Co-funded by the
European Union
InnoEnergy at InterSolar Europe 2024: Leading the Charge in Solar Innovation and Skills Development
InnoEnergy made a significant impact at InterSolar 2024, the world’s largest exhibition and conference on solar energy. Serving as a convergence point for over 110,000 industry professionals from 176 countries, exhibitors demonstrated the latest in renewable energy technology and solutions, and leaders converged to drive the energy transition forward.
The ESIA PV Forum
This year’s event reinforced InnoEnergy’s position as a leader in sustainable energy innovation with the organisation of the annual European Solar Photovoltaic Industry Alliance (ESIA) PV Forum during InterSolar Europe. As the secretariat of the ESIA, InnoEnergy brought together all 150 members to celebrate the second year of the European Solar PV Industry Alliance. The forum provided a platform for key stakeholders from the European PV manufacturing industry, including CEOs, policymakers, and industry experts, to discuss regulatory progress to support the sector, the Net Zero Industry Act, and further solutions for scaling European manufacturing.
Kerstin Jorna, Director General of DG GROW at the European Commission, opened the forum with a keynote address, emphasising the importance of such collaborative efforts. She remarked, “If there is one thing I would like you to retain, it’s that the glass is half full. We want to make this work; we want to walk the talk.” Jorna’s perspective is a reflection of the work, facilitated by ESIA, with both the European Union and national governments to support the European solar industry following a challenging year for the sector.
Showcasing a Portfolio of Innovators
This year’s event saw several of InnoEnergy’s portfolio companies showcasing groundbreaking technologies. These included Holosolis with high-efficiency photovoltaic solutions, NexWafe’s cost-effective silicon wafer production, HELIUP’s innovative solar panel installation technologies, and Solaqua’s advanced solutions for solar irrigation systems. The diverse range of innovative solutions presented by these companies underscored InnoEnergy’s pivotal role in driving the solar industry forward.
Kerstin Jorna visited the booths of these four InnoEnergy portfolio companies during her tour. Reflecting on the European Commission’s support for the solar industry, Jorna remarked, ESIA’s work is “a game-changer in the way the European Union is functioning, as its Governments and the European Commission working together as an executive on the business case for the industry.”
Launch of the European Solar Academy
A major highlight of InnoEnergy’s participation at InterSolar was the launch of the European Solar Academy. Mandated by the European Commission as one of its Net-Zero Academies, the Academy aims to reskill and upskill 65,000 workers across the European solar photovoltaic (PV) value chain over the next two years. This initiative addresses critical skills shortages identified by recent market research conducted by InnoEnergy.
Oana Penu, Director of the InnoEnergy Skills Institute, stated, “To meet the dual challenge of deploying solar PV at speed and boosting the resilience of domestic manufacturing capacity, the current skills gaps in the workforce must be addressed. The Solar Academy will do just that based on a model that is tried and tested. Our European Battery Academy, which has trained 67,000 workers to date, has set a standard for excellence in training and serves as a successful blueprint for the European Solar Academy going forward.”
Commitment to Europe’s Solar Future
InnoEnergy’s activities at InterSolar 2024 demonstrate its commitment to reshoring the European solar industry. By supporting a diverse portfolio of pioneering companies, launching the European Solar Academy, and facilitating crucial industry discussions through the ESIA PV Forum, InnoEnergy continues to play a vital role in the transition towards a sustainable and self-reliant European solar sector.
As the European Union pursues ambitious targets to install almost 600 GW of solar photovoltaic panels by 2030 and supply 40% of EU demand for net-zero technologies with European-made products, initiatives like those spearheaded by InnoEnergy are essential.
