Dr. Pearce received his Ph.D. at The Pennsylvania State University, where his work on protocrystallinity helped develop low-cost amorphous siliconsolar photovoltaic technology.[2] His solar research and outreach[3] continues.[4][5] For example, his research group published a levelized cost of electricity study[6] on solar energy showed solar electricity was economically competitive with fossil fuels over wide geographic regions.[7][8] and showed the value of solar (VOS) often exceeds the net metering rate.[9][10] He showed 1% of Canada's agricultural land converted to agrivoltaics would rid the national grid if carbon emissions while increasing food.[11] His research into BDRF modeling[12] of reflectors showed potential solar systems output increases of 30%.[13] His research supports solar canopies for parking lots,[14][15] floatovoltaics and aquavoltaics.[16] In addition he promotes the DIY[17] and maker movements,[18] with the release of To Catch the Sunasopen access.[19]
He is also a vocal advocate of an open-source approach to technical development.[20] For his work related to open-source nanotechnology,[21]Ars Technica compared him to American software freedom activist Richard Stallman.[22] He applied open-source 3-D printing and electronics to scientific equipment design,[23] where he has claimed both superior innovation and lower costs.[24][25] Reviewing his book Open-Source Lab, 3-D Printing Industry wrote, "This is a manual that every scientist should read and it holds a message so powerful and disruptive that the Anarchist Cookbook is a fairy tale in comparison."[26] This work has extended to making frugal biomedical equipment and aids.[27][28][29]
His research has shown that printing household items with a RepRap is less costly[30] and better for the environment[31] than purchasing conventionally manufactured goods. Similarly, his group developed the recyclebot, a waste plastic extruder, which drops the cost of 3D printing filament from $35/kg to ten cents per kg while making recycling even more environmentally beneficial.[32][33] He also helped develop the concept of fused granular fabrication (FGF) where shredded waste plastic is directly converted to products.[34]
In 2013 his group released an open-source 3D printer capable of printing in steel, which cost less than US$1,200.[35][36] in order to encourage more rapid technological development according to Scientific American.[37] This cost reduction was significant as the New York Times reported commercial metal printers at the time cost over US$500,000.[38]
He further developed inexpensive methods such as SODIS to disinfect drinking water in the developing world, using sunlight, water bottles, and salt.[39] He has called for corporate death penalties for industries that kill more people than they employ.[40] Recently, the MIT Sloan Management Review reported that Dr. Pearce has combined many of his research areas developing solar powered 3-D printers to drive sustainable development.[41]
^Pearce, Joshua M. (2004). "Control of Staebler-Wronski defects in hydrogenated amorphous silicon for the de". Adsabs.harvard.edu. Bibcode:2004PhDT........88P. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Andrews, R. W.; Pollard, A.; Pearce, J. M. (November 1, 2015). "Photovoltaic System Performance Enhancement With Nontracking Planar Concentrators: Experimental Results and Bidirectional Reflectance Function (BDRF)-Based Modeling". IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics. 5 (6): 1626–1635. doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2478064. ISSN2156-3381. S2CID40828010.
