Project objectives

The PV Technology Platform Secretariat supports the EU Photovoltaic Technology Platform (EU PV TP).

The EU PV TP is a group of representatives from the photovoltaic research community and industry. Their key task is to advise the  European Commission on PV R&D policy. This is the task of Working Group 3 of the Platform. Other Working Groups draw up recommendations on policies to support PV (specifically market-support policies like feed-in tariffs), find new consumer markets for PV and develop a policy towards promoting PV in developing countries.

EUREC Agency's particular responsibility is in supporting Working Group 3. For many years, it has been a challenge to co-ordinate photovoltaic research between Member States and each other, and between Member States and the European Commission. Research could be conducted much more efficiently a) if those who carry out and benefit from the research agree a common strategy and b) if those who fund it decide what each should contribute to realising the strategy. Thanks to EU PV TP, the PV-ERA-NET project and the Solar Europe Initiative of the SET Plan it should be easier to achieve a) & b).

EU PV TP's's first significant output, the 'Strategic Research Agenda', was released in 2006. In  2009 it released its second publication, the 'Implementation Plan for the Strategic Research Agenda'.

The members of Working Group 3, who drafted both publications, are not paid for their work in EU PV TP, nor are their travel costs covered by the contract mentioned above.

 EUREC's role in PV Sec
 
EUREC Agency is a member of the PV Technology Platform's secretariat and is mainly responsible for the support of Working Group 3 ("Science, Technology and Applications") led by Prof Nicola Pearsall (Northumbria University, UK). Our role is to draw up agendas for meetings, write the minutes of the meetings and where possible update members on European policy. Besides the EUREC Agency office, you may also contact Arnulf Jäger-Waldau at the JRC Ispra for information on this Working Group 3.