Solar Blog

The Solar Energy Technologies Office’s Solar Blog features stories about the office, its awardees, and its work. Learn more.

Winter is here and many parts of the country have already seen snow. Although at first blush it may seem that solar power is ideal for the summer, solar panels actually produce useful power throughout all four seasons — including when they're covered...
Every second that ticks by, six solar cells come off U.S. manufacturing lines that contain crystalline silicon. In 10 years, the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative expects nearly three-times that amount to be racing across the lines, helping to m...
The utility sector is going through a rapid transformation as more renewables come online and more Americans choose to go solar. Adding large quantities of distributed energy onto the grid requires the workforce to acquire new knowledge and skills, whi...
Dormitory mini fridges, dishwashers in dining halls, and campus computer labs are just a few of the things that can create large utility bills for colleges and universities across the country. The SunShot Initiative is working to make it easier for col...
If a utility pole falls in a forest and no energy company employee is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Currently, the answer is no. The Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative is trying to fix this problem to alleviate issues for both utilitie...