The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) is to accelerate the advancement of solar technology and the equitable deployment of solar and energy storage systems. SETO works to support the nationwide goal to decarbonize the electricity system by 2035 and realize a net zero economy by 2050. In September 2021, DOE released the Solar Futures Study, a report that explores the role of solar energy in achieving these goals.
SETO supports solar energy research, development, demonstration and technical assistance in seven areas—photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), systems integration, manufacturing and competitiveness, soft costs, solar workforce development, and equitable access to solar energy. Learn more about SETO’s research areas.
In May 2021, SETO released its Multi-Year Program Plan, which describes the office’s activities and specific goals for 2025. Download the plan.
Technology Cost Targets
SETO drives innovation in technology and soft cost reduction to make solar affordable and accessible for all Americans. To do that, SETO tracks the cost of solar energy systems to measure progress towards national goals for reducing the cost of solar electricity and to guide the direction of its research and development program. Learn more about our cost targets and our current benchmark.
Safe and Reliable Grid Integration
SETO works to enable solar energy and storage systems to support the reliability, resilience, and security of the grid. SETO is working to address these challenges by studying the integration of solar with energy storage, load control, and other distributed energy resources, as well as advancing thermal energy storage that is paired with CSP technologies.
Rapid Solar and Storage Deployment
Decarbonizing the energy sector will require clean energy technology that can be deployed quickly. Rapid deployment must be responsive to the needs of host communities, the solar industry and workers, and the environment.
Expanding Access to Solar
SETO works to create a more equitable clean energy future by addressing the barriers that low- and moderate-income households face in accessing the benefits of solar through innovations in financing, community solar, and workforce development.
Past Goals
In 2011, SETO launched the SunShot Initiative to lower the cost of solar-generated electricity by 75% to enable utility-scale solar costing approximately $1 per watt or $0.06 per kWh by 2020, which was achieved three years ahead of schedule. Learn more about the SunShot Initiative.
Learn more about SETO, its research areas, and current funding opportunities.