U.S. DOE puts up $17.6M for solar PV

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it will invest up to $17.6 million in solar projects, with the cash going toward six early stage projects that focus on the initial manufacturing of advanced solar photovoltaic technologies.

Including cost share from the industry, which will be at least 20 percent, the DOE said the total research investment is expected to reach up to $35.4 million.

"These projects will help promote the development of a diverse set of photovoltaic technologies and ensure that the U.S. is a world leader in next-generation, cost-effective solar technologies," said John Mizroch, acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, in a statement.

"These solar photovoltaic incubator awards will help accelerate the time it takes for innovative start-up companies to get their technologies to market."

The companies getting cash for their 18-month projects include North Lexington, Mass.-based 1366 Technologies, Sunnyvale, Calif.'s Innovalight, and Skyline Solar in Mountain View, Calif.

1366 Technologies is getting up to $3 million to develop a new cell architecture and related processes for low-cost multi-crystalline silicon cells. The project is expected to enhance cell performance by light-trapping texturing and grooves for self-aligned metallization fingers.

Another $3 million is going to Innovalight, which is developing very high-efficiency, low-cost solar cells and modules by ink-jet printing its silicon ink onto thin-crystalline silicon wafers.

Skyline Solar has developed an integrated lightweight, single-axis tracked system that has been demonstrated to reflect and concentrate sunlight over 10-times onto silicon cells. Skyline will use up to $3 million in funding to lower the cost to manufacture modules and install complete systems to achieve a levelized cost of energy below grid parity.