U.S. Photovoltaic Program Called Essential

source: SolarAccess 2001.12.14

GOLDEN, Colorado. The solar PV program administered by the U.S. Department of Energy
has received high marks from an independent panel of experts.

The 2001 Peer Review of DOE's Photovoltaic Program found that the quality
of science, technology and engineering is outstanding in terms of
conducting world class R&D. The panel says the R&D defines the state of
the art in university research; measurement, characterization, electronic
devices and materials; thin film partnerships; and PV manufacturing
technology.

The review was conducted by a panel of energy officials selected on the
basis of their broad understanding of PV technologies and markets, and
their independence from direct participation in any of the DOE program.

The positive evaluation comes at a time when, according to the U.S.
industry, it faces a critical juncture in PV development with companies facing
decisions on capital-intensive investments in new manufacturing
processes that have never been tried at such scale.

Industry officials say DOE cost sharing and expertise are critical factors in
reducing the real and perceived risk of investments in PV market
development. Industry backers look to research to prove the viability of the
technologies, and to the expertise of DOE researchers to provide an
unbiased opinion on the viability of new manufacturing processes and PV
materials.

If DOE were to pull away from its role in PV R&D or compromise the quality
of its scientific effort, much of the past investment would be lost because it
would not go into practice in manufacturing, products and applications, they
say.

The quality of science, technology and engineering is excellent in the area of
system and industry support, according to the panel. The program is
outstanding across all activities in supporting work that is fundamental to
the success of the program and in allocating funds as effectively as
possible within current budget circumstances, making it very relevant to
national needs.

The PV program received outstanding ratings in all areas for effective
program management, indicating that the panel views the program as
operating as effectively as possible and maximizing its return on investment
within funding constraints.

The PV program is doing an extremely effective job of setting priorities,
balancing allocation of available resources, recognizing and addressing
critical problems and barriers to progress and commercialization, and in
supporting the quality of work required to achieve its goals, says the panel.

The rankings assigned to the three evaluation criteria in each of the five
areas evaluated were not made lightly. The panel pointed out that the
consistently high rankings assigned in the evaluation are very unusual but
also quite deliberate, based on the peer group's collective familiarity with
many other research efforts both public and private.

The National Energy Policy Plan proposed by the U.S. administration
emphasizes that R&D programs should be performance-based and
modeled as public-private partnerships. The review panel says the PV
program, as a whole, is doing an outstanding job in meeting these
objectives.

Over the past two decades, the PV Program, in partnership with the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories and the
industrial and academic communities, has worked to achieve the program's
mission of making "PV a significant and vital part of the domestic economy
in the years ahead, both as an industry and as an energy resource."

The review panel says the PV program has achieved its intended goal of
developing a PV industry in the United States that is recognized as a leader
around the world.