SolarPower Europe

What SolarPower Europe does

SolarPower Europe is a non-profit trade association founded in 1985 (originally as the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, or EPIA; rebranded in 2017) and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It represents more than 310 member organisations from over 40 countries, spanning the full European solar PV value chain - manufacturers, developers, EPC contractors, O&M providers, asset managers, and national solar associations. Its core offerings are not commercial technology products but rather market intelligence reports (Global Solar Market Outlook, European Battery Market Outlook, Solar+ Report, EU Solar Jobs Report), industry best-practice guidelines (Technical Due Diligence Guidelines, EPC Best Practice Guidelines Version 3.0), interactive data tools (Market and Policy Navigator, Agrisolar Map, Solar Manufacturing Map), and flagship events (SolarPower Summit, RE-Source). The association is co-founder of the RE-Source Platform, Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, and Energy Storage Coalition, extending its scope into adjacent clean-energy verticals.

The business model is membership-fee based, with revenues funded by 310+ member organisations; pricing is tiered and not publicly disclosed. Chinese-headquartered companies account for approximately 10.6% of revenue and 11.18% of voting rights, while 88.3% of members are European-headquartered. The go-to-market is community-led: direct outreach, participation in industry events, and word-of-mouth within the European solar ecosystem. SolarPower Europe operates as a policy and advocacy intermediary, translating industry positions into EU and Member State policy engagement, with established relationships with the European Commission, European Parliament, and national regulators. Award recognition includes European Association of the Year 2024 and the #1 Energy & Climate Association ranking.

Name

SolarPower Europe

Legal name

SolarPower Europe

Website

https://solarpowereurope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SolarPower Europe is a Brussels-based non-profit trade association representing 310+ member organisations across 40+ countries in the European solar PV value chain, providing policy advocacy, market intelligence reports, industry guidelines, and flagship events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Quality, Testing, Certification & Standards (Lab Testing, Inspections, Compliance) (EUAMABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Workforce, Training & Safety Services (Installer Training, Certification, EHS) (EUAMABAO), Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ)

Keywords

• Solar energy advocacy
• Renewable energy policy
• Solar market intelligence
• Industry trade association
• Energy transition research

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: SolarPower Europe generates revenue primarily through membership dues paid by 310+ member organisations from across the European solar PV value chain. Membership fees fund the association's operations, advocacy work, market research, and events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SolarPower Europe is a non-profit trade association that represents the European solar PV value chain through policy advocacy, market intelligence, industry guidelines, and networking events. It generates and disseminates flagship research reports, best-practice standards, and policy positions to 310+ member organisations, and convenes the industry through flagship conferences such as the SolarPower Summit and the RE-Source Platform. Its core output is association-based advocacy, research, and event services funded by membership dues.

Product overview

SolarPower Europe operates as a trade association rather than a product company. Its offerings consist of market research publications (Global Solar Market Outlook, European Battery Market Outlook, Solar+ Report, EU Solar Jobs Report), industry guidelines (Technical Due Diligence Best Practice Guidelines, EPC Best Practice Guidelines Version 3.0), interactive data platforms (Market and Policy Navigator, Agrisolar Map, Solar Manufacturing Map), flagship events (SolarPower Summit, RE-Source Platform), video content (Solar Stream), and thematic research reports covering energy security, supply chains, and grid stability. These publications and platforms serve policymakers and the solar value chain rather than being a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership
• Global Solar Market Outlook
• European Battery Market Outlook
• EU Solar Jobs Report
• SolarPower Summit
• RE-Source Platform
• Market and Policy Navigator
• Technical Due Diligence Best Practice Guidelines
• EPC Best Practice Guidelines

Quantifiable outcome

• EU solar PV generation saved EUR 16.3 billion in avoided gas imports since the start of the 2026 Middle East conflict (EUR 110+ million per day during March 2026 peak volatility)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and minor.

• Rystad EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe strengthened its multi-year collaboration with Rystad Energy through an upgraded Prime Market Research Partnership announced on 7 May 2025. Under the enhanced agreement, Rystad Energy expanded its role in supplying data analysis, modelling, and expert commentary for SolarPower Europe's publications and policy positions, with extended coverage of both solar PV and battery storage. The two organisations collaborated on the Solar+ report released during SolarPower Summit 2026.
• RE-Source PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe is co-founder of the RE-Source Platform, which brings together renewable energy buyers, sellers, and intermediaries to promote corporate sourcing of renewable energy through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
• Renewable Hydrogen CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe is co-founder of the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, which advocates for renewable hydrogen deployment and policy support in Europe.
• Energy Storage CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe is co-founder of the Energy Storage Coalition, working alongside Energy Storage Europe and Flow Batteries Europe to advocate for battery storage policy and deployment across Europe.
• IntersolarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe and Intersolar co-organise the Solar Quality Summit Europe and other events, establishing quality standards and best practices for solar and battery storage projects across Europe.
• European Commission and EU InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe hosts workshops (e.g., Global Gateway workshop) bringing together EU institutions, development finance bodies, and industry stakeholders to explore how European solar companies can engage with EU development policy, including blended finance and private sector participation.
• DNVsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe and DNV jointly produced a cybersecurity report identifying vulnerabilities in solar PV installations across Europe, warning that internet-enabled inverters could threaten grid stability and continental energy security.
• 3SUNsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe Board member Stefano Lorenzi is from 3SUN (a major European solar manufacturer), representing manufacturing interests on the SolarPower Europe Board.
• AkuosignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolarPower Europe Vice President Alexandra Sombsthay is from Akuo (a renewable energy company), representing project development interests on the SolarPower Europe Board.
• RE-Source Platform PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRE-Source Platform is a collaborative platform promoting corporate sourcing of renewables through PPAs, supported by SolarPower Europe and other partners including Renewable Energy Buyers, suppliers, and intermediaries.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• European Heat Pump Association (EHPA): Brussels-based trade association representing the European heat pump industry. Highly comparable in terms of clean-energy technology advocacy model, member-driven funding, and EU policy focus on decarbonisation of energy use.
• WindEurope: The European wind energy trade association headquartered in Brussels. Closest comparable to SolarPower Europe in terms of structure, Brussels-based policy access, membership model, and advocacy focus on a single renewable technology at the EU level.
• SmartEn: European business association for digital and decentralised energy solutions. Comparable Brussels-based clean-energy advocacy model focused on enabling technologies, with overlapping membership across utilities and technology vendors.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA): International coalition of solar-resource-rich countries promoting solar deployment. Highly comparable as a dedicated solar-focused advocacy and convening body, but operates at intergovernmental level and is global in scope rather than EU-specific.
• European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF): European federation representing small and medium renewable energy associations across technologies. Comparable Brussels-based advocacy model focused on renewable energy policy, but at a smaller scale and across multiple technologies.

Broad incumbents

• Eurelectric: The European electricity industry association representing the broader power sector (utilities, generators, retailers). Comparable membership and Brussels advocacy model, but covers the entire electricity value chain rather than specialising in solar.
• Eurogas: European gas industry trade association. Comparable Brussels advocacy and membership model, but representing the incumbent fossil-fuel value chain that SolarPower Europe positions solar against in EU policy debates.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA): Intergovernmental organisation supporting the global energy transition. Comparable in publishing flagship market intelligence and influencing renewable-energy policy, but operates globally and intergovernmentally rather than as a member-funded trade body.

Emerging players

• European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE): European trade association for energy storage. Directly comparable to SolarPower Europe in structure and Brussels-based advocacy model; relevant as an adjacent platform since SolarPower Europe co-founded the Energy Storage Coalition.

Others

• DNV (Energy division): Global assurance and certification company with a major renewable energy practice. Not a peer in the trade-association sense, but a recurring research and standards partner of SolarPower Europe (joint cybersecurity report, quality initiatives) and thus an adjacent ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/theepia
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolarPowerEurope
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solarpowereurope
• Instagraminstagram.com/solarpowereu
• Xx.com/SolarPowerEU

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SolarPower Europe