Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: SolarPower Europe is strategically and positively engaged with various strands of EU climate policy. The association is strongly supportive of a zero-emissions energy mix in the EU and advocates for phasing out fossil fuels in favor of renewables, such as solar energy, alongside energy efficiency policy and emissions trading systems.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: SolarPower Europe is supportive of climate action and the need for government regulation to respond to climate change in its top-line communications. In a September 2023 open letter, the association supported GHG emissions reductions in line with 1.5°C temperature target. In the same letter it also supported “implementation of the global rulebook on robust carbon pricing.” SolarPower Europe CEO Walburga Hemetsberger urged EU policymakers in a June 2024 press release to “provide a clearer, stronger commitment to delivering the European Green Deal” and called for the Green Deal to be affirmed as a key priority in the EU’s Strategic Agenda for 2024-29. SolarPower Europe supported more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions ahead of COP28 in a September 2023 joint letter.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policies: SolarPower Europe consistently strongly supports a range of EU climate-related regulations, with some exceptions. In a February 2025 position paper, the association supported the implementation of the EU Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport. However, it did not support reducing indirect cost compensation in the ETS, advocating to maintain and strengthen it beyond 2030, in recommendations published in December 2024.
SolarPower Europe strongly supports energy efficiency policy in the EU. The association consistently supported the reform of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in 2022-25, for example, in an April 2024 position paper, where it also promoted building renovation to reduce energy demand. The CEO Walburga Hemetsberger called for EU policymakers to increase the ambition of energy efficiency legislation in the EU to scale up demand response in a May 2024 press release. In an October 2023 joint letter however, the association did not specify its position on EU Critical Raw Materials Act recycling target.
SolarPower Europe is a prominent and consistent advocate for EU renewable energy policy. The association called for the Commission to introduce a new 2040 target for renewables in its August 2024 position paper on the EU’s Strategic Agenda. In addition, the association supported an EU renewable energy target of 80% by 2040 in its Solar for Europe Manifesto, published in December 2023. A March 2024 press release reported that CEO Walburga Hemetsberger advocated in direct engagement with the EU Energy Council an increase of the ambition of solar energy targets in the EU’s National Energy and Climate Plans. The association called for the EU to set renewables target past-2030 in a June 2024 position paper. However, in a November 2023 position paper SolarPower Europe did not fully support the EU Electricity Market Design reform measures on renewable energy, stating that two-way contracts for difference (CfDs) for new power facilities should be voluntary.
Positioning on Energy Transition: SolarPower Europe strongly supports the transition of the energy mix and related EU policies. CEO Walburga Hemetsberger strongly supported the direct electrification of the economy and advocating for the removal fossil fuel subsidies in a February 2024 press release. The CEO also pushed for greater investment into electricity grid infrastructure and battery storage to transition to a low-carbon economy, in a May 2024 press release. SolarPower Europe strongly supported the urgent decarbonization of the power sector, supporting a fossil-free energy system in the EU by 2040 in response to an EU public consultation in June 2023. In policy recommendations released in December 2024, the association supported the EU Clean Industrial Deal to move towards decarbonizing the energy sector, including by advocating for increased funding of low-carbon technologies and electrification of industry.
As part of the Electrification Alliance, SolarPower Europe supported the EU Energy Taxation Reform, pushing for national taxation to shift away from clean electricity and onto fossil fuels in an October 2023 manifesto. In a July 2024 position paper, the association strongly supported the EU Hydrogen and Gas Decarbonization Package Delegated Act on the definition of low-carbon hydrogen, pushing for an ambitious definition that considers full life-cycle emissions, excludes carbon offsets and introduces leakage monitoring.