HZB Researchers Win Prize for Next-Gen Solar Cells
The HZB Technology Transfer Award 2025 goes to Siddhartha Garud (left) and Kevin J. Prince (right). © HZB / M. Setzpfandt
Researchers at Berlin's Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) are developing next-generation solar technology that could help Europe reclaim its position in photovoltaic manufacturing. Kevin J. Prince and Siddhartha Garud received the HZB Technology Transfer Prize 2025, worth €5,000, on October 13 for their innovative perovskite-based multi-junction solar cell architecture.
According to information from HZB's press release, traditional silicon-based solar technology has reached its efficiency limits. The Berlin team's perovskite approach offers a compelling alternative. "Perovskite could be the key to production in Europe, as it drastically reduces the energy and material costs of production while offering higher efficiency that cannot be achieved with current mainstream technology," Prince explains.
The project aims to revitalize PV manufacturing in Germany and Europe, where production has largely shifted to Asia. In September 2024, the German federal government selected the project for its "German Accelerator U.S. Climate Tech Market Discovery Program." The team has showcased their work at Climate Week NYC, the Greater Miami Chamber Climate Tech event, and Berlin's Eco Summit.
"We have successfully created a small-scale proof of concept. As a groundbreaking technology, it is currently in the research and development phase," says Garud.
The HZB jury, comprising members of the center's industrial advisory board, selected six finalists from 15 competing research teams. Innovation level and market potential were decisive evaluation criteria, with public voting also influencing the final results.
Second place went to ClearWater, a water purification project using photocatalysis, while third place was awarded for a portable quantum sensor detecting free radicals in industrial applications.
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