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To say that photovoltaics (PV) is a hot topic could very well be an understatement. While it started as a practical way to power satellites and other spacecraft, a majority of PV modules are used for power-grid energy production. In fact, according to statistics for sustainable investing (socialfunds.com), photovoltaic production has doubled every two years since 2002 and is currently the fastest growing energy technology in the world.

Moreover, PVs and solar energy are actively talked about as part of the solution to a wide array of political and economic concerns—the environment, developing countries, trade, terrorism, war, and, of course, energy—all for one big reason: it will reduce the world’s dependence on oil for its energy needs.

The new White House Administration has stated many times that it believes the future of our economy and national security relies heavily on the challenges of developing new, cleaner forms of energy.

Some of these challenges, particularly with solar energy and PVs, are grid parity and the efficiency of the technology. Grid parity is the point at which photovoltaics can provide energy equal to or cheaper than the traditional power grids that commonly run on fossil fuels or nuclear power. Some of the largest users of photovoltaics—Germany, Japan, and the U.S.—offer financial incentives to help spark investment and usage, but what it comes down to is improving the technology. And that’s where the PCB industry comes in.

Read this month’s features, dedicated entirely to the topic of photovoltaics, and find out how. Discover the environmental and technological benefits of organic PVs in “Organic Photovoltaics Offer Promise for Future Development,” and get “An Overview of Wet Chemistry Processing for the Manufacture of Silicon Solar Cells.”

Also, learn how PCB technology can help tackle heat dissipation in CircuiTree’s Web-exclusive article, “Tapping Into PCBs for PV Thermal Issues.”

Enjoy and thanks for reading!