The "Solar Manufacturing Accelerator" platform gets reinforcement.
The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) and the technology and innovation platform ETIP-PV have joined the initiative at the invitation of Solarpower Europe to accelerate the development of photovoltaic production capacities in Europe.
In addition to strengthening the upstream sector in Europe, the focus is also on improving the link between industrial developers and researchers.
Since May, the French research institute IPVF has been part of the initiative, which also leads the Solar Europe Now coalition.
"'Solar Manufacturing Accelerator' is a great initiative aimed at supporting photovoltaic development in Europe at high speed.
We need an accelerated pace of implementation to meet the energy targets set in the European Green Deal," said ESMC Secretary General Andre Langwost.
He pointed to the recently presented study by Solarpower Europe and the Finnish university LUT, according to which photovoltaics can provide more than 60 percent of the energy by 2050.
But there should be no time delay to achieve the goal, Langwost said.
"An important step was taken at the ESMC General Assembly with the announcement of a new 2-gigawatt factory in France.
This is the kind of project we need to start a new solar age," Langwost said.
Marko Topic, Chairman of ETIP-PV, pointed out the importance of research when it comes to the long-term success of the solar industry, especially in view of the competitive and innovative environment.
Solarpower Europe stressed that as part of the new EU industrial strategy, everyone would work together to restore the photovoltaic production chain in Europe.
To this end, the strategic importance of the solar industry should also be recognised in the EU Green Deal.
In addition to a strong expansion of photovoltaics in the coming decades, a strong political commitment to photovoltaic production in Europe is also needed, said Aurelie Beauvais, Interim CEO of Solarpower Europe.
The Solar Manufacturing Accelerator" is open to all companies and organizations that want to support the development of manufacturing projects.
SOURCE:ESMC und ETIP-PV schließen sich Initiative für Photovoltaik-Produktion in Europa an