Brussels, 6 February 2024 – Today, as the European Commission releases its EU Communication for 2040 targets, Solar Heat Europe, representing the solar thermal industry, expresses its support for a target of at least 90%, calling for better recognition of the importance of heat decarbonisation and the contribution of EU-made and ready-to-deploy solutions like solar heat.

“The solar thermal sector supports a target of at least 90%. This is more than an ambition; it is an imperative! Still, we need to point out that heat decarbonisation is essential to reach CO₂ targets and needs further visibility, including sub-targets and a dedicated action plan”, stated Guglielmo Cioni, Solar Heat Europe President.

The solar thermal sector is well placed to actively contribute to the CO₂ emissions reduction target with its EU-made and ready-to-deploy products, both for buildings and industries.

“Solar thermal can complement and integrate green electrification, by generating local heat, thus reducing infrastructure cost for power distribution and pressure on the grid, making thus the target quicker and cheaper to achieve”, Mr. Cioni added.

Heat corresponds to 50% of the energy needs, going up to 80% for households in buildings. Providing heat through sustainable, renewable sources and at affordable, reliable, and stable price is fully in line with the Commission’s objectives: addressing the need to deploy renewable energy, zero- and low-carbon solutions while ensuring affordable energy. Solar heat and other renewable heat solutions are exactly at the intersection of these requirements and, as such, require a prominent role in the 2040 discussion.

The heating and cooling sector overall requires a sub-target for its decarbonisation, combined with a clear strategy, setting the pathway for a real and effective fossil-fuel exit strategy.

Decentralisation and diversification of renewable solutions to include renewable heat supply is critical to avoid dependency or excessive reliance on volatile suppliers for energy (e.g. Russia), for components (e.g. China) or even infrastructural bottlenecks (e.g. power grid). Such diversification will also ensure more alternatives to consumers and industrial actors, more economic value and jobs creation, from clean tech manufacturing, installation and related activities. This means more security for the EU, its citizens and companies, as well as more freedom to choose from diverse climate-friendly solutions.

“Solar Heat Europe advocates for a diversification of solutions offered to cities, cooperatives of citizens, individuals and industries, who are going to be instrumental to drive this change,” said Valérie Séjourné, Managing Director of Solar Heat Europe.

Representing a sector based on SMEs manufacturing in Europe, Ms. Séjourné concluded: “Political measures and financing instruments cannot be channelled only for large investments and large players. They need to be tailored to reach and serve consumers and SMEs. Let’s focus also on the small and the micro-scale and those that most need the support and instruments to operate change, and allow to keep them manufacturing in Europe and meet this growing demand.”

About Solar Heat Europe/ESTIF

Solar Heat Europe/ESTIF’s mission is to promote solar heat as a key technology for the decarbonisation of heating and cooling in Europe and to realise the high potential of solar heat in the energy transition. With members in more than 15 European countries, Solar Heat Europe members cover different parts of the value chain, being based in countries as diverse as Finland or Cyprus. In 2022, Solar Heat Europe published Energising Europe with Solar Heat – A Solar Thermal Roadmap for Europe, comprising key information and data about the potential of the technology to accelerate the energy transition and boost the European economy.

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