Scaling Up Nascent Photovoltaics AT Home

-- These projects are inactive --

Three awardees are helping the nation reclaim its competitive edge in solar manufacturing through SUNPATH, which stands for Scaling Up Nascent PV AT Home. This program was created to help strengthen the domestic manufacturing industry by supporting the initial ramp-up to high-volume production.

Awardees

DOE is providing $37 million over two years to fund the following projects. These awards were announced on August 2, 2011.

1366 Technologies — A $7 million federal award complemented $21 million of private investment to build the company's first commercial-scale line with a manufacturing capacity of 40 MW per year. The company's innovative, cost-reducing molten silicon wafer process addressed the most expensive part of a silicon PV panel and could be a drop-in solution for the products that make up over 80% of the PV market. The SUNPATH grant allowed 1366 Technologies to transfer its existing demonstration-scale process into a capacity sufficient for scale-up learning and statistical process development. The new facility was built in Lexington, Massachusetts. Final Report.
Soitec Solar Inc. — The $25 million award complemented more than $115 million of private investment to accelerate construction of the company's first large-scale concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) module plant in San Diego, California. Soitec developed a new, larger module to reduce installation costs and implemented improved system optics to further increase the efficiency levels of the solar panels. The modules from the plant supplied more than 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity to California consumers through agreements with San Diego Gas and Electric as well as other markets.
Solar Junction — Coupled with $15 million of private investment, a $5 million SUNPATH award enabled Solar Junction to grow from 5 MW to 40 MW per year in manufacturing capacity for its world-record-setting, 43.5% efficient, multi-junction cell CPV technology. The cells were manufactured at facilities in San Jose, California, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. CPV panels work by concentrating sunlight onto small PV cells, such as the ones that Solar Junction manufactures. Solar Junction technology was at the heart of a record-setting CPV panel that achieved an overall efficiency of more than 30% in 2011. In comparison, typical flat-plate panels have efficiencies of between 14% and 20%. This project also enabled Solar Junction to develop technology beyond its initial triple-junction cell and reach even higher cell efficiencies.

The Energy Department will also support testing and validation for these technologies through an ongoing partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD). As part of the testing and validation process, each of these companies will provide hardware that can be tested on DOD bases. This validation process of innovative new PV technologies will further lower risks for commercial-scale deployment. This testing process builds on a broader DOD effort to support alternative energy and strengthen energy security.

SUNPATH is one of several projects DOE is funding to fuel innovation and reduce the costs of solar technology. Learn more about other similar SETO projects.