The Department of Energy's (Department) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
established the Solar Technology Pathway Partnerships (Solar TPP) program as part of an effort
to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015. The
program focused on new solar energy photovoltaic systems. To implement the program, the
Department, beginning in 2007, established cooperative agreements with 12 for-profit financial
assistance recipients who in turn established partnerships with universities, non-profit
organizations, and the Department's national laboratories. To date, cooperative agreements with
9 of the 12 original recipients remain active. Of the three cooperative agreements that had been
discontinued, two were terminated due to concerns about their viability and the other recipient
withdrew before beginning work.
