The IPV Conference is an initiative of the Seamless-PV project, organized by ETA Florence Renewable Energies. This year will be held at Piazza dei Giudici (Florence Chamber of Commerce – via Mentana, 1 – Florence).
Its goal is to showcase groundbreaking advances in integrating solar technology into buildings, infrastructure, vehicles, and agricultural landscapes, while respecting architectural beauty, cultural heritage, and the natural environment.
The event aims to be a vibrant meeting point for architects, PV manufacturers, researchers, engineers, and policymakers committed to scaling up photovoltaic integration. The first edition marked a promising and enthusiastic start.
Renewable energy is the key to phasing out fossil fuels, and most current technologies are now cost-competitive with conventional energy sources. However, solar, wind, hydro, and biomass all require significantly more land area than combustion or nuclear-based systems. Achieving a zero-carbon energy system by mid-century demands not only technological progress but also a rethinking of how societies use land.
In densely populated regions like Europe, the dual use of land and existing infrastructure is becoming essential. Suitable “unused” areas for large-scale solar or wind installations are increasingly scarce or already allocated for agriculture.
For solar photovoltaics in particular, the focus must shift from purely improving device physics and materials to integrating PV technologies into the human environment and existing energy systems.
This means making solar part of the everyday landscape-through Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), Agrivoltaics, and the incorporation of PV into infrastructure and vehicles-without compromising the core functions of these environments.
Such integration requires a broad range of expertise, going well beyond technology alone. It calls for collaboration across disciplines-architecture, urban planning, agriculture, engineering, policy, and more.
The mission is to widely share knowledge that the integration of photovoltaics is not only within reach-it is highly innovative, economically viable, and essential for a sustainable future.
Info: www.ipv-conference.com
