Meeting Purpose and Scope

The objective of SAI is to achieve market competitiveness for photovoltaic (PV) solar electricity in the U.S. by 2015 through government partnerships with industry, universities, laboratories, States, and/or other public entities. SAI is a Presidential Initiative which has an overall mission of initiating widespread commercialization of clean solar energy technologies to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while also improving the environment.

SAI Technology Acceptance encompasses the key non-research and development activities of SAI. The overall mission of SAI is to achieve cost-competitiveness of solar energy technologies by 2015 across all market sectors. The mission of the Technology Acceptance in SAI is to reduce market barriers and promote market expansion of solar energy technologies through non-R&D activities.

The objective of the SAI Technology Acceptance Technical Exchange Meetings is to solicit input from stakeholders to consider in designing the Technology Acceptance strategy of the Solar America Initiative. These Meetings will focus on the discussion of critical issues that will have a significant impact on the structure of the initiative and the resulting SAI Technology Acceptance solicitation. The key mechanism used to accomplish this objective will be a series of breakout sessions to be held during these one-day events. The first set of breakout sessions will focus on infrastructure development strategies, and the second set of breakout sessions will focus on market expansion strategies.

Meeting Participation Expectations

Meeting participants are expected to play a significant role in providing necessary inputs to inform DOE decision making. Government participation will primarily take the form of facilitation and data capture. The Meeting will provide an important opportunity for the external community to influence DOE deliberations, and participants are expected to fully embrace this opportunity through free exchange of concepts, concerns, and suggestions. Organizations are asked to select representatives based on their ability to contribute to dialogue in the breakout sessions.

It is our expectation that participants will come having provided feedback to the Department's SAI Technology Acceptance Request for Information (RFI). The RFI includes instructions on how to respond to the focus areas contained therein. The RFI focus areas also provide more detail about the topics of the breakout groups. Participants should plan on fully reviewing this material prior to arrival. Participants are also welcome to visit the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program website, at http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar/.

Further questions on Meeting background reading materials, scope, or mechanics, should be held until the engagement of formal discussions at the Meeting. Questions on registration or logistics should be directed to meetings@sentech.org Subject: Solar TEM.

Thank you for your contributions to the challenge of defining an effective Solar America Initiative. We look forward to seeing you at the Technology Acceptance Technical Exchange Meetings.