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These are exciting times in the energy world.  Utility-scale solar is cheaper than new conventional power plants—and sometimes even cheaper than operating existing coal and gas plants. Solar and wind energy continue to expand and become even more economic. There’s lots of buzz about energy storage and some utilities are starting to invest in it.  But what innovations are taking place in research laboratories, and what technology may soon leave these research labs and head to commercial use?

Several Central Texas institutions are part of the Center for Next Generation Photovoltaics—where industry and thought leaders are answering these questions. Solar Austin is excited to kick off 2018, a year certain to be filled with even more innovation in renewable energy, with a happy hour talk by Dr. Taylor Harvey from the Center and TAMU-Central Texas on innovation in solar technology. Dr. Harvey will share his outlook on the future of solar and discuss research into developing printed solar cells on paper and plastic substrates. He will also share some of his experiences running a printed solar startup based here in Austin.

Tuesday, January 23rd, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd
RSVP here.

Dr. Harvey is the Chancellor’s Assistant Professor of Research at Texas A&M University—Central Texas. His primary area of research is solar energy with a focus on new solar materials (such as solar paints) and solar microsystems. He is the co-author of nine peer-reviewed articles and two patents. Before starting his current position, Dr. Harvey co-founded and led Lucelo Technologies, a printed solar start-up. Dr. Harvey received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014 after spending four years as a reservoir engineer in the traditional energy industry.

We hope you will join us Tuesday, January 23rd for this fascinating discussion!

Thank you everyone who was able to come out to our Happy Hour on the “Solar in Your Community Challenge” this past Tuesday night! And a huge thank you to our speakers: Eric Coffman, Scott Nguyen, and Ramsey Cripe; who represented Waco Community Solar Farm, 1PlanetSol, and Kerrville Area Solar Partners, respectively.

If you couldn’t attend, don’t worry about it. We have the presentation slides from Scott and Ramsey and are posting them here! If you have any questions, ideas, or follow up for us and/or the speakers or their organizations, please comment below or contact us.

1PlanetSol Presentation.

Kerrville Area Solar Partners Presentation.

This month, Solar Austin will focus on efforts across Central Texas to make solar more accessible to low- and moderate- income families. Low- and moderate- income families represent 40% of America’s population, but less than 5% of all solar customers. These households, non-profits, and government organizations face several barriers to going solar, including limited financing options, low or no credit history, and lack of access to the 30% Federal Investment Tax Credit.

The Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative aims to make solar energy a low-cost electricity source for all Americans through efforts in collaboration with public and private partners. SunShot has given rise to many programs, including the “Solar in Your Community Challenge.”

Teams are competing for a $500,000 grand prize, and the Department of Energy has committed up to $5 million in cash prizes and technical assistance through this competition to support innovative and replicable community-based solar business models and programs that will bring solar to underserved communities. Solar Austin is excited to present representatives from three Central Texas “Solar in Your Community Challenge” teams:

• Eric Coffman, founder and Director of Trailhead Energy, from the Waco Community Solar Farm team;
• Scott Nguyen, PhD, founder and CEO of Braket Technologies and 1PlanetSol, and team lead for 1PlanetSol; and
• Ramsey Cripe, an ERCOT market and regulatory analyst, from the Kerrville Area Solar Partners team.

Tuesday, October 24th, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd
RSVP here.

The Waco Community Solar Farm will significantly reduce energy costs for 87 low and moderate income families living in affordable housing by partnering with Green Mountain Energy to take advantage of a “virtual net-metering” solution. 1PlanetSol is developing the 1AustinSol Community, leveraging consumer interest and buying power to support the installation of solar on the homes of low-income families in Austin—the 1AustinSol Community will soon reach 1000 members and 100 businesses to support 100 kW of solar to benefit low-income households. Kerrville Area Solar Partners will work with a solar developer, local non-profits and property owners to install a 999 kW solar project with 100% output dedicated to support a new, lower cost rate class for qualified low- to moderate-income families and non-profit customers.

We hope you’ll join us on October 24th for this exciting conversation!

This month, Solar Austin is going to step outside of our Austin bubble and hear about solar development in Africa. While industrialized countries face the challenge of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, many developing countries – particularly those in Africa – don’t even have widespread access to electricity. While 80% of the global population has some access to electricity, only 30% of people in Africa do. About 600 million Africans live without electricity, mostly in rural communities.

Solar is helping communities in Africa leapfrog past polluting fossil fuels to expand access to this essential service. With access to electricity comes improvement in educational opportunities, health services, and access to clean water and information. Instead of relying on massive transmission line investments, the electrification of Africa is utilizing on-site solar and micro-grids, which allow development to proceed much quicker.

This month, we will hear from Bako Ambianda, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Labacorp Group, and an international development specialist, business strategist, and global African entrepreneur. Mr. Ambianda will discuss his experiences facilitating off grid and large-scale solar projects in Africa including his involvement with Akon Lighting Africa. In 2012, he developed a game plan and “blue print” for tapping into Africa’s opportunities in key sectors, facilitating international solar, biomass, hydro, and hotel construction projects in 16 African countries, with clients from China, India, US, Turkey, France, and Germany. He will talk about the challenges, opportunities, and trends in developing solar in Africa.

Tuesday, September 26th, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Scholz Garten
1607 San Jacinto Blvd
RSVP here.

Solar Austin is excited to present Mr. Ambianda, as our September Happy Hour speaker, and we hope you’ll join us for this exciting conversation.