US DoE to provide USD 46m for solar resiliency

The US Department of Energy (DoE) on Monday said it will provide up to USD 46 million (EUR 39.7m) in research funding to improve the resiliency of solar generation.

The department said that solar can play a vital role in ensuring continuity of energy services at critical infrastructure during disruptions such as cyber threats and natural disasters. It wants to fund projects that increase grid operators’ situational awareness of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems deployed at strategic locations. The projects should also demonstrate how a fleet of solar systems in different locations could provide power to critical loads during grid outages.

The DoE also seeks to fund projects that include field validation of solutions that can bolster the resiliency of the grid with high penetrations of solar systems. These solutions should identify the strategic location of solar PV systems that will ensure that critical infrastructure will have power during widespread disruptions, it said.

Some 10 projects from USD 2 million to USD 10 million will be supported over three years under this funding opportunity -- Advanced Systems Integration for Solar Technologies (ASSIST): Situational Awareness and Resilient Solutions for Critical Infrastructure. Full applications are due by December 7.

Project proponents are advised to work with critical infrastructure owners and operators, including state, local, tribal and territories.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.864)

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