Solar Success Stories

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The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) successes in developing more efficient and less expensive solar energy technologies translate into easy access and large-scale energy savings. Explore EERE's solar energy success stories below.

February 6, 2019
solar sandhage purdue lab
EERE Success Story—Material Mash-Up Could Increase Efficiency of Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Plants
A new metal composite for heat exchangers could improve energy conversion and cut costs in CSP plants.
October 29, 2018
solar station october x marks the spot
EERE Success Story—X Marks the Spot: Solar Site Design Goes High Tech
Utility-scale solar plants can power thousands of homes but finding an ideal location for them isn’t easy.
February 28, 2018
solar side by side case
EERE Success Story—Researchers Illuminate Solar Panel Wear and Tear to Improve Longevity
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University use electroluminescence and machine learning to reveal the evolution of solar module degradation.
January 10, 2017
EERE Success Story—Empire State Strikes Back: Solar Will Help New York City Rebound After National Disasters
With the help of the SunShot Initiative, Sustainable CUNY began work on the Smart Distributed Generation (DG) Hub-Resilient Solar Project, a roadma...
December 16, 2016
Solar Success Stories
EERE Success Story—The Future's So Bright, You've got to Wear Shades: The Roles of the Department of Energy, National Laboratories, and...

​In 1975, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) decided to harness the power of the sun, launching the Solar Energy Research Institute, which later...

December 11, 2016
Pictured above is an advanced inverter demonstration site in Haverhill, MA. Photo courtesy of Electric Power Research Institute.
EERE Success Story—EPRI Lays Foundation for Smart Inverter Technology
Advanced inverters are a critical enabler of high solar photovoltaic (PV) penetrations because of their smart functionalities and ability to mainta...
November 8, 2016
Pictured above is De-Meter’s inaugural project for Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, a 200kW combination rooftop and carport distributed generation installation in San Leandro, CA. Photo courtesy of De-Meter.
EERE Success Story—Setting the PACE for Commercial Solar Growth

Big box retailers are leading in commercial solar installations in the United States, but solar’s energy-saving benefits aren’t limited to Fortune...

October 24, 2016
Sun Number Scores show a home’s solar potential and are now available on Zillow’s website for more than 35 million homes across the United States.
EERE Success Story—Sun Number Partnership with Zillow Brings Solar Potential Scores to Millions of Americans

Millions of Americans looking to buy a home have a new resource to help them go solar in the process. Thanks to a partnership between SunShot...

October 7, 2016
With SunShot funding, 1366 Technologies developed these three-dimensional silicon wafers that require fewer raw materials, helping to reduce the cost of solar panels.
EERE Success Story – Silicon Solar Wafers Enter a New Dimension
EERE Success Story – Silicon Solar Wafers Enter a New Dimension
June 29, 2016
Pictured above is a test section of Brayton Energy’s newly designed solar receiver | Photo courtesy of Brayton Energy
EERE Success Story—Solar Receiver Redesign Enables CSP to Beam Ahead
EERE Success Story—Solar Receiver Redesign Enables CSP to Beam Ahead
May 18, 2016
Suniva installation at Grand Valley State University. Photo courtesy of Suniva.
The SunShot Story: Challenging the Solar Industry to Say ‘What If’ Since 2011
The SunShot Story: Challenging the Solar Industry to Say ‘What If’ Since 2011
April 28, 2016
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser kicks off the redevelopment of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA at a “wall-breaking” ceremony. | Photo courtesy of The Solar Foundation
EERE Success Story—Expanding Solar Access to Nonprofits
The Solar Foundation is leading a team that developed the CivicPACE program through an award from the SunShot Initiative. CivicPACE addresses the u...
April 18, 2016
KWh Analytics employees discuss their solar portfolio management platform, HelioStats.
EERE Success Story—Data Access and Analytics Improve Solar Valuation
EERE Success Story—Data Access and Analytics Improve Solar Valuation
February 25, 2016
Sunlight reflected from heliostats is shining directly on the particle receiver, which is currently being tested on top of the solar tower at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility.
EERE Success Story—Reaching New Limits with Solar Storage
EERE Success Story—Reaching New Limits with Solar Storage
March 16, 2015
Fraunhofer CSE demonstrates Plug and Play PV System installation and commissioning in just 75 minutes at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Wind Technology Testing Center. Photo Credit: Fraunhofer CSE
EERE Success Story—Plug and Play: Purchase, Install, and Connect Residential Solar Power in Hours
EERE Success Story—Plug and Play: Purchase, Install, and Connect Residential Solar Power in Hours