Role of solar PV in net‐zero growth: An analysis of international manufacturers and policies

In May 2022, the European Commission adopted a new European Union (EU) Solar Energy Strategy [1] aiming to ensure that solar energy achieves its full potential in helping to meet the European Green Deal's climate and energy targets. A goal of the strategy is to reach nearly 600 GW of installed solar photovoltaics (PV) capacity by 2030. While Europe is a pioneer in the definition of new policy requirements to ensure the circularity and sustainability of PV products, its manufacturing capabilities are limited. The EU mostly imports PV modules from China, which for the last decade has remained the global leader in PV manufacturing across the supply chain. This article aims to provide insight into the solar PV industry and the surrounding policy context, focusing on the manufacturing phase and its climate impact. It provides a comparative overview of the key players in the European and Chinese PV markets with an overview of the whole supply chain (i.e. production of polysilicon, cells, wafers and modules). Having in mind the net-zero commitments across the globe, and a central role of the solar PV in the energy transition, the demand for PV products is expected to grow exponentially in the next decades. With this in mind, the authors look into environmental impacts from the PV manufacturing. A simplified analysis concludes on the suitability of the PV manufacturing process today and indicates the opportunities for the net-zero transition in the future. While the focus is on the carbon impacts of the solar PV industry, the authors also identify other relevant aspects (such as circularity), laying the ground for a future research

Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: Study on new product priorities

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) recently entered into force with the aim of making sustainable products the norm. In this report, the relevance of a number of product groups and horizontal requirements for potential action under ESPR was evaluated on the basis of several parameters: environmental impacts and improvement potential, market relevance, policy coverage in the EU, cost reflections, and contribution towards an EU Open Strategic Autonomy. As a result of the analysis, eleven final products (Textiles and footwear, Furniture, Tyres, Bed mattresses, Detergents, Paints and varnishes, Lubricants, Cosmetics, Toys, Fishing gears, Absorbent hygiene products), seven intermediate products (Iron and steel, Commodity chemicals, Non-ferrous, non-aluminium metal products, Aluminium, Plastic and polymers, Pulp and paper, Glass) and three horizontal requirements (Durability, Recyclability, Recycled content) are identified as potential priorities for the next steps of preparation of the first ESPR Working Plan. This report represents the JRC’s final analysis of new product priorities for the ESPR. However, the results illustrated are not final decisions: they do not bind the Commission, and are without prejudice to what may ultimately be prioritised for first action under ESPR, included in the first ESPR Working Plan, or undertaken under other EU policy frameworks.JRC.B.5 - Circular Economy and Sustainable Industr

Scenario Analyses Concerning Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection in Regional and National Residential Building Stocks. Examples from Nine European Countries. - EPISCOPE Synthesis Report No. 3

This report documents methodological aspects and selected results of the scenario analyses to assess refurbishment as well as energy saving processes and project future energy consumption.. It covers scenario calculations conducted for regional residential building stocks in Salzburg/Austria, the Comunidat Valenciana/Spain, the Piedmont Region/Italy, the national non-profit housing stock in the Netherlands as well as the national residential building stocks in Germany, England, Greece, Norway, and Slovenia. Thereby, the objective of the scenario analysis is not a prediction of future energy demand in the respective building stock. Rather, the objective is to show the potential future impact of predefined assumptions. This may help respective key actors and policy makers to decide on strategies and policies for transforming building stocks towards carbon dioxide neutrality

Tracking of Energy Performance Indicators in Residential Building Stocks – Different Approaches and Common Results - EPISCOPE Synthesis Report No. 4

A central task of IEE EPISCOPE project was to carry out energy balance calculations and scenario analysis for national, regional or local residential building stocks against the background of energy saving and climate protection targets. The EPISCOPE Synthesis Report No. 4 documents the individual approaches of collecting information for the investigated residential building stocks as a foundation for building stock models and scenario calculations. Issues related to the availability of data and data quality are discussed, and concepts for a continuous monitoring (a regular data collection) are presented as a basis for a future tracking of energy performance in the observed building stocks

Methodological concept of decision making support tool for the purpose of long-term energy planning

Formulation of long-term energy strategies and polices is a complex tasks. It needs to consider number of aspects i.a. forecast of energy and fuel demand, possible supply paths, expected impact on environment, as well as public consultation process. There are number of formal methods that aim supporting decision making for the long-term energy planning. They help understanding complexity of problem, finding the best compromise solution and allow public participation. In the following paper methodological concept of combining energy scenarios and multi-criteria analysis (MCA) will be introduced. Energy scenarios are tools that help to explore and understand the future energy system. MCA provides assessment of different policy option in respect to multiple criteria. Moreover it allows public participation in decision making process. Combined method is promising tool for energy planning and decision

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION FOR EUROPEAN SECURITY

Problemy bezpieczeństwa w regionie śródziemnomorskim pozostają w ścisłym związku z problemami bezpieczeństwa i współpracy w Europie. Wynika to z tego, że obszar ten znajduje się w bezpośrednim sąsiedztwie Unii Europejskiej, zaś jego problemy (brak pokoju i stabilności) wpływają bezpośrednio na bezpieczeństwo w Europie. Z tego punktu widzenia basen Morza Śródziemnego jest dla UE wielkim wyzwaniem (szczególnie po 11 września 2001 roku). Z geopolitycznego punktu widzenia jest on obszarem możliwości dla UE oraz potwierdzeniem jej zdolności oddziaływania na arenie międzynarodowej. Mówiąc o bezpieczeństwie w regionie śródziemnomorskim w kontekście bezpieczeństwa europejskiego, należy także wspomnieć o bezpieczeństwie energetycznym. Niepowodzenia procesu barcelońskiego wskazały na brak efektywnej, unijnej strategii partnerstwa dla regionu. Złożoność szeroko rozumianego bezpieczeństwa w regionie Morza Śródziemnego sprawia, że powstaje duża luka między „zdolnościami a oczekiwaniami” w dialogu politycznym. O tym, jak trudno w regionie śródziemnomorskim tworzyć efektywny dialog polityczny, świadczą zakończone niepowodzeniem prace nad przyjęciem wspólnej Eurośródziemnomorskiej Karty dla Pokoju i Stabilności. Aby uniknąć nieefektywności procesu barcelońskiego (brak jego symetrii i równowagi), UE musi wyciągnąć konstruktywne wnioski z błędów popełnionych w przeszłości, by przyszłe stosunki eurośródziemnomorskie miały lepsze warunki rozwoju. W tym kontekście szansą jest nowa inicjatywa Unii dla Śródziemnomorza.</jats:p