First, we're seeking feedback from solar industry stakeholders on the net internal and external costs and benefits of distributed solar photovoltaics (PV), including costs and benefits delivered to and from the electrical grid.
We're also seeking your input about innovative, cost-effective solar PV deployment models, such as shared and community solar. Your valuable feedback will be used to help us identify additional ways to lower costs, expand access to ready markets, and aid in the development and dissemination of effective and replicable practices for distributed solar PV deployment.
While this is solely a request for information (RFI) and not a funding announcement, it builds upon our existing SUNRISE program. Please see our request for information and download a copy of the questions (they begin on page 4).
Also, weve just released our official notice of intent that we plan to release a new Funding Opportunity Announcement soon for the second round of our Solar Manufacturing Technology (SolarMat) program. SolarMat supports the development and implementation of innovative technologies that will create competitive advantages for domestic solar energy technology manufacturers and solar supply chain manufacturers.
The total federal funding will be about $25 million total with a minimum required 50% awardee cost share. Projects are expected to be funded with a maximum award level of $5 million.
See the notice of intent, and stay tuned for the funding announcement in February.
