Mission

NTSA e.V. stands for a clean energy future on the base of renewables and also understands itself as a safeguard for fair and undistorted competition in the solar sector. We promote “cradle to cradle” product stewardship and “lifecycle thinking” throughout the solar PV supply chain.

NTSA e.V. believes that the European Union should take the lead in strict environmental regulation for PV modules. Japan, which has stopped using Cadmium thirty years ago, should serve as an example. Otherwise the European Union would send the wrong signal to other countries, i.e., that they will be free to use potentially harmful materials in the production of solar modules and to sell them in Europe. Low-standard manufacturers will be encouraged to use technologies containing toxic materials. These producers have little incentive to comply with voluntary standards. We believe that the exemption or exclusion from RoHS for the solar industry has a negative impact on the renewable industry as a whole. Producers of fossil-based or nuclear energy could use it as an excuse for less than optimal environmental behavior.

Activities

NTSA e.V.’s main project was to work with Members of the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission to reach an open scope application of the Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment 2002/95/EC (RoHS). The Directive bans toxic substances such as Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium or the flame-retardants PBB and PBDE in electrical and electronic equipment products throughout the European Union. However, an exclusion from this important environmental directive for the PV industry was given during the 2009-2010 recast process.

NTSA e.V. advocates against such an exclusion, because solar is one of the leading green technologies and should be at the forefront of green regulation. Citizens and consumers need certainty that millions of PV modules that will be installed on our roofs and lands over the next decades do not contain any substances that might prove a liability in the future. This is not an argument against any specific PV technology. However, compliance with RoHS is a requirement for every household appliance and should also be observed by the solar industry. In fact, the industry should set green standards by committing itself not to use any toxic substances in their products and be concerned about the use of potentially toxic substances in the production of solar photovoltaic modules and the long-term safety of consumers and the environment.

International NGOs such as SVTC, Bellona, EEB and ChemSec are backing our positions.

Independently, NTSA Research Group (NTSA RG), which works separately from NTSA e.V.’s advocacy activities, provides scientific evidence on the toxicity of various substances in the PV industry. NTSA RG pools the interests of members from the scientific community and provides them with a way to contribute to the cause through scientific work. The Research Group collects data, analyzes existing scientific studies and works with public institutions with regard to scientific testing. The results of this scientific work can be accessed through our downloads-section.