The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has committed $40 million to investments throughout the solar supply chain, including funding for four projects to enhance the lifecycle of photovoltaic (PV) solar systems.
DOE Funds Solar Research for Extended Lifespan
The investment includes $16 million with half coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for four R&D projects focused on extending solar system lifespans and improving material recovery. These projects are led by Case Western Reserve University ($4 million), kWh Analytics ($2.4 million), the University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($1.3 million) and the Electric Power Research Institute ($8 million). These projects will play a crucial role in developing more durable and sustainable PV technologies.
The DOE also issued a notice of intent to provide up to $20 million in funding for research, development and demonstration projects aimed at advancing solar module technologies and reducing risks associated with solar hardware.
“The Biden-Harris administration is investing in a clean energy future that’s built to last. The U.S. has doubled annual solar installations over the past four years and today’s announcement further supports manufacturers as they create more resilient solar energy technologies and maximize the life of their products,” said Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. Secretary of Energy.
DOE Launches $3 Million Prize to Promote Solar Product Registration
Last week, the DOE unveiled the $3 million American-Made Promoting Registration of Inverters and Modules with Ecolabel (PRIME) Prize designed to encourage the registration of solar PV modules and inverters under the Global Electronics Council’s EPEAT ecolabel standard.
The American-Made Solar Prize is a multimillion-dollar initiative aimed at driving innovation in U.S. solar hardware and software technologies while addressing challenges related to the rapid and equitable deployment of solar energy. Over seven rounds, the DOE has awarded $21.6 million in cash prizes to advance solar technologies.
Following a live demo day at RE+ where Solar Prize Round 7 finalists presented their solutions to a panel of judges, SETO announced that Fram Energy and Gritt Robotics each received $500,000 for their early-stage innovations addressing these deployment challenges.
Solar PARC to Enhance PV Recycling and Lifecycle Practices
The initiative aims to reduce the cost of recycling PV modules by 50% by 2030 and minimize the environmental impact at the end of their lifecycle. A major focus is extending the lifespan of solar panels by improving their durability and ease of repair. Additionally, the initiative seeks to decrease the number of PV panels entering the waste stream by addressing issues that lead to early failures, such as damage from extreme weather.
Recycling PV modules (Image: Collected)
The funding will support research aimed at improving the durability of photovoltaic systems, ensuring the long-term sustainability of solar energy. It also includes the Solar Partnership to Advance Recycling and Circularity (Solar PARC), a key initiative within the MORE PV program.
Led by the Electric Power Research Institute, Solar PARC brings together around 30 organizations from both academic and industrial sectors. This partnership focuses on enhancing the circularity of solar systems by refining material recovery processes and developing effective end-of-life management practices for photovoltaic components.
Its goal is to improve the circularity and lifecycle impact of photovoltaic systems through technological solutions, strategic collaborations and community benefits.