The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $20 million in funding for nine projects to advance early-stage solar power electronics technologies.

These innovations are critical to address solar photovoltaic (PV) reliability challenges, as well as to drive down the cost of installing and maintaining a PV solar system.

These innovations will help achieve DOE's goal to cut the cost of electricity for a solar system in half by 2030.

Power electronics are used to convert electricity from one form to another. As the critical link between PV arrays and the electric grid, advances in power electronics can also help grid operators rapidly detect and respond to problems, protect against physical and cyber vulnerabilities, and enable consumers to manage electricity use.

Advanced solar power electronics can also help deliver power safely, integrate PV with storage controls, and ensure power reliability.

"There is remarkable potential for power electronics technologies to improve the reliability and flexibility of solar energy on the grid," said Daniel Simmons, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "These projects represent a critical step in exploring the potential grid services such advanced technologies can provide."

The nine projects in Power Electronics include:

Flex Power Control, Inc. - Encino, California

Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, Georgia.

North Carolina State University - Raleigh, North Carolina

Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Maryland, College Park - College Park, Maryland

University of Texas at Austin - Austin, Texas

University of Washington - Seattle, Washington

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - Blacksburg, Virginia

Each project must meet a 20 percent cost share requirement and will last up to a three-years, enabling teams to significantly improve on innovative concepts throughout the project period. These awards are cooperative agreements - rather than grants - which involve substantial federal oversight and include go or no-go technical milestones that help ensure taxpayer value and return.

Related Links
DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

A whispering gallery for light boosts solar cells
Washington DC (SPX) Apr 16, 2018
Trapping light with an optical version of a whispering gallery, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a nanoscale coating for solar cells that enables them to absorb about 20 percent more sunlight than uncoated devices. The coating, applied with a technique that could be incorporated into manufacturing, opens a new path for developing low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells with abundant, renewable and environmentally friendly materials. The co ... read more