Systems Integration for Solar Technologies
The Systems Integration subprogram is investing in grid-integration technologies for solar systems.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (Solar Program) is significantly investing in grid-integration technologies. The Solar Program is also coordinating with all stakeholders to accelerate the integration of renewable technologies.
As solar technologies provide a larger part of the U.S. electricity supply, it is becoming increasingly important that they be integrated seamlessly into the nation's electric power grid. This will require new ways of thinking about how the country generates and distributes electricity and new technologies that make it simple, safe, and reliable for solar electricity to feed into the grid.
The Systems Integration subprogram focuses on understanding and breaking down the regulatory, technical, and economic barriers to integrate solar electricity into the electric grid. The subprogram accomplishes this by working with utilities and the solar industry.
Systems Integration efforts encompass the following research and development activities:
- Solar system technology development
- Advanced systems integration
- System testing and demonstrations
- Renewable energy system analysis
- Solar resource assessment
- Codes, standards and regulatory implementation.
Systems Integration is one of the four subprograms within the DOE Solar Program. Along with Photovoltaics, Concentrating Solar Power, and Market Transformation, the Solar Program subprograms focus on accelerating the advancement of solar energy technologies to make solar electricity cost competitive with conventional forms of electricity.