This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

January 23, 2013

SunShot Incubator Inspires Solar Energy Visionaries

It's the type of challenge bold pioneers eagerly embrace.

The Energy Department on January 16 announced the availability of more than $12 million to accelerate innovations within the solar industry as part of the latest round of SunShot Incubator. This new funding opportunity challenges solar's best and brightest to lead groundbreaking advancements across the entire solar spectrum—from streamlining solar permitting to increasing solar cell efficiency.

The latest round of SunShot Incubator will continue the legacy of transformational solar innovations set by past participants. Projects will focus on two key areas: scaling-up innovations in solar hardware and reducing the non-hardware "soft costs" of solar—which can account for nearly half the cost of a solar energy system. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.