Via EUREC Members, CNRS-ICUBE
Organic photovoltaics (OPV) can open up new application areas for photovoltaics: OPV modules can be flexible, semitransparent and made in different colors, they are lightweight and can be shaped on purpose to be integrated into various systems. However, despite these unique features and the promising power conversion efficiency of OPV devices, which recently exceeded 15%, the integration of OPV modules into commercial products is only starting.
The cross-border and cross-sectorial consortium PROOF (www.opv-proof.cnrs.fr), aims to accelerate the industrialization of OPV technology by developing innovative products for flat-roofs of commercial and industrial buildings and to demonstrate the benefits of OPV technology.
On January 24th, the consortium organized an “OPV technical forum” that was held at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany. This event gathered major actors from research and development as well as OPV manufacturers and potential users to network and exchange ideas, with a special focus on building integrated photovoltaics. The PROOF consortium is funded by the European Union through the Upper Rhine INTERREG V program, by Baden-Württemberg, Rheinland Pfalz and the Région Grand Est, as well as by the Universities of Freiburg and Strasbourg, as well as the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.