Episode #3
Policy, systems and the infrastructure around solar
Solar is already one of the fastest and most affordable ways to add new generation in many markets. But economics alone will not determine what gets deployed. As solar becomes a larger part of the global energy system, the constraints around it become more important. Grids need flexibility. Storage needs viable markets. Workers need consistent training. Supply chains need resilience. And an industry built around sustainable energy also has to demonstrate sustainability across the full lifecycle of its products. Sonia Dunlop looks at this transition globally, from Agri-PV and rooftop deployment to skills, standards, and supply-chain resilience. Antonio Arruebo Lacleta explores why battery storage is becoming inseparable from solar growth — and why permitting, grid access, market design, and policy still determine how quickly it can scale. Christina Maria Huber brings the lifecycle perspective, explaining how Europe is approaching PV recycling, critical raw materials, and circularity as the first generations of large-scale solar assets eventually reach end of life. The common thread: solar’s next chapter depends not only on deploying more capacity, but on building the systems that allow that capacity to work at scale. What you’ll learn in this episode ● Why solar’s next phase depends increasingly on infrastructure, standards, and policy ● How battery storage addresses curtailment, flexibility, and the changing value of solar power ● Why grid access, permitting, and market design remain major barriers to storage deployment ● How global standards and workforce training support a maturing solar industry ● Why PV recycling and circularity are becoming industrial and strategic opportunities for Europe Chapters 00:00 — Policy, systems, and the infrastructure around solar 01:20 — Sonia Dunlop: What solar needs to scale globally 03:00 — Electrification, Agri-PV, and new models for deployment 03:55 — Why a mature solar industry needs global standards 05:20 — Building resilient supply chains and a stronger workforce 09:26 — Antonio Arruebo: Why solar increasingly needs storage 12:45 — Europe’s battery storage market and what comes next 16:05 — Grid access, permitting, and the market rules holding storage back 19:20 — Policy, circularity, and support for a European battery industry 23:50 — Christina Maria Huber: The sustainability challenge beyond deployment 25:05 — Why PV recycling is still misunderstood 29:00 — From recycling targets to recovering critical materials 33:00 — Building a European circular economy for solar 37:00 — Sustainability, skills, and representation across the energy transition 40:40 — The systems that make solar growth durable
