Why fundamental research in photovoltaics remains critical for an established technology

In fact, as she and her co-authors argue, “fundamental” research in PV remains essential to address “unresolved” challenges in areas such materials science, device design, characterisation, reliability, recyclability and PV’s integration into the wider energy system. Without this continued focus, the industry risks stagnation at a time when its role in global sustainability and energy security has never been more critical.

‘A decline in fundamental research interest’

The paper, ‘The need for fundamental photovoltaics research to ensure energy security’, published earlier this month in the journal Progress in Photovoltaics, grew out of a discussion among members of the international PV research community at the 53rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference in Montreal last year. A key motivation for their thinking, Saive explains, was recognition of an apparently declining interest in fundamental PV research.

“We see that attendance and interest in PV conferences that address fundamental topics is declining (apart from the perovskite community),” she says to PV Tech Premium.

This trend is compounded by challenges in securing funding, as agencies often question the relevance of fundamental research when solar is already so commercially well established. “The feedback is often, ‘Well, but we have solar panels, how is your research making them better, and why does this matter?’” Saive explains.

This perception of PV as “old science” has also led to waning student interest, as they are increasingly drawn to emerging fields such as quantum technology. Yet, as Saive emphasises, this view is misguided. PV is far from a solved problem, the paper argues, and fundamental research is crucial to overcoming the bottlenecks that could hinder its future growth.

Addressing critical challenges in PV research

The paper highlights several areas where fundamental research is urgently needed to ensure the continued growth and sustainability of the PV industry. Among these, the issue of critical raw materials stands out as particularly pressing for Saive.

“We need to reduce our consumption and reliance on critical raw materials since this will be the ultimate bottleneck for a mainly solar-driven future and already causes supply chain risks at this point,” Saive says. This challenge requires a dual focus on increasing efficiency and yield while developing alternative materials to replace scarce or environmentally harmful materials.

Other unresolved challenges include improving device design and characterisation to enhance performance and reliability, as well as addressing recyclability and system integration. This might include, for example, efforts to reduce the mismatch between solar production and seasonal demand, hybridise generation with agriculture, connect PV to long-duration storage and improve the resilience of energy systems. 

In the paper, Saive and her fellow authors use the historical analogy of the early days of electrification and communication. Then, power and data transmission lines were visibly strung across streets, whereas today energy and communication systems are largely hidden or delivered wirelessly.

“In the same way, PV could evolve toward seamless, aesthetically integrated forms embedded into buildings, vehicles, and public infrastructure,” the paper says. “Realising this vision demands not only engineering progress, but also new scientific insights into materials, form factors, and system-level dynamics.”

Such ideas, the paper says, illustrate the significant scope for further foundational PV research and the field’s continued relevance in shaping resilient and secure energy systems.

The role of interdisciplinary collaboration

One of the most promising avenues for innovation in PV research lies in interdisciplinary collaboration. “Technology leaps often come about from looking outside of your own research bubble and seeing if concepts from different fields can be married and create high-performance hybrid offspring,” Saive explains. She points to examples such as thermal photovoltaics, which are now being developed at an industrial level, as evidence of the potential for cross-disciplinary approaches to drive breakthroughs.

The paper discusses other areas where PV intersects with different disciplines, such as agriculture (agrivoltaics), water conservation (floating solar), the circular economy (recycling and reuse) and social sciences (public perception and adoption). “These cross-cutting domains require a foundational understanding to enable transformative, context-aware solutions,” it notes.

Depoliticising PV research for sustained progress

PV’s relevance to priorities beyond simply addressing climate change will also be a key message for its advocates to convey in today’s shifting landscape of funding and policy priorities, where the prevalence of stakeholders unconvinced of the climate emergency is growing. In some regions, government support for renewables research is being scaled back or re-prioritised, creating uncertainty for researchers and industry stakeholders alike.

To counter this, Saive argues that the narrative around PV must emphasise its critical role in energy security. “Had we fully committed to transitioning 40 years ago, then no country could take a trade route hostage and cause global chaos to the extent it’s happening now,” she observes, referencing the global energy shock caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Highlighting the economic advantages of PV is another key strategy for securing sustained support. While fully depoliticising PV research may be impossible—given that energy security is inherently a political issue—framing it as an essential component of modern society can help ensure its prioritisation.

With this in mind, the paper stresses the need for continued strategic support from funding bodies, recognising the critical role “foundational inquiry” plays in driving PV innovation. It highlights observations from attendees at the IEEE conference that 20% of fundamental effort can yield 80% of the key insights needed to inform the remaining engineering and implementation work.

“This emphasises the absolute necessity for fundamental understanding to achieve progress. It is the same logic that drives the world’s most successful companies. Governments should adopt the same approach, recognising that sustained support for fundamental PV research is a strategic necessity rather than an optional expense,” the paper notes.

The consequences of inaction

The stakes for PV research could not be higher. Without progress in the areas outlined in the paper, the consequences could be severe.

“The consequences are continuing to be at the mercy of energy prices and experiencing volatility and subsequent economic crises; to run out of materials or at least being exposed to severe supply chain risks; to suddenly create a society that does not possess the workforce to understand and operate existing technology … let alone advance technology to the next needed level,” Saive warns.

Moreover, the failure to advance PV technology would accelerate climate change, a reality that, while politically contentious, cannot be ignored. Conversely, if the research community rises to the challenge, the potential benefits are transformative.

“PV is globally the clean energy source with the biggest potential, followed by wind and, in some areas, hydro,” Saive notes. It’s spatially distributed nature makes it inherently resilient and equitable, offering a sustainable path to energy security for both developed and developing countries.

A call to action for the PV community

The future of PV depends on the willingness of researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to invest in fundamental research and ensure PV technology can meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. By addressing the unresolved challenges outlined in this paper, the PV community can secure its place at the forefront of the global energy transition, driving progress toward a more sustainable and equitable future.

As Saive concludes: “Basic research will ensure that we do this in a resource mindful way, that we diversify technologies to find the best match for each ecosystem, and probably most importantly: that we train the talent to understand, operate and advance our energy system.”