The U.S. photovoltaic research program

The United States Fiscal Year 2003 photovoltaic R and D program is described in this paper. With a $73 million budget, emphasis is placed on long-term innovative research, thin film development, manufacturing R and D, and systems development and reliability. Long-term research is focused on "leap-frog" technologies with the potential to dramatically reduce the cost of solar electricity. In thin films, new levels of efficiency and stability in prototype modules have been achieved, as well as higher laboratory cell efficiencies that will have implications for the PV products deployed in terrestrial systems and applications. Near-term research is focused on reducing cost through manufacturing advancements and by improving system reliability.