A team from EGGA – Galvanizing Europe – has held a very constructive meeting with the SolarPower Europe staff, at their Brussels HQ, to explore common policy positions and map our future cooperation. EGGA has joined SolarPower Europe to strengthen collaboration with a vital net zero technology where batch galvanized steel provides long-term durability of the mounting structures for solar PV systems. We have many dossiers to work on together – most notably the Commission proposal for the Net Zero Industry Act. It is important that the entire supply chain for the complete solar PV system is considered as a net zero technology under this proposed Act. The supply chain for the mounting structures is increasingly threatened by ‘carbon leakage’ through import of structures from third countries. We have an experienced and quality-driven steel fabrication and galvanizing sector in the EU that is ready to support the wider deployment of solar PV technology…but our connected supply chain also needs to be considered as strategically important alongside modules and other parts of the system.

We will make a strong contribution to the workstreams of SolarPower Europe and the vital sector that it represents! Thanks to the SolarPower Europe team – Dries Acke, Daniela Blažejová, Emma Dominici, Carmen Correas López for the excellent discussions and Carola Hermoso (Chair – EGGA Environmental & Safety Committee) for her support (and bringing the perspectives of the Spanish galvanizing sector to the meeting!)