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The UK government has introduced a legislative amendment to prohibit Great British (GB) Energy from using solar panels linked to forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region. Half of the world’s polysilicon supply comes from the Xinjiang region. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s move follows concerns over the exploitation of Uyghur Muslims in polysilicon production. The UK currently sources over 40% of its solar PV imports from China. While some critics label the shift a policy reversal, others, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), praise it. Government officials assert that the decision will not jeopardise net zero targets or solar supply chain resilience. (BBC)
Why does this matter? GB Energy was launched by the Labour government in partnership with The Crown Estate in July 2024. The state-owned firm is backed by £8.3bn ($11bn) in parliament funding. GN energy is key to the UK’s clean energy goals, aiming to deliver 95% clean electricity by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. This initiative is expected to lower bills and create up to 1,000 jobs while attracting an additional £60bn in private investment. Its first major project involves installing solar panels on 200 schools and 200 NHS sites.
The government’s decision is relevant to Rio Tinto given the firm recognises modern slavery as a global risk. It has integrated the prevention of forced labour into its broader human rights programme, setting strict expectations for its employees and suppliers. Rio Tinto is also collaborating with governments and organisations to support stronger anti-slavery policies and regulations worldwide.
China dominates the green technology market, with its rapid expansion contributing to a 90% drop in solar panel prices over the past decade. The GB Energy bill amendment also applies to components used in batteries and wind turbines that are believed to have been made using forced labour. Some suggest that the move will put the UK’s net zero goals at risk, with Andrew Bowie, acting energy, claiming that it would decelerate the deployment of solar in the UK.
However, Government officials are confident that the move will not derail its goal of clean energy by 2030. A spokesperson for the Department of Energy and Net Zero added that no UK industry should be dependent on forced labour and that GB Energy intends to “build the supply chains needed to support a new era of clean homegrown power”, with the relaunched solar taskforce charged with developing this. Meanwhile, the government will publish a Solar Roadmap later this year, detailing how it will work with industry to triple the UK’s solar capacity by the end of the decade.
Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), told the BBC that state-imposed forced labour is a widespread issue across China’s renewables sector. He noted that the government may need to go as far as banning solar panels sourced from the Xinjiang region. When asked about the challenge of expanding renewable energy without relying on Chinese suppliers potentially linked to forced labour, de Pulford said it would require a transition. The UK could also source solar panels from other regions, including a small but expanding group of domestic suppliers.
In a separate development, the government has announced a £300m investment through GB Energy to strengthen domestic supply chains for offshore wind farms, aiming to boost manufacturing of key components such as cables and floating platforms. Alongside securing jobs and enhancing energy independence, the funding is intended to attract international developers and manufacturers, positioning the UK as a global hub for offshore wind technology and production.