Stimulus Gives Solar a Big Boost

The solar industry is getting bigger, better, and brighter. On Feb. 17, 2009, 

President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 

cementing his support of solar and other renewable energy sources. 

Billions of dollars will be invested in funding, tax incentives, loans, and grants 

to increase the use of solar energy, support energy efficiency, remove market 

barriers, and cultivate green jobs. The law promotes: 

•	 Training programs for green jobs

•	 Solar and energy efficiency improvements for federal buildings and schools

•	 Smart grid enhancements

•	 Expanded research and development programs for renewable energy and 

energy efficiency

•	 Solar grant alternatives to the investment tax credit

•	 Incentives for solar manufacturers

•	 Incentives for solar water heating.

Of the $16.8 billion allocated to the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, the Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) expects to 

receive a significant share to further grow and support the solar industry. 

Visit www.eere.energy.gov for updates on the stimulus bill.

U.S. Department of Energy • Solar Energy Technologies Program

MARCH 2009

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER

Stimulus Gives Solar a Big Boost ........................ 1

Key Activities

Industry to Assess DOE Solar Program ................... 2

Solar Cities Plan Annual Meeting in March.............. 2

Training a Better Solar Workforce.......................... 2

New Pre-Incubator Funds Move 

PV Concepts to Prototypes ................................. 2

Three Awardees Show Diversity of Solar Showcases.. 3

Progress in Identifying Lands for Renewable Energy .. 3

Workshop Participants Analyze Impact of PV on Grid .. 4

Experts Address Need for Consistent 

Data on PV Systems ....................................... 4

Workshop Focuses on Solar 

for Asian-Pacific Countries................................ 4

PV Training in California ................................... 5

Reliability Workshop Held in China—a PV Hotbed ..... 5

International Conference Tackles Grid Integration...... 6

Market Transformation Team 

Seeks International Alliances ............................. 6

Wrap Up of Solar Power Conference Activities ......... 6

Solar ABCs Holds First Stakeholder Meeting............ 7

Solar America Cities Kick Off 

Events Across the Nation ................................. 7

Industry Update

Extension of ITC a Major Victory for Advancing Solar.... 8

SolarPACES Meeting Highlights CSP Activities ............ 8

Clean Energy Group Conducts National RPS Summit ... 9

New Organic PV Manufacturing Facility Unveiled ...... 9

DOE Solar Program & Partner Publications ......... 9-10

DOE Solar Program Funding Opportunities ....... 11-12

Solar Events Calendar....................................13

National Lab Technology Developments...... throughout
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SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

Key Activities within the DOE Solar Program

Industry to Assess DOE Solar Program

Every two years, solar experts weigh in on SETP activities, efforts that are lacking 

or should be enhanced, and the program’s future direction. The SETP Annual 

Meeting and Peer Review will be held March 9–11, 2009, in Denver, Colorado. 

Peer reviewers have already been selected, but after the meeting, visit 

www.solar.energy.gov/review_meeting to view the presentations.

Solar Cities Plan Annual Meeting in March

Mayors, city solar coordinators, and technical experts will meet March 30–April 

2, 2009, for the 2nd Solar America Cities Annual Meeting. More than 100 

participants from the 25 participating cities are expected to share best practices, 

discuss lessons learned, and network. San Antonio, Texas, a Solar America City, 

will host the meeting. 

Training a Better Solar Workforce

SETP is working to ensure the U.S. solar workforce is ready to meet the needs 

of a clean energy future. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will 

provide the program with funds to launch a new workforce development 

solicitation in 2009. The goal will be to create solar energy educational centers 

and training programs.

These new activities, slated for the coming months, will provide high-quality 

solar education throughout the United States. A well-trained solar work force is 

critical for a strong U.S. solar industry.

These workforce development activities complement the Obama administration’s 

focus on building a renewable energy infrastructure and creating millions 

of green jobs. Such efforts will help our nation harvest its renewable energy 

resources, reduce pollution, and conserve energy and natural resources.

New Pre-Incubator Funds Move PV Concepts to Prototypes

Up to $500,000 is available to small companies for turning their module-related 

technologies into prototypes. The Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Pre-Incubator 

solicitation, released on Jan. 27, 2009, is open to U.S. small businesses or teams 

led by a U.S. small business. The technologies should be innovative and capable 

of commercialization by 2015.

This financial opportunity is administered by DOE’s National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory (NREL). 

Before the opportunity closes on March 10, 2009, visit 

www.nrel.gov/business_opportunities/solicitations_rfps.html. 

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

SNL and SES Win Breakthrough Award 

Chuck Andraka, engineer at Sandia National 

Laboratories (SNL), and Bruce Osborn, chief 

operating officer of Stirling Energy Systems 

(SES), received a Popular Mechanics magazine 

“Breakthrough Innovator Award” in October. 

The Breakthrough Awards celebrate both the 

innovations poised to change the world, as well 

as the personalities behind the innovations. 

The award recognizes a solar-to-grid system 

conversion efficiency record set by an SES dish 

in January 2008 at SNL’s National Solar Thermal 

Test Facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 

previous 1984 record of 29.4% was toppled 

by a new record of 31.25% net-efficiency. The 

conversion efficiency is calculated by measuring 

the net energy delivered to the grid and dividing it 

by the solar energy incident on the dish mirrors.

MOU with Chinese Academy of Sciences

In November, NREL and the Institute of 

Electrical Engineering at the Chinese Academy 

of Sciences (IEE CAS) signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding (MOU). The MOU formalized 

interactions with the NREL PV Cell and Module 

Performance Characterization group. The IEE 

CAS goal is to become an ISO 17025 accredited 

calibration facility, which will allow it to become 

part of the world terrestrial PV primary calibration 

community that includes NREL, AIST in Japan, 

PTB in Germany, and the European Solar Test 

Installation in Ispra, Italy.
P. 3

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

Three Awardees Show Diversity of Solar Showcases

Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are the 

locations of the most recent Solar America Showcases. Each showcase is a 

large-scale, high-visibility solar installation that can accelerate demand for solar 

technologies. All showcases receive free technical assistance from SETP solar 

experts. The newest awardees, announced Jan. 16, 2009, are: 

•	 The Hartman Company: A 115-kilowatt (kW) PV installation at the Hyatt 

Regency Resort in Scottsdale. This showcase is part of a master plan to 

replicate solar energy technologies at other Hyatt facilities. 

•	 Philadelphia Water Department: A PV installation that powers drinking-water 

treatment facilities and provides up to 7.6 megawatts (MW) of new capacity.

•	 Southwest Solar Technologies, Inc: A solar test and demonstration 

installation that provides 1 MW of combined solar and storage energy at 

the Riverpoint Solar Research Park in Phoenix.

The Solar America Showcase opportunity closes and reopens each quarter of 2009 for 

re-review of applications. Applications received before the end of each quarter (March 31, 

June 30, September 30, and December 31) will be reviewed during the following quarter. 

Progress in Identifying Lands for Renewable Energy

Three initiatives are expected to resolve generation and transmission issues 

faced at the state, regional, and national levels. Each initiative is objective and 

transparent and is being shaped by public input. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and DOE are collaborating on a Solar 

Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). The PEIS will identify 

the impacts of and develop better management strategies for utility-scale solar 

development on the public lands of six states (Arizona, California, Colorado, 

New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah). The BLM and DOE expect to complete a draft 

PEIS in spring 2009 and make it available for public comment. 

See details at http://solareis.anl.gov. 

The Western Renewable Energy Zone (WREZ) Initiative involves working groups 

that are identifying high-resource areas and lands to exclude from energy-zone 

development. The assessment will be presented to the Western Governors’ 

Association for approval in June 2009, concluding Phase One of the process. 

Subsequent phases will develop a modeling tool and a high-level transmission 

plan coordinated through the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. 

More information is available at www.westgov.org/wga/initiatives/wrez. 

The Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI) is a collaboration between 

public and private entities in California. The objective is to provide information 

to policymakers and stakeholders on the transmission requirements to access 

cost-effective, environmentally sensitive renewable energy resources. Phase One 

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

Alliance Becomes New 

Management Contractor of NREL

DOE selected the Alliance for Sustainable 

Energy, LLC (the Alliance) as the next 

management contractor of the National 

Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). 

Midwest Research Institute (MRI) and Battelle 

formed the Alliance, in a partnership that will 

enhance NREL’s leadership and accelerate the 

achievement of national energy goals. 

The Alliance’s primary mission is to support 

DOE in developing and deploying innovative, 

high-impact renewable energy technologies. 

Its vision for the future of NREL includes:

•	 Driving Market-Relevant Technology 

Innovations: Strengthening NREL’s 

scientific, technical, and analytical 

foundation by recruiting and retaining 

leading talent and by effectively partnering 

with premier research centers.

•	 Accelerating Commercialization and 

Deployment: Implementing new business 

strategies and partnership arrangements 

and rapidly moving revolutionary 

innovations from concept to consumer.

•	 Leading Insightful Analysis: Serving 

as the definitive source of objective, 

independent, quality analysis, providing 

the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy (EERE) with technical, 

economic, and policy insights to help direct 

and refine EERE’s Research, Development, 

Demonstration, and Deployment program.
P. 4

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

of the initiative identified and ranked zones in California and nearby states 

that can provide and competitively deliver renewable energy. Phase Two, which 

includes developing conceptual transmission plans and refining previous work, 

is under way. 

Additional information is available at www.energy.ca.gov/reti.

Workshop Participants Analyze Impact of PV on Grid

Understanding how large amounts of PV impact the grid is critical to making 

solar energy a viable source of electricity. SETP brought together industry and 

research experts at a workshop, Feb. 24–25, 2009, in Ontario, California, to 

identify issues related to grid integration.

Workshop participants also determined activities for high priority research, 

development, and demonstration activities in the near term, mid-term, and long 

term. Participants also quantified performance requirements for these highpriority projects.

Experts Address Need for Consistent Data on PV Systems 

Solar experts, laboratory researchers, and SETP staff came together Feb. 25–26, 

2009, in Ontario, California, to tackle the need for consistent performance 

data on PV systems, both in the lab and the field. The meeting followed SETP’s 

information-gathering efforts, which began last fall through a Request for 

Information (RFI), titled PV Community Project. 

The objective is to make performance data and analysis available to industry 

to improve PV system and module lifetime, while protecting the identity of 

individual manufacturers and products.

The meeting was held to define and prioritize data parameters, installation sites, 

and systems and components that will be included in the overall design of the PV 

Community Project.

Workshop Focuses on Solar for Asian-Pacific Countries 

The Renewable Energy 

Grid Integration Systems 

workshop brought together 

stakeholders to identify the 

extent to which renewables 

can be integrated into 

power grids, particularly 

in Asia-Pacific Economic 

Cooperation (APEC) 

countries. DOE and APEC 

hosted the workshop, which 

was held in Hawaii on Jan. 

12–15, 2009.

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

NREL Hosts Solar 

Resource Workshop

In October, NREL hosted a Solar Resource 

Workshop to present the state of the art in 

resource modeling to CSP developers and 

other stakeholders. Accurate assessment 

of solar irradiance is essential for siting 

solar power plants. Rapid data collection 

and analysis are key to calculating and 

forecasting system performance quickly.

More than 60 stakeholders attended. 

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, 

with the following items noted as priorities:

• Produce documents such as a handbook 

and collection of best practices to help 

the industry and establish accepted 

evaluation protocols that can be used 

with financial sources.

• Establish a Web-based publications 

clearinghouse for easy access to CSPrelevant solar resource documents.

• Continue plans to expand the ground 

data network via the SOLRMAP project.

• Continue development of the Solar 

Power Prospector as a user-friendly 

solar resource tool.

• Improve satellite-based resource 

modeling and forecasting tools.

NREL is assessing how to best integrate 

these goals into the current budget and R&D 

plan. Presentations from the workshop are 

available at http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/pubs/

RAWorkshopList.html.

Systems Integration Team Lead Dan Ton (front center) at the 

Renewable Energy Grid Integration Systems Workshop in 

Hawaii with participants from China, Japan, New Zealand, 

Spain, Taiwan, and the United States. 
P. 5

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

Dan Ton, SETP Systems Integration team lead, delivered a plenary presentation 

on DOE’s activities in this area. 

Workshop participants visited projects that are helping the State of Hawaii reach 

its goal of meeting 70% of all its energy needs (electricity and transportation) 

from renewables by 2030. 

To find more information on the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, visit 

www.eere-pmc.energy.gov/Hawaii.aspx. 

PV Training in California

Dozens of educators and administrators took advantage of a 2-day PV training 

program that was offered in California, in the fall of 2008 and January 2009. 

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) held the trainings, which were 

funded by SETP, in the northern and southern parts of the state. 

Topics included task analyses, model programs, resources, and credentialing by 

the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. 

New sessions of these and other IREC courses are listed at www.irecusa.org. 

Reliability Workshop Held in China—a PV Hotbed 

China produces nearly one quarter of all PV modules in the world. Because of 

this, SETP organized an international workshop with local officials in Shanghai, 

China, Dec. 4–5, 2008, that focused on PV quality assurance, reliability, and 

testing practices.

Nearly 300 leading international scientists and industry and government professionals 

met at the International PV Reliability Workshop. Presentation and panel discussion 

topics included cells, materials, encapsulation, modules, systems, and buildingintegrated PV. SETP Program Manager John Lushetsky chaired the workshop 

and stressed the critical importance of PV reliability to total industry growth. 

A follow-up workshop on PV reliability, codes and standards, and market 

acceptance, is tentatively scheduled for June 3-5, 2009, in Tempe, Arizona. 

Details are available at www.nrel.gov/pv/ipr_workshop_08.html. 

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

IEC Working Group Prepares 

New Proposals

The solar industry needs common methods to 

characterize concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) 

modules, systems, and trackers. To address 

this need, the International Electrotechnical 

Commission (IEC) Working Group 7 held a meeting 

in November in California, following the 5th

International Conference for Solar Concentrators. 

The meeting explored the purposes of two new 

standards for power and energy rating. 

Writing each of these standards is complicated 

by the diversity of the products being developed 

today and the subtleties of different approaches 

to defining the metrics. A simple PV standard 

is needed for something comparable to a 

miles–per-gallon (MPG) rating, but the industry 

also needs a more complex model validation; 

banks want confident predictions of electricity 

generation over the life of a PV system. Meeting 

participants determined that one purpose of 

the power rating standard was laying the basis 

for the energy rating standard, mimicking the 

approach being taken for flat-plate modules 

under IEC 61853. A standard for defining 

tracker specifications was also discussed. 

These standards will be submitted as formal 

proposals to the IEC.

NREL Gets Special Recognition 

at R&D 100 Awards

NREL’s two R&D 100 award-winning 

technologies received an additional honor as the 

“most revolutionary technologies of the year” by 

R&D Magazine. This honor, given to the “Hybrid 

CIGS” and “IMM Solar Cell” technologies, was 

announced at the annual R&D 100 Awards 

ceremony in Chicago on October 16. Only four 

Editor’s Choice Awards were given for the year, 

so the fact that NREL garnered half of them was 

an impressive showing.

The hybrid CIGS technology is a fast, 

low-cost process for making high-quality 

copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) 

photovoltaics. The research team was led by 

Dr. David Ginley. The Inverted Metamorphic 

Multijunction (IMM) solar cell technology is a 

new class of solar cells with a breakthrough 

design that yields ultra-light weight, highflexibility, and world-record efficiencies. The 

research team was led by Dr. Mark Wanlass.

Solar Program Manager John Lushetsky (center) with members of the US-China delegation at the 

International PV Reliability Workshop, sponsored by the Asian Pacific Partnership.
P. 6

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

International Conference Tackles Grid Integration 

Grid integration issues were the hot topics at the Third International Conference 

on Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources. Held December 

10–12, 2008, in Nice, France, the conference brought together scientists, utility 

operators, manufacturers, regulators, and policymakers to discuss the technical, 

market, and regulatory issues to prepare for massive distributed energy resources 

(DER) integration into power grids. SETP Systems Integration Team Lead 

Dan Ton presented a poster paper, titled Renewable Energy Grid Integration – 

Distributed Photovoltaic Studies. 

Ton and personnel from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 

also visited the National Solar Institute of France to discuss potential areas 

of collaboration. This 2-year-old institute consolidates all of France’s publicly 

funded solar research in one location. Potential partnership areas include module 

performance testing and characterization, PV and energy-storage integration, 

and PV grid integration.

Market Transformation Team Seeks International Alliances 

SETP is considering ways to collaborate with the international community on 

market transformation activities, including work on solar codes and standards.

On Dec. 3, 2008, solar market experts met at the International Energy Agency’s 

PV Roadmap Workshop in Paris, France. The group evaluated the potential role 

of PV through 2050, identified milestones for reaching that goal, and determined 

policy measures needed to overcome existing barriers. Meeting results will be 

available in early 2009. Tom Kimbis and Kevin Lynn represented the SETP 

Market Transformation team.

Wrap Up of Solar Power Conference Activities

At the Solar Power International (SPI) 

conference held Oct. 13–16, 2008, 

SETP staff informed hundreds of 

solar professionals about its activities 

aimed at making solar electricity 

become cost competitive by 2015. The 

panel session, entitled Solar America 

Initiative – Entering a New Phase, 

conveyed the perspective of each of 

the four SETP subprograms: PV, 

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), 

Systems Integration, and Market 

Transformation. SETP was 

also a Kilowatt sponsor of SPI. 

Visit http://blogs.renewableenergyworld.com/solarpower/video/ to view the video 

from the conference.

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

New SAM Version Available 

NREL, in conjunction with SNL and in 

partnership with SETP, released version 

2.5 of the Solar Advisor Model (SAM) in 

December 2008. This new version of SAM 

incorporates a variety of large and small 

upgrades and several key enhancements. 

Anyone currently using SAM is encouraged 

to upgrade to this new version.

The software allows users to investigate 

the impact of variations in physical, cost, 

and financial parameters to better 

understand their impact on key figures of 

merit. Figures of merit related to the cost 

and performance of these systems include—

but are not limited to—system output, peak 

and annual system efficiency, levelized cost 

of electricity, system capital and operating 

and maintenance costs, and hourly 

system production.

The key enhancements to SAM are:

• Addition of the Parabolic Dish-Stirling 

Engine CSP model

• Updated California Energy Commission and 

Sandia PV Module and Inverter Databases

• Addition of time-of-use utility rates

• Automated optimization of the power 

purchase agreement price escalation rate 

and the load fraction for projects with 

Independent Power Producer (IPP) and 

Utility financing

• Availability of user documentation as both 

context-sensitive Help and as a PDF file.

Download the version at www.nrel.gov/

analysis/sam/download.html.

Also, join the SAM Google group at http://

groups.google.com/group/sam-user-group/ 

to share SAM project files (and compressed 

SCIF files) with other users. Members can 

communicate about issues, bugs, or 

helpful hints.

“The Solar Power International 

conference and expo is by far 

the biggest and best in the 

United States. It’s a showcase 

for this industry whose time has 

really come. And the prospects 

for solar energy have never 

been brighter.”

California Governor 

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 

keynote speaker
P. 7

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

Solar ABCs Holds First Stakeholder Meeting 

The first annual stakeholder meeting of the Solar America Board for Codes 

and Standards (Solar ABCs) was held following the SPI conference. Attendees 

discussed safety issues, interconnection, and the National Electrical Code, and 

provided input into future directions. 

Three technical reports were released, available at www.solarabcs.org. 

Solar America Cities Kick Off Events Across the Nation

DOE’s Solar America Cities partners are working to accelerate the adoption of 

solar energy at the local level. With the help of their mayors, several cities kicked 

off and showcased their efforts with successful public and media events during 

the past few months. Their local activities and accomplishments include: 

•	 Madison, Wisconsin: Mayor 

Dave Cieslewicz helped dedicate a new PV installation on a 

public library. 

•	 Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Mayor 

Tom Barrett kicked off the 

city’s designation as a SAC at 

the Milwaukee Solar Decade 

Conference, where SETP team 

members also presented.

•	 Knoxville, Tennessee: Mayor 

Bill Haslam, the Tennessee 

Valley Authority, and several 

other partners discussed the 

possibility of installing PV on 

DOE’s Office of Scientific and 

Technical Information facility 

in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which 

is undergoing reroofing.

•	 New Orleans, Louisiana: The 

city celebrated the opening of 

the Alliance for Affordable 

Energy’s BuildSmart Learning 

Center and the city’s Solar 

America City designation. The 

BuildSmart Learning Center 

is a model New Orleans home 

that showcases techniques for 

energy efficiency, residential 

solar power, and eco-friendly 

construction.

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

Rapid Mirror Characterization 

Developed for Production Monitoring

SNL researchers have developed a rapid 

mirror characterization system to detect 

manufacturing quality and errors on dish 

mirror facets. The system completes a 

detailed test of a facet in less than 10 

seconds, which is suitable for 100% 

inspection of facets in production.

The facet characterization tool is based 

on Fringe Reflection Deflectometry, a 

methodology used for inspection in the 

automotive industry. Like the Video Scanning 

Hartmann Optical Test (VSHOT), this new 

tool reports the quality of the mirror in terms 

of slope error and focal length, and can 

plot the results. The system is customized 

to parabolic dish facets. Slight extensions 

to the methodology will make it useful 

for characterizing heliostat and trough 

facets. An extension of this technology is 

being developed for rapid, automated dish 

alignment for large field installations.

New Pre-Production Prototype 

Dishes Installed at SNL

Four next-generation foundation/pedestal 

units from Stirling Energy Systems, Inc. 

(SES) are being installed at SNL. Each unit 

is a prototype single-piece, no-concrete 

installation, designed for rapid deployment. 

SES is funding the installation, but colocation on SNL property allows support 

from SNL dish/engine experts. SES will next 

install the electrical system using techniques 

developed for the large plants. The 

commercialized dish will be installed early 

in 2009 and fitted with new pre-production 

Stirling engines, fabricated by SES’s 

partner Linamar.

SES is using its proprietary solar dish Stirling 

technology to develop two of the world’s 

largest solar generating projects in southern 

California, which combined will initially 

produce 800 MW of power and up to 1,750 MW.

Market Transformation Team Lead Tom Kimbis 

(left) with members of the New Orleans Solar 

America City team at the dedication of the new 

Buildsmart Learning Center.

Tom Kimbis (right) presented Pittsburgh Mayor 

Luke Ravenstahl (2nd from left) and Pittsburgh 

team lead Jim Sloss (left) with the city’s official 

Solar America City road sign on January 26. 

The Knoxville Solar America City team poses in 

front of its new road signs. 
P. 8

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

•	 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The SAC kick-off meeting was well attended by 

local stakeholders. The following day, Mayor Michael Nutter held a media 

event to announce the completion of a large solar thermal system at the 

Riverside Correctional Facility, which will ultimately save the city $1 million.

•	 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The city sponsored a solar training workshop that 

covered solar hot water systems, PV systems, permitting, working with the 

utility, and workforce development. Opening remarks were given by Mayor 

Luke Ravenstahl and State Senator Jim Ferlo.

Industry Update

Extension of ITC a Major Victory for Advancing Solar 

The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was extended 8 years, through 2016, as 

part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. The act was signed 

into law on Oct. 3, 2008. The ITC provides a tax credit equal to 30% of the 

system cost of residential and nonresidential solar electricity installations. 

Both PV and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies are eligible for the 

ITC. The 8-year extension period was crucial for CSP because such projects 

require several years to be completed.

The ITC was extended not only in its duration but also in its application. First, 

Congress removed the restriction preventing regulated utilities from using 

the ITC. Second, the ITC cap of $2,000 for residential solar installations was 

eliminated. Removing the cap tripled the available tax credit for a typical 3-kW 

residential system with an installed cost exceeding $20,000. Finally, the extension 

allowed the ITC to be applied against the Alternative Minimum Tax, which had 

not previously been possible.

SolarPACES Meeting Highlights CSP Activities

In November, CSP developments around the world were highlighted at the 75th 

Executive Committee Meeting of the International Energy Agency’s SolarPACES 

in Almeria, Spain. SolarPACES is a cooperative of the International Energy 

Agency, focusing on the development and marketing of CSP systems. A snapshot 

of worldwide CSP highlights includes: 

•	 Algeria: Three projects are part of natural-gas power plants—two are 

400-MW power plants with 70 MW each generated from CSP and one 

is a 150-MW plant with 25 MW generated from CSP. Algeria plans to 

export power to Europe through high-voltage direct-current lines under the 

Mediterranean.

•	 France: The country established a 0.30 euro/kWh feed-in tariff for CSP in 

2006 with a limit of 12 MW and capacity of 1,500 hours per year. 

•	 Mediterranean Countries: The Mediterranean Solar Plan has a goal to 

generate 20 GW of CSP in North Africa that will be transmitted to Europe.

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

Thin-Film Module Sets 

World Record 

NREL has verified a 12.5% aperture-area 

conversion efficiency for a thin-film CdTe 

power module fabricated by First Solar. The 

company produced four thin-film cadmium 

telluride (CdTe) modules in the efficiency 

range of 12.0% to 12.5% by improving 

processing and module design. The present 

manufacturing efficiency is 10.6%, with a 

target manufacturing efficiency of 12.0% by 

2012. The manufacturing cost of First Solar’s 

thin-film CdTe power modules is reported 

at $1.14 per watt, which is the lowest 

cost in the industry for any PV technology 

worldwide. The target for First Solar’s 

manufacturing cost is $0.92 per watt by 

December 2009.

German MOU Signed

In November, NREL signed a memorandum 

of understanding (MOU) with DLR, the 

German Aerospace Centre. DLR plays a 

leading role in international energy research 

and analysis and is actively involved in CSP 

research and development. Under this MOU, 

the two institutions will strengthen their 

collaboration on CSP testing and standards, 

CSP storage, and energy systems analysis. 

Next steps for joint work in each area 

include a plan for a February workshop at 

NREL on CSP testing and standards. CSP 

storage researchers were invited to visit DLR 

in April or May, and a joint NREL/DLR energy 

analysis workshop was proposed for later 

in 2009.
P. 9

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

•	 Spain: Two projects are planned. 

•	 700 MW of CSP projects are under construction. They include mostly 

troughs, but also tower and Fresnel systems. Some 1.2 GW of CSP will 

be installed by the end of 2010 and another 2 GW will be installed by the 

end of 2011.

•	 Officials are commissioning the first large-scale commercial CSP plants in the 

world to incorporate thermal storage. Andasol 1 and 2 trough plants are each 

50 MW with 7 hours of thermal storage. Andasol 1 is grid-tied and being 

commissioned. Andasol 2 is expected to begin operation in March 2009.

Clean Energy Group Conducts National RPS Summit

On Nov. 6 and 7, 2008, the Clean Energy Group (CEG) held its national 

summit on Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) in Chicago. About 75 people 

attended the summit, including state RPS program administrators, public utility 

commissioners, and clean-energy policy experts and advocates from around the 

country. The summit was a culmination of CEG’s first year of working with 

states on RPS practices and policies. CEG is funded by DOE and the Energy 

Foundation to facilitate a multi-state, multi-stakeholder collaborative and to 

provide a forum to explore interstate and state and federal cooperation, build 

bigger renewable energy markets, and foster strategies to ensure RPS success. 

Sarah Truitt, Market Transformation team member, represented SETP.

New Organic PV Manufacturing Facility Unveiled

On Oct. 7, 2008, Konarka Technologies opened its 250,000-square-foot 

manufacturing facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Program Manager John 

Lushetsky attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for this thin-film organic PV 

plant, which has a 1-GW nameplate capacity and will produce the company’s 

patented Power Plastic® material. Konarka is one of SETP’s Technology 

Pathway Partners. This project aims to develop PV components and system 

designs for production in order to deliver solar energy at grid parity by 2015.

DOE Solar Program and Partner Publications

A Historical Analysis of Investment in Solar Energy Technologies (2000 – 2007)

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), December 2008 

This paper examines investment in solar energy technologies. Investment trends are 

analyzed by technology, region of the world, and source of investment.

www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/43602.pdf

Own Your Power! A Consumer Guide to Solar Electricity for the Home

NREL, January 2009 

This consumer guide provides an overview of solar technology basics as well as cost and 

incentives information.

www.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/43844.pdf

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

SNL and NREL Experts Among 

the Most Cited in the World 

SNL and NREL experts have seen a 

significant increase in global recognition 

for their work, and a recent analysis in 

Science Watch has the stats to prove it. The 

November/December featured analysis from 

Science Watch, “Energy Gauge: Who Exactly 

is in Power?,” looked at roughly 100,000 

articles in Thomson-indexed journals in the 

field of energy and fuels, published during 

the past decade, to identify the most-cited 

institutions, authors, and journals. SNL and 

NREL were repeatedly found near the top 

of the list.

SNL and NREL ranked first and second, 

respectively, among all institutions in total 

number of citations. As for citation impact, 

NREL and SNL ranked third and seventh, 

respectively. Overall, the most cited paper 

in this survey, from 1999, reports the 

achievement of 18.8% conversion efficiency 

in a thin-film solar cell at NREL. The 

Science Watch story is available at http://

sciencewatch.com/ana/fea/08novdecFea/.

ORNL Dedicates New Solar Array

On January 22, Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory (ORNL) dedicated its new 50-

kW solar PV array, the second largest in 

Tennessee. The energy produced by the 

system is expected to offset nearly half of the 

electricity used in a nearby research facility. 

The installation is part of ORNL’s Sustainable 

Campus Initiative, headed by Melissa Lapsa 

at ORNL.
P. 10

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

A Homebuilder’s Guide to Going Solar

NREL, January 2009

This guide helps builders assess the benefits of installing solar equipment or making 

houses “solar ready” to both their businesses and customers. Builders will find information 

on the basics of solar technology, selling points for builders and realtors, a ballpark-cost 

estimator, and highlights of success stories from other builders who have integrated solar 

into their building plans.

www.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/44792.pdf 

Utility Solar Tax Manual

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), January 2009

This new report provides clarity on solar tax credit changes for the utility and solar industries. 

The manual also sheds light on the implications of these changes on new business models for 

both industries and their customers. The full report may be downloaded for free by SEPA 

members and purchased for $2,495 by nonmembers.

www.solarelectricpower.org

Utility Procurement Study: Solar Electricity in the Utility Market

SEPA, January 2009

This is the first in a series of SEPA research reports to be released in 2009. The report, 

which is aimed at improving large scale solar acquisition by electric utilities, provides 

innovative ideas for future project procurement.

www.solarelectricpower.org/docs/Procurement%20Report%20FINAL%20-%2012-16-08.pdf 

Financing Non-Residential Photovoltaic Projects: Options and Implications

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, January 2009

The purpose of this report is threefold: (1) to survey recent trends in the financing of 

non-residential PV projects in the United States, (2) to describe and compare the financing 

options available to both taxable and tax-exempt non-residential site hosts interested in 

PV, and (3) to analyze the impact of these various financing options on the cost of solar 

power.

http://eetd.lbl.gov/EA/EMP/reports/lbnl-1410e.pdf

State Clean Energy Fund Support for Renewable Energy Projects: 

Key Findings from the CESA National Database

Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA), January 2009

This 4-page summary presents an overview of the findings from the Clean Energy States 

Alliance (CESA) National Database.

www.cleanenergystates.org/Publications/cesa-database_summary_v8.pdf

NATIONAL LABORATORY 

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

Obama Environmental 

Advisor Visits NREL 

Dan Kammen came to NREL with a specific 

interest in CSP on Nov. 17, 2008. Kammen 

is senior environmental policy advisor to 

President Barack Obama, professor at the 

University of California Berkeley, and founding 

director of the Renewable and Appropriate 

Energy Laboratory.

He observed the lab’s work with SkyFuel’s 

parabolic trough collector SkyTrough, using 

the VSHOT laser ray-trace system. SkyTrough 

uses ReflecTech® mirror film, instead of 

glass mirrors. VSHOT is a laser ray-trace 

system designed to characterize the optical 

surfaces of solar concentrators and can 

be used to analyze both linear-focus and 

point-focus systems. SkyFuel has requested 

VSHOT analysis several times during the 

development of SkyTrough. 
P. 11

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

Summary of DOE Solar Program Funding Opportunities

Pipeline of Program Activities

The Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) is engaged with a range of stakeholders and activities along the solar pipeline. 

From Materials and Device Concepts to key Market Transformation efforts, SETP is supporting the development of innovative 

projects to accelerate the growth of the U.S. solar industry.

The winners of the PV Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies opportunity will be announced during the summer of 

2009. To view all past opportunities, visit www.solar.energy.gov/past_opportunities.html.

Figure 1. Summary of DOE Solar Program Funding Opportunities

FOA or Solicitation CLOSING 

DATE

FUNDING 

AMOUNT DESCRIPTION STATUS

Solar America Showcases March 31, 

June 30, 

September 

30, and 

December 

31, 2009

Technical 

assistance 

only

A Notice of Technical Assistance (NOTA) 

for another round of Solar America 

Showcases has been released. To 

receive technical assistance for a Solar 

America Showcase, the project must be 

a large-scale (>250 kW), high-visibility 

solar installation that uses a novel solar 

technology and/or a novel application for 

a solar technology, and has replicable 

components.

NOTA released: January 28, 

2009. Reopens every quarter. 

www.eere.energy.gov/solar/

current_opportunities.html

PV Technology 

Pre-Incubator

March 10, 

2009

Up to 

$500,000 per 

12-month 

award

The National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory (NREL) has issued a 

Solicitation for Letters of Interest 

(LOIs) to U.S. Small Businesses for the 

development of prototype photovoltaic 

(PV) cells and modules. This PV 

Technology Pre-Incubator project is 

positioned to bridge the gap between the 

concept verification stage of a technology 

and the development of a commercially 

viable prototype. This enhanced progress 

is achieved by taking demonstrated 

innovative technologies, with the potential 

for a disruptive improvement in solar 

energy production, and accelerating the 

transition to the prototype stage. The 

expected 12 month objective and result 

is a demonstrated PV cell or module 

prototype that incorporates the core 

innovations, meets the proposed level of 

performance, and is capable of meeting 

the entrance criteria and goals of the 

related SAI PV Incubator project. 

LOI released: January 27, 2008 

Net Conference: February 10, 

2009, 9:30 A.M. Mountain Time. 

The Solicitation is available to view/

download from NREL's website at 

www.nrel.gov/business_opportunities/

solicitations_rfps.html 

OPEN PROPOSED

Continued on following page
P. 12

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

FOA or Solicitation CLOSING 

DATE

Funding

amount Description STATUS

Minority University 

Research Associates

FY 2009 TBD by 

appropriations

DOE plans to provide support to attract 

and encourage qualified science, 

engineering, and business minority 

undergraduate and graduate students to 

pursue advanced degrees and careers 

in science and technology by providing 

scientific and technical R&D opportunties 

in solar energy technologies. Will solicit 

applications from accredited universities 

and colleges defined as Minority Serving 

Institutions.

LOI expected to be released in 

March/April 2009.

PV Technology Incubator – 

Round 3

FY 2009 TBD by 

appropriations

Projects focused on solving technical 

challenges that must be overcome 

to scale-up manufacturing and 

commercialize new products by 2010-

2011 and shortening the timeline for 

companies to transition pre-commercial 

PV technologies into full-scale 

manufacturing. PV Incubator is led by the 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

LOI expected to be released in 

March 2009.

Education, Training, 

and Certification

FY 2009 TBD by 

appropriations

SETP will release a new FOA this year 

for education, training, and certification. 

The goal will be to create solar energy 

educational centers and training programs.

FOA expected to be released 

March 2009.

Summary of DOE Solar Program Funding Opportunities, Continued OPEN PROPOSED
P. 13

SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009

SOLAR EVENTS CALENDAR

Solar America Cities 2nd Annual Meeting

March 30–April 2, 2009

San Antonio, TX

National League of Cities Green Cities 

Conference and Expo

April 18–22, 2009

Portland, OR

www.nlcgreencitiesconferenceandexpo.org

Nanotech Conference & Expo 2009

May 3–7, 2009

Houston, Texas

www.nsti.org/Nanotech2009/ 

Solar 2009

May 12–16, 2009

Buffalo, NY

www.ases.org

34th IEEE Photovoltaic 

Specialists Conference

June 7–12, 2009

Philadelphia, PA

www.34pvsc.org

PV America

June 8–10, 2009

Philadelphia, PA

http://events.jspargo.com/seia09/

public/enter.aspx

2009 Solar Decathlon

October 9–18, 2009

Washington, District of Columbia

www.solardecathlon.org

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

This DOE Solar Energy Technologies 

Program Newsletter is for you—the 

participants and stakeholders in the DOE 

Solar Program and the Solar America 

Initiative. We envision sending this 

newsletter at least every quarter. If you 

have any comments or suggestions about 

the newsletter, e-mail solar@ee.doe.gov.

A Strong Energy Portfolio 

for a Strong America

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable 

energy will mean a stronger economy, 

a cleaner environment, and greater 

energy independence for America. 

Working with a wide array of state, 

community, industry, and university 

partners, the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy invests in a diverse 

portfolio of energy technologies.

For more information contact:

EERE Information Center 

1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463)

www.eere.energy.gov