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Daily News Wrap-Up: APTEL Criticizes MERC for Denying Petitioner Relief

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					</table>Scientists at the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (<a href="https://www.iitb.ac.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IIT Bombay</a>) claimed to have achieved a power conversion efficiency of more than 26% for a 4 terminal (4T)-silicon perovskite tandem solar cell.
To overcome perovskite stability issues, the IIT research team initially fabricated a transparent perovskite cell to near-infrared and low-frequency light.
The work titled Stable and Efficient Large-Area 4T Si/perovskite Tandem Photovoltaics with Sputtered Transparent Contact is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2367198x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RRL Solar</a>.
A 4T tandem device has four terminals, two for each of the tandem device&#8217;s layers, allowing precise measurements of the solar cell’s performance while also improving the device’s efficiency and lifetime.
While the perovskite solar cell alone in the experiment exhibited a higher efficiency of 16% for a larger area of 0.805cm2, the teams demonstrated a much higher energy conversion efficiency by layering the perovskite cells atop a commercially available PERC (passivated emitter and rear contact) silicon solar cell.
While perovskite solar cells are highly efficient in converting light into electricity and their production is inexpensive, they lag in performance compared to conventional silicon solar cells. Also, perovskites degrade over time when exposed to direct sunlight for longer durations, directly affecting energy production.
The tandem approach has become the go-to solution to many solar cell studies worldwide as it allows combining both the perovskite and silicon solar cells to attain enhanced efficiency.
“Perovskite solar cells are known for their high-power conversion efficiency and lower production cost; however, they are lagging in terms of their stability. However, in our work, we have fabricated a stable 4T (four terminal) Si/perovskite tandem solar cells which provide outstanding stability in the dark as well as continuous heating conditions,” explained the author of the study Dinesh Kabra.
According to Kabra, “In 4T tandem configuration when the top low-cost perovskite solar cells fail, there is a possibility to replace the top cells with a new one because our tandem device is only optically coupled so, it can enhance the lifetime of the overall devices.”
The levelized Cost of Energy is one of the most crucial factors in energy production as it measures the cost of electricity for different methods of electricity generation.
For example, LCOE can be used to calculate how much one can save on the electricity bill by switching to solar power generation. The researchers found that the device developed with perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells also lowered the LCOE for tandem solar cells.
In a similar research, scientists at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology claimed to have <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/efficiency-perovskite-silicon-tandem-solar-cells" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell with a record conversion efficiency of 33.2%.
Last December, IIT Roorkee researchers <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/iit-roorkee-claim-17-efficiency-perovskite-solar-cells" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a prototype of a low-cost, high-quality perovskite solar cell that achieved a stable energy conversion efficiency of 17.05%.

IIT Scientists Claim 26% Efficiency for Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cell

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					</table>Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.iitb.ac.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IIT Bombay</a>) have claimed a breakthrough in developing sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries by addressing the challenges of air/water instability and structural-cum-electrochemical instability in cathode materials.
The breakthrough has led to the creation of new air/water-stable cathode materials that exhibit exceptional electrochemical cyclic stability and resilience when exposed to air and water.
These advancements are expected to drive the development of cost-effective and sustainable energy storage systems for various applications, including consumer electronics, grid energy storage, renewable energy storage, and electric vehicles.
As the global demand for battery-driven electric vehicles continues to rise, there is a pressing need to develop a cost-effective, resource-friendly, safe, and sustainable battery system beyond the conventional lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology.
Given the abundance of sodium resources, the upcoming Na-ion battery system holds significant importance in India.
Stability Challenges 
Like other alkali metal-ion battery cells, a Na-ion cell consists of cathode and anode active materials supported on metallic current collector foils.
These materials enable the reversible insertion and removal of the charge carrier, Na-ion, during the cell&#8217;s charge and discharge processes.
The performance of Na-ion batteries depends on the structural/electrochemical stability of the electrodes, Na-transport kinetics, and various dynamic resistances.
Despite the many advantages of Na-ion batteries, the electrochemical behavior and stability of the &#8216;layered&#8217; Na-transition-metal-oxide-based cathode materials, especially in moist environments, require significant improvements for widespread adoption.
The lack of stability poses challenges in handling and storing these materials and adversely affects their electrochemical performance.
Furthermore, the water instability necessitates the use of toxic, hazardous, and expensive chemicals like N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone for electrode preparation instead of more environmentally friendly water-based slurries.
Universal Design Criterion 
To address these challenges, Amartya Mukhopadhyay&#8217;s research group at the institute leveraged materials science and electrochemical principles.
They identified dominant factors and controlling parameters that contribute to the development of high-performance Na-ion batteries.
The researchers have proposed a universal design criterion that offers a path toward the successful design and widespread adoption of environmentally stable and high-performance cathodes for Na-ion batteries and beyond.
Their findings have been published in the journal Chemical Communications.
The conventional &#8216;layered&#8217; Na-transition-metal-oxide structure comprises alternating slabs of NaO2 and transition metal oxide.
Within this structure, the oxygen ions, carrying a net negative charge, are shared by the transition metal ions (TM-ions) and the sodium ions (Na-ions) in their respective layers.
While the TM-O bond is iono-covalent in nature, the Na-O bond is predominantly ionic.
The team discovered that adjusting the degree of covalency (the number of electrons that an atom gains, loses, or even shares during a chemical reaction) in the TM-O bond of the layered Na-transition-metal-oxide structure can have a significant impact on the performance and stability of Na-ion batteries.
Increasing the covalency strengthens the Na-O bond, leading to improved air/water stability and suppressing structural/phase transitions.
This enables the development of high-performance, water-stable cathodes using eco-friendly processing methods. On the other hand, reducing the covalency enhances Na-transport kinetics, increasing the power density of Na-ion batteries.
In October 2022, researchers of IIT Mandi <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/iit-mandi-researchers-claim-eco-friendly-method-to-recycle-wind-turbines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> to have successfully used microwaves to recycle polymer composites from old wind turbine blades, using a rapid, sustainable, and comparatively eco-friendly method.
In December 2022, researchers at IIT Roorkee <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/iit-roorkee-claim-17-efficiency-perovskite-solar-cells" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> they had successfully developed a prototype of a low-cost, high-quality perovskite solar cell that achieved a stable power conversion efficiency of 17.05%.

IIT Researchers Make Headway in Stabilizing Sodium-ion Batteries

Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:
Tata Motors <a href="https://www.tatamotors.com/press/tata-motors-signs-a-mou-with-lithium-urban-technologies-for-one-of-the-biggest-ev-fleet-deployment-in-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> a memorandum of understanding with Lithium Urban Technologies, an EV-based urban transportation service provider, to deploy 5000 XPRES T Electric Sedans, across the country, for employee transportation. Tata Motors will commence deliveries in phases and complete the deployment next year. The new XPRES-T electric sedan comes with two range options – 213km and 165km (ARAI certified range under test conditions). It packs a high energy density battery of 21.5 kWh and 16.5 kWh. It can be charged from 0- 80% in 90 minutes and 110 minutes, respectively, using fast charging, or it can also be normally charged from any 15 A plug point, which is readily available and convenient.
Larsen &amp; Toubro (L&amp;T) <a href="https://www.larsentoubro.com/pressreleases/2022-04-26-lt-to-collaborate-with-iit-bombay-for-green-hydrogen-technology-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to jointly pursue research and development work in the Green Hydrogen value chain. The two institutions will contribute to developing the Green Hydrogen industry in India and developing next-generation technology in this emerging field. L&amp;T’s engineering expertise, product scale-up, and commercialization know-how, and IIT Bombay’s cutting-edge research in hydrogen technologies will help this partnership accomplish its goal.
Leeward Renewable Energy and First Solar <a href="https://www.leewardenergy.com/leeward-renewable-energy-and-first-solar-announce-1gwmulti-year-solar-module-procurement-agreement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that they have entered into an additional multi-year framework supply agreement, through which First Solar will provide LRE with 1 GW of advanced, ultra-low carbon thin-film photovoltaic solar modules. Leeward will deploy these modules across its 20 GW solar development and construction pipeline in the U.S. between 2023 and 2024. The agreement builds on a long, productive relationship between Leeward and First Solar that is advancing decarbonization through clean solar energy. The agreement expands Leeward’s order book with First Solar to over 3 GW of modules estimated to enable the build of 18 new sites from 2022 to 2024.
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council <a href="https://www.trade.gov.tw/English/Pages/Detail.aspx?nodeID=855&amp;pid=741597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that electronics manufacturer Foxconn intends to buy 70 million kWh of renewable energy in Taiwan by 2030. The company signed an agreement with Foxwell Power, a subsidiary of solar power provider Shinfox Energy, to purchase 2.36 million kWh of renewable power in 2022. The 70 million kWh of green power is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 35,140 metric tons. The company intends to introduce measures to track greenhouse gas emissions from all of its facilities as it works toward net-zero emissions for the entire company by 2050.
Iberdrola, a Spanish multinational electric utility company, <a href="https://www.iberdrola.com/press-room/news/detail/iberdrola-starts-construction-baltic-eagle-offshore-wind-farm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the green light to begin construction of the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm, the company&#8217;s second major offshore project in the Baltic Sea in Germany. With a capacity of 476 MW, Baltic Eagle is expected to be capable of supplying renewable energy to 475,000 homes and prevent the emission of more than 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The construction phase starts after obtaining approvals from the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency. The wind farm will be fully operational by the end of 2024.

Daily News Wrap-Up: Tata Motors Partners with Lithium Urban to Deploy 5,000 Electric Cars

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