On behalf of the Technical Program Committee, I am honored to invite you to submit an abstract on your latest achievements in photovoltaic (PV) research, development, applications, and impact to the 48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC-48). The PVSC-48 endeavors to cover the full spectrum of PV knowledge and innovation, from the basic science and engineering of materials, devices, and systems, to the examination of policy and markets and critical issues of social impact. PVSC aims to be a highly interactive and inclusive venue for everyone, from seasoned PV experts to entry-level professionals to students alike. The conference provides a unique opportunity to meet, share, and discuss PV-related developments in a timely and influential forum. Please contribute to the PVSC's tradition as the premier international conference on PV science and technology and help usher in a solar-powered world.

PVSC-48 will bring back the traditional 12 Technical Areas, along with a slate of compelling Keynote and Plenary Speakers. Delivering our Keynote address will be Professor Yi Cui from Stanford University, who will be talking about "Metal-H2 Batteries for Large Scale Stationary Energy Storage,” while our Plenary Speakers thus far include Laura Miranda (Oxford PV), Joe Berry (NREL), Anna Fontcuberta i Morral (EPFL), Marika Edoff (Uppsala University), and Xiaoting Wang (Bloomberg New Energy Finance). The conference will also include several exciting cross-cutting themes and joint areas, including “Advanced Resource Management for 100% Renewable Electricity” and “Hybrid Tandem/Multijunction Solar Cells,” with additional topically relevant special and cross-cutting sessions in the works. We also place a particular focus on issues of equity and social justice within the PV field and in its use and impact around the world. When submitting an abstract in response to these and similar topics please either select the specific Joint Area that is noted within the Area Descriptions (if applicable), or select the Technical Area that best fits the nature of the work described in your abstract.

To have your paper considered for presentation at the PVSC-48, please submit:

1. An evaluation abstract (3 pages maximum for technical committee review);
2. A short abstract of 300 words or less for display on the PVSC-48 website. 

Abstract submission is available via the PVSC-48 website at http://www.ieee-pvsc.org. Evaluation abstracts are expected to be detailed enough to allow a thorough technical review. Templates are provided at the conference website for your (and our) convenience. The deadline for a late abstract submission is April 25, 2021 at midnight Pacific Standard Time (UTC - 8 hours). Contributing authors will be notified of the acceptance status of their papers on or around May 1, 2021, after which authors will need to confirm their ability to present their work at the conference.

Following with PVSC tradition, publication of a conference proceeding is mandatory. For the sake of convenience, evaluation abstracts will automatically be used as the paper of record, which authors will have the option of replacing with a dedicated manuscript by the May 23, 2021 publication deadline.

Please submit your abstract for review by the deadline and we will be in touch with authors on a timely basis as we determine the final program.

So once again, on behalf of the Technical Program Committee, I look forward to welcoming and meeting with you at the 48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference!

Tyler Grassman  Technical Program Chair 2021 IEEE PVSC-48  The Ohio State University, USA