, and pollute the planet, solar power is the future. But while it's eco-friendly and renewable, solar panels are unfortunately a little expensive to build. But now researchers at IIT Hyderabad have a cheaper process.){kind=link}
As we burn through our fossil fuel sources (literally), and pollute the planet, solar power is the future.
But while it’s eco-friendly and renewable, solar panels are unfortunately a little expensive to build. But now researchers at IIT Hyderabad have a cheaper process.
The IIT-Hyderabad scientists say their new method to manufacture solar cells is both low-cost and more environmentally-friendly. They use kumkum dye, among other materials to manufacture what they call Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSC).
The institute says the team used the New Fuchsin (NF) dye along with an aqueous electrolyte and platinum-free counter electrodes. Typical solar cells are instead made with silicon, which is expensive to process. They also require high temperatures, increasing the carbon footprint to manufacture solar panels.
This new method then is both cheaper and more eco-friendly.
Professor Sai Santosh Kumar Raavi, who led the project at the institute, told PTI that the team faced several obstacles in their research as their materials were less robust than silicon. With their success though, it’s notable that kumkum costs less than Rs 1,000 a kilo, and it’s easy to source.
This development comes close on the heels of another Indian innovation, by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai. They developed a completely new material called ‘black gold’ by modifying the amount of space between each gold nanoparticle. The result was a solar cell with greater power and efficiency than current-day panels.
And this is the sort of innovation that is crucial if we want to make the leap to renewable energy. Not only will it become cheaper to produce than col-based energy, it will also be much easier on our environment in the long run.