For several months now, competitiveness has been at the heart of European debates. And rightly so, as European industries need to be supported and protected in the face of international competition.

Solar Heat Europe looks forward to the upcoming Commission’s initiative expected tomorrow, 26 Feb. 2025 for a Clean Industrial Deal as a pivotal step towards ensuring a sustainable and competitive industrial sector, aligned with the European Union’s climate neutrality goals.

As a key clean tech sector recognized under the Net Zero Industry Act, the Solar Heat sector – based in Europe – expects the Clean Industrial Deal to deliver on all its promises, especially for clean tech SMEs such as the ones which characterize our sector.

As such, the Deal must:

• Promote the growth of existing EU cleantech sectors, such as Solar Heat, to bolster manufacturing within Europe, enhance competitiveness, drive innovation, and create jobs.
• Help accelerate the decarbonisation of European industries and ensure access to clean and affordable energy; promoting on-site energy generation & use of clean and affordable solutions, for both power AND heat.

Solar heat must be part of the plan as it has a lot to offer to enable this decarbonisation thanks to the production of renewable, on-site heat supplies made by EU companies for EU industries!

Solar Heat Europe members expect from the Clean Industrial Deal to:

1. Protect and grow EU Cleantech sectors, encourage innovation whilst ensuring a level playing field across technologies:
2. Boost demand for renewable heat and EU-made Cleantech solutions
3. Support access to finance, avoiding fossil fuel lock-ins and establish a European Clean Heat Fund

Read our full Key messages ahead of the release of the CID here