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The German Solar Industry Association (BSW ) has re-elected GOLDBECK-SOLAR Managing Director Joachim Goldbeck as President of the association. In this interview, he explains why he decided to take up the post and which projects he would like to tackle with the BSW in the coming years.
The solar industry is currently on a very good path. This is because people have understood that clean energy generation is the basis for healthy survival. At the same time, the cost of solar energy has fallen significantly in recent years. Although both of these factors combine to create a very positive dynamic, the market also depends on the legal framework. This is where I contribute my commitment and experience to ensure that clean and affordable solar energy is implemented in many projects and large quantities.
In the years 2010 to 2012, the solar industry in Germany experienced an almost euphoric wave with high installation rates. At that time, however, solar power was still relatively expensive, so that politicians increasingly took countermeasures. The many measures, such as reductions in remuneration, size limits and more difficult certification processes, then caused the market to collapse. As a result, the German photovoltaic market hit rock bottom in 2014 and I wanted to help bring calm to the industry and politicians. And despite a series of subsequent political attacks, the BSW managed to get back on a stable growth path and be taken seriously as an equal partner in discussions with politicians.
The most important topics are advising the management on the strategic direction of the association. This includes discussing specific political positions, setting priorities and identifying new topics. For example, I was able to draw more attention to the production of solar cells and modules and win Dr. Gunther Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger Technology AG, as a member of the BSW Board. My tasks also include representation and direct communication with politicians. Other topics are, of course, internal association matters such as personnel strategies, integration into the umbrella organization BEE as well as preparing and leading the board meetings and the annual general meeting.
The BSW is the political voice of the photovoltaic, solar thermal and storage sectors. The cost trends of recent years have pushed these technologies to the forefront in order to avoid the impending climate catastrophe at low cost. Our work enables companies to fully realize their entrepreneurial energy and society that everyone can participate in the energy transition. The BSW is therefore first and foremost a shaping force in the energy industry. Incidentally, Germany is not an island in terms of energy, which is why the BSW is also working on a number of projects in an international context and is helping its members to tap into these markets.
In the short term, we must work to ensure that the installation of solar systems is not made more difficult in the current EEG amendment, but rather easier. This includes, for example, setting new PV expansion targets, changing the subsidy system for medium-sized and large PV roofs as well as restrictions and changes for prosumers. In the medium term, broader issues will then be on the agenda. For example, we must ensure that the development of the electricity market enables large quantities of solar power. In addition to photovoltaics, the BSW also represents solar thermal energy and storage systems. The BSW must contribute to a political framework that enables different renewable energies to cover our entire energy supply reliably and cost-effectively. And this is not just today’s electricity consumption, but also covers transport, heating and industrial processes. A mammoth task, but one that we are happy to take on.
