BayWa r.e. has a long history of collaboration with SPE, one of the most important member-led industrial associations in Europe, which represents over 260 companies across the entire solar value chain. SolarPower Europe publishes periodically several market outlooks and thematic reports, such as Best Practice Guidelines and reports on Investment Opportunities, Sustainability and Agri-PV, to name a few.
The R&D team and a few account managers currently participate actively in three different workgroups: the "Lifecycle Quality workstream", the "Job Prospectus" working group, and the "Sustainability workstream".
Interactions are pro bono and mainly take place via email and online meetings, organized periodically by SolarPower Europe. In these working groups, we contribute to the drafting of technical Best Practice Guidelines for O&M, Asset Management and EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction), as well as to tools and high-level reports and recommendations relevant to European policymakers, through discussions and feedback on drafts and public consultations.
In the framework of the “Sustainability workstream”, we are involved in discussions related to regulations such as the Ecodesign Directive, the Energy Labelling and the REACH legislation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Find more info here). We are also asked to provide feedback on PV recycling topics and on the draft of a standardized methodology for calculating low-embodied carbon in PV modules.
Within the “Lifecycle Quality workstream”, our colleagues participate in the Solar Strategy Public consultation from the European Commission and the Digitalization project to help the workgroup have a modern identity through new creative ways to communicate lifecycle quality-related contents.
Last but not least, in the “Job Prospectus” working group, a guide with information on jobs, education paths and the type of skills needed to enter the solar sector is being created.
Daniela Ariolli – R&D Specialist- “I am happy to be able to exchange knowledge in all these groups, especially in the sustainability one, which is my speciality. Our participation in those initiatives is a great opportunity for networking with key players in the solar market. As a BayWa r.e. group, it allows us to be up to date on relevant hot topics, issues, legislation, reports, and events in the sector.”
Carlotta Coffaro – O&M Account Manager – “I am very enthusiastic about being part of these projects since they allow me to interact and share ideas with people of other nationalities. In addition, all the subjects discussed are also of my interest”.
Marco Borsotti – O&M Account Manager – “Having joined several of the SPE Task Forces, I have had the chance to work on incredibly interesting concepts amongst driven, enthusiastic, and like-minded people. I joined with the main aim of raising and sharing knowledge and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity because this is exactly what we are doing.”
For more information about the workgroups, please visit:
