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Kerala University Researchers Develop Innovative Environment-Friendly and Cost-Effective Solar Cell

Researchers from the University of Kerala have devised a solar cell that functions with the same efficiency even when the sun remains hidden behind clouds for many days. They are working on further rising the efficiency of the solar cell that produces power from ultraviolet (UV) light.

July 31, 2023. By EI News Network

The 'visible blind solar cell', known for its insensitivity to visible and infrared light but responds to ultraviolet light, is lead-free and utilises oxides of zinc and copper that are non-hazardous. Both of them are earth-abundant materials and could assist serve economically feasible along with environmentally cordial alternatives to the present solar cells.

Researchers from the University of Kerala have devised a solar cell that functions with the same efficiency even when the sun remains hidden behind clouds for many days. They are working on further rising the efficiency of the solar cell that produces power from ultraviolet (UV) light.

The research team, led by R Jayakrishnan, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, University of Kerala, comprised Akhil M. Anand, Aruna Raj, R. Adithya Nath and Jishad A Salam.

R Jayakrishnan, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, University of Kerala, "We are currently engaged in efforts to make the visible blind solar cell a commercially viable product. For that we need to increase the present efficiency of 4.5 % to above 10 %.”

Presently, solar cells are opaque and do not let in light through them.

He further added, "The visible blind solar cell, on the other hand, works as a transparent medium that lets in the light, paving the way for its use in any surface that needs light to pass through such as a window or a pergola”.

While the commercially available silicon-based photovoltaic cells have higher efficiency of 18-20 percent, the cost is high. Also, the utilisation of hazardous materials such as lead has triggered increased demands for not only environment-friendly but also cost-effective solar cells.

The development of transparent optoelectronics has a wide range of potentially useful applications involving displays, solar cells, sensors and batteries. Also, UV photodetectors have immense applications elsewhere as well.

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Solar PV

University of Kerala

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Developing technology

Visible blind solar cell

Silicon photovoltaic materials

power devices

Solar cell efficiency

Environment-friendly

Cost-effective process

Solar cells