Executive Panel: Understanding Europe's Solar Market Dynamics in A Difficult Business Environment

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Recording of Monday, June 22, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 22:40 .

Growth and Dynamics of Romania's Solar Market

Romania's solar market is experiencing remarkable growth, having added over two gigawatts of installed capacity in the past year, with expectations of further expansion to over three gigawatts by 2026. Solar energy production in Romania has surged to over 60% of the total energy generated, significantly up from 25% last year. Upcoming projects include large-scale installations expected to yield 760 megawatts next year and 1.3 gigawatts by 2028. The Casa Verde support scheme, which covers 90% of capital expenditures for solar PV systems, bolsters this growth, even as the market shifts towards battery installations. Romania's battery market is also expanding, anticipating over 1 gigawatt in the distributed segment by year-end and demonstrating increased consumer adoption of battery systems. While external factors like high electricity prices influence demand, the ongoing focus on solar technology indicates strong market confidence. Market competition and government policies are driving innovation, making solar energy increasingly accessible and viable for households and businesses alike.

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Speaker

Vegard Vollset
Head of Renewables & Power - EMEA
Rystad Energy AS
Norway

Paolo Rocco Viscontini
President
Italia Solare
Italy

Irene Mihai
Policy Director
Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA)
Romania

José Donoso
CEO
Unión Española Fotovoltaica (UNEF)
Spain

Solar's share of power generation across the EU has doubled in four years. Together with wind it surpassed gas and coal in 2025. Solar was also the only technology to meet its EU installation target. Yet 2025 marked the first market contraction in a decade, raising concerns about 2030 goals. This session brings together analysts and industry leaders to assess demand trends, price dynamics and solar energy's role in strengthening Europe's energy security and competitiveness.

Key topics:

  • Policy frameworks shaping EU solar markets
  • Supply, demand and price developments
  • Industry associations' executive perspectives on barriers and solutions
  • Discussing strategies to restore a sustainable growth momentum

Further Talks of this session:

Speaker

Dina Darshini
Head of Solar & Battery
LCP Delta
United Kingdom

To Talk

Speaker

Juan Monge
Principal Analyst
Wood Mackenzie
United Kingdom

To Talk

Speaker

Vegard Vollset
Head of Renewables & Power - EMEA
Rystad Energy AS
Norway

To Talk

Further Content
Publication
The German PV and Battery Storage Market

The first of its kind, this study offers an overview of the photovoltaics and battery storage market in Germany.

Rutger Schlatmann and Angelika Harter
Perovskites: The Race for the Future of PV?

The smarter E Podcast Episode 258 | Language: English

June 25, 2026

HZB researchers explore perovskite tandem solar cells, efficiency gains, and the challenges of bringing the technology to market.

Publications
Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2025–2029

SolarPower Europe’s annual Global Market Outlook for Solar Power is the most authoritative market analysis for the solar sector.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Panel Discussion of the Session: Solar Made in the EU

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 02:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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Despite strong research capabilities and the presence of leading production equipment suppliers, Europe has been struggling to rebuild competitive wafer-to-module manufacturing, while the USA and India have enabled a local renaissance in solar manufacturing. In Europe, even long-established inverter manufacturers have been losing considerable ground. With the EU's Net Zero Industry Act yet to deliver momentum, attention is turning to the upcoming Industry Accelerator Act. This session examines how policy, investment and value-chain strategies can strengthen domestic manufacturing and increase internal value creation.Key topics:Overview of EU and national policy frameworks to support local manufacturingStatus of Europe's solar manufacturing value chainInvestment gaps and competitiveness challenges Strategies for triggering a sustainable solar manufacturing revival 

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Panel Discussion of the Session: Off-Grid: PV-Based Hydrogen Microgrid Projects Around the World

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 02:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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Discover how green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are transforming decentralized energy systems worldwide. This session will be presenting hands-on experience from pioneering projects in Thailand, Ghana, Namibia and South Africa. Find out how solar-powered hydrogen microgrids can replace diesel generators, strengthen energy resilience and enable short- to long-term storage, while supporting environmental and climate goals. Project partners including German SMEs and research institutes, share insights on lessons learned, local benefits and the replication potential of these systems. Selected projects were implemented with the support from the Export Initiative Environmental Protection, a funding programme of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. 

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