The US Department of Energy (DOE) will grant $25m in funding to projects aimed at accelerating the integration of solar energy into the grid.
Extended through Enabling Extreme Real-Time Grid Integration of Solar Energy (ENERGISE) funding program, the new fund will support the development 10 to 15 software and hardware solutions to help utilities manage solar and other distributed energy resources on the grid.
The funding is a part of the energy department’s plan to upgrade the nation’s grid through the Grid Modernization Initiative, which aims to address the challenges in integrating the renewable sources with energy storage.
The initiative will also ensure that the grid is protected from cybersecurity while meeting climate challenges.
US Energy Department Science and Energy Under Secretary Lynn Orr said: "Our ongoing grid modernization work will help accelerate the widespread adoption of the clean energy resources that will define our low-carbon future.
"This funding will help that mission by supporting industry partners working to integrate, store, and deploy solar energy throughout our electric grid.
"In doing so, we hope to drive down costs and encourage even more American homeowners and businesses to install solar systems."
Utilities will conduct field-testing of the developed solutions to assess their performance and value in real-world operating environments.
The projects associated with this funding will be managed by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)-led national collaborative effort, SunShot Initiative.
Image: The new US funding will be used to develop solutions to help utilities manage solar and other distributed energy resources on the grid. Photo: courtesy of franky242/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.