Photovoltaic Innovation Alliance – getting to the top through research

In return, the industry will invest at least 500 million Euros in the findings’ implementation. The funding is directed at the entire German photovoltaic industry.

The Alliance’s objective is to ensure and extend the industry’s international competitiveness medium- and long-term. Therefore, the federal government focuses on a close cooperation of equipment – and system technology-companies with users within the photovoltaic industry. Project proposals may be submitted until September 30th.

The research projects’ findings are supposed to provide new proceedings and innovative products, and lead to lower production costs as well as investments in German sites.

So far, photovoltaic “made in Germany” held up quite well. According to the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V., German companies held an average share of about 20 percent in all value-added steps in 2008. German solar engineering holds market shares of more than 50 percent. However, tough competition is coming from the USA and Asia. China is the world market leader in the production of photovoltaic cells and competitors from Taiwan and Malaysia are just getting started.

After a dynamic start-up-phase, the domestic photovoltaic companies are facing an important process of adjustment. The only way to maintain the strong German position in the world market of solar technologies is to invest intensively in research and innovation and having a close cooperation between photovoltaic producers and suppliers. These are exactly the points the German Federal Government is targeting.

Source: VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH