Author: US DOE Staff Published: 3/24/2023 Solar Snapshot
Solar Energy Technologies Office
What’s Inside: Solar Snapshot, the newsletter of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), shares recent announcements; upcoming events; connect the dots on solar energy campaign resources; and more.
What’s New?
Smart Shopping Tips for Solar
Solar panels can help you save on your energy bill and SETO can help you be an informed solar consumer. Learn how to spot the warning signs of consumer scams, understand your solar financing options, and report bad actors.
Upcoming Deadlines
Don’t forget to participate in these funding opportunities, prizes, and solicitations:
- American-Made Perovskite Startup Prize – Perovskite researchers can apply for the final cycle of the Countdown Contest by March 23.
- American-Made Net Load Forecasting Prize – Forecasting industry organizations can submit registration materials through March 27.
- Solar-thermal Fuels and Thermal Energy Storage via Concentrating Solar-thermal Energy Request for Information – Solar industry professionals, researchers, and others can submit responses and feedback by April 14.
- Solarpunk Futures Scholarship Competition – Current undergraduate students are encouraged to enter this competition by April 30.
Some Light ? Reading
Video: The Solar Shepherd — A Shining Example of an Agrivoltaic Partnership
Meet Dan Finnegan and Reggie the Wonder Dog. The two of them are partnering with SETO-funded AgriSolar Clearinghouse to make the most of a family farm in Massachusetts, raising sheep and solar energy on the same piece of land.
Moment in the Sun Blog Series
Check out the National Community Solar Partnership’s (NCSP) blog series, Moment in the Sun. Learn about projects and programs that are expanding access to affordable community solar and enabling communities to realize the meaningful benefits of community solar.
Coming Soon: Up to $450 Million for Clean Energy Projects on Current and Former Mine Land
The DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) intends to issue a funding opportunity in the next month for up to $450 million to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of deploying clean energy projects on current and former mine land. DOE is seeking well designed, financially viable projects that can be deployed quickly.
Get to Know the Teams Pursuing Equitable Solar Adoption
The Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN) helps communities explore new approaches to the equitable adoption of solar energy. Learn more about the participating teams and their goals and stay up to date on the latest research from SEIN by browsing the program’s blog.
Curious About Agrivoltaics? Learn More on This New Webpage
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has a new webpage dedicated to the science of bringing together photovoltaic (PV) installations and agriculture, called agrivoltaics. Learn about the benefits and tradeoffs of agrivoltaic solar strategies and access introductory and advanced materials.
Apply to Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) Programs
C2C In-Depth Partnerships is a multi-year program to help communities develop realistic roadmaps to achieve their clean energy goals. Community teams consisting of representatives from local governments, community-based organizations, and electric utilities are encouraged to apply by May 17. C2C’s Expert Match program is accepting applications on a rolling basis from local governments, electric utilities, and community-based organizations with a specific local clean energy challenge or question that could benefit from short term (40-60 hours) technical assistance.
$315 Million Available to Advance Reliable Clean Energy in Rural and Remote Communities
OCED announced $300 million in new funding for projects that increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience. Concept papers are due April 14. The $15 million Energizing Rural Communities Prize will help rural communities build the capacity needed for clean energy development and deployment. Submissions for round one are due May 24.
DOE Invests in Decarbonizing America’s Industrial Sector
DOE’s new funding opportunity will advance projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S. industrial sector. The funding will drive innovation to develop technologies required to decarbonize industry and move the United States closer to a clean energy economy for all Americans. Applications are due June 23. DOE also created the Technologies for Industrial Emissions Reduction Development Program to identify and accelerate the development of the full suite of technologies that will be needed by net-zero manufacturers.
Products & Publications
- National Community Solar Partnership Technical Assistance Engagement Summaries – NCSP
- Data Analytics for Residential PV From Permit to Interconnect: Final Technical Report –NCSP
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Innovative AgriSolar Design
March 23 | 1 p.m. ETJoin the AgriSolar Clearinghouse for a webinar series on agrivoltaics, the co-location of solar and agriculture on the same land. Additional webinars are scheduled in the coming months.
Systems Integration Webinar Series 2023
March 29 | 4 p.m. ETSETO’s Systems Integration team is hosting a monthly webinar series. Register for their next webinar titled ‘Recent Advances in Experiments and Modeling of Grid-forming Systems.’
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power & Energy Society (PES) Grid Edge Technologies Conference & Exposition
April 10-13 | San Diego, CASETO experts will speak on panels and present at the upcoming IEEE PES Grid Edge Technologies conference in San Diego, California.
Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting
April 10-14 | San Francisco, CAJoin SETO at the MRS Spring Meeting to discuss the challenges and opportunities of halide perovskite PV. Registration is required to attend programming.
Continuing Education Course: Community Solar Program and Subscription Design
May 23-24 | 12 p.m. ETLearn and discuss the various elements of community solar program design, as well as ownership options relevant to municipal utilities in this new continuing education course presented in partnership with the American Public Power Association and NREL.