Solar cell technology gets £5m boost
BRITISH and Indian ministers have announced details of two massive research programmes to develop cost-effective and efficient solar energy solutions.
UK Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills Pat McFadden and Indian Minister for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan announced the new collaboration while chairing the bilateral India-UK Science and Innovation Council in New Delhi.
Mr McFadden, also MP for Wolverhampton South East, said: “Our historic ties and close collaboration in many fields mean the UK and India are natural partners of choice in science, technology and innovation. This major collaboration plays to our strengths, and will maximise our potential to lead the world in high-quality, low-cost solar cell technology.
“As well as helping the UK to meet its 2020 goals, it will complement India’s ambitious plans to deploy 20 million solar lighting systems to 10,000 villages and hamlets currently without access to grid electricity. This will spur advances in healthcare, education and productivity through the creation of new jobs.”
Research Councils UK (RCUK) and the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST) have each committed up to £5m each over a three-year period for two research projects.
The first involves advancing the efficiency and production of excitonic solar cells, a class of non-conventional solar cell based on new types of materials. It will build on existing research in both the UK and India to develop cheaper and higher volume solar cell manufacture. RCUK and DST have each awarded £2.5m for the project.
The second project looks at the stability and performance of photovoltaics, in particular focusing on improving materials and developing better designs to ultimately create cheaper and more efficient devices than current solar cells. RCUK and DST have each awarded £2.4m for this project.
The solar energy projects form part of the RCUK Energy Programme led by the (EPSRC).
Dr Neil Bateman, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Energy Portfolio Manager, said the research was targeted to push the science of solar energy towards cheaper, more reliable and sustainable electricity production in a wide variety of settings.
Ministers Chavan and Mc Fadden have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Department of Science and Technology and the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, affirming their mutual interest in promoting long-term research, development and innovation cooperation.
Mr McFadden is in India to strengthen scientific and innovation collaboration between the two countries, particularly on key challenges for the UK and India. These include improving the provision of education, equipping people with the tools and skills to rebuild the global economy, and mitigating the effects of climate change. During the visit he will travel to New Delhi, Chandigarh and Ropar.
