Deadline: February 17, 2026
The European Commission has announced the Horizon Europe call focusing on extending the lifetime of crystalline silicon PV modules under the co-programmed European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics (EUPI-PV).
Photovoltaic (PV) energy systems are one of the cheapest and fastest growing sources of electricity generation, largely thanks to an important decrease in the cost of solar modules in the last 10–15 years, and to their simple installation.
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Reduced degradation to levels that enable longer PV module lifetimes; Increased module durability and reliability; Resource efficiency and lifelong energy yield improvement of PV systems; Decreased levelised cost of electricity (LCOE); Execution of the solar energy joint research and innovation agenda.
The Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-12 focuses on extending the lifetime of crystalline silicon PV modules under the co-programmed European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics (EUPI-PV). The initiative addresses challenges linked to degradation in PV systems, which may result from material properties, environmental stress, installation quality, design, and component connections. Failures and abnormal degradation rates continue to affect cell and module technologies, impacting both reliability and costs of PV operation.
Proposals under this topic are expected to identify defects and failure modes in recently developed high-efficiency or novel design crystalline silicon modules and their components. This includes exploring mechanisms and root causes of degradation, reviewing susceptibility to defects, and analysing how some components may trigger additional failures in other parts of PV systems.
Applicants are also expected to develop simple, cost-effective, and accurate defect detection techniques, potentially using Artificial Intelligence, which can be applied broadly to PV modules and systems. Alongside detection, projects should propose mitigation approaches at both module and system levels, with validation through modelling, AI-based analysis, and laboratory testing.
Field experiments in outdoor environments across different European climates are required to assess degradation rates, identify defects, and estimate service lifetimes under real operating conditions. The final results are expected to provide valuable insights that reduce costs, enhance system durability, and contribute directly to Europe’s solar energy innovation agenda.
The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of around EUR 4.00 million per project would allow the outcomes to be addressed appropriately. The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 8.00 million. The type of action is Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), and activities are expected to achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4–5 by the end of the project .
For more information, visit EC.
