First off, we need domestic low-cost high, volume PV in this Country now. So some April at Brookhaven Lab hosted a two-day workshop In Long Island, NY. They held a workshop bringing together Lab researchers and members of the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC). All to discuss new approaches for advancing solar manufacturing in the U.S. Therefore, PVMC is a partnership between The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University of Albany and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology SEMATECH.

Let’s Manufacture PV Here!

Thereby an association of member companies cooperating on research. So they are focusing on key areas of semiconductor technology. That’s with a strong focus on developing low-cost high, volume PV / thin-film photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing.

Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected and funded PVMC. PVMC to develop low-cost, high-volume PV manufacturing of thin-film photovoltaics.

As I’ve written before, the U.S. installed 2.7 gigawatts of solar photovoltaics (PV). Thereby making it the most solar ever installed in the first quarter of a year. With the strong first quarter, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables forecasts 25% growth in 2019 compared to 2018, and it expects more than 13 GWdc of installations this year.

This data comes from the new U.S. Solar Market Insight Report from Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). They announced that the U.S. hit the 2 million solar installation milestone. Consequently, during the first quarter of 2019.

So it’s causing a key motivation for establishing PVMC. This is the solar manufacturing industry needs to be in the United States. Especially to develop domestic, low-cost, high-volume PV manufacturing. That’s to remain competitive in the global solar marketplace.

Dignitaries attending were such as Sustainable Energy Technologies Department Chair Pat Looney, along with Department scientists Matt Eisaman and Alessandra Colli. All working with PVMC to organize and host the workshop.

So the solar manufacturing industry in the United States needs to develop domestic, low-cost, high-volume PV manufacturing. Therefore this will help them to remain competitive in the global solar marketplace.

New York State has made significant investments in PVMC, including the donation of pilot assembly lines for thin film manufacturing. Brookhaven will contribute its capabilities in materials science and engineering science to this effort.

For the entire story and Brookhaven National Lab Solar