The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) funds early-stage research and development in three technology areas: photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), and systems integration with the goal of improving the affordability, performance, and value of solar technologies on the grid. Learn more about the office's work in the upcoming SETO quarterly stakeholder webinar.
News
Department of Energy Announces Winners of Collegiate Solar Competition
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DOE announces winners of the Solar District Cup, where collegiate teams design innovative, cost-effective distributed energy systems for a district.
Department of Energy Launches $9 Million Desalination Prize
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Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of the $9 million American-Made Challenges: Solar Desalination Prize.
Department of Energy Announces New Funding to Train Emergency Response and Building Professionals
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DOE announced training program funding for professionals who interact with distributed energy resources, including firefighters and first responders.
New Solar Energy Innovation Network Teams Announced
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DOE selects 8 teams for the Solar Energy Innovation Network, a program supporting solar energy adoption in rural areas and at the commercial scale.
EERE Success Story — “Solar in Your Community Challenge” Brings Solar—and Savings—to More Americans
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“Solar in Your Community Challenge” Brings Solar—and Savings—to More Americans
DOE Announces 20 New Competitors for the American-Made Solar Prize
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DOE announces 20 competitors will advance to next phase of American-Made Solar Prize, a competition designed to strengthen U.S. solar manufacturing.
DOE Announces $125.5 Million in New Funding for Solar Technologies
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DOE continues to advance research and development of solar technologies.
Solar Energy Technologies Office Announces New Job Opening
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The Solar Energy Technologies Office is hiring a program manager for the strategic analysis and institutional support team.
Department of Energy Announces $128 Million in New Projects to Advance Solar Technologies
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Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced selections for $128 million in new projects to advance solar technologies.
EERE Success Story—Spreading Sunshine: SolSmart Recognizes 300th Community for Going Solar
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In October 2019, the city of Anchorage became the 300th community in the United States to receive a SolSmart designation.
Blog Posts
The Road to Resilience with Rooftop Solar
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What happens to the electricity in your home during a power outage when you have rooftop solar panels installed?
Helping Drive Domestic Manufacturing
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A top priority for EERE is supporting game-changing manufacturing innovations across multiple sectors, including American solar panel manufacturing.
A Unique Heat Storage Technology Gathers Steam
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An innovative system being developed at DOE's Argonne National Laboratory can quickly store heat and release it for use when needed.
American-Made Network: Launching Innovations
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One of the ways the Energy Department is driving innovation in the solar technologies is through prizes such as the American-Made Challenges.
PV Cells 101, Part 2: Solar Photovoltaic Cell Research Directions
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Part 2 of the PV Cells 101 primer, exploring new materials and cell designs that can improve conversion and performance.
PV Cells 101: A Primer on the Solar Photovoltaic Cell
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Part 1 of the PV Cells 101 primer explains how a solar cell turns sunlight into electricity and why silicon is the semiconductor that usually does it.
New Solar Design Competition Announced: Solar District Cup
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Universities and community colleges can join the inaugural DOE Solar District Cup, to re-imagine how solar energy is generated, managed, and used.
Solar-Plus-Storage 101
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This blog post will explain the terminology around solar-plus-storage, how many solar-plus-storage systems are in the country, and what they cost.
Activating American Solar Movers and Makers
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The solar industry is on the move—expanding into new states and creating new business opportunities across the country.
Research Helps Texas Renewables Work Better Together
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New NREL research will help ERCOT better manage its solar power and integrate it with the 20 gigawatts of wind capacity already installed in the state
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