The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) funds research and development in three technology areas: photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), and systems integration with the goal of improving the affordability, reliability, and domestic benefit of solar technologies on the grid. Learn more about the office's work at our next stakeholder webinar.
Solar Energy Technologies Office Newsletter
Solar Energy Basics
Research Areas
The Solar office supports development of low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) technologies to make solar power more accessible.
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SETO supports CSP research and development to improve the performance, reduce the cost, and improve the lifetime and reliability of CSP technologies.
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Systems integration research in SETO helps advance the reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable integration of solar energy onto the nation's grid.
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Soft costs research in SETO addresses challenges associated with non-hardware cost components of a solar energy system.
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SETO supports solar manufacturing and competitiveness R&D to develop pathways to commercialization for disruptive innovation in the solar industry.
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The Solar Energy Technologies Office partners with the national labs and its researchers to develop innovations that lower the costs of solar energy.
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News and Success Stories
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December 21, 2021
U.S. Department of Energy announced the 21 public utility commissions that will receive technical assistance from the National Laboratories to help state regulators make decisions and develop innovative solutions to improve grid reliability.
December 16, 2021
Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm visited Gar Creek Solar, a new community solar site in Kankakee County, Illinois. The National Community Solar Partnership announced that their 2022 Annual Summit will take place on January 25.
December 1, 2021
In 2011, DOE awarded startup Alencon Systems $3 million to develop a utility-scale inverter system for solar PV plants. Since then, the company has manufactured its innovative product and is helping grow the domestic solar supply chain.
November 17, 2021
In 2018, Fend received $150,000, its first round of funding through DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research program, to prove that its idea for a low-cost, easily installed device that enhances the security of solar energy systems could work.
Learn more about active and inactive SETO-funded projects at national laboratories, state and local governments, universities, nonprofit organizations, and private companies in the solar energy research database.
Blog Posts
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Learn how local jurisdictions across the United States are exploring solar energy.
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The team that pioneered community solar at the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Queensbridge Houses worked together to overcome challenges and ensure equitable access to the benefits of community solar.
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Joining with other people who also want to go solar can result in saved money through the bulk purchase of solar systems.
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Residential solar energy systems paired with battery storage—generally called solar-plus-storage systems—provide power regardless of the weather or the time of day without having to rely on backup power from the grid. Check out some of the benefits.
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