more significant on leading companies with an annual export volume of over 100 million yuan. A battery company with an annual export volume of 100 million yuan will receive a tax refund of 3 million yuan less in one year after the new policy.
For some small photovoltaic accessories and simple component products that have been directly exempted from tax rebates, companies will have to bear an additional tax cost of 30,000 yuan for every 1 million yuan of exported products, putting even greater pressure on small factories.
This policy adjustment is an inevitable choice for the development of my country’s photovoltaic industry.
In the past decade or so, my country’s photovoltaic industry has gone from “following” to “leading”. Its production capacity and export volume have ranked first in the world for many years, and its components and batteries account for more than 80% of the global market.
Export tax rebates promote industries to open up international markets and complete scale accumulation, but they also bring problems.
Some countries have launched anti-dumping and countervailing investigations, and tax refund policies have become a “point of blame”, increasing international trade frictions; long-term subsidies have caused some companies to develop the habit of “depending on policies to survive”, which is not conducive to the long-term high-quality development of the industry.
This adjustment is a signal to promote the industry’s shift from “scale expansion” to “quality improvement”, forcing companies to upgrade technology, optimize products, build brands, and shift from “price advantage” to “technical advantage and brand advantage.”
For export companies, there is short-term pressure, but it is also an opportunity for industry reshuffle.
Companies that rely on low prices to grab orders and do not pay attention to research and development are exposed to cost pressures and may suffer losses; companies that deploy technology in advance and have core patents or private brands can use technology premiums to offset the impact of tax rebates and expand market share.
For example, a leading domestic photovoltaic company will begin to adjust its product structure in 2024 and increase investment in the research and development of high-efficiency N-type cells and TOPCon components. The product technology has high added value, the export price is more than 20% higher than ordinary products, and the tax rebate can be reduced to ensure profits.
Ordinary consumers will also be indirectly affected.
The price of photovoltaic products will fluctuate slightly, and the cost of installing household photovoltaics at home may increase by several hundred yuan. However, due to the large scale of domestic production capacity, prices will not rise sharply, and the country promotes photovoltaic grid parity, so long-term use costs will decrease.
In terms of new energy employment, some companies will shrink production capacity in the short term, while long-term industrial transformation will create more technical and service-oriented jobs and promote the upgrading of the employment structure.
Ordinary investors also need to pay attention. The photovoltaic sector may fluctuate in the short term, but in the long term, global photovoltaic installed capacity will grow. my country’s photovoltaic industry’s technological advantages will still exist, and high-quality companies will have great room for development.
Different types of companies have different coping strategies.
Large enterprises deploy high-end products in advance and expand high value-added markets; small and medium-sized enterprises focus on segmented tracks and become more refined and specialized; foreign trade salespeople communicate with customers in advance and make price adjustments; all enterprises understand the details of the policy and make good use of other support policies.
Key time points to note: the new policy will be officially implemented on April 1, 2026; orders signed before April 1 but not declared must be communicated with the customs as soon as possible; pay attention to industry policy updates throughout 2026.
From the perspective of industrial development, this adjustment is not “suppression” but “empowerment”. Although there are short-term pains, it will allow the industry to rely on its strength to stand firm in the global market. The long-term export trend will not change. my country’s photovoltaic products will remain the core supplier of the global market.
