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NREL conducts analysis to support research and development done by the Solar Energy Technologies Program in three major technology areas: concentrating solar power; solar electricity, also known as photovoltaics or PV; and solar heating and lighting.
For example, in the area of photovoltaics, EERE's systems modeling and analysis activity rigorously assesses the performance, reliability, installed costs, and levelized energy costs (LECs) of a wide variety of flat-plate PV system configurations and applications.
R&D goals, which are supported by solar technology analysis, include:
- Investigating the steps needed to improve the impact of PV technologies in the marketplace through technical R&D, market analyses, and value and policy analyses
- Evaluating system reliability and conducting cost analyses
- Understanding the link between all these activities and their role in the overall systems-driven approach being applied throughout the Solar Program
- Assessing existing tools, such as computer models, and developing new ones to facilitate these analyses. For example, the PV Advisor Model, which is part of the overall Solar Advisor model, is currently being developed.
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Key staff analysts
Jørn Aabakken
Nate Blair
Paul Denholm
Robert Margolis
Access more information on all of our Staff Analysts
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