U.S. DOE Awards Nearly $40 Million for Grid-Decarbonizing Solar Technologies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today awarded nearly $40 million to 40 projects that are advancing the next generation of solar, storage, and industrial technologies necessary for achieving the Biden–Harris administration’s climate goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035. Specifically, the projects will reduce the cost of solar technologies by increasing the lifespan of photovoltaic (PV) systems from 30 to 50 years, developing technologies that will enable solar to be used in fuel and chemicals production, and advancing novel storage technologies.
“We are laser focused on deploying more solar power and developing more cost-effective technologies to decarbonize our electricity system,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Research to develop stronger and longer-lasting solar panels is critical to addressing the climate crisis. The 40 projects announced today — led by universities and private industry across the country — is an investment in the next generation of innovations that will strengthen the nation’s solar capacity and enhance our grid resilience.”
The 40 projects announced today focus on concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) and PV. PV technologies directly convert sunlight into electricity, while CSP captures heat from sunlight and uses that thermal energy. The projects will focus on:
- Photovoltaic research — Three projects to help make PV systems last 50 years, 20 years longer than current PV system lifetimes, which would reduce replacement and maintenance costs of solar systems. These projects will enable modular components that could be easily replaced due to normal wear and tear or after extreme weather events and better monitoring of systems. (Total award amount: $4.5 million)
- Concentrating solar-thermal power research — Thirteen projects will develop technologies that can enable CSP plants to operate at very high temperatures, which are necessary to produce fuels and chemicals with solar. These projects also improve commercial CSP plants’ overall reliability. (Total award amount: $25 million)
- Pumped thermal energy storage — Three projects will develop long-duration thermal energy storage, which can store and deliver at least 10 hours of electricity whenever it is needed, supporting DOE’s Long Duration Storage Shot. (Total award amount: $4 million)
- PV and CSP research advancement — Twenty-one projects will test novel ideas that can produce significant results in less than two years. These projects have a simplified application process, designed to encourage applications from engineering and science researchers in traditionally underrepresented groups, as well as early-career researchers who have never applied or been selected for DOE funding. (Total award amount: $6 million)
“Colorado is leading the way in deploying clean energy and developing innovative solar technologies, while demonstrating the clear economic benefits of investing in the clean energy industry. These projects are exactly the type of research we should invest in to decarbonize our electric grid, ensure long-term growth of America’s solar industry, and confront climate change,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (CO).
“This Department of Energy investment in the University of Wisconsin-Madison will support new technologies and innovation at concentrating solar power plants, which can lead to lower operational costs and better reliability. We are thankful that the Biden Administration recognizes that Made in Wisconsin science, research, and innovation can play a leading role in helping to create clean energy jobs and a renewable energy economy,” said U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI).
“These are critical resources that will help the Nevada System of Higher Education continue to lead with its cutting-edge research programs. Nevada’s innovation economy benefits everyone in our state and across the nation, and I’m continuing to promote it through my Innovation State Initiative to fund research, support clean and renewable energy, and create good-paying jobs,” said U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (NV).
“Northwest Ohio continues to play a leading role in shaping the national and global response to the crisis of climate change. The University of Toledo is on the front lines of this effort, and its work to advance next-generation solar technologies will play a critical part in delivering the affordable, reliable, low-emission energy we need for our success in the 21st century,” said U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Chairwoman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.
“The National Renewable Energy Lab continues to shine as the world’s leading lab in renewable energy and energy efficiency by making groundbreaking innovations in solar technology. These two projects will help bring us to a cleaner future by improving energy storage and making perovskite technology, which directly converts sunlight into electricity, more accessible. I’m proud of today’s announcement and of the work NREL continues to do to combat climate change,” said U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter (CO-07).
“I want to congratulate the team at UNLV on being awarded $200,000 from the Department of Energy towards their groundbreaking research to improve the efficiency of renewable energy generation. Representing the fastest warming city and the sunniest state in the nation, Nevada has much to gain in our transition to a clean energy economy. These investments will advance the necessary research and innovation that will spur that development,” said U.S. Representative Dina Titus (NV-01).
“These awards will undoubtedly advance much-needed solar, storage, and industrial technologies, and will lay the groundwork for achieving a pathway to a zero-carbon grid — an investment that is needed to combat climate change. I am proud to see Columbia University of New York’s 13th congressional district among those awarded to continue their groundbreaking research on solar technology. Renewable solar energy is critical in our efforts to lower our nation’s carbon footprint, and I commend Secretary Granholm for her continued commitment to the path forward addressing the ever-growing climate crisis,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13).
“We continue to see the impacts of climate change first hand in New Hampshire and across the country. As we look to protect our planet, continued investment in innovative clean energy technology is essential. I’m pleased Brayton Energy will receive these federal funds to continue their work in sustainable energy, and I remain committed to ensuring New Hampshire remains a leader in building our clean energy future,” said U.S. Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01).
To better inform DOE about future research needs, DOE seeks comment on two requests for information: (1) proposed research areas for supporting American solar manufacturing and (2) performance targets for perovskite photovoltaics. Stakeholders in the solar industry, business community, financing entities, and others are encouraged to respond.
Learn more about DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office and its research priorities in PV and CSP.
Article courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE)
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Paris’ bike-share system, Vélib has long been considered one of the shining success stories of urban micromobility. With a massive fleet of over 20,000 pedal and electric-assist bicycles around Paris, the service has helped millions of residents and tourists get around the City of Light without needing a car or scooter. But lately, a growing problem is threatening to knock the wheels off this urban mobility marvel: theft and joyriding.
According to city officials and the service operator, more than 600 Vélib bikes are now going missing every single week. That’s over 30 bikes a day simply vanishing from the system – some stolen outright, others taken on “joy rides” and never returned.
“At the moment we’re missing 3,000 bikes,” explained Sylvain Raifaud, head of the Agemob company that currently operates the Velib system. That’s nearly 15% of over 20,000 Vélib bikes across Paris.
The sticky-fingered culprits aren’t necessarily professional thieves or organized crime rings. Instead, they’re often regular users who treat the shared bikes like disposable toys.
The city estimates that many people have figured out how to pry the bikes out of the system’s parking docks, unlocking one for a casual cruise and then ditching it somewhere far from a docking station.
Once pried free, the bikes are technically usable for the next 24 hours until their automatic locking feature kicks in. At that point, the bikes are often simply abandoned. Some end up in alleyways. Others get tossed in rivers. A few just disappear completely.
And since the bikes are intended to be parked at their many docking stations around the city, they don’t have GPS chips, further complicating recovery of “liberated” bikes.
The issue started small but has grown into more than an inconvenience – it’s beginning to undermine the entire purpose of the service. With bikes going missing at such a high rate, many Vélib docking stations are left empty, especially during rush hours.
Riders looking for a quick commute or a convenient hop across town are increasingly finding themselves without available bikes, or having to walk long distances to find a functioning one.
That kind of unreliability chips away at user confidence and threatens to drive potential riders back into cars, cabs, or other less sustainable forms of transport at a time when Paris has already made great strides to dramatically reduce car usage in the city.
The losses are financially painful, too. Replacing stolen or vandalized bikes isn’t cheap, and the resources spent on tracking down missing equipment or reinforcing anti-theft measures are stretching thin. Vélib has faced theft and vandalism issues before, especially during its early years, but this latest surge has officials sounding the alarm with renewed urgency.
Officials acknowledge that there’s no easy fix. Paris, like many cities with bike-share systems, walks a fine line between accessibility and accountability. Part of what makes Vélib so successful is its ease of use and widespread availability. But those same features make it vulnerable to misuse – especially when enforcement is limited and the consequences for abuse are minimal.
The timing of the problem is especially unfortunate. In recent years, Paris has seen impressive results in reducing car traffic, expanding bike lanes, and promoting cycling as a key part of its sustainable transport strategy. Vélib is a cornerstone of that plan. But if the system becomes too unreliable, it risks losing the very people it was designed to serve.
Meanwhile, as Parisians increasingly find themselves staring at empty docks, the challenge for the city and Vélib will be to restore confidence in the system without making it harder to use. That means striking the right balance between freedom and responsibility, between open access and protection against abuse.
In a city where cycling is supposed to be the future of mobility, losing thousands of bikes to joyriders and sticky fingers isn’t just frustrating; it’s unsustainable.
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