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.
Learn More
SETO supports CSP research and development to improve the performance, reduce the cost, and improve the lifetime and reliability of CSP technologies.
Learn More
Systems integration research in SETO helps advance the reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable integration of solar energy onto the nation's grid.
Learn More
Soft costs research in SETO addresses challenges associated with non-hardware cost components of a solar energy system.
Learn More
SETO supports solar manufacturing and competitiveness R&D to develop pathways to commercialization for disruptive innovation in the solar industry.
Learn More
The Solar Energy Technologies Office partners with the national labs and its researchers to develop innovations that lower the costs of solar energy.
Learn More
News and Success Stories
VIEW ALL
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
May 12, 2021
SETO’s Multi-Year Program Plan features 16 specific goals spanning the office’s five research areas: photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power, systems integration, soft cost reduction, and manufacturing and competitiveness.
May 4, 2021
New efforts include $15.5 million to tackle barriers to solar deployment, increased focus on expanding clean energy access to low- and moderate-income communities and fostering a diverse solar workforce,
April 20, 2021
Remote communities will partner with DOE experts and National Labs to adopt clean energy solutions that reduce energy costs and power disruptions.
April 12, 2021
U.S. Department of Energy announced $5 million in new funding for the second round of the Solar Desalination Prize.
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
VIEW ALL
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.
Learn More
Learn how Energy Materials Corporation (EMC) has been developing a low-cost process to manufacture perovskite photovoltaic (PV) modules.
Learn More
The Department of Energy is committed to supporting and empowering American workers, especially servicemembers separating from active duty.
Learn More
What happens to the electricity in your home during a power outage when you have rooftop solar panels installed?
Learn More