Founded in 2012, the Regional Test Center (RTC) program supports a network of outdoor research sites that function as a unified technical platform for evaluating emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies under realistic field conditions. Established by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) and managed by Sandia National Laboratories, the overarching goal of the RTC program is to provide technical excellence and high-fidelity data in support of the American solar industry and its stakeholders. Overall, the RTCs help drive the deployment of new solar technologies by demonstrating their robustness across different climate zones, and in doing so play a critical role in growing the supply of American energy.
Under the technical oversight of Sandia National Laboratories, the RTC program reflects Sandia’s decades of experience in the characterization and performance evaluations of solar technologies and the Lab’s commitment to technical excellence. Operated in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of Central Florida, Michigan Technological University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the program also draws broadly on the expertise and capabilities of its partner institutions. Collectively, the six sites in the RTC program generate validated performance data to support the commercialization of existing and prototype photovoltaic (PV) technologies and provide a platform for research to improve the efficiency and resilience of PV systems across different climates.

Each RTC site has state-of-the-art meteorological and monitoring equipment, onsite technical expertise and expandable space to support high-quality cross-climate research. Collectively, the RTCs:
- Support innovation across the US solar sector, partnering with American manufacturers to design experiments and generate data on the cross-climate performance of cutting-edge technologies
- Enable researchers to develop PV systems optimized for specific climates
- Function as an early-warning system for emerging degradation challenges
- Provide a platform for state-of- the-art solar training and education
- Represent a whole that is more than the sum of its parts. The RTCs support multiple research partnerships among academia, industry and the national labs.
The Value of the RTC Network to the Nation

The RTCs lead to technological Improvements
![NM_System_From_Above[3][4]](https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/185/2022/03/NM_System_From_Above34-e1459176861615-1024x509.jpg)
The RTCs provide the data and analysis to demonstrate how new products perform over time and in different climates. Companies apply for an RTC study and if accepted, partner with the National Labs on the design and execution of a performance study that best aligns with the partner’s technical objectives. These studies help accelerate the commercialization of new products by quantifying the energy gains of new, high-efficiency solar products and providing the data and analysis needed for investor confidence. All data are protected by a non-disclosure agreement and shared only with the industry partner unless the partner decides otherwise.
2. Photovoltaics R&D
Data available to the public includes performance data from each RTC reference PV array, synchronized to onsite meteorological data. The data contributes to advanced performance models, bringing greater accuracy to levelized-cost-of-energy projections.
Common Instrumentation and Measurement Platform
- Grid-tied open racking for fast installations and technological flexibility, able to accommodate technologies and systems of varying sizes
- World-class meteorological instrumentation, high-resolution monitoring equipment, and a common set of calibration and operating protocols to ensure data quality across the program.
- Standardized protocols for PV system validation, applicable to different climates and settings.
- Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI)
- Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI)
- Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI)
- Plane-of-Array (POA)
All irradiance sensors are cleaned twice weekly and calibrated every two years.
- Precipitation gauge
- Wind speed and direction
- Barometric pressure
- Relative humidity and temperature
Automated data reports alert the Labs to any system or data failure at each of the RTC sites, enabling the rapid identification and repair of faulty instrumentation, from sensors to dataloggers.
How to Participate in the RTC Program

The RTCs are a singular resource that gives solar companies access to multi-climate research facilities, high-fidelity performance data and the technical excellence of the National Labs. This unique pairing of industry with Lab expertise helps drive both product innovation and the commercialization of new products. More specifically, RTC participation includes the following:
- Grid-tied infrastructure that can accommodate a diversity of technologies and installation of different sizes
- Access to National Lab expertise and the Lab’s broad engineering and problem-solving capabilities
- Validation approach that includes confidential bankability reports
- Relationship with the RTC Team and National Labs that supports information-sharing and opportunities for future collaboration.
A Multi-Institutional Collaborative

SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES
Laurie Burnham
RTC Program Lead
Bruce King
Principal Investigator and Performance Team Lead for Photovoltaics
Daniel Riley
Instrumentation and Monitoring Lead
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
Bill Sekulic
Senior Researcher at NREL and RTC Lead
Chris Deline
Research Engineer and Technical Lead for NREL’s PV System Performance Group.
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Paul Dice
Engineering Researcher and Technical Lead for the MI RTC.
Ana Dyreson
Faculty Member and Researcher at Michigan Tech.
Manjunath Matam
Faculty Member and Researcher at UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS
Aaron Sahm
Research Engineer at UNLV and Technical Lead for the NV RTV
Six RTC sites

Special features include both outdoor and indoor characterization capabilities:
- Two-axis tracker for measuring a module’s performance under controllable conditions.
- High-fidelity meteorological instrumentation including spectral radiometer and sky camera
- Long-pulse, Class AAA solar simulator to measure the electrical performance of modules before and after field deployment
- Imaging chamber for infrared, electroluminescence (EL) and dark current and voltage (dark-IV) measurements for cell and module diagnosticsHigh-security site (badging required)
- High-Bay Accelerated Testing Laboratory that allows for accelerated weathering of PV modules under controlled conditions.
- Failure Analysis Laboratory that enables current testing and diagnostic imaging to identify failure mechanisms
- Long-pulse, Class AAA solar simulator to measure the electrical performance of modules before and after field deployment
- Optical Mechanical Characterization Laboratory that supports the optical and mechanical characterization of PV components including their ability to transmit and reflect light and their strength and integrity.High-security site (badging required)
Site Partner: Michigan Technological University
- The Michigan Regional Test Center (MI RTC) is in Calumet, Michigan adjacent to the Advanced Power Systems Center at Michigan Technological University.
- The site is distinguished by its climate. The northern Michigan location provides ideal field conditions for evaluating solar technologies in winter: snow and low temperatures here are both predictable and persistent with the average annual snowfall of 202 inches and up to as much 300 inches or more.
- Other features include fixed-tilt racking, single axis trackers, a mock roof and a set of module-scale load sensors that can measure snow, wind and cold loading on modules of any size.
Lafayette, Louisiana
Site Partner: The University of Louisiana, Lafayette
Located at the university’s Solar Energy Lab and equipped with the tools and technical capabilities to support the new RTC. The six-acre solar field is adjacent to Antoun Hall at UL-Lafayette’s Research Park. The facility supports industry-funded studies as well as research. Sandia chose the latest site for its high heat and humidity, as well as the location’s potential for severe weather events, such as hurricanes. UL-Lafayette will also leverage the RTC to support workforce development for those choosing a career in the PV industry.
Special features include:
- Long-pulse, Class AAA solar simulator to measure the electrical performance of modules before and after field deployment.
- Imaging chamber for infrared, electroluminescence (EL) and dark current and voltage (dark-IV) measurements for cell and module diagnostics.
- Fixed tilt, tracker systems and mock roof structure for product studies.
Henderson, NV
Site Partners: The University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). Located less than 20 miles south of Las Vegas, this site is defined by high irradiance, high heat and limited precipitation.
Special features include:
- Isotype cell sensor for solar spectral measurements
- Technologies represented include: concentrated photovoltaics, mono-crystalline silicon (both n- and p-type), bifacial- and shingled-cell modules, anti-reflective coatings, and sensor adhesives, with more technological diversity on the way.
- Research site for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems
- Installation labor, and other technical assistance, provided by SNWA
- Onsite office for student education and research
- High-security site (badging required)
The FL RTC is located on a 10-acre site owned by the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa, Florida, where the climate is consistently hot and humid.
Site Partner: University of Central Florida
Associated capabilities include:
- A long-pulse Class AAA solar simulator for measuring the electrical performance of modules
- Electroluminescence (EL), infrared (IR), acoustic and optical imaging
- Materials characterization that includes ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy, secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), Auger and photo luminescence (PL).
Contact:
Laurie Burnham
RTC Project Lead
lburnha@sandia/gov