Skip to Content
U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Photovoltaic Technology Incubator

Photo of a gloved researcher holding a thin-film solar cell that was fabricated by MicroLink.

MicroLink, a PV incubator awardee, exhibits one of its thin-film solar cell structures.

The Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator projects within the Solar Energy Technologies Program focus on developing prototype PV components and systems and barriers to entry for 2012 commercialization.

The goals of the projects include exploring the commercial potential of new manufacturing processes and products; fostering innovation and growth in the domestic PV industry; establishing an efficient and cyclic funding opportunity; and expanding and diversifying domestic "market-ready" PV technologies.  

Background

The PV Technology Incubator financial opportunity is subcontracted through DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and opens approximately every 9 months. See NREL Current Solicitations for more details.

The PV Incubator awards target research and development of PV systems and component prototypes with full functionality, produced in pilot-scale operations. Prototype technologies are expected to have already completed proof-of-concept for new manufacturing processes, either through contractor equipment, the NREL Process Development and Integration Laboratory facilities, or other appropriate facilities.

Awardees

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the first round of PV Incubator awards in June of 2007, and the second round of winners were announced in September 2008. DOE announced American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) awardees in January 2010. The 2011 awardees were announced on Feb. 4, 2011.

2011 Awardees

  • Caelux (Pasadena, Calif.)
  • Solexant (San Jose, Calif.)
  • Stion (San Jose, Calif.)
  • Crystal Solar (Santa Clara, Calif.)

2010 ARRA Awardees (Phase I):

  • Alta Devices, Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.)
  • Semprius, Inc. (Durham, N.C.)
  • Solar Junction (San Jose, Calif.)
  • Tetra Sun (Saratoga, Calif.)

2008 Awardees (Phase I):

  • 1366 Technologies (Lexington, Mass.)
  • Innovalight (Sunnyvale, Calif.)
  • Skyline Solar (Mountain View, Calif.)
  • Solasta (Newton, Mass.)
  • Solexel (Milpitas, Calif.)
  • Spire Semiconductor (Hudson, N.H.)

2008 Awardees (Phase II):

  • AVA Solar (Fort Collins, Colo.)
  • CaliSolar (Menlo Park, Calif.)
  • MicroLink Devices, Inc. (Niles, Ill.)
  • PlexTronics (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
  • PrimeStar Solar (Golden, Colo.)
  • SolFocus (Palo Alto, Calif.)
  • SoloPower (Milpitas, Calif.)

2007 Awardees:

  • AVA Solar (Fort Collins, Colo.)
  • Blue Square Energy (North East, Md.)
  • CaliSolar (Menlo Park, Calif.)
  • Enfocus Engineering (Sunnyvale, Calif.)
  • MicroLink Devices, Inc. (Niles, Ill.)
  • PlexTronics (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
  • PrimeStar Solar (Golden, Colo.)
  • Solaria (Fremont, Calif.)
  • SolFocus (Palo Alto, Calif.)
  • SoloPower (Milpitas, Calif.)

Additional Resources

The following presentations and fact sheet summarize the PV Incubator project and winners: