PHILADELPHIA, Jun. 8, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- At the PV America conference earlier today, Dr. Richard Swanson, president and chief technical officer of SunPower Corporation, was honored with a SEIA Industry Innovation Award. He was recognized for his outstanding achievements in the development of SunPower's high-efficiency, all-back contact solar cell.
Swanson is one of the world's most-recognized leaders in the advancement of photovoltaics (PV) and a pioneer in commercializing cost-effective PV power systems. In 2006, he was honored with the prestigious Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Merits in Photovoltaics and in 2002, Swanson was presented with the William R. Cherry Award by the IEEE for outstanding contributions to the photovoltaic field.
"The rapidly growing solar power industry is emerging as an important contributor to our sustainable energy future," said Swanson. "Homeowners, commercial businesses and utilities are coming to rely on solar to help meet their energy needs. We at SunPower are proud to be a part of this dynamic and important emerging industry."
Swanson founded SunPower in 1985 to develop and commercialize cost-effective, high-efficiency photovoltaic power systems. In 2003, SunPower announced that its all-back contact cell reached efficiencies of greater than 20 percent, achieving up to 50 percent more energy than conventional solar cells. In 2008, the company announced that it had produced a full-scale, five inch prototype solar cell with world-record efficiency of 23.4 percent in the lab.
The SEIA Industry Innovation Award recognizes entrepreneurs, scientists and advocates with the vision to improve the quality and efficiency of solar technology. Each day, two leaders in the solar industry will be honored at the first annual PV America conference, which is sponsored by the Solar Electric Industries Association (SEIA).
About SunPower
Founded in 1985, SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA)(NASDAQ: SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet's most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.
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