SusTech Talk July 2025 – Remarkable Evolution of Solar Technology

The Remarkable Evolution of Solar Technology Tuesday, July 29, 6-7 pm Pacific Time with Daniel N. Donahoe, MBA, PhD, PE Solar cells were introduced in space applications beginning in 1958, but that cell technology cells were meager power produces. Today solar cell technology (photovoltaics) is in the process of remarkably rapid evolution promising low cost, high efficiency, and low environmental impact. In this talk, I’ll review that technology evolution and the remarkable history of science behind these changes. This fantastic international effort begins in geology (advances employ the most common crystal structure occurring in earth), earliest electromagnetics, and miraculously clear thinking based on simple geometry. Past Nobel Prizes provide breadcrumbs of how mankind has reached this point. Although, our sustainable technology story is not yet finished. When naysayers rebuke technology as an answer to man’s challenges, we should remember the final Jacob Bronowski in his 1973 book titled The Ascent of Man: We are all afraid – for our confidence for the future, for the world. Yet every man, every civilization, has gone forward because of its engagement with what it has set itself to do. Speaker(s): Dan Donahoe, Agenda: 6:00 pm Welcome & Introduction of speaker 7:00pm Adjourn Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/491510