At a meeting organised by the EU Energy Council on 4 March, participants discussed the development of the photovoltaic (PV) industry in Europe, focusing on the twin objectives of accelerating the installation of PV systems and protecting Europe's PV manufacturing industry from the pressure of imports of low-priced PV products.

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), recommended that EU Member States develop policies to strengthen the key role of PV systems in Europe's energy transition. Highlighting the fact that the European PV market is growing rapidly, she emphasised that the industry is transitioning to a more mature phase but faces complex challenges.

EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson gave an overview of the current state of the European PV industry at a press conference following the meeting, pointing to the rapid installation of PV systems and the challenges faced by European manufacturers of PV products due to the influx of cheap imported PV products. He externally announced plans to develop a PV Market Commitment, encouraging EU member states and stakeholders to commit to actions to promote the development of the European PV manufacturing industry.

Key members attending the EU Energy Council meeting included Mechthild Worsdorfer, Deputy Director General of the EU Energy Agency, Alexandra Sdoukou, Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy of Greece, Tinne Van der Straeten, Minister of Energy of Belgium, and Leonore Gewessler, Minister of Energy of Austria, who at the meeting called for increased co-operation to achieve Europe's ambitious PV deployment targets.

Hemetsberger reflected on the development of the European PV industry and claimed that the EU PV strategy and REPowerEU are game changers. She pointed out that despite significant growth in installed capacity of PV systems installed in Europe, current commitments are below the EU's target of 750GW by 2030. She emphasised the importance of full implementation of licensing rules, the role of agricultural PV systems and the need for enhanced grid flexibility and action plans.

Hemetsberger also addressed the challenges facing European manufacturers of photovoltaic products, urging that EU member associations need to provide immediate support to meet the EU's target of manufacturing 30GW of PV modules by 2030. She argued against trade defence measures in Europe and recommended a strong industrial strategy with clear ESG market access criteria.

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