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, 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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April 12, 2021
U.S. Department of Energy announced $5 million in new funding for the second round of the Solar Desalination Prize.
April 9, 2021
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced the 10 teams of the American-Made Solar Prize Round 4.
March 25, 2021
$128 million in new solar energy initiatives will reduce costs, improve performance, and speed deployment of new solar technologies.
February 16, 2021
Learn more about the open positions in the Solar Energy Technologies Office.
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 about the roadmap to use renewable energy to jump-start the grid by using an essential piece of connection equipment known as an inverter.
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Learn how Energy Materials Corporation (EMC) has been developing a low-cost process to manufacture perovskite photovoltaic (PV) modules.
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The Department of Energy is committed to supporting and empowering American workers, especially servicemembers separating from active duty.
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What happens to the electricity in your home during a power outage when you have rooftop solar panels installed?
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