An investigation by European solar supply chain experts into the manufacturing efforts of Donghai JA Solar, which was recently added to the UFLPA banned entity list by the Untied States, found that the JA Solar subsidiary ceased production efforts in 2018. The group indirectly claims that the United States is using outdated information.
JA Solar manufacturing operations in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
The European Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) board swiftly suspended JA Solar’s membership in its group after the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security added Donghai JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd. to its Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The United States added Donghai JA Solar products to its list of banned goods due to the U.S. government’s determination that the company sources polysilicon from Xinjiang, an area in China determined to use slave labor of the Uyghur people, an ethnic minority in the region. The UFLPA bans all imported goods directly from Xinjiang and those using materials from Xinjiang.
SSI was formed as a supply chain assurance effort for the solar industry. The European group has established standards and uses independent assessors to evaluate compliance with ESG criteria for companies active in the solar value chain. SSI manufacturer members include Astronergy, Canadian Solar, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Longi, Risen Energy and Trina Solar, along with a host of solar panel buyers throughout Europe. Membership is based on a commitment to SSI principles, not vetted and certified supply chains. SSI has two working standards that do require certification, and thus far only Trina Solar has had manufacturing sites certified under the ESG Standard.
After suspending JA Solar from its membership on Jan. 15, SSI investigated the company over nine days — from Jan. 16-24, 2025. The SSI completed a site visit to the Donghai JA Solar facility in Jiangsu Province, China; reviewed legal and contractual documentation related to Donghai JA Solar’s operations, including polysilicon contracts; and consulted with JA Solar senior staff and independent solar supply chain experts.
SSI found that the only production site owned by Donghai JA Solar ceased production in 2018. SSI also confirmed that Donghai JA Solar has been adapting its sourcing practices to JA Solar’s broader compliance commitments. Based on the outcome of the investigation, and the SSI’s belief that Donghai JA Solar is not using materials from Xinjiang, the SSI board has lifted JA Solar’s temporary membership suspension with immediate effect.
“The SSI Board acknowledges the vital role historical reports have played in raising awareness of supply chain risks and driving improvements in environmental, social, governance (ESG) and traceability performance. Today, the solar sector’s rapidly evolving ESG and traceability performance means that governments, institutions, investors, and NGOs have to rely on up-to-date data, i.e. no older than 12 months, and recognize companies’ publicly available policy management procedures,” the SSI Board said in a statement. Read the rest of the group’s statement here.
