Solar funding, handled.
Solar is cell and module engineering, power electronics, storage integration and forecasting software, all under long, capital-heavy development cycles. We secure the non-dilutive funding that de-risks new cells, inverters and systems.
Capital-heavy R&D, strong funding fit
Solar development is R&D-intensive by nature: cell and module engineering, power electronics, storage integration and forecasting software all qualify. Non-dilutive funding covers the engineering and pilot work that carries the cost and the risk.
Why R&D funding fits Solar
Four reasons solar companies are well positioned for German R&D funding.
Long pilot and field-validation cycles
Outdoor degradation testing and field pilots run across seasons and years before a design is proven. That is exactly the window the Research Allowance is built to support.
Pilot lines and rigs count too
Since 2024, depreciation on pilot lines, deposition tools, test rigs and measurement equipment used directly in an R&D project can be included in the eligible base, which matters in a capital-heavy field.
Engineer-heavy teams
Funding is built around R&D wage costs, and solar teams are full of the PV physicists, power-electronics and materials engineers those costs cover.
Strong climate and energy pull
The Horizon Europe climate, energy and mobility cluster (Cluster 5) and the EIC actively fund clean-energy hardware, giving solar teams a route to larger grants on top of the national instruments.
What solar activities qualify
Four categories of solar R&D that consistently qualify. The common thread is technical uncertainty.
Cell and module development
- New cell architectures or material stacks beyond standard PERC or TOPCon baselines
- Module design for higher yield, durability or new form factors
- Encapsulation and interconnection development under reliability constraints
Power electronics and inverters
- New inverter topologies and control algorithms
- MPPT and grid-interaction methods under changing conditions
- Thermal and efficiency engineering for new power stages
Storage and system integration
- Coupling PV with battery storage under real load and weather
- Energy-management algorithms developed from the ground up
- Hybrid-system control where no standard solution exists
Forecasting and monitoring software
- Irradiance and yield forecasting models
- Fault detection and performance analytics for fielded systems
- Digital-twin or simulation methods validated against field data
The line that decides a claim
It comes down to technical uncertainty. A quick orientation for solar.
Usually qualifies
- New cell, module or inverter designs tested under real or simulated conditions
- Storage or grid-integration methods where no standard solution exists
- Forecasting or fault-detection models validated against field data
Usually does not
- Installing, commissioning or maintaining standard systems
- Certification and grid-compliance paperwork on its own
- Routine yield monitoring with established tools
How much solar companies typically receive
Indicative ranges based on R&D team size and intensity. Actual figures depend on eligible costs and the funder's decision.
Mostly the Research Allowance on a core engineering and test team.
The Research Allowance stacked with a ZIM grant on a defined pilot or product.
Toward the Research Allowance ceiling, plus stacked ZIM and Horizon Europe energy funding.
* Indicative figures. The actual amount depends on company size, eligible costs and the programs you qualify for.
The kind of solar work that qualifies
If it carries genuine technical risk and novelty, it usually counts. A few examples:
New architectures, materials and encapsulation that push efficiency or durability.
Inverter topologies, control and MPPT with technical novelty.
Coupling generation, storage and load under real conditions.
Yield, irradiance and fault-detection models with genuine uncertainty.
Best-fit funding for Solar
We usually combine two or three of these for the largest total.
Research Allowance
25–35% of R&D costs back as cash, retroactive to 2022.
Explore program →Grant + equityEIC Accelerator
€2.5M grant + up to €10M equity for clean-energy deep tech.
Explore program →GrantEurostars
~50%, up to €500k per partner for international R&D.
Explore program →GrantHorizon Europe
up to 100% for collaborative energy R&I consortia.
Explore program →Solar funding, answered
The work that resolves genuine technical uncertainty can qualify. Routine commissioning and acceptance testing to a known spec do not, but systematic field validation of a new design often does. We help you separate the two.
Yes. The Research Allowance is paid out even with no profit, which suits the long pilot and validation phases typical in solar.
Since 2024, depreciation on equipment used exclusively and directly in an R&D project can be included in the eligible base. We assess which of your equipment qualifies.
Yes. Contract research is eligible at 70% of the cost, so working with a university or institute does not exclude you, it adds to the eligible base.
The Research Allowance and ZIM cover the national base, while Horizon Europe (Cluster 5) and the EIC fund larger, more ambitious programmes. We design the stack so they reinforce each other.
Ask us anything
Tell us about your project and we'll assess your case by hand. No prep, no obligation. Prefer to talk?