Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar Power
Photovoltaic Systems
Sandia's photovoltaics work is centered on developing cost-effective, reliable photovoltaic energy systems produced by US industry and used worldwide. Sandia teams with the industry and academia to accelerate development and acceptance of the technology at home and abroad.
The department provides the technical lead for balance-of-systems manufacturing technology and provides technical support to DOE in deployment and validation of photovoltaic systems for federal agencies, utilities, and other institutional users. Sandia's photovoltaic systems departments assist industry and users by providing technical assistance, accurate performance measurements, component development and improvement, and system evaluation. A major thrust of the department is evaluating and improving the performance, reliability, and cost effectiveness of systems and balance-of-systems components. Sandia's photovoltaic systems departments are part of the National Center for Photovoltaics, which includes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Contact: Charles Hanley, Manager, (505) 844-4435, cjhanle@sandia.gov
Concentrating Solar Power Systems
The Solar Technologies Department develops solar thermal electric technologies for the DOE Solar Thermal Electric Program. Working in conjunction with the Photovoltaics Systems Department
and NREL (through the Sun Lab virtual laboratory), the department has developed parabolic trough, power tower, and dish/engine technology to support virtually every major solar thermal electric activity in the United States. In conjunction with industry, our staff have pivotal technical and programmatic roles in the Solar Two power tower project, the Program's dish/engine joint venture programs with SAIC, Allied Signal, and Boeing, and in the development of advanced concepts, components (heliostats, solar receivers, and engines), and systems.
We also support a range of systems analyses, market identification studies, and international cooperative projects (through the IEA working group SolarPACES), conducted in cooperation with industry partners.
Contacts: Jeff Nelson, Manager, (505) 284-1715, jsnelso@sandia.gov; Tom Mancini, Team Lead, (505) 844-8643, trmanci@sandia.gov
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