Welcome and Introduction

premium account

Recording of Wednesday, June 19, 2024 | The smarter E Europe | Conference Program | Language: English | Duration: 3:35 .

Experts Gather to Discuss ESG Considerations and Transparency in Solar Sustainability at Key Industry Event

The session on solar sustainability emphasized the importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations and transparency within the supply chain. The speaker highlighted that ESG issues have become central in policy debates concerning not only solar energy but also other renewable sources like batteries, wind energy, and electrolytes. Both private sectors and regulators are increasingly attentive to environmental and social standards in production processes. Financing institutions are prioritizing ESG criteria for investment decisions. Significant progress has been made by the industry through committed resources towards traceability practices and independent verification of product sustainability. Acknowledging this effort, stakeholders including module buyers, manufacturers, certification bodies, and industry associations play a crucial role from various perspectives in upholding these standards. Dr. Guido Agostinelli from the International Finance Corporation introduced Laurene Gusse from ENGIE Renewables as the next speaker to further delve into these topics—emphasizing collaborative work towards sustainable practices within solar modules specifically.

Automated summarization by AI Conver

Dr. Guido Agostinelli
Solar Sector Head
IFC - International Finance Corporation
USA

As investors focus more on ESG criteria in the solar supply chain, the industry aims to enhance transparency, traceability, and reduce carbon footprint. This comes at a time of significant legislative change in Europe, with market access rules and the promotion of improved sustainability practices on the horizon.

This session will discuss:

  • How ESG considerations are impacting developers' procurement decisions
  • How solar manufacturers along the solar supply chain are addressing ESG concerns
  • Legislative requirements and industry efforts to increase transparency and sustainability performance
  • Processes for certifying solar products with low embodied carbon

Further Talks of this session:

Speaker

Laurene Gusse
Deputy Head of Quality & Procurement
ENGIE Renewables

To Talk

Speaker

Lin Sun
Head of Sustainability Development
JinkoSolar
China

To Talk

Speaker

Alexia Ruvoletto
Head of Secretariat
The Solar Stewardship Initiative
Belgium

To Talk

Speaker

Dr. Giorgio Bardizza
Global Manager Solar PV
TÜV Rheinland
Germany

To Talk

Speaker

Özer Ergül
Group Head of Procurement CPO
Aquila Capital
The Netherlands

Stacy Ettinger
Senior Vice President of Supply Chain & Trade
Solar Energy Industries Association
United States

To Talk

Further Content
Webinar
EEG Reform & Grid Package – What prospects and potential does Photovoltaics have beyond 2027?

September 18, 2026

New rules for solar and energy storage: The planned EEG reform for 2027 could fundamentally reshape the support framework and market conditions. Join our webinar in cooperation with BSW-Solar to find out what opportunities and challenges these changes may bring to the industry.

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.

Howard Wenger and Aaron Thurlow
How U.S. Innovators Are Reshaping Solar

The smarter E Podcast Episode 261 | Language: English

July 23, 2026

Live from Munich: Industry leaders discuss Nextpower’s integration of utility-scale storage and Caelux’s breakthrough perovskite-on-glass solar tech.

Tim Meyer
Can Renewables Deliver 24/7 Power?

The smarter E Podcast Episode 259 | Language: English

July 2, 2026

Can renewables power an industrial nation 24/7? Tim Meyer and expert guests discuss breakthrough insights from The smarter E Europe 2026.

Edurne Zoco and Barbara Rubim
Effective Responses to Power Markets in Flux

The smarter E Podcast Episode 262 | Language: English

August 6, 2026

Recorded live at The smarter E Europe 2026: Industry experts discuss global solar trends, battery storage, and new market dynamics worldwide.

You are using an outdated browser

The website cannot be viewed in this browser. Please open the website in an up-to-date browser such as Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.