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November 2021
New Reports From NREL Document Continuing PV and PV-Plus-Storage Cost Declines
NREL has released its annual cost breakdown of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage systems. U.S. Solar Photovoltaic System and Energy Storage Cost Benchmark: Q1 2021 details installed costs for PV systems as of the first quarter of 2021.
American-Made Solar Prize Round 4 Winners Move Quickly From Ideas to Prototypes
On Sept. 16, DOE announced the winners of the fourth round of the Solar Prize. AeroShield Materials from Boston, Massachusetts, and the r&d lab from Petaluma, California, each received $500,000 to continue developing and commercializing their products and an additional $75,000 in vouchers redeemable for technical support.
October 2021
American-Made Challenges Announces Launch of Solar Forecasting Prize, Puts up $375K in Winnings
New prize seeks to accelerate the development of solar forecasting capabilities.
Researchers Discover Another Way To Sequester Lead in Perovskite Solar Cells
Scientists at NREL and Northern Illinois University have successfully prevented lead from escaping damaged perovskite solar cells. The research effort is their latest work in addressing concerns about potential lead toxicity.
NREL Drops the Bass on Solar Panels (for Science)
NREL researchers are not only skilled at making photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. They are also world-class destroyers of PV modules. The goal is to discover and understand how these modules might degrade when installed outside for many decades. This helps other NREL researchers and engineers in the PV industry design better, longer-lasting modules.
Solar Desalination Prize Round 2 Quarterfinalists Get To Work Building Teams
Oct. 28 teaming webinar offers potential partners the opportunity to learn about winning concepts and network with quarterfinalists.
Sharing the Sun Market Report Details Expansive Growth, Recent Trends in Community Solar
New market report shows which states are leading growth in community solar.
News Release: NREL, Mines Insight Could Lead to Better Silicon Solar Panels
Researchers at NREL and Colorado School of Mines are applying a new technique to identify defects in silicon solar cells that cause a drop in efficiency. The lessons learned at the atomic level could lead to improvements in the way manufacturers strengthen their products against what is known as light-induced degradation.
September 2021
Solar District Cup Unveils Class of 2021-2022 Student Participants
The infrastructure that defines the U.S. electric grid is based largely on pre-digital technologies and is now faced with increasingly difficult load and power quality demands. New tools are required to create a flexible and modern electric grid and the next generation of renewable energy professionals are here to help.
To Toss, Repair, or Recycle? How Human Behavior Affects the Fate of Aging Solar Panels
By 2050, there could be 80 million metric tons globally of solar photovoltaics (PV) reaching the end of their lifetime, with 10 million metric tons in the United States alone—or the weight of 30 Empire State Buildings.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025