The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) funds solar energy research and development efforts in seven main categories: photovoltaics, concentrating solar-thermal power, systems integration, soft costs, manufacturing and competitiveness, equitable access to solar energy, and solar workforce development. The R&D projects funded by SETO aim to improve the affordability, performance, and value of solar technologies on the grid. Learn more about SETO’s goals here.

Explore each of the research areas below and the research topics within them. You can also learn about the basics of solar energy and find solar energy resources.

Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics
The Solar office supports development of low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) technologies to make solar power more accessible.
Learn more
Systems Integration
Systems Integration
Systems integration research in SETO helps advance the reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable integration of solar energy onto the nation's grid.
Learn more
Soft Costs
Soft Costs
Soft costs research in SETO addresses challenges associated with non-hardware cost components of a solar energy system.
Learn more
Equitable Access to Solar Energy
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.
Learn more
Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power
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.
Learn more
Manufacturing and Competitiveness
Manufacturing and Competitiveness
SETO supports solar manufacturing and competitiveness R&D to develop pathways to commercialization for disruptive innovation in the solar industry.
Learn more
Solar Workforce Development
Solar Workforce Development
Solar workforce development includes online training, on-the-job training, curriculum development, and other activities that prepare people for solar.
Learn more

SETO Research Priorities and Highlights

Various publications from SETO explain the office’s activities, projects, and goals. Explore them below. Additionally, reports resulting from research projects can be found on the Office of Science and Technical Information (OSTI) website.

Solar Futures Study
The Solar Futures Study is a U.S Department of Energy report that explores the role of solar energy in achieving the goals of a decarbonized grid by 2035 and a decarbonized energy system by 2050.
Learn More
Solar Energy Technologies Office Multi-Year Program Plan
The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) does research, development, demonstration, and deployment assistance for solar energy. This is SETO’s Multi-Year Program Plan for fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
Learn More
2020 SETO Portfolio Book
The 2020 SETO Portfolio book highlights the office's active projects that are working to lower the cost of solar-generated electricity.
Learn More
SETO 2020 Peer Review Report
This report highlights the findings of an independent, third-party panel of solar experts who reviewed the SETO portfolio.
Learn More
2018 SETO Portfolio Book
The 2018 SETO Portfolio Book outlines the progress the office has made in lowering the cost of electricity generated from solar technologies.
Learn More
2018 SETO Peer Review Report
The 2018 SETO Portfolio Review was held in February 2018. Independent reviewers evaluated each of the projects. This report details reviewer findings.
Learn More
PV Innovation Roadmap
The 2017 Photovoltaics (PV) Innovation Roadmap sought feedback from PV stakeholders to improve PV cell and module technology.
Learn More
Concentrating Solar Power Gen3 Demonstration Roadmap
Learn More
On the Path to SunShot
On the Path to SunShot is a series of eight reports that examines the lessons learned in the first five years of the SunShot Initiative.
Learn More
SunShot 2030
The SunShot 2030 goals aim to cut the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from utility-scale solar by an additional 50% between 2020 and 2030.
Learn More
SunShot Vision Study
The SunShot Vision Study assesses the potential for solar technologies to meet a significant share of U.S. electricity demand in the next few decades.
Learn More