There could be no modern solar industry as we know it today – with cheap, abundant, accessible solar energy – without the development of the PERC solar cell led by Professor Martin Green at UNSW Sydney, and the decades of work he and his colleagues put into making the world’s number one renewable energy a reality.
Help Australians celebrate this earth-saving local invention as we mark 50-years since Prof. Green started the solar photovoltaics research group at UNSW in 1974.
Filming, photo and interview opportunities are available at the celebration event at the UNSW Roundhouse this Saturday 5-6:30pm, or prior.
In 1974 Professor Martin Green arrived at UNSW, pulled together some borrowed and second-hand equipment and started a solar research lab. Little did he know at the time that he would lead teams to invent PERC, the first highly efficient and commercially viable silicon solar cell, and kick-start a $50 billion global industry.
Half a decade on, the team at UNSW’s Solar Industrial Research Facility (SIRF) continues to work on the silicon cell technologies invented at UNSW that are used in more than 90 per cent of the world’s solar manufacturing. Prof. Green and UNSW pioneers are credited with making solar power the prime weapon in the battle to control climate change.
Join us for a discussion on what’s ahead in the next 50 years of solar development as we celebrate these remarkable achievements.
This is a chance to speak to the most knowledgeable experts in the industry (all UNSW alum!) who will discuss what’s next for solar in Australia, including:
- Prof. Martin Green, UNSW – Key challenges facing new entrants such as pace of technological change, low margins, frequent ‘boom to bust’ cycles
- Dr. Oliver Hartley, Managing Director, Bright Dimension - What are Australia’s comparative advantages in the solar energy supply chain, how do we leverage these to develop viable and timely solar manufacturing that’s part of a globally diversified solar industry?
- Nicole Kuepper-Russell, Chief Strategy Officer, 5B - How do we address land and labour shortages as demand for solar energy increases?
- Chris Davies, Group Manager - Future Energy Systems, AEMO - What work needs to be done to ensure safe and reliable integration of distributed solar energy into the energy ecosystem?
- Dr. Rong Deng, UNSW - What about the growing number of solar panels being retired, how do we establish an affordable, sustainable and effective end-of-life solution?
Also - speak to the UNSW researchers who produced the Silicon to Solar report behind the federal government’s $1 billion Solar SunShot program about why now is the time to start manufacturing locally.
You’re welcome to join us at the event (details here) or we can arrange interviews with the panel speakers beforehand.
Contact details:
Louise Templeton louise.templeton@unsw.edu.au | 0413495994
Julia Holman julia.holman@unsw.edu.au | 0435124673