The History of Solar Energy and ISES

Proposed Session Topics

TOPIC 1: Intellectual history of solar energy

• Solar in myths and religions in different regions of the world
• Conceptual ideas of solar energy in ancient science
• Modern concepts of solar energy

Specific topics might include:

1. Role of Sun in mythology and religion
2. Significance of sun worship in different cultures
3. Ancient observatories
4. Astronomy related to ancient civilizations
5. Sun myths
6. Ancient tribal and folklore related to the Sun
7. Modern conceptions of solar energy in the context of the thermodynamic laws
8. Popular perception of solar energy in the industrialized world (e.g. solar energy in science fiction, visions of energy policy).

TOPIC 2: Solar technologies from ancient civilizations to the industrial revolution

Specific topics might include:

1. Solar architecture
2. Active solar energy like solar mirrors, wind mills or water power
3. Forestry and agriculture

TOPIC 3: Solar technologies in the 19 th and early 20 th century

• Solar energy and its meaning in the context of imperial and/or self sufficiency policies
• Lost in the desert: the failure of colonial dreams about solar energy

Specific topics might include:

1. Discourse about energy policy, highlighting the meaning of solar energy, in the context of imperial and/or self sufficiency policies
2. Political efforts to support the development of solar energy technology
3. Early efforts to develop solar energy technology and the reason for their failure

TOPIC 4: Politics and policy drivers in solar energy research and use at national and international levels

• National government policies and programs
• International institutions (United Nations, World Bank, Regional Development Banks, European Union and other regional Institutions) or non-profit organizations

Specific topics might include:

1. Which actors pushed the political support for solar energy
2. What kind of energy policy concepts and what kind of supporting measures for solar energy were implemented in the different periods.
3. What arguments or interests were mobilized against renewable energy
4. What effects did the national and the international activities have. What limitations did exist for these programs and events

TOPIC 5: Solar energy, its market introduction and the established science and technology

• Market introduction
• Integration of solar energy technologies in natural and built environment
• Research problems in the context of market introduction and integration

Specific topics might include:

1. Barriers or success factors in the process of market introduction and integration
2. The meaning of solar energy in the established scientific and technological community.
3. Research problems in the process of market introduction
4. The development of an international scientific and technological network for solar energy

TOPIC 6: Information about solar energy

• Records and archives about solar energy

Specific topics might include:

1. Solar energy records in established archives
2. Bibliographic work
3. New approaches in opening up and connecting information about the history of solar energy

Torna su