TAMPA, Fla. — A USF professor has spent decades working on ways to use solar energy.
Yogi Goswami's inventions are placed around the world. He developed a new combined Power and Cooling Cycle now known as the Goswami Cycle.
His fascination with solar energy began as a PhD student in the 70s during the oil embargo that resulted in long lines of cars waiting for gas.
“So I started thinking, is this our future? And then the only answer I could come up with is something that is not limited by this Earth,” said Goswami.
So he turned to the sun. He worked to harness its energy and develop ways to store it.
Goswami says solar power has come a long way, but it still only accounts for less than 4% of electricity in the United States.
“There is so much more that will be invented in the future that will make our lives much better and the global climate better to live in.”
Goswami has an office full of accolades, but he still spends plenty of time in the classroom, teaching the next generation of engineers at USF.
“We just have to keep encouraging our innovative youngsters because they will come up with the best ideas,” Goswami said
He says the students who take his courses have no problem getting jobs in the field.
“You can go to example Florida Power and Light, or go to TECO, or go to Duke Power. All of these have my students there.”
Florida ranks 3rd in the nation behind California and Texas in solar power generation.
