PVSC HISTORY

Since its first meeting at NASA Headquarters in 1961, the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference has been the premier gathering for the photovoltaics community, tracing the field from the earliest space solar cells to today’s terawatt-scale deployment.

65+Years of PVSC
54Conferences held
6Host countries
8World Conferences
Next conference
PVSC 55 · Pasadena, CA
June 20-24, 2027 · Pasadena Convention Center · Chair: Jeremiah McNatt
PVSC returns to Pasadena, which hosted PVSC 7 at JPL in 1968.
Conference details →

2020s

  1. PVSC54
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    June 7-12, 2026•Karin Hinzer
    Website ↗
  2. PVSC53
    Montreal, Canada
    June 8-13, 2025•Tyler Grassman
    Website ↗
  3. PVSC52
    Seattle, Washington
    June 9-14, 2024•Arno Smets
    Website ↗
  4. PVSC50
    San Juan, PR
    June 11-16, 2023•Marianna Bertoni
    Website ↗
  5. PVSC51
    Milan, Italy 8th World Conference
    Sept 26-30, 2022•Seth Hubbard
    Website ↗
  6. PVSC49
    Philadelphia, PA
    June 5-10, 2022•Bill Shafarman
    Website ↗
  7. PVSC48
    Virtual Virtual
    June 20-25, 2021•Sylvain Marsillac
    Website ↗
  8. PVSC47
    Virtual Virtual
    June 16-21, 2020•Seth Hubbard
    Website ↗

2010s

  1. PVSC46
    Chicago, IL
    June 16-21, 2019•Sarah Kurtz
    Website ↗
  2. PVSC45
    Waikoloa, Hawaii 7th World Conference
    June 10-15, 2018•Alex Freundlich (General Chair), Marko Topic (Vice Chair), Akira Yamada (Vice Chair)
    Website ↗
  3. PVSC44
    Washington, DC
    June 25-30, 2017•Angèle Reinders
    Website ↗
  4. PVSC43
    Portland, OR
    June 5-10, 2016•Angus Rockett
    Website ↗
  5. PVSC42
    New Orleans, LA
    June 14-19, 2015•Steven A. Ringel
    Website ↗
  6. PVSC41
    Kyoto, Japan 6th World Conference
    November 24-27, 2014•Makoto Konagai (General Chair), A. Jager Waldau (Vice Chair), B.J. Stanbery (Vice Chair)
    Website ↗
  7. PVSC40
    Denver, CO
    June 8-13, 2014•Richard R. King
    Website ↗
  8. PVSC39
    Tampa, FL
    June 16-21, 2013•Ryne Raffaelle
    Website ↗
  9. PVSC38
    Austin, TX
    June 3-8, 2012•BJ Stanbery
    Website ↗
  10. PVSC37
    Seattle, WA
    June 19-24, 2011•David Wilt
    Website ↗
  11. PVSC36
    Valencia, Spain 5th World Conference
    September 6-10, 2010•Giovanni De Santi (General Chair), Makoto Konagai (Vice General Chair), Robert Walters (Vice General Chair)
  12. PVSC35
    Honolulu, HI
    June 20-25, 2010•Robert Walters

2000s

  1. PVSC34
    Philadelphia, PA
    June 7-12, 2009•Tim Anderson
  2. PVSC33
    San Diego, CA
    May 11-16, 2008•Timothy J. Coutts
  3. PVSC32
    Waikoloa, Hawaii 4th World Conference
    May 8-12, 2006•Sheila Bailey (General Chair), Heinz Ossenbrink (Vice General Chair), Makoto Konagai (Vice General Chair)
  4. PVSC31
    Lake Buena Vista, FL · Disney's Coronado Springs
    January 3-7, 2005•Christopher R. Wronski
  5. PVSC30
    Osaka, Japan · Conference Center 3rd World Conference
    May 11-18, 2003•Kousuke Kurokawa (General Chair), Lawrence L. Kazmerski (Vice General Chair), Bernard McNelis (Vice General Chair)
  6. PVSC29
    New Orleans, LA · Hyatt
    May 17, 24, 2002•John Benner
  7. PVSC28
    Anchorage, Alaska · Hilton & Conference Center
    September 15-22, 2000•Ajeet Rohatgi

1990s

  1. PVSC27
    Vienna, Austria · Conference Center 2nd World Conference
    July 6-10, 1998•Jurgen Schmid (General Chair), Kosuke Kurokawa (Vice General Chair), Sheila G. Bailey (Vice General Chair)
  2. PVSC26
    Anaheim, CA · Marriott
    September 29-October 3, 1997•Paul Basore
  3. PVSC25
    Washington, DC · Hyatt
    May 13-17, 1996•Eldon C. Boes
  4. PVSC24
    Waikoloa, HI · Hilton 1st World Conference
    December 5-9, 1994•Dennis J. Flood (General Chair), Jurgen Schmid (Vice General Chair), Masafumi Yamaguchi (Vice General Chair)
  5. PVSC23
    Louisville, KY · Galt House
    May 10-14, 1993•Richard J. Schwartz
  6. PVSC22
    Las Vegas, NV · Riviera
    October 7-11, 1991•Cosmo R. Baraona
  7. PVSC21
    Kissimmee, FL · Hyatt
    May 21-25, 1990•John D. Meakin

1980s

  1. PVSC20
    Las Vegas, NV · Riviera
    September 26-30, 1988•Joseph F. Wise
  2. PVSC19
    New Orleans, LA · Sheraton
    May 1-4, 1987•Lawrence L. Kazmerski
  3. PVSC18
    Las Vegas, NV · Riviera
    October 21-25, 1985•Allen M. Barnett
  4. PVSC17
    Kissimmee, FL · Hyatt
    May 1-4, 1984•Eugene L. Ralph
  5. PVSC16
    San Diego, CA · Town & Country
    September 27-30, 1982•Henry W. Brandhorst, Jr.
  6. PVSC15
    Kissimmee, FL · Hyatt
    May 12-15, 1981•Charles J. Bishop
  7. PVSC14
    San Diego, CA · Town & Country
    January 7-10, 1980•Charles E. Backus

1970s

  1. PVSC13
    Washington, DC · Shoreham
    June 5-8, 1978•John V. Goldsmith
  2. PVSC12
    Baton Rouge, LA · Hilton
    November 15-18, 1976•Americo F. Forestieri
  3. PVSC11
    Scottsdale, AZ · Sunburst Conference Cntr.
    May 6-8, 1975•Denis R. Curtin
  4. PVSC10
    Palo Alto, CA · Ricky's Hyatt Hotel
    November 13-15, 1973•Richard L. Statler
  5. PVSC9
    Silver Spring, MD · APL
    May 2-4, 1972•Martin Wolf
  6. PVSC8
    Seattle, WA · Olympic Hotel
    August 4-6, 1970•Joseph J. Loferski

1960s

  1. PVSC7
    Pasadena, CA · JPL
    November 19-20, 1968•Robert E. Fischell
  2. PVSC6
    Cocoa Beach, FL · Hilton
    March 28-30, 1967•William R. Cherry
  3. PVSC5
    Greenbelt, MD · NASA Goddard
    October 18-20, 1965•Paul Rappaport
  4. PVSC4
    Cleveland, OH · NASA LeRC
    June 2-3, 1964
  5. PVSC3
    Washington, DC · Statler Hilton
    April 10-11, 1963•Walter C. Scott
  6. PVSC2
    Washington, DC · NASA HQ
    February 27-28, 1962•Walter C. Scott
  7. PVSC1
    Washington, DC · NASA HQ
    April 14, 1961•Nathan Snyder