DOE investing $12 million to support early stage solar power tech

Washington, D.C., January 29, 2010 — U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory will invest up to $12 million in funding to support the development of early stage solar energy technologies.

The funding, which will include $10 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will benefit four companies and help them advance their technology to full commercial scale.

DOE said the goal of this effort is to help further expand a clean energy economy and make solar energy more cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity.

Click here for more coverage of solar power

“Expanding the solar power industry in the U.S. can create new jobs, reduce carbon pollution and save consumers money,” Chu said. “By partnering with NREL, these companies will be able to gain from their expertise, accelerate the pace of innovation and help get technologies to market faster.”

Companies awarded under DOE’s Photovoltaic Incubator Program will work with NREL to transition prototype and pre-commercial PV technologies into pilot and full-scale manufacturing.

The anticipated subcontracts, up to $3 million each, will be awarded as 18-month phased subcontracts with payment made upon completion of project milestones.

Through the Recovery Act, the DOE is investing more than $117 million in developing and deploying solar power technologies.

While supporting research and development on photovoltaics and concentrated solar power at the National Laboratories, the DOE is also making significant investments in training solar systems installers, supporting the growth of grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems, and the use of solar energy in U.S. cities.

The partnership projects announced today include:

Santa Clara, California’s Alta Devices, Inc.: Up to $3 million

Alta Devices will focus efforts on developing an innovative high-efficiency (more than 20 percent), low-cost compound-semiconductor photovoltaic module, with market entry expected in 2011.

San Jose, California’s Solar Junction Corp.: Up to $3 million

Solar Junction will develop a manufacturing process to produce a very high efficiency multi-junction cell. These high performing cells will be used by concentrating PV (CPV) manufacturers to produce lower cost CPV systems.

Saratoga, California’s Tetra Sun: Up to $3 million

Tetra Sun will focus efforts on a back surface passivation for high efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells. This effort will result in a high efficiency low-cost C-Si solar cell.

Durham, North Carolina’s Semprius, Inc.: Up to $3 million

Semprius will focus efforts towards a massively parallel, microcell-based CPV receiver. This approach combines the benefits of unique-to-solar manufacturing techniques with the performance and operational benefits of microcell concentrating photovoltaics.