Although the heat has taken a hiatus in these winter months, student group PennSolar believes energy from the sun is the way of the future.
PennSolar President Viraj Kalyani, an Engineering and Wharton junior, founded the club in November 2009. His aim was to establish a community of solar-energy enthusiasts at Penn, as well as to collaborate with outside corporations and other universities on research and projects.
The group separates itself from other environmentalist groups on campus because of its narrowed interest on solar energy, Kalyani explained.
“We’re very focused on the specific topic of solar energy so we can explore it deeply and within different disciplines,” he said, adding that the club’s attention to the “business angle” of solar energy further distinguishes it.
Last year, Kalyani and his executive board concentrated on defining their objectives. They have instituted a five-stage agenda to best explore solar energy in multiple disciplines.
The group has approximately 40 active members and will be represented at the Spring Activities Fair on Jan. 16. It is funded through the Student Activities Council but is currently seeking additional funding through Wharton Council, government funds and corporate funding.
Last semester, the club offered a solar energy preceptorial for all students. Next semester, it plans to bring Flower Power Solar founder and Penn alumnus Jason Halpern to speak on campus, as well as company representatives from First Solar and Suntech.
Engineering and Wharton freshman Cole Korponay appreciates the differing angles with which the club approaches solar energy. PennSolar “caters to a variety of student interests [...] ranging from the study of technology [...] to the analysis of cost-effective business models, and everything in between,” Korponay wrote in an e-mail.
It is “an interactive way for students from many academic backgrounds to learn about and become involved with the exciting solar energy industry,” he wrote.
According to the Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services website, Penn continues as the largest purchaser of Renewable Energy Credits among universities in the United States, with over 192,000 megawatts purchased in 2007 and 2008. This accounts for over 50 percent of Penn’s total electrical energy use since 2007. In 2008, Penn won the EPA Green Power Leadership Award and the Green Power Award.
Kalyani believes Penn will continue to be a “center for excellence” in solar energy in the coming years. “We have a lot of commitment towards sustainability, and there is a growing emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, which is very relevant to the industry.”
