National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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The Future of
Photovoltaics Manufacturing
in the United States

Summary of Two Symposia

Charles W. Wessner, Rapporteur

Committee on Competing in the 21st Century:
Best Practice in State and Regional Innovation Initiatives

Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy

Policy and Global Affairs

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
                          OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS    500 Fifth Street, N.W.    Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by: Contract/Grant No. DE-AT01-06NA26358, TO #28, between the Department of Energy and the National Academy of Sciences. This report was prepared by the National Academy of Sciences under award number SB134106Z0011, TO #4, from the Technology Innovation Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NIST or the U.S. Department of Commerce. This report was prepared by the National Academy of Sciences under award number 99-06-07543 from Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. Additional funding was provided by The Heinz Endowments, Acciona Energy, Dow Corning Corporation, IBM, SkyFuel Inc., and the Association of University Research Parks. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-14214-4

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Limited copies are available from Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy, National Research Council, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., W547, Washington, DC 20001; 202-334-2200.

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Copyright 2011 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

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Committee on
Competing in the 21st Century:
Best Practice in State and Regional Innovation Initiatives*

Mary L. Good, Chair

Donaghey University Professor

Dean, Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology

University of Arkansas at Little Rock and STEP Board

Richard A. Bendis

Founding President and CEO

Innovation America

Susan Hackwood

Executive Director

California Council on Science and Technology

William C. Harris

President and CEO

Science Foundation Arizona

W. Clark McFadden II

Partner

Dewey & LeBoeuf, LLP

Michael G. Borrus, Vice Chair

Founding General Partner

X/Seed Capital Management

Mary Maxon

Initiative Lead

Marine Microbiology Initiative

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

David T. Morgenthaler

Founding Partner

Morgenthaler Ventures

Edward E. Penhoet

Director

Alta Partners

Tyrone C. Taylor

President

Capitol Advisors on Technology

____________________

*As of July 2009.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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PROJECT STAFF*

Charles W. Wessner

Study Director

Alan Anderson

Consultant

McAlister Clabaugh

Program Officer

David S. Dawson

Senior Program Assistant

Sujai J. Shivakumar

Senior Program Officer

David E. Dierksheide

Program Officer

Adam H. Gertz

Program Associate

(through June 2010)

____________________

*As of May 2011.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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For the National Research Council (NRC), this project was overseen by the Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy (STEP), a standing board of the NRC established by the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering and the Institute of Medicine in 1991. The mandate of the STEP Board is to integrate understanding of scientific, technological, and economic elements in the formulation of national policies to promote the economic well-being of the United States. A distinctive characteristic of STEP’s approach is its frequent interactions with public and private-sector decision makers. STEP bridges the disciplines of business management, engineering, economics, and the social sciences to bring diverse expertise to bear on pressing public policy questions. The members of the STEP Board* and the NRC staff are listed below:

Edward E. Penhoet, Chair

Director

Alta Partners

Lewis W. Coleman

President & CFO

DreamWorks Animation

Alan M. Garber

Henry J. Kaiser, Jr. Professor

Professor of Medicine

Director, Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research

Stanford University

Ralph E. Gomory

Research Professor

Stern School of Business

New York University

and

President Emeritus

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Mary L. Good

Donaghey University Professor

Dean, Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Amory Houghton, Jr.

Former Member of Congress

David T. Morgenthaler

Founding Partner

Morgenthaler Ventures

Joseph P. Newhouse

John D. MacArthur Professor of Health Policy and Management

Harvard Medical School

Arati Prabhakar

General Partner

U.S. Venture Partners

William J. Raduchel

Chairman

Opera Software ASA

Jack W. Schuler

Partner

Crabtree Partners

Alan Wm. Wolff

Of Counsel

Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

____________________

*As of May 2011.

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STEP STAFF*

Stephen A. Merrill

Executive Director

Paul Beaton

Program Officer

McAlister Clabaugh

Program Officer

David S. Dawson

Senior Program Assistant

David E. Dierksheide

Program Officer

Charles W. Wessner

Program Director

Adam H. Gertz

Program Associate

(through June 2010)

Daniel Mullins

Program Associate

Sujai J. Shivakumar

Senior Program Officer

____________________

*As of May 2011.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Panel I: Opportunities and Challenges Facing PV Manufacturing in the United States

Moderator: Kevin Hurst, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President

First Solar, Inc.

Michael J. Ahearn, First Solar

The Global PV Value Chain

Dick Swanson, SunPower

Unleashing the Power of the Sun

Eric Peeters, Dow Corning Solar Solutions

Panel II: Opportunities and Challenges Facing PV Manufacturing in the United States: Large Companies’ Perspective

Moderator: Pete Engardio, BusinessWeek

PV Manufacturing in the United States

Eric Daniels, BP Solar

Applied Materials’ Perspective

Mark Pinto, Applied Materials

DuPont Reflections on Photovoltaics

Steven C. Freilich, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.

Panel III: National and International Consortia: Lessons and Best Practices

Moderator: Clark McFadden, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

Collaboration for Success in Semiconductors

John E. Kelly, IBM

Consortia in Europe: IMEC

Johan Van Helleputte, IMEC

Public-Private R&D Collaboration: Lessons from PV Partnerships

Robert M. Margolis, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Panel IV: Economics of Photovoltaics in the United States

Moderator: Richard Bendis, Innovation America

Global Manufacturing of Photovoltaics: Where Does the United States Stand?

Ken Zweibel, George Washington University

Financing Photovoltaics in the United States

Steve O’Rourke, Deutsche Bank Securities

The Toledo, Ohio, Solar Cluster

Norman Johnston, Solar Fields LLC, Calyxo GmbH, and Ohio Advanced Energy (OAE)

Luncheon Remarks—Transforming the Glass City into the Solar City: Toledo’s Tradition of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio)

Panel V: Next Generation: The Flex Display Opportunity

Moderator: William Harris, Science Foundation Arizona

New and Synergistic Opportunities in Flexible and Printed Electronics

Mark Hartney, FlexTech Alliance

Advancing Technology Through Measurement Science at NIST

Eric K. Lin, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Flexible Electronics

Bob Street, Palo Alto Research Center

Panel VI: Roundtable Discussion—Key Issues and Next Steps Forward

Moderator: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona)

Jim Ryan, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Gateway University Research Park, Greensboro, North Carolina

Eric Daniels, BP Solar

Mark Pinto, Applied Materials

Richard Bendis, Innovation America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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III. PROCEEDINGS—JULY 29, 2009, SYMPOSIUM, STATE AND REGIONAL INNOVATION INITIATIVES—PARTNERING FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS MANUFACTURING IN THE UNITED STATES

Welcome

Charles Wessner, The National Academies

Introduction

Clark McFadden, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

Opening Remarks

Senator Mark Udall (D-Colorado)

Panel I: Partnering for Photovoltaic Technologies

Moderator: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona)

U.S. Photovoltaic Roadmap: Perspective of the Manufacturing Industry (1)

Subhendu Guha, United Solar Ovonic (Uni-Solar)

Perspective of the Manufacturing Industry (2)

David Eaglesham, First Solar

Panel II: Advancing Solar Technologies: The Department of Energy

Moderator: Alicia Jackson, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Perspective

Kristina Johnson, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

DoE Solar Energy Technologies Program: Accelerating the U.S. Solar Industry

John Lushetsky, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Bringing Department of Energy Innovations to Market

Carol Battershell, Senior Advisor for Commercialization and Deployment, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

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Panel III: Facilitating Solar Innovation: Contributions from Other Federal Agencies

Moderator: Richard Bendis, Innovation America

Measurement and Standards: The Role of NIST

Kent Rochford, Acting Director, Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The NSF Model: The Silicon Solar Consortium

Thomas W. Peterson, Assistant Director, NSF Directorate of Engineering

Photovoltaic Manufacturing in the United States: A University Perspective

James Sites, Colorado State University

Panel IV: Advances in Photovoltaic Manufacturing: Intermediating Institutions

Moderator: Pete Engardio, BusinessWeek

A Solar Product Development Center

Stephen Empedocles, SVTC Solar

Industry-University Partnership for Photovoltaic Technologies

Nolan Browne, MIT-Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems

The SEMATECH Model: Potential Applications for PV

Michael Polcari, SEMATECH

The Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC): A Proven Means to Fund Relevant Research

Larry Sumney, Semiconductor Research Corporation

PV Technology Roadmaps and Industry Standards: An Association’s Approach

Bettina Weiss, PV Group

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Preface

The global economy is characterized by increasing locational competition to attract the resources necessary to develop leading-edge technologies as drivers of regional and national growth. One means of facilitating such growth and improving competitiveness is to foster more robust innovation ecosystems through the development of public-private partnerships, industry consortia, and other regional and national economic development initiatives.

Many U.S. states and regions have developed programs to attract and grow companies as well as attract the talent and resources necessary to develop a knowledge-based economy. These state and regionally based initiatives have a broad range of goals and, increasingly, include significant resources. They often have a sector-based focus and, in many cases, are developed in partnership with universities and private foundations.

However, there has been little or no recent analysis of the role of these innovation partnerships. Despite the growing importance and growth of state and regional programs, relatively little is known about their goals, mechanisms, funding levels, accomplishments, and complementarities with federal programs.

STATEMENT OF TASK

An ad hoc committee, under the auspices of the Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy (STEP) is conducting a study of selected state and regional programs in order to identify best practices with regard to their goals, structures, instruments, modes of operation, synergies across private and public programs, funding mechanisms and levels, and evaluation efforts. The committee is reviewing selected state and regional efforts to capitalize on federal and state

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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investments in areas of critical national needs. This review includes both efforts to strengthen existing industries as well as specific new technology focus areas such as nanotechnology, stem cells, and energy in order to gain an improved understanding of program goals, challenges, and accomplishments.

THE CONTEXT OF THIS REPORT

Since 1991, the National Research Council, under the auspices of the Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy, has undertaken a program of activities to improve policymakers’ understandings of the interconnections of science, technology, and economic policy and their importance for the American economy and its international competitive position. The Board’s activities have corresponded with increased policy recognition of the importance of knowledge and technology to economic growth. New Growth Theory in economics also emphasizes the role of technology creation as a driver of local and regional growth.1

Recent economic analysis also suggests that high technology is often characterized by increasing rather than decreasing returns, justifying to some the proposition that governments can capture long-term advantage in key industries by providing relatively small, but potentially decisive support to bring regionally based industries up the learning curve and down the cost curve. In part, this is why the literature now recognizes the relationship between technology policy and trade policy.2 Recognition of these linkages and the corresponding ability of governments to shift comparative advantage in favor of the state, regional, and national economy provide the intellectual underpinning for government support at all levels for high-technology industry.

STEP seeks to bring new insight to bear on issues of national interest though its analyses of specific industries and technologies.3 The Board’s research addresses both demand and supply side realities, the contribution of R&D partnerships, and efforts to enhance U.S. competitiveness. This approach is of particular relevance to current initiatives to create and/or reinforce clusters of firms able to

____________________

1Developed in the 1990s, New Growth theories highlight the role of innovation as the main driver for economic development, with the implication that policies that embrace openness, competition, change and innovation will promote growth. See Paul M. Romer, “Endogenous technological change,” Journal of Political Economy October 1990. Also see Gene M. Grossman and Elhanan Helpman, “Endogenous innovation in the theory of growth,” The Journal of Economic Perspectives 8(1):23–44, 1994.

2J. A. Brander and B. J. Spencer, “International R&D rivalry and industrial strategy,” Review of Economic Studies 50:707–722, 1983, and “Export strategies and international market share rivalry,” Journal of International Economics 16:83–100, 1985.

3National Research Council, Innovation in Global Industries: U.S. Firms Competing in a New World, J. Macher and D. Mowery, eds., Washington D.C.: The National Academies Press, 2008. This report follows a previous review of U.S. industrial performance by STEP. See National Research Council, U.S. Industry in 2000: Studies in Competitive Performance, D. Mowery, ed., Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1999.

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meet new needs and contribute to improved U.S. competitiveness and the creation of high-value employment in the United States.4

Public-private partnerships are increasingly recognized as important elements for the support of innovation-led growth because of their contribution to the commercialization of state and national investments in research and development. As documented by recent National Research Council analysis, technology partnerships can be critical to generating an environment supportive of technologies that can have economic benefits with regional and national impact.5

One important element of STEP’s analysis concerns the growth and impact of foreign technology programs.6 U.S. competitors have launched substantial programs to support new technologies, small firm development, and consortia among large and small firms to strengthen national and regional positions in strategic sectors. Some governments overseas have chosen to provide public support to innovation to overcome the market imperfections apparent in their national innovation systems.7 They believe that the rising costs and risks associated with new potentially high-payoff technologies, and the growing global dispersal of technical expertise, underscore the need for national R&D programs to support new and existing high-technology firms within their borders.

Similarly, many state and local governments and regional entities in the United States are undertaking a variety of initiatives to enhance local economic development and employment through investment programs designed to attract and grow knowledge-based industries.8 These state and regional programs and associated policy measures are of great interest for their potential impact on U.S. competitiveness. STEP’s project on State and Regional Innovation Initiatives is intended to generate a better understanding of the challenges associated with the transition of research into products, the practices associated with successful state and regional programs, and their interaction with federal programs and private initiatives. The project seeks to achieve this goal through a series of complementary assessments

____________________

4See Charles W. Wessner, Growing Innovation Clusters for American Prosperity, Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press, forthcoming. See also Karen G. Mills, Elisabeth B. Reynolds, and Andrew Reamer, Clusters and Competitiveness: A New Federal Role for Stimulating Regional Economies, Washington, D.C.: Brookings, April 2008.

5National Research Council, Government-Industry Partnerships for the Development of New Technologies, Charles W. Wessner, ed., Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press, 2003.

6National Research Council, Innovation Policies for the 21st Century, Charles W. Wessner, ed., Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press, 2007.

7Most notably, a number of countries are investing significant funds in the development of research parks. For a review of selected national efforts, see National Research Council, Understanding Research, Science and Technology Parks: Global Best Practices, Charles W. Wessner, ed., Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press, 2009.

8For a scoreboard of state efforts, see Robert Atkinson and Scott Andes, The 2008 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States, Kauffman Foundation and ITIF, November 2008.

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of state, regional, and federal initiatives; analyses of specific industries and technologies from the perspective of crafting supportive public policy at all three levels; and outreach to multiple stakeholders. The overall goal is to improve the operation of state and regional programs and, collectively, enhance their impact.

STEP MEETINGS ON PHOTOVOLTAIC MANUFACTURING

Gathering representatives from leading producers of photovoltaics, congressional staff, leading academics and industry analysts, and representatives from relevant government agencies, STEP convened two meetings, held in April and July 2009, to examine the future of the U.S. photovoltaic industry and the practical steps that the federal government and some state and regional governments are taking to develop the capacity to manufacture photovoltaics competitively. Drawing on the experiences of related industries, meeting participants explored the prospects for cooperative R&D efforts, standards, and roadmapping efforts that could accelerate innovation and growth of a U.S. photovoltaics industry.

This report captures the presentations and discussions of these two symposia on the future of photovoltaic manufacturing. It includes a common introduction and summaries of the presentations at both meetings. This workshop summary has been prepared by the workshop rapporteur as a factual summary of what occurred at the workshops. The planning committee’s role was limited to planning and convening the workshops. The statements made are those of the rapporteur or individual workshop participants and do not necessarily represent the views of all workshop participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

On behalf of the National Academies, we express our appreciation and recognition for the insights, experiences, and perspectives made available by the participants of the meetings. We are also grateful to John Lushetsky of the Department of Energy, John Fernandez of the Economic Development Administration, Marc Stanley of the Technology Innovation Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Christina Gabriel of The Heinz Endowments for their interest and support of this project.9

We are indebted to Alan Anderson for his preparation of the meeting summaries. Sujai Shivakumar prepared the draft introduction to this volume and David Dierksheide prepared the report manuscript for publication.

____________________

9As of July 2009.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL REVIEW

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Academies’ Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for quality and objectivity. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

I wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Nancy Bacon, United Solar Ovonic and Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.; Robert Collins, University of Toledo; Stephanie Shipp, Institute for Defense Analysis; Richard Swanson, SunPower; and Cyris Wadia, Haas School.

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the report, nor did they see the final draft before its release. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the author and the institution.

Charles W. Wessner

Rapporteur

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2011. The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12724.
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Next: I: OVERVIEW »
The Future of Photovoltaics Manufacturing in the United States: Summary of Two Symposia Get This Book
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Technological innovation and growth are critical to U.S. competitiveness in a global economy. One means of facilitating growth and improving competitiveness is to foster more robust innovation ecosystems through the development of public-private partnerships, industry consortia, and other regional and national economic development initiatives. Public-private partnerships, in particular, catalyze the commercialization of state and national investments in research and development.

One of the major projects of the National Research Council's Board on Science Technology and Economic Policy (STEP) is to examine state and local investment programs designed to attract and grow knowledge-based industries. STEP analyzes state and regional innovation initiatives to gain a better understanding of the challenges associated with the transition of research into products, the practices associated with successful state and regional programs, and their interaction with federal programs and private initiatives. In April and July 2009, STEP convened two meeting to assess the future of the U.S. photovoltaic industry and the practical steps that the federal government and some state and regional governments are taking to develop the capacity to manufacture photovoltaics competitively.

The Future of Photovoltaic Manufacturing in the United States captures the presentations and discussions of these meetings. This report explores the prospects for cooperative R&D efforts, standards, and roadmapping efforts that could accelerate innovation and growth of a U.S. photovoltaics industry. It includes both efforts to strengthen existing industries as well as specific new technology focus areas such as nanotechnology, stem cells, and energy in order to gain an improved understanding of program goals, challenges, and accomplishments.

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