CONVERIS Research database:

PV-CATAPULT - PV CAtapult

Time period:	2003-12-01 - 2006-01-31
Instrument:	Coordination Action (CA)
Call:	FP6-2002-ENERGY-1

The potential for EU solar electricity (PV) industry to contribute to a clean energy system are enormous. However, a great co-ordinated effort is needed to ensure that sector fully benefits from the expansion of PV market.In PV catapult industry, consultants and research institutes work therefore together to give a boost to EU solar energy.The consortium aims to accelerate market development by means of various strategic actions. In the first step the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the PV sector will be identified. The Consortium also aims to optimise the transfer process from the research laboratories to mass production. As the integrating of PV in buildings is a major market potential in Europe, the consortium will engage construction industry to strengthen the PV market. In this project new financial instruments will be exploited for the industry and the end-consumer to decrease the cost of PV. This will be done for different regions: the current EU-members, Newly Associated States and emerging/ developing countries.The simultaneously production of solar electricity and thermal energy (PVT) has the potential to reduce cost significantly. This project aims at bringing together all the key players in the R&D and industrial PVT field in Europe, to collect the knowledge, to structure it and to make it accessible. The gathering of key players will result in a strong network and have positive influence on the R&D effectiveness. A grown up PV-marketed needs reliable standards and energy yield predications. To increase the understanding of the measurement of PV the same panels will be measured in different laboratories. This so call-ed robin test will be made available to the PV community through a variety of means. Non EU-members are at the moment taking the lead for new standards, with the risk that EU interests are neglected. By exchange knowledge within the EU PV-community a good preparation for this process is made.

Scientific co-ordinator:
Sander van Egmond (STICHTING ENERGIEONDERZOEK CENTRUM NEDERLAND)

Other principal investigators:
David Infield (LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY)