Dear President von der Leyen, dear President Costa, dear Heads of State,
On 26 February 2026, CEOs representing leading European companies active in solar and storage met in Brussels with senior European Commission officials. CEOs issued the following statement:
“The European Union stands at a historic crossroads, facing pressures unprecedented in its history. Europe’s leaders know that this moment demands a fundamental geostrategic repositioning and a profound modernisation of our economies.
Energy lies at the heart of this endeavour in two critical respects. First, the EU’s dependence on imported fossil fuels has repeatedly been exposed by several global actors as a major strategic vulnerability.Second, high costs of energy in parts of Europe hinder economic renewal, industrial competitiveness, and reindustrialisation.
Solar PV and battery storage provide a powerful and immediate response to both challenges. In a context of geopolitical instability, electrification is a decisive vehicle for decarbonization, competitiveness and sovereignty. And speed matters. As representatives of leading European energy companies active in the solar and storage sectors, we can deliver that speed and shield EU citizens from volatile fossil fuel prices - as we demonstrated during the 2022 energy crisis.
This, however, assumes an enabling and stable regulatory framework.
We commend EU leaders for their decade-long commitment to advancing renewable energy and building an Energy Union. At the same time, we are concerned by recent developments that risk undermining this supportive environment.
First, we urge EU leaders to continue supporting the fundamental design of the EU electricity and carbon markets. The electricity market design was comprehensively reviewed recently and has proven to work, delivering efficient long-term signals for investment, and competitive prices. Likewise, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) remains Europe’s most successful decarbonisation tool, driving industrial transformation while reinvesting revenues into clean technologies and industrial decarbonisation. While we agree EU leaders should insist on competitive electricity costs for businesses and citizens, it is important not to distort well-functioning markets or undermine investor confidence. Reopening electricity and carbon market frameworks at this stage would create uncertainty, stall investment in solar and storage as well as in other energy infrastructure and ultimately produce the opposite outcome.
Second, we call on policymakers to avoid introducing unnecessary additional obligations, fragmented administrative complexities, or restrictive measures affecting the solar and storage sectors. We fully support the EU’s objectives to strengthen European solar and storage manufacturing and enhance cybersecurity, which requires a progressive and proportionate approach to resilience and Made-in-Europe criteria complemented with dedicated production-linked financial support schemes for European solar, storage and inverter production sites. However, unintended consequences and burdensome administrative obligations must be avoided not to delay projects, excessively increase costs and ultimately energy prices, harming European competitiveness and slowing down solar, storage and electrification precisely when Europe must accelerate.
We encourage a renewed focus on measures that will deliver tangible results: completing the Single Market for electricity; ensuring full and consistent implementation of agreed EU energy legislation, including strong carbon pricing via ETS1 and ETS2; and launching an ambitious investment programme for clean energy and electrification infrastructure within the next Multiannual Financial Framework and post-2030 legal frameworks. Europe must double down on electrification and the expansion of grids and storage, as the essential enablers of decarbonisation, lower energy prices, and long-term industrial competitiveness. Without accelerated grid and storage development, Europe will not be able to integrate new demand, new renewable projects, or the flexible resources needed to stabilise the system.
The European Union holds the necessary tools to succeed. Solar and storage enable flexible electrification, reduce emissions, significantly reduce import dependency, and structurally lower wholesale power prices.
Let us seize this opportunity in the European interest.”
The undersigning
Duarte Bello, CEO EDP Europe
Bruno Bensasson, CEO Akuo
Alexandre Cosquer, Managing Director for Renewables and Batteries in Europe Engie
Katharina David, CEO, K2 Systems GmbH
Hugh Elliott, Executive Chairman Iberdrola Energía Internacional
Barbara Flesche, EVP European Wind and Solar Statkraft
Dr. Daniel Gaefke, COO BayWa r.e.
Julius Möhrstedt, CEO IBC Solar
Dr. Jürgen Reinert, CEO SMA
Dr. Karsten Schlageter, Managing Director Abo Energy
Vlasios Souflis, CEO EMEA Lightsource bp
Axel Thiemann, CEO Sonnedix
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