The European Commission is preparing to collaborate with the solar energy sector as part of a co-programmed European partnership aimed at boosting research and innovation. SolarPower Europe says the announcement is a “significant step for the industry.”
The European Commission has decided to form an official co-programmed European Solar Partnership with the European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP PV).
The decision is part of the Commission's Horizon Europe 2025-2027 strategic plan, published last week, which guides research and innovation funding for the period outlined.
European Partnerships see the Commission work with public and private partners to leverage research and initiatives to address Europe's most pressing challenges. The Commission and the solar sector will now have to negotiate the best possible format for the partnership, which will come into force early next year.
Thomas Garabetian, member of the ETIP Secretariat for Photovoltaics and head of R&I at SolarPower Europe, said the co-planned partnership for solar “is a significant step for the sector, which will improve the coordination of R&I efforts along the value chain of the rapidly evolving solar system”.
He added that research and innovation are “the heart of solar”, but several research and innovation challenges need to be addressed “to encourage scientific advances, accelerate technological breakthroughs and improve the competitiveness of the European solar industry on global scale".
“This partnership will be a key pillar for the development of a resilient European solar supply chain, helping European companies and research institutes to reduce transition times between the laboratory and production phases, with more targeted R&I programs that they will help deliver innovation at scale,” Garabetian added. “It will also be important for advancing new solar applications, such as building-integrated photovoltaics and floating solar, and for developing solutions that prioritize circularity within the solar industry.”
The green transition is one of the three main strategic orientations of the Horizon Europe strategic plan. In February, the EU Council and Parliament adopted the Zero Emissions Industry Act, while earlier this month MEPs passed legislation requiring EU member states to integrate solar installations into future construction work and to retroactively install photovoltaics on buildings.
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