PRESS RELEASE: Solar Inventions receives $500,000 as the first-ever winners of the American Made Solar Prize

September 24, 2019 — Solar Inventions, an Atlanta, Georgia based energy-tech startup, was selected as a winner in the year-long American Made Solar Prize. In addition to recognition and validation, the company will receive an immediate $500,000 cash prize along with $75,000 in vouchers to work with the US national laboratories.

Dr. Becca Jones-Albertus, Deputy Director, Solar Energy Technologies Office and Daniel Simmons, the Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), presented the award to the Solar Inventions team.

The American Made Solar Prize is a brand new competition funded by the Solar Energy Technologies Office of the US Department of Energy and supported by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Its goal is to restart innovation and grow jobs in the US solar industry. The program is specifically designed for young, high-growth companies seeking to rapidly commercialize new products and technologies for the US solar industry. Unlike traditional grants and collaborative programs, the Solar Prize competition reduces the paperwork and administratively burdensome monitoring. It allows early-stage companies to remain lean and flexible in pursuit of their missions. It is believed to be the largest unrestricted cash award in the history of the US Department of Energy.

Press play to see a video overview of the C3 technology and its potential market impact.

Solar Inventions has created a breakthrough new solar cell and panel architecture called C3 that offers more power, improved safety, and reduced costs. The Solar Prize will allow the company to run several long term field tests and to build out its supply chain for commercial release of C3 panels in 2020. The prize also provides the company ongoing collaboration with the scientists in the US national laboratories as it commercializes its even more exciting second-generation C3 technology.

The US solar industry is at an important juncture and the Solar Prize is well-positioned to help restart innovation and job growth. Solar Inventions is honored to have been selected to help with this important effort.

Check out the Department of Energy’s press release for more information on the competition.