Govt to enlist private firms for commercial production of new solar cells developed at IIT Bombay

The government is planning to rope in the private sector for the commercial production of low-cost Silicon-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells developed at IIT Bombay, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said here on Tuesday.

These cells will prove to be ''game-changer'' for India's solar energy future, he said after visiting the Perovskite Tandem Solar Cell lab, Silicon Fab laboratory and Medium Voltage laboratory at the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE) at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

''This is a national milestone and one of the highest performance levels ever achieved in India and needs commercial production,'' the minister told reporters.

IIT-Bombay-incubated startup Advanced Renewable Tandem-Photovoltaics India (ART-PV India) has developed a 2-Terminal Monolithic Silicon/CdTe-Perovskite tandem solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 29.8 per cent.

NCPRE was launched at IIT Bombay in 2010 with funding from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The main objectives of NCPRE are to provide research and development (R&D) and education support for India's 100 GW solar mission.

To date, MNRE has provided over Rs 200 crore funding to NCPRE, IIT Bombay, over the last 15 years, the minister said, adding that ''now we are looking at developing supporting policies and bringing in private sector participation for commercial production of low-cost Silicon-Perovskite Tandem solar cells.'' These cells will prove to be ''game-changer'' for India's solar energy future, Joshi said, adding, ''At a time when the world is seeking efficient, affordable and scalable solar energy solutions, this innovation gives India a leadership edge.'' It has the potential to achieve more than 30 per cent efficiency, far surpassing conventional solar panels, making India a global leader in next-gen photovoltaics, and by investing in such innovations the government is driving down the cost of solar energy, making it more accessible for all, he added.

This is not just a lab-scale breakthrough, it is a blueprint for clean, scalable, and Aatmanirbhar energy production, said Joshi.

The minister further said that India is not just adopting renewable energy but defining its future through research in perovskite solar cells, inverter technology, PV-reliability, green hydrogen and energy storage.

He urged the IIT Bombay-ART PV team to commercially demonstrate that Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells are not only scalable but also profitable.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)