Photovoltaic Research News

Visit the NREL news section for a complete list of NREL press releases and feature stories related to PV.

April 9, 2021

Ten Innovative Teams Emerge Victorious in Round 4 of the American-Made Solar Prize

On April 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy announced 10 finalist teams that are moving forward in the American-Made Solar Prize Round 4 competition.

April 1, 2021

Scientists Studying Solar Try Solving a Dusty Problem

The accumulation of dust, soot, or other particulates causes a drop in the efficiency of solar panels, which translates to a decline in the amount of power produced and lost income for their operators.

Feb. 10, 2021

Documenting a Decade of Cost Declines for PV Systems

NREL marks ongoing cost reductions for installed photovoltaic (PV) systems, while also establishing benchmark of PV-plus-storage systems.

Feb. 9, 2021

New Design Strategy Pushes Organic Photovoltaics Past 18% Efficiency

Holistic strategy optimizes electronic structure and morphology, opening a new route to higher-efficiency organic photovoltaic devices.

Jan. 29, 2021

Reliability Analysis of the U.S. West Reviews Barriers to a Renewable Future

As part of a multistate collaboration, NREL has modeled and assessed long-term reliability and integration impacts of solar PV growth in the western United States, with broader lessons for power grids and renewable policies.

Jan. 8, 2021

Solar Prize Marks Milestone with Round 3 Winner and Round 4 Semifinalist Announcements

The sun has set on another round of the American-Made Solar Prize, awarding two new solar startups for their innovations.