Solar PV Sector to Play Key Role in Global Energy Transition: Roch Drozdowski

We have entered a historic decade of accelerated deployment and innovation in clean technologies. As illustrated, all along with the ETIP PV 2021 Annual Conference, it behoves the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector to play a key role in the global energy transition, said Roch Drozdowski-Strehl, Vice-Chairman of ETIP PV.

The European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics (ETIP PV) provide advice on solar energy policy, and is an independent body recognised by the European Commission and the SET Plan Steering Group as a representative of the PV sector.

ETIP PV has successfully concluded its 2021 virtual annual conference on “Solar PV Big & Beyond - Delivering the 2030 climate targets to Europe”, which gathered over 700 participants and discussed the challenges of delivering the 2030 climate targets to Europe.

Roch Drozdowski-Strehl, who was also the Conference Chairman, emphasized that “deeper cooperation amongst European partners and between the private and public sectors is crucial to make this transition a reality, and sustainably reshore renewable energy supply chains to Europe.”

The conference brought together industry leaders, high-level Representatives of the European Commission and EU organizations to provide a comprehensive overview of the EU PV Industry.

MEP Jutta Paulus, Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, stated “It is possible to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 or earlier without relying on nuclear energy but we have to urgently scale-up the deployment of renewable energy. We have by far not fully exploited the potential of community energy, which is largely due to the fact that Member States do not transpose the relevant regulations in the Renewable Energy Directive II and the Electricity Market Directive. The Commission should support Member States better in order to harvest the immense potential of citizens eager to act on climate change”.

She further stressed that energy efficiency should be prioritised as “every kWh that is not wasted, does not have to be produced in the first place.” She also emphasized that “We have to ensure that Europe becomes less dependent on 3rd countries regarding technological knowledge and strategic parts of the renewables and hydrogen supply chain to be able to feed our own demand.”

During the conference ETIP-PV published the “Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for PV in Europe.” ETIP PV Chairman Marko Topič commented on the SRIA, “ETIP PV is opening a public consultation on the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for PV science, technology and engineering till 2030 and beyond that is articulated in 5 challenges with several roadmaps that positions PV in the heart of the clean energy transition. The SRIA deals with research and innovation priorities that go beyond techno-economic benefits and embed new jobs and manufacturing in Europe, social inclusivity, sustainability and circularity, integration into the energy system and double use of landscapes and surfaces in buildings, vehicles, infrastructure and elsewhere.”