Europe’s PV manufacturing industry must take full advantage of available policy and funding levers to reassert itself as a leading force again, according to the CEO of German wafer producer NexWafe.
In a guest article published today on PV Tech, Davor Sutija, CEO of Freiburg-based NexWafe, said European PV manufacturing stood at “crossroads”, where the reshoring of the industry was “not just an economic imperative but a strategic necessity”.
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Sutija said the impacts of aggressive pricing strategies from competitors particularly in China underlined the need for Europe to adopt a “proactive and robust strategy in solar manufacturing”.
He said manufacturers must act “swiftly” to leverage the funding and policy opportunities made available under Europe’s Green Deal framework, such as the Net-Zero Industry Act and the State Aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework.
“These are not just mechanisms for survival but catalysts for transformation,” Sutija wrote. “The focus must be on creating conditions that not only sustain existing manufacturers but also encourage innovation and the development of advanced solar technologies.”
Such an emphasis on innovation would help create an industry that is both sustainable and equipped to play a leading role in the future, Sutija concluded: “The key to successful integration of technology and regulation lies in understanding that funding and policy must nurture not just a scale up of existing capabilities but emerging technological innovations. This approach will ensure that Europe’s solar manufacturing sector is not only competitive in the present but is also equipped to lead in the future.”
To read the full post, visit our Guest Blog section.