Professor of Engineering at the Australian National University, Andrew Blakers has just been awarded the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for his research into solar cell technology that is spearheading a transformation of the global energy mix.
In 1983, Professor Martin Green drew his first diagram of the passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC). Since then, solar panel technology has been revolutionized. In this interview, Professor Martin Green and Professor Andrew Blakers discuss their team's electricity-generating silicon solar cell invention and essential developments in the field, including a 40.6% solar cell module.
A prestigious engineering prize has been awarded to a team of scientists who helped enable the green energy transition by boosting the efficiency of solar cells.
The 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) has been awarded for the research and development of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar photovoltaic technology.