The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Solar Energy Research Center will hold a public forum and information session to explore energy issues.

The free event, “A Sustainable Energy Future – Mapping the Way,” will be Friday, Jan. 15, at the William and Ida Friday Center in Chapel Hill.

The event begins at 5 p.m. with interactive displays and videos. The presentations will review climate and energy security issues; current research and local and global green technologies and policies; possible future directions; and how societal, policy and commercial efforts could guide such changes.

At 7 p.m., an open panel discussion will assess how the world can shift from using mostly fossil fuels to a future based on more secure and environmentally friendly alternatives. Issues include the current status of such technologies, future energy demands, and political, social, economic and business hurdles.

The panel will feature experts on current and developing energy sources, conservation and efficiency, and politics and public policy.