Min. 8:16; Video from 7.1.2020; Ed.: MWSP Mannheim
Brussels/Fribourg, 5 May 2020 - A new alliance, "Solar Europe Now", officially launched on 5 May, calls for the recognition of solar energy as a key technology for the objectives of the European Green Deal. The new alliance, which currently includes more than 90 stakeholders from across the European solar value chain, is concerned that the current presentation of the Green Deal does not take enough account of the photovoltaic sector.
There is a lack of funding and support for research and development, which could hinder the further development of the sector, stalling the EU's industrial sovereignty in strategic technologies and limiting the successful implementation of decarbonisation across the European continent.
The Solar Europe Now Call to Action
Solar energy is now seen worldwide as a crucial factor in building a secure and sustainable energy system. All energy scenarios developed by the EU in the context of the 2050 climate targets see a key role for photovoltaic technology. In the European Commission's communication on the Green Deal, i.e. the roadmap for the EU authorities to promote the energy turnaround in the coming years, while renewable energies are seen as playing a crucial role in the phase-out of coal-fired power generation and the decarbonisation of Europe, solar energy, on the other hand, remains specifically unmentioned, in stark contrast to offshore wind energy, which is seen as a key driver.
Yet the development of a strong solar industry in Europe holds immense potential: photovoltaics currently cover only 3 percent of the EU's total electricity demand, with an estimated potential of 15 percent by 2030. European research centres are developing cutting-edge technologies for industrial production along the entire photovoltaic value chain. These new cutting-edge solutions are the basis for a renaissance of globally competitive industrial PV production in Europe. The total annual global turnover of the European PV industry is currently estimated at €5 billion, but there is potential for more. The industry has a high potential for economic growth and for creating sustainable jobs.
For Roch Drozdowski-Strehl, CEO of the Institut Photovoltaïque de l'Île de France (IPVF), an internationally recognized photovoltaic research institute based in France and founder of "Solar Europe Now", the increase in investment in research and innovation for this sector is a spark for the industrial development of this key strategic technology and industry and serves to unleash its full market potential. "Together with the world-leading research centres based here, Europe can lead the market for high-quality photovoltaic cells and modules. In Europe, the major institutes have positioned themselves strongly in the competition for new technologies. The European institutions should support this by all means."
Prof. Andreas Bett, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany adds: "Some of the world's most advanced technologies, such as tandem solar cells that surpass the efficiencies of silicon solar cells, as well as sustainable production technologies taking into account circular economy and recycling, are currently being developed in European research centres. Encouraging investment in these key technologies at EU level will provide unique opportunities for breakthrough innovation and intellectual property developments, while creating space for new entrants."
Promoting research and development in this sector would not only strengthen the EU's industrial sovereignty vis-à-vis China and Asia, which still produces 97% of the world's solar modules, but would also strengthen European leadership in key strategic technologies and, last but not least, send a positive signal to manufacturers.
Edyta Witkowska-Grześkiewicz, Managing Director of the Polish company Bruk-Bet Solar, which is a member of "Solar Europe Now" as a manufacturer of photovoltaic modules, emphasizes: "Thanks to advances in process automation and Industry 4.0, it is possible to manufacture materials, solar cells and modules in Europe at competitive costs. Such a European manufacturing industry will benefit from the technological innovations of the world's leading European research centres, and in the process it will provide the fast-growing European market with high-quality solar modules manufactured in a sustainable and resource-efficient way."
The members of the alliance "Solar Europe Now" call on the European institutions to take the strategic value of photovoltaics more into account in the upcoming climate, research and innovation initiatives as well as sustainable finance initiatives. The expansion of solar energy is essential to achieve the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 2050. "Solar Europe Now" seeks to engage with European decision-makers to discuss ways to shine sunlight on the Green Deal and stimulate European PV production capacity.
Roch Drozdowski-Strehl concludes: "A dynamic photovoltaic market is the basis for reviving the European solar manufacturing industry and creating more than 100,000 jobs along the entire value chain. The European Green Deal opens up the opportunity to expand sustainable and job-creating activities in low-emission technologies, offsetting the decline in employment in the fossil fuel sector and in CO₂-intensive processes. It is essential that we develop a tailored policy and financial framework to revitalise European PV manufacturing capacity."
***
The "Solar Europe Now" alliance brings together more than 90 players in the European photovoltaic value chain from 15 European countries. Convinced that solar energy is crucial to achieve climate neutrality in the near future, the alliance was formed by research centres and manufacturers calling for a better integration of photovoltaics in climate and energy policies at European level.
Source: Press release ise.fraunhofer.de from 5.5.2020
Keywords:
100% EEs, Fuel cell, Energy storage, Renewable, Climate protection, Sustainable management, News Blog Europe (without DE), PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Solar thermal, Transition Town, Environmental policy, Economics
The DGNB blog highlights sustainable building in all its facets. Leading experts from the construction and real estate industry discuss topics that move the industry. Pioneers of sustainability provide impulses that encourage people to rethink.
Click here to go to the DGNB blog:
http://blog.dgnb.de
Keywords:
Stakeholders, Blogs & Portals, DGNB, Quarters, Settlements, Environmental policy, Housing policy, Certification & Labels
North Rhine-Westphalia is the world's largest public issuer of sustainability bonds / Minister President Laschet: North Rhine-Westphalia is committed to a future in which ecology and economy are responsibly compatible
The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia has adopted an updated sustainability strategy that has been supplemented with important topics for the future. With a wide range of goals and measures, the strategy shows the way to sustainable living and economic activity in the most populous federal state. The strategy was developed in cooperation with all ministries of the state government under the leadership of the Ministry of the Environment. The state government will appoint a sustainability advisory board to accompany the implementation, evaluation and further development of the sustainability strategy.
Minister President Armin Laschet: "With the newly presented sustainability strategy based on the 17 UN goals, North Rhine-Westphalia is making concrete contributions to the integrity of creation and to sustainable economic activity. North Rhine-Westphalia is a pioneering state: we show how sustainability can succeed here in a highly developed and densely populated industrial state in the heart of Europe. In this way, we can set an example worldwide. North Rhine-Westphalia is committed to a future in which ecology and economy are responsibly compatible."
"By positioning ourselves sustainably as a society and economy, we are shaping the future and future markets. Each and every individual can make a contribution to this in this decade of sustainability," says Environment Minister Ursula Heinen-Esser: "At the same time, the new strategy is also a central guard rail for the way out of the corona pandemic. This must be linked to tangible steps towards sustainability so that the economy can not only recover, but North Rhine-Westphalia can emerge from the crisis more climate-friendly, resource-efficient and sustainable."
The core of the new sustainability strategy is a set of 67 concrete goals and indicators. These are closely interlinked with the goals at federal level and are based on the global sustainability goals adopted by the United Nations on 25 September 2015 with the worldwide Agenda 2030. Ecology, economy and social coexistence are given equal consideration.
World's largest public issuer of sustainability bonds
Among other things, North Rhine-Westphalia plays a pioneering role in the issuance of sustainability bonds. In recent years, North Rhine-Westphalia has placed six sustainability bonds with a total volume of almost eleven billion euros on the financial markets. This makes North Rhine-Westphalia the largest public issuer of sustainability bonds worldwide and the first and so far only German state to issue bonds in this area. The multiple awards with industry prizes confirm the success of the state's sustainability bonds.
"The sustainability principle is particularly important to us - economically and politically," affirms Lutz Lienenkämper, Minister of Finance. "We achieve high demand on the market and at the same time enable important investments for the future of our country."
Wide range of targets and indicators
The spectrum of goals and indicators ranges from an increase in organic farming to 20 percent of agricultural land, to strengthening the environmental economy as an important future segment, to a minimum investment of 3.5 percent of GDP in innovations and solutions for the future. Other indicators describe the expansion of all-day care at primary school age and the increase in raw material productivity by 2030. In addition, the strategy includes important future topics such as digitalisation, the circular economy and electromobility.
Further information on the sustainability bonds
With the sustainability bond, the country is addressing investors who value a financial investment that supports social and ecological concepts. The investors' money flows into sustainable projects of the state from a total of seven project categories. These include, for example, exemption from contributions for the last year of kindergarten and the expansion of cycle paths and broadband infrastructure. The pension fund of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is also managed 100 percent sustainably. The state pursues the goals of security, profitability and sustainability in its investment decisions.
The requirements for sustainable capital investments include both general ESG criteria (Environment, Social, Governance - ESG) and targeted criteria for the exclusion of ethically or ecologically particularly problematic business practices. This is how sustainable management with improved environmental standards succeeds in the industrial and energy state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The state invests exclusively in companies that are among the best rated in the areas of ecology, social affairs and corporate governance on the basis of numerous key figures. In particular, international norms and standards for the protection of the environment as well as ethical and social criteria formulated by the UN apply.
Keywords:
News Blog NRW, SDG 2030, Environmental policy
