Energy Week to explore solutions for transition to clean energy

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As extreme weather, artificial intelligence, and data centers continue to make headlines, Energy Week returns for the sixth year Feb. 23-27 with free events—featuring Penn experts and guest speakers—showcasing solutions for a transition to sustainable energy.

“The challenges and opportunities that the energy transition creates for our local, national, and global communities are many, and they are constantly evolving as forces like climate change reshape our needs and the necessary responses,” says Cory Colijn, executive director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design, which co-sponsors Energy Week with the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology (VIEST).

Colijn says she hopes that students gain an understanding of the energy transition landscape, including career choices, and that community members in general come away with “actionable pathways to plug in (pun intended) to Penn’s research and action.”

“Energy Week provides an opportunity to see the full breadth and depth of climate action and interdisciplinary research related to energy at Penn,” says Nadine Gruhn, managing director of VIEST. She is particularly excited about a guided tour of Penn’s energy systems and their energy-efficient design on Feb. 26, starting at Facilities & Real Estate Services and continuing to the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST).

That event is at capacity, but other highlights with tickets available include:

• Energy Storage, Conversion, and Fuel Production | Feb. 23, 1-2 p.m., Wu & Chen Auditorium (Levine Hall)—In a panel discussion, School of Engineering and Applied Science professors Deep Jariwala, Anthony Shoji Hall, and Aleksandra Vojvodic will discuss materials and processes for energy storage, conversion, and fuel production.

• Can Insurance Help Unlock Investments in Clean Technology? | Feb. 24, 10-11 a.m., Zoom—Insurance sector leaders join a panel on how the industry can help direct capital toward clean energy.

• Power Reels: Energy on Film | Feb. 24, 4-6:30 p.m., Claire M. Fagin Hall, Room 114 (School of Nursing)—The Kleinman Center and Penn Cinema & Media Studies are co-sponsoring a screening of the documentary “King Coal,” which traces the legacy of coal in Appalachia.

• Penn Science Cafe: How Critical Minerals Are Driving the Future of Energy | Feb. 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m., VLEST 121—Chemistry professor Eric Schelter talks to Karen Goldberg, Vagelos professor of energy research, about the science of critical minerals and the role they play in our daily lives.

• Building a Clean, Equitable Economy: Where Do We Go from Here? | Feb. 25, Noon-2 p.m., Kleinman Center Energy Forum (Fisher Fine Arts Building)—Heather Boushey, the Kleinman Center’s fourth and newest professor and a former economist in the Biden Administration, will speak about the economic upsides of decarbonization.

• Energy Week Poster Session | Feb. 25, 4:30-6:30 p.m., VLEST—This annual event shines a light on the energy-related research of Penn students and postdocs.

• Pennsylvania’s Power Surge: Datacenters, Grid Stress, and New Regulatory Frontiers | Feb. 25, 4-6:45 p.m., Golkin Hall, Room 100 (Penn Carey Law)—The Master in Law program presents its annual lecture: With a focus on Pennsylvania, a panel will explore how AI is driving unprecedented demand for large-scale data centers and placing pressure on the electric grid.

• Wharton Impact Presents: Sustainable Computing and AI | Feb. 26, Noon-1:15 p.m., Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, Room 1206—This lunch-and-learn features Penn Engineering professors Benjamin Lee and Ali Zaidi.