DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program
Welcome to the fiscal year (FY) 2007 Annual Report for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Program (Solar Program). The Solar Program is responsible for carryingout the federal role of researching, developing, demonstrating, and deploying solar energytechnologies. This document presents a detailed description of the activities funded by DOEduring FY 2007.FY 2007 was a year of incredible importance for the Solar Program and its partners. Announcedduring President Bush’s 2006 State of the Union address, the Advanced Energy Initiative includesthe Solar America Initiative (SAI), a presidential initiative with the goal of achieving grid parity for solar electricity, produced by photovoltaic (PV) systems, across the nation by 2015. FY 2007 wasthe first official year of SAI and represented a shift in Solar Program operations, budget, activities,and partnerships.As a 9-year initiative, SAI is dependent upon wise choices made during its early years. I ampleased to report that FY 2007 represented a successful start to this critically important effort. Afew of the many highlights achieved in FY 2007 and discussed in greater detail within this reportinclude:
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Launch of the Technology Pathway Partnerships (TPPs), public-private partnerships withindustry designed to create fully scalable PV systems that meet the SAI cost goals. TheTPPs are characterized by rigorous review and down-selection processes, as well asambitious timetables.
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Establishment of the PV Incubator activity, which funds the development of PV-systemcomponents to shorten their timeline to commercialization.
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Initiation of a groundbreaking market transformation effort to help commercialize solar technologies by eliminating market barriers and promoting deployment opportunities throughoutreach activities.
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Resurgence of the Solar Program’s concentrating solar power (CSP) activities, including thefirst new solicitation in several years.
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Opening of the Process Design and Integration Laboratory (PDIL) at the National RenewableEnergy Laboratory (NREL) for use by both laboratory and private industry researchers anddesigned to help standardize key aspects of PV-research processes.FY 2007 was truly a banner year for the Solar Program and its partners, and we are lookingforward to even greater accomplishments in FY 2008 and beyond. We remain your publicly-funded, federal solar program and strive to conduct the most relevant, highly-valued activities toour stakeholders. Your input is always welcomed.Thomas P. KimbisProgram Manager Solar Energy Technologies ProgramOffice of Energy Efficiency and Renewable EnergyU.S. Department of Energy
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