ISC Konstanz leads call for crystalline silicon photovoltaic research priority

Twelve companies and institutions, led by ISC Konstanz, have issued a position paper calling for crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaics to remain a primary research priority in Germany’s 8th Energy Research Programme. The initiative emphasizes the need to link research funding with industrial value creation to maintain Germany’s competitive edge in production equipment, automation, and materials.

While Germany has seen a decline in solar cell and module manufacturing capacity, the group highlights that the nation retains leading expertise in the machinery and metrology required for production. An equipment study by VDMA, Fraunhofer ISE, and ISC forecasts that global annual investment in PV production equipment will rise from USD 16.6 billion in 2025 to USD 43.8 billion by 2035, representing a cumulative market volume of up to USD 300 billion over the next decade.