Photovoltaic Research as a Model of Success for Technology Transfer

Solar TAP provides companies with access to research infrastructure and accelerates innovation in next-generation photovoltaic technologies
Scientists work in a clean room laboratory with glove boxes. Sebastian Schulz, KIT
Work on next-generation photovoltaic technologies in a laboratory at KIT’s Light Technology Institute

Making state-of-the-art photovoltaic research infrastructure – usually accessible only to major research institutions – available to companies has been possible since 2023 through the Solar TAP innovation platform of the Helmholtz Association. The three participating Helmholtz Centers – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Forschungszentrum Jülich, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin – combine their facilities and expertise to create an innovation ecosystem unique in Europe, coordinated by the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg. Since then, Solar TAP has become a central hub for cooperation between research and industry in photovoltaic development. Following an excellent evaluation, the platform is now set to continue and further expand its successful work.

Rapid Access to PV Research Infrastructure

“Solar TAP shows how development can be significantly accelerated,” says Professor Uli Lemmer of the Light Technology Institute at KIT, who represents the institute on the Solar TAP Steering Committee. “The platform enables companies to quickly test new materials and processes for future photovoltaics under realistic conditions and to obtain robust data at an early stage,” adds Professor Ulrich Paetzold of the Institute of Microstructure Technology at KIT.

Today, more than 50 companies are part of the network, ranging from start-ups to global market leaders – including virtually all major manufacturers of innovative ‘emerging’ solar cells. More than 60 companies are already collaborating with the platform in research projects. At the same time, industrial contributions increased from around EUR 2 million in 2023 to nearly EUR 5 million in 2025 – a clear sign of the value companies place on privileged access to Helmholtz research. 

mhe, December 11, 2025