Initiatives of U.S. Department of Energy to Reduce Cost of Photovoltaic Energy Systems

                   Solar energy, which is abundantly available and assumed as viable solution for energy crises due to depletion of conventional energy resources; it is essentially needed to reduce Cost of Photovoltaic Energy Systems so as to make them cost-competitive with other forms of energy. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched SunShot Initiative with aim to reduce the total costs by about 75 percent, of photovoltaic solar energy systems, and SunShot calls for achieving this goal by the end of the decade. The SunShot Initiative will help to make Photovoltaic Energy Systems cost-competitive with other forms of energy without subsidies.

                     3M, the Solar Film producer, is working on innovative project with goal to accelerate efforts toward further development and commercialization of its 3M™ Ultra Barrier Solar Film. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded 3M, $4.4 million as part of DOE’s SunShot Initiative. The sum of the 3M award is estimated at $4.4 million over three years. Although, the High-efficiency flexible solar modules manufactured with 3M's Film significantly reduces the total system costs for rooftop solar installations, but also have an array of niche applications where the customers can take advantage of the unique module form factor.

                     The Ultra Barrier Solar Films of 3M are designed specifically to address the needs of flexible thin film solar manufacturers. The performance and durability of Ultra Barrier Solar Films will be tested by collaborative action of 3M and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL recently confirmed moisture vapor transmission rates in the range of 2*10-5 - 8*10-5 g/m2/day for 3M's current Ultra Barrier Film 9L product. This was conducted by NREL using its electrically based calcium moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) test. Compared with glass-glass modules, large area, light weight flexible PV modules manufactured with 3M Ultra Barrier Solar Film can achieve lower balance of systems (BOS) costs by requiring less installation time, removing the need for metal racking, and reducing logistics expenditures. The performance of 3M Ultra Barrier Solar Film justify their use as a replacement for glass with high light transmission, superb moisture barrier performance, and excellent weather ability. The 3M Ultra Barrier Film provides the manufacturers to commercialize large area modules, effectively reducing fixed costs associated with module manufacturing, assembled in a continuous roll-to-roll process; and so enables to lower the module manufacturing costs.

                   The funding of DOE will support a robust reliability test program to validate the lifetime performance of 3M’s film as well as development of second-generation 3M Ultra Barrier Solar Film with enhanced performance and reduced costs.

Source ( for more information):-3M News press release