The International Energy Agency (IEA), founded in November 1974, is an autonomous body within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which carries out a comprehensive programme of energy cooperation among its member countries. The European Union also participates in the work of the IEA.

Collaboration in research, development and demonstration of new technologies has been an important part of the Agency's Programme. The IEA R&D activities are headed by the Committee on Research and Technology (CERT), supported by a small secretariat staff, headquarted in Paris. In addition four Working Parties in Conservation, Fossil Fuels, Renewable Energy and Fusion, are charged with monitoring the various collaborative energy agreements, identifying new areas for cooperation and advising the CERT on policy matters.

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) is one of the collaborative R&D Agreements established within the IEA, and since the establishment in 1992 the PVPS participants have been conducting a variety of joint projects (so-called Tasks) in the application of photovoltaic conversion of solar energy into electricity.

This section contains the strategy document of the IEA  PVPS programme with:

• The motivations for the cooperation
• The mission of the IEA  PVPS programme
• The objectives of the programme including the strategies and deliverables to reach these objectives. The following objectives are discerned:
  • To contribute to the cost reduction of the PV power systems applications
  • To increase the awareness of the potential and value of PV power systems
  • To foster their market deployment by removing technical and non-technical barriers
  • To enhance technology cooperation with non-IEA countries

The overall programme is headed by an Executive Committee composed of representatives from each participating country, while the management of individual research projects (Tasks) is the responsibility of Operating Agents. By the end of 2003, ten Tasks were established within the PVPS programme, of which three were already completed and one is not operational (Task 4). In addition a joint Working Group on Photovoltaic-Thermal systems was established with the IEA Solar Heating & Cooling programme (SHC).

The twenty-one PVPS members are: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.

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