Despite the Obama administration's imposition of tariffs on Chinese solar cells and panels, US imports of the products increased 76% in May compared with April, according to data from the US Department of Commerce.
The US imported $124.1 million in Chinese solar products in May, compared with $70.7 million in April.
The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing, a group of US companies that had filed a trade complaint against China that led to the tariffs, nonetheless said Thursday that the tariffs are having an impact.
The group said the May imports were 45% below the $225.8 million imported in May 2011.
"This significant decline in year-over-year totals reflects the market's rising recognition of the costs, risks and uncertainties associated with importing Chinese solar cells and panels," CASM said.
The figures still show that imports of Chinese solar products for all of 2012 are ahead of 2011's pace, CASM noted. For the first five months of 2012, the US imported $1.21 billion, up 22% from the $993.2 million in the same period last year.
Commerce in March announced the tariffs ranging from 2.9% to 4.73% on Chinese cells and panels to counteract China's subsidies for its domestic manufacturers. The US has said those subsidies are illegal under World Trade Organization rules.
The May figures do not yet reflect Commerce's decision in late May to impose additional duties on Chinese solar products, CASM said. Commerce said it would impose tariffs ranging from 31% to 250% for China's alleged "dumping" of solar panels in the US at below-market costs.
China in late May filed a WTO complaint, challenging the US tariffs.
