Solar September: SolarPower Europe brings the sun to Brussels!

Starting the month with a bang, we published The Sun Times, our first ever solar magazine highlighting inspiring solar stories from across Europe. The stories in this magazine showcase how Europe benefits from solar: people and communities are better connected due to solar energy; farmers benefiting from increased crop yield and additional revenue streams; small businesses to energy intensive industries reducing their carbon footprint and their energy bills. 

In the same week, we held our Rooftop REconnect Networking Event, welcoming back over 400 key stakeholders after the summer break. We were honoured to have Deputy Director General DG ENER, Mechtild Worsdorfer, as well as three MEPs: Sean Kelly, Benadetta Scuderi and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, attend the event. All speakers shared inspiring words, showing a commitment to implementing key legislation in the new mandate to help accelerate the energy transition.

On the political scene, the European Commission published the long-awaited Report on the Future of EU Competitiveness, authored by Mario Draghi, the former President of the European Central Bank. The publication is set to play a significant role in the shaping of the new European Commission's strategic direction. Read our full reaction here.

Riding the solar wave, SolarPower Europe brought the sun to the European Parliament in Brussels from 9-12 September, to offer a bright welcome to new and returning Members of Parliament (MEPs) and their teams.   Throughout the week, the SolarPower Europe team doubled up as sunrays, extending the warmth of the sun to anyone and everyone passing by the European Parliament. With our solar quiz, we tested solar knowledge and spread the word about the work we do to ensure solar power is Europe’s leading energy source by 2030.

As an extra spotlight on SolarPower Europe, a week-long billboard in Schuman metro station, the EU quarters number one for commute, echoed our message loud and clear. Solar is the light at the end of the tunnel: Powering a resilient, competitive and prosperous Europe.

Continuing Solar September, the SolarPower Europe team headed to Strasbourg for the September Plenary of the European Parliament. As current Chair of the Electrification Alliance, we were delighted to join with other member organisations to promote our call for an Electrification Action Plan under the #100DaysToElectrify campaign. Among meetings with several MEPs, including a dinner co-hosted with the European Energy Forum, and a lunch hosted by MEP Niels Fuglsang, we were also delighted to see the Electrification Action Plan referenced in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s Mission Letter to the new Energy Commissioner-Designate, Dan Jørgensen. Now, let’s see it published in the first 100 days!

As Solar September comes to a close, our activities have not slowed down. From 23-27 September, the SolarPower Europe team have been at EU PVSEC in Vienna, Austria, the leading event for solar energy innovation. Read about our engagements here.

And finally, still to come next week, we will host our annual #SolarJobsWeek, with the launch of our new EU Solar Jobs Report. Register to the report launch webinar here.

In the background of all these activities, our team have been working tirelessly to monitor new Commissioners and proposed legislation that will shape the coming years for solar and renewables. SolarPower Europe members receive weekly policy updates from our team with the full run down. 

With autumn upon us, we have an exciting line-up of events ahead. Be sure to check our website for details on upcoming events, including RE-Source 2024 in October and Sustainable Solar EU in December, along with a range of informative webinars. We hope to see you at one of our events this autumn!