U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu recently announced more than $145 million for projects to help shape the next generation of solar energy technologies and ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in this global market. Sixty-nine projects in 24 states will reportedly accelerate research and development to increase efficiency, lower costs, and advance cutting-edge technologies. Funded through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the projects will also improve materials, manufacturing processes, and supply chains for a range of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and components of solar energy systems. Some of these investments also support efforts that are intended to shorten the overall timeline from prototype to production and streamline building codes, zoning laws, permitting rules, and business processes for installing solar energy systems.

“America is in a world race to produce cost-competitive renewable energy that can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, create manufacturing jobs across the nation, and improve our energy security,” Chu said. “The projects announced today under DOE’s SunShot Initiative will spur American innovation to help reduce the costs of clean, renewable solar energy and re-establish U.S. global leadership in this fast-growing industry.”

The SunShot Initiative seeks to make solar energy systems more cost competitive, without long-term subsidies, by reducing the cost of these systems about 75% by the end of the decade. The achievement of the SunShot Initiative goals will encourage rapid, widespread adoption of solar energy systems across the U.S.

For more information, visit www.eere.energy.gov.