Publication Date
8-1-2023
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Energy Research and Social Science
Volume
102
DOI
10.1016/j.erss.2023.103167
Abstract
Abstract From 2020 through 2022 the solar industry experienced supply chain disruptions that caused price increases and trade restrictions, causing project delays and cancelations. News reports resurfaced allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, China, where a significant share of the industry supply chain is concentrated, which raised new policy and ethical dilemmas about materials sourcing for governments and buyers, and revealed a vulnerable supply chain. Fixing the weak links in solar supply chain will require multiple interventions that diversify the geography of manufacturing and lead some countries to re-shore production. Increased attention to sustainability and low carbon manufacturing initiatives through public policy, standards, and certification would hasten these developments and maximize the benefits of solar investments. One-sentence summary: Solar supply chains are vulnerable to disruptions that can be addressed by policy and best manufacturing practices.
Keywords
Critical materials, Industrial decarbonization, Solar power, Supply chains
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Environmental Studies
Recommended Citation
Dustin Mulvaney and Morgan Bazilian. "Price volatility, human rights, and decarbonization challenges in global solar supply chains" Energy Research and Social Science (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103167
