How can we make the leap into the photovoltaic production of the future?
The EU research project Smartline PV is dedicated to the development of lead-free perovskite PV modules.
On 8 October 2025, the Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg hosted the workshop ‘Responsible Innovation: Overcoming Pitfalls for Lead-Free Perovskite PV’, organised by the bifa Environmental Institute as part of the Smartline PV project. The focus was on how to make the leap to lead-free, innovative and responsible photovoltaic production. The EU research project Smartline PV aims to develop perovskite PV modules without the use of lead, taking ecological, social and regulatory aspects into account from the outset.
After a technical introduction by Dr Eckart Janknecht from TÜV Rheinland on testing procedures and legal framework conditions, the participants explored the topics in depth in two interactive workshop rounds. The entire value chain, relevant resources and stakeholders, as well as technological challenges were examined and possible solutions discussed. Another focus was on the social and environmental impact of the technology, as well as potential areas of application and unique selling points of lead-free perovskite PV modules.
The project is led by Markus Schönheits from bifa Umweltinstitut, with Roksana Rotter acting as moderator. The workshop highlighted the importance of early dialogue between research, industry and society in order to shape innovation responsibly. We would like to thank all participants for their expertise, openness and committed exchange of ideas, and we look forward to continuing the discussion in the coming project phases.
The workshop demonstrated that responsible innovation is a key factor for the future of photovoltaics.
