Yoshinobu Shibata, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Nuclear Energy Systems, discusses the challenges of nuclear power production competing against low-cost natural gas and how it can gain greater acceptance.

As solar power grows as a percentage of energy produced in the U.S., the issue of intermittency has emerged as a hurdle to integration. To overcome this hurdle, solar energy must be stored for more efficient use.

Dr. Adam Hollinger of Penn State, Behrend, along with graduate student Scott DeLaney, discusses the safety and efficiency issues involved with lithium-ion batteries.

This discussion covers important aspects of energy storage research developments and career development essentials.

Catherine McKalip-Thompson, manager of sustainability for Bechtel Infrastructure, describes trends in sustainable building design, smart cities and the integration of engineering, architecture and planning.

Integrating solar power with the grid is a more difficult challenge than many might imagine. With home use of solar power increasing pressure on the grid, creative solutions will be needed to fully integrate this power source: battery storage is one.