Last Friday, George Washington University announced the establishment of an institute for the analysis of solar energy within the College of Arts and Sciences.According to the GW News Center, the Institute will "employ a multi-disciplinary approach to conducting research on the economic, technical and public policy issues associated with developing and deploying solar power." International solar expert Ken Zweibel will lead the institute, along with experts from university departments and schools, in developing objective analysis for policy makers on how solar energy can help address the challenges of global energy supply and climate change.
During his renowned career, Zweibel has developed solar technology for low-cost electricity at the U.S. Department of Energy's national renewable energy lab in Colorado. He also co-founded a solar power manufacturing company.
Solar energy is a big business, especially since congress, in its recently passed bailout package, included renewable energy tax credits, which are seen by many economists as a critical step towards bringing the U.S. closer to becoming a progressive leader in the rewnewable energy industry.
Zweibel, however, has become more intrested in "informing people of the possibilities and solutions to global energy and environmental problems," according to the press release.
In an open letter to the faculty of GW, Zweibel announced that the institute has $400,000 of funding available for scholarly activities at GW. The Institute itself is funded by a combination of private, corporate and foundation funds.
-Monika Wysocki
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