Solar Energy Technologies Office

Winners Announced for the First Round of the American-Made Solar Prize

Join the National Community Solar Partnership to Help Expand Access to Solar

Download the Latest SETO Quarterly Stakeholder Webinar Presentation

View All Funding Opportunities

What's next for solar?

The Solar Energy Technologies Office supports early-stage research and development in the technology areas of photovoltaics, concentrating solar-thermal power, and systems integration with the goal of improving the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. Learn about the office’s latest work in the quarterly stakeholder webinar that was held on October 10, 2019.

Solar Subprograms

Concentrating Solar Power

Systems Integration

Technology to Market

National Laboratory Research

News

United States to Host 2020 SolarPACES Conference

Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chosen for International Concentrating Solar Power Conference.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Winners of Solar Prize and Two New Innovative Solar Initiatives

DOE announced the winners of the American-Made Solar Prize Round 1, a $3 million competition designed to revitalize U.S. solar manufacturing.

Department of Energy Selects National Alliance for Water Innovation to Lead Energy-Water Desalination Hub

Hub will focus on early-stage research and development (R&D) for energy-efficient and cost-competitive desalination technologies.

MEDIA ADVISORY: ASSISTANT SECRETARY SIMMONS TO SPEAK AT SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL

MEDIA ADVISORY: ASSISTANT SECRETARY SIMMONS TO SPEAK AT SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL

Solar Energy Technologies Office Announces New Job Openings

Our office is hiring multiple solar energy technology managers.

Provide Your Insights on Strategic Planning for Solar Grid Integration

SETO issued a request for information (RFI) to help address the impacts of increased solar integration on the electric grid.

Two Solar Researchers Receive Presidential Honor

Two SETO awardees, Michael Wagner and Timothy Silverman, were awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

EERE Success Story — National Lab Achieves World’s Most Accurate Silicon Module Performance Measurements

DOE's NREL is one of a select few accredited labs in the world that measure and rate solar PV module performance.

EERE Helps American Small Businesses with $43.6 Million for Phase II Innovation Projects

American small businesses received a near-$44 million boost from the Energy Department's EERE Small Business Innovation Research program.

EERE Helps American Small Businesses with $21.6 Million for Phase I Innovation Projects

American small businesses got nearly a $22 million boost from EERE with Phase 1 Release II selections

Blog Posts

New Solar Design Competition Announced: Solar District Cup

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

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

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

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

Solar as the Solution: 3 Ways Solar Can Step Up its Grid Services Game

Solar energy provides as much as 15% of generation on the grid in some states, solar energy can provide grid services to maintain system balance.

Extending Solar Energy System Lifetime with Power Electronics

Power electronics are essential to the safe and efficient operation of solar PV systems, serving as a critical gateway between solar and the grid.

Ask a Scientist - Dr. Sarah Kurtz

In this new blog series, we ask Energy Department researchers about their life as scientists working with energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Concentrating Solar Power Could Provide the Flexibility and Reliability the U.S. Electric Grid Needs

Developments in concentrating solar thermal power could improve grid flexibility by unlocking new choices to better meet grid operator needs.

Confronting the Duck Curve: How to Address Over-Generation of Solar Energy

Energy Department research is taming the duck curve by helping utilities better balance energy supply and demand on the grid.

New Solar Collector Tech Could Lower Costs for Concentrating Solar Power

For the first time ever, ganged heliostats could be a viable option for new concentrating solar power systems.

Solar Projects Map

Want to know where the Solar Energy Technologies Office funds solar energy projects in the United States? Check out the Solar Projects Map to sort through all current projects, and visit the Funding Opportunities webpage to apply for research and development funding.

Quick Links

How to Apply for a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

Success Stories

Solar Energy Technology Basics

Solar Energy Glossary

Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar

Farmer's Guide to Going Solar

Community and Shared Solar

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