Brussels/Freiburg, May 5, 2020 – The coalition ‘Solar Europe Now’, which has been officially launched today, is calling for the recognition of solar energy as a key driver to deliver on the European Green Deal ambitions. This coalition which gathers currently over 90 actors from the European solar value chain is concerned that the current lack of financial and R&D impetus in the sector will hinder its development, halt the EU’s industrial sovereignty in strategic technologies and limit the EU’s effectiveness in achieving decarbonisation throughout the continent.
Consult the call-to-action of ‘Solar Europe Now’ here
Sun-generated energy is widely-recognised as crucial to build a secure and sustainable energy system for the future, at both European and global level. All future energy scenarios developed by the EU to achieve climate objectives by 2050 foresee a key role for solar photovoltaic energy. (Commission Communication ‘A Clean Planet for All: A European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy’ (COM(2018) 773), 28 November 2018 and ‘In depth analysis in support of the Commission communication’ 28 November 2018.)
Yet, the communication from the European Commission on the Green Deal, which constitutes the roadmap for EU authorities to encourage energy transition in the coming years, mentions the crucial role of renewable energy in the phasing out of coal and the decarbonisation of Europe, but does not mention solar energy, contrary to offshore wind energy which is recognised as a key driver.
There is however a rich potential in Europe for the development of a strong solar industry. Photovoltaics currently cover 3% of total EU electricity demand, with an estimated potential of 15% by 2030. European research centers are dedicated to developing cutting-edge industrial solutions along the photovoltaic value chain. These new cutting-edge solutions provide the ground for a renaissance of globally competitive European industrial PV production. The overall annual global turnover of the European PV industry is currently estimated at 5 billion euros, but much of its potential remains untapped with high capacity for economic growth and job creation.
For Roch Drozdowski-Strehl, CEO of IPVF, a world-renowned photovoltaic research institute based in France and initiator of the coalition, the scaling-up of research and innovation investments in the sector will be key to fostering the development of this strategic industry and release its full potential. “Together with the world leading research centres in Europe, Europe can lead the market of high-end PV cells and modules. In Europe, major institutes have positioned themselves strongly in the competitive race for new technologies. European institutions should support this by any means possible”.
Prof. Andreas Bett, Director of Fraunhofer ISE, Germany adds: “Some of the world’s most advanced technologies, such as tandem solar cells surpassing the efficiency values of silicon solar cells as well as sustainable production technologies including cradle-to-cradle and recycling, are currently being designed in European research centers. Encouraging investments in these key technologies at EU level will provide unique opportunities for innovation breakthroughs and intellectual property developments while opening up space for newcomers”.
