CEO of SolarPower Europe Walburga Hemetsberger has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Becquerel Prize.
The European Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Merits in Photovoltaics was founded by the European Commission in 1989 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel’s discovery of the photovoltaic effect. The prize is awarded each year to an individual who has demonstrated significant continuous contributions to the development of photovoltaic solar energy.
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Walburga Hemetsberger now becomes the thirty-third recipient of the Becquerel Prize. Upon announcing her as this year’s winner, Chairman of the Becquerel Prize Committee Stefan Glunz highlighted Ms Hemetsberger’s outstanding leadership in advancing solar energy across Europe, noting her influence on key EU policies such as the Solar Energy Strategy and the EU Solar Standard. As CEO of SolarPower Europe, she has championed innovation, research, and gender diversity in the PV sector, leaving a lasting impact on the energy transition. Finally, Mr Glunz described her as “truly an inspiring leader in this vital field.”
The prize will be officially presented the during the opening session of the 42nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, the EU PVSEC 2025, on 22 September 2025 in Bilbao, Spain.
There’s still much to be done. Now more than ever, we must stand together. We have the (solar) solution at hand and it’s time to step up and ensure it stays on course to become the world’s number one source of electricity. We can’t let outdated narratives find their way into politics and slow us down. Let’s stay focused, stay united and work together to accelerate the energy transition. A heartfelt thank you to the Becquerel Prize Committee, my colleagues and all the partners who share this vision of a solar-powered Europe and keep on fighting together.
CEO of SolarPower Europe
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