Solar Charter unites EU governments and solar sector

The Charter was signed during an Informal Energy Ministerial in Brussels and is a commitment from governments and the sector to support European solar manufacturing.

At the signing, CEO of SolarPower Europe, Walburga Hemetsberger, said: “Solar in Europe has skyrocketed in recent years. Building on the 2022 EU Solar Strategy, the EU Solar Charter reinforces the reality that solar photovoltaics (PV) is now a mainstream energy technology. Europe, and the world, is banking on solar to guide us out of the climate and energy crisis towards a new era of green prosperity and security.

“The Solar Charter is an important moment of recognition. The continent’s governments have made a high-level promise to our manufacturers, recognising their critical role in the strategic supply chains of today and tomorrow. Nevertheless, we continue to urge rapid action and concrete measures at national and EU level to support manufacturers. This means rolling out resilience criteria in public procurement and auctions as soon as possible, unlocking subsidy support, and establishing dedicated EU financing for solar.

“With manufacturers in crisis, and the double-digit growth of solar deployment under threat from grid and permitting delays, the EU Solar Charter is one chapter in Europe’s solar story. Delivering accelerated solar deployment growth is key to ensuring a market for European solar manufacturers – it is important that Ministers also took the opportunity today to discuss Europe’s energy infrastructure and supporting the flexibility of our grid. We look forward to this issue being further tackled by ministers and Heads of State at upcoming Councils.”

The Charter asks companies – and crucially, the governments of EU Member States – to commit to:

• A series of voluntary actions, like including solar PV products in portfolios of relevant market players and incorporating resilience considerations in PV offtakers’ procurement strategies.
• To maintain and, where possible, expand the current production capacity in Europe, in line with expected growing demand for their products, based on the public and private commitments.
• An early implementation of the relevant NZIA and promotion of innovative forms of solar energy deployment, such as agrivoltaics, floating solar, infrastructure-integrated PV, vehicle-integrated PV or building-integrated PV.

The EU Solar Charter was signed in Brussels, at the Palais d’Egmont, and was signed by 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Several solar industry stakeholders were also present to physically sign the pledge, including:

• Armin Froitzheim, CTO, Solarwatt.
• Frederic Maenhaut, Deputy CEO, Amarenco.
• Jörg Ebel, Vice President, IBC Solar.
• Katharina Eickelberg, SVP Global Communication and Sustainability, SMA.
• Michele Bologna, Head of European Affairs, Enel Group.
• Pierre-Emmanuel Martin, President, CARBON.
• Thierry Saegeman, Executive Vice President, Engie.

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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/17042024/solar-charter-unites-eu-governments-and-solar-sector/