Intro

Recording of Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 9:01 .

Current Landscape of European Solar Manufacturing and Policy

European industrial policy in the solar manufacturing sector faces significant challenges, particularly in polysilicon module production, which has seen facility closures despite nominal capacity. The potential to increase manufacturing up to 30 gigawatts exists but is heavily reliant on investor interest and favorable economic conditions. A study indicates that while imported solar modules are priced below 10 cents per kilowatt peak, European-produced modules can cost up to 25.5 cents, reflecting a steep price premium and highlighting difficulties within the industry. The implementation of the Net Zero Industry Act aims to promote non-Chinese solar modules, increasing LCOE costs for EU-resilient products by 10 cents per watt peak and raising concerns about local sourcing. Furthermore, the Act’s phased implementation strategy delineates clear timelines for solar component production, beginning with a complete absence in the first year and advancing to the production of inverters and cells by year three. Fragmented support schemes across European nations demonstrate a lack of unified strategy, complicating efforts to fund Net Zero technologies. The diverse sourcing of components, particularly the mixing of non-Chinese and European parts, offers potential cost reductions and operational efficiencies, yet reliance on non-EU components poses sustainability challenges.

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Speaker

Dries Acke
Deputy CEO
SolarPower Europe
Belgium

Talk of session: Solar Made in the EU: Strategies for Creating a Resilient Domestic Solar Market Based on High Internal Value Creation

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 manufacturing Status of Europe's solar manufacturing value chain Investment gaps and competitiveness challenges Strategies for triggering a sustainable solar manufacturing revival

Further Talks of this session: