Solar panel cells at the Hanwha Q Cells manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia. Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/BloombergEight US solar manufacturing firms filed a request with the Department of Commerce on Tuesday to investigate alleged unfair trade practices by companies assembling solar cells and panels in Ethiopia with components from China. First Solar, Qcells, Suniva and Talon PV are among the petitioners alleging Chinese cells manufacturers of circumventing US tariffs on solar products by shifting production to Ethiopia for export to the US. Imports of Ethiopian solar products went from none through June 2025 to $300 million by December, the companies said in a statement.