The U.S. solar industry has condemned all forms of forced labor and we are committed to ensuring that solar products coming into the U.S. do not contain anything made using forced labor.
If the solar industry is going to help combat climate change and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, as we aspire to do, we cannot achieve these goals by using forced labor.
By 2030, under our Solar+ Decade goal, solar will account for 20% of U.S. electricity generation. We will only achieve that goal if we meet customer and public expectations to operate with integrity across the entire value chain. Leadership is imperative to this end.
In October 2020, SEIA called on solar companies to move their supply chains out of China’s Xinjiang region. We expect makers of U.S.-bound solar products to do so by June 2021. More than 235 companies have pledged to work with us as we enhance transparency and ensure public confidence in solar products.
This spring, we will release a traceability protocol, which module producers can use as a compliance tool. The protocol will promote transparency and ensure that solar products are free of materials built using forced labor.
We must also take policy action to encourage domestic solar manufacturing. Building a robust U.S. solar supply chain will take a number of years, and in the meantime, we will have to ensure a healthy global solar market. Domestic manufacturing growth depends on stable, long-term policies and investments to create business certainty and an environment where domestic manufacturing for renewable energy can thrive.
As one of the best ways to reduce carbon emissions and spur the clean energy economy, we must meet the highest ethical standards across our supply chain. We are committed to doing just that.
Our success in the Solar+ Decade depends on it.
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