The Becquerel Prize Committee has announced Dr. Delfina Muñoz as the 2026 award recipient
The award recognizes her work on crystalline silicon photovoltaic technologies and related research
The prize will be presented during the opening session of the 43rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Dr. Delfina Muñoz has been named the recipient of the 2026 Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel Prize for her contributions to crystalline silicon PV, the Becquerel Prize Committee announced.
According to the committee, the award recognizes her work spanning over nearly two decades in the development of high-efficiency and reliable industrial crystalline silicon PV technologies, from research to industrial application.
Currently, Muñoz is a Research Director and Strategic Project Manager at CEA INES. She has led national, European, and industry-backed collaborative projects.
Her research, according to the committee, has focused on interfaces in PV devices, with work aimed at improving conversion efficiency and long-term reliability.
Muñoz’s published work includes peer-reviewed research, 16 patents and the co-edited book N-Type Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics: Technology, Applications and Economics.
She also serves as Co-Chair of the ETIP PV Steering Committee and Technology Working Group and is a board member of the European Solar Manufacturing Council.
The committee said she also has several PhD students and supported initiatives to promote women in science.
“On behalf of the Becquerel Prize Committee, we cordially congratulate Dr. Delfina Muñoz and thank her for her outstanding commitment to photovoltaics,” said Prof. Dr. Stefan Glunz, Chair of the Becquerel Committee.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place during the opening session of the 43rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition.
Dr. Veronica Bermudez Benito will deliver the laudation. In a LinkedIn post, Bermudez Benito applauded Muñoz and called her an outstanding scientist, visionary, and deeply committed to advancing photovoltaics.
Muñoz is now the fourth woman recipient of the award following Mechtild Roth in 2008, Ulrike Jahn in 2021, and Walburga Hemetsberger in 2025 (see Walburga Hemetsberger Wins 2025 Becquerel Prize For Solar Advocacy).
