EU PVSEC 2024 Kicks Off in Vienna, Spotlighting Solar Innovation and Global Collaboration

 

The 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) commences today at the ACV Austria Center Vienna, marking the start of a pivotal week for the global solar energy sector. Running from 23 to 27 September 2024, this year's conference gathers leading scientists, industry experts, and policymakers from across the world to present cutting-edge developments and discuss the future of photovoltaics (PV) in the pursuit of global energy sustainability.

The conference opens with a scientific plenary session, focusing on the latest advancements in PV manufacturing. Representatives from two of the top cell and module manufacturers, one from China and one from Europe, will present the latest innovations in Silicon PV and provide detailed insights into the current and future technologies of manufacturing lines. The session will be completed by a comprehensive overview of the current manufacturing technologies for module manufacturing provided by one of Europe’s leading research centres.

The esteemed Becquerel Prize awarded by the European Commission and chaired by Prof. Christophe Ballif, honours Dr Daniel Lincot’s achievements, with a laudation delivered by Prof. Dr Marika Edoff. This is followed by a keynote from Prof. Dr Rutger Schlatmann, ETIP PV addressing innovation, collaboration, and politics in PV technology. A distinguished panel, including Prof. Nancy Haegel, Alessandro Barin, Walburga Hemetsberger, Prof. Dr Andreas Bett, and Austria’s Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler, will discuss the challenges and potential of global solar expansion.

In the afternoon, the Industry Summit will kick off with an in-depth look at the current state of European PV manufacturing, exploring the turbulent market conditions and the potential for recovery. Participants will hear expert insights on global production trends, including time-to-market, cost dynamics, and technology transfer in key regions such as the USA, India, and Europe. The session will also delve into the strategies shaping the next era of European PV, focusing on innovation and resilience to stay competitive in the global solar industry.

Throughout the week, the conference will feature a range of presentations covering key topics, including breakthroughs in perovskite and tandem solar cells, recent efficiency records, advanced materials and improved efficiency in bifacial modules. Presentations will also delve into the latest advancements in PV manufacturing, system design, and operation, showcasing diverse applications such as agrivoltaics and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and PV’s pivotal role in the energy transition — all contributing to higher efficiency and cost-effectiveness in solar energy.

The EU PVSEC is the world's leading forum for PV Research and Development and the biggest Conference on PV Solar Energy. With a history of over 40 years, the EU PVSEC is the longest running, renowned PV conference in the world.

The scientific programme is coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre.