Department of energy starts SunShot price competition

The SunShot prize is intended to reduce in the soft costs associated with small solar systems of more than 65%.
Credit: MREA

Within the framework of the initiative announced the Energy Ministry SunShot the Department on September 12 beginning to make a new contest faster, easier and cheaper, solar panels on the roof to install. The SunShot price makes a total of $10 million in cash prizes for the first three teams that consistently demonstrate that the non-hardware costs or price to plug in, as low as $1 per watt (W) for small photovoltaic (PV) systems, which can be installed to American homes and businesses. This objective corresponds to a decline in the "soft costs" of solar installations - including permitting, licensing, connection to the grid and other non-hardware costs - more than 65%. The winning teams will show that solar energy is a solution affordable for families and businesses in the United States.

The SunShot Prize to inspire innovative, sustainable and verifiable business practices to reduce soft costs $1 / W. achieving which this target SunShot within will bring soft cost target of $0.60 / W for residential system, reach by the end of the Decade. During phase I of the competition to win the teams will be successful to deploy, 5,000 small-scale (is kilowatt) rooftop PV systems with non-hardware costs an average $1 / W. phase II, which is provided the company sustainability the winner, calls for the installation of an additional 1,000 qualified systems.

The competition runs over 2015.The winner first place will receive $7 million, $2 million will get second place and runners-up will receive $1 million for the competition to achieve goals successfully. In addition to the prize money, which are officially first place team "the winner of America's best rooftop solar"-price. The SunShot initiative is a joint project of the national to solar energy until the end of the decade with other energies get competitive. See the press release of Ministry of energy and SunShot Prize Web site.

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