Germany Launches Solar TAP to Advance Multi-Benefit PV

• Harnessing the sun’s potential, Germany’s Solar TAP redefines energy with innovative PV technologies, transforming surfaces into sustainable power sources for agriculture, construction, and transport.

Germany's Helmholtz Association has launched the Solar Technology Acceleration Platform (Solar TAP) to enhance multi-benefit photovoltaic applications using emerging printed PV technologies like organic photovoltaics and perovskites. This initiative brings together three Helmholtz Centers—Forschungszentrum Jülich, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology—along with nine major research infrastructures and over 25 scientists. It aims to make existing surface areas in agriculture, construction, and transportation suitable for solar energy generation while providing additional benefits.

With a budget of €15.1 million ($16.6 million) over three years, Solar TAP is focused on accelerating the transition from laboratory innovations to commercial products. The platform facilitates collaboration between R&D and industry, targeting technology roadmaps for multi-benefit photovoltaics and addressing market needs to minimize risks for industrial partners. Since its launch in 2023, Solar TAP has hosted events featuring discussions on agrivoltaics and advancements in printed solar technologies, particularly highlighting the progress in organic PV efficiencies.

How will Solar TAP advance multi-benefit photovoltaic applications in Germany?

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Solar TAP fosters partnerships among various scientific disciplines, combining expertise in photovoltaics, agriculture, construction, and transportation to create holistic solutions that enhance the functionality of surfaces used for solar energy generation.
• Innovation in Material Science: The initiative will focus on the development and improvement of emerging PV technologies, particularly organic photovoltaics and perovskites, which have the potential to offer lighter, flexible, and more efficient alternatives to traditional solar panels.
• Integration with Existing Infrastructure: By exploring the potential of integrating PV technology into existing structures—like buildings, roads, and farmlands—Solar TAP aims to optimize land use and create multifunctional spaces that generate energy while serving their primary purposes.
• Reduction of Industrial Risks: The collaboration between research and industry will leverage collective knowledge to minimize risks for industrial partners looking to adopt and invest in new technologies, making the transition to multi-benefit PV more feasible.
• Focus on Market Needs: Solar TAP will proactively address market demands by developing technology roadmaps that align innovations with commercial viability, ensuring that the applications being developed have a clear pathway to market introduction.
• Promotion of Sustainable Practices: By harnessing the dual potential of solar energy generation and food production (through agrivoltaics), Solar TAP supports sustainable practices that can benefit the environment and contribute to energy security.
• Educational Outreach and Awareness: The platform is expected to enhance public understanding and acceptance of PV technologies through educational events, workshops, and demonstrations that showcase the benefits and innovations in multi-benefit PV applications.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Solar TAP plans to implement assessment tools to evaluate the performance of deployed multi-benefit solar applications, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation to the needs of various stakeholders.
• Innovation Funding and Grants: The funding of €15.1 million over the three-year period will support pilot projects, scholarships, and grants for innovative solutions, further stimulating research and development in the field.
• International Collaboration: Solar TAP is poised to initiate collaborations with international partners and organizations, fostering a global exchange of ideas and technologies which can be adapted for Germany’s specific energy landscape.
• Long-term Vision for Renewable Energy: Ultimately, Solar TAP aims to contribute significantly to Germany’s energy transition goals by enhancing the overall efficiency of solar energy production while creating new economic opportunities in renewable energy sectors.