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AUSTRALIAN CENTRE for

ADVANCED PHOTOVOLTAICS

PERC cell inventors awarded 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering



PERC solar cell front and rear



Four Australian solar researchers have been awarded the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize). The group was recognised for its pioneering work at UNSW Sydney to develop Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) solar photovoltaic technology, which has underpinned the recent exponential growth in high performance, low-cost solar electricity.


Sharing the 2023 Prize are Professor Martin Green from UNSW Sydney, Professor Andrew Blakers from the Australian National University and solar entrepreneurs Dr Aihua Wang and Dr Jianhua Zhao.


Prof. Green said he was honoured to share the QEPrize with his three former PhD students, Prof. Blakers and Drs Wang and Zhao. “As engineers, we are constantly striving to improve the world we live in. As the world feels the devastating impacts of our changing environment and collapsing ecosystems, I feel passionately that we must rapidly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels if we wish to maintain the trajectory of human civilisation on our shared planet. I hope that PERC technology winning the QEPrize will highlight the importance of accelerated solar adoption to address climate change.”


Prof. Blakers said: "This is such an honour for me, and indirectly for the many wonderful people I have worked with over many years. I am delighted to share this prize with Martin Green and Drs Wang and Zhao, who have made major contributions to solar energy over many decades."



Read more about the development of the world-leading PERC solar cell's recognition here and here.

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