The Directorate General of Customs Valuation, Karachi, has revised customs values for the import of 23 types of solar inverters from China, as per a new valuation ruling issued on Thursday. This update affects three categories of solar inverters: hybrid, off-grid, and on-grid.
The revised values apply to well-known Tier-I brands, such as Huawei, Inverex, Goodwe, and SMA, which are recognised internationally or nationally as major manufacturers. These brands import Ingress Protection (IP 65 and IP 66) solar inverters, with values set for these specific models. For other brands importing similar inverters, the same values will apply.
The ruling also highlights that off-grid solar inverters above 6 kWs are rarely imported, and in cases of ambiguity regarding product descriptions, customs officials may refer to manufacturers’ websites or request tests from reputable labs.
Previously, solar inverter customs values were determined under Valuation Ruling No. 1913 of 2024. Following challenges by importers, who argued that the values were excessively high, the Director General of Customs Valuation initiated a re-evaluation. The revised ruling addresses concerns, including discrepancies in the categorization of solar inverters based on their capacities.
The updated definitions clarify the differences between the three types of solar inverters:
- Hybrid Inverters: These inverters can integrate solar power, battery storage, and grid connectivity. They allow excess power to be fed into the grid.
- On-Grid Inverters: These convert solar power for use directly in the public grid, without battery storage, and operate only when connected to the grid.
- Off-Grid Inverters: These inverters use solar power, battery storage, and AC/grid/genset connectivity, and are ideal in areas with unstable grid power or where feeding power back to the grid isn’t necessary.
Importers had requested the categorization be refined to reflect market dynamics, prompting the revisions.
