Making OPV Great Again: BOOSTER Consortium Gathers for Autumn Progress Meeting

The BOOSTER consortium gathered on 11–12 November at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg for a two-day meeting dedicated to reviewing progress, visiting the first operational demonstrator, and planning the next steps for the upcoming installations.

The meeting was opened by Project Coordinator Matthias Fahland from Fraunhofer FEP, followed by presentations from partners on the status of work packages related to the development and installation of the demonstrators. Participants also had the opportunity to visit and track the performance of the pioneering FAU-installed demonstrator — a significant milestone for the project. Updates were also shared on the next BAPV OPV demonstrators, currently in preparation.

The second day focused on progress in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and module testing activities, as well as a review of management actions completed over the past year and those still ongoing. The consortium also discussed upcoming dissemination activities, including the launch of the BOOSTER Design Contest. This global competition will invite designers, groups, and organizations from around the world to submit innovative proposals for OPV integration, with the official launch planned for early 2026.

A dedicated discussion was also held on gender dimensions within the consortium, exploring ways to highlight and promote the contributions of women researchers across the project.

The meeting benefited from the participation of External Advisory Board (EAB) members, including two newly appointed experts, who remained for the entire session. The EAB was invited to provide additional guidance on how to further improve project implementation, offering an external perspective on potential areas for optimization. Their insights helped identify opportunities where processes could be refined, challenges addressed more efficiently, and the overall impact of the project maximized.

In a spirit of collaboration and optimism, the consortium reaffirmed its shared ambition to “Make OPV Great Again” — a slogan enthusiastically echoed by partners during the meeting, reflecting their commitment to advancing organic photovoltaics and pushing the boundaries of sustainable energy technologies.

A heartfelt thank you to FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg for the warm hospitality and to all BOOSTER partners for their active participation and fruitful discussions. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to make great strides in advancing OPV technology.