Photons for the energy transition
Can Belgium decarbonize without renewables? Can renewable energy development follow COP28 expectations? Is exponential growth of renewables sustainable? Is realizing the Energy Transition by 2050 still feasible? Could our Energy Ministers do more?
Solar energy is the most widely available energy resource on Earth, and photovoltaic (PV) solar energy is currently cheaper than any power source ever before. In 1839, Edmond Becquerel discovered the operating principle of a PV solar cell, and in 1883, Charles Fritts developed the very first working cell. It was not until 1954 that the first practical silicon solar cell was demonstrated at Bell Labs, and in the last decades the PV industry has undergone remarkable growth due to both efficiency increases and cost reductions. Today, PV solar energy is the new king of global power markets, as is stated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) based on PV expansion being at its fastest pace in two decades. An even faster pace is projected in the coming years, with the very low cost of PV solar energy driving the global demand for renewables. The history, rise and future of solar energy for the energy transition will be discussed during this presentation.
Talk by
Bart Vermang
Bart Vermang received the M.Sc. degree in Physics from the University of Ghent (UGent) and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Leuven (KU Leuven). He later acquired an European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant and became professor at Hasselt University (UHasselt) in 2016. Currently he is PV program manager of the PV technology & Energy systems group at imo-imomec (i.e., a joint research institute of UHasselt and imec), and co-leads the underlying “thin film PV technology” team. In addition to actual thin film PV research, there are also research activities on Solar Fuels in this team. Bart is a member of the operational Board of EnergyVille, the executive board of imo-imomec, the Belgian Energy Research Alliance (BERA) board, and the editorial board of the Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells journal (Elsevier). He is co-president of the Young Academy of Flanders, and in 2021 he was awarded the Laureate in the Class of Technical Sciences prize by the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts (KVAB).
Photo by Liesbeth Driessen, UHasselt.
Music by
Fierbinteanu
Fierbinteanu is an electronic-pop band, with activities related to music, sound & video art. Based in Bruxelles, where they record their future album, Gabriela and Cristian Fierbinteanu come from Bucharest, via Paris, Berlin, Stockholm and Reykjavik. Their works were presented and have received awards in international festivals in Stockholm (2022), Reykjavik (2021), Gothenburg (2023, 2022), Eindhoven (2021), Bucharest (2020), Paris, Arles, St. Etienne (2020, 2019), Montreal (2019), and Berlin Konzerthaus (2013). They make catchy experimental pop songs by powerful (mainly) female vocals, oddball contemporary lyrics about love & progress, all presented with eye-candy visuals & theatrical sound-design. Their latest concert/performance, "Perfect World of Love", was presented recently in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Brussels and Bucharest.
