U.S. Department of Energy

Articles about Photovoltaics

Below are stories about Photovoltaics featured in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (Solar Program) newsletter. Archived editions of the newsletter is also available.

Animation Brings PV Installations to Life

September 29, 2011: PowerMeter app measures system performance, iPad controls Solar Decathlon house, and Solar 3.0 coming soon

Historic Buildings Benefit from Solar

October 6, 2011: SEGIS successes, ADEPT announced, and historic buildings

Fast Fact: Solar Jobs Census

November 03, 2011: Public feedback requested, integration forum convenes, and Obama boosts tech transfer

Workshop Explores Plug-and-Play Concept

November 17, 2011: New Incubator funding, plug-and-play solar, and CSP application deadline

PV Validation Workshop Results Available

December 13, 2011: Thermal storage system testing, new SAM tool, and validation workshop results

Fast Fact: Report Assesses Material Shortage for Thin-Film PV

December 22, 2011: Record-breaking solar cells, upcoming metrology workshop, and a win for interconnection

DOE Seeks Feedback

January 10, 2012: Soft cost deadline, two new RFIs, and solar ready report

Postdoctoral Research Positions Open

January 19, 2012: New CSP funding, postdoc openings, and PV variability study

Fast Fact: RFI Responses Due Next Week

January 26, 2012: Solar Decathlon 2013, third-party PV study, and CSP power tower video

Sandia Tool Estimates Value of PV Systems

February 9, 2012: New Incubator opportunity, nationwide training, and PV valuation tool

Funding for Collaborative Research Announced

February 23, 2012: New BRIDGE funding, evolving interconnection standards, and time-tested resources

Homeowners Seize Opportunity to Store Solar

February 28, 2012: SunShot Vision Study, advancing standards, and residential energy storage systems

Elite 22 Take On Solar Challenge

March 3, 2012: Rising to the Challenge, reimagining wafer creation, and solving for solar x

Public Input Informs Future Opportunities

March 16, 2012: DOE seeking input, small business webinar, and fellow highlight

Advocacy Group Forms for CSP

March 28, 2012: Third-party validation, CSP advocacy, and RFI deadline extension

Raising Inverter IQ's

April 12, 2012: Small business funding, the physics of reliability, and smarter inverters

Funding Opportunity to Improve Solar Forecasting

April 24, 2012: Two new funding opportunities and a postdoc’s recipe for success

SunShot Grand Challenge Event Coming to Denver June 13–14

May 2, 2012: Register now for the SunShot Summit and Technology Forum

Fast Fact: Letters of Intent Due Next Week

May 10, 2012: A who's who of solar, support for state markets, and updated CSP resources

How-To Guides Encourage Growth of Solar Communities

May 17, 2012: Agenda updates, two new publications, and the science of shade

18 Research Teams Receive Consortium Support

May 29, 2012: Aiming high to lower costs, exploring alternatives, and making first-round selections

Fast Fact: Rooftop Solar Raises Home Values

June 19, 2012: Making the impossible possible, 34 project selections, and two new opportunities

Fast Fact: Best Practices for Solar Education and Training

June 28, 2012: SunShot Summit resources, event highlights, and R&D 100 winners

Funding Advances Small Business Solar R&D

July 11, 2012: Policy pointers, small biz support, and international collaboration

Fast Fact: Sunlight Shines on "The Rock"

July 26, 2012: Prospects in the southwest, going for solar gold, and energy solutions for CA

Fast Fact: Solar Technology Options and Resource Assessment Webinar

August 14, 2012: Solar goes public, CSP plant makes progress, and local gov’t experts give answers

Fast Fact: Register Now for Solar Webinar Series

August 22, 2012: Integrated inverters, Solarize group buys, and finance Idols

Fast Fact: Deadline for Regional Test Center Support

August 30, 2012: Seven selections, integration collaboration, and plastic for PV

Bright Lights, Big City

September 7, 2012: I heart NY PV, installations in the black, and a man with a mission

Fast Fact: Sign Up Today for Solar Webinars

September 13, 2012: SunShot Prize launches, second quarter surges, Solar Decathlon Europe kicks off

Learning the Ropes from a Virtual Rooftop

October 4, 2012: Avatars for PV inspectors, Bay Area best practices, and fellowships for a bright future

Fast Fact: EPA Solicits Feedback on Draft Report

October 18, 2012: Planting solar seeds, race to the rooftops, and solar on public lands update

Charting Competencies for Sustainable Careers

October 25, 2012: Essential skills for solar workers, 8 states get solar savvy, and high pen working session goes to Germany

Small Business Opportunity to Tackle Solar's Hottest Topics

November 8, 2012: Small business funding, utility-focused solutions, and great gains for solar jobs

Incubator 7 Awardees Announced

November 16, 2012: 10 new Incubators, 1 new RFI, and 30-minute permitting

Annual Report Examines PV Price Trends

November 29, 2012: Eight solar ARPA-E awardees, SunShot’s game-changing industry impact, and Tracking the Sun V release

Solar Forecasting and Plug-and-Play PV Awardees Announced

December 7, 2012: Four grid integration awardees, two soft costs RFIs on the street, and call for CSP papers

Fast Fact: World's Largest CPV Manufacturing Facility Open for Business

December 21, 2012: New CSP and RSC funding, solar forecasting workshop on January 10, and solar valuation report released

Rooftop Solar Challenge Tackles Solar’s Soft Costs

January 10, 2013: Challenging the soft-costs status quo, two webinars next week, and February solar forecasting workshop

Incubator Program Announces Eighth Round of Funding

January 16, 2013: New Incubator funding announced, spotlight on Salt Lake City solar, and technical assistance opportunity at the RTCs

Attend the Incubator 8 Q&A Webinar February 5

January 28, 2013: New round of FPACE funding, Incubator 8 Q&A webinar, and sticky solar cells

New Report Examines Utility Bill Savings from Residential PV

February 4, 2013: Seven SEEDS awardees, Berkeley Lab examines savings from rooftop PV, and SunShot Prize workshop announced

Milwaukee Solar Efforts Support City’s Growing Industry

February 12, 2013: Milwaukee makes solar strides, new website helps local governments go solar, and Germany and U.S. PV pricing

SunShot Announces Funding to Boost Solar Reliability, Improve Grid Integration

February 20, 2013: Funding to boost solar reliability and grid integration, High Pen Portal revamp, and March NPO and HOPE deadlines

Energy Department Offers $15 Million for Innovations in U.S. Solar Manufacturing

February 25, 2013: Funding for solar manufacturing and workforce development, Wrigley goes solar, and DoD solicits proposals

Sandia Forms Partnership with CPV Startup

March 12, 2013: Ruling out PV islanding risk, last call for CSP HIBRED proposals, and Sandia's new CPV partnership

Two Concept Paper Deadlines This Week

March 19, 2013: Evergreen State greening, concept paper deadlines nearing, and CSP meeting coming up

Fast Fact: FPACE II Proposals Due April 8

April 2, 2013: DOE pushes for clean energy manufacturing, SunShot experts take your questions, and Solar Decathlon solicits exhibitors

2012 a Record Year for Utility-Scale Solar

April 18, 2013: Five super-sized solar projects, one brand-new performance database, and two California-focused reports

Fast Fact: Heat Up Your Energy Savings with Residential Solar

April 26, 2013: CSP funding opportunity, Incubator awardees in the news, and two webinars in May

Fast Fact: Portable Solar for Soldiers

May 10, 2013: Simplified solar, new PV analysis methodology, and upcoming workshops and webinars

Solar Goes Sky High

May 20, 2013