US Energy Department opens purse for solar R&D

[CMOP + 227]

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has earmarked $105.5m to support around 70 PV and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects, in another sign the Trump administration is warming to renewables’ economic argument.

The funds, being administered by the DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office , will also be used to advance grid-integration technologies and “efforts that prepare the [US] workforce for the solar industry’s future needs”.

Some $46m will go to up to 14 advanced solar systems integration technologies, while $24m has been set aside for 21 CSP R&D projects. Another $27m will be awarded to 28 projects in the area of PV R&D, and $8.5m to four schemes that would “improve and expand” the solar industry through workforce initatives.