The vast majority of RTD inNMSis led by academic  and research institutions. They are represented by Centres of Excellence, the major centres are located in Bulgaria (Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy Sources at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences), Lithuania (Applied Research Institute for Prospective Technologies), Poland (Centre for Photovoltaics, Warsaw and SolarLab, Wroclaw), Romania (Academy of Scientists from Romania -  OSR), Czech Republic (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic) and Estonia (Tallinn Technical University is a member of Nordic PV Centre of Excellence along with Sweden, Finland, Norway and Russia).

NMS research infrastructure focuses on basic materials used in PV such as thin-film, chalcogenides (Estonia, Poland), tandem and heterojunction cells based on the amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon systems (the Czech Republic), efficiency and stability improvement of the dye sensitized solar cell technology (Slovenia) and organic solar cells (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland). In spite of significant scarcity of RTD funding, this area is relatively well developed in NMS.

The National Technology Platform for Integrated Micro and Nanosystems has been established in Hungary in 2008. In the frame of this Platform the Hungarian Photovoltaic Platform started to operate. The first national conference and exhibition was held in Budapest on 27 March 2009.

In Lithuania at the beginning of 2008 in Vilnius the PV Technology Cluster has been established. The objective of the Cluster is to consolidate 19 Lithuanian companies operating in PV technologies sector in order to increase sustainability and competitiveness of national PV sector.

Polish Centre of PV is capable of leading detailed research of cells, modules and systems thanks to high-tech measurement equipment. Since 2007, Centre of PV uses Outdoor and Indoor Test facilities to evaluate PV technologies under simulated and accelerated indoor and outdoor conditions.It allows a tighter cooperation between industry and RTD representatives in unifying standards and codes of PV devices. The similar outdoor test centre to evaluate different PV modules in Nordic conditions is founded in Estonia.

The Agency for the Research (ARRS) approved the financing of the research program Photovoltaics and Electronics to the Faculty for Electrical Engineering, in the period 2009-2014. The EC approved the financing of the research program "SOLAMON" (7.OP, DG RTD). Coordinator of the program is CEA, the Slovenian partner is the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

Further development in PV sector will be achieved by combining market experience with laboratory research. Market pull along with technology push are crucial if we want to see prices falling and efficiency growing, to get the market up and running.

There is still a pending need of strong coordination PV research activities in NMS and reinforced support of PV research on European and national levels. European policy plays key role in the supporting of general RTD in NMS, due to relative scarcity of financial means earmarked for this purpose on national level. Many areas of research are still waiting for sufficient support, before they can develop properly, inter alia: better equipment technologies, inclusion of PV into grid integration, new generation high-efficiency technologies, substitution materials and storage. According the SET Plan, the EU intends to increase RTD expenditures in order to boost RES market by means of new technologies. To reach the energy policy goals the adequate measures in RTD field must be undertaken.