SOLAR-ERA.NET launches €22 million call to co-fund development of innovative solar technologies

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The SOLAR-ERA.NET Cofund 2 Joint Call was officially launched on Jun. 4. The total budget provided by national and regional funding agencies which are part of the transnational European organization, as well as by the European Commission is €22 million.

Through the joint call, which is being held by agencies and public entities of Austria, Belgium-Flanders and Wallonia, Cyprus, France, Germany and North-Rhine-Westphalia, Greece, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, SOLAR-ERA.NET is seeking research projects and technologies that may help “re-build European technological leadership in the sector,” while pursuing high-performance PV and CSP technologies and their integration in the European energy system.

As for PV, the consortium is seeking five kinds of innovations:

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  • Crystalline and thin-film technologies that can increase PV module efficiency by up to 35% by 2030 compared to 2015.
  • PV technologies that can lower turn-key system costs by at up to 50% by 2030 compared to 2015.
  • Technologies that may improve lifetime, quality and sustainability of a PV system, while maintain energy output per year at least 80% of initial level for 30 years by 2020 and 35 years by 2025.
  • BIPV technologies that may help replace roofs or facades with solar modules, and reduce their additional cost by 50% by 2020, and by 75% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels.
  • Manufacturing technologies that may reach GW-scale manufacturing, while reach productivity and cost targets consistent with the capital cost targets for PV systems.

All interested technology developers will have time to submit their proposals until Oct. 2, 2018. A webinar to explain the joint call will be held on Jun. 21.

SOLAR-ERA.NET is European network of national and regional solar energy innovation programs bringing together 16 national organizations owning and managing major solar power research and innovation initiatives throughout Europe, covering PV and CSP.

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