Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla, India, to collaborate on renewable energy research, with a particular focus on floating photovoltaic (FPV) and agrivoltaic systems.

Under the agreement, the two institutions will jointly conduct research projects, co-supervise master's and doctoral students, and establish academic exchange programmes.

According to Fraunhofer ISE, the collaboration will focus on advancing research into floating solar and agrivoltaics, areas that offer significant potential in India as the country pursues ambitious renewable energy expansion targets.

"India has great potential for floating PV installations," said Karolina Baltins, head of the PV Power Plants Group at Fraunhofer ISE. She noted that, as in Europe, the sector faces challenges including unclear permitting processes, public scepticism and unresolved research questions related to the economic viability of projects, long-term system reliability and environmental impacts.

The partnership builds on a joint early-career research fellowship awarded to Alexander Graef and Manish Kumar under the Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC). As part of the collaboration, Kumar spent several weeks visiting research institutions in Germany in 2025, while Graef carried out five weeks of research at Indian organisations, particularly at HPU, in spring 2026.