Sept. 28, 2020
Press Release - ETIP PV elected new Board Chairmen during their virtual meeting on 23 September 2020 - 28 September 2020
The European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics (ETIP PV) elected during a virtual meeting the Chairman and two Vice-Chairmen for the term 2020 – 2022.
Marko Topič, Professor at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Affiliate Professor at the Colorado State University, was reelected as ETIP PV Chairman. Wim Sinke, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, has been reelected as Vice-Chairman of the ETIP PV. Roch Drozdowski-Strehl, Chief Executive Officer of L’Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France (IPVF), was elected as new Vice-Chairman of the ETIP PV.
Marko Topič stated: “We all live in special times and PV will significantly contribute to the clean energy transition. I am honored to serve as the Chairman of ETIP PV for another mandate. With strong commitment and hard work ETIP PV will meet the big expectations and move PV from a cornerstone to the heart of the energy system for the benefit of all stakeholders and citizens.” Marko Topič continues. “Our forecast is that Solar PV will supply 70% of the world’s primary energy in 2050. The world will use Solar PV to move, to heat, cool, drive eco-friendly industrial processes and produce fuels. It will be deployed everywhere, in systems large and small, designed for productivity and aesthetics as required. Europe has to understand that it is of strategic interest to make Europe independent of foreign energy suppliers. Only renewable energies, and especially Solar PV, can offer this guarantee for Europe”.
Wim Sinke: “Renewable electricity will be the ‘primary fuel’ in our future sustainable energy system and PV, together with wind energy, are the main suppliers. It is essential to meet the very important global, European and national emission reduction targets, but also to offer great economic opportunities. Teaming up and joining forces between member states and stakeholder groups will enable Europe to be successful in very large-scale deployment of PV systems and in manufacturing of the advanced, integrated and circular building blocks needed. This, in short, is ETIP PV’s reason of being, track record and challenge for the coming years. It is my honor and pleasure to serve this cause as a Vice-Chairman for another term, together the great group of people active in and around ETIP PV.”
Roch Drozdowski-Strehl: “I am very enthusiastic to join the ETIP PV leadership team and accompany the solar PV strategic value chain in its future expected growth. The European Commission has very recently announced its ambition to increase the target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 55% by 2030, and to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Achieving this requires accelerated energy efficiency measures, deeper electrification of sectors currently consuming conventional fuels, and deployment of more renewables, faster. Untapping European solar manufacturing full potential, from both environmental and economic viewpoints, requires fitted policy, financing framework and the scale up of research & innovation. I am committed to pave the way for the strategic take-off of the solar industry in Europe.”