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The U. S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is seeking project proposals as part of DOE funding to accelerate commercialization of solar energy.

The Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator is to foster collaboration between U.S. small businesses, NREL, and other DOE laboratories and facilities. Funding is intended to focus research activity on high-impact areas critical to scaling-up PV technology and meeting aggressive DOE goals of reducing the cost of PV-generated electricity, while expanding installed PV capacity by 2015.

By capitalizing on the knowledge and technical resources of NREL and other DOE national labs, companies have the opportunity to expand their capabilities and benefit from lower R&D hurdles and project implementation risk. Technical support and services are available through NREL and other DOE laboratories and facilities.

“The PV Technology Incubator helps companies quickly overcome R&D challenges that are inhibiting commercialization of their technologies,” says NREL Senior Program Manager Martha Symko-Davies. “The successful companies are expected to have a significant impact on the rapidly growing U.S. photovoltaic industry.”

NREL will accept responses to this solicitation in two categories. Tier 1 projects will receive up to $1 million through 12-month subcontracts and focus on accelerating the development of PV module-related technologies to the prototype stage. Tier 2 projects will receive up to $4 million through 18-month subcontracts and focus on shortening the timeline for companies to transition lab-scale and pre-commercial prototypes into pilot, and eventually full-scale manufacture.

NREL

www.nrel.gov