IEA PVPS Task 1: Strategic PV Analysis and Outreach (Working period from 2025)

This task, which is mandatory for all countries participating in the IEA-PVPS program, has been producing global reports on photovoltaic development since 1993. In addition, content-related priorities are set, or new topics and tasks are developed, which are then sent to the ExCo for decision-making. This gives Task 1 strategic importance for the overall IEA PVPS program.

Short Description

Since 1993, the photovoltaic program of the IEA (IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Program) has been working together to establish this technology as an important source of global electricity supply. As one of the largest technology programs in the IEA framework, 29 members from 26 participating countries and 4 associations are currently sending a total of more than 350 experts to the eight current working groups (tasks). Task 1 – PV Strategic Analysis and Outreach is a mandatory task of the PVPS program for all participating countries; among other things, since all members use this task activity to determine the national photovoltaic key figures, which are included in the annual main publications of the program, the trends report, the snapshot report and the national survey reports, which have been providing annual statistical and market overviews since 1993, flow in.

Figure with figures on the global PV market
Figure 1: Snapshot of Global PV Markets (IEA PVPS, Task 1, 2024)

In addition, the task fulfils another role: through international exchange of knowledge and knowledge dissemination in technical, economic, legal, ecological and social aspects of photovoltaics (PV) from all IEA-PVPS member countries and beyond, new priorities should be set in the overall program and initiatives in the member countries should be encouraged, giving the task a strategic task for the entire program.

Austria benefits from active participation in international photovoltaic networks, as the trend towards developing photovoltaics into a leading power generation technology can be observed in many countries.

Each year, topics are selected to be analysed and discussed in the international expert group; the results are then included in a special chapter of the Trends report. In recent years, for example, the topics 'Acceptance of PV' and 'Grid Cost' have been the central points of discussion, which are presented in the semi-annual 'Country Presentations' and discussed in greater depth at the semi-annual meetings.

Due to the "support function" for the entire program, Task 1 activities are closely linked to the activities in the Executive Committee (ExCo); Like some other countries, Austria is represented on both bodies by the same person. Since April 2011, Hubert Fechner has also been deputy head of the IEA-PVPS overall program; Due to this dual function, activities related to Task 1 are constantly occurring that are closely related to the overall responsibility for the program. Task 1 has now become the "think tank" of the overall program. Austria is thus actively involved in shaping the TCP IEA-PVPS to a large extent.

The transfer of the findings from the IEA-PVPS program takes place through active maintenance of a national PV network, which is managed by the Austrian photovoltaic technology platform, annual organization of the Austrian PV specialist conferences, collaboration with the Federal Association of PV Austria, initiation of R&D projects and the sending of IEA PVPS newsletters and various other activities is ensured. The project manager also works as a university lecturer in the photovoltaics sector at universities and technical colleges.

Publications

Participants

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, European Union, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, USA. SolarPower Europe, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA)

Contact Address

Fechner Hubert
Österreichische Technologieplattform Photovoltaik
Mariahilferstrasse 37-39, 1060 Wien
Web: www.tppv.at