Page 82

regulations that can now support the development of solar in Europe, as it enters a new post feed-in-tariff era. This is important for the global development of solar as Europe is once again leading in solar, as the first region to face the transition of large numbers of deployed solar from incentive schemes to market based remuneration for solar power.The answer lies in the way that the electricity market will be developed in the coming years. At the moment there is much inflexible and polluting power generation blocking the grid. Solar, like all variable renewables, needs more flexibility in the power system to really be able to reach its full potential. While solar is variable, it is highly predictable – we know when the sun rises and sets each day! More seriously we now have very good weather prediction services so we really can be sure that we know when it will be sunny. Of course, when it is not sunny you need to have other sources that can quickly provide the required power. These sources can include other renewables like geothermal energy and biomass, but also traditional energies like gas and hydro can also provide flexibility. In the future, we also expect energy storage and demand response technologies to really blossom and provide very clean and efficient flexibility services alongside solar.The opportunity to build an electricity system powered by renewables and flexible sources in Europe, also happens to be now. The European Commission is preparing legislation for the post 2020 period at this very moment. There are strong voices present in the debate calling for a protection of coal and nuclear power, through the public purse. This of course makes no sense, spending public money on a 19th century technology and another weaned on the Cold War would be wasteful. The opportunity for Europe is to turn away from the past and embrace the technologies of now and the future. In 2014 Europe already produced more power from renewables than nuclear, for the first time ever. We must stop thinking about protecting technologies of the past and rather forge the future of energy, and electricity in particular. With the right electricity market design, solar power will be cheap and available to all. It will form the heart of the future clean energy system and will provide a secure energy source for all Europeans. The chance to develop a clean electricity system must not be passed up by the policy makers of Europe.Alongside the electricity market design opportunity, Europe is also reviewing its policies to combat climate change in light of the success of the Paris meeting of COP 21. At the end of 2014, the European Council agreed to have targets for 2030 to form part of the negotiating strategy for the Paris Summit. They agreed to a reduction of 40 per cent of Carbon Emissions on 1990 levels, 27 per cent of energy to come from renewables and an indicative energy efficiency target of at least 27 per cent. These targets are now not ambitious enough, given the global agreement to reduce carbon emissions and Europe’s agreement to sign up to the high ambition group looking to reduce global warming to just 1.5C. That is why we at SolarPower Europe are calling on the European policy makers to propose higher targets of 35 per cent for renewable energy in the energy mix. This will give a strong indication to private investors that investments in renewables are safe and will be backed by law. As we enter the post-incentive era, money from the private sector will become increasingly important for the development of solar. A strong political gesture, such as a 35 per cent target would be the right approach to boost deployment of solar in Europe once again.Fortunately, the opportunity to set the target is also now. The European Commission will launch a new Renewable Energy Directive later this year and thus has the power to already strongly indicate a greater commitment to renewable power. If it does so it will start to move to achieve the ambition of the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, to see Europe as the number one region for renewable energy.WHAT IS COMING NEXT IN THE EUROPEAN SOLAR SECTOR?Given the regulatory opportunities to set the right Top: James WatsonAbove: Kristina ThoringPhoto Credit: © BELECTRIC UK082 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY