New Funding Opportunity: $9 Million to Advance Performance of PV Systems SunShot announced more than $9 million in funding for breakthrough R&D projects that will advance the reliability and durability of solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. This funding will support projects aimed at improving product testing and increasing module quality and performance by providing the solar energy community and investors with access to improved predictive models, relevant accelerated testing techniques, and more reliable PV modules that will ultimately increase PV system investments. Eligible projects will examine the performance of PV modules and develop accelerated tests to better understand how solar modules degrade over time and achieve improved lifetime performance of the modules. Learn more and join us for a webinar on Dec. 10 about how to apply and deadlines. 
More SunShot Program Updates Deadline Extended: Feedback on PV Module Recycling Technology by Dec. 5 SunShot has extend the deadline for feedback from solar industry stakeholders on the current state of recycling technology and the areas of research that could lead to impactful recycling technologies to support the developing PV industry. We are seeking your thoughts via this request for information to generate discussion related to planning for the end of life of photovoltaic modules and to create a list of high impact research topics in photovoltaics recycling. Submit your comments by Friday, Dec. 5. SunShot Awardee Spotlight: Fraunhofer CSE’s Plug And Play Solar Late last month, SunShot-funded Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE) successfully completed the first public installation and interconnection of its Plug and Play PV Systems, a novel residential rooftop PV system, during a public demo day in Boston. The Plug and Play System was funded by SunShot in 2012 to develop a “plug and play” solar PV system that can be purchased, installed, and connected by homeowners without the need to engage outside consultants or contractors. The project was funded as part of a larger SunShot investment aimed at developing technology solutions that reduce the soft costs of residential solar PV systems. Read Fraunhofer’s blog post about their successful demo and view photos. 
Fraunhofer CSE demonstrates Plug and Play PV System installation and commissioning in just 75 minutes at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Wind Technology Testing Center. Photo Credit: Fraunhofer CSE
SunPower Acquires SunShot-funded SolarBridge Technologies Recently, SunPower announced its acquisition of SunShot awardee SolarBridge Technologies, a microinverter company. SolarBridge Technologies was funded under SunShot’s Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems – Advanced Concepts (SEGIS-AC) program to develop and commercialize an innovative alternating-current photovoltaic (ACPV) module technology that enables easy installation, enhances safety, and substantially reduces the balance of system (BOS) costs in residential and commercial PV systems. Utilizing a “Universal PV-dock” concept, the ACPV module consists of a PV module with integrated microinverter that eliminates the need for the traditional junction box. The microinverter design is demonstrated to meet the highest reliability (<0.2% annual failure rate), efficiency (>97%), and power density (>9W/in2) target metrics for its kind. The technology is developed as part of SunShot Systems Integration subprogram, aimed at enabling technologies for reducing costs and increasing the penetration of solar onto the nation’s electricity grid. Concept Papers Due Dec. 16: PV Storage Funding Opportunity SunShot has announced $15 million in funding to help integrate distributed, on-site solar energy systems into the nation’s electrical grid. The Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar PV (SHINES) funding opportunity is specifically aimed at supporting projects that enable low-cost, flexible and reliable solutions that successfully integrate solar PV power plants and energy storage. The funding opportunity will tackle the challenge of creating cost-effective and reliable distributed PV and energy storage solutions to help overcome the challenges associated with increased amounts of renewables. Eligible projects include solutions that will help revolutionize distributed PV and energy storage through advanced operation in conjunction with smart loads and demand response, incorporation of solar and load forecasting, innovative uses of smart components and functionalities, and easily interoperable hardware, software and firmware technologies. Learn more about the SHINES funding opportunity, eligible projects and submit your concept papers by Tuesday, Dec. 16. 
| Work in Solar? 2014 Jobs Census Underway
The survey of solar employers that will inform The Solar Foundation’s forthcoming National Solar Jobs Census 2014 is now open. Take the census survey now and share it with your solar industry colleagues. Webinar: O&M Best Practices for Small-Scale PV Systems
Dec. 5 | 1:30-3:00 p.m.ET The U.S. DOE Federal Energy Management Program will host a webinar on operations and maintenance (O&M) best practices for photovoltaic (PV) systems of 100 kW or less, including planning for a PV O&M scope of work and maintenance procedures to keep the system operating at optimal capacity. Learn more and register. SunShot in the News |
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