China Announces Changes to Solar Export Tax Rebates, with Impact Expected to Reach Brazil in 2026
- Vinicius Luiz
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
By Vinicius Luiz – Country Manager, Rockcore
The Chinese government officially announced this Friday (January 9) a change to its value-added tax (VAT) rebate policy for the export of photovoltaic products. The measure, published by China’s Ministry of Finance in conjunction with the country’s tax authority, provides for a gradual reduction in rebates throughout 2026, with total elimination for certain product categories.
In practice, the announcement signals the gradual end of one of the main mechanisms that have sustained extremely low prices for Chinese solar equipment in recent years. Its effects are expected to be felt directly in importing markets such as Brazil.
The broader impact: prices and strategy
With the reduction of VAT rebates:
Chinese manufacturers will operate with tighter margins;
Part of this cost is likely to be passed on to importers;
Analysts are already pointing to upward pressure on solar module prices in 2026.
Beyond pricing, the change accelerates an important structural shift: importing purely “commodity” modules is no longer a competitive advantage. Fiscal classification, product design, and added value become decisive factors.
PowerPad emerges as a competitive advantage
It is precisely at this point that Rockcore’s PowerPad stands out.
Unlike the traditional model of importing modules and inverters separately, PowerPad is marketed as an integrated system, with the microinverter already coupled to the module at the point of origin. This format allows:
A differentiated classification under China’s export policy, preserving the VAT rebate benefit;
The ability to maintain highly competitive pricing, even amid rebate reductions.
While conventional products are likely to face cost increases, PowerPad turns the regulatory change into a strategic advantage.
Tax gains and logistical efficiency
In addition to the tax aspect, PowerPad’s integrated model delivers further benefits:
Reduced logistical complexity;
Fewer separate items to import;
Lower indirect costs across the installation chain in Brazil.
The result is a product that delivers more technology per imported unit, positively impacting both final cost and operational efficiency for integrators.
A new scenario for 2026
Today’s announcement from China makes it clear that the global solar market is entering a new phase. Competition will no longer be driven solely by artificially low prices, but increasingly by strategy, integration, and efficiency.
For the Brazilian market, the message is straightforward: those who understand the new
rules of the game now will be ahead in 2026. Solutions like PowerPad demonstrate that, even in a scenario of global fiscal adjustment, it is possible to remain competitive
provided that technology and the import model are aligned with the new reality.
China Announces Changes to Solar Export Tax Rebates, with Impact Expected to Reach Brazil in 2026