Energy Department Announces Funding to Develop “Plug-and-Play” Solar Energy Systems for Homeowners
April 24, 2012 - 10:15am
Washington, D.C. – As part of the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $5 million available this year to develop “plug-and-play” photovoltaic (PV) systems that can be purchased, installed and operational in one day. This effort is part of the Department’s broader strategy to spur solar power deployment by reducing non-hardware, or “soft” costs, such as installation, permitting, and interconnection, which currently amount to more than half of the total cost of residential systems. The funding 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.
Mercury is released into the atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels and it enters your body through the food you eat. Exposure to mercury can damage your nervous system and is especially damaging to pregnant women.
The EPA recently proposed the first national standard for mercury and other toxic air pollutants from power plants. It's estimated that this standard would prevent as many as 17,000 premature deaths and 11,000 heart attacks a year.
Burning coal is one of the leading sources of human-caused global warming. Coal companies don't want to limit their toxic pollution. But with your help, we can make sure the Mercury and Air Toxics rule becomes a reality. The first step is to make sure that you know the facts.
Washington, D.C. – As part of the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $5 million available this year to develop “plug-and-play” photovoltaic (PV) systems that can be purchased, installed and operational in one day. This effort is part of the Department’s broader strategy to spur solar power deployment by reducing non-hardware, or “soft” costs, such as installation, permitting, and interconnection, which currently amount to more than half of the total cost of residential systems. The funding 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.