The funding will be allocated to research, development, and demonstration projects aimed at strengthening the U.S. solar energy supply chain.

The investment, part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, aims to address the gaps in domestic solar manufacturing capacity for various components of the supply chain. The selected projects will focus on improving the manufacturing of equipment, silicon ingots and wafers, as well as silicon and thin-film solar cell production. Additionally, the projects aim to create new markets for solar technologies, including dual-use photovoltaic (PV) applications such as building-integrated PV and agrivoltaics.

These efforts align with the Biden-Harris administration's goal of rapidly deploying clean energy to achieve its ambitious target of net-zero emissions by 2050. Moreover, the initiatives contribute to the administration's Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the benefits from federal climate and clean energy investments reach disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected by pollution and underinvestment.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm expressed the administration's commitment to building an American-made solar supply chain that promotes innovation, lowers costs for consumers, and generates job opportunities across the nation. Granholm highlighted that with historic funding and support from the President's clean energy agenda, more Americans will have access to solar power, the cheapest form of energy, with panels stamped "made in the U.S.A."

Under the Silicon Solar Manufacturing and Dual-Use Photovoltaics Incubator funding program, the Department of Energy (DOE) selected three projects that will support the development of technologies for onshore silicon wafer and cell manufacturing. This investment aims to help new solar companies prove the viability of their technologies, making them eligible for capital to scale up their manufacturing processes and accelerate commercialization. Furthermore, seven additional projects will focus on advancing dual-use PV technologies, with potential applications in electrifying buildings, decarbonizing transportation, and reducing land-use conflicts.

The ten selected projects under this program include companies such as Re:Build Manufacturing, Silfab Solar Cells, Ubiquity Solar, Appalachian Renewable Power, GAF Energy, Noria Energy Holdings, RCAM Technologies, The R&D Lab, Silfab Solar WA, and Wabash.

To promote advancements in thin-film solar photovoltaics, the DOE has selected eight projects under the "Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar Photovoltaics" funding program. These projects aim to enhance the efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen the supply chain for cadmium telluride (CdTe) systems. Additionally, four projects will explore innovative tandem PV devices that combine established PV technologies like silicon and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) with perovskites, an emerging thin-film PV technology that is nearing market readiness. Another project intends to leverage the trade partnership with Canada to increase the supply of tellurium in the United States.

The selected projects under the Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar Photovoltaics program include companies like First Solar, Cubic PV, Tandem PV, Swift Solar, 5N Plus, Brightspot Automation, and Tau Science.

The Biden-Harris administration's investment in solar manufacturing and development marks a significant step towards a sustainable and resilient clean energy future. By bolstering domestic manufacturing capabilities, the United States will be better positioned to lead the global clean energy transition while creating job opportunities and driving economic growth.

For more information on the Solar Energy Technologies Office and the strategies to build a robust domestic solar supply chain, interested parties can refer to DOE's Solar Photovoltaics Supply Chain report.