Grant Opportunity
DOE is also offering $117.6 million in Recovery Act funds for solar energy technologies, including $51.5 million for the development of advanced photovoltaic (PV) technologies, such as solar cells and modules; $25.6 million for research and development to support concentrating solar power (CSP), which uses mirrored surfaces to capture the sun’s heat; and $40.5 million to address non-technical barriers to solar energy deployment, including market barriers, cumbersome grid connection requirements, and a lack of trained installers. About $17 million of the solar funding is available only to DOE national laboratories. See the solar energy solicitations on grants.gov, which are divided into high-penetration solar PV deployment, solar market transformation, and the funds for DOE national laboratories. These solicitations can also be found by searching Fed Connect for DE-FOA-0000085, DE-FOA-0000078, and DE-FOA-0000087, respectively. Applications are due by July 30 for the two main solicitations, while the due date for the national laboratory funding is July 15. As part of the funding, DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is also soliciting letters of interest for PV Technology Incubators, with a due date of July 13.
Stimulus funding solicitations
Solicitation: DE-FOA-0000078 “Solar Market Transformation.” (DOE’s Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP)) Applications due July 30, 2009.
Topic 1: Solar America Cities (SC has none that qualify).
Topic 2: Solar Installer Instructor Training.
Solicitation: DE-FOA-0000085 “High Penetration Solar Deployment.” DOE’s Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP)) Applications due July 30, 2009.
Topic 1: Improved Modeling Tools Development
Topic 2: Field Verification of High-Penetration Levels of PV into the Distribution Grid
Topic 3: Modular Power Architecture
Topic 4: Demonstration of PV and Energy Storage for Smart Grids
Solicitation: DE-FOA-0000087 “National Laboratory Call for Foundational Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar Power Research and Development” Applications due July 15, 2009. This is restricted to DOE National Laboratories.
Tax Credit Increase
In the FY10 budget recently passed, the legislature was able to insert a proviso which increases the state’s solar tax credit from 25% to 30% during 2009. That makes now the time to invest in solar power!
89.114. (GP: Solar Power Income Tax Credit Increased) The State income tax credit allowed pursuant to Section 12-6-3587 of the 1976 Code for the costs of purchase and installation of a qualifying solar energy system in a taxable year ending in 2009 is increased from twenty-five to thirty percent of such costs.