PrimeEnergy Cleantech News: Photovoltaics research programme in Switzerland.
PrimeEnergy Cleantech: the Photovoltaics research programme of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)
The photovoltaics industry has reached the magnificent growth during the past 10 years, with world-wide annual growth rates of around 40 percent, and this boom is widely expected to continue in the course of the next few years. Thanks to high growth rates, photovoltaics has become an important technology on the industrial landscape, and is therefore attracting a great deal of attention in the industry and financial sectors.
In Switzerland, the market volume for photovoltaics reached 6.5 MW in 2007, which was more than double the long-term annual average of 2 to 3 MW. As a result of the introduction in 2009 of remuneration at cost for feeding electricity into the grid, the annual market volume is expected to reach at least 5 MW.
The potential of photovoltaics is widely regarded as considerable. In central Europe, the contribution of photovoltaics could reach 20 to 30 percent of present-day electricity consumption, without the need to install equipment on new and as yet unused surfaces.
In the area of photovoltaics, Switzerland has for many years been acquiring comprehensive know-how relating to photovoltaics research, development and practical application, and in some areas of research it is a world leader. This means that it is in an excellent position to maintain and build up its presence on the rapidly expanding global photovoltaics market through Swiss innovations and products.
The main aims of the Photovoltaics research programme are to promote an internationally competitive, export-oriented industry, and to secure the necessary integration of photovoltaics into the future electricity networks landscape. Thus the priorities of the Photovoltaics research programme include industry orientation, promotion of international co-operation and close co-ordination with the electricity sector.
In accordance with the CORE (Swiss Federal Energy Research Commission) federal energy research concept for the period from 2008 to 2011, a high degree of priority is to be attached to photovoltaics as before in view of Switzerland’s strong position in the field of research in this area, the fast progress with respect to implementation, the rapidly expanding industry, and the significant potential of photovoltaics research.
The following pages provide an overview of the programme, and focus on the following main aspects:
Content of the Photovoltaics research programme
The programme’s objectives and visions
Its core activities
Ways in which it offers support
Its national and international contacts
Materials are taken from Swiss Masterplan.
