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Symposium 2012 - Watch it again!
Over 500 people tuned-in online or came in person to watch, participate, and learn during the GW Solar Institute 4th Annual Symposium, "SOLAR ENERGY: A Path to Energy Significance." The event convened major figures in the energy and solar arenas, including a keynote address from California Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Simon, on the regulatory challenges and opportunities for solar energy in California; a panel moderated by Washington Post National Environmental Reporter Juliet Eilperin, on barriers to the development of solar energy related to finance, trade, and competition from natural gas; as well as discussions on the technical and business realities for solar energy.Watch video and presentations from the 2012 Symposium and past Symposia.
![[Image: Report Icon]](http://solar.gwu.edu/img/ChinaSolarPolicy_iconB.jpg "Read the Report!")
Capstone: China Solar Policy
As part of their final capstone project, GW Master in Public Administration candidates Alim Bayaliyev, Julia Kalloz, and Matt Robinsonhe authored the report, “China’s Solar Policy: Subsidies, Manufacturing Overcapacity & Opportunities.” The students received guidance from GW Solar Institute Director, Ken Zweibel. After analyzing the eight largest Chinese PV manufacturers and four non-Chinese manufacturers, the authors conclude that China was able to expand manufacturing from near zero output to more than double the global solar PV market in under a decade through easy access to large amounts of capital. Among the subsidies identified for the solar companies analyzed, are real interest rates on loans for Chinese companies of -1.6%, significantly lower than those for non-Chinese at over 2%. Read the Report
![[Image: Annual Report Cover]](http://solar.gwu.edu/img/AR2011_147px.jpg "Read the 2011 Annual Report!")
Annual Report 2011
The Solar Institute's 2011 Annual Report underscores the Institute’s ongoing role in providing advice to the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as recent accomplishments in research and outreach. Among the important policy and technical research efforts highlighted in the Annual Report, is a report led by Solar Institute Advisory Board Member Richard Perez and co-authored by the Institute’s Director, Ken Zweibel. Published in the journal Energy Policy, the report is a quantitative analysis of the numerous benefits that accrue to both utilities and society from the use of solar energy, in addition to benefits that accrue to system developers. This research has already received significant attention on prominent renewable energy websites and at industry conferences. Read the report to learn more about the Institute's activities over the last year. Read the Report
![[Image: Solar Award Logo]](http://solar.gwu.edu/img/SolarAwardsWinner2011145px.png)
Excellence in Solar
The magazine Solar International recently announced the winners of its Solar Industry Awards for 2011. The awards are given each year to leading solar industry firms for innovations in a particular field. The GW Solar Institute Director, Ken Zweibel, was honored as this year's recipient of the "SOLAR Award for Excellence - Professional". The award panel had the following words to say about the Director:
Each year the panel (subjectively) chooses an individual that we feel has driven the industry forward in a way that deserves notice and merit. While we fully understand that any innovative technical process takes an army of people and organizations to come to fruition, some individuals stand out by their individual personality, ambassador qualities or their driving energy in an organization leading to world class outputs. This year's recipient hits all those targets, and if you have ever read one of his breakdowns of a journalist’s work you know that he is not shy to speak his mind or clarify misinformation. Our winner has also been prolific in his writings and has pushed the thin film path since its beginnings....
![[Image: Journal Cover]](http://journals.cambridge.org/cover_images/ENP/ENP.jpg)
DoD and Solar
Environmental Practice, the quarterly journal published by the National Association of Environmental Professionals will feature Solar Institute supported research from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in their Fall 2011 edition. Research from the report, Determination of Solar Energy Transition Potential of Department of Defense Facilities and Nontactical Vehicles: An Application of Multicriteria Decision Theory Modeling and Simulation Approaches, by Ariel Castillo and Professor Jonathan Deason, helped inform early development of the Department of Defense Energy Security Act. More Solar Institute Research...
The Solar Review
For an insightful examination of the latest solar energy news and ongoing developments visit TheSolarReview.org. Ken Zweibel uses his three decades in solar energy to sift through the noise and highlight news of real value to the solar and renewable energy world. Visit The Solar Review...