Page 58 - ISES SWC50

6.6 Research Pioneers 1960-1969

Robert Boehm
Country: United States
Year Started Research: 1968
Title of Research: Solar Energy Applications
University: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Still Active in Research: Yes

Robert Boehm taught in Mechanical Engineering, from September 1968-1990 at the University of Utah and 1990-2022
at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). He served as Chair for a period at each University and ended with rank of
Distinguished Professor at UNLV. He specialized in teaching solar energy and pursued research in that and related topics.
He played a significant role in the development of the solar and renewable energy minor at UNLV and was the primary
developer of the Center for Energy Research. The latter had physical facilities at the University as well as at the Southern
Nevada Water Authority Treatment Lab. Some titles and honors held by Boehm: California PE 1966; Fellow ASME 1983-;
UofU Distinguished Teaching Award 1988; UNLV Harry Reid Research Award 2002; UNLV Distinguished Teaching Award
2002; Associate Editor Energy the International Journal 2002-; UNLV Distinguished Professor 2004-; John Yellott Award,
highest ASME solar energy award 2010; Co-Advisor UNLV 2nd Place winner of the 2013 International Solar Decathlon
House Competition; Editor ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering 2015-2019. One of the contracts received by
Boehm as PI is briefly outlined. The Center for Energy Research responded to a USDOE Call-for-Proposals to plan, design
and install a significant amount of solar and other energy saving technology for a large installation, either industrial or
residential. CER put forth a proposal working with a major home builder and a local utility to install cost-effective energy
conserving approaches on peak energy uses in a new home development of 185 starter houses. This resulted in an
approximate $16,000,000 plus significant cost share, 5-year-contract. Using a combination of built-in equipment as well
as energy-saving strategies, reductions of 65% peak energy usage were shown with those costing somewhat more than
houses built to code.

Dieter Bonnet (1937-2016)
Country: Germany
Year Started Research: 1961
Title of Research: Photoelectric properties of organic materials and CdTe/CdS
thin-film solar cells
University: University of Frankfurt and Battelle Institute
Still Active in Research: No

Dieter Bonnet obtained his his PhD at Frankfurt University in 1963 on photoelectric properties of organic materials.
Dr. Dieter Bonnet started his professional career in 1965 at the Battelle Institute in Frankfurt/Germany, where
he soon became head of the solid state physics department. He dedicated many years to R&D in the field of
solar photovoltaic thin film cells where he contributed especially to CdSe, CdS and CdTe since 1968. In 1970, he
developed the world’s first CdTe/CdS thin-film solar cells in the presently known configuration and in 1972 this cell
had an AMO efficiency of 6%. When in 1993 the Battelle Institute was closed down Dieter Bonnet together with
other employees initiated a buyout from the institute and so became a co-founder and shareholder of ANTEC GmbH,
out of which grew the solar firm ANTEC-Solar in Arnstadt, Thuringia. As head of the Solar Energy Department
of ANTEC Dieter Bonnet continued the development of the CdTe technology and brought it to mass production
maturity. This enabled ANTEC Solar in 2001 to start the operation of the worldwide first commercial CdTe thin
film solar production. In June 2001 the city council of Arnstadt honored his merits on the building up the first solar
factory in Arnstadt by naming a street “Dr.-Bonnet-Weg”. In his time with ANTEC Dieter Bonnet joined together
the European scientific CdTe community. He initiated SOLARPACT, a global network that connects research groups
and industrial units to promote the technology of photovoltaic modules based on CdTe and related components
in view of a cost-competitive mass production. In 2006 the Commission of the EU expressed its recognition to
Dieter Bonnet for his achievements in the field photovoltaic energy by awarding to him the renowned Becquerel
Prize. After his retirement he supported as an advisor the creation of CTF Solar as the successor company of the
ANTEC group.

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