The European Commission has launched the Photovoltaic Industry Alliance with the goal of developing a 30 GW solar manufacturing base by 2025 “across the full value chain.” It claims this will add $60 billion in GDP, but the modules themselves would only be worth $10 billion directly. EIT InnoEnergy, the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC), and SolarPower Europe are on the Alliance’s steering committee, with EIT Innoenergy acting as secretariat. Innoenergy is an “innovation engine” and independent body of the EU, while the ESMC and SolarPower Europe are industry associations. These organizations are to determine strategic planning which will, among other things in a seven-point action plan, facilitate access to finance from both public and private sources. European solar manufacturing…