Washington, DC - Today, SETO announced its FY2019 funding program, which will provide $130 million to as many as 80 projects across five research areas: photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), soft costs reduction, innovations in manufacturing, and solar systems integration. These projects will aim to make solar energy more affordable, reliable, and secure, while working to boost solar manufacturing, reduce red tape, and make systems more resilient to cyberattack. There will be six informational webinars.

WEBINARS

The number of projects and amount available for each topic are provided in the funding opportunity announcement. Mandatory letters of intent are due May 7, 2019, and we look forward to reading your applications.

10 New Projects Selected to Advance Solar Situational Awareness

Yesterday, 10 projects, totaling $36 million, were selected for the Advanced Systems Integration for Solar Technologies (ASSIST): Situational Awareness and Resilient Solutions for Critical Infrastructure funding program. These projects will seek to improve situational awareness of solar energy systems, especially at critical infrastructure sites, increase resilience to cyber and physical threats, and strengthen solar integration on the grid. As more solar installations are deployed across the country, securing safety and reliability are of the utmost importance. Learn more about those projects that are helping us get closer to achieving these goals.

$3 Million Solar Manufacturing Prize

The second round of the $3 million American-Made Solar Prize was announced on Friday, inviting entrepreneurial competitors with solutions that can revitalize U.S. solar manufacturing to enter the challenge. First, contestants will identify a critical issue and come up with a marketable solution. Applications are due July 16, 2019. Teams that are selected will participate in demonstration days, where they will pitch their ideas. At these national events, a panel of expert reviewers will evaluate competitors based on the quality of their solution and the progress made during the contest period.