“Solar power will become one of the major sources for electricity in the future.”
Research focus: Solar Energy, Smart Grids, Photovoltaics, Renewable Electricity, Semiconductors
Wilfried van Sark (1958) is professor Photovoltaics Integration at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at the Utrecht University. He has over 35 years’ experience in the field of Photovoltaics Solar Energy research and development.
Recognized expert in photovoltaic in residential areas, smart grids and solar forecasting
He is a recognized expert in performance analysis of photovoltaic modules and systems, and life cycle and market analysis. In addition, deployment of photovoltaics in residential areas has led to research in building integrated photovoltaics, smart grids with electric mobility and vehicle-to-grid technology, as well as solar forecasting.
Publications and memberships
He is Associate Editor of Elsevier’s scientific journal ‘Solar Energy’, Associate Editor of the open access journal Frontiers in Energy Research, member of the Editorial Board of Elsevier’s scientific journal ‘Renewable Energy’, member of the Editorial Board of the Dutch Journal of Physics, member of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) , and member of various organizing committees of EU, IEEE, and SPIE PV conferences. He is author or co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed journal and conference paper publications and book chapters. He has (co-)edited four books, see the tab 'Books'.
From solar cell characterization to spectral shifting processes
Starting with solar cell characterization at AMOLF Amsterdam, his work entailed III-V solar cell and processing development, thin film silicon cell and processing development, and more recently basic spectral shifting processes for next generation photovoltaics (up and down conversion) applied to luminescent solar concentrators. He has also broadened his work to focus on integration aspects of photovoltaics in society such as offshore floating photovoltaics.
Video of my work (in Dutch, with English subtitles), on RTV-Utrecht: