The European Commission has launched the European Solar Academy, the first in a series of EU Academies under the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) aimed at developing the necessary skills for net-zero technology value chains. These academies will collaborate with industry to create learning content and programs that ensure an adequately skilled workforce throughout the value chain.
In the solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector alone, around 66,000 skilled workers will be required by 2030 to meet the EU’s renewable energy targets and maintain industrial competitiveness. To bridge this skills gap, the Solar Academy aims to train 100,000 workers in the solar PV value chain over the next three years.
Following the successful model of the European Battery Academy launched in 2022, the Solar Academy will design learning content in collaboration with industry stakeholders. It will also develop credentials to certify the skills acquired through its courses, enhancing workforce mobility across the Single Market. Local partners, including Vocational and Educational Training (VET) providers, businesses, universities, and other educational institutions, will deploy these programmes.
The European Solar Academy’s launch is backed by €9 million from the Single Market Programme, and the project will be implemented by the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) through its Knowledge and Innovation Community, EIT InnoEnergy.
This initiative is part of the European Commission’s broader efforts to achieve the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU Plan while ensuring the resilience and global competitiveness of the EU’s industry.