PROFESSOR GRÄTZEL WINS THE 2010 MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGY GRAND PRIZE FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
The Winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize is Professor Michael Grätzel
from Switzerland for his third generation, low cost, dye-sensitized solar cells.
President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen handed the EUR 800,000 Grand
Prize and the prize trophy "Peak" to Professor Grätzel today at the Grand Award
Ceremony at the Finnish National Opera, Helsinki.
ONE OF MANKIND'S GREATEST CHALLENGES is to find ways to replace the diminishing
fossil fuel supply. The most obvious energy source is the sun, origin of most
energy found on Earth.
The Winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize, Professor Michael Grätzel,
Director of the Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces at Ecole Polytechnique
Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), has responded to the challenge with his
dye-sensitized solar cells.
"The constraint of solar energy has traditionally been its price. 'Grätzel
cells' provide a more affordable way of harnessing solar energy. Grätzel's
innovation is likely to have an important role in low-cost, large-scale
solutions for renewable energy," says the President and CEO of Technology
Academy Finland, Dr Ainomaija Haarla, explaining why Grätzel was selected as the
winner.
The decision was made by the Board of Directors of Technology Academy Finland,
based on the recommendation of the International Selection Committee.
The price/performance ratio of Grätzel's dye-sensitized solar cells is
excellent. The technology often described as "artificial photosynthesis" is a
promising alternative to standard silicon photovoltaics. It is made of low-cost
materials and does not need an elaborate apparatus to manufacture. Though
Grätzel cells are still in relatively early stages of development, they show
great promise as an inexpensive alternative to costly silicon solar cells and as
an attractive candidate as a new renewable energy source.
Grätzel cells, which promise electricity-generating windows and low-cost solar
panels, have just made their debut in consumer products.
EUR 150 000 AWARDS TO PLASTIC ELECTRONICS AND ARM MICROPROCESSORS
The two other 2010 Millennium Laureates were awarded each awarded prizes of EUR
150,000 and "Peak" trophies at the Award Ceremony. This year's Millennium
Laureates answer some of the challenges of sustainable development and energy
consumption.
The initial innovation of Professor Sir Richard Friend, organic Light Emitting
Diodes (LEDs), was a crucial milestone in plastic electronics. Electronic paper,
cheap organic solar cells and illuminating wall paper are examples of the
revolutionary future products his work has made possible. Friend is the
Cavendish Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge.
Stephen Furber, Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of
Manchester, is the principal designer of the ARM 32-bit RISC microprocessor, an
innovation that revolutionised mobile electronics. The ingeniously designed
processor enabled the development of cheap, powerful handheld, battery-operated
devices. In the past 25 years nearly 20 billion ARM based chips have been
manufactured.
"Each and every one of these innovations excellently fulfils the most important
of our requirements: they benefit mankind as broadly as possible, both today and
in the future," says Dr Stig Gustavson, Chairman of the Board of Technology
Academy Finland.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
President & CEO Ainomaija Haarla, Technology Academy Finland
ainomaija.haarla (at) technologyacademy.fi, mobile + 358 40 716 0703
Communications Manager Jaana Kymäläinen, Technology Academy Finland
jaana.kymalainen (at) technologyacademy.fi, mobile +358 40 352 7437
The Millennium Technology Prize is Finland's tribute to developers of
life-enhancing technological innovations, awarded biannually. In 2010 the total
amount of the prizes is ? 1,1 million of which ?1m comes from the Finnish state
and ?100 000 from Technology Academy Finland. The main prize is ? 800,000, and
the other Laureates will be awarded ? 150,000 each. www.millenniumprize.fi
The prize is awarded by Technology Academy Finland, an independent fund
established by Finnish organisations, industry and the Finnish state in a
partnership which aims to promote applied technology and research which leads to
new technologies that have a positive impact on the quality of life and are
based on humane values. The organisation of Technology Academy Finland includes
the Finnish Academy of Technical Sciences (TTA), Svenska tekniska
vetenskapsakademien i Finland (STV), and the Industry Council, of which many
Finnish industrial enterprises are members. www.technologyacademy.fi
[HUG#1422431]
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 09.06.2010 - 16:07 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 22182
Anzahl Zeichen: 0
contact information:
Town:
Helsinki
Kategorie:
Business News
Diese Pressemitteilung wurde bisher 272 mal aufgerufen.
Die Pressemitteilung mit dem Titel:
"PROFESSOR GRÄTZEL WINS THE 2010 MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGY GRAND PRIZE FOR DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS"
steht unter der journalistisch-redaktionellen Verantwortung von
Technology Academy Finland (Nachricht senden)
Beachten Sie bitte die weiteren Informationen zum Haftungsauschluß (gemäß TMG - TeleMedianGesetz) und dem Datenschutz (gemäß der DSGVO).
