Your Ready-PV Infrastructure Access

To access Ready-PV infrastructures, follow these steps:

1. Check eligibility criteria
2. Select a research infrastructure
3. Check proposal submission deadlines
4. Draft your proposal (Scientific Case and Experimental Plan)
5. Submit your proposal via Ready-PV GATE (external link)
6. Wait for approval
7. Plan and conduct your experiments
8. Submit your report
9. Request travel reimbursement (if applicable)

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for access, your proposal must meet the following requirements:

1. Transnationality

Ready-PV provides transnational access to physical research infrastructures for selected user groups, led by a user group leader. Transnational access means:

• The user group leader and the majority of users must work in a European country other than the one where the physical research infrastructure is located.

Exceptions:

• Access provided by an International Organization, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), an ERIC, or similar legal entities.
• Remote access to installations located in different countries offering the same type of service.

Note: This criterion does not apply to virtual infrastructure access.

2. Freedom to Disseminate Results

Only user groups committed to scientifically disseminating the results generated through Ready-PV infrastructure access are eligible to apply.

Exception: users working for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), see the section Industrial Users below.

Selecting a Research Infrastructure

Select the infrastructure that best fits your needs and contact the responsible personnel. Detailed information about all physical and virtual Ready-PV infrastructures, including contact details, is available at the Infrastructure Catalogue.

Note: when submitting your proposal, ensure you select the correct abbreviation for the requested infrastructure in the GATE application system.

Ready-PV Calls for User Proposals

Ready-PV announces annual calls for user proposals, with submission deadlines and evaluation phases held quarterly, according to the calendar below:

• January 1st – 28th February, 28th
• 1st April 1st – May 31st
• July 1st – August 31st
• October 1st – November 30th

Industrial Users

Industry professionals—regardless of company size—are welcome to apply for Ready-PV access, either as individuals or as part of a larger user group (e.g., with academic teams). Access is free of charge if the results are published or disseminated, with the exception detailed below.

SME User Groups

Users working for SMEs may use results generated within Ready-PV for proprietary research. Proposals from SMEs undergo the same technical feasibility check and scientific evaluation as all other Ready-PV proposals.

Drafting Your Proposal

Proposals for Ready-PV infrastructure access must include:

1. A Scientific Case
2. An Experimental Plan

Guidelines for the Scientific Case

The Scientific Case is the primary document used for evaluating and ranking proposals. It is reviewed by:

• The Scientific Committee (for physical research infrastructure access)
• The infrastructure access providers/supporters (for virtual research infrastructure access)

Requirements:

• Written in English
• Maximum 1 page
• Must include the following sections:
  1. Scientific context: clearly describe the experiment’s goals within the broader scientific framework.
  2. Preliminary work: briefly summarize prior results supporting the need for Ready-PV infrastructure access. Include details about the samples to be investigated (further expanded in the Experimental Plan).
  3. Publications: list the 5 most relevant publications related to your experiment(s) to demonstrate your expertise and awareness of the field.
  4. Choice of instrument or station: justify why the specific Ready-PV infrastructure is necessary for your research.
  5. Scientific impact: describe the expected impact of the experiment on the proposer, infrastructure operators, and the broader scientific community.

Experimental Plan

The Experimental Plan provides a detailed description of the experiment to be conducted at the Ready-PV host infrastructure. Since experiments depend on the facilities available, this plan must be drafted in consultation with the infrastructure responsible.

Required details:

• Samples to be investigated or prepared
• Parameters to be varied or investigated
• Estimated experiment time, with justification

Note: Specific requirements may vary by infrastructure. Always contact the responsible personnel for further guidance.

Submitting Your Proposal

To submit your proposal:

1. Identify the abbreviated name of the Ready-PV infrastructure you are requesting. Refer to the Infrastructure Catalogue for the technical description of the physical and virtual research infrastructure.
2. Access the Ready-PV GATE single entry point and:
   • Log in or sign up if you are a new user.
   • Read the Terms and Conditions and the proposal application guidelines.
   • Create a new proposal, upload your Scientific Case and Experimental Plan, and provide the required personal details.
   • Specify the Ready-PV infrastructure you are applying for.
   • If there are members of the Scientific Selection Panel you prefer not to review your proposal, indicate this in your application.

After submission, you will receive an automated confirmation via email.

Proposal Evaluation

Proposals are evaluated by a Scientific Selection Panel of internal and external Ready-PV experts through a transparent, non-discriminatory, and fair process, managed via the Ready-PV GATE platform.

Evaluation Procedure

1. Technical Feasibility Check (by the infrastructure responsible):
   • “Feasible” proposals proceed to scientific evaluation.
   • “Not feasible” proposals are not considered further at this stage. Users are encouraged to revise and resubmit in the next round.
2. Scientific Evaluation (by the Scientific Selection Panel) based on the Scientific Case.

Scientific Selection Panel

• Physical research infrastructure access: evaluated by a panel of four external experts and additional Ready-PV internal experts from the perovskite and silicon PV community.
• Virtual research infrastructure access: evaluated by the provider or technical support of the specific virtual infrastructure.

Evaluation Criteria and Prioritization

Proposals are ranked based on the Scientific Case. Access is granted if the majority of reviewing experts recommend approval.

If a proposal is not granted due to:

• Lack of scientific originality or importance: Users are encouraged to revise and resubmit for the next round, incorporating feedback from the panel.
• Over-requested infrastructure: Users may be recommended for equivalent Ready-PV infrastructures or placed on a waiting list for the next round.

Priority is given to:

• Users or groups who have not previously used the requested infrastructure (new users).
• Users working in countries without equivalent research infrastructures.

Academic and SME users are eligible for travel reimbursements.

Conducting Your Experiments and Submitting the Report

Once approved:

1. Plan your trip and prepare for experiments.
2. Coordinate with your local point of contact (infrastructure responsible) regarding any administrative steps.
3. After completing your experiments, you will receive an automatic request via GATE to submit your experimental report.

Travel and Subsistence Reimbursement

Users may request reimbursement for travel expenses from Ready-PV EU funding if:

1. Access to the infrastructure was granted through the evaluation process.
2. Experiments at the Ready-PV infrastructure were completed.
3. An experimental report detailing outcomes was submitted via the GATE reporting system.

Reimbursement Limits:

• Travel: Up to €500 per trip
• Accommodation: Maximum €100/night (hotel/hostel)
• Daily allowance: Maximum €25/day

Reimbursement requests must be submitted to and processed by the Ready-PV partner where the experiments were conducted.

Terms and Conditions

By submitting a proposal or accessing Ready-PV facilities, users agree to the following:

1. The Selection Panel reserves the right to evaluate and rank proposals based on established criteria.
2. Decisions of the Selection Panel are final and non-negotiable. Inquiries or disputes regarding these decisions will not be considered.
3. Users certify that all information provided is true and accurate and agree to comply with Ready-PV, EC, and national rules and regulations, including safety protocols.
4. Users confirm that no member of their group is involved in providing access within the Ready-PV project.

Revisions to Terms of User Agreement

The Ready-PV consortium may revise these terms at any time without prior notice.