Author: US DOE Staff Published: 1/12/2023 DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office
Solar Energy Technologies Office
What’s New?
Register for the 2023 National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) Annual Summit
It’s community solar’s time to shine! Sign up to attend the third annual NCSP Summit on January 19, in San Diego, CA or virtually, in coordination with the Coalition for Community Solar Access Community Solar Power Summit. The summit will showcase the substantial progress made in community solar deployment and the bright future for community solar with meaningful benefits. Join the partnership to stay up to date on the summit details, NCSP announcements, and other community solar news.
SETO is Hiring
Join our team! SETO is looking to hire four technology managers in three areas: manufacturing & competitiveness (M&C), systems integration, and strategic analysis and institutional support (SAIS). Technology managers support the research, development, and demonstration of technologies that enable the reliable, resilient, and secure integration of solar energy onto the nation’s electricity grid. Use referral code #SETO when applying for the M&C or SAIS positions.
Last Call for Solar Fellowship Applications
Students, researchers, and professionals interested in joining SETO as a fellow must submit their applications by January 15. Fellows support solar energy research and development, guiding strategy, designing funding programs, and managing SETO-funded projects in a wide range of topic areas.
Watch this video to learn about what it’s like to be a fellow at SETO.
Upcoming Deadlines
Don’t forget to participate in these funding opportunities, prizes, and solicitations:
- Request for Information on DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program – Local governments, tribes, and their partners can submit input on the EECBG Competitive Program by January 13.
- Request for Comments on China’s Technology Transfer Policies – Comments can be submitted on or before January 17.
- Single-Semester Session of the Solar District Cup – Students can register for the single-semester session through January 26.
- American-Made EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP) – Student teams can register to compete by January 26.
- Request for Comments on Reliability Standards for Inverter-Based Resources – Comments can be submitted on or before February 6.
- Hands On Photovoltaic Experience (HOPE) 2023 Workshop – Doctoral students interested in gaining photovoltaics (PV) expertise can apply for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) annual HOPE workshop through February 17
Some Light ? Reading
Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) Builds a Collegiate Network for Solar Workforce Development
As the need for qualified solar professionals grows, so does the need for colleges to connect students and recent graduates with work experience, training courses, and other career development opportunities in solar energy. Learn how SETO funding helped MREA launch its Solar Ready Wisconsin initiative to grow Wisconsin’s solar workforce capacity and replicate their successful programs in surrounding states.
Report Completes Series on Adoption of DER Interconnection Standards
NREL’s recent report, Overview of Functional Technical Requirements for Intentional Island, is the final publication in a series of educational resources on the revised Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard 1547-2018. These resources feature new concepts and requirements necessary for the integration of DERs to improve performance and resilience during extreme grid conditions.
Technical Assistance Available for Communities to Adopt Innovative Approaches to Solar
NREL is offering technical assistance to communities, institutions, and organizations based on findings from the Solar Energy Innovation Network. The Assistance for Early Adopters program is looking to create resilience hubs, solar-powered microgrids, siting recommendations to enhance disaster preparedness, and parameters to reduce solar interconnection costs.
Apply for DOE Clean Energy on Mine Land Technical Assistance
DOE’s Clean Energy Demonstrations is now offering technical assistance to inform decision-making on topics related to developing clean energy projects on mine land. This effort will provide no-cost technical assistance that informs the development of successful, impactful, and replicable projects that align with the Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land Program priorities, including local job creation and economic development, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and the development of lower-cost electricity generation.
Upcoming Events
Single-Semester Session of the Solar District Cup Informational Webinar
January 13 | 1 p.m. ET
Students are encouraged to register for this informational webinar on the single-semester session of DOE’s collegiate competition, Solar District Cup. Registration is open for the single-semester session until January 26, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET.
January 17 | 3 p.m. ET
Register for a recruiting and team-building webinar about the Office of Technology Transitions’ American-Made EnergyTech UP collegiate business plan competition to connect with regional partners and get help developing your business plan to bring high-impact energy tech to market. Apply to compete by January 26.
Webinar: Crunching Numbers on Agrivoltaics: Context and Cost of Agrivoltaics in the United States
January 18 | 1 p.m. ET
Join SETO awardee, 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.
Webinar: Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Study (PR100) 1-Year Progress Update
January 23 | 11 a.m. ET
NREL’s Multilab Energy Planning Support for Puerto Rico is hosting a webinar with an update on progress made during the first year of the two-year PR100 study.
Workshop: Situational Awareness and Real-time, Coordinated Control of High Penetration DER
January 30 & 31 | 11 a.m. ET
Join SETO awardee, Arizona State University, to learn about the results and products of their multi-industry research and development project on advanced technologies for extreme penetration of distributed solar PV in distribution grid.