Sustainable Solar: How Policy Changes Impact ESG Practices in Solar System Design and Component Sourcing

My role is Product Lifecycle Manager (PLM). I have 8 years of experience in the solar industry and have worked across the entire value chain (installer, distributor, manufacturer) as well as on three continents: the U.S., Australia, and Europe. I have been with KACO for 5 years, including the past 1.5 years as PLM for utility-scale solar inverters. My current focus is on cybersecurity. Sustainability is a key priority for KACO and is firmly embedded in our corporate philosophy.

Mario has more than 12 years of experience in ESG, especially within the renewable energy sector. He joined JinkoSolar in early 2024 to foster the implementation of sustainability policies and practices, support customers and investors in their ESG needs and expectations, develop strategies and action plans, and analyze and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements from the European Union and Member States regulations. He previously held positions at ENGIE, Eolia Renovables, Acciona and Repsol that has provided him with extensive experience in the development of solar and wind businesses, environmental and social permitting and projects, operational ESG (over 800 MW in solar & wind assets in operation) and non-financial reporting to stakeholders.Mario holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science and a master's degree in business administration, in which he specialized in industry, environment and energy.

2022 Master degree at Ruhr University Bochum - Master program Lasers and Photonics2022 Master thesis at Jülich Research Centre on 'Durability and reliability of flexible, high-efficient silicon heterojunction modules in humid environments'2022-2025 Engineer in Global Quality Management at Hanwha Qcells (Bitterfeld, Germany). Degradation of modules, quality management in module fabrication, quality management in the development of Perovskite Tandem Modules.Since 2025: R&D Engineer at Solar Materials (Magdeburg, Germany). Development of new recycling technologies, quality assurance of recovered material, development of processes for the utilization of recovered polymers and silicon.

Matthias Stucki is an environmental scientist and head of the Life Cycle Assessment Research Group at Zurich University of Applied Sciences. At the International Energy Agency, he leads the Life Cycle Assessment Subtask within Task 12 on Photovoltaic Sustainability under the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme. Within the IEA Wind, he serves as co-manager of Task 60 on harmonised life cycle assessment for wind power. His work extends beyond carbon footprinting to encompass a broader sustainability perspective, including life cycle-based biodiversity impact assessment and other environmental impact dimensions. Through his research and teaching, he advances the integration of science-based life cycle thinking to inform sustainable decision-making across academia, industry, policy, and society.