On September 24, 2019, DOE EERE’s Assistant Secretary, Daniel R. Simmons, announced the winners of the first round of the American-Made Solar Prize. The prize consists of a $3 million competition to revitalize U.S. solar manufacturing. Each prize winner received $500,000 for use at DOE National Laboratories.

In addition to the aforementioned announcements, DOE also declared two initiatives led by EERE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO): the National Community Solar Partnership and the teams participating in the new Solar District Cup. The National Community Solar Partnership focuses on the expansion of affordable community solar access to every American household by 2025. It is designed to empower government entities, utilities, financiers, businesses, nonprofits, affordable-housing providers, and stakeholders. The partnership will provide technical assistance, tools, and information to low- and moderate-income communities to increase solar installations.

The Solar District Cup, funded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), consists of a collegiate competition for student teams to design and model solar-plus-storage systems across multiple buildings on a local distribution network. This competition is designed to prepare students to enter the solar workforce amid the changing energy landscape.

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