This panel examines the promise and pitfalls of solar technology.  In developing countries, solar technology has shown promise for reducing energy poverty, particularly for off-grid communities that have no access to electricty.  In the developed world, while there is wide support for solar technology, there are many concerns with the social and environmental risks associated with solar.  This panel will examine solar technology in global and local context, demonstrating linkages and contradictions that emerge within the use and perceptions of both large and small-scale solar technology.