Slavery Poisons Solar Industry's Supply Chains
Roughly 80% of solar components are manufactured in China using slave labor. The U.S. government and international organizations have raised concerns about forced labor in China's renewable energy supply chains. American taxpayers have subsidized billions in purchases of solar panels, indirectly funding companies that use slave labor. The U.S. Department of Labor and State Department have released reports on forced labor in renewable energy supply chains. China's dominance in solar panel production relies on exploiting "surplus workers" in coal-fired power plants. The U.S. has taken a firm stand against imports potentially linked to forced labor, placing the burden on companies to prove their imports were not produced using forced labor. The Solar Energy Industries Association has pledged to oppose the use of slave labor in the industry.
Source: Link
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the article "Slavery Poisons Solar Industry's Supply Chains" about?
A: The article "Slavery Poisons Solar Industry's Supply Chains" discusses how solar panel production in China increases the risk of component materials coming from slave labor. It highlights that approximately 80% of solar components are tainted by slavery, and this issue affects the solar industry's supply chains worldwide.
Q: Who authored the article "Slavery Poisons Solar Industry's Supply Chains"?
A: The article "Slavery Poisons Solar Industry's Supply Chains" was authored by Miles Pollard, an economic policy analyst with the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment at The Heritage Foundation.
Q: What is the percentage of solar components that are affected by slavery?
A: Approximately 80% of solar components are affected by slavery, according to the article "Slavery Poisons Solar Industry's Supply Chains".
Q: What is the potential solution to concerns about renewables supply chains?
A: The article "Evidence grows of forced labour and slavery in production of solar panels, wind turbines" suggests implementing a 'certificate of origin' scheme as a potential solution to counter concerns about renewables supply chains.
Q: Are solar panels the only product affected by modern slavery within the tech industry?
A: No, solar panels are not the only product affected by modern slavery within the tech industry. According to the article "Report: Modern slavery persists in tech supply chains", solar panels are the No. 4 at-risk product in terms of value, but there are other products within the tech industry that are also impacted by modern slavery.