Periodic Report Summary 1 - PV TP SEC III (Support of the activities of all stakeholders from the PV sector to collaborate together to achieve the 2020 targets and beyond)
Project Context and Objectives:
The European Photovoltaic Technology Platform, also called EU PVTP, is an independent body which aims at mobilizing the major stakeholder groups of the PV sector in order to contribute to a sustainable, safe and economically viable energy supply for the European citizens, contributing to their welfare and well-being.
The EU PVTP has a decisive role to play in the coming years due to the fast changes that will occur in the energy sector, where PV will become more and more competitive with the conventional energy sources for electricity production and where the integration in the existing infrastructures has to be strongly improved. The position of the EU PVTP in this context is described in the position paper ‘Photovoltaics: creating new opportunities for Europe’ which can be found at www.eupvplatform.org.
The EU PVTP considers that the realisation of such a scenario needs expertise from within the PV sector and from outside. For this reason, experts from the upstream and downstream ends of the PV business as well as from the financial and insurance sectors, building sector, smart grids, storage, advanced manufacturing, etc. have been invited to join the Platform.
For the reasons above and challenges ahead the Steering Committee has decided to establish five ad hoc working groups each one with a specific expert pool. The ad hoc working groups are the following:
1. LCoE
2. Industry Policy
3. Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)
4. Grid Integration
5. Legal Framework
The objective of the PV TP-SEC III project is to provide continuity of the activities of the EU PVTP. This is done with an efficient and active secretariat which can quickly react to the challenges ahead, in terms of efficient, impartial and transparent management of the platform. The Secretariat aims to make sure that the European Photovoltaic Technology Platform will still be a point of reference for the State-of-the-Art of PV in Europe and worldwide and will still be able to provide valuable documents considered as guidelines for a sustainable growth of the PV sector.
Project Results:
During the first period of the project, the Secretariat has followed this line of activity and has successfully achieved the following results:
- to create strong links among stakeholders from the PV sector and from related sectors. The new Members from the EU PVTP are experts from the upstream and downstream ends of the PV business as well as from the financial and insurance sectors, building sector, smart grids, storage, advanced manufacturing, etc.
A closer link has also been established to other European Technology Platforms, such as the SmartGrids ETP and the European Construction ETP (ECTP). The objective of this link is to exchange information in order to find and benefit from synergies and thus to define common activities.
- to provide support to the entities of the EU PVTP (the Steering Committee, the Mirror Group, and the five ad hoc working groups each one with an specific expert pool) and ensure a smooth and functioning exchange of information between these groups. This was achieved by assisting the different working groups in their work and following the instruction of the Steering Committee on the initiatives to take or tasks to accomplish. From the start of the project, the Secretariat has assisted the Steering Committee Members and the ad hoc working groups with research or advice for the documents they are preparing for the EU PVTP, ensuring the generation of high quality outcomes and playing an active role in the development of key ETP public documents.
- to guarantee the operation of the work to be performed by the Members of the EU PVTP. These activities include the organisation and management of the ad hoc Working Groups and Steering Committee meetings and the EU PVTP Conference and additional workshops required by the Steering Committee. The Secretariat also supported the organisation of workshops related to the Solar Europe Industry Initiative (SEII) in the framework of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) plan, and workshops from other European Technology Platforms.
During the first reporting period the Secretariat organized successfully the Conference “New dawn for large-scale PV manufacturing in Europe: reality or pipe dream?” where more than 100 stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of large-scale PV manufacturing in Europe.
- to manage all the dissemination and communication activities required by the EU PVTP in a transparent and convincing way. The achievements of the EU PVTP are made widely known among key stakeholders and the general public.
Potential Impact:
The work done in the first reporting period has set the basis for the medium and long term work of the EU PVTP, with clear leadership (new Chair and Vice-Chairs defined for the next 3 years), position paper, re-structuring of the working groups and definition of the operational work program for the next years.
The EU PVTP has fullfilled its role of ETP as stated in its mission as it is a point of reference for the State-of-the-Art of PV in Europe and worldwide and will still be able to provide valuable documents considered as guidelines for a sustainable growth of the PV sector. The EU PVTP is a body capable of mobilizing stakeholders, advising, pooling resources when necessary and providing long-term direction on Research and Innovation in Photovoltaics.
The Secretariat will continue to promote the cooperation among the Members and all the relevant stakeholders of the PV sector and related sectors including industry, research centers, universities, European and National public institutions, civil society organizations and will optimize the coordination of the research work of the areas addressed within the European Photovoltaic Technology Platform.
In addition, dialogue and collaboration with other initiatives has been active (SmartGrids ETP, ECTP, Photonics 21 and others) and this collaboration will be reinforced during the second period with even more outcomes.
The Secretariat will also continue its dynamic communication and dissemination activities to make the achievements of the EU PVTP widely known among key stakeholders and to actively engage in networking with the aim to promote the exploitation of the project results. The EU PVTP will also continue to create awareness among the general public on the benefits and potential of photovoltaics as a sustainable energy source.
The EU PVTP went through a review process during the year 2013 where DG Research and Innovation reviewed the status of all official existing ETPs in the context of the ‘Strategy for European Technology Platforms: ETP 2020’ EC paper. In July 2013, the EU PVTP was recognized by the European Commission as an official European Technology Platform.
List of Websites:
www.eupvplatform.org
The European Photovoltaic Technology Platform, also called EU PVTP, is an independent body which aims at mobilizing the major stakeholder groups of the PV sector in order to contribute to a sustainable, safe and economically viable energy supply for the European citizens, contributing to their welfare and well-being.
The EU PVTP has a decisive role to play in the coming years due to the fast changes that will occur in the energy sector, where PV will become more and more competitive with the conventional energy sources for electricity production and where the integration in the existing infrastructures has to be strongly improved. The position of the EU PVTP in this context is described in the position paper ‘Photovoltaics: creating new opportunities for Europe’ which can be found at www.eupvplatform.org.
The EU PVTP considers that the realisation of such a scenario needs expertise from within the PV sector and from outside. For this reason, experts from the upstream and downstream ends of the PV business as well as from the financial and insurance sectors, building sector, smart grids, storage, advanced manufacturing, etc. have been invited to join the Platform.
For the reasons above and challenges ahead the Steering Committee has decided to establish five ad hoc working groups each one with a specific expert pool. The ad hoc working groups are the following:
1. LCoE
2. Industry Policy
3. Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)
4. Grid Integration
5. Legal Framework
The objective of the PV TP-SEC III project is to provide continuity of the activities of the EU PVTP. This is done with an efficient and active secretariat which can quickly react to the challenges ahead, in terms of efficient, impartial and transparent management of the platform. The Secretariat aims to make sure that the European Photovoltaic Technology Platform will still be a point of reference for the State-of-the-Art of PV in Europe and worldwide and will still be able to provide valuable documents considered as guidelines for a sustainable growth of the PV sector.
Project Results:
During the first period of the project, the Secretariat has followed this line of activity and has successfully achieved the following results:
- to create strong links among stakeholders from the PV sector and from related sectors. The new Members from the EU PVTP are experts from the upstream and downstream ends of the PV business as well as from the financial and insurance sectors, building sector, smart grids, storage, advanced manufacturing, etc.
A closer link has also been established to other European Technology Platforms, such as the SmartGrids ETP and the European Construction ETP (ECTP). The objective of this link is to exchange information in order to find and benefit from synergies and thus to define common activities.
- to provide support to the entities of the EU PVTP (the Steering Committee, the Mirror Group, and the five ad hoc working groups each one with an specific expert pool) and ensure a smooth and functioning exchange of information between these groups. This was achieved by assisting the different working groups in their work and following the instruction of the Steering Committee on the initiatives to take or tasks to accomplish. From the start of the project, the Secretariat has assisted the Steering Committee Members and the ad hoc working groups with research or advice for the documents they are preparing for the EU PVTP, ensuring the generation of high quality outcomes and playing an active role in the development of key ETP public documents.
- to guarantee the operation of the work to be performed by the Members of the EU PVTP. These activities include the organisation and management of the ad hoc Working Groups and Steering Committee meetings and the EU PVTP Conference and additional workshops required by the Steering Committee. The Secretariat also supported the organisation of workshops related to the Solar Europe Industry Initiative (SEII) in the framework of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) plan, and workshops from other European Technology Platforms.
During the first reporting period the Secretariat organized successfully the Conference “New dawn for large-scale PV manufacturing in Europe: reality or pipe dream?” where more than 100 stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of large-scale PV manufacturing in Europe.
- to manage all the dissemination and communication activities required by the EU PVTP in a transparent and convincing way. The achievements of the EU PVTP are made widely known among key stakeholders and the general public.
Potential Impact:
The work done in the first reporting period has set the basis for the medium and long term work of the EU PVTP, with clear leadership (new Chair and Vice-Chairs defined for the next 3 years), position paper, re-structuring of the working groups and definition of the operational work program for the next years.
The EU PVTP has fullfilled its role of ETP as stated in its mission as it is a point of reference for the State-of-the-Art of PV in Europe and worldwide and will still be able to provide valuable documents considered as guidelines for a sustainable growth of the PV sector. The EU PVTP is a body capable of mobilizing stakeholders, advising, pooling resources when necessary and providing long-term direction on Research and Innovation in Photovoltaics.
The Secretariat will continue to promote the cooperation among the Members and all the relevant stakeholders of the PV sector and related sectors including industry, research centers, universities, European and National public institutions, civil society organizations and will optimize the coordination of the research work of the areas addressed within the European Photovoltaic Technology Platform.
In addition, dialogue and collaboration with other initiatives has been active (SmartGrids ETP, ECTP, Photonics 21 and others) and this collaboration will be reinforced during the second period with even more outcomes.
The Secretariat will also continue its dynamic communication and dissemination activities to make the achievements of the EU PVTP widely known among key stakeholders and to actively engage in networking with the aim to promote the exploitation of the project results. The EU PVTP will also continue to create awareness among the general public on the benefits and potential of photovoltaics as a sustainable energy source.
The EU PVTP went through a review process during the year 2013 where DG Research and Innovation reviewed the status of all official existing ETPs in the context of the ‘Strategy for European Technology Platforms: ETP 2020’ EC paper. In July 2013, the EU PVTP was recognized by the European Commission as an official European Technology Platform.
List of Websites:
www.eupvplatform.org