Wind Energy

Dr. Martin Heming, CEO of SCHOTT Solar AG elected as new Director of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA)

Gathered in Paris, France, on the occasion of EPIA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Members of the world’s largest association devoted to the solar power photovoltaic (PV) electricity market have elected Dr. Martin Heming as new Director to the Board of the association. Heming, born in Germany in 1956, is CEO of SCHOTT Solar AG and responsible for strategy and business development, research & development, public relations, human resources, auditing, sales and marketing.

Heming declared, “I am honoured to have been elected to the Board of EPIA. In 2010, solar power photovoltaic was the leading renewable energy technology in terms of capacity growth in Europe, and I am willing to join the efforts of EPIA and strengthen the momentum”.

EPIA presented during its AGM the first results of a study on the competitiveness of PV in the energy sector. The compelling downward trend of the PV installation cost translates into ever more competitive PV generated electricity, and this was shown for different market segments in major European countries. ”This study reveals once more the continuous price decrease of PV in the most prominent European markets, and the competitiveness of PV will be reached well before 2020 in all major market segments”, stated Ingmar Wilhelm, President of EPIA.

In addition, the study addresses the potential of the existing distributed electricity network to absorb more PV generated energy, and starting from the status quo; works out the technical requirements to host additional PV power. “Already today, many major grid operators recognise the importance of PV as a decentralised means of power generation in the low and medium voltage grid area”, concluded Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, Vice-President of EPIA.

The new study “PV competing in the energy sector” conducted by EPIA, together with the leading strategy consulting group AT Kearney, will be presented during a Solar Briefing event on 19 April 2011, in Brussels, in partnership with the renowned Brussels think tank Friends of Europe.

www.epia.org/