REWI is officially a U.S. Department of Energy Awardee, having been awarded funding through the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office* to design and construct the SolSource Database. The contract negotiation phase is now complete and funding has started.
Building on our reputation as a leader in making confidential data useable for research, REWI is constructing a data-sharing infrastructure that will adapt to the emerging needs of solar energy and natural resource stakeholders. The SolSource Database will be a community resource of solar-related information that can support the project siting and review process. It will also promote scientific research addressing pressing solar energy-natural resource risks, challenges, and opportunities. Feedback from our stakeholders during the development of the SolSource Database will be incorporated into all components of the project.
Collaboration through data-sharing will rapidly increase our understanding of solar-natural resources challenges and opportunities. Rather than starting the environmental review of each new solar project from a place of complete uncertainty, we can pool information from numerous solar projects across regions for review and synthesis.
We will be sharing opportunities for the community to engage with this project and help make it a success in the coming months. Stakeholder engagement will include a survey to identify future/ongoing research projects associated with photovoltaic solar facility development and operation.
*The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office accelerates the advancement and deployment of solar technology in support of an equitable transition to a decarbonized economy. Learn more at energy.gov/eere/solar.