European Union Industry Ministers met today to discuss the future of solar manufacturing in Europe, coinciding with the annual forum of the European Solar PV Industry Alliance (ESIA). The discussions focused on the implementation of the Net Zero Industry Act and other initiatives aimed at reshoring solar manufacturing to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in clean energy. The meeting brought together EU ministers, representatives from the European Commission, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to address challenges facing the solar sector and explore ways to enhance supply chain resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.
Dries Acke, Deputy CEO of SolarPower Europe, welcomed the engagement of key European institutions on the issue but emphasized that meaningful progress requires concrete follow-up actions. He highlighted a recent joint letter from SolarPower Europe and the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC), which proposed a roadmap to revitalize solar manufacturing in Europe.
The recommendations include revising EU public procurement legislation to favor EU-made content, launching an EU Solar Manufacturing Booster similar to the recently introduced Battery Booster, expanding State Aid rules to cover all segments of the solar value chain to prevent factory closures, and increasing the EIB’s support role for European solar manufacturing. According to SolarPower Europe, achieving the EU target of 30 gigawatts of annual solar manufacturing capacity will require investments of between €1.4 billion and €5.2 billion per year, and these measures can boost domestic manufacturing without relying on protectionist trade policies.
Ahead of the ministerial meeting, SolarPower Europe and the ESMC issued a joint call for a concrete action plan to strengthen solar manufacturing in Europe. In addition, 43 companies and associations from across the economy urged clarity in EU carbon accounting rules, recommending that Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and their Guarantees of Origin be consistently recognized in EU legislation. Supporting these efforts, a report by SolarPower Europe and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) titled “Reshoring Solar Manufacturing to Europe” demonstrated that solar systems designed to strengthen supply chain resilience can remain globally competitive.
The discussions and recommendations underscore a growing European consensus that revitalizing domestic solar manufacturing is essential to achieving clean energy targets, ensuring energy independence, and creating sustainable economic opportunities. By combining policy, finance, and industry collaboration, Europe aims to strengthen its solar sector while building a resilient and competitive clean energy ecosystem.
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