Towards commercialisation of Perovskite PV and development of dedicated manufacturing equipment (EUPI-PV Partnership)

The grant opportunity titled "Towards commercialization of Perovskite PV and development of dedicated manufacturing equipment (EUPI-PV Partnership)" is part of the Horizon Europe program under the Innovation Action category. It targets the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) technology and the development of manufacturing equipment specific to this technology. Eligible applicants include multidisciplinary consortia, with at least one entity involved in perovskite manufacturing or equipment manufacturing. This could encompass startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, universities, and research institutes. The funding type is a grant, and the project emphasizes collaboration among multiple partners, typical for Innovation Actions. The geographic eligibility primarily covers EU member states and associated countries, with additional considerations for non-EU countries that can participate under specific provisions. The target sector is the energy field, focusing on perovskite solar cells and related advanced materials and equipment. The projects should address challenges related to the stability and scaling of perovskite technology, with objectives that include enhancing optoelectronic properties, improving manufacturing processes, and ensuring environmental safety. The indicative total budget for this call is €24 million, with an estimated three grants anticipated, resulting in an average grant amount of around €8 million. The application process is a single-stage submission, classified as an open call. The program also requires participants to outline plans for scalability, commercialization, and deployment of their projects, ensuring alignment with the European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics (EUPI-PV). While the success rates for proposals are not specifically disclosed, successful projects will need to report their findings back to the partnership. Given the focus of this call, the funding aims to strengthen Europe's photovoltaic sector, decrease dependencies on critical materials, and support green and digital transitions. Interested parties are encouraged to collaborate on innovative solutions in a partnership that advances the commercialization of perovskite PV technologies.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL5, titled "Towards commercialisation of Perovskite PV and development of dedicated manufacturing equipment (EUPI-PV Partnership)". It falls under Cluster 5 of the Horizon Europe program and is an Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA). The call aims to support the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) technology and the development of specialized manufacturing equipment.

The expected outcomes of this call are to:Increase the potential for commercialization of perovskite PV, creating competitive technological know-how for the European PV industrial base. Support a stronger, more resilient, and competitive European economic base that is well-suited for green and digital transitions by reducing strategic dependencies on critical raw materials and components. Support the execution of the solar energy joint research and innovation agenda.

The scope of the call focuses on addressing the challenges related to the stability of perovskite solar cells, particularly metal halide perovskite solar cells and perovskite-Si tandem devices. It emphasizes the need for robust encapsulation techniques, dedicated manufacturing processes, and equipment.

The proposals should address the following aspects:Demonstrate effective strategies to enhance the optoelectronic properties, performance, and stability of perovskite devices while minimizing their environmental impact. Scale-up reliable deposition of high-quality perovskite films over large areas, addressing the degradation of efficiency as device/module areas increase, and focus on patterning and interconnections for module integration. Demonstrate internal and external encapsulation structures that protect against environmental stressors like moisture, oxygen, heat, and illumination. Develop module designs that consider recyclability requirements and restrictions on the control and management of toxic Pb2+ that could be produced by the irreversible deterioration of the perovskite materials. Assess performance and reliability according to international standards, comparing them with well-established PV technologies, and develop and apply test protocols tailored to the features of perovskite and/or perovskite-Si tandem technology. Demonstrate suitable equipment adapted to the specific requirements of perovskite (or perovskite-Si tandem) production process.

The call encourages proposals from multidisciplinary consortia that include at least one perovskite or equipment manufacturer. It also requires an exploitation plan that includes preliminary plans for scalability, commercialization, and deployment, along with a feasibility study and business plan, indicating potential funding sources like the Innovation Fund.

This call implements the co-programmed European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics (EUPI-PV), and projects are expected to report their results to the EUPI-PV to support the monitoring of its KPIs.

The general conditions for this call include:Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Other Eligible Conditions are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

The application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) include:Application form templates, which are available in the Submission System (Standard application form HE RIA, IA). Evaluation form templates, which will be used with the necessary adaptations (Standard evaluation form HE RIA, IA). Guidance (HE Programme Guide). Model Grant Agreements (MGA) (HE MGA).

Additional documents include:HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility, HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview for this topic indicates that it is a single-stage call with a planned opening date of 16 September 2025 and a deadline of 17 February 2026. The total budget for HORIZON-CL5 is €24,000,000, and the indicative number of grants is 3, with an average contribution of around €8,000,000 per grant.

There are 13 partner search announcements related to this topic. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call focuses on advancing the commercialization of perovskite solar cells by addressing key challenges such as stability, scalability, and environmental impact. It seeks to foster innovation in materials, device engineering, manufacturing processes, and equipment development. The call encourages collaboration between research institutions and industry, particularly perovskite and equipment manufacturers, to drive the development of competitive and sustainable perovskite PV technology in Europe. The call is a single-stage process with a budget of €24 million and aims to fund approximately 3 projects.

Eligible Applicant Types:The opportunity targets multidisciplinary consortia including at least one perovskite or equipment manufacturer. The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined beyond this requirement, but generally include entities capable of research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization in the photovoltaic sector. This could include startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, and research institutes.

Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement (HORIZON-PCP) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program.

Consortium Requirement:A consortium of multiple applicants is required, specifically a multidisciplinary consortium including at least one perovskite or equipment manufacturer.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries, as defined within the Horizon Europe program. However, the opportunity details mention that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector:The program targets the energy sector, specifically the photovoltaic (PV) industry, with a focus on perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and perovskite-silicon tandem devices. It also targets advanced materials, manufacturing, and equipment development related to PSCs.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity is open to EU member states and countries associated with the Horizon Europe program, as well as non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding.

Project Stage:The project stage targets a range from development to commercialization, with an emphasis on demonstration, scaling up, and validation of perovskite PV technologies. The scope includes establishing pilot production lines, expanding production capacity, and developing plans for scalability, commercialization, and deployment.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific action type (HORIZON-IA, HORIZON-RIA, HORIZON-PCP, HORIZON-CSA) and topic. The indicative budget for each topic ranges from €6,000,000 to €33,000,000, with individual grants ranging from around €2,000,000 to €20,000,000.

Application Type:The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research, development, and innovation activities.

Application Stages:The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation of the potential success rate based on the number of applications received.

Co-funding Requirement:The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned, but it is common for Horizon Europe projects to require some level of co-funding from the applicant or other sources.

Summary:This Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to accelerate the commercialization of perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology and the development of dedicated manufacturing equipment. It seeks to address the challenges of scaling up production, achieving long-term stability, reducing toxic solvent use, and preventing lead leakage. The program encourages multidisciplinary consortia, including perovskite and equipment manufacturers, to develop and demonstrate innovative solutions for enhancing the optoelectronic properties, performance, and stability of PSCs and perovskite-silicon tandem devices. Projects should focus on reliable deposition techniques, encapsulation structures, module designs for recyclability, and performance assessment according to international standards. The funding is provided through various Horizon Europe action types, including Innovation Actions, Research and Innovation Actions, Pre-commercial Procurement, and Coordination and Support Actions, with budgets ranging from €6 millionto €33 millioneuros per topic. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the European PV industrial base, reduce strategic dependencies on critical raw materials, and support the broader solar energy research and innovation agenda. The application process involves a single-stage submission, and successful projects will be expected to report their results to the European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics (EUPI-PV) to support the monitoring of its KPIs.