Britain’s state-owned energy company, GBEnergy, will no longer be permitted to use solar panels, wind turbines, orbatteries linked to slave labour, following a significant policy reversal bythe government.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will introduce alegislative amendment to ensure that all supply chains involved in clean energyinfrastructure are free from slavery and human trafficking.
The move comes after Labour MPs previouslyblocked a similar amendment to the Great British Energy Bill. Although nonevoted against the party line, 92 MPs abstained, prompting what a governmentsource described as a “recognition of the strength of feeling.”
Concerns have mounted over the use ofpolysilicon – an essential material in solar panel production – that is largelysourced from China’s Xinjiang region.
This area has faced international scrutinyfor allegedhuman rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim population.
Reports suggest up to 97% of solar panels soldin the UK include materials from Xinjiang, placing around 40% of Britain’ssolar panel industry at risk of being linked to forced labour.
Campaigners had prepared case studies showingsuch panels being installed on public buildings. In response, ministers aresaid to be convinced that GB Energy“needs to be an industry leader” inethical sourcing.
One government source stated: “We arecommitted to ensuring Great British Energy is a sector leader in this area,developing resilient, home-grown supply chains free from forced labour.”
While the decision has been welcomed by humanrights advocates, it has raised concerns about its impact on the UK’senvironmental targets.
Andrew Bowie, acting Shadow EnergySecretary, warned TheTimes that the policy would cause a “realslowdown in the deployment of solar in the United Kingdom,” and questionedwhether Labour’s clean energy goals could still be met.
John Flesher, deputy director of theConservative Environment Network, called the shift “long overdue,” butstressed: “The government must now act to ensure that this knee-jerk U-turndoesn’t damage our environmental goals and the solar industry.”
Luke de Pulford of the Inter-ParliamentaryAlliance on China echoed campaigners’ support, saying: “We cannot build a justtransition on the backs of Uyghur slaves.”