DOE Targets Solar R&D

The Department of Energy has announced that it will invest nearly $170 million in several areas of solar photovoltaic technology over three years. The funding comes from the SunShot Initiative, which aims to reduce the cost of solar energy systems by 75% to $1.00 per watt over the next 10 years. “A robust American solar industry will boost our technological leadership and competitiveness, improve the nation’s energy security, create skilled manufacturing jobs, and help reach the President’s goal of doubling our clean energy in the next 25 years,” Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in a statement. The DOE money will support R&D in four areas: creating more efficient solar cells, developing new installation technologies, improving solar energy grid integration, and analyzing new materials and processes for the energy conversion.