Photovoltaic Becoming Mainstream – One Important Result from the EU PVSEC 2015

The 31st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2015) closed its doors on Friday, 18 September. The global PV community met in Hamburg, to discuss the latest developments and innovations in Photovoltaics. More than 50 % of the participants at the EU PVSEC 2015 had been represented by R & D specialists and about 40 % from the segment industry and engineering. The EU PVSEC is regarded as the world’s leading platform for exchanges between the worlds of PV research and industry in the global PV solar industry sector.

Conference General Chair Dr.-Ing. Stefan Rinck, CEO of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES, Member of Main Executive Board VDMA and Chairman Committee for Research and Innovation, and Technical Programme: ”PV LCOE will decrease further. We expect a decrease by 30 – 50 % from 2014 to 2030. For me it is obvious that PV will have a good chance to be the cheapest form of electricity generation in many countries in the coming decades”.

EU PVSEC Technical Programme Chairman, Dr. Nigel Taylor, European Commission, Joint Research Centre: "PV technology continues to innovate at a great pace. Again this year we've heard researchers report on new efficiency breakthroughs for both silicon-based cells and thin film devices. Further, these advances are being translated into industrial products. Another highlight was a hybrid design that combines ultra-high efficiency space cells with a silicon device to break through the 40% energy conversion efficiency barrier under direct sunlight. Finally, over 40% of the papers look at issues such as operational performance, PV product development and markets”.
Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink, Institute for Energy and Transport JRC, European Commission, pointed out during the closing of the EU PVSEC:” Wiser energy use while fighting climate change is both a spur for new jobs and growth and an investment in Europe's future. Europe has to take the leadership in Grid integration and should take full advantage of the deeds for (near) Zero Buildings. We also need a new electricity market design in Europe and we have to transform the best administrative practises across Europe”.

EU PVSEC 2016