From silicon limits to tandem cells: Christoph outlines Europe’s PV opportunity
Christoph J. Brabec, director of the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen–Nürnberg for Renewable Energy and iMEET head, outlines how Europe could regain industrial leadership in photovoltaics in a new interview with the Austrian daily Kurier. Against the backdrop of global PV deployment surpassing 2 TW in 2024, he argues that Europe still retains a, albeit thin, PV value chain and world-class research capacity. Brabec highlights the fundamental efficiency limits of silicon technology and the disruptive potential of perovskite–silicon tandem cells, which already approach 35% efficiency and may reach mass-market readiness within a few years. At the same time, he stresses that higher efficiencies are essential to reduce materials use, lower system costs and enable large-scale electrification, from direct power generation to green fuels. His central message: a European PV comeback is “absolutely possible” if scientific excellence is matched by coherent industrial policy and long-term political commitment. The full article (in German) is available at kurier.at.