We are confronting the realities of dangerous and worsening climate change, coupled with the geopolitical and energy security crisis. The findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) clearly signal that we need a rapid phase out of fossil fuels globally to stay within a safe 1.5°C emissions trajectory. The window of opportunity is closing fast for timely action to address the climate crisis and transform our energy systems by strongly reducing energy consumption and massively increasing sustainable renewable energy to achieve a 100% renewable energy system by 2040. Civil society’s Paris Agreement Compatible (PAC) Energy Scenario1 , published by CAN Europe and EEB, highlights the importance of solar PV to achieve a fully renewable energy system, making it the second most important electricity source by 2030. Yet, a much stronger commitment to solar PV in the EU Member States is needed. Total capacity of solar PV is growing in most Member States thanks to the drop in costs while solar targets are included in their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to meet the 2030 EU target, most of these goals are not ambitious enough, while barriers and bottlenecks have not been clearly identified and the measures to overcome such barriers have not been defined.
