The Future of the Sun: Solar Cells and Nanotechnology in United States and Europe

At the nexus of nanotechnology and solar cells, a possibility for a clean renewable source of energy is becoming a reality. There are stark differences between the United States and Europe when looking at the innovation pathways behind new solar technologies. By looking to a few case studies and employing a value chain analysis, issues of intellectual property, partnership practices between companies, and regional policies have notable differences when compared cross-culturally. The aim of this research was a comparative-descriptive analysis of the scientific and technological development of solar energy to try to understand its future trends in the United States, in Europe, and possibly on a global scale.