Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator seeks to address the lack of sufficient private investment that is available to successfully commercialize the output of research, development, and demonstration activities and bring innovative solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to market.
Donor Name: Golden Field Office
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Program
Deadline: 05/30/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
Specifically, projects funded through this NOFO will encourage innovations in solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing across the supply chain, with the aim of reducing U.S. reliance on imported materials and technologies. This NOFO also encourages the development of new solar hardware and technology for domestic use and potential export. These activities are expected to deliver jobs and economic growth in the clean energy sector, while increasing national energy security.
- Topic Area 1 seeks to conduct early-stage pilot-scale testing and demonstration of innovative processes or products that can substantively increase domestic manufacturing in all segments of the crystalline silicon solar module supply chain. Each segment also includes the manufacturing equipment used in that segment, input materials for that segment, process control and characterization tools, and consumables used in that segment, which today are predominantly made outside the United States.
- Topic Area 2 aims to support the cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV industry, an increasingly valuable part of the U.S. economy and leading domestic renewable energy technology. All segments of the CdTe PV module supply chain are of interest, including improvements in materials, processes, manufacturing, components, metrology, demonstration, recycling, and reclamation.
- Topic Area 3 is focused on R&D and demonstration activities with the goal of de-risking new non-module PV components and manufacturing processes, while developing and validating a realistic pathway to commercial success. This includes structural and electrical components and tools that can be made domestically and improve performance, functionality, reliability, or ease of installation for PV systems.
Funding Information
Approximate total available funding including all topic areas: $20 million in FY 2025
- Topic Area 1: Crystalline Silicon Modules
- Approximate total available funding: $8 million in FY 2025
- Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: $1 million–$4 million
- Approximate award project period: 18–36 months
- Anticipated length of budget periods: 12–24 months
- Topic Area 2: Cadmium Telluride Modules
- Approximate total available funding: $8 million in FY 2025
- Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: $1 million–$4 million
- Approximate award project period: 18–36 months
- Anticipated length of budget periods: 12–24 months
- Topic Area 3: Non-Module Hardware
- Approximate total available funding: $4 million in FY 2025
- Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: $1 million–$4 million
- Approximate award project period: 18–36 months
- Anticipated length of budget periods: 12–24 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Small businesses
- For profit organizations other than small businesses.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
