Silicones: Building blocks of Europe’s clean industrial revolution
Europe is currently navigating a complex landscape of challenging economic growth, technological competition, and geopolitical tensions. In February 2024, business leaders from 17 sectors across EU Member States issued the Antwerp Declaration, an urgent call to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a European Industrial Deal to complement the EU Green Deal and safeguard quality jobs in Europe.
A year later, on 26 February 2025, the European Industry Summit 2025 brought together 400 business leaders from EU industries and associations to discuss the just published Clean Industrial Deal with Commission President. The message from industry was clear – deliver the deal.
Enabling the industrial energy transition
Transforming the EU’s energy system to reduce carbon emissions is essential for meeting the EU’s 2030 climate goals and its long-term vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The European Green Deal focuses on three priorities: ensuring a secure and affordable energy supply; creating an integrated and digitalised energy market; and prioritising energy efficiency through better buildings and renewables-based power.
Silicones play a vital role in achieving these objectives by advancing renewable energy, energy efficiency, and digitalisation – supporting resilient supply chains and Europe’s leadership in the green transition.
As Dr. Stefan Kirschbaum, Chair of Silicones Europe, states: “Silicones are not just materials; they are enablers of innovation, driving the technologies that underpin our shift to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.”
In renewable energy, silicones are critical for the durability and performance of solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage systems. Silicone encapsulants protect photovoltaic cells from environmental damage, enhancing their efficiency and lifespan. Meanwhile, high-performance coatings and adhesives that use silicones safeguard wind turbine blades, contributing to their longevity and effectiveness. Additionally, the thermal stability of silicones supports the safe operation of advanced battery systems, which are essential for energy storage solutions.
Silicones also improve energy efficiency in buildings and lighting. They are key components in high-performance building insulation materials, reducing energy consumption in heating and cooling. In LED lights, silicones enable long-lasting illumination with significantly lower power usage.
Silicones drive digitalisation by enabling progress in semiconductors and electronics. These technologies play a crucial role in integrating renewable energy sources into the grid and optimising energy use across industries and households.
Unlocking silicones’ full potential
Unlocking this potential across strategic European sectors, however, requires strategic action and concrete policy measures.
For the silicone industry to continue delivering, the EU must provide access to reliable, cost-effective low-carbon energy. Persistent high energy prices across the EU threaten the competitiveness of the silicone industry. Silicones Europe calls for tangible measures such as a unified Energy Union and asks policymakers to prioritise expanding grid infrastructure, boosting interconnector capacity, and creating a seamless single market for electricity.
By taking these actions, Europe can not only strengthen its industrial base but also lead the way toward resilient, low-carbon future where silicones remain a key building block of sustainable innovation.