Shine On Policycast
Shine On Policycast is a podcast presented by SolarPower Europe. In these episodes, we bring you EU policy updates relevant to solar, in under 20 minutes.
Our host, Bethany Meban, Head of Press and Policy Communications at SolarPower Europe, interviews different voices from our team of policy and market intelligence experts. As we enter a new political era in the EU, each episode dives into how solar is delivering on Europe's competitiveness, security and climate goals. The podcast is produced by Lily Murdoch, Digital Communications Advisor at SolarPower Europe.
Who are we? SolarPower Europe is the award-winning link between policymakers and the solar PV value chain. We represent over 320 companies and organisations from the solar value chain, and our mission is to ensure solar becomes Europe’s leading energy source by 2030.
Shine On Policycast
Electrifying Europe | 6 months leading the Electrification Alliance & influencing the new EU mandate
In this episode of Shine On Policycast, host Bethany is joined by Policy Advisor for Electrification, Anais Faucher, to take a look back at SolarPower Europe's 6 month chairpersonship of the Electrification Alliance. At a crucial moment in time, welcoming the incoming European Commission, we were proud to drive forward a number of key papers and events that saw electrification put high on the agenda for the incoming mandate. Listen on for insights, and why electrification is so important.
This is Shine On Policycast, the podcast that brings you EU policy updates relevant to solar. I'm your host, Bethany. Let's get started. So today at Policycast, we're joined by Anaïs Faucher, who is Policy Advisor at SolarPower Europe. And welcome Anaïs. Thank you. We have a tradition on the podcast this year of asking guests to bring a prop that's somehow connected to what we're going to talk about today. And then I have to guess how it all links. Anaïs, do you want to describe what you brought today? Sure. I brought a multi-socket. Is that how you call it? Yeah, it's something cool. Yeah. As you can see, I'm not very creative. Of course, it has a link with electricity. Electrification, sure. Yeah. Also working together. You can see that there are several plugs. Today, I'm going to speak about the Electrification Alliance. Here, our different plugs are representing the different sectors that are working together to deploy electrification. For a true Electrification Alliance multi-socket, you need 10 sockets, right? Because we've got 10 members. Yeah, exactly. Nine or 10. Which is maybe a bit unsafe. The Electrification Alliance for the last six months, from July 2024 till the end December 2024, Solar Power Europe had the chair of the Electrification Alliance, so we were working with all the organizations there and helping lead the position of the Alliance in that period. But can you tell us a bit about what the Electrification Alliance is and some of those key highlights in those six months because it was quite a big six months. Yeah, indeed. The Electrification Alliance, it's an alliance of different associations who decided to join forces to work on electrification. Well, I think it's important to note that the alliance represents really different sectors. So not only solar, but also wind, heat pumps, electromobility, flexibility. Different sectors that decided to gather together and make sure that electrification is one of the priorities in the policy landscape. That's why we're very happy to chair this alliance. For the six months, I think the two big highlights were that we worked on two papers. The first one was an Electrification Action Plan, and we're very happy to see that this got taken from the Commission. The Commission will present an Electrification Action Plan, this has been mentioned in the mission letter, so we're very happy for that. That's a pretty huge win. Yeah, indeed. The second paper was on the Clean Industrial Deal. Also here, we all worked together to make sure that direct electrification would be an option also in the industry sector. I think this showed how good this alliance can collaborate on setting the scene for the new mandate. Then on top of those two papers, it was a busy time in terms of engagement with the Parliament and everything? What can you tell us there? We were very happy to kick-start the September plenary session in Strasbourg with a dinner and a lunch with our members of the Alliance and the new MEPs that started their work at Parliament in September. That was also a big highlight meeting all these new MEPs and make sure that they don't forget about electrification in the coming mandate. Then maybe we even take it back a bit then, but why is electrification so important for the solar sector, but also the energy transition? I think it's obvious. Electrification is is really important both for solar and the energy transition. First because it helps maximising the use of renewable electricity. So solar, but wind, for example, are really clean and efficient energy sources, and the electrification would help deploying those sources and also delaying or let's say, phasing out from our dependence to fossil fuels. This is obviously key for us. Also, one point is that it's not only good for energy efficiency and decarbonisation, but it's also good for the costs. In our Mission Solar 2040 report, we have shown that huge cost savings could be brought by a bundling electrification and flexibility up to €160 billion by 2040. This is much needed, especially right now. Yeah, huge savings there. That's all comes from once you stop having to burn fossil fuels, the system becomes much more efficient. Exactly. We're at the start of a new year. You mentioned a little bit of the Clean Industrial Deal there, and we're at the start of this new work programme from the European Commission. What do we want to see for the Commission in its first 100 days and its first period of really kicking off work? Yeah, well, I mean, obviously, we already know what's coming in the first 100 days. As you said, the Clean Industrial deal should be presented by the Commission. I think here the main point for us will be to make sure that the Clean Industrial deal really highlights the crucial role of electrification in the industry sector. As you know, there are many processes that can be already electrified now. We want to make sure that this deal really implements really enabling measures that can support electrification of the industry. That's really the big point for us. Of course, we would like also to see the Electrification Action Plan being presented in the first 100 days because we also believe that this will be a priority. Let's see how it goes, but there will be a lot of work for the Commission. Yeah, 2025, I don't think is the time that they will slow down. But okay, we want them to come with an action plan. We want them to come for electrification. We want the electrification to be a big part of the Clean Industrial Deal. But then what are these roadblocks? What targets are we aiming for? What would an Electrification Action Plan really look like? Yeah, well, I mean, I guess you already know that, but electrification rates have been stagnating for decades. And this is mainly linked to several reasons, for example, challenges with the infrastructure. Of course, we need to modernise our grids, expand our grids. But there are also plenty of other reasons, for example, taxation, unfair taxation for electricity compared to fossil fuels, for example. As you can see, there are a lot of challenges that are delaying the uptake of electrification. What we think in this electrification action plan that should be in there is that electrification should be a priority. It means setting targets both at EU and national level. We at the Electrification Alliance are calling for a 35% target by 2030 and 50% by 2040. This will be key to incentivise consumers to actually consume electricity. This is for us the biggest priority, make sure that electricity is seen as the most efficient and key energy carrier for the coming years. Then what do we have to look forward to in terms of dates? We talked a little bit there, but what are some key moments for our electrification calendar going forward? What we know is that the next big announcement will be the competitiveness compass that will be presented by the Commission. Here, there will be a lot on decarbonisation, but also make sure that the EU is globally competitive. We believe that electrification can actually make the EU competitive in terms of cost, in terms of locally produced energy that will help us also to not depend on external fossil fuels. That's one of the main highlights that we're waiting for with the new Commission coming. The Clean Industrial deal, it's the first 100 days, so sometime before spring? Exactly. Around February, if I'm correct. That will be also one of the main highlights that we will be waiting for. Really, just a matter of weeks before it all sorts of, kicks off! Exactly. But thanks so much, Anaïs, for your insights. Where can the listeners find you on social media if they want to hear more from you? Well, LinkedIn is the good place, I guess. If they type my name, they could find some insight on what we are doing. Super. Well, thanks so much, Anaïs. Good luck for a busy 2025 of electrification. Thank you very much. Thanks. Thanks for listening to today's episode. This podcast is brought to you by SolarPower Europe. If you don't want to miss our next episode, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Shine on.