Keep China Out of Solar Energy Act of 2025
The Keep China Out of Solar Energy Act of 2025 would bar the federal government from procuring solar panels that are manufactured or assembled by entities tied to China. Within 180 days of enactment, federal agencies would receive standards to prevent using federal funds or government purchase cards for such panels, and the regulations would be incorporated into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The bill creates a waiver process for when no other viable source exists, but requires quarterly reporting to Congress on waivers. It also requires a Comptroller General report on current federal procurement of Chinese-linked solar panels, and calls for an independent study (to be conducted by a federally funded research center) on the domestic solar market, technological progress, and the global supply chain. The act defines “covered entity” as a Chinese-domiciled entity or one under influence/control by the Chinese government or Communist Party, and defines “solar panel” as crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules. In short, the bill is designed to progressively sever federal solar panel procurement ties to Chinese-linked manufacturers, with monitoring, possible exceptions, and future analysis of domestic capacity and supply chains.
Key Points
- 1Prohibition on federal procurement: Within 180 days, standards will be issued to prevent federal contracts, subcontracts, grants, or subgrants for solar panels manufactured or assembled by a covered entity, and to bar purchase cards from buying such panels.
- 2FAR amendment: Within 180 days, the Federal Acquisition Regulation will be amended to implement the prohibition for federal contracts and subcontracts.
- 3Waiver mechanism: Agency heads can obtain a waiver if the only viable source is a covered entity, with joint approval from the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security. Waiver requests must be reported to OMB and Congress on a quarterly basis.
- 4Oversight and reporting: The Comptroller General must report within 275 days on how much solar panels were procured from covered entities by federal departments/agencies.
- 5Studies and assessment: Within one year, the OMB must contract for an independent study with a federally funded research center examining (1) domestic solar panel production capacity, (2) the domestic market’s ability to keep pace with technology, and (3) the global solar supply chain and workforce. The study results must be submitted to relevant congressional committees.