Connecting Discovery to Impact in Renewable Energy
For Peter Bermel, the path to sustainability begins with a question: How can we better harness and use energy?
As the Elmore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, Bermel has spent his career exploring how light, materials, and advanced technologies can work together to create more efficient energy systems. His research in nanophotonics—the science of controlling light at extremely small scales—has applications ranging from solar energy and thermophotovoltaics to semiconductors and next-generation electronics. Through his Energy & Nanophotonics research group, he seeks to improve how energy is generated, converted, and utilized in the technologies that increasingly shape modern life.
Yet Bermel’s interest in sustainability extends beyond any single technology.
“One of the most fascinating aspects of energy is that it touches virtually every part of our lives, and draws upon expertise from fields ranging from materials science and engineering to economics, public health, and the social sciences,” stated Bermel. “As a result, solving the most important energy challenges often requires interdisciplinary teams working together to develop effective and lasting solutions.”
That interdisciplinary perspective is at the heart of ISF’s Renewable Energy Research Community, which Bermel leads. The community brings together researchers from across the university to advance sustainable energy solutions, recognizing that meaningful progress requires expertise that spans technology development, policy, economics, environmental systems, and societal impacts.
Under Bermel’s leadership, the Renewable Energy Research Community serves as a hub for collaboration among faculty working on a wide range of energy-related challenges. Researchers explore topics including solar energy, energy systems, grid resilience, advanced materials, agricultural energy solutions, energy policy, and emerging technologies that support the global energy transition. The goal is not only to advance scientific understanding, but also to accelerate the translation of research into practical solutions that can benefit communities and industries.
That systems-level thinking reflects Bermel’s broader philosophy toward sustainability research.
“Renewable energy research is especially important today because it offers opportunities to address many of the key energy challenges facing society, including rising energy costs, finite fuel resources, grid reliability concerns like blackouts, and growing competition for energy resources.”
His own research embodies a collaborative approach. While his laboratory focuses on the fundamental science of energy conversion and photonic materials, the ultimate objective is improving real-world energy systems. Whether developing technologies that increase solar energy efficiency, exploring new methods of thermal energy conversion, or contributing to advances in semiconductor technologies, Bermel’s work seeks to bridge fundamental discovery with societal impact.
Beyond research, Bermel is deeply committed to cultivating the next generation of innovators. Through mentoring students, supporting workforce development initiatives such as SCALE, and creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, he views education as an essential component of long-term sustainability solutions. Preparing future leaders, he believes, is just as important as advancing the technologies themselves.
This commitment to collaboration, innovation, and impact aligns closely with ISF’s mission to advance interdisciplinary research that addresses complex sustainability challenges. For Bermel, the institute provides a platform to connect expertise across Purdue and build partnerships capable of tackling issues that no single discipline can solve alone.
As renewable energy technologies continue to evolve and the demand for sustainable solutions grows, Bermel sees tremendous opportunity ahead. On September 30th, Bermel will lead an ISF seminar on the topic, titled Solar Innovations and Energy Transitions in the Midwest.
“One of the most critical priorities for renewable energy research is addressing the needs of people, while minimizing unintended consequences,” he says. “ For example, agrivoltaics has the potential to provide farmers with additional revenue while preserving agricultural productivity through careful design, testing, and deployment. Likewise, advances in power grids and energy storage can help address the intermittency of renewable energy generation, improve reliability, and reduce costs for consumers.”
It is a vision that reflects both his research and his leadership: advancing the science of energy while building the collaborative networks needed to create a more sustainable future.