AN Oxford solar panel entrepreneur who believes his unique designs are about to revolutionise the energy industry has been given a major endorsement.

Henry Snaith has tied for first place in this year's Clarivate Analytics' ranking of highly-cited researchers, with 29 'hot papers' on solar cells.

The title rates the Oxford University physics professor as one of the most influential researchers working in the world today.

The announcement has come as music to the ears of executives at Professor Snaith's solar panel firm – Oxford PV – where he is chief scientific officer.

Chief executive Frank Averdung said: "We are delighted Henry has been recognised for the prominence of his research in the field of perovskite solar cells.

"The significant value the academic community has placed on Henry’s research, quantifies the opportunity perovskite solar cells presents, to dramatically transform solar cell efficiency and economics, of which Oxford PV is at the forefront of commercialising."

Oxford PV is developing a new type of solar panel which Professor Snaith says has the capacity to make Hinkley Point nuclear power plant redundant before it is built.

The panels use metal halide perovskite crystals as a semiconductor, which he says are more efficient than other materials.

The firm now employs 35 people at its offices at Begbroke Science Park and has a solar panel development facility in Brandenburg, Germany.

Professor Snaith is hoping to have pilot production of his panels in Germany next year and go into full-scale production 12 months after that.

Speaking to this paper in October, the 39-year-old, who lives in Abingdon with his wife and their three children said: "By the time Hinkley Point is built, the cost of photovoltaics will mean you won't even want to turn it on.

"I don't want to create hype that isn't realised but it's happening already – it's just going to happen before anyone realises.

"Soon it won't make any sense to install any power generation other than solar PV."

Clarivate Analytics ranks scientists who have distinguished themselves by publishing a high number of papers, that come in the top one per cent most-cited in their fields.

David Pendlebury, who puts the table together, congratulated Professor Snaith.

He added: "His outsized production of influential papers on perovskite solar cells has positioned him as a global leader in research on next generation energy sources."