{{Short description|American electrical engineer (born 1945)}} {{Other people}} {{Use American English|date=October 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
'''Richard Swanson''' (born 1945) is an American electrical engineer and businessman, retired founder of SunPower, a solar photovoltaic cell manufacturer.
== Biography == Swanson was born in Davenport, Iowa in 1945.<ref name="Stanford">{{Cite web |url=https://energy.stanford.edu/events/solar-energy-mini-series-silicon-photovoltaic-roadmap |title=Solar Energy Mini-Series: The Silicon Photovoltaic Roadmap |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=October 11, 2022 |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019001534/https://energy.stanford.edu/events/solar-energy-mini-series-silicon-photovoltaic-roadmap |url-status=live }}</ref>
He graduated in 1969 with Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering degrees from Ohio State University and, in 1975, received a Doctor of Philosophy in electrical engineering from Stanford University.<ref name="Stanford" /> He then joined the university faculty at Stanford and began research in solar cell technology.<ref name="greentech">{{cite web |year=2012 |url=http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/SunPowers-Dick-Swanson-Retiring-Still-Looking-For-Trouble |title=The father of solar in the U.S. |publisher=Greentech Media |access-date=December 28, 2012 |archive-date=November 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113062118/http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/SunPowers-Dick-Swanson-Retiring-Still-Looking-For-Trouble |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wolfe |first1=Philip |title=The Solar Generation |date=May 22, 2018 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons {{Ampersand}} Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) |isbn=9781119425588 |page=185}}</ref> In 1985 Swanson received grants for his solar energy research from the Electric Power Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy.<ref name="SunPower">{{cite web |year=2012 |url=http://us.sunpower.com/about/history/ |title=SunPower History |publisher=SunPower |access-date=December 28, 2012 |archive-date=December 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231030240/http://us.sunpower.com/about/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> That same year he founded SunPower Corporation.<ref name="SunPower"/> Swanson is credited for creating Swanson's law, an observation that solar cell prices decline by 20% for every doubling of solar panel industry capacity.<ref name="Econ1">{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/21566414-alternative-energy-will-no-longer-be-alternative-sunny-uplands |title=Sunny Uplands: Alternative energy will no longer be alternative |newspaper=The Economist |accessdate=December 28, 2012 |date=November 21, 2012 |archive-date=January 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129080715/http://www.economist.com/news/21566414-alternative-energy-will-no-longer-be-alternative-sunny-uplands |url-status=live }}</ref> The law is often compared to the better known Moore's Law.<ref name="Econ1"/>
=== Honors === In 2002, Richard was awarded the William R. Cherry Award by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).<ref name="Stanford" /> Additionally, Swanson received the Becquerel Prize in Photovoltaics from the European Communities in 2006.<ref name="Stanford" /> He was elected a Fellow of the IEEE in 2008 and has been a member of the National Academy of Engineering since 2009.<ref name="Stanford" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://gef.stanford.edu/people/richard-swanson Richard Swanson] at Stanford University {{DEFAULTSORT:Swanson, Richard}} Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:American electrical engineers Category:Ohio State University alumni Category:Stanford University alumni Category:Stanford University Department of Electrical Engineering faculty Category:Scientists from Davenport, Iowa {{US-electrical-engineer-stub}}