In an attempt to take the lead on solar technology, the Department of Energy is forming partnerships (including companies, laboratories, universities, and NGOs) that will receive up to $168m in the coming 2 years to put forward some interesting projects. The government expects to see the country's PV production capacity increased to 2,850 MW by 2010, which would represent a 10-fold increase from today's levels.
The projects selected include some of the biggest companies of the world, and also some solar energy dedicated firms. A thorough outline of the projects can be found at www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/, however here goes a small summary:
Amonix - High-concentration low-cost solar PV system for utility markets using multi-bandgap cells.
Boeing - High-efficiency concentration PV system.
BP Solar - Grid parity using crystalline silicon at low cost.
Dow Chemical - PV-integrated residential and commercial building solutions, focusing on encapsulates, adhesives, and high volume production to develop integrated PV-powered technologies for roofing products.
General Electric - Value chain proposal to accelerate U.S. PV growth and development of new cell technologies (i.e. bifacial cells).
Greenray - Development of an AC inverter-integrated PV module system.
Konarka - Ultra-low cost organic-dyes photovoltaic systems.
Miasole - High-volume manufacturing technologies (i.e. flexible thin-film modules with integrated electronics) and PV component technologies.
Nanosolar - Back-contacted thin-film PV cells for commercial rooftops.
Powerlight - Non-cell cost reductions in PV systems through automation and mounting hardware.
Practical Instruments - Low-concentration CPV systems for rooftop applications and multi-junction cells.
SunPower - Low cost in PV systems through ingot and wafer fabrication technologies, automated manufacture of back-contact cells, and new module designs.
United Solar Ovonic - Improvement of multi-bandgap, flexible, thin-film photovoltaic cells and reduction of the cost of inverters and balance-of-system components.
For additional information:
www.energy.gov
