Low-cost printed flexible solar cells as substitute for current (1st and 2nd generation) photovoltaics for building integrated applications in India

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NERC
NERC
NERC
NERC
NERC

£629,905

Sept. 30, 2019

July 31, 2021

Climate change and the 'energy trilemma' (sustainability, security, equity) are global challenges that effect us all, but most of all, the populations of developing countries.

India in particular has a currently unsustainable energy system that causes extreme pollution, is unreliable and unaffordable for many average people.

the Indian Government is working incredibly hard to address these challenges and has set an ambitious target to generate 57% of India's energy from renewables by 2027.

This project aims to contribute to these target by developing a solar energy product that is low-cost to manufacture in terms of set up costs, materials and energy consumption. The project will use well understood printing processes to scale-up recent advances in perovskite photovoltaic (PV) research to produce prototype, building integrated solar energy products tested to industry standards.

Working in collaboration with a leading UK company of building integrated photovoltaics and an Indian cleantech finance firm, the project will transfer the innovation to the context of India where it can be locally manufactured and deployed in accordance with the Indian Government initiative of 'Make in India'. It is the goal of the project to create one or more new ventures in India to complete the local supply-chain required to successfully bring the product to market, creating jobs and economic growth in the region.

Potential Impact:
The project goal is the deployment of an affordable, low-cost, solar (renewable) photovoltaic technology that is based on earth abundant (sustainable) materials. This goal is wholly in alignment with NERC's mission to promote responsible management of the planet.

Successful delivery of the project outputs will materially contribute to the Indian Government energy targets / strategy.

The Project Partners involved will benefit through the opportunity to adopt / invest in new technological solutions aligned to their existing business models.