ASU professor chosen as 2010 'Green Pioneer'

Govindasamy “Mani” TamizhMani, a professor at the College of Technology and Innovation on ASU’s Polytechnic campus, has been recognized as one of Phoenix Business Journal’s 2010 Green Pioneers.

This year’s Green Pioneer issue focuses on the Valley’s “solar kingpins,” and TamizhMani has played a leading role in solar technology and testing.

TamizhMani has overseen a large expansion of ASU’s Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory (PTL), which was first formed in 1992. Since becoming PTL director in 2000, TamizhMani has expanded the size of the facility and introduced new testing services. When the PTL merged with TUV Rheinland in 2008 it became one of the premier solar test and certification facilities in the world, and TamizhMani became president of the company.

This past year TamizhMani has introduced several new testing services at TUV-PTL including electroluminescence testing, polymer component testing and solar thermal testing.

For the past 26 years TamizahMani has been an active researcher in solar cells, fuel cells and batteries. TamizhMani’s research focuses on the performance and reliability of commercial solar photovoltaic modules.

His research includes predicting operating temperatures of rooftop photovoltaic modules for Arizona and desert climatic conditions, and predicting the lifetimes of photovoltaic modules. He’s published six peer reviewed conference papers and will have directed the research activities of 11 graduate students by year’s end.

Written by April Stolarz