Hot topics in Solar Panels
When
Speaker
Abstract
There's potential for solar energy to provide the totality of the world's energy consumption. But there are still barriers to overcome to achieve this potential. In this talk we will explore an overview of how solar energy is generated and managed through solar panels, what the state of the art is, and what are the current market interests and research trends for improving technical, infrastructure, economic and policy barriers in upcoming years. We will look in particular at bifacial solar panel technology, and how industry and researchers alike are contributing to make this low-risk high-gain technology the next game-changer in photovoltaics.
Bio: Silvana Ayala Pelaez is a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona. She has an M.S. in Optical Sciences at the same University. She received a B.S. in Mechatronics Engineering from Monterrey Tec (ITESM 2007). She works in the Photonic Systems Laboratory under Dr. Raymond Kostuk. Her primary area of expertise is on the integration of holographic optical components with photovoltaic materials for higher efficiency in solar panels. Current projects are focused on bifacial photovoltaic performance and modeling. Her research includes characterization and energy simulation for bifacial and bifacial/holographic system energy productions. She has two papers under review in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in Golden, Colorado. She edited and published the book “Solar Outreach Handbook” in 2018.