Helmholtz innovation platform for the industrial transfer of printed photovoltaics – organic and perovskite solar cells.

Solar TAP

Erlangen · Berlin · Karlsruhe · Jülich · Hamburg · HeidelbergNew on Amplifa

Helmholtz innovation platform

40 Mio. EuroTotal funding from the Pact for Research and Innovation

9Connected research infrastructures

3Helmholtz centers in the consortium

3 years

About Solar TAP

Solar TAP is a Helmholtz innovation platform that accelerates the commercialization of printed photovoltaic technologies such as organic and perovskite solar cells. The consortium is coordinated by the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN), a branch of Forschungszentrum Jülich; the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology are also involved. Together with industry partners, PV technologies for multi-use applications in agriculture, construction and transport are co-developed and scaled for industrial manufacturing through a lab-to-fab transfer. The platform provides access to nine shared research infrastructures, including the Solar Factory of the Future in Erlangen as well as synchrotron facilities such as BESSY II in Berlin-Adlershof and DESY in Hamburg. Printed thin-film PV is produced on flexible substrates and is lightweight, semitransparent (10–90 % transparency) and color-adjustable. The initial funding amounts to 40 million euros from the Pact for Research and Innovation (15 million euros Helmholtz Association, 7 million euros own funds, initial 3 years).

Site: Erlangen
Processes: Printed photovoltaics (organic and perovskite solar cells), Inkjet printing of functional layers (e.g. Bragg mirrors / optical filters), Manufacture of flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules (printing), Co-development of printed PV technologies with industry, Lab-to-fab transfer / scaling for industrial application, Access to shared research infrastructure (9 world-class research infrastructures), Technology roadmap for printed & multifunctional photovoltaics, Pre-funded joint projects with industry partners
Materials: Perovskite, Organic semiconductors (organic photovoltaics), Flexible substrates for thin-film PV, Inkjet printing, Printing / printed photovoltaics
Industries: Photovoltaics / solar energy, Agriculture (agrivoltaics), Construction (building-integrated PV), Transport / mobility, Smart textiles / fashion and outdoor

01
Co-development of printed PV technologies with industry
02
Research on organic and perovskite solar cells
03
Printing of functional layers (including inkjet printing)
04
Lab-to-fab transfer / scaling for industrial application
05
Technology roadmap for printed & multifunctional photovoltaics

Materials & Processes

Perov

Perovskite

Semiconductor material for perovskite solar cells with high efficiency for printed thin-film PV.

OPV

Organic semiconductors (organic photovoltaics)

Enable lightweight, flexible and color-tunable solar modules.

FlexSub

Flexible substrates for thin-film PV

Carrier material for lightweight, thin PV films with a low power-to-weight ratio.

IJP

Inkjet printing

Process for producing functional layers such as Bragg mirrors with reduced material consumption.

PrintPV

Printing / printed photovoltaics

Production of thin-film PV with significantly lower energy consumption and chemical waste.

Sites

Erlangen

Coordination (HI ERN) / research infrastructure (FAU IZNF, Cauerstraße 3)

Materials: perovskite, organic semiconductors

Solar Factory of the Future (research factory for printed PV)

Berlin

Research infrastructure (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, BESSY II Adlershof, CSMB)

Materials: perovskite, organic semiconductors

BESSY II (synchrotron)

Karlsruhe

Research infrastructure (KIT, Light Management Lab)

Materials: semiconductors, optical functional films

Inkjet printing systems (Light Management Lab)

Jülich

Research infrastructure (Forschungszentrum Jülich)

Hamburg

Research infrastructure (DESY)

DESY (particle accelerator / synchrotron)

Heidelberg

Partner network (InnovationLab GmbH)

Components & Applications

**Perovskite solar cells**Printing · Photovoltaics / solar energy

**Optical filters / Bragg mirrors (transfer project Prio Optics)**Inkjet printing · Photovoltaics / optics

Inside the production

Solar Factory of the Future – solar factory

Industries

Photovoltaics / solar energyAgriculture (agrivoltaics)Construction (building-integrated PV)Transport / mobilitySmart textiles / fashion and outdoor

Processes & technical limits

Processes	Tolerance	Max. part	Weight	Lot size	Materials
Printed photovoltaics (organic and perovskite solar cells)Plastics	–	–	–	–	perovskite, organic semiconductors, flexible substrates
Inkjet printing of functional layers (e.g. Bragg mirrors / optical filters)Plastics	–	–	–	–	optical functional films, semiconductors
Manufacture of flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules (printing)Plastics	–	–	–	–	flexible substrates, thin-film PV

Additional services

Co-development of printed PV technologies with industryLab-to-fab transfer / scaling for industrial applicationAccess to shared research infrastructure (9 world-class research infrastructures)Technology roadmap for printed & multifunctional photovoltaicsPre-funded joint projects with industry partners

Reference customers

Prio Optics GmbH (transfer project of KIT)

History

Solar TAP launches as one of three new Helmholtz innovation platforms, funded with a total of 40 million euros from the Pact for Research and Innovation; initial funding for 3 years (15 million euros Helmholtz Association + 7 million euros own funds of the participating centers).
2025
Prio Optics GmbH (transfer project from Solar TAP/KIT) wins the 'Most Impactful Technology Award' at LOPEC 2025.
2025
Coverage in Textile Technology Source on printed PV for smart textiles (LOPEC 2025).
2026
First Helmholtz Tech & Industry Day on June 9, 2026; appearance together with Forschungszentrum Jülich at HANNOVER MESSE 2026.