US program promotes concentrated solar power
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029158
MIT Technology Review : Eleven new solar projects are to receive $24 million in funding as part of a new program launched by the US Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy. Called MOSAIC (microscale optimized solar-cell arrays with integrated concentration), it aims to promote concentrated photovoltaic technologies in order to achieve a higher solar-to-electricity conversion rate. However, because of the materials required, such systems have proven to be very expensive, and they only work in regions with a lot of direct sunlight, such as the American Southwest. The new program seeks to develop more affordable materials and improve the technology to make use of more diffuse sunlight. The goal is to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions and its dependence on foreign sources of energy.
