The Future of Solar Energy

Join us for a special symposium, which brings together three world leaders in the field to share their vision of solar energy development and discuss the opportunity areas for university research and education that they see in the future. Featuring Barry Rand, Princeton University; Tony Buonassisi, MIT; and Sarah Kurtz, UC Merced. Solar energy has passed a tipping point. With an exponential growth rate outpacing the early stages of cell phone adoption, it is increasingly the cheapest form of electricity around the world and is correspondingly projected to be the fastest growing occupation over the next decade. With this exciting development come new questions: Where can university research still meaningfully contribute to photovoltaic technology? What technological developments in the surrounding ecosystem are needed to sustain the rapid growth of solar energy? And who will supply the workforce for this burgeoning industry? This special symposium brings together three world leaders in the field to share their vision of solar energy development and discuss the opportunity areas for university research and education that they see in the future. This is part of the Energy 2100 Initiative and its Future of Energy Symposium Series.