The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) accelerates the advancement and deployment of solar technology in support of an equitable transition to a decarbonized economy. Learn more about the office's work at our events and webinars.
Learn how the Inflation Reduction Act could help you save on solar and review our federal solar tax credit resources. Learn about SETO's 2024 Peer Review, which gathered solar industry and academic experts to conduct a review of the SETO portfolio.
Solar Energy Technologies Office Newsletter
News and Success Stories
VIEW ALL
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
April 10, 2024
DOE seeks feedback on program to pilot solutions for managing renewable energy and electric vehicle interconnection and energization queues.
April 4, 2024
This funding opportunity will award up to $30 million for projects that accelerate the large-scale development of CSP technologies.
March 25, 2024
Funding will Support Expanded Deployment of Clean Energy Projects, Reducing Barriers for Communities to Access the Benefits of Clean Energy
March 19, 2024
Families in New Mexico, Illinois, and Washington D.C. will now Have Access to Community Solar Through HHS’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
March 19, 2024
Funding Will Develop Tools to Clear Interconnection Queues and Improve Reliability During Extreme Weather Disruptions
March 19, 2024
$10 million funding available for analytical tools that will accelerate the reliable interconnection of renewable energy into the transmission system.
March 8, 2024
The American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce is designed to realize the full potential of the Inflation Reduction Act, bolster U.S. competitiveness in the solar supply chain, and create high-quality jobs for U.S. workers.
March 5, 2024
SETO is awarding cash prizes for photos that highlight solar energy’s role in the clean energy transition. Submit your photos by May 23, 2024.
February 28, 2024
Ten winners have been named in the inaugural HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize Partnerships Track. Each team will receive $100,000 to support programs and partnerships that equip students with the skills needed to succeed in the clean energy industry.
February 14, 2024
DOE and our partners are committed to providing industry with the tools and information they need to advance our national goal of accessible, affordable community solar for every American household
Research Areas
The Solar office supports development of low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) technologies to make solar power more accessible.
Learn More
SETO supports CSP research and development to improve the performance, reduce the cost, and improve the lifetime and reliability of CSP technologies.
Learn More
Systems integration research in SETO helps advance the reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable integration of solar energy onto the nation's grid.
Learn More
Soft costs research in SETO addresses challenges associated with non-hardware cost components of a solar energy system.
Learn More
SETO supports solar manufacturing and competitiveness R&D to develop pathways to commercialization for disruptive innovation in the solar industry.
Learn More
Solar workforce development includes online training, on-the-job training, curriculum development, and other activities that prepare people for solar.
Learn More
Despite unprecedented solar deployment, many Americans still lack access to affordable solar electricity. SETO funds research to improve solar access for all.
Learn More
Every day, Americans are making the choice to power their lives with solar energy. SETO is connecting the dots for you, demonstrating how solar energy investments accrue over years to benefit individuals, communities, and the nation.
Solar Energy Basics
Learn more about active SETO-funded projects at national laboratories, state and local governments, universities, nonprofit organizations, and private companies.
Blog Posts
VIEW ALL
More than 85% percent of a solar photovoltaic (PV) module is made of materials we already know how to recycle, like aluminum and glass. However, solar panel recycling—and recycling overall—is not currently cost-effective or widely adopted.
Learn More
The new designation requires local governments to automate residential solar permitting.
Learn More
This $6.5M DOE funding opportunity is ideal for early-career solar energy researchers, supporting early-stage ideas in photovoltaics and concentrating solar-thermal power.
Learn More
States should address key considerations before allocating LIHEAP funds toward community solar subscriptions. Learn about this new guidance from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Learn More
Building-integrated photovoltaics is a set of emerging solar energy applications that replace conventional building materials with solar energy generating materials in the structure, like the roof, skylights, balustrades, awnings, facades, or windows.
Learn More
On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will travel across parts of the United States, blocking up to 90% of the sun for several minutes. What could this mean for our power grid? Learn what to expect when the sun goes dark.
Learn More
Harnessing the sun to power your vehicle saves you money, benefits the electric grid, and provides backup power to your home in the future.
Learn More
The critical role that interconnection plays in enabling the clean energy transition is why the U.S. Department of Energy established i2x to identify and develop solutions that make interconnection fairer, faster, and simpler.
Learn More
Solar panels need to withstand the elements to keep producing power for decades, and water is one of a solar module’s trickiest foes. Using clever measurement and modeling methods, researchers are optimizing the way we seal solar modules to keep water out
Learn More
To make agrivoltaics a widely available option for developers in the U.S., questions about cost, liability and other business, legal and regulatory issues need to be addressed.
Learn More