Earlier this week, the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced it was joining the newly-formed Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes.
The new alliance includes Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and Japan’s Research Centre for Photovoltaic Technologies. Representatives signed a memorandum of understanding at the Intersolar North America conference in San Francisco on July 10.
The alliance aims to increase collaboration and sharing of research into solar, as well as to work together on development goals for the technology and ensure sustainable long-term use of solar energy
Members from NREL, Fraunhofer ISE and AIST announcing the formation of the Global Solar Alliance. Credit: Intersolar North America
“NREL has been a solar energy pioneer since its inception as the Solar Energy Research Institute 35 years ago,” NREL Director Dan Arvizu said.
“We are proud to join in this alliance with the leading institutions in Germany and Japan to enhance international solar energy research cooperation.”
Key to the group’s work will be a researcher exchange program, where the three organizations will have two researchers from each institute in residence at the other research centers to do collaborative research for periods from six months to two years.
