SunShot Initiative to Cut Cost of Solar PV Systems by 75%
The Phoenix Sun
Rhone Resch listened carefully Friday as Secretary of Energy StevenChu announced “SunShot,” a new federal initiative with the ambitiousgoal of reducing the total cost of photovoltaic (PV) solar power systems by 75 percent by the end of the decade.
Resch liked what he heard.
As president and CEO of the nation’s largest solar tradeorganization, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Reschcalls the initiative “significant because DOE is focusing on drivingdown the cost of the other components of a solar system” — not just thecost of PV cells. In a statement following Chu’s announcement, Reschsaid that the cost of PV panels has been cut in half in the last twoyears, so focusing on other aspects is the right approach.
The $27 million SunShot initiative focuses on four areas:
- Increasing the efficiency of the solar manufacturing process
- Optimizing the performance of the installation
- Improving solar PV technologies
- Streamlining the permitting process
Not to minimize the importance of the first three areas on the list,but it is the fourth item — reducing solar “soft costs” — that is boundto please the solar industry.
Image: Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
Read the complete article at my Forbes blog, Edison 2.0
The Phoenix Sun covers solar power from Phoenix, Arizona – the sunniest major city in the nation. In addition to reportingon innovations in solar technology, green job growth and advice for homeowners who want to go solar, the Sun investigates stories you won’t findelsewhere. We cover the legal, political and regulatory framework that has keptthe US solar power industry far behind competitors in Europe and Asia. And wetrack the potential for a solar surge today and tomorrow. The sun isedited by investigative reporter Osha Gray Davidson who has covered theenvironment and politics for 25 years, writing for Mother Jones, RollingStone, the New York Times, and other national and international publications.Articles l Homepage