Supporting science

The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity – and we can only find a solution by working together. That is why we are committed to collaborating with the wider industry and the scientific community and to supporting the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Fostering innovation

We believe that to innovate for the benefit of future generations, we must collaborate with the wider scientific and industrial communities. We regularly contribute to industry discussions on solar energy and perovskite development.   

  • We take part in industry discussions with Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Fraunhofer ISE, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, PVthin, Solar Power Europe, among others.
  • We have spoken at many conferences including EU PVSEC, IEEE-PVSC, and the Materials Research Society.

Take a look at some of the scientific papers, conference proceedings, and industry discussions we’ve contributed to (link). 

Fostering innovation: Oxford PV CTO Chris Case speaks at PV CellTech 2022. Photo: Solar Media.
Nurturing the next generation

We’re passionate about playing our part in helping to nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers.

We have been working with the University of Oxford in the Prosperity Partnership, an initiative to support skills and innovation, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). We have sponsored PhD students through this programme. 

Also in the UK, we have been advising the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training for New and Sustainable Photovoltaics (CDT-PV) and sponsoring our team’s engineers to share their experiences with and to support early career researchers.

In the EU, we have been an industrial partner for the University of Luxembourg's Doctoral Training Unit 'PACE' – Photovoltaics: Advanced Concepts for High Efficiency (link), which is working to create new solar cells with higher power conversion efficiencies. In addition, we have been part of European ITN (Innovative Training Networks) supporting the development of PhD students around Europe.

We believe today's young researchers will hold the key to our sustainable future. This is why we are proud to be encouraging solar research. Recently we have supported student awards at the 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion and the Materials Research Society. 

Nurturing the next generation
Supporting our team’s scientists

We need to look no further than our very own doorsteps to find the future leaders of the energy transition. We love a scientific and intellectual challenge, and we are driven to continuously push the limits of our technology. That’s why some of our employees have also pursued advanced degrees while working with us – and we are proud to be backing them.

Across Germany and the UK, we have supported our early-career employees in their undergraduate and postgraduate studies focused on high-efficiency solar energy materials. In Germany, we have supported apprentices in our laboratory.

To date, we have backed a number of early-career scientists in the UK and Germany.

Photo: Katleen, a metrology technician in Germany, completed her engineering degree at the Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences (Technische Hochschule Brandenburg) where she conducted research on thermal imaging techniques for visualising defects in tandem solar cells.

Katleen, a metrology technician in Germany, completed her engineering degree at the Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences (Technische Hochschule Brandenburg) where she conducted research on thermal imaging techniques for visualising defects in tandem solar cells.
Inspiring young people into STEM

We enjoy inspiring younger people to learn about STEM careers and encouraging them to pursue a career in science. We have supported careers events and industrial placements at local schools, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and Science Oxford Centre, to name just a few.

Photo: Oxford PV at an Oxford Science Centre careers event

Inspiring young people into STEM