US govt unveils USD 56m in funding to spur domestic PV manufacturing

The US government on Thursday said some USD 56 million (EUR 55.4m) will be made available through programmes aimed at enhancing the domestic production of solar products and promoting innovation and recycling in the sector.

The financing will be distributed through a couple of programmes, the goal of which is to strengthen the local supply chains and make the domestic industry less reliant on foreign equipment imports.

More specifically, USD 29 million will be allocated to projects for developing photovoltaic (PV) module designs that lower production costs or deploy newer technologies such as perovskite solar cells. Schemes that promote the reuse and recycling of solar technologies will also be supported in this category.

Separately, USD 27 million in funding will be shared among projects seeking to expand private investment in solar manufacturing and commercialise new technologies, including such that offer alternatives to silicon-based products.

“This administration wants to seize US leadership in solar energy, from manufacturing to recycling, and that means making the right investments to ensure these technologies are made right here at home,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

In another initiative, the Department of Energy is providing USD 18 million to seven National Laboratory projects seeking to tackle the challenges of commercialising government-funded solar technologies. Feedback in this field is being collected by August 22.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.990)

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