Let’s flex solar for Europe

Good afternoon everyone.  

It is a pleasure to welcome many of you again to the Solar Power Summit.  

I also extend a warm welcome to our distinguished guests –, Madame Executive Vice-President Ribera, Minister Hennig-Kloska , MEP Andrea Wechsler and Laura Cozzi.

This year’s edition of the Summit is dedicated to the biggest challenges facing Europe:  security,  competitiveness,  climate change. But more important than the challenges – we want to focus on the solution: Energy System Flexibility. 

First off, renewables are delivering for Europe.  In 2024, solar PV installed 65.5 GW, with other renewables installing 34.5 GW. This trend is seen worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency, under today’s policy conditions, solar could become the world’s largest source of electricity by 2033. 

Hospitals, schools, community centres, turn to solar to lower their bills.  Solar is powering the equivalent of over 80 million European homes today. The fossil-fuelled age is over in Europe.  

As of last year, we now get more of our electricity from solar than coal. Renewables provide more of our electricity than gas. Solar shields our farms from extreme heat, and delivers new revenue streams to farmers. Today, we have more than 200 agrisolar projects in Europe.  

Europe needs to strengthen its competitiveness. There is only one direction forward. European solar manufacturers need support to scale up and ensure this vital energy technology has an industrial home on this continent.  Solar flexibility sets the course for the competitive energy costs that industry is crying out for. 

We’ve crunched the numbers. An energy system based on electricity, flexibility, and renewables will drive day-ahead electricity costs down by 25% by 2030.  Cheap solar baseload is the new reality – for Europe’s industry, economy, and prosperity. 

Solar is security.  Renewables are homegrown. Decentralised energy makes us less vulnerable. 

Over the course of 2022-23, half of Ukraine’s power generation capacity was either occupied by Russian forces, destroyed, or damaged. A decentralised energy system is resilient to attack.  

Solar is not a pipeline that can be shelled or turned off.  Renewables are already pushing imported gas out of the system.  Since 2019, European solar and wind have replaced 92 billion tonnes of gas, and 55 million tonnes of hard coal.  

Climate change is more severe than ever. And at this stage, no one can deny the connection between climate action and defence strategy. 

Wildfire, flood, drought, or mortar – all risk European lives and livelihoods. 

Lowering emissions is defence strategy. 

Less dependence on fossils is defence strategy.

Climate action is defence strategy. 

As we remove fossils from the energy system, vitally, we limit emissions. An energy system based on flexible, renewable-based electrification will avoid 151 million tonnes of emissions per year by 2030. That’s more than the annual emissions of the Netherlands.  

The solution is going faster on renewables. The solution is going faster on solar.  How are we going to do this?

The EU tools are already there. The Clean Industrial Deal focusses on electrification. We were so pleased to see the electrification target of 32% by 2030 – of course that is a floor, not a ceiling. 

The proof will be in the financing. The new Industrial Decarbonisation Bank shouldn’t be bogged down in gas-dependent solutions that look good on paper but miss the irrefutable benefits of electrification. 

And we agree with you, Executive Vice-President - getting the upcoming Grids Package right is critical to the success of the competitiveness agenda. Let’s go further – let’s complement the Grids package with a Flexibility package.   

Battery storage is the absolute shortcut to lower, less volatile energy prices.  Let’s bring that benefit to the continent with a flexibility package with a storage action plan.

In Lithuania; a new industrial solar PV-plus-storage solution for a brewery will allow them to source 100% of its electricity from locally produced solar PV energy – providing full energy autonomy. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, We are proud to announce SolarPower Europe’s new slogan here today: 

Solar, Storage and Flexibility

These are the building blocks to ensure Europe’s security, competitiveness, resilience today and for generations to come.

We are also excited to launch our new Battery Storage Europe Platform - coming online next quarter.  

It is a time of uncertainty in the world. Trade wars. Real wars.  

It can be tempting, with change all around us, to cling to the ways of the past. 

But that’s not an option. That is a dead-end. 

Renewables are Europe’s ultimate freedom energy.

Brighter futures are built when people come together.  

With the men and women in this room, I believe we can make the right choice.  

Let’s flex solar for our industry. 

Let’s flex solar for our citizens.  

Let’s flex solar for Europe.  

© SolarPower Europe