On May 22, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) announced that it would provide up to an extra €50 million ($64.6 million) for research and development for innovative photovoltaic projects.
The funds will augment the €100 million ($128.4 million) already made available by Berlin. The BSW-Solar lobby, also known as Germany’s Federal Solar Industry Association—a group representing more than 800 members, including panel-makers Solarworld AG and Conergy AG— welcomed the decision, saying it would “trigger considerable additional investment and strength the photovoltaic industry” in the nation.
However, according to Renewable Energy Magazine (REM), Carsten Körnig, CEO of BSW-Solar, commented that, while the funding is much appreciated, "more reliable political conditions” are also needed to ensure that renewables continue to proliferate in Germany.
The new funding was made available under the auspices of the Germany’s new Photovoltaics Innovation Alliance, an umbrella organization formed in April under which 26 separate research and development projects are being carried out to advance photovoltaic innovation.
Specifically, the new funding will support research focusing on the identification of fully optimized energy supply systems for economical photovoltaic operation, innovative manufacturing techniques and cost-effective PV production. In addition, the researchers will work on the development of high-quality PV modules positioned for international competition.
The German government decided to abandon nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. The last nuclear reactor in the nation is set to go offline in 2022.
The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, known by the initials BMU from the German name, Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, is a ministry of the German federal government. It is based in Bonn, with a branch in Berlin.
In addition to the BMU, the following federal ministries also support research and development as part of the “6th Energy Research Programme”:
- The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi (News - Alert)) is in charge of energy efficiency and coordinating federal energy research.
- The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is in charge of basic research.
- The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) is in charge of research funding in the field of biomass.
Edited by Alisen Downey