Maybe it’s just a result of lifting my head up after the flurry of semester grading has finished, but I’m noticing another wave of interest in photovoltaics from students, colleagues, and industry. The word of mouth report is that the PV phenom has surged through Wall Street and left investors dissatisfied. This should be expected; the ratio of experts in PV systems (the whole package deployed in the rigors of the outdoor environment) to researchers who have recently synthesized a component material that may somehow be integrated into a vapor-ware system of the far flung future: quite low. Even so, out of that dissatisfaction, individuals are rising up beyond the band wagon effect. The field is searching for better BS detectors to minimize risk in investing and long term resarch and education.

I would argue that the rigorous PV systems professional doesn’t have the wedded interest in a specific system, beyond the urgent need to find a system that just works and is inexpensive. More likely, the systems expert will find reasons to exclude certain systems based on materials limitations and environmental considerations.

Also, students are requesting course material to guide their future career decisions. In my solar conversion course, I’ve had inquiries from chemical engineers, energy engineers, architectural engineers, and business students. International students in my department (traditionally petroleum-rich countriees) are also expressing interest. My guess, the young know the future trend better than Wall Street, and they want to be prepared for energy diversification as it rapidly unfurls.