The What’s Next Lecture Series continues its five part Innovation program with a look at “Innovations in Energy: New Sources, Crucial Savings, and How We’ll Finance It” on April 28, 2010 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. The panel will feature Dr. James L. Sweeney, Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy Efficiency at Stanford University, Stephen DeBerry (invited), Chief Investment Officer at Kapor Enterprises and formerly of the Omidyar Network, and Daniel Shugar, CEO of Solaria Corporation. Paul Rogers, managing editor of KQED and the Natural Resources & Environment Writer at the San Jose Mercury News, will moderate the panel as it explores innovations in energy production, conservation and finance.
The series is a collaboration between UC Santa Cruz, NextSpace Coworking + Innovation, and the City of Santa Cruz. Future topics in the year-long series will feature topics that include The New Workplace, Innovation in Research & Development, and Gaming & Social Media.
Panelists
James (Jim) Sweeney, is Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy Efficiency; Professor of Management Science and Engineering; Senior Fellow of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research; Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace; and Senior Fellow of the Stanford Institute for International Studies. His professional activities focus on economic policy and analysis, particularly in energy, natural resources, and the environment. (read his full bio)
Daniel Shugar, a pioneer and leader in solar power whose experience in the industry spans 22 years, joined Solaria in January 2010. Prior to joining the Solaria team Shugar served most recently as president of SunPower Systems, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation. Dan Shugar spent ten years as president of PowerLight Corporation until its acquisition by SunPower. During his tenure at PowerLight and then SunPower, Shugar oversaw revenue growth from less than $1 million to more than $800 million, and he was responsible for the completion of more than 500 photovoltaic (PV) projects serving commercial, industrial and utility clients worldwide. Before PowerLight, Shugar managed the Solar Projects Research Group at Pacific Gas & Electric Co. He has invented various PV system applications, holds multiple U.S. patents and has published more than 50 technical papers. Shugar holds a BS in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA in finance from Golden Gate University. (read more)
