EU goes to work on solar photovoltaic panels

Is the EU ready for solar energy?

The EU has long been a front-runner in the roll-out of solar energy. Under the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU plan, solar power is a building block of the EU’s transition to cleaner energy. Its accelerated deployment contributes to reducing the EU’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.

How does the EU support the European solar PV manufacturing sector?

Over the last years, the EU has taken initiatives to strengthen its support to the European solar PV manufacturing sector, which includes several globally competitive companies in several steps of the value chain.

What is the EU doing with solar energy?

The EU funds many solar cell projects, such as the PERTPV project, in which perovskite-based materials were used to build a new type of solar cell. Photovoltaic technology is becoming more widely used worldwide. Year after year, photovoltaics make up a bigger share of the EU’s energy mix.

Will solar power be a major engine of Europe's energy transition?

Solar power promises to be a major engine of Europe’s energy transition. By 2030, European Union countries aim to reach the target of almost 600 gigawatts 1 of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity as set out in the European Union’s Solar Energy Strategy (European Commission, 2022a) – up from around 263 GW today 2 .

Which EU instruments can support the roll-out of solar energy?

According to the European Commission, the EU instruments that can support the roll-out of solar energy are: the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the cohesion policy funds, InvestEU, the Innovation Fund, the Modernisation Fund, Horizon Europe, the LIFE programme, Connecting Europe Facility and the EU renewable energy financing mechanism.

What is the EU solar energy strategy?

As part of the REPowerEU plan, in May 2022 the Commission adopted an EU solar energy strategy, which identifies remaining barriers and challenges in the solar energy sector and outlines initiatives to overcome them and accelerate the deployment of solar technologies.