Dick Swanson, SunPower, Back Contact Solar Cells, Swanson’s Law

SunPower co-founder Dick Swanson discusses his pioneering work developing Interdigitated Back Contact solar cells at Stanford and the industry's evolution from the 1973 energy crisis to today's cost-competitive technology. Topics include Bell Labs' accidental solar cell discovery, the learning curve predicting cost declines, critical partnerships with Cypress Semiconductor, major technical pivots from concentrating to flat-plate systems, and the fortuitous circumstances that transformed solar energy into the world's cheapest electricity source.   Topics Covered NorCal Solar = Northern California Solar ASES = American Solar Energy Society Gerald Pearson History of Solar Discovery of Solar Bell Labs John Perlin Selenium Solar Cell EPRI = Electric Power Research Institute Utility SunPower www.sunpower.com TPV = Thermal Photovoltaic Stanford Silicon Cell Semiconductor Dick Schwartz Thin Film Wafer Silicon Solar Cell IBC Cell = Interdigitated Back Contact Cell Germanium PVT = Photovoltaic Thermal Stirling Engine Concentrating PV System Swanson’s Law Learning Curve Elon Musk Cypress Semiconductor Sharp Silicon Valley James Gibbons Semiconductor Electronics Book Jeff Spies Solar Roots Hippies Grateful Dead Sailboat Tom Wylie   This podcast was recorded on a phone call.   Reach out to Dick Swanson here: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dick-swanson Website: www.sunpower.com   Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean solarsean.com/pvdsexam