National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Photovoltaic Research - PV Manufacturing R&D
About the Project
 Global Solar Energy, a PV Manufacturing R&D partner, improved the speed and yield for manufacturing CIGS thin-film PV modules such as the ones shown here. These flexible PV modules power a remote telecommunication system for the military. |
Project Purpose
The PV Manufacturing R&D Project is a research and development (R&D) partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and members of the U.S. photovoltaic (PV) industry. It is designed to:
- Advance R&D in the area of PV manufacturing processes and equipment through partnered research with the U.S. industry
- Accelerate manufacturing cost reductions for PV modules, balance-of-systems (BOS) components, and integrated systems
- Increase commercial product performance and reliability
- Enhance the investment opportunities for substantially scaling up U.S. manufacturing capacity and increasing U.S. market share
How The Project Works
Industry participants are selected through competitive procurements. The solicitations are generally open to all companies that actively manufacture PV equipment or related components. All participating companies must be incorporated in the United States.
The PV Manufacturing R&D Project is coordinated by an implementation committee composed of one representative from each of three organizations:
- Richard King, DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Program
- Richard Mitchell, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Ward Bower, Sandia National Laboratories
