About SolarNL

SolarNL is a thriving ecosystem that elevates the Dutch solar PV industry to new levels of innovation and economic impact. Building on our well-established solar industry, SolarNL unites leading PV scientists through SolarLab, fostering close collaboration with industry experts. This unique partnership ensures that scientific discoveries are shaped by real-world manufacturing needs, while innovative research simultaneously drives advancements in production technologies.

What makes SolarNL truly stand out is its integrated approach, where the flow of innovation goes both ways between research and industry. Supported by Invest-NL and regional development agencies, SolarNL creates significant opportunities for PV startups and scale-ups, ensuring that new ideas are not only developed but also successfully brought to market. This dynamic collaboration is at the heart of SolarNL’s success, driving the growth of the solar energy sector in the Netherlands.

BRIEF HISTORY

AMOLF

NWO-I research institute AMOLF played a central role in fostering collaboration and innovation within the SolarNL initiative. Renowned for its ability to coordinate large-scale scientific projects, the institute brought together academic institutions, industry partners, and policymakers to lay the groundwork for advancing solar energy technology in the Netherlands.

The institute’s strength lay in its capacity to build connections and create cohesive strategies, drawing on its experience from earlier landmark projects, such as its work in nanophotonics and mass spectrometry. These efforts helped establish AMOLF’s reputation as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration and technological breakthroughs.

Although AMOLF itself did not manufacture solar panels or establish factories, it served as the programme’s coordinating hub. Its responsibilities included shaping research agendas, facilitating partnerships, and managing the programme office. As Albert Polman reflected, “We were good at establishing contacts and making connections, and at setting up and writing down a coherent plan.” This pivotal role ensured that AMOLF was at the heart of SolarNL’s early successes, driving the project’s scientific vision and collaborative momentum.

THE ECOSYSTEM

The program creates a national solar PV ecosystem and brings it to a high level of innovation and economic impact. Many opportunities for PV start-ups and scale-ups are expected to emerge and will be developed with active participation of Invest-NL and regional development agencies.