DOE’s SunShot Initiative contributes $1.75 million to LLNL solar efficiency project

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy recently awarded $1.75 million in funding to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for a project that will boost the efficiency of solar energy sites.

LLNL’s Center for Engineered Materials and Manufacturing will work in collaboration with Giant Leap Technologies to produce capillary optics that will enable the installation of inexpensive digital glass panels that can replace more costly mechanical sun trackers.

“This is an excellent example of a partnership between industry and the national laboratories to use cutting-edge additive manufacturing techniques to advance innovative energy technology,” Jeff Roberts, LLNL’s deputy director for energy and climate security, said.

The DOE is currently spearheading a research effort called the SunShot Initiative, focusing on the development of innovative solar technologies that will make it possible for solar energy to be cost competitive with traditional energy sources by 2020. SunShot supports companies, universities and national laboratories, funding research projects that contribute to the goals of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Historically, solar collectors such as heliostats required large amounts of steel, concrete and land, which drove costs upwards. New digital glass technology currently shows promise as a material that could dramatically reduce the amount of space required for solar power plants.