14 DAY TRIAL // Today, over 400 international experts gathered at the University of Southampton, for Photon 10, the biggest optics and photonics conference in Europe, where the latest developments in “green photonics” will be shared.
The president of the United States' Optoelectronics Development Association (OIDA), Fred Quan, has opened the Institute of Physics' (IOP) conference Photon10, with a speech on the threats of increasing carbon dioxide amounts in the atmosphere and the rise of energy costs.
Many people see solar power – photovoltaics, as the solution to a less polluting energy source, so the research in optics and photonics is very important.
It needs to be supported so that the efficiency of conversion rates of sunlight to electricity can increase, thus making solar power affordable and an efficient replacement for other fossil fuels.
Before the conference, President Quan has said that “photonic technologies will continue to drive energy efficiencies, enable cost effective applications, improve our healthcare, and help ensure our technological lifestyle continues.
“The “green” philosophy will be led by LED lighting, displays, and photovoltaics.”
OIDA estimated that during the next ten years, optoelectronic technologies will have a boosted development and the industry will generate $243 billion by 2021, five times the $46.6 billion generated in 2008.
In the future, this technology will allow a more efficient energy conversion from renewable sources to advances in consumer technology for home lighting and TV screens that are energy-efficient.
“Researchers gathering today at Photon10 in Southampton share the vision of a world not forced into technological regression by the threats of rising carbon dioxide levels and reduced energy security; rather a world improved by the need to address these challenges through the optimization of world-changing technology,” said Allan Boardman, Chair of Photon 10 and Professor of Applied Physics from the University of Salford.