Welcome to the Web site for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies program. We focus on developing solar energy technologies to power our world. We are motivated by a belief that science and technology, guided by purpose and vision, can deliver new energy resources that are clean, reliable, and secure.

Solar energy technologies have great potential to benefit our nation. They can diversify our energy supply, reduce our dependence on imported fuels, improve the quality of the air we breathe, offset greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulate our economy by creating jobs in the manufacturing and installation of solar energy systems.

CSP systems use reflective materials that concentrate the sun's heat energy to drive a generator that produces electricity.

PV systems use semiconductor materials that convert sunlight directly to electricity.

Solar collectors absorb the sun's energy to provide low-temperature heat used directly for hot water or space heating for residential or commercial buildings.

Parabolic collectors focus sunlight into a fiber optic system to illuminate building interiors with sunlight.