Solar Advice

Buonassisi Group Home | Research | Pub&Pres | People | Join Us | News | Teaching | Solar @ MIT | Advice This is a page written and maintained by Prof. Tonio Buonassisi (with input from many others), which intends to serve as some guidance to those interested in the field. Last updated July 4, 2010. Advice: For Current Students (Undergrad and Grad) Interested in PV For Prospective Graduate Students For Graduating Students For Professionals Considering a Career Change For Installing PV on Your Home, Building, or Boat References: Solar Links on the Internet Reading Material For All Sorts of Audiences

Advice for Current Students (Undergrad and Grad) Interested in PV

Seek out the existing labs or programs at your university or neighboring institutions, or even within your community. There are bound to be weekly or bi-weekly seminars you can attend that focus on PV. MIT has a very active Energy Club which sponsors a fantastic array of informal discussions, seminars, conferences, and other energy-related events in a constructive politics-neutral atmosphere. There is also a great page of links to other campus activities. The Harvard Energy Journal Club also meets to discuss similar topics. In addition, the Mechanical Engineering, Sloan School of Management, Harvard School of Business, and Materials Science and Engineering seminars focus on PV from time to time, and Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), the Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Development, the New England Energy Innovation Collaborative (NEEIC), and the Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE) sponsor frequent events. Get connected. Sign up for the events annoucement listservs, esp. the MIT Energy Club listserv which provides a weekly summary of local energyrelated events. Keep up-to-date with developments in your field and related fields. There are many websites that will email you daily, weekly, or monthly updates about scientific and political developments in energy policy and PV. The nonacademic institutions listed in the previous paragraph definitely qualify. For those residing or interested in US energy policy, consider Girst Magazine (newsletter here) and Greentech Media. Solar-focused websites include Solarbuzz, Renewable Energy Access, The Solarserver, PV Tech, Top50-Solar; you can also sign up for the e-newsletters. There are also numerous good blogs like Gunther Portfolio (twitter, newsletter). The trade journal Photon International is also highly recommended. For graduate students, it can be helpful to have the library website automatically email you the abstracts of new publications in your field, containing keywords of interest (i.e. photovoltaic + crystalline + silicon). This comes in handy when it's time to write a thesis! Talk to a library staff member to get started. For members of the MIT community, check out the link to Solar @ MIT.

Advice For Prospective Graduate Students

There are many different research fields focusing on specific problems in PV. Therefore, it's important that you identify your interests so you know where to start looking. While there is significant overlap between the following fields, it is important to identify the areas that you will be best at and, more importantly, you will enjoy working with

the most. After all, graduate school is a long-term committment: approach it as a marathon, not a sprint! Engineering (Mechanical, Materials Science, Electrical, Industrial, Civil, Chemical), Physics (Applied), and Chemistry aspects of PV, such as developing novel and more efficient materials for solar cells, identifying efficiency-limiting defects in PV-material and finding ways to minimize their detrimental effects, developing better anti-reflection coating materials & processes, using & developing scientific equipment to analyze efficiency-limiting defects in fully-processed solar cells, studying the long-term degradation of solar cells, transport mechanisms, the effects of irradiation, developing more efficient processes for manufacturing solar cells (sustaining a high-throughput of good-quality PV material at reduced costs and with minimum negative environmental impacts, depositing good contact fingers & back contacts, delivering the product, etc.), minimizing waste and improving product quality on a solar cell production line, developing equipment to quickly and accurately monitor the quality of solar cells on the production line, etc. If these aspects interest you the most, consider a graduate school or institute with close ties to industry, or a PV company at which you can also conduct your Ph.D. research. PV is truly interdisciplinary, so you may find your "ideal project" outside of your home department. That's almost to be expected these days, as the lines between the disciplines become blurred. Theoretical studies of PV, including simulation to predict device performance based on material parameters, processing conditions, and device architectures; computational modeling to assess the performance of novel materials and geometries for solar applications. If you enjoyed theoretical physics/electrical engineering, consider a research group pursuing questions such as these. Political Science, Public Policy, and Economics aspects of solar energy and renewables, both regional and global. Modelling consumer behavior; developing intelligent legislation to promote the manufacturing, deployment, and use of renewables; designing a balanced renewable energy portfolio for an individual household or for a country; analyzing energy markets; interning at government offices, NGOs, or consumer watchdog groups during the summer months. If these possibilities sound interesting to you, then seek a program that will allow you to develop skills in this direction. Read the advice in the section below on Bussiness, Management, and Marketing, as some of this also applies. Business, Management, and Marketing aspects of renewables. Consider a graduate program that will allow you to build your understanding the current challenges facing the technology and the industry, give you a solid background in business and administration, and provide you the essentials of understanding how PV works (it is very important you understand the product you are trying to sell!). It helps to choose a university that has a good business school as well as strong research programs in one or more of the areas of study listed above, such as MIT with its Sloan School of Management, Technology and Policy Program, and School of Engineering. You will have to show initiative and do some searching on your own, seeking individuals at your university or institution who will be able to discuss with you the current issues in the field as they see them, or suggest some reading material appropriate for your level of scientific comfortability. Don't expect your program of study to provide you with all the understanding you need to be successful in PV. Seek understanding by networking with professionals in other areas who are also working with PV and renewables. Combination Degree Programs: If your interests span two or more of the fields mentioned above, consider an interdisciplinary and/or student-designed curriculum. Many universities offer such interdisciplinary programs that allow you to focus in one of the areas mentioned above, while taking some classes from other areas. It is important that the student who chooses this path of study be motivated and disciplined, to keep her or his path of study 'interdisciplinary' and not 'non-disciplinary' (a class here, a class there, but no focus or thesis). That's why it is important to identify what you are best at and what you enjoy doing the most, in order to become an expert in that area, while keeping breadth and understanding in other areas relating to PV. To see the big picture, it helps to understand a part of it really well. Be Flexible. Even if possibilities don't exist in your exact field of interest, choose a project in a related field that also appeals to you. It is important to like what you're doing (you're going to be doing it for years, after all). It is also wise to choose a field of basic research that will provide you with solid fundamentals -- if PV is eclipsed by a more advanced technology in a few years, the skills you acquired during graduate school will still be applicable to some other field, and you'll probably enjoy working there as well. Seek the great minds, and learn from them, even if their research is applicable to PV but does not focus solely on PV (i.e. a semiconductor research lab in a mechanical

engineering department). Once you acquire a certain set of skills (familiarity with scientific equipment and semiconductor fundamentals, for example), it will become easier for you to join a PV group for a summer project or a post-doc, for example. Choosing a Research Group. Once you know what your interests are, it's time to select a research group. Of course, you could enter a degree program, take only classes for a semester, and then choose a research group. However, it is helpful to identify a research group with which to get started (you can always change later!) for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it will help you decide whether or not a particular university offers the research in which you are interested. Secondly, your experience, whether good or bad, will help you in deciding what you want to research during your stay at grad school. While there's no need to panic, it's always good to find a lab that matches your interests early on. Even if your first choice research group doesn't work out, you will have gained experience which will help you find the lab that is right for you. And last but not least, it will help you gain admittance into your graduate program. If your future advisor is really interested in having you join his/her lab, their word may sway the admissions committee. The nitty-gritty of choosing a research group is basically the same in every field. Find the groups in which you are interested by visiting the websites of other universities and looking in their "Academic" sections for "Departments", "Programs of Study" and "Institutes" which interest you, finding scientific journals in your library (or online) that relate to PV and reading papers from different groups to see what sort of work interests you the most, asking your professors for advice (even heads of departments of science / engineering), surfing the net, etc. Lastly, once you've identified a few groups that have potential, contact them. Email the head of the group, and be sure to choose an email Subject that easily identifies you as an interested potential graduate student. Introduce yourself as a student interested in the research of their group, and present your credentials. Ask to set up a meeting to visit the lab and to discuss ongoing and future research projects. If a visit to the lab is not possible, inquire if a phone interview can be arranged. Visit the website of the group and try to gather information about the lab. Read the publication list and choose two or three interesting articles for in-depth reading. The professor will appreciate your interest in her or his work. Do not be discouraged if there is no immediate answer from the head of the group; the professor may either be traveling or may not have read your email (heads of laboratories are usually extremely busy). Try waiting a few weeks and sending another email, and/or follow up your email with a polite phone message (Hello, my name is Jane, and I am calling in reference to an email I sent you on November 19th. I am a senior undergraduate applied physics student at Brown University who is interested in...). If all else fails, contact the group members directly. You want to choose a lab that you'll be happy working in, and you'll also eventually want to graduate. Before you commit to a school, be sure to contact members of the group working on the projects in which you are interested. Ask more than one graduate student how long it takes, on average, to get a Ph.D. from their research group, if they have regular contact with their advisor, if they feel they are receiving proper guidance for their research, if they are happy working at that lab, where recent grads have gone to work, etc. Graduate students have nothing to hide, and are usually bloodily honest about their working conditions. Write down their names and emails so you can contact them with any additional questions. Standardized Testing. Figure out which ones are necessary for the graduate program to which you are applying. Get these out of the way early, and score well. This will help you not only get admitted to the graduate school, but more importantly, with the following: Funding. One of the realities of life. Putting it gently, there is rather limited funding for PV research. Thus, while not a fundamental prerequisite, financial independence can really help you land the position in the lab, school, and degree program of your choice. One can achieve financial independence either by winning the lottery or a fellowship. Believe it or not, the latter is easier. There are many fellowships available for prospective graduate students; the trick is to start applying early because many have deadlines as early as November. Some of the most common are: NSF: Usually for US citizens only. Visit their website for to search for awards & fellowships for which you may be eligible.

 NDSEG Fellowships: Support for grad students. University Fellowships: Available in limited amounts through your department or university. Inquire with your department about nomination procedures and deadlines. Usually your future department (i.e. your future advisor) will have to nominate you for one of these. While not a prerequisite, it usually helps if you are a minority student, if you have received fantastic grades, and/or if you are the first in your family to attend graduate school. The Summer Before You Start. Consider one of the following options for the summer before you start your graduate program. Get an early start in your new lab: It can be really helpful to get an early start in your new lab. You'll find that not having the pressure of classes can be really helpful to bring you up to speed. You'll begin to familiarize yourself with the equipment, get to know the ongoing research projects, maybe help out with a few of them, attend group meetings, become a part of the group... the feeling of utter uselessness that most graduate students experience upon joining a new research group can be more quickly dispelled. In addition, you can get your paperwork taken care of, take the necessary safety training courses, get your university ID card... all the pesky little things that add up to a big hastle when you add classes to the big picture. Do research at a collaborating institution: If you have your heart set on a research group, consider doing a summer project at an institution with which your future lab collaborates. Ask you future advisor about this possibility. It may be good to establish personal contacts with some of your collaborators. REU (research experience for undergraduates) funding for university labs, as well as for national labs, is available for graduating seniors in exceptional cases. That could mean you. Pick a nice spot on the map that will allow you to do the activities you enjoy during the summer, while gaining some research experience. For example, consider an internship at NREL or at another national laboratory the summer preceeding graduate school. Travel or take time off from school: This is one of the last 'big holidays' you are going to be able to enjoy. If you feel you're close to burn-out from your undergraduate years, take some time off. Travel the world, do a service project in Latin America or close to home, or just relax by the swimming pool. Graduate school is a long-term committment. As such, consider your own physical and mental health. Approach it as a marathon, not as a sprint. If you need time off to get a good start, do so. Consider taking a month off after graduation and then engaging in one of the above activities, for example. Follow Your Best Judgement. Consider what is written above, but think beyond what is written on this website. You got this far, and you'll make it farther. This above is merely designed to provide some sense of encouragement and direction, and to point out some common pitfalls.

Advice for Graduating Students

Multiple Career Options: Industry, University, or Other? This is a very good question, worth dedicating serious thought to. One size doesnt fit all, so its important to know what your options are, to have a realistic perception of the realities of each option, to know what youre exceptionally good at, and most importantly, to know what flavor of life balance you will enjoy: A family? Save the world from anthropogenic climate change? Money? Fame? A prosperous career? How much of each? As a graduating student from a well-regarded university, your career options are virtually limitless. You are the new blood entering the workforce, with new skills, a fresh vision of the world, energy, enthusiasm, and motivation. Especially in the U.S., which produces many less PV experts per capita than Japan and Germany, you are a prized resource. Do not let your lack of experience get you down. Although you may not know it, you are in a good negotiating position within a growing market; put simply, there are several charioteers looking for new blood to pull their chariots. Nevertheless, you may find yourself limited by your lack of a clear understanding of what your options are, and what your value is. Most of the advice below is written for students graduating with a Ph.D., but some of the below applies to Master's and Bachelor's degrees as well. Industrial Options. A few oversimplified generalities about a the different flavors of PV company that are out there: Start-up solar companies: Risky but exciting. Because of the limited number of hands on deck, youll likely be thrust into positions of huge individual responsibility, and will mature quickly as a jack-of-all-trades: from the more

glamarous pursuits (e.g., manager, scientist, engineer, machinist) to the equally necessary (e.g., lab manager, contract negotiator, purchasing agent, auditor, safety coordinator). The company will succeed or fail based on your individual contribution. Start-up companies are generally not in a great negotiating position with outside vendors (no pedigree), and may face difficulties growing among more established players. Nevertheless, there is potentially a huge financial benefit if the company IPOs successfully; for completeness, calculate how much a couple thousand stock options should be worth, and make sure you negotiate a few of these into your offer letter. Before jumping on board, request information regarding the technology and the financial situation of the company (business plan, amount of start-up funding, funding sources, investment firms, CEO track record, intended market, relationships of the chief executive officers and board members with suppliers and customers, exact plan moving forward one, two, and five years), and then ask some unbiased "experts" for their opinions (folks in VC firms and business schools tend to be very knowledgeable), in order to estimate the chances of success. Small- to medium-sized solar companies: Increasing structure in the company both enables large projects to flow more efficiently, but it also creates a growing resistance to individual contributions outside of well-defined project areas. Increasing emphasis on the team rather than the individual allows cross-functional teams to form, and teams will be small enough for you to continue to have a real impact. Likely, there will be a heavy emphasis on bringing a new product into the market, thus you may not have the luxury of performing as much cutting-edge research as you may like, with R&D energies devoted to product development and process engineering. Nevertheless, there will likely be lots of low-hanging fruit for a bright mind like yours to pick. If you ascribe to management's vision for the company's future, then you may play an important part of molding the corporate culture and scientific excellence, and you may quickly find yourself responsible for some very large projects instrumental to the companys success. Medium- to large-sized solar companies: More rigid, more secure. If you perform well, you will likely not be laid off from your job if the sector goes for a downturn, because the company likely won't close its doors. There are many more opportunities for lateral and upwards career moves within a big company than a smaller one. Big companies have plenty of momentum, but plenty of inertia, too. More time is needed to make an impact, bring about change; established company culture is extremely engrained and difficult to change. Your colleagues may not be as motivated as you, and rigid cost structuring for project work may limit your hours and prevent you from informally lending a hand on exciting projects. Caution against getting caught up in the middle of a turf war. On the flip side, formal pathways tend to be better developed, and career advancement and training pathways tend to be more structured and formalized. Entry-level benefits packages, while typically less flexible than in smaller companies, may be more generous. Huge resources enable huge projects, and relationships forged in other areas of the company may facilitate product sales to customers in new markets -- both factors that enable fast expansion, if (and only if) management is fully behind the solar initiative. The company pedigree alone may open future career options. Where in the Value Chain?: Mainstream PV technology essentially consists of five general steps in the supply chain: production of silicon, wafer, cell (device), module, and installation. On top of this, there are balance of systems components. Very few companies are currently vertically integrated, although the industry is trending in this direction. Where do you fit in? A few grossly oversimplified trends in industry life: Some companies are "pure-play" solar, i.e., they do not have any other assets or industrial activities in other markets. Examples include most start-ups, SolarWorld, First Solar, and SunPower. You can expect solar to be more of a central focus in a pure-play company than a larger, more diversified company. Nevertheless, larger companies may have resources and synergies from other departments that can greatly assist the development of PV technologies. Examples include IBM and GE Solar. The better you negotiate the terms of your offer letter and make the position work for you, the happier you'll be. For instance, it is generally easier to negotiate your salary before an offer letter is signed, and it's important to do so because future positions will use your current salary as a reference point to some degree. If considered important, attempt to include in your offer some description of your responsibilities, free time to work on project(s) of your choice (e.g., "Google 20%"), ability to attend professional conferences, moving expenses, health/dental care, extra vacation days, maternal/paternal leave, flexible hours, and anything else that you might agree upon during discussions. Gentlemens' agreements may not be worth much, but written contracts are. Read up on job offer

negotiation by loaning books from your university or local libraries. Industry moves forward predominantly because of focused, team-based efforts, especially in larger companies. Coming from a university environment, you are probably more accustomed to progress based on individual contributions. There are many roles a scientist can play within a company, including individual contributor, project leader, and manager. Often, a scientist will be involved in a few parallel projects, possibly performing different roles for each. You'll get to play with lots of cool toys. Industry labs are generally much better funded than universities. You'll be able to make your work have an impact in the real world. Your experiments may include large, statistically meaningful batches of thousands of units, instead of a handful of "hero" samples sufficient for sending off a paper. Just make sure your research needs get put into the budget. Work is efficient, and the pace of progress is swift. There is always someone else out there who wants your lunch. Hour for hour, people tend to get more done in less time within a company than at a U.S. university, and the workfamily balance is generally easier to maintain because of the more fixed hours and general practice of not working weekends. Nevertheless, many exceptions exist to this rule, and at a start-up company, a company with a strong work ethic, or in a higher-level position, you'll easily spend as much time at work as a professor up for tenure review. Information does not flow as easily as it does in a university. Much of what you do cannot be communicated with the outside world. It is not uncommon for a scientist at a university or research institute to receive a prestigious award for something industry scientists discovered years ago, but were unable to communicate beyond the restricted audience involved in the project. Maintaining a presence in the academic community can be exhausting, and may even be discouraged from within the company. Nevertheless, your presence will be requested at conferences and seminars, as (a) some industry scientists are interested in venturing beyond their comfortable company lives to form broad long-term relationships with universities and research labs, and (b) universities and national laboratories are interested in staying up to date with the latest developments in industry and to explore possible financed collaborations. If you put in the effort, you'll benefit by staying in touch with the latest coming out of research labs across the globe. If this sounds exciting, then do your best to keep this branch of your professional life alive, and seek to publish and present at conferences when possible. Dr. Kotaro Honda once stated industry is the dojo of learning. While true, the learning style in industry is very different from a university. Quick pace means that sometimes, a superficial understanding suffices if the end goal can be reached, i.e., to produce a process or product that makes more money. Success is gauged not in how much you understand, but ultimately, how much your work has contributed to the bottom line. Understanding and knowledge are important and necessary enablers, but not end goals in and of themselves. Seek out companies that invest in your professional training. Short-term training may consist of learning a new software package or skill (e.g., interview skills, circuit diagrams, statistics). Long-term leadership, team building, and management training will ultimately prepare you for a senior management position (e.g., director of research and development or CEO) or to a technical fellow position (where youll be managing a handful of people but wont lose contact with the lab). In many larger companies, both the technical staff and management are appreciated on near equal grounds, and compensated accordingly. If you value accelerated career advancement, it is generally a good idea to play a central role in the projects vital to a company's success, which will receive abundant praise, recognition, and rewards if successful. Find out what projects the best and brightest people in the company are working on, and work in good company. Lastly, very few people stay at one company their entire life. Be loyal to your company, but not dead loyal. If it's not working for you, seek alternatives. Long term, both you and your company will be better off. But before pulling the plug, be sure to give yourself some time to become acclimated with an industrial life -- depending on the size of the company, several years may be necessary to really have an impact on an institution. Throughout this experience, pause from time to time to reflect on your long-term career goals, and identify opportunities that will take you closer

to those. Listing of PV Companies: The Solar Energy Industries Association has a comprehensive list of member companies. Academic Options. Academia offers attractive career options to self-motivated individuals who desire freedom to perform cutting-edge research. Resources will typically be more limited, but the level of discovery, communication, and discourse can be high. If this sounds appealing to you, consider a career in academia. Employment: Several colleges and universities have recently declared energy as a major research focus, and have begun searching agressively in this field for post-docs and professorships. Sign up for alerts on naturejobs and ScienceCareers for job postings in your field, and visit departmental homepages for specific job listings. Stay connected with friends and colleagues in academia, and request that they send you an email when positions open up. Funding: Traditionally, US government support for national renewable energy research has been very weak [see Margolis and Kammen, Science 285 (1999) 690] compared to Europe and Japan. Despite this reality, rising popular and student interest have spurred many laboratories to begin investigating renewable energy materials and devices, including PV. During the last few years, novel funding sources, including foundations and sympathetic alumni networks, have been identified. Very recently, the Department of Energy has allocated significant resources and is issuing a series of calls for proposals for PV-related research, signalling a welcome change in direction. Listing of Research Labs working on PV: To my knowledge, there is no central listing of academic institutions / research groups working on PV. Nevertheless, you can get a pretty good feel for the lay of the land by looking at the proceedings from a recent European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, or IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference. Fundamental and "future-generation" work is also showcased at the Materials Research Society biannual meetings. Other Options. NB: My mentioning of specific organizations by no means implies my endorsement. Go Government: There are plenty of interesting positions at government agencies, such as the DOE EERE, DOE BES, DOE ARPA-E, NSF, and OSTP. You can also join a public policy group, a non-for-profit, a non-governmental organization, a think tank, or a group dedicated to international development. Examples range from the small to the behemoth, and each flavor has its distinct pros and cons. Some examples include the NRDC, Sierra Club, PIRG, UCS, NET, ED, NDCF, the Hudson Institute and the Prometheus Institute, among many others. As always, it's a good idea to get recommendations from others in the field before signing for a particular organization, just to confirm it is what you think it is. Go Rich: There are several career options that pay far better than industry and academia, for instance, consulting (e.g., McKinsey, Navigant) or lucrative positions managing money in emerging financial markets. Each have their own unique intellectual challenges and lifestyles. An added benefit, you'll brush shoulders with the people who make our capitalist world turn. See an excellent article entitled Gilded Paychecks: Lure of Great Wealth Affects Career Choices 11/27/06 in the New York Times, and related articles in that series, for further information. As a donor, you can catalyze and guide the development of your favorite charitable organizations and educational institutions. Go Long: Start your own company, or help others start their own. Plug into the venture capital markets, and discover the thrills of entrepreneurship.

Advice for Professionals Considering a Career Change into PV

Get to Know the Field. Read up, especially trade journals like Photon International, to get a sense of what's hot and where the field is moving. More sources, especially online, are listed in the "advice for current students" section. Attend conferences, both the big ones (e.g., Solar Power Conference, European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, or IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference), and especially smaller gathering such as the NREL Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells, where you'll get a greater chance to talk one-on-one with leaders in the field. Request informational interviews with folks in the field. Travel to visit them at their companies to gain a personal understanding through face-to-face interactions. Attend local events (see "advice for current students").

Pursue an MBA at a solar-centric school like MIT, Harvard, or UC Berkeley. Be Brave. Despite the recent financial downturn and shake-out in the market, it is still a very good time to join the solar field. The field is still growing strong, and numerous start-ups are offering attractive packages for individuals bringing solid business, management, and scientific skills into the field. There are numerous opportunities for career changes into PV, and renewables in general. Go ahead, take the plunge! The best way to predict the future is to create it.

Solar Links
Much energy has already been spent compiling extensive lists of internet sites relating to solar energy and renewable energy policy. I won't reinvent the wheel; instead, I list a few links to other lists of links: Basic Stuff: For Everyone: Basic Info About PV and How PV Works For Data Gatherers: EIA's stats on PV: Website and Reports How a solar cell is manufactured and how a solar cell works, tutorials by Q-Cells Other Forms of Solar Energy A Guide to Photovoltaic (PV) System Design and Installation Solar Data & Resources: NorCalSolar IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme, and reports therein Installing Solar PV: FindSolar: Locate a solar energy system installer near you, estimate solar savings for your home or business Install Solar Panels on your Boat: A How-To Guide, Additional Considerations. List of PV Installers in Massachusetts. A list of Subsidies and Tax Breaks from all states. PV & Renewables Info, News, Events, & Listservs: Gunther Portfolio Renewable Energy World Greentech Media NCPV Hotline (subscribe here) Solarbuzz (subscribe here) Girst Magazine (subscribe here.) California Solar Center (subscribe here.) Massachusetts PV & Legislation Links: PV in MA: Guidelines for Installation, Financing, Subsidies, Purchasing "Clean Power" Energy in Massachusetts: Facts and Figures MA Renewable Energy Trust; and database of financed systems MA Green Energy Fund MA PV Systems Output Tracker For add'l data: Run a search on Google with keywords "solar energy" and "your city or state." California PV & Legislation Links: California Energy Commission (CEC) Consumer Energy Center CA Renewable Energy Rebate Database

Energy Efficiency and Conversion Tips Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) California Legislation on PV & Other Renewables More on CA Legislation Re: PV US Industry: List of PV Companies in the US Universities and Research Institutions: Solar energy research is truly an international activity, attracting some of the brightest scientists. Here's a partial list below. If I missed you, please send me an email with a link! Thanks in advance! Australia Australian National University, Acton, Australia University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Europe, outside Germany Energy Center for the Netherlands, Petten, Netherlands IMEC, Leuven, Belgium Center for Renewable Energy (NTNU, SINTEF, and IFE), Norway SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway eni Research Center for Non Conventional Energy, Novara, Italy University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal TECSEN, Marseilles, France Germany Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) Freiburg University of Konstanz, Konstanz Helmholtz Center Berlin, Berlin Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics, Halle Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH), Emmerthal Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics (MPI-Halle), Halle IHP/BTU Jointlab, Cottbus ACCESS, Aachen Japan Institute for Materials Research (IMR), Tohoku University, Sendai Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sagamihara Osaka University, Osaka Toyota Technological Institute, Nagoya United States MIT, Cambridge, MA Arizona State University Solar Initiative, Tempe, AZ California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA University of California, Berkeley, CA University of Toledo, OH Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, U. Colorado at Boulder, CO Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO

Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA Georgia Tech's Center for Photovoltaic Research, Atlanta, GA University of Delaware, Newark, DE Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO Scientific PV Links: Tonio's Pick: DOE's Explanation of Different Technologies NREL's PV Data Page (insolation, simulations, etc.) PVWatts Solar Calculator SAM - Solar Advisor Model (NREL) Links to Other Pages of Solar Links: SECO (TX) AMECO

Reading Material
For people who were never really good at physics, but still want to know how PV works: Photovoltaic Design Manual Check out the Solar Links above! For people comfortable with science, but without much previous exposure to semiconductor physics: PVCDROM an interactive online tutorial. Solar Electricity. Edited by Tomas Markvart (University of Southampton, UK). John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 1994. More advanced reading for people comfortable with semiconductor physics: Alan L. Fahrenbruch and Richard H. Bube (Stanford University, USA). Fundamentals of Solar Cells. Academic Press, 1983 Martin A. Green (University of New South Wales, Australia). Operating Principles, Technology and System Applications. University of New South Wales, 1998. Antonio Luque and Steven Hegedus. Handbook of Photovoltaic Science and Engineering. John Wiley and Sons, 2003.

Kudos!
Last but not least, thanks to these individuals, who brought to my attention some of the coolest links above: Jessy Baker, Joel Conkling, Becca Jones, Adam Lorenz, Antonia Herzog. Please note that any errors or dead links are entirely my fault. If you'd like to contribute, please email Tonio! 2007-2011 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Buonassisi Group