The Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2021 Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Funding Program (SETO FY21 PV and CSP) funds projects that advance solar PV and CSP research and development to help eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector.
On March 25, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $40 million in funding for 31-54 awards. SETO selected 40 projects, which were announced October 12, 2021.
On May 26, 2022, SETO announced that an additional three projects were awarded $5 million.
Approach
This funding program will help achieve SETO’s goal of lowering costs and expanding solar energy to new markets. These projects will help enable long-duration solar energy storage, extend PV system life, and develop technology for carbon-free industrial processes in the United States.
The SETO FY21 PV and CSP 2020 funding program contains multiple topic areas across PV and CSP:
- Topic Area 1: 50-Year Service Life PV Systems (PV-50)
- Topic Area 2: Scalable Outputs for Leveraging Advanced Research on Receivers & Reactors (SOLAR R&R)
- Topic Area 3: Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES)
- Topic Area 4a: Process Enhancement and Refinement For Operations, Reliability, and Maintenance (CSP PERFORM)
- Topic Area 4b: Research in Equipment For Optimized and Reliable Machinery (CSP REFORM)
- Topic Area 5a: Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS) – PV
- Topic Area 5b: Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS) – CSP
Read about the individual PV projects and the individual CSP projects.
Objectives
Projects in this funding program will result in disruptive solutions that will enable a decarbonized electricity system by 2035 and a 100% clean energy economy with net-zero emissions by 2050.
Learn more about SETO’s other competitive awards and the Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS) program.