Professor Martin Green
– The father of solar cells

A world that’s struggling to solve climate change is more than ever in need of smart solutions and green energy, which is why it’s our honour to introduce to you the father of solar cells – someone who’s been chipping away at this for over 50 years.
Small-scale solar now makes up 23.5% of Australia’s renewable energy generation, with medium-scale solar adding another 1.4% and large-scale solar adding 10.9%. In its entirety, renewables contribute 27.7% of Australia’s annual electricity generation, according to the Clean Energy Council.
In the first 3 months of 2021, the United States claimed that their solar capacity had increased by 46% compared to the year before. And while the need for solar capacity to increase in Australia has never been greater, Australian Professor Martin Green knows how painstakingly slow the progress has been.
Martin Green is a Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales, Sydney and Director of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, involving several other Australian Universities and research groups. He is also editor-in-chief of the academic journal Progress in Photovoltaics.

Green was born in Brisbane on 20 July 1948, and was educated at the selective Brisbane State High School, graduated from the University of Queensland and completed his PhD on a Commonwealth Scholarship at McMaster University in Canada, where he specialised in solar energy. In 1974, at the University of New South Wales, he initiated the Solar Photovoltaics Group, which soon worked on the development of silicon solar cells.
About a year prior to that, an oil embargo imposed by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries resulted in a 300% increase in oil price, which fuelled the momentum for the solar race.
His groups’ contributions to photovoltaics are well known. They include holding the world record for silicon solar cell efficiency for 30 of the last 37 years, described as one of the ‘Top 10 Milestones’ in the history of solar photovoltaics.
The PERC solar cell – invented by Green in 1983 and developed to its full potential by his team – accounted for an estimated 85% of worldwide solar module production in 2020.
“If you bought the solar panel recently, it will most likely have UNSW PERC technology used in it.”
Scientia Professor Martin Green
Another way in which Greens’ team made the cells affordable is through initiatives with over 120 PhD students which Green himself supervised. Many of them have gone on to do great things, not just for the thesis but in their subsequent careers.
“One of my best known students is Dr. Zheng Rong-Shi, born in China but now an Australian citizen. He was driven by his ambition of setting up manufacturing solar cells in China at the turn of the century. He was successful in setting up Sunman Energy which attracted the attention of US investment banks who put him on the US stock market. This was the turning point for the whole solar industry, and one of the reasons we now have cheap solar cells.”
Scientia Professor Martin Green
In 2005, when Sunman Energy floated on the US Stock Exchange, it was an enormous success and the biggest technology float of the year for China’s first private company.

This in turn encouraged other Chinese companies to follow his path and other US venture capital firms to help them get listed on the Stock Exchange. Until 2008, just before the economic downturn hit, there were 9 Chinese companies that listed on the US stock market. 6 of these companies listed at the time remain top manufacturers of solar worldwide to date.
“I’m proud to say that 5 of those 6 companies had my former students, either as founders or in the most senior technical positions, such as Chief Technical Officer.”
Scientia Professor Martin Green
By 2020, the cost of the solar cell had reduced by a factor of 24% because these listed companies had to compete on the market for dominance.
And so, it’s not surprising that over the years, Green has won many accolades, including Major international awards such as the 1999 Australia Prize, the 2002 Right Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, the 2007 SolarWorld Einstein Award, the 2016 Ian Wark Medal from the Australian Academy of Science, and the prestigious Global Energy Prize in 2018.
In 2021, he was awarded the 2021 Japan Prize for his achievements in the ‘Development of High-Efficiency Silicon Photovoltaic Devices’.
The fact that this innovation of the century had a high practical and commercial value, and may one day save the planet, is reason enough to induct Martin Green and his legacy to the Pause Awards Hall of Fame.



Related posts

Six years of celebrating the Australian most ambitious innovators
5 December, 2023

M&A green shoots & scandal central
10 November, 2023

Announcing the 63 ambitious finalists, 3 winners and Pause Awards Night
30 October, 2023

Can optimism and curiosity win the battle with Ai
20 October, 2023

Looking at 100 years from now in Solar, EVs and MedTech
20 October, 2023

What does the Australia’s VC landscape look like in 2050
19 October, 2023

Do we want to live in a Black Mirror world?
17 October, 2023

Four new emerging directors envision sustainable future beyond 2050
6 October, 2023

Visible Founders puts a spotlight on migrant entrepreneurs
28 September, 2023

Always be closing & IPO, no?
24 September, 2023

Strong commitment needed to run tech events in Australia revealed at GEC23
24 September, 2023

iPhone 15 event: everything about Apple’s new product line
14 September, 2023

Discover the colourful world of oral hygiene with Dsmile’s new range
13 September, 2023

How to build a company culture in dynamic market
8 September, 2023

The valuable startup lessons hidden in the film Oppenheimer
7 September, 2023

Meet the new addition to the Judging Board ‘23
4 September, 2023

Advice on Design Thinking for stellar product development
1 September, 2023

How Pause Awards can put your brand on the map
30 August, 2023

Seize the moment: New Extended Entry Deadline
30 August, 2023

I got 99 problems
26 August, 2023

Is AI the new frontier of creativity and business
25 August, 2023

Tech legends unite to guide growth and foster innovation
22 August, 2023

The new faces of Pause Awards in business and the product officers
21 August, 2023

Don’t miss out on the last chance to join champions
21 August, 2023

Experience is a new frontier for brands
18 August, 2023

How to grow an idea into a great product
11 August, 2023

Good storytelling and trust will fuel startup and brand growth
4 August, 2023

Twitter to X: a rebrand to challenge tech giants and empower users
4 August, 2023

Discover the latest tech predictions of 2023
1 August, 2023

Elevate your business with Stephen Hunt’s success secrets
31 July, 2023

Lean into digital marketing trends now and in 2024
28 July, 2023

The new faces of Pause Awards from agency and media innovation
25 July, 2023

Hit it, DJ! and other local newsings
24 July, 2023

Female-led ethical fintech Verve raises $3M for Verve Money
21 July, 2023

How to better tune into your success journey
21 July, 2023

Pause Fest’s BREAK–THROUGH SESSIONS will keep you scaling
12 July, 2023

How to choose the right awards for your business
5 July, 2023

The new faces of Pause Awards in strategy and leadership
4 July, 2023

We’re building the community for the most ambitious people
27 June, 2023

It was worth waiting for these unique features
26 June, 2023

Mapping the future of fit and function
23 June, 2023

Midnight Health secures $24 million funding boost
21 June, 2023

Championing breakthroughs in today’s business world
21 June, 2023

OpenAI’s Sam Altman says hai
19 June, 2023

Top 5 compelling reasons why you should enter
18 June, 2023

Pause Awards vs Webby’s, Cannes Lions and Effies
18 June, 2023

The new faces of Pause Awards in startup, product and experience
15 June, 2023

A tour of 11 new categories
12 June, 2023

Inside out of Pause Awards
5 June, 2023

Aim for the Diamond: Understanding the Different Categories
1 June, 2023

The new faces of Pause Awards in strategy, growth and innovation
30 May, 2023

Where business recognition gets a paradigm shift
24 May, 2023

Industry leaders predict a transformative year ahead
17 May, 2023

Pause Awards grows to $412 Billion ecosystem
17 May, 2023

Shaking it up with new Investable Score™
17 May, 2023

Tap into your inner powerhouse
5 May, 2023

Life in the fast (tech) lane
24 April, 2023

evee rides the electric wave
18 April, 2023

Big win for the female-led business Circle In, lands $2 Million
14 April, 2023

Designing global empires:
How local brands can conquer the world
10 April, 2023

A passionate pursuit for Healthcare reinvention
4 April, 2023

The game-changing sessions at SXSW Sydney
30 March, 2023

Top AI tools you need to try now
29 March, 2023

A journey to revolutionising healthy school lunches
28 March, 2023

Panic! at the SVB & metrics that matter
16 March, 2023

Call for Entries
opens on 17 May ‘23
1 March, 2023

Startup funding in decline, but early-stage hits peak in Aus
10 February, 2023

Music for wellbeing:
The healing power of sound
20 January, 2023

Deep dive with ChatGPT about Aussie tech ecosystem
17 January, 2023

How it started; How it’s going 2022
17 December, 2022

Learning from mistakes and how to tackle the upcoming headwind
14 December, 2022

Claiming your PauseNFT trophy
13 December, 2022

Women and purpose led businesses take the most wins at Pause Awards ‘22
6 December, 2022

Professor Fiona Wood – The pioneer of ‘Spray-on-Skin’ technique, ReCell.
6 December, 2022

Rise and Demise
28 November, 2022

Let’s have breakfast with champions?
15 November, 2022

82 Bold Finalists Announced for the Pause Awards ‘22
10 November, 2022

Judge Sessions with Lumigo, Tribal DDB and Clipboard Hospitality
24 October, 2022

Judge Sessions with LongView, Fullstack and Art Processors
20 October, 2022

The first look at the new wearable trophy design
13 October, 2022

The Public Voting is open, go get them!
10 October, 2022

Cash to splash & other VC news
2 October, 2022

The Final Deadline Extended to midnight 14 October
30 September, 2022

Judge Sessions with Wavia, SEIKK and MedTech Actuator
26 September, 2022

Pause Awards Wins Australia’s International Good Design Awards for Design Excellence
19 September, 2022

Judge Sessions with Synergy Group, AOK Creative and i4 Connect
16 September, 2022

A word with Birchal’s Co-Founder – Matt Vitale
6 September, 2022

What can Pause Awards bring to your company
30 August, 2022

Google, Synergy Group, Spaces Interactive, Safari and By Jacs judges for Culture categories
24 August, 2022

Loyal VC, Media.Monks, AOK Creative, Storyfolk and Irene Lemon judges for Good categories
15 August, 2022

Fullstack, Lumigo, Netambition, MedTech Actuator and Unhedged judges for Operators categories
10 August, 2022

A word with Heaps Normal’s Head of Brand – Peter Brennan
9 August, 2022

Tribal DDB, We Are Unity, Bullfrog, BeautifulAgile and The Audacious Agency judges for your Excellence
2 August, 2022

Simply Wall Street, IBM, Forestlyn, CFOWorx and Accenture Song are this year Growth Judges
1 August, 2022

Venture snapshot: down but not out
26 July, 2022

Best equity crowdfunding year in Australia – $86m!
22 July, 2022

How to navigate the awards Entry Portal?
14 July, 2022

Startup Genome ecosystem report 2022 review
10 July, 2022

We’re giving a voice to our community with a stylish newsroom design
10 July, 2022

Dr John O’Sullivan
– The inventor of modern WiFi
10 July, 2022

14 New award categories under five tracks to highlight the ecosystem success
5 July, 2022

M&A on the rise & the EV SPAC demise
29 June, 2022

Our new vision:
The home for champions
27 June, 2022

Awards LIVE Briefing and Entry Kit
22 June, 2022

The Porsche of awards programmes with community at its heart
21 June, 2022

The Sheet Society
– Success Stories
17 June, 2022

We’re looking for our final few judges – could you be one?
8 June, 2022

Single Use Ain’t Sexy
– Success Stories
1 June, 2022

Afterpay
– Success Stories
24 May, 2022

This is how we celebrate innovation champions
15 December, 2021

The most ambitious and forward-thinking companies in Australia revealed
24 November, 2021

Pause Awards 2021 Finalists Skyrocket
17 November, 2021

Final Deadline is Looming
1 September, 2021

Get to know:
Carolyn Breeze – Judge
24 August, 2021

Get to know:
Will Hayward – Judge
17 August, 2021

Get to know:
Shamila Gopalan – Judge
10 August, 2021

Get to know:
Tom Leyden – Judge
3 August, 2021

Get to know:
Jules Brooke – Judge
26 July, 2021

Get to know:
Jamie Finnegan – Judge
18 July, 2021

Early Entries end This Week
12 July, 2021

Need Help Entering Pause Awards?
6 July, 2021

2021 Award Category Guide
1 July, 2021

How to Enter The Pause Awards in 7 min?
25 June, 2021

Get to know:
Melanie Rayment – Judge
24 June, 2021

Past winners:
where are they now?
24 June, 2021

Pause Awards 2021 opens for entries
9 June, 2021

New categories revealed for Pause Awards 2021
5 June, 2021

Meet the Judging Board 2021
13 May, 2021

The Reign in the North
1 February, 2021

What went into creating Vincent, a hyper-real digital human
21 January, 2020

Dane O’Shanassy on Patagonia’s moral compass and commercial success
6 November, 2019
Pause index

Booktopia
Hammer

Circle In
Circular Pioneer

Matrak
Out Of The Garage

Pretzel Australia
Prodigy

Ovira
Out Of The Garage, I Wish I'd Done That, Hammer

Katura Halleday
Fresh Blood

Chau Le
Women In Business

Taxibox
I Wish I'd Done That

Inspiring Rare Birds
B-Good

Law On Earth
B-Good

Tanck
On The Rise
