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November, 2006: As a part of the wide-ranging Solar America Initiative proposed earlier this year, US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel Bodman on Oct. 12 announced $13 million in funds for new research and promotion spread out over several years.
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© US Department of Energy (DOE)
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Master of funds: US DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman, here at a briefing at NREL, announced $13 million in funds for new PV R&D and promotion in October.
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About $4.5 million is planned to be awarded in fiscal year 2007. These funds, in addition to $170 million announced in late June for solar energy research and development over the next three years (see PI 8/2006, p. 50), must still be appropriated by Congress.
This latest announcement will make awards in five areas. The DOE proposes $4.2 million over five years for a project consisting of a working group to develop codes and standards, facilitate implementation, and to monitor emerging issues surrounding these codes and standards. The effort, which would be undertaken by one or two selections, would receive $1.2 million in FY 2007. Another $3 million is planned to be distributed evenly over the next three years for the creation of a national voluntary PV module performance rating system. Finally, DOE proposes setting up three separate non-R&D related »strategic partnerships« for »outreach.«
»State Solar Technical Outreach« seeks to enlist assistance of three to six state organizations over two years to help promote solar by spending $3.2 million. »Solar City Strategic Partnerships« would award $3.2 million over two years to six to 10 cities to promote solar at the local level. »Utility Solar Technical Outreach« seeks to award $1.35 million to one or two utility organizations to facilitate integration of solar energy into utility business models. Proposals were due in September. Winners are planned to be announced in December or January, by which time it should be clear whether the funds are actually available.
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