Suntech’s Dr. Stuart Wenham and the “father of photovoltaics“, Professor Martin Green, were awarded the prestigious Australian Collaborative Innovation Awards last week.
Dr. Wenham, along with Professor Green from ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence at University of New South Wales, received the award for their collaboration in developing Suntech’s Pluto cell technology; which recently set a world record 20.3 per cent efficiency for a production cell using standard commercial-grade p-type silicon wafers.
“This award is a testament to Suntech’s long-standing collaboration with the University of New South Wales to continually develop ground-breaking innovative solar technology that will ultimately make solar competitive with fossil fuels,” said Dr. Wenham.
“Without collaboration with Suntech, and funding from Australian Solar Institute, the Pluto cell technology would have remained a laboratory prototype, and would not be the commercial success it is today,” commented Professor Green.
Other recent accolades for Suntech include MIT Technology Review recognition as one of world’s 50 most innovative companies; Fast Company naming Suntech one of the top 10 most innovative companies in China; and the ‘Top Brand PV’ seal from EuPD - an award recently also granted to REC for their Peak Energy Series solar panels.
In December last year, PV Tech awarded Suntech’s crystalline silicon solar panel as the most innovative solar product of 2011.
The Australian Collaborative Innovation Awards were presented at a gala dinner at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide on May, in conjunction with the Collaborate | Innovate | 2012 meeting; run by the CRC Association. The awards recognise outstanding examples of the transfer of CRC research.
Suntech is the world’s largest manufacturer of solar modules and the company states it has delivered more than 25,000,000 Suntech solar panels to date.
Suntech founder and CEO, Dr Zhengrong Shi, has long had a close association with Australia. Dr. Shi is a graduate of the University of NSW and conducted considerable research here before returning to China to launch Suntech.
