Resource Library
-
Solar Futures Study
A dramatically larger role for solar in decarbonizing the U.S. electricity system, and energy system more broadly, is within reach, but it is only possible through concerted policy and regulatory efforts as well as sustained advances in solar and other clean energy technologies.
Categories: Report -
On the Path to Sunshot: Executive Summary
Solar technology, solar markets, and the solar industry have changed dramatically over the past five years. Cumulative U.S. solar deployment has increased more than tenfold, while solar’s levelized cost of energy (LCOE) has dropped by as much as 65% (Figure 1). As a result, today the solar industry is about 70% of the way towards achieving the Initiative’s 2020 goals. New challenges and opportunities have emerged as solar has become much more affordable, and we have learned many lessons as solar technologies have been deployed at increasing scale in the United States and abroad. The On the Path to SunShot series explores the remaining challenges to realizing widely available, cost-competitive solar in the United States.
Categories: Study -
The Role of Advancements in Solar Photovoltaic Efficiency, Reliability, and Costs
The authors of this report envision solar-energy cost reductions through lower PV module and balance-of-system (BOS) costs as well as improved system efficiency and reliability. After reviewing the recent history of PV price reductions, we demonstrate that numerous combinations of PV improvements could help complete the path to SunShot’s solar LCOE goals. This range of possibilities is created by the tradeoffs among key metrics like module price, efficiency, and degradation rate as well as system price and lifetime. For example, high module efficiency is important but probably not sufficient on its own to meet the aggressive LCOE goals. System reliability (lower degradation rates, longer system lifetimes) might be equally important.
Categories: Report -
Advancing Concentrating Solar Power Technology, Performance, and Dispatchability
Concentrating solar power (CSP) is well on the path to reaching the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative goal of 6 cents/kWh by 2020. In this report, we revisit the original plan for reaching this objective and identify factors related to the market and the technology that have changed.
Categories: Report -
Distributed Solar Interconnection Challenges and Best Practices
While the actual cost metrics for utility PII are undetermined, they are real. A survey and interviews conducted by Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) in 2014 have uncovered utility initiatives to lower the administrative costs of DG interconnection, making the process of connecting to the grid simpler and more transparent for customers.
Categories: Report -
Techno-Economic Renewable Energy Potential on Tribal Lands
“This study estimates the technical and economic potential for renewable energy development on tribal lands. […] This study was developed to support American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives in decision making as they evaluate technologies, potential scales of development, and economic viability. The resources analyzed here include wind, solar photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP), woody biomass, biogas, geothermal, and hydropower.”