DOE to Provide Nearly $60 M for Solar Energy Research

Bodman made the announcement while delivering keynote remarks at the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Renewable Energy Finance Forum currently under way in New York.

Bodman explained $2.5 million will go to Solar America Cities cooperative agreements, in which 13 selected cities will receive awards to promote increased use of solar-powered technologies throughout each city. The 2007 Solar America Cities are: Ann Arbor, MI; Austin, TX; Berkeley, CA; Boston, MA; Madison, WI; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Tucson, AZ.

In addition, Bodman announced the issuance of a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for up to $30 million for universities to research near-term improvements in solar products. And third, he announced the competitive selection of ten cost-shared Photovoltaic (PV) Module Incubator projects that will receive up to $27 million in DOE funding over 18 months.

"We believe these projects will stimulate activity in the marketplace and create a ripple effect that will boost the use of solar energy across the country," Secretary Bodman said. "Harnessing more of the sun's power is central to reaching the President's goal of increasing our nation's energy security by pushing forward clean, renewable technologies that will allow us to become less reliant on imported sources of energy."