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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it will invest up to US $13.7 million for 11 university-led projects that will focus on developing advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, manufacturing processes and products. Combined with a minimum university and solar industry cost share of 20 percent, up to US $17.4 million will be invested in these projects.
"These projects will not only bolster innovation in photovoltaic technology, but they will help meet the President's goal of making clean and renewable solar power commercially viable by 2015."
--Alexander Karsner, DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
These projects have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of electricity produced by PV from current levels of US $0.18 - $0.23 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to US $0.05 - $0.10 per kWh by 2015, according to DOE. Each university will work with an industry partner to ensure the projects retain a commercialization focus and that results can be transitioned into market ready-products and manufacturing processes.
“Harnessing the natural and abundant power of the sun and more cost-effectively converting it into energy has enormous potential to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide greater stability in electricity costs,” DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner said. “These projects will not only bolster innovation in photovoltaic technology, but they will help meet the President’s goal of making clean and renewable solar power commercially viable by 2015.”
The schools selected include, Arizona State University, California Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Delaware, University of Florida and University of Toledo.
For more information about the selected projects including investment figures and corporate sponsors, click here.
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Initial spending in the areas of greatest payback would be of far greater benefit and demonstration for teaching purposes.
PV is not AS cost effective BY FAR as solar thermal in saving money and pollution. Yet most schools and universities do not do this. In Wisconsin they are currently giving it lip service, using larger contractors to educate the facilities management on what they should buy. Gee, I wonder how that will come out? Coaxial vacuum tube solar at this latitude is deffinetly better than the quads of energy spent on showers and pool heating now in place, yet the geeks and DJ's push for PV.
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