Market Transformation Funding Opportunities and Activities
The Market Transformation section of the Solar America Initiative aims to reduce market barriers for solar energy technologies by focusing on non-research and development areas such as state and local codes and standards, utility connection agreements, and public policy. This page includes brief summaries of the most recent solicitations for Market Transformation and related activities.
Open Funding Opportunities
Please check back. More funding opportunities will be available in late 2007 and early 2008.
Market Transformation Activities
The following Market Transformation activities aim to lower market barriers to the commercialization of solar technology.
Solar Codes and Standards
DOE selected New Mexico State University and its partners to lead a new Solar Codes and Standards Working Group. The Working Group will address code development and outreach activities in areas of critical importance to solar market penetration, such as interconnection procedures, net metering, product safety, and international standards coordination. The 5-year, $4.2 million effort, subject to award negotiation, will create a major improvement in the responsiveness, effectiveness, and accessibility of codes and standards to U.S. solar stakeholders at all levels.
Solar Technical Outreach - States and Utilities
DOE selected four organizations to offer solar technical assistance to states and utilities: the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Clean Energy Group, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the Solar Electric Power Association. These organizations will provide resources and best practices to address solar issues faced by states and utilities. These 3-year, cost-shared awards total $2.8 million ($1.2 million of which is private cost-shared funding), subject to award negotiation.
DOE has also selected two institutions to analyze utility capacity credit valuation of distributed solar to benefit our utility stakeholders. Studies will be conducted by Tucson Electric Power and the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. These one-year studies total $225,000, subject to award negotiation, and will help utilities measure the impact and value of distributed photovoltaics on the grid.
Solar Technical Outreach Partners for States and Utilities:
- Clean Energy Group (CEG)
- Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA)
- National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
- National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL)
- Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA)
Solar America Cities
On June 20, 2007 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) named thirteen U.S. cities as inaugural Solar America Cities. DOE recognizes Solar America Cities as partners highly committed to solar technology adoption at the local level. For more information, visit Solar America Cities.
Solar America Showcases
Under this activity, DOE provides technical assistance to large-scale (in excess of 100kW), high-visibility solar installation projects that have the ability to impact the market for solar technologies through large project size, use of a novel solar technology, and/or use of a novel application for a solar technology. In addition, it is desired that the project be replicable or have replicable components. It is not expected that all projects will meet all of these parameters, but projects would ideally reflect some or most of these qualities. Large-scale installations may include photovoltaic, concentrating solar power, and solar water heating applications.
Selected Solar America Showcases
- City of San Jose (CA)
- Forest City Military Communities (HI)
- Orange County Convention Center (FL)