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Message from the Technical Chair

The new
multi–TW era


Robert Kenny

Technical Programme Chair

European Commission -
Joint Research Centre, Italy

As the energy sector accelerates and installed solar PV enters the multi–TW era, the PV research and innovation community is ready to be the key driver and deliver solutions and developments to the energy transition.

I am therefore pleased to announce the call for papers for the 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU PVSEC), which will take place in Vienna, 23-27 September 2024.

The programme is arranged in 5 topics as follows - Silicon Materials and Cells; Thin Films and New Concepts; Photovoltaic Modules and Balance of System Components; PV Systems Engineering, Integrated/Applied PV; PV in the Energy Transition. The technology topics highlight new developments in silicon cells, thin films, perovskites and tandems. The Module and Systems topics cover design, implementation, performance and operation - including the increasingly important role of digitalization and machine learning - as well as the multitude of applications in areas such as buildings (BIPV), integration with the transport infrastructure, agriculture (Agri-PV) and on water (Floating PV). The energy transition topic covers the wide range of multidisciplinary efforts required to ensure the rapid deployment of PV technologies on a massive and global scale as a key element of the ecological transition, including, technical aspects, economics, sustainability, and social challenges. As is clear from this extensive programme, the EU PVSEC offers a unique opportunity to share your ideas and developments with workers from across the entire field of photovoltaics, as well as an opportunity for multidisciplinary learning. During the week, a wide range of interactive panel discussions and parallel events will complement the technical programme.

The topics are largely the same as for the 2023 edition, although some adjustments have been made which I will outline here. In the silicon cells topic, Subtopic 1.2 “Single junction Si Cells” will collect all work on Si cell architectures, including PERC, TOPCon-like, IBC and HJT, etc. A new Subtopic 1.3 “Silicon Bottom Cells for Tandem Photovoltaics” is a home for research into the transformation of single-junction silicon cells into designs appropriate for use as silicon bottom cells in tandem devices. This subtopic is strictly aimed at developments where the scientific novelty of the work is in the necessary Si cell modifications and presentations of full tandem devices should still be directed to the tandem subtopic 2.1. The Space and Concentrator areas have been moved (Subtopic 4.7 has been deleted). The field of photovoltaics for space is constantly evolving and innovating to meet the challenges and opportunities of the fast-growing space economy, and space related abstracts will now be covered within Subtopic 2.3 in order to bring the field closer to the related cell technology developments. CPV papers will be covered in Subtopic 4.5 (now renamed as “Dual use and other innovative PV Applications”), considering that many CPV developments are application specific. Finally, while Subtopic 5.2 “Sustainability of PV” is the home for papers in this field, we have clarified that sustainable design and manufacturing should be a focus of the entire PV ecosystem, and hence specific technological improvements that have a sustainability objective (such as reducing material use or improving recyclability) nevertheless belong in their specific subtopic.

I highlight the PV Academy that now enters its 3rd edition. The PV Academy offers new workers in the field an opportunity to increase their knowledge about a range of key photovoltaics areas with a set of tutorials by recognized experts. The full programme will be announced at a later date, but please note that it will be held on the Sunday before the conference week, i.e. Sunday 22nd September.

I look forward to receiving your abstract for consideration for inclusion in our exciting programme, and to meet you in Vienna next September.

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Joint Research Centre
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