Solve for X: Innovations to Change the World Power to the people: How solar energy — cheap, plentiful and available everywhere — is poised to change the world
As you may have heard, solar energy is having a moment. Thanks to several technological breakthroughs, it’s now the cheapest form of energy generation in most places on Earth. This past summer, for the first time ever, it became the EU’s main source of electricity, and many other parts of the world — Pakistan, Nigeria and most famously, China — are likewise in the midst of a solar boom of astonishing speed and scale. In this episode, experts weigh in on the social, political and economic implications of this revolutionary energy shift — and the complicated way that Canada fits into it all.
Featured in this episode:
Sara Hastings-Simon is an associate professor in the department of Earth, Energy and Environment and an assistant professor in the School of Public Policy. Her work focuses on understanding how low-carbon energy transitions happen within different sectors of the economy, constrained by existing infrastructure and business models, and how policy response can improve outcomes. She also hosts, alongside David Keith and Ed Whittingham, the live webinar and podcast Energy vs Climate.
Mike Andrade is the chairman and CEO of Morgan Solar, a Toronto company whose products improve the performance of solar projects and the energy efficiency of buildings. A former executive at IBM and a founding member of Celestica, he’s also an investor and advisor to several other companies, a member of the Council of Canadian Innovators and a board member of the Next Generation Manufacturing Supercluster.
Chris Caners is general manager at SolarShare, a renewable energy co-op in Ontario. He’s also a consultant who advises organizations on climate, energy efficiency and sustainability.
Thomas Timmins leads the Canadian energy sector practice at Gowling WLG in Toronto. He specializes in helping clients navigate opportunities in the global energy transition.
Deb Chachra is a professor of engineering at Olin College and the author of How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape our World.
Further reading:
• Seizing the moment of opportunity
• Free electricity. Like, at no cost. For everyone. Now.
• There’s a race to power the future. China is pulling away
• What if Canada invested in solar energy?
Subscribe to Solve for X: Innovations to Change the World here. And below, find a transcript to “Power to the People.”
Solve for X is brought to you by MaRS, North America’s largest urban innovation hub and a registered charity. MaRS supports startups and accelerates the adoption of high-impact solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. For more information, visit marsdd.com.