Does Xinjiang use forced labor to make solar panels?

Allegations have been raised before that forced labor in Xinjiang has been used to produce polysilicon, a key component for making solar panels. But this latest research indicates that the practice is also used in the mining and processing of quartz, the raw material at the very start of the solar panel supply chain.

Will Xinjiang & China produce solar panels?

Xinjiang will produce about half of the polysilicon in these panels, based on BNEF projections, and China will account for more than 80% of the overall supply. But consumers can’t track the provenance of their panels, since raw materials from multiple factories mix together along the solar supply chain.

Could Xinjiang shift away from solar commodity production?

A focused effort to shift away from Xinjiang-based solar commodity production could help ensure a more reliable supply of solar PV commodities, while also promoting greater technological innovation in manufacturing and better shielding the industry from reputational and regulatory risks.

Does the Xinjiang solar industry have a labor transfer program?

Picarsic’s team in January released an analysis of the Xinjiang solar industry’s ties to the government’s labor transfer program. Horizon’s findings dovetail with many of the documents retrieved by Zenz, as does an October report by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Is Xinjiang a good place for solar energy?

Xinjiang alone produces nearly half of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon, and is home to factories for some of the industry’s biggest players. Meanwhile, many countries are betting on solar as a critical form of renewable energy as they work to transition away from more polluting power sources.

Is Xinjiang a'sins of a Solar Empire'?

Our previous Sins of a Solar Empire report highlighted the scale of forced labor risks and environmental injustice within the Xinjiang-based solar manufacturing sector, and called upon solar industry actors, policymakers, and climate advocates to redouble efforts to aggressively shift solar PV manufacturing away from the Xinjiang region.