WASHINGTON â The Energy Department announced today that the U.S. solar industry is more than 60 percent of the way to achieving cost-competitive utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity â only three years into the Departmentâs decade-long SunShot Initiative.25 Million to Boost U.S. Solar Manufacturing. Over the last three years, the cost of a solar energy system has dropped by more than 50 percent â helping to give more and more American families and businesses access to affordable, clean energy.