Akuo Energy, Amarenco, BayWa, EDF, Enel Green Power (EGP), Engie Iberdrola and Vattenfall have written a letter to the European Commission (EC) demanding a European industrial strategy that can lead the block to establish 20 GW solar PV manufacturing capacity, says SolarPower Europe (SPE).
Pointing at the steps being taken by the US and Indian governments to encourage domestic PV manufacturing considering it as a strategic industry, the developers want the commission to put in place a 'pragmatic and progressive' European strategy endorsed by the Competitiveness Council in 2022.
Convened by the European solar PV lobby association SolarPower Europe (SPE), these leading developers point at the urgency to reinvest in critical solar manufacturing capacity within the continent, covering the entire value chain from polysilicon to modules. "Allowing access to a diversified supply of components in the medium term is necessary to ensure a healthy competition among manufacturers, sustain a continuous innovation cycle, improve the sustainability of the supply chain and strengthen the resilience of the industry in case of future shocks," reads the letter.
Stating market trends and to meet the block's target of carbon neutrality Europe would need to install 870 GW solar capacity by 2030, as against the commission's estimate of 479 GW, the developers said they are ready to deploy solar at a faster pace.
Encouraging solar through an industrial policy will also create high quality jobs as well as support additional jobs in renewable hydrogen or decentralized battery storage industry, they further claim.
"Following the work of the European Solar Initiative, European solar developers are calling on the Commission and the Competitiveness Council to support the redevelopment of critical manufacturing capacities, and endorse a strategy for the EU solar PV value chain in 2022," said SPE CEO Walburga Hemetsberger.
SPE and EIT InnoEnergy launched the European Solar Initiative in February 2021 with an aim to achieve 20 GW annual solar PV production capacity across the PV value chain by 2025 (see European Solar Initiative Launched For PV Manufacturing).