DOE to spend $82 million to expand solar manufacturing in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is offering $52 million for 19 projects that are designed to strengthen America’s domestic solar supply chain. In addition, the DOE is offering $30 million for technologies that will help integrate solar energy into the grid. This $82 million investment will be used to improve solar manufacturing in America, advance solar technologies, and promote the recycling of solar panels. The program is also designed to advance cadmium telluride (CdTe) and perovskite solar manufacturing. According to the DOE, of the 19 total projects:

• 8 projects will focus on reducing the cost/increasing the efficiency of solar panel recycling
• 2 projects are designed to boost the U.S. solar supply chain
• 7 projects are intended to de-risk new solar technologies and manufacturing processes
• 2 projects will address the issues in perovskite solar cell devices that limit their durability/efficiency

In a recent quote, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said, “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is fueling a clean energy revolution right here at home with game-changing incentives for manufacturing and deployment. DOE is seizing that momentum by making some of our largest ever investments in research to strengthen our domestic solar supply chain—creating good-paying jobs and boosting economic opportunities in communities across America in the process.”