Solar Futures

SOLAR FUTURES: How to Design a Post-Fossil World with the Sun by solar designer Marjan van Aubel explores the future of solar energy.

Solar energy needs a new narrative – one that says goodbye to old perspectives and only talks about efficiency and the payback time of blue solar panels. This publication illustrates what we need to know to transition from solar technology to solar design using everyday integrated aesthetic solutions.

This publication is divided into three parts: the first part explains how we designed with the sun in the past, providing a visual timeline of the historical development of solar power. The second part discusses the present: Where are we now and what is solar design? It provides examples of innovative solar design in architecture, fashion, mobility and product design. Finally, the last part looks at the future and asks how we can ensure solar energy does not become the asbestos of the 21st century.

Marjan van Aubel is an award-winning solar designer who brings solar energy into daily life and blends design and technology. Van Aubel’s goal is to make solar power more accessible for everyone. She has created lasting change through solar design, integrating solar power seamlessly into the buildings and objects that surround us. Her most notable works are Sunne, Current Table, Power Plant and the roof of the Netherlands Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.