The Winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize is the solar-cell scientist Professor Michael Grätzel.

Grätzel, who works out of the Ecole Polytechnuque Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland, is awarded for his third generation, low cost, dye-sensitized solar cells.
These ‘Grätzel cells’ use organic dyes atop titianium dioxide to capture sunlight. The technology – often described as ‘artificial photosynthesis’ – is a promising alternative to standard silicon photovoltaics. Though Grätzel cells are still in relatively early stages of development, they promise electricity-generating windows and low-cost solar panels, and have just made their debut in consumer products.

The decision was made by the Board of Directors of Technology Academy Finland, based on the recommendation of the International Selection Committee.

The two other 2010 Millennium Laureates were each awarded prizes of EUR 150,000. The innovation of Professor Sir Richard Friend, organic Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), was a crucial milestone in plastic electronics.

Professor Stephen Furber is known as the principal designer of the ARM microprocessor, an innovation that revolutionized mobile electronics.

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Recently published articles by Michael Grätzel

• ChemInform Abstract: Recent Advances in Sensitized Mesoscopic Solar Cells
  M. Graetzel
  ChemInform 2010, 41 (16).
  DOI: 10.1002/chin.201016272

• Nanocrystal Shape Control: Synthesis and Structure-Property Correlation in Shape-Controlled ZnO Nanoparticles Prepared by Chemical Vapor Synthesis and their Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
  R. R. Bacsa, J. Dexpert-Ghys, M. Verelst, A. Falqui, B. Machado, W. S. Bacsa, P. Chen, S. M. Zakeeruddin, M. Graetzel, P. Serp
  Adv. Func. Mat. 2009, 19 (6).
  DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200990018
• Synthesis and Structure-Property Correlation in Shape-Controlled ZnO Nanoparticles Prepared by Chemical Vapor Synthesis and their Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
  R. R. Bacsa, J. Dexpert-Ghys, M. Verelst, A. Falqui, B. Machado, W. S. Bacsa, P.Chen, S. M. Zakeeruddin, M. Graetzel, P. Serp
  Adv. Func. Mat. 2010, 19 (6), 875-886.
  DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200801049