On December 7, 2012, DOE announced $21 million in funding for the Plug-and-Play Photovoltaics funding opportunity. Part of the SunShot Systems Integration efforts, the following projects were selected under this competitive solicitation:
- Fraunhofer USA, Inc., Center for Sustainable Energy Systems: Plug-and-Play Solar Photovoltaics for American Homes
- North Carolina State University FREEDM Systems Engineering Center: Development of a Low-Cost Residential Plug-and-Play Photovoltaic System.
Approach
Through the Plug-and-Play Photovoltaics program, DOE will advance the development of a commercial plug-and-play photovoltaic (PV) system, an off-the-shelf product that is fully inclusive with little need for individual customization. Homeowners can install the system without special training or tools. The homeowner simply plugs the system into a PV-ready circuit, and an automatic PV discovery process initiates communication between the system and the utility.
Innovation
These projects will help drive innovations to fundamentally change the design and installation of residential PV systems, reducing costs for homeowners and simplifying installations and grid connectivity.