US invests $112.5m to jump-start photovoltaic advances
As part of the SunShot Initiative, US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu has announced the selection of up to $112.5 million over five years for funding to support the development of advanced solar photovoltaic (PV)-related manufacturing processes throughout the United States.
The DOE’s SunShot Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships are aimed at helping the solar power industry overcome technical barriers and reduce costs for PV installations, help the US regain the lead in the global market for solar technologies, and provide support for clean-energy jobs for years to come.
The program is modeled in part on SEMATECH (Semiconductor Manufacturing TECHnology). Faced with falling US market share for the domestic semiconductor industry from 57 per cent in 1982 to 38 per cent in 1988, SEMATECH began working with domestic equipment suppliers to improve their capabilities. As a result of SEMATECH’s work to solve common manufacturing problems by leveraging resources and sharing risks, within 10 years the domestic semiconductor industry had grown by 16 per cent. Through this award, SEMATECH will now apply similar strategies to helping the US recapture the lead in solar manufacturing.
Read more here …
