Economies of scale and government subsidies, especially in China, have helped to drive down solar energy prices by 85 percent since 2010, supercharging a global boom in new hookups.
This year, for the first time, investors are expected to put more money into solar than oil.
But the solar energy supply chain is still dominated by China, an authoritarian regime engaged in a trade war with the U.S. And many of the industry’s key materials and components are made with forced labor from the Xinjiang region in western China.
In recent years, other countries, led by the U.S., have finally gotten serious about trying to challenge China’s dominance.
The report, produced by human rights and solar industry experts, found that the vast majority of solar panels still have significant exposure to the Xinjiang region, where the U.S. and the U.N. say the Chinese government is committing numerous human rights violations.
Persons:
It’s, Ana Swanson, Ivan Penn
Organizations:
U.S
Locations:
China, Xinjiang, U.S