IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems (PVPS)

The "Photovoltaic Power Systems Program" is the world's largest research platform in the field of photovoltaics. Coordinated within the framework of the International Energy Agency (IEA) as one of the "Technology Collaboration Programs" in the area of the "Renewable Energy Working Party", it has offered a global platform for applied research activities and market launch strategies in the field of photovoltaics since 1993. Currently, 8 research activities "Tasks" are being carried out, 9 others have already been completed. 6 of the 8 ongoing tasks are assigned to Austrian expert representatives. One task is led by Austria (Task 14). the Austrian Representative in the Executive Committee is also responsible as "Vice Chair Strategy" for the coordination of the overall strategy of the IEA PVPS Program.

This international cooperation is particularly important in the photovoltaics sector, since China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Chile, Australia and the USA, i.e. the other European solar power countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Great Britain, market and technology-relevant partner countries outside of Europe are actively involved in this program. The dissemination of the results from IEA PVPS takes place mainly via the activities coordinated by or with the Austrian photovoltaic technology platform, since all national actors in PVPS are also members in the Austrian technology platform.

In addition to the annual analyzes of the global PV market in Task 1 (compiled in the trends and snapshot and the national survey reports), recent results include 

• analyzes of the recycling and resource use footprint (Task 12) and the quantification of technical risks in PV systems (Task 13), 
• additional PV services for power grids ("ancillary services", Task 14), 
• various publications on building-integrated PV (Task 15) and on PV-operated e-charging stations and 
• the role of PV in e-mobility in general (Task 17 ).

In Task 16, solar resources and forecasts are analyzed. Task 18 (started in 2019) deals with photovoltaic hybrid systems away from strong power grids.

The illustration below shows the CO₂ footprint that occurs when generating one kWh of electricity using PV, depending on the technology used. (cf. coal approx. 800-1000 kg CO₂/kWh, natural gas: approx. 450-500 kg CO₂/kWh); Source; IEA PVPS Task 12 Factsheet "Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Electricity from PV systems", 2021

Ongoing Tasks with Austrian participation

• Task 1: Strategic PV Analysis & Outreach
• Task 13: Performance, Operation and Reliability of Photovoltaic Systems
• Task 14: Solar PV in the 100% Renewable Energy Source based Power System
• Task 15: Builiding integrated Photovoltaic
• Task 16: Analysis of Solar Resources for High Dissemination and Large Area Applications
• Task 17: Photovoltaic and Transport

Concluded Tasks

• Task 1: PV Strategy and outreach
• Task 2: Performance, Reliability and Analysis of Photovoltaic Systems
• Task 3: Use of photovoltaic power systems in stand-alone and island applications
• Task 5: Grid interconnection of building integrated and other dispersed photovoltaic systems
• Task 6: Design and operation of modular photovoltaic plants for large scale power generation
• Task 7: Photovoltaic power systems in the built environment
• Task 8: Very large PV
• Task 10: Urban-scale grid-connected PV applications.
• Task 11: PV-Hybrid-Systems
• Task 12: Sustainable PV
  
  
• Task 13: Performance and Reliability of Photovoltaic Systems
  Working period 2010-2018
  Working period 2018-2021
  
  
• Task 14: The role of photovoltaics in a 100% renewable electricity system
• Task 15: Enabling Framework for the Acceleration of Building Integrated Photovoltaics

Publications are available on the German part of the website.

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

ExCo Delegate

Österreichische Technologieplattform Photovoltaik und FH Technikum Wien
Hubert Fechner
Mariahilferstrasse 37-39
A-1060 Wien
Tel.: +43 (664) 619 25 72
E-mail: h.fechner@tppv.at
Web: www.tppv.at; www.pvaustria.at

ExCo Alternate

Christine Promok, MSc
Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie (BMK)
Sektion III – Innovation und Technologie
Abteilung 3 – Energie- und Umwelttechnologien
Radetzkystraße 2
A-1030 Wien
Tel.: +43 664 887 42 408
E-Mail: christine.promok@bmk.gv.at