Solar Energy Innovation Network
The Solar Energy Innovation Network's innovative program design assembles diverse teams of stakeholders to research solutions to real-world challenges associated with solar energy adoption.
With the support of technical experts from national laboratories and other research institutions, these teams work to implement innovative applications of solar and distributed energy resources (DERs) in their unique locations and contexts. The solutions developed by the teams are demonstrated and validated in real-world contexts, making them ready for replication and scale.
Round 1
The first round of the Innovation Network began in spring 2018 and will conclude in fall 2019. Nine teams were selected and divided into two cohorts. One cohort focuses on improving the reliability and affordability of renewable energy. The second cohort considers the siting and operation of solar energy and DERs to improve grid flexibility and resiliency. Learn more about the first round.
Round 2
The second round of the Innovation Network began in late 2019 and will conclude in spring 2021. One cohort will focus on solar for rural communities. The other cohort will explore ideas in commercial-scale solar. Learn more about the second round.
Blog
Learn more from participating teams and NREL staff about the work of the Innovation Network in the Solar Energy Innovation Network blog.
Program Structure
Teams are grouped into cohorts based on shared challenges and goals.
Over the course of 15 to 18 months, teams receive direct funding, analytical support from NREL and other expert partners, and facilitation support. Through coordinated engagement at four multi-day working sessions, teams work together to identify local and regional impacts, formulate and test innovations, and validate new models.
Sustained interaction with other teams is invaluable for ensuring a team's solutions benefit from lessons learned elsewhere and are devised in ways that maximize replicability. Teams benefit from peer exchanges with other teams in their cohort, but there has also been significant interest between teams across the cohorts, highlighting the success of the program’s network approach.
Insights and results from the program are shared at a symposium at the end of each round, through NREL publications, and on this website.
Contact
Please direct questions to the SEIN team.
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