A bill to end forced labor in solar energy production

Will Chinese forced labor affect the solar energy industry?

A bipartisan bill in Congress seeks to address Chinese forced labor by blocking imports of goods produced in Xinjiang, where most of the global supply of solar cells is manufactured. CSIS’s Scholl Chair analyzes how this could affect the U.S. solar energy industry.

What is the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act?

On December 23, 2021, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6256, known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The act is intended to stem the importation of goods made with forced labor from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China into the United States.

How can solar PV developers and contractors avoid forced labor violations?

Solar PV developers and contractors should consider immediate mitigation measures to avoid the potentially catastrophic impacts of their projects being implicated in forced labor concerns, including violations of the act. Prudent mitigation measures may include:

Are Xinjiang solar panels a 'forced labor'?

Calls to Hoshine were not answered late on Thursday in China. Xinjiang companies, including makers of polysilicon products, have repeatedly denied that the region’s labor transfer programs amount to forced labor. Allegations of forced labor in the solar panel supply chain have created a dilemma for U.S. officials.

How many shipments of solar energy equipment have been seized?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has seized 1,053 shipments of solar energy equipment between June 21, when the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act went into effect, and Oct. 25, it told Reuters in response to a public records request, adding none of the shipments have yet been released.

Does Biden want to press China over solar power abuses?

Allegations of forced labor in the solar panel supply chain have created a dilemma for U.S. officials. The Biden administration wants to press China over human rights abuses, but it also wants to expand the use of clean energy sources like solar power in the United States as it seeks to reduce carbon emissions.