The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) accelerates the advancement and deployment of solar technology in support of an equitable transition to a decarbonized economy. Learn more about the office's work at our events and webinars.
Learn how the Inflation Reduction Act could help you save on solar and review ourfederal solar tax credit resources. Learn about SETO's 2024 Peer Review, which gathered solar industry and academic experts to conduct a review of the SETO portfolio.
Solar Energy Technologies Office Newsletter
News and Success Stories
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Funding Notice: $12 Million Available to Expand Capacity for Renewable Energy Planning, Siting, and Permitting
April 17, 2024
DOE opens the second round of the Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program.
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El Departamento de Energía de EE. UU. Publica la Primera Hoja de Ruta para Acelerar la Conexión de más Proyectos de Energía Limpia a la Red Eléctrica del País
April 17, 2024
El informe detalla recomendaciones para optimizar las interconexiones, reducir los costos para los consumidores y otras soluciones a corto y largo plazo para agregar recursos de energía limpia a la red de transmisión eléctrica e impulsar nuestra economía de energía limpia
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DOE Releases First-Ever Roadmap to Accelerate Connecting More Clean Energy Projects to the Nation's Electric Grid
April 17, 2024
Report Details Recommendations to Streamline Interconnection with Near- to Long-Term Solutions to Add Clean Energy Resources to the Transmission Grid and Boost Our Clean Energy Economy
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Energy Department Announces Intent to Fund $6.5 Million Program to Pilot Interconnection Queue Management Solutions for Distribution Grid
April 10, 2024
DOE seeks feedback on program to pilot solutions for managing renewable energy and electric vehicle interconnection and energization queues.
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Funding Notice: Concentrating Solar Flux to Heat and Power
April 4, 2024
This funding opportunity will award up to $30 million for projects that accelerate the large-scale development of CSP technologies.
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Biden-Harris Administration Invests $22 Million to Improve Siting and Permitting for Large-Scale Renewable Energy and Energy Storage
March 25, 2024
Funding will Support Expanded Deployment of Clean Energy Projects, Reducing Barriers for Communities to Access the Benefits of Clean Energy
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Biden-Harris Administration Launches Clean Energy Connector to Bring Nearly $15 Million in Annual Energy Savings to Up to 40,000 Low-Income Households
March 19, 2024
Families in New Mexico, Illinois, and Washington D.C. will now Have Access to Community Solar Through HHS’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
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DOE Invests $44 Million to Advance a Clean, Reliable Electric Grid
March 19, 2024
Funding Will Develop Tools to Clear Interconnection Queues and Improve Reliability During Extreme Weather Disruptions
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Funding Notice: i2X Solar and Wind Interconnection for Future Transmission (SWIFTR)
March 19, 2024
$10 million funding available for analytical tools that will accelerate the reliable interconnection of renewable energy into the transmission system.
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DOE Launches $5 Million Prize to Create Solar Manufacturing Training Programs
March 8, 2024
The American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce is designed to realize the full potential of the Inflation Reduction Act, bolster U.S. competitiveness in the solar supply chain, and create high-quality jobs for U.S. workers.
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Research Areas
Photovoltaics
The Solar office supports development of low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) technologies to make solar power more accessible.
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Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power
SETO supports CSP research and development to improve the performance, reduce the cost, and improve the lifetime and reliability of CSP technologies.
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Systems Integration
Systems integration research in SETO helps advance the reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable integration of solar energy onto the nation's grid.
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Soft Costs
Soft costs research in SETO addresses challenges associated with non-hardware cost components of a solar energy system.
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Manufacturing and Competitiveness
SETO supports solar manufacturing and competitiveness R&D to develop pathways to commercialization for disruptive innovation in the solar industry.
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Solar Workforce Development
Solar workforce development includes online training, on-the-job training, curriculum development, and other activities that prepare people for solar.
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Equitable Access to Solar Energy
Despite unprecedented solar deployment, many Americans still lack access to affordable solar electricity. SETO funds research to improve solar access for all.
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Connect the Dots on Solar Energy
Every day, Americans are making the choice to power their lives with solar energy. SETO is connecting the dots for you, demonstrating how solar energy investments accrue over years to benefit individuals, communities, and the nation.
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Solar Energy Basics
How Does Solar Work?
Solar Photovoltaic Technology Basics
Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Basics
Solar Systems Integration Basics
Solar Soft Costs Basics
Solar Radiation Basics
Solar Energy Research Database
Learn more about active SETO-funded projects at national laboratories, state and local governments, universities, nonprofit organizations, and private companies.
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Blog Posts
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Beyond Recycling: Reducing Waste from Solar Modules Before They’re Even Made
More than 85% percent of a solar photovoltaic (PV) module is made of materials we already know how to recycle, like aluminum and glass. However, solar panel recycling—and recycling overall—is not currently cost-effective or widely adopted.
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Fremont, California Leads Solar Energy Advancement as First Local Government to Earn SolSmart’s Coveted Platinum Designation
The new designation requires local governments to automate residential solar permitting.
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Risky Solar Research Ideas Shine with Funding from SIPS: Small Innovative Projects in Solar
This $6.5M DOE funding opportunity is ideal for early-career solar energy researchers, supporting early-stage ideas in photovoltaics and concentrating solar-thermal power.
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New Federal Guidance Says LIHEAP Funds Can Cover Community Solar Subscription Fees
States should address key considerations before allocating LIHEAP funds toward community solar subscriptions. Learn about this new guidance from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Expanding Solar Energy Opportunities: From Rooftops to Building Integration
Building-integrated photovoltaics is a set of emerging solar energy applications that replace conventional building materials with solar energy generating materials in the structure, like the roof, skylights, balustrades, awnings, facades, or windows.
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Solar Eclipse + Solar Energy: What to Expect When the Sun Goes Dark
On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will travel across parts of the United States, blocking up to 90% of the sun for several minutes. What could this mean for our power grid? Learn what to expect when the sun goes dark.
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The Benefits of Powering Your EV with Solar Energy
Harnessing the sun to power your vehicle saves you money, benefits the electric grid, and provides backup power to your home in the future.
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Tackling High Costs and Long Delays for Clean Energy Interconnection
The critical role that interconnection plays in enabling the clean energy transition is why the U.S. Department of Energy established i2x to identify and develop solutions that make interconnection fairer, faster, and simpler.
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Keeping Solar in the Field by Keeping Water Out
Solar panels need to withstand the elements to keep producing power for decades, and water is one of a solar module’s trickiest foes. Using clever measurement and modeling methods, researchers are optimizing the way we seal solar modules to keep water out
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The Potential of Agrivoltaics for the U.S. Solar Industry, Farmers, and Communities
To make agrivoltaics a widely available option for developers in the U.S., questions about cost, liability and other business, legal and regulatory issues need to be addressed.
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