Germany’s machinery and equipment industry has significant opportunities to benefit from the global expansion of photovoltaic manufacturing. By 2035, worldwide investment in PV production equipment is expected to reach a cumulative USD 250–300 billion. Germany continues to have strong capabilities in research, production processes, machinery and equipment, automation and metrology.
An important foundation for this position is the close cooperation between research institutes and industry that has developed over many years. New technologies and processes are developed jointly, tested under industry-relevant conditions and subsequently transferred into production. In this way, research leads to new equipment, manufacturing solutions and international business opportunities.
Against this background, VDMA Photovoltaics Equipment and the German Renewable Energy Research Association (FVEE) are deeply concerned about the planned reduction in commitment appropriations for energy research in Germany’s 2027 federal budget. They are calling for the planned cuts to be reversed and for research funding to be maintained as a strategic investment in the competitiveness of the European PV industry.
ISC Konstanz strongly supports this call. The initiative for the joint position paper originated at ISC Konstanz and was further developed together with VDMA, FVEE and partners from research and industry.
For us, research funding is about much more than financing scientific projects. It is a lever for innovation, technology transfer, highly skilled people and industrial value creation. ISC projects with industrial partners already demonstrate how research from Germany finds its way into solar factories around the world – while at the same time creating market opportunities for German machinery and equipment manufacturers.
With a global market of up to USD 300 billion ahead of us, we should not weaken this gateway to international markets.
Further information
→ Our press release: Research from Germany opens a USD 300 billion market for the machinery industry
[Link to ISC press release]
→ VDMA/FVEE: Maintaining research funding for the European PV machinery industry
[Link to VDMA / FVEE perss release]
→ Joint position paper by VDMA Photovoltaics Equipment and FVEE
[Link to German position paper]