The Sandia Solar Programs e-newsletter features highlights, key activities, events, and publications.
Focused on developing cost-effective, reliable photovoltaic energy systems and accelerating the integration of PV technology in the United States and globally.
Using mirrors to concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a small area where the concentrated light is converted to heat, which drives a generator.
Use microdesign and microfabrication techniques to produce miniaturized solar cells that are released into a solution similar to printing ink.
Photovoltaics
Sandia’s PV research staff work collaboratively with DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Program, the U.S. photovoltaic industry, other government agencies and national laboratories, and international organizations to increase the worldwide use of PV power systems by reducing cost, improving reliability, increasing performance, removing barriers, and growing markets.
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
In virtually all applications CSP is large power, on the order of 100 MW or larger, that is used by utilities to generate electricity and distribute to consumers. In a CSP plant, solar energy is converted to heat and the heat is used in a conventional power cycle or other heat engine to produce mechanical power and drive a generator.
CSP Videos
SunShot Solar CSP (Source: Department of Energy)
New Solar Power Technology: Could Get Power on Cloudy Days (Source: KOAT)
MEPV concepts use microdesign and microfabrication techniques to produce miniaturized solar cells that are released into a solution similar to printing ink. This solution is then placed or ‘printed’ onto a low-cost substrate with embedded contacts and microlenses for focusing sunlight onto the cells. Sandia’s approach uses cells that are tiny in both thickness and lateral dimensions – as small as 14 microns thick and 250 microns wide. The thinness of the cells reduces material costs while enhancing cell performance by improving carrier collection and potentially achieving higher open circuit voltages.
- RENEWABLE ENERGY OUTLOOK IN THE US AND THE WORLD (61 downloads)
- High Penetration PV – A Transmission Perspective on DG Standards: Abraham Ellis, Sandia National Laboratories (61 downloads)
- Needs and Issues in System Performance Modeling - Manufacturer/Integrator (61 downloads)
- TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION DEFERMENT USING PV AND ENERGY STORAGE (61 downloads)
- FIELD DATA COLLECTION FOR QUANTIFICATION OF RELIABILITY AND AVAILABILITY FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS (61 downloads)
- Solar Energy Programs
- Sandia’s Livermore Site to Help Validate Cool Earth Solar’s CPV Technology
- Microsystems Enabled Photovoltaics (MEPV) “Solar Glitter”
- PV Value ®
- Arc Fault Detection and Mitigation
- Fuel Cell Membranes Open New Doors for Power
- Photovoltaic Systems Evaluation Laboratory (PSEL
- Distributed Energy Technologies Laboratory (DETL)
- Regional Test Centers for PV Technologies
- National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF)
- Molten-Salt Test Loop (MSTL)
- Solar Glare Hazard Analysis (SGHAT)
- Roof Structure Analysis
Sandia Labs Contributes to Solar Industry Innovation: A Partnership Story
Hearing of a current-voltage (IV) sweep (or tracing) product made by a small start-up company, Sandia contacted Stratasense to discuss its compact product that had three features for studying photovoltaic (PV) performance: (1) it was [...]
Sandia Labs’ Photovoltaic Systems Evaluation Lab (PSEL) Marks Accomplishments & Adds Capabilities
Bruce King, PSEL technical lead, in front of newly installed light soaking chamber. SandiaNational Laboratories completed a number of enhancements and expansions to its Photovoltaic Systems Evaluation Laboratory (PSEL) facility to expand indoor [...]
Sandia Labs Participated in CEM7 as Part of a Smart Grid Research Network
Sandia National Laboratories participates in the Smart Grid International Research Facility Network (SIRFN), a coordinated network of smart grid research and test facilities working on selected projects around the globe. SIRFN’s collaborative test and evaluation [...]
Sandia Labs Engineer Recognized by IEEE
Sandia Labs' Jay Johnson recently won the 2016 IEEE Albuquerque Section's "Outstanding Young Engineer" Award for his work in photovoltaic (PV) codes and standards. Jay was recognized for his involvement with several standards development organizations [...]
