US Energy Department (DOE) has granted $107m funding for innovative projects to advance solar technologies through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) SunShot Initiative.
The SunShot initiative will provide a total of $42m funding to improve PV performance, reliability, manufacturability and to enable greater market penetration for solar technologies.
About 19 projects have been selected by SunShot which will receive a total of $17m under the PV Research and Development Program to improve the performance, reliability, and manufacturability of existing PV technology.
A new research is also being supported under the new funding to improve power conversion efficiency and energy output.
SunShot will grant an additional $25m for 21 new projects under its Technology to Market Program to support the development of new tools, technologies and services to reduce hardware costs, improve business operational efficiency, and broaden the investor pool for project development.
The US DOE plans to release further funding of up to $65m through SunShot at a later stage for upcoming solar research and development projects to reduce solar energy cost.
It will be made available under the SunShot’s PV Research and Development Program, Technology to Market Program, and Systems Integration Program.
Up to $25m is planned to be granted through SunShot’s PV Research and Development Program to improve PV module and system design, including hardware and software solutions to the rapid installation and interconnection of PV systems.
SunShot plans to make available $30m funding under Technology to Market Program for projects to accelerate the commercialization of products and solutions to reduce the solar energy cost.
Additionally, Systems Integration Program will receive up to $10m for projects focused on improving solar irradiance.
Image: The US intends to drive down the cost of solar energy. Photo: courtesy of Naypong/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.