Regional Test Centers: Validation of Photovoltaic (PV) Modules and Systems

Funding: Notice of Opportunity for Technical Assistance (NOTA)

Open Date: 03/19/2012

Close Date: 06/28/2013

Funding Organization: SunShot Initiative

Funding Number: DE-FOA-0000661

Summary:

Under this Notice of Opportunity for Technical Assistance (NOTA), DOE will provide technical assistance to the photovoltaic (PV) industry and other stakeholders in the form of validation testing and systems monitoring through DOE Regional Test Centers (RTCs). While the primary mission of the RTCs is to develop standards and establish the technical basis for bankability, the RTCs will also function as test beds for large-scale systems and provide independent validation of PV performance and reliability.

Recipients of technical assistance will install PV modules and/or systems at all three RTC sites, if appropriate. Technologies may include photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) applications. The DOE/RTCs would provide the land, the grid tie, and the testing / data monitoring required to support an assessment of product/system performance, consistency of PV module quality, degradation rates, and/or PV system reliability issues.

Through this effort, the RTCs will develop standards and guidelines for validating the performance and operation of PV modules and systems. Recipients will benefit by acquiring third-party validation of the module or system performance which they may then compare with their prediction of performance. Recipients may also propose to ask the RTCs to develop models for predicting module or system performance instead of asking for verification of their own predictions.

Technical assistance will not be provided for research, development, or early-stage testing and evaluation. The focus of the RTCs is to accelerate adoption of renewable energy generation sources by helping U.S. PV manufacturers validate new commercially ready technologies.

DOE will not purchase hardware or otherwise provide direct funding to organizations selected from this Notice. Agreements are comprised of Technical Assistance only.

For more information, see the full solicitation.

Additional Information:

Letter of Intent Due Date: 30 days before the submission due date. See Part III.C.

Due Date: Multiple due dates for submission. See Part III.C. for more information.

Last updated: 05/01/2013

Funding amounts and schedules are subject to change.