Öko-Institut recommends EU-wide solar roof obligation from 2024

On behalf of the Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, Freiburg, Germany-based Öko-Institut has prepared a Policy Brief with recommendations on how the European Commission’s current proposals for expanding renewable energies can be made more effective. According to the brief, a central component is to bring forward the planned introduction of a solar roof obligation by two years to December 31, 2024. This would give member states one and a half years to implement the directive into national law after the planned implementation at EU level in the middle of next year.
According to the expert team, the installation of a solar system should be mandatory for every building, regardless of type, whose roof is fundamentally renovated, as well as for all new buildings directly from the end of 2024. This should also apply to new parking lots. In addition, according to the policy brief, the obligation for unrenovated buildings should also apply to commercially operated residential buildings in addition to the commercial and public buildings proposed by the EU. This is to be phased in by roof size and only for roofs with a remaining life expectancy of at least 20 years.
For existing privately owned residential buildings, member states should create incentives to equip them with solar systems. In addition, a European solar roof register could enable property owners to make their roofs available to third parties for PV installations.
© PHOTON