Photovoltaic Research

NREL's capabilities in photovoltaics (PV) range across fundamental and applied research and development (R&D), including theory and modeling, materials deposition, device design, measurements and characterization, and reliability testing and engineering.

Our PV R&D emphasizes innovation in the following PV conversion technologies:

• Silicon materials and devices
• Polycrystalline thin-film materials and devices
• III-V multijunction materials and devices
• New materials, devices, and processes.

Our PV R&D also includes:

• Measurements and Characterization
• Performance and Reliability
• Engineering.

Concentrating Solar Power Research

In concentrating solar power (CSP), NREL plays a leadership role in the following:

• Supporting the development of new designs, materials, and manufacturing processes for solar components and systems with an emphasis on improved performance, reliability, and service life
• Developing power tower and parabolic trough technology for solar electricity generation
• Analyzing the cost, performance, and value of solar systems.

Solar Grid and Systems Integration

NREL research addresses the technical challenges associated with integrating PV technologies into a stable grid. This research is closely coordinated with work in the National Center for Photovoltaics and the Energy Systems Integration Facility. Key areas of solar systems integration include:

• Integration with the electric grid
• Modeling, including the System Advisor Model (SAM)
• PV engineering
• PV performance reliability and safety
• Solar resource sensing, measurement, and forecasting
• Technology systems analysis.

Solar Market Research and Analysis

NREL is working to enable faster, easier, and less expensive installations by addressing soft costs and market barriers through data collection, analysis, and assistance to decision-makers who affect solar markets. This cross-cutting set of activities leverages NREL's unique analytical and deployment capabilities. Key areas for solar balance of systems (BOS) and soft costs include the following.

Data Collection and Analysis

• Solar Market and Cost Analysis
  • Solar market trends
  • PV system prices
  • Soft-cost tracking and analysis
  • Finance
• Policy and Regulatory Research
  • Net metering
  • Community solar
  • Value of solar
  • Solar policy.

Assistance to Decision-Makers

• Technical Assistance for Decision-Makers
• Distributed Generation Interconnection Collaborative
• PV Operations and Maintenance Best Practices
• Midscale Commercial Solar Market
• Finance.

NREL also has resources related to solar maps and renewable resource data.

Learn About Solar Energy

Solar technologies use the sun's energy to provide electricity, heat, light, hot water, and even cooling for homes, businesses, and industry. Learn more about solar energy technologies such as photovoltaic (solar electric) systems, concentrating solar power systems, passive solar heating and daylighting, solar hot water, and solar process heat and space cooling.