India may have just taken a big step toward cheaper, better solar energy — and the spark came from a lab in Mumbai.
Researchers at IIT Bombay have developed a new type of solar cell that can convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently than previous models. How much better? Try 29.8% efficiency. That’s huge compared to what most regular solar panels can do today.
The new solar tech was made by a startup called ART-PV India, based at IIT Bombay. The trick lies in the design — one layer of silicon, another of something called perovskite, stacked like a sandwich. Together, they catch more sunlight and waste less of it.
The government seems pretty impressed. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who oversees India’s new and renewable energy initiatives, visited the lab this week. He called the solar cells a game-changer and promised ₹83 crore to help the team start building them on a bigger scale.
“This isn’t just about clever science,” Joshi said during his visit. “It’s about making solar energy affordable, reliable, and something we can produce right here in India.”
He also asked the team to think beyond the lab. “Tech is exciting. But real impact comes when it leaves the lab and starts powering homes, businesses, and entire cities.”
The project is part of India’s larger plan to become more self-reliant in clean energy, with perovskite solar cells, green hydrogen, and energy storage high on the priority list.
So yes, it’s a science story. But it’s also a story about what happens when bright minds get the tools, support, and space to build something that might power the future — literally.
Source:
0 Comments