U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable EnergySolar Energy Technologies ProgramSolar InitiativesThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP or Solar Program) actively supports the deployment of solar energy technologies, often through various initiatives. To achieve its goals, DOE partners with industry and with other government organizations at the federal and local levels. This section describes the current and past DOE initiatives, led by the Solar Program, and the activities within those initiatives. Current InitiativesSolar Decathlon
Visitors to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009 line up to tour solar-powered houses designed and built by collegiate teams. The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an award-winning program that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002; the competition has since occurred biennially in 2005, 2007, and 2009. The next event will take place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Sept. 23–Oct. 2, 2011. Open to the public free of charge, the Solar Decathlon enables visitors to tour the houses, gather ideas to use in their own homes, and learn how energy-saving features can help them save money. Past InitiativesSolar America InitiativeLaunched in 2006, the Solar America Initiative (SAI) activities focused on making solar electricity cost competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015. SAI was part of the President's Advanced Energy Initiative. SAI benefited the nation in the following ways:
Although SAI concluded in 2009, the successes continue to thrive within the DOE Solar Program's daily endeavors. Many activities were integrated into the current portfolio and became a vital part of its core efforts. SETP will continue to work towards accomplishing this goal through public-private partnerships with industry, universities, national laboratories, state municipalities, and nongovernmental organizations. Additional information is available about SETP activities within each of the subprogram areas: Photovoltaics, Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), Systems Integration, and Market Transformation. Key activities include the Technology Pathway Partnerships, CSP industry partnerships, Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems, and Solar America Cities. Million Solar Roofs InitiativeThe Million Solar Roofs (MSR) Initiative was created by the Solar Energy Technologies Program and laid the foundation for the market transformation activities of the Solar America Initiative. The goal of the MSR Initiative was to transform markets for distributed solar technologies by facilitating the installation of solar systems. 
The solar carport at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico was built by Diversified Systems Manufacturing, an MSR partner. Concluded in 2006, MSR included 971 partners nationwide that constitute advocates who are schooled in the technologies and knowledgeable about their local and regional markets. Between 1997 and 2005, 94 coalitions across the country signed on with the DOE as official MSR partnerships. These partnerships comprised 971 private sector firms, electric utilities, builder-developers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities-all voluntarily committed to facilitate the installation of a specified number of "solar roofs." During MSR, the federal government's investment of $16 million had leveraged roughly $7.1 million in cash. It also leveraged in-kind resources and incentive programs throughout the country. This synergy has contributed to the following outcomes:
To learn more about the activities completed under the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, please see the Million Solar Roofs Initiative Final Report. |