UK Energy Firm Rejects Chinese Solar Panels Tied to Forced Labour

The UK's state-owned GB Energy, initiated by Labour, vows not to use solar panels made with forced labour in China. Pending parliamentary approval of the Great British Energy Bill, the company aims to boost renewable energy while ensuring its supply chains remain slave-free, according to Euro News.

The UK's newly formed state-owned energy company, GB Energy, will exclude solar panels produced with forced labor in China, according to a report by Euro News. Initiated by the Labour Party in July, GB Energy is focused on enhancing renewable energy and cutting energy expenses, pending the approval of the Great British Energy Bill by Parliament.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is advocating for a legislative amendment to eliminate slavery from GB Energy's supply chains. According to Euro News, Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), flagged concerns about forced labor within China's renewable energy sector, often involving ethnic minorities.

Research from Sheffield Hallam University highlights that 45% of the world's polysilicon, crucial for solar panels, originates from China's Xinjiang region, where local Uyghur minorities are reportedly exploited. Chinese government documents, cited by Euro News, disclose that 2.6 million people were placed in jobs under controversial labor programs.

UK imports over 40% of its solar technology from China, as per HMRC data. Meanwhile, the European Union has taken steps to exclude solar components produced with forced labor, with a recent European Council vote banning such products in the EU market, Euro News reported.

(With inputs from agencies.)