QE Prize for Engineering goes to record breaking energy pioneers
8 Feb 2023
The 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering has been shared between four academics for their development work on the technology that has helped enable the rise on low cost but high performance electricity which harnesses solar power.
Professors Andrew Blakers and Martin Green, together with Doctors Aihua Wang and Jianhua Zhao, were credited for their work at Australia’s University of South Wales on passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar photovoltaic technology.
The annual award for ground-breaking innovation in engineering of global benefit recognised the four’s role in improving energy conversion efficiency of standard silicon solar cells.
PERC allowed the introduction of an extra layer on the cell back surface which prevented recombination and reflected unused photons back into the silicon, generating more electrons.
Until 1983 the production of solar cells remained at a maximum 16.5% efficiency. That year Green and Blakers managed 18%, increasing this over successive years to 19% and 20% as well as theoretically determining maximum achievable efficiency at 30%.
For 30 out of 40 years to 2023, Green USW lab held the world record for efficiency. During this time Wang and Zhao led the work that attained the 25% efficiency target.
Delivering the news of the award ,QE Prize for Engineering Foundation chairman Lord Browne of Madingley stated:
“I believe that everything we do has to be oriented around the global energy transition, so we can achieve net zero, for the planet and the people that live on it. This year’s innovation has been and will continue to be integral to this journey. We are in the process of global energy transition, with PERC and solar power in the front seat, and I wholeheartedly congratulate Professors Green and Blakers, and Drs Wang and Zhao for their contribution to humanity.”
The four laureates will receive their trophy and shared prize of £500,000 at an official ceremony later this year.
Pic: (clockwise from top left) Laureates Blakers, Wang, Green and Zhao
