Objective The dual objectives are to : 1) systems projects in JOULE II, and 2) various concerted activities. With 14 partners and subcontractors from nine Member States, this project was able to draw on a vast wealth of European PV expertise. Outputs from the collaborative activities included the following: a high precision, low cost solar sensor; portable test equipment for on-site inverter testing; guidelines for calibration, operation and maintenance of PV components and systems; and a PV battery handbook. The results demonstrated the need for low-cost and reliable batteries specifically designed for PV applications. Overall, the results from this collaborative work could contribute to a cost reduction for PV plants of more than 20% as a consequence of improved product quality and reduced labour costs.The goal of the concerted action tasks is to further improve state-of-the-art PV system technology and reduce the technical risks and costs associated with such hardware. Specific aims are to develop methodologies, guidelines, and procedures useful to current and future PV applications. The situation in Europe is that many plants were installed by skilled and non-skilled designers, manufacturers, and institutes. This has resulted in small incremental improvements, many repetitions, and often diverging results when many developments should be converging into specific methodologies, criteria, and procedures. The main reasons for a European Level Undertaking are to: 1) minimize duplications in technology development work in CEC projects, 2) produce consensus results, and 3) pool the resources which will yield the best results quickly. The expected Results of the project are, 1) Reduction in system costs, improvements in plant efficiency and reliability, 2) battery lifetime, and 3) new techniques in plant monitoring and diagnostics. These advances will permit accelerated penetration and integration of PV technology in Europe. Possible Applications. All system types will benefit: 1) stand-alone PV/battery and PV/hybrid, and 2) grid-connected. Other technologies which can use the results are telecommunication and uninterruptible power supplies for computer facilities. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaic Programme(s) FP3-JOULE 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1990-1994 Topic(s) 030404 - Stand alone PV systems Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator WIRTSCHAFT UND INFRASTRUKTUR GMBH & CO PLANUNGS KG Address Sylvensteinstrasse 2 Muenchen Germany See on map Links Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELS France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rue claude daunesse, les lucioles 06904 Sophia antipolis See on map CONPHOEBUS SCRL - ISTITUTO DI RICERCHE PER LE ENERGIE RINNOVABILI E IL RISPARMIO ENERGETICO Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Passo martino zona industriale 95030 Catania, piano d'arci See on map FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.* Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Heidenhofstrasse 2 79110 Freiburg (in breisgau) See on map Hyperion Energy Systems Ltd. Ireland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Main street 120 Watergrasshill See on map National University of Ireland, Cork Ireland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Prospect row 30 Cork See on map