Energy Science

Where does charcoal come from—and is it sustainable?

Charcoal energizes everything from backyard barbecues to industrial metallurgy, but its environmental impact is worse than once thought. Research from the School of Arts & Sciences finds that policy changes could make charcoal more sustainable.

Marilyn Perkins

Marrying models with experiments to build more efficient solar cells

Penn chemist Andrew M. Rappe, in collaboration with former postdoc Arvin Kakekhani and researchers at Princeton University, has gained insight into how the molecular make up of solar cells can affect their properties and make them more efficient.

Luis Melecio-Zambrano , Michele W. Berger

Talking energy at Penn

Energy Week 2022, hosted by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, runs April 4-8. It includes student presentations, along with conversations about renewables, energy and the war in Ukraine, and much more.

Michele W. Berger , Lindsey Samahon

Four things to know about the latest IPCC climate report

The assessment describes ‘unequivocal’ human influence that no doubt caused ‘widespread and rapid changes’ to the atmosphere, oceans, and more. Professors Mark Alan Hughes and Michael Weisberg discuss the findings, plus how we can avoid passing the point of no return.

Michele W. Berger



In the News


Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New study bolsters case for Pennsylvania to join Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

A study by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design found that by joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Pennsylvania would by 2030 reduce its emissions by 80%.

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The Guardian

Hot air: Five climate myths pushed by the U.S. beef industry

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that environmentalists should laser-focus on transforming the energy sector before arguing about food.

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The Washington Post

How this company plans to use Earth’s heat to cool the planet

Hélène Pilorgé of the School of Engineering and Applied Science outlines one of the main ways to pull CO2 out of the air, the “solid sorbent” method.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

From the U.N. climate conference, advice for Philly as it adapts to global warming

A delegation of Penn students, researchers, and faculty who attended the COP27 climate conference offer their ideas for how Philadelphia officials can work to make the goals of the Paris Agreement a reality.

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Facing climate change: action and optimism

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences appears on “Radio Times” to share his climate optimism while reiterating the need for urgent action.

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PBS NewsHour

Will the Amazon rainforest’s chances improve with Brazil’s new leader?

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences discusses the importance of the Amazon rain forest and its potential preservation under Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

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