Is there a risk that solar panels will become regulated under WEEE or RoHS?
First Solar has identified the future inclusion of PV in the scope of WEEE and RoHS to be a business risk but the PV industry in Europe is working with legislators and other key stakeholders in the EU to ensure that PV continues to be excluded. In a legislatively mandated review process, the European Commission proposed a revision of both the WEEE and RoHS Directives on December 3, 2008. The revisions did not propose the inclusion of solar panels in the scope of the Directives. As part of the standard EU legislative process (“co-decision” making), the proposals are now being reviewed by the European Parliament and the European Council, which represents the 27 EU Member States (countries). A final legislative agreement on the Directives is not expected until 2011 at the earliest. The European Council and the European Parliament are currently considering an “open scope” approach to RoHS and WEEE under which all Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) products would be included in the s
