Page 87 - ISES SWC50

Andrew Blakers
Country: Australia
Year Started Research: 1979
Title of Research: Photovoltaics
University: University of NSW AND Australian National University
Still Active in Research: Yes

Andrew Blakers is E2 Professor of Engineering at the Australian National University. He has held Humboldt, ARC
QEII and ARC Senior Research Fellowships. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering,
the Institute of Energy and the Institute of Physics. He is a Life Member of the International Solar Energy Society
and the Australian Conservation Foundation and is a Public Policy Fellow at ANU. In 1991 he founded the solar PV
research group and laboratories at ANU (65 staff and PhD students). Leadership roles have included Foundation
Director of the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems at ANU, Node Director of the Australian Centre for Advanced
Photovoltaics, Director of the ARC Centre for Solar Energy Systems, and Node Director of the Australian CRC for
Renewable Energy. He has procured more than $100 million in external research funding for ANU. His research
interests are in the areas of silicon solar cells and renewable energy systems. He was responsible for the design and
fabrication of silicon solar cells with world record efficiencies of 18% (1983), 19% (1984), 20% (1986) and 22%
(1989). He was co-inventor of Sliver solar cell technology, the subject of a $240 million commercialisation effort
by Transform Solar. He was co-inventor of the PERC silicon solar cell, which has 70% of the global solar market
and cumulative module sales of US$50 billion. PERC deployment is about 70 Gigawatts per year, and it currently
mitigating 0.7% of global Greenhouse gas emissions through displacement of coal. Prof Blakers is a leading figure
in discussions of 100% renewable energy futures and is engaged in detailed analysis of energy systems with high
(50-100%) penetration by wind and photovoltaics with support from pumped hydro energy storage for which he
was co-winner of the 2018 Eureka Prize for Environmental Research.

Prof. Karl Böer (Deceased)
Country: USA
Year Started Research/Industry: 1972
Institute: University of Delaware’s Institute of Energy Conversions (IEC)
Still Active in Research/Industry : No

In 1972 Prof. Karl Böer was the founding director of the University of Delaware’s Institute of Energy Conversions (IEC)
where he led the research on thin film cells. In 1973 he initiated the construction of the solar display house known
as Solar One. In 1973 with investment from Shell he founded Solar Energy Systems to develop and manufacture
cadmium sulfide solar cells but in 1975 he returned to the University of Delaware to continue his research. Professor
Böer conducted research and published peer reviewed papers until age 91. His scientific contributions include more
than 350 publications, 28 patents, and several books. He also served as President of the American Solar Energy
Society, and as Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Solar Energy, which is a professional review journal that annually
summarizes worldwide achievements in the field of solar energy. The prestigious Karl W. Böer Solar Energy Medal
of Merit was created in his honor by the University of Delaware, in 1987. It is awarded to individuals who have made
extraordinary, valuable, and enduring contributions in solar energy or other forms of renewable energy through
research, development, or economic enterprise. Since 1993, the Medal has been awarded to an inspiring list of
visionary researchers, entrepreneurs, and world leaders. Professor Böer has won numerous awards including the
William Cherry Prize and the ISES Farrington Daniels Award (2003). Professor Böer was the driving force and
editor of the “The Fifty Year History of the International Solar Energy Society and its National Sections” that was
released in 2005.

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