Solar panel imports to the U.S. from China surged at the end of last year, as customers sought to avoid paying a 30 percent tariff imposed by President Trump.

Trump in January announced 30 percent tariffs on imported solar panels for next year, and the tariff will progressively drop over the next three years.

The U.S. solar industry imported 11 times more panels from China in the fourth quarter of last year than in the first nine months of 2017, according to a report Friday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

The vast amount of penalty-free imports from China will allow U.S. companies to insulate themselves from the impact of the tariffs, by allowing them to stockpile excess supply of panels in warehouses until needed.

Trump imposed the tariffs in response to a petition by two struggling U.S. solar manufacturers, who argued panel-makers are being harmed by cheap imports from Asia, mostly China.

About 65 percent of all solar modules are made in China, and seven of the top 10 module manufacturers are Chinese.

The broader U.S. solar industry, other than panel-makers, opposed the tariffs, arguing the penalties could harm the industry's recent progress by increasing their costs and forcing them to raise prices for consumers.

Most of the jobs in the U.S. solar industry are people installing solar-power systems on roofs, as well as jobs related to other parts of the supply chain, not manufacturing panels.