US solar funding

The US Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office announced $105.5 million in funding for projects that span the office's research portfolio and address the affordability, flexibility, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. For more information see the IDTechEx report on off grid zero-emission electricity.

 

The office aims to select about 70 projects that enable the seamless integration of solar energy into the grid, advance both photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) technologies, and prepare the solar workforce for the future needs of the solar industry. Within each of the technology areas, the office also seeks to fund projects that accelerate technology transfer and unlock private sector resources to support energy innovations. These projects support American innovation in solar energy, and together, they will drive economic and technological leadership in the United States.

 

This funding opportunity features four topics, each addressing a core technology area or challenge facing the solar industry.

 

 

PV projects should support early-stage research that increase performance, reduce materials and processing costs, and/or improve reliability of PV cells, modules, and systems to enable the industry to achieve its 2030 cost goals. These projects will lower costs by targeting improvements in manufacturability and materials science, using data analytics, and focusing on cross-cutting and collaborative research that brings together interdisciplinary teams.

 

This funding opportunity will enable the rapid transition of technology to the marketplace through the Innovative Pathways subptopics. These subtopics aim to introduce technology agnostic methods that attract private capital for deployment and incentivize industry-research collaboration much earlier in the technology development process. In addition, the technology-focused topics encourage private sector innovators to develop new manufacturing methods and advanced algorithmic solutions—in the form of either a hardware or software solution—that lead to process improvements or the development of early-stage product concepts that can significantly reduce solar energy system costs.

 

In April, webinars will be held for each of the four topics. A technical background document is also available to provide more information on the funding opportunity announcement. Mandatory letters of intent for all topics are due on May 4 at 3:00PM ET and mandatory concept papers are due by May 9 at 3:00PM ET. Read the announcement and learn more about the SETO FY2018 Solar Energy Technologies Office Funding Opportunity Announcement.