Author: US EERE Staff     Published: 6/30/2023  EERE

Solar Energy Technologies Office

What’s New?

New Prize Launched to Expand Solar Energy Systems Data

DOE launched the American-Made Solar Data Bounty Prize, which will award a total of $1.4 million in prizes to photovoltaic (PV) system owners for their high-quality time-series datasets. Applications for Stage 1 are due on August 14. To learn more, register for the Solar Data Bounty Prize informational webinar on July 11 and read the Solar Bounty Prize rules.

Projects Selected to Help Transform Solar Energy Technologies

DOE selected four solar projects as part of the Technology Commercialization Fund, which is administered by the Office of Technology Transitions and designed to help commercialize promising federal energy technologies.

Upcoming Deadlines

Don’t forget to participate in these funding opportunities, prizes, and solicitations:

• The 2023 Sunny Awards for Equitable Community Solar – Community solar projects and programs can apply by July 14.
• ORISE Science and Technology Policy Fellowship – Students, researchers, and professionals can apply to join SETO as a fellow by July 15.
• American-Made Heliostat Prize – Individuals, private companies, and nonfederal government entities, such as states, counties, tribes, municipalities, and academic institutions are encouraged to apply by August 31.
• American-Made Solar Prize Round 7 – Entrepreneurial students, professors, small-business owners, company staffers, researchers at national laboratories, or anyone else based in the United States with a potentially marketable solar technology solution are encouraged to apply to the Ready! Contest by September 27.

Some Light ? Reading

2023 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) Shows Solar Workforce on the Rise

Not only does solar energy employ the most workers out of all electric power generation technologies, but the new USEER found that solar energy gained the most jobs, adding 12,256 workers in 2022, a 3.7% increase from 2021. Learn more about the trends in and trajectory of the solar energy workforce.

Getting a Clearer Picture of U.S. Solar Power Performance

Understanding how PV systems age and perform in different environments is important to streamlining operations and deploying more projects across the country. Learn about the findings and achievements of the PV Fleet Performance Data Initiative, which is shedding light on many aspects of solar power productivity across the country.

Sandia Requests Information on Advanced Solar Energy System Deployment

Sandia National Laboratories seeks comments on the deployment of an advanced solar energy system. The deadline for responses has been extended to July 21. Introduced in 2021, the advanced solar energy for mission assurance and decarbonization concept seeks to provide Sandia’s Albuquerque operations and Kirtland Air Force Base with a carbon-free, resilient energy supply.

Input Requested on a New Pilot-Scale Clean Energy Program

Calling all small businesses, private investors, incubators and accelerators, and clean energy project developers: the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations wants your input on a program to support operational validation of pilot-scale clean energy technology components and subsystems. Submit feedback by July 31.

New Community Solar and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Guidance

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued new considerations to LIHEAP grant recipients about the basics of community solar, its benefits, and protocols for community solar adoption.

New Resources on Direct Pay Through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

The White House released information and resources about the IRA’s direct pay provisions, which allow tax-exempt and governmental entities to receive a payment equal to the full value of tax credits for building qualifying clean energy projects.

Tech Talk on the Solar PV Supply Chain

The DOE Loan Programs Office published a webpage with resources and information on their efforts to support and strengthen domestic solar PV manufacturing and deployment.

New Guidance to Expand the Reach of Clean Energy Tax Credits

The U.S. Department of the Treasury released guidance on provisions to leverage the IRA to expand clean energy tax credit access across state, local, and Tribal governments, non-profits, U.S. territories, rural energy co-ops, and more.

Products & Publications

• Community Centered Solar Development (CCSD) Case Study Interviews – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

• Final Technical Report: Next Generation Integrated PV Products Cost and Workflow Analysis – National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Upcoming Events

Webinar Series: Building with Benefits for Equitable Community Solar

July 5 & 12 | 2 p.m. ET
The National Community Solar Partnership is hosting a webinar series to highlight best practices in developing community solar projects and programs that deliver meaningful benefits to subscribers and their communities. Register for their upcoming webinars:

• Building with Benefits: Equitable Workforce Development | July 5
• Building with Benefits: Community Engagement and Innovation | July 12

Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) Meeting Series

July 6 & 12 | 2 p.m. ET
i2X is hosting a new meeting series, the Solution e-Xchange, to facilitate open dialogue across the U.S. electricity ecosystem on important interconnection issues. Join the upcoming sessions:

• Opportunities to Improve Accessibility and Standardization of Post-Application Interconnection Queue and Cost Data | July 6
• Improving Interconnection Study Methodologies in The Bulk Power System | July 12

*NEW DATE* Informational Webinar: Upcoming DOE Funding for U.S. Thin-Film Solar

July 10 | 1 p.m. ET
SETO is hosting an informational webinar about thin-film technologies and expectations for applicants to their upcoming funding opportunity announcement.

Solar Prize Round 7 Informational Webinar

July 11 | 12 p.m. ET
Join DOE for an informational webinar about Round 7 of the American-Made Solar Prize.

Solar Data Bounty Prize Informational Webinar

July 11 | 2 p.m. ET
Learn about Stage 1 of the new American-Made Solar Data Bounty Prize at this informational webinar.

Connect the Dots on Solar Energy

SETO is connecting the dots on the solar workforce. Learn about the vital role that the U.S. solar workforce plays in the transition to a clean energy grid and how SETO is working to support its development:

• Solar Workforce Development
• Solar Energy Resources for Professionals
• Solar Business Support
• How to Hire Veterans in Solar Energy

Follow along with our Connect the Dots content on social media and join the conversation using the hashtag #ConnectSolar

In Case You Missed It

Webinar Resources: i2x Solution e-Xchanges

• • Limitations and Barriers to Improving Pre-Application Data Transparency: Recording & Slide deck [PDF]