The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) seeks information regarding innovative approaches to achieve a generational leap in high specific power, highly-durable photovoltaic (PV) systems for application in terrestrial, aerial, and space environments. Greater design flexibility is desired to deploy higher energy-consuming instrumentation on platforms that best match mission requirements, but often designers face tradeoffs due to limited onboard energy conversion. The envisioned cells and systems would enable new freedom to deploy capabilities for long-term missions not possible with today’s technology.

This RFI seeks innovative systems-level approaches to improve the lifetime energy yield and SP of high-efficiency photovoltaic systems while simultaneously improving reliability and opening-up greater design freedom for mobile system designers to tailor SCs and SC assemblies regardless of application. These systems, when fully realized, have the opportunity to greatly increase the lifetime harvestable energy compared to conventional cell assemblies (and associated power electronics components) of the same mass, both at beginning of life (BOL) and through mission end of life (EOL) that goes beyond 20 years. This could enable new applications for space, aerial, and mobile terrestrial platforms that were previously impossible due to limited power or energy collection capacity. Maximum domestic sourcing of materials and domestic manufacturability of these cells, and systems will also be key to ensure adequate supply.

Responses to this RFI are due no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, September 20, 2023. All submissions must be electronically submitted to dni-iarpa-rfi-23-04@iarpa.gov as a PDF document. Inquiries to this RFI must be submitted to dni-iarpa-rfi-23-04@iarpa.gov. Do not send questions with proprietary content. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.