Media

World’s future is bright with Solar Electricity
Milan, September 4th, 2007 - Report finds photovoltaic solar electricity will become cost competitive during the next seven years, and be worth over € 300 billion a year by 2030. A report issued jointly today by Greenpeace and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), forecasts a bright future for the solar power industry. “Solar Generation 2007”(1) outlines the industry’s steep growth forecasting a potential generate €300 billion annually, by 2030, creating 6.5 million jobs and meeting 9.4% (2) of the world’s electricity demand. It highlights benefits to provide power to 2.9 billion people living in developing countries. The study provides a blueprint for achieving these goals.
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European wide consensus reached of photovoltaic energy generation from long term operation of PV modules
In a recent international inter-comparison within the European Commissions FP6 Integrated Project PERFORMANCE IP eight separate energy prediction methods developed independently across European Universities and Research Centres have shown agreement on the estimated energy generation of five different photovoltaic (PV) modules technologies.
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Feed-in tariffs make solar photovoltaic electricity more and more competitive
The 2nd EPIA Round-table in a cycle of 7 debates, running until December 2007, opened up the debate on the future of support mechanisms for renewable energies and in particular solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity. The EPIA debate stressed that correctly designed Feed-in tariffs are needed to promote PV electricity, but warned that EU harmonisation could give negative effects.
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Solar Photovoltaic Electricity in Portugal: the sector waiting for clear signs from the government
Portugal is the sunniest country of Europe but remains amongst the last ones in developing solar photovoltaic electricity. The 300 participants of the European conference “Boosting Solar Electricity in Portugal” held today in Lisbon at the Fórum Tecnológico commonly agreed that the Portuguese government should send clear messages to the sector.
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The new Framework Directive on Renewable Energy must go beyond existing legislation and not move backwards
In its 1st Round Table of a cycle of 7 debates which will run from May until December 2007,  the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) presented its views on the new Energy Package which was presented by the European Commission in January 2007. EPIA stressed that the future Framework Directive on Renewable Energy should include mandatory sector specific targets (electricity, cooling & heating and transport) at national level for renewables, and ensure that Member States respect these targets.
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Winfried Hoffmann moves from SCHOTT Solar to Applied Materials
Alzenau, February 7, 2007: With effect from April 2, 2007, Dr Winfried Hoffmann, most recently Member of the Management Committee of the Alzenau-based SCHOTT Solar GmbH, will move to the Management Board of Applied Materials GmbH & Co. KG, which is also located in Alzenau.
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European Commission Energy Policy could have a counter-productive effect on the development of renewable energies
Brussels, 11 January 2007: The new Energy Policy for Europe presented yesterday by the European Commission proposes a binding 20% target of renewable energies in primary energy by 2020. This apparently positive goal will, however, create increased confusion in the renewable energy sector and might undermine the existing successful legislation which has permitted a strong development of renewable energy sources.
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Photovoltaic industry prepares to steady growth
Brussels, 22 December 2006: During its 2006 end-of-year gathering on 21 December, the EPIA members (European Photovoltaic Industry Association) assessed short-term projections (2010) of solar electricity markets in Europe and globally as well as required up-scale of production capacities to answer an expected growing demand. In the short term, with favourable policy conditions, an average increase of the global photovoltaic market of 37% until 2010 is expected.

In 2010, EPIA estimates that the global annual market of solar electricity will be close to 5,6 GWp. The photovoltaic industry is going to remain for some years one of the most dynamic economic sectors globally.
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Solar power ready to dominate the consumer energy market
Dresden, 6 September 2006: Solar power can deliver electricity to more than 2 billion people, provide over 2 million jobs with an annual investment of 113 billion Euros by 2025, reveals a joint report, ‘SolarGeneration’, released today by Greenpeace International and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association. The market report also explains that 350 million tonnes of CO2 emissions would be cut - the equivalent amount from 140 coal power stations and by 2040, solar electricity could provide over 16% of the global demand.
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“Belgian Solar electricity organisations request a national Strategic PV Plan”
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