Energy Committee: What's new in solar energy?

Wednesday, September 28, 7 - 9 pm (starting at 7 sharp), Sierra Club National Headquarters, Yosemite Room, third floor, 85 Second Street, San Francisco (two blocks from the Montgomery BART station).

The Bay Chapter's Energy Committee hosts an annual meeting on solar energy. Last year's event focused on the basics of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and on educating members who were considering installing a system on their homes. This year we'll look to the future, specifically at how PV systems will evolve over the next five years. Newer cell materials such as thin-film amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, copper indium diselinide (CIS), and organic solar cells will be compared to the mono- and multi-crystalline silicon cells commonly installed today. Innovative products such as PV roofing tiles, panels with 3-D nanostructures, and alternative energy-conversion systems, such as the solar Stirling engine will also be discussed.

Evolution of solar electric systems will require more than just new technologies; it will require massive investments in manufacturing plants to allow production to catch up with rising demand. Industry representatives will describe new legislation including the Federal Energy Bill, the Million Solar Roofs Initiative (SB1), and Community Choice Aggregation, which promise to continue fueling exponential growth in the demand for solar PV panels. The industry is currently constrained by a shortage of panels, and solutions to this problem will be discussed.

All are invited to join this informative event. We expect a large turnout; arrive early to be assured of a seat. Light refreshments will be served.

An agenda for the meeting will be posted at www.sfbayenergy.org the second week of September, or call (415) 203-2781 for more details.