Recording of Monday, June 22, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 14:37 .

Comprehensive Overview of Environmental Impact, Sustainability, and Recycling Challenges in Solar Industry

This talk presents insights into life cycle assessments, highlighting greenhouse gas emissions and environmental indicators in the solar industry, particularly in Germany and Europe. It details a forthcoming publication featuring IEA PVPS data on carbon footprints and installation metrics, emphasizing the need for a range of sustainability metrics beyond carbon footprints. An environmental footprint methodology is outlined, adhering to European Commission standards with 15 indicators assessing resource depletion and toxicity, aimed at providing a holistic view of environmental impacts. Biodiversity assessment is underscored as essential in addressing the biodiversity crisis, with a focus on the recycling of photovoltaic materials. Challenges in solar module end-of-life management are highlighted, revealing a significant gap between the modules needing recycling and those actually recycled. The importance of external validation in building trust among stakeholders is stressed, particularly for compliance with future regulations. Addressing product design for recyclability is identified as crucial, with modular designs proposed but facing limitations due to non-standard variations. Lastly, the Digital Product Passport is noted as an innovation aiding recycling efforts, emphasizing clear labeling of hazardous materials and the necessity for accessible information in waste management.

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Talk of session: Sustainable Solar: How Policy Changes Impact ESG Practices in Solar System Design and Component Sourcing

Europe's solar market has lately been influenced by ESG and supply chain transparency. Yet shifting political priorities and tighter project budgets have been refocusing attention on feasibility and cost. How essential are sustainability criteria today? Considering supply security, raw material availability and circular economy principles, this session will explore how new EU regulations and market demands are reshaping ESG strategies in solar system design and the procurement of components.

Key topics:

• Updates on European ESG policy frameworks
• Forced labor regulation and transparency rules
• CBAM and carbon-related trade measures
• Sustainability strategies of manufacturers and offtakers
• Recycling and its implications for raw material costs

Further Talks of this session:

Intro + Kickoff

Speaker

Mate Heizs
Chairman
SolarPower Europe
Belgium

To Talk

Strategies in PV Manufacturing for Solar Sustainablity in a Changing Market Environment

Speaker

Mario Quintana Aroca
ESG Manager Europe
JinkoSolar
China

To Talk

Driving Sustainability and Cybersecurity in PV

Speaker

Alexander Plonka
Product Lifecycle Manager
KACO new energy GmbH - A Siemens Company

To Talk

IEA-PVPS Task 12: Life Cycle Inventories and Analysis of PV Systems

Speaker

Matthias Stucki
Head of LCA Research Group
ZHAW - University of Applied Sciences Zurich
Switzerland

To Talk

Quo Vadis Solar Module Recycling

Speaker

Lukas Braun
E&D Engineer
SOLAR MATERIALS GmbH
Germany

To Talk