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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May 5, 2022
$8 Million in funding is available to study for the co-location of agriculture and solar energy.
April 27, 2022
The Administration through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a Request for Information seeking public input on the structure of a $2.3 billion formula grant program to strengthen and modernize America’s power grid.
April 22, 2022
Secretary Granholm Honors the People and Prizes Supercharging the Clean Energy Revolution Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship
April 21, 2022
A new partnership between the DOE National Community Solar Partnership and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will develop and pilot a digital platform to enable more low-income households to access community solar.
April 14, 2022
DOE in collaboration with the Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) STEM Research and Development Consortium, awarded $3.2 million for eight projects at seven MSIs through the recently announced Science and Technology
April 12, 2022
$25 million in funding available to improve community energy resilience with solar and solar-plus-storage
March 31, 2022
DOE Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship sends recent graduates and energy professionals to work at critical energy organizations to advance clean energy solutions
March 28, 2022
U.S. Department of Energy announced the winners of the American-Made Solar Forecasting Prize. The five winning teams had the best-performing forecasting models and strongest plans to accelerate the adoption of probabilistic forecasts.
March 24, 2022
DOE announced the American-Made Shine On Awards for Inclusive Solar Outreach award program to expand the equitable adoption of solar energy, especially in underrepresented communities, and to increase the diversity of the solar workforce
March 18, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy released an action plan to enable the safe and responsible handling of photovoltaic end-of-life materials
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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An Oklahoma Electric Cooperative community solar installation turned into an educational opportunity for local children and has sparked interest in solar throughout the community.
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The Solar Energy Innovators Program has seen success in providing valuable real-world experience for fellows and provides institutions with capacity to implement ideas that support the clean energy transition.
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More states, including New York, are passing policies that enable residents to tap into community solar, which allows customers to benefit from a shared solar installation.
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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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If you want to power your home with clean energy and lower your electricity bills, but live in an apartment or multifamily home, don’t own your roof, or your roof isn’t suitable for a solar energy system, you can subscribe to a community solar project.
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Community-owned solar is growing in Hope Village, a 107-block neighborhood in Detroit, thanks to the work of HOPE Village Revitalization, the neighborhood’s community development corporation.
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A solar photovoltaic (PV) installation comes with a proposal and a contract, so if you’re thinking about going solar, it’s important to understand what you’ll be signing.
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