IISc can teach you how to trap more sunlight falling on your solar panels

The trick in solar photo voltaic energy business is to get more and more of sunlight (not heat, by the way) to fall on the solar panels. The more the sunlight, the more the electricity the panels will produce.  

Solar cells and module manufacturers have been grappling with this problem. In the market, the most basic method is as anti-reflective coating. However, there are other ways of doing it, such as by using dispersed metal particles, nano structured electrodes, nano structured back electrodes using nano imprinting, and bonding nano structured film to transparent substrates. 

The problem with these methods is that they are expensive, less scale-able and less efficient.  

Now, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, have come with up a new, cost-effective method of trapping more sunlight. This technology provides substantially transparent nanostructure substrate with dome shaped protrusions for enhanced light trapping and better light management, according to IISc. It is cost-effective because it does not use expensive metals and does not require additional fabrication facility. “It is also found to exhibit improved internal quantum efficiency,” says IISc. 

IISc is willing to transfer this technology to the industry. 

Those interested might contact: 

Mr. Venkat Rama Rao Adhikari  

Technology Licensing Manager  

Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Licensing  

E-mail: venkatadhikari@iisc.ac.in  

Mobile: 8220260777