On April 12, 2012, 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.

Other highlights included 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.

Agenda: 

Welcome  |  Session Video

Ken Zweibel - Director, GW Solar Institute
Steven Lerman - Provost, George Washington University
Peg Barratt - Dean, GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
 

Keynote: Lessons Learned Regulating California Utilities  |  Session Video

Timothy Simon - Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
 

Panel Discussion: The State of Solar Power 2012 |  Session Video

Moderator: Ken Zweibel, Director, GW Solar Institute

Tom Kimbis - Vice President of Strategy and External Affairs, Solar Energy Industries Assoication, Presentation
Minh Le - Deputy Manager and Chief Engineer, Solar Energy Technologies Program, US Department of Energy, Presentation
Joel Link - Vice President of Development, SolarReserve, Presentation
Ranga Pitchumani - Concentrating Solar Power Team Lead, Solar Energy Technologies Program, US Department of Energy, Presentation
Richard Perez - Research Professor, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, SUNY-Albany, Presenation
 

Networking Lunch
 

Panel Discussion: Economic and Policy Barriers to the Development of Solar Energy  |  Session Video

Moderator: Juliet Eilperin, National Environmental Reporter, The Washington Post

Brian Crabb - Director of Federal Government Affairs, First Solar, Presentation
Robert Margolis - Senior Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Presentation
William Morin - Senior Director of Government Affairs, Applied Materials, Inc., and Chairman of the Trade Working Group, Solar Energy Industries Assoication, Presentation
Sara Banaszak, Vice President and Chief Economist, America's Natural Gas Alliance
 

Panel Discussion: Solar - The Private Sector is the Driver |  Session Video

Moderator: Jerry Bloom, Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP, Presentation

Gaetan Borgers - Executive Vice President, Solar Division, Soitec
Andrew Murphy - Executive Vice President of Strategy and M&A, NRG Energy, Inc.
Daniel Petrucci - Managing Director, Link2, LLC

Closing

Ken Zweibel, Director, GW Solar Institute