U.S DoE sets ambitious goals to cut solar costs and invests $128 Million in solar initiatives and technologies

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) recently announced an ambitious new target to cut the cost of solar energy by 60% within the next ten years, in addition to nearly $128 million in funding to lower costs, improve performance, and speed the deployment of solar energy technologies.

To that end, the DoE has allocated funding through its Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), to support advancing two materials used to make solar cells: perovskites and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin films.

• $40 million for perovskite R&D: DoE is awarding $40 million to 22 projects that will advance perovskite PV device and manufacturing research and development'as well as performance through the formation of a new $14 million testing center to provide neutral, independent validation of the performance of new perovskite devices.