The European Commission has adopted secondary legislation under the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) to ensure Europe produces at least 40% of its annual needs for strategic technologies like solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps.
Simplified permitting, strategic project status, and non-price auction criteria for eligible manufacturing projects.
Non-price criteria (e.g., sustainability, cybersecurity, resilience) will apply to 30% of renewable energy auctions (around 6 GW/year per country) starting end-2025.
Lists eligible net-zero tech products and identifies supply chain dependencies on third countries.
Establishes Net-Zero Acceleration Valleys to speed up environmental assessments and approvals.
Member states must implement rules by 2026, with the first NZIA-aligned auctions expected that year.
SolarPower Europe urges prompt action, calling for premiums for EU-made solar panels to support struggling manufacturers.
The NZIA sets faster permitting timelines for renewables and storage, aiming to strengthen Europe’s clean tech independence.
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