German firms invest €300m in photovoltaics research

27 June 2007 16:23  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--Four German companies will invest €300m ($403m) in a government-backed research programme into organic photovoltaics (OPV), BASF and Bosch said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

 

The companies – including BASF, Bosch, Merck KGaA and Schott – planned to develop OPV to increase the efficiency and economy of solar cells by replacing silicon.

 

“Their main area of application is expected to be in the construction industry from 2015 onwards, where the cells will be used in the form of a thin layer of plastic on roofs, windows and facades,” the companies said in a joint statement.

 

Photovoltaic modules had a global market volume of €8bn last year and were expected to grow by more than 20% annually until 2020, they added.

 

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) planned back the programme with €60m.

 

BASF and Bosch said they were also investing €1.6m each in Dresden-based start-up company Heliatek, which researches new-generation organic solar cells.

 

($1 = €0.74)

By: Mark Watts
+44 20 8652 3214

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