Allahabad :
A young researcher from the Allahabad University’s (AU) department of physics has come up with breakthrough research in new age solar cells that could revolutionize the photovoltaic technology that harnesses solar energy.
Lokendra Kumar, an assistant professor at AU’s department of physics, worked with the US scientists at Purdue University on plastic solar cell technology under India-US 21th Century Knowledge Initiative of the University Grants Commission (UGC). His research centres around emerging solar technologies and is in collaboration with the network for photovoltaic technology in the US which is a world leader in the field of solar cells.
He has already worked in the US for a year under Raman fellowship programme and designs emerging solar cells.
“Emerging next generation solar cells are different from conventional inorganic-silicon solar cells and a topic of great interest for potentially low cost solar energy conversion into electrical energy and possibility of many novel applications,” Lokendra told TOI. “Portable solar cells, building-integrated solar cells (BISC), etc., are such new age solar cells. As the name suggests, building-integrated solar cells (BISC) electric power systems not only produce electricity, they are also part of the building,” he informed.
“Simply put, having an entire building made of solar panels which would not only serve the purpose of window of the outer structure but will also harness the unlimited power of solar energy, would be reality in near future,” he informed.
“The key advantage of building-integrated solar panels is the marginal additional cost in installation. But it can be possible only if architects and principals have sufficient knowledge about solar cells technologies and appropriate design tools to assist them. Emerging photovoltaic technologies including plastic solar cells and inorganic-organic hybrid solar cells have a unique feature of making flexible foldable semi-transparent solar panels with easy and low cost building integration,” he added.
“These solar cells are like plastic paint and solar have unique feature for some specific uses in remote areas too,” said the young physicist.
“Future belongs to technology called ‘Pervskite’ which are inorganic-organic solar cells as these are very cheap in comparison to present silicon based cells and have shown to be very efficient,” said Kumar.
Kumar also worked on some unanswered questions on design and operation of these technologies. He demonstrated some efficient solar cells and studied their properties while working at the Purdue. He delivered invited lecture on photo-physics of organic semiconductors and a fundamental challenge for economic viability of organic solar cell technology, in an international conference at Boston and also participated in other international workshops and meeting during his stay in the US.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani, TNN / October 27th, 2015