Australian researcher wins prestigious solar award

Dr Pierre Verlinden, from PV module manufacturer Trina Solar, has been announced as the winner of the 2016 William R Cherry Award, one of the most distinguished awards in the solar photovoltaic (PV) energy industry. He is the third Australian to win the award.

Dr Verlinden has spent the past three decades at the forefront of PV technology and commercialisation, leading technological advances including the IBC (interdigitated back contact) as well as cell, silicon and multijunction CPV cells. He currently serves as vice-president, chief scientist, and vice-chair for the State Key Laboratory of PV Science & Technology (SKL PVST) at Trina Solar.

At the SKL PVST, Dr Verlinden has led a team of PV researchers and scientists to enhance Trina Solar’s key PV technologies through innovation that has resulted in several world records in cell and module efficiencies. He has also been pivotal in establishing high-efficiency solar cell programs and fostering collaboration with international PV scholars and institutions.

Trina Solar Chairman and CEO Jifan Gao congratulated Dr Verlinden on his prize, describing him as “one of the most knowledgeable experts with foresight into the solar technology”.

“Since joining Trina Solar in 2012, he has transformed the State Key Laboratory into one of the global leading R&D institutions for photovoltaic technology,” said Gao. “He is a deserving recipient of the award and we are grateful for his commitment to Trina Solar’s technological innovations.”

“It is with great humility that I receive this prestigious award and I want to note that it is shared with everyone at the State Key Laboratory and Trina Solar,” said Dr Verlinden. “It is their hard work and contributions that have led to our successes and brought us a series of world records over the last number of years.”

The William R Cherry Award is named after a founder of the photovoltaic community and recognises the individual engineers or scientists who have made significant contributions. It will be presented at the 43rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference on 6 June, giving Dr Verlinden the opportunity to deliver his award acceptance talk during the conference opening keynote session.