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Indian scientists develop new solar cell

In a major breakthrough, material scientists at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have developed a solar cell which converts sunlight into electricity, it was reported at the Science Congress in Bangalore Friday.

The thin-film solar cell does not require silicon and it is more efficient and cheaper, the scientists have claimed.

More importantly, it is flexible, which means it can be produced like paper rolls and wound around objects of any shape to generate power.

For example when worn like a sari, a woman can become a mobile power plant. Or, it can be wound round the spectacle frame as an invisible power source for a hearing aid.

In contrast, silicon photo-voltaic modules are rigid structures assembled from numerous smaller pieces of silicon.

The new solar cell called Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) "will revolutionise the solar photo-voltaic industry in three years," S B Krupanidhi of the Bangalore institute said.

While research on CIGS cells is currently being pursued feverishly in the United States, Germany and Japan, Indian scientists have taken a lead by developing it using "unconventional" technology and replacing the toxic cadmium sulphide "buffer" with zinc oxide.

"Ours is the only CIGS solar cell that is cadmium free," Krupanidhi told PTI later in an interview. "This is why safety conscious West is showing interest in the Indian technology," he said.

Krupanidhi claimed the Indian Space Research Organisation has shown keen interest in CIGS cells for powering its satellites.

PTI

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