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China: Europe's solar companies avoid forced labor in Xinjiang
Find out how European solar companies are avoiding forced labor in the photovoltaic stronghold of Xinjiang and building ethical supply chains. An exciting analysis by Christiane Kühl. #Solarindust — As of: April 18, 2024.
China: Europe's solar companies avoid forced labor in Xinjiang
Solar companies in Europe are finding ways to avoid potential forced labor in the Chinese solar stronghold of Xinjiang. The region reportedly has concerns about mandatory work programs, particularly targeting minorities such as the Uyghurs, mandated by the Chinese government. These allegations have been rejected by Beijing, but this is being questioned due to a lack of transparency. The USA has therefore banned imports from Xinjiang since the end of 2021 unless they can be proven to be free of forced labor.
European solar companies are responding to the controversy by establishing supply chains from China that are free of Xinjiang products. One example is the Berlin solar startup Enpal, which sources its wafer cells and precursors exclusively from provinces such as Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu to ensure that no forced labor is involved. These efforts are aimed at meeting ethical requirements and ensuring that workers are treated appropriately.
In addition, new supply chain laws are forcing companies to keep their supply chains free of human rights violations such as forced labor. Both German law and the EU Supply Chain Act require reliable documentation that there are no violations in the value chains. Although China or Xinjiang are not explicitly mentioned, these regulations are focused on the region and serve the purpose of ensuring compliance with ethical standards.