How one researcher's solar research seeks to support the power grid.
To some, the phrase solar power is an oxymoron at worst or a big ask, at best. How can science expect to harness sunlight to become a key player in the global sustainability matrix, nudging past non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels? Sometimes, engineering can be aided by a sense of service with a healthy dash of audacity. Maybe that is necessary.
When speaking with Dr. Xiaonan Lu and his student and postdoc researchers in his Advanced Power Electronics (APECS) group, the sense of purpose is pervasive. In particular, when speaking about a recent award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office as part of a $130 million round of funding to boost solar energy solutions.