The EC programme on Photovoltaic Power Generation has two distinct parts pilot Projects and R&D contracts on cells, processes, materials, IOOdules and systems. The pilot projects are managed in a totally different w~ fran the R&D contracts. Enphasis ,is put on all aspects of the system such as pcwer conditioning, environmental factors, structures, etc. The aim is to examine all different system aspects, to inprove the performance and the reliability of the overall photovoltaic system and to reduce its cost. A canprehensive overview of the PV pilot programme of the European Gammunities was...

Amorphous silicon PV panel mass production will require to mas ter plasma chemical deposition in terms of large sizes, cost, maintenance and all other problems related to industrialization. Since plasma deposition is a novel technique, the development of all this production related know how involves a considerable technical research effort. The major problems related to the design of a production deposi tion machine are the following - deposition should be uniform on very large area substrate (typical dimension 1 meter); - the deposited amorphous silicon should have good electronic properties...

During the last 25 years (after the growth of the first pseudomorphic GeSi strained layers on Si by Erich Kasper in Germany) we have seen a steady accu- mulation of new materials and devices with enhanced performance made pos- sible by strain. 1989-1999 have been very good years for the strained-Iayer- devices. Several breakthroughs were made in the growth and doping technology of strained layers. New devices were fabricated as a results of these break- throughs. Before the advent of strain layer epitaxy short wavelength (violet to green) and mid-IR (2 to 5 f. Lm) regions of the spectrum were...