Today, solar-generated electricity serves people living in the most isolated spots on earth as well as in the center of our biggest cities. First used in the space program, PV systems are now both generating electricity to pump water, light up the night, activate switches, charge batteries, supply the electric utility grid, and more. Whether you are a homeowner, farmer, planner, architect, or just someone who pays electric utility bills, PV may already touch your life in some way.

PV cells and modules are very reliable in space and on the earth. The Hubble space telescope (pictured here) and virtually all communications satellites are powered by photovoltaic technology. The DOE program over the last two decades has worked to bring this technology to earth.

We group PV applications into the following categories:

• Simple or "Stand Alone" PV Systems
• PV with Battery Storage
• PV with Backup Generator Power
• PV Connected to the Local Utility
• Utility-Scale Power Production
• Hybrid Power Systems