The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $130 million for various projects to advance solar technologies.
Through its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office, DOE will fund 67 research projects across 30 states that reduce the cost of solar, increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, and improve the reliability of the electric grid.
“Ensuring low-cost, reliable electricity for all Americans while minimizing risk is a top priority for this department,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said. “That means creating domestic manufacturing opportunities and increasing the power system’s resilience in case of disruptions. Projects that advance solar technologies are essential to achieving these goals.”
Among some of the awards, $14 million will go to eight projects that make PV systems last longer and increase the reliability of solar systems made of silicon solar cells, as well as new technologies like thin-film and bifacial solar cells. Also, $39 million will go to Heliogen to build and operate a supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle that will serve as a test site to accelerate the commercialization of low-cost CSP plants.
In addition, $34 million will go for 10 research projects that will develop resilient community microgrids to maintain power during and restore power after man-made or natural disasters, improve cybersecurity for PV inverters and power systems, and develop advanced hybrid plants that operate collaboratively with other resources for improved reliability and resilience.
Further, $7.3 million will be awarded for 10 projects that use AI and machine learning to optimize operations and solar forecasting, improve situational awareness on the distribution system and behind the meter, and enable the integration of more solar generation.
The full list of projects can be found on the DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office website.
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