Deep dive on critical raw materials for solar photovoltaics in the EU

The European Union (EU) faces a significant challenge to develop manufacturing capacity for solar photovoltaics (PV) and one key aspect concerns the supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) needed along the PV technology supply chain. The report considers the current and future demand for CRMs in the solar PV industry, both globally and in the EU, with a focus on 2030 and 2050. It analyses the impact of technological innovations on material demand and supply under two scenarios: a baseline (BASE) adoption technology scenario, which assumes a gradual growth of the solar PV market driven by existing technologies, and an innovation (INNO) technology scenario with a faster adoption of new technologies, such as silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells. The results confirm that sector's growth will remain heavily dependent on the availability of CRMs such as silicon, silver, and indium. The demand for these and other CRMs is expected to increase significantly. Recycling and circular economy practices can play a significant role in addressing the supply of CRMs. Both the EU and China are developing policies and regulations to promote this. The EU already has over 30 companies in the sector but these face challenges for collection of PV waste, efficiency of recycling technologies, with regulatory discrepancies, and markets for recovered materials. Policy makers and the industry itself need to consider a broad range of measures to address this and support the growth of a sustainable and reliable solar PV industry in the EU. Coordinated research and Innovation (R&I) efforts are key, and through the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan the EU has put in place the Implementation Plan of the working group on solar PV and the Strategic R&I Agenda of the European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP PV).