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					</table><p>The Department of Science &amp; Technology (<a href="https://dst.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DST</a>) has invited proposals to upgrade lab-scale technologies, which are at technology readiness levels (TRL) 3-4, to reach prototypes (TRL 5) and pilot plants (TRL 6) for establishing a complete hydrogen value chain in India.</p>
<p>The projects funded under this initiative are expected to be completed within two to two-three years, with a maximum funding limit of ₹50 million (~$599,776).</p>
<p>The call for proposals focuses on the indigenous development of hydrogen-related technologies, emphasizing prototypes demonstrating commercial potential. Proposals must include a clear commercialization plan with milestones, timelines, justified budget, and engagement with potential technology transfer partners.</p>
<p>The last date for the submission of bids is December 29, 2023.</p>
<p>Startups with appropriate technologies at the pre-commercialization stage can also apply.</p>
<p>Individuals with expertise in science, engineering, and technology who are employed in universities, academic institutions, research and development institutions, and laboratories equipped with the necessary infrastructure and facilities for research and development activities are eligible to submit applications.</p>
<p>The financial support is allocated for temporary staff, equipment, consumables, domestic travel, and miscellaneous items. No funding will be available for infrastructure, buildings, or international travel.</p>
<p>Investigators must have relevant expertise, and proposals with industry partnerships are preferred.</p>
<p>The institution executing the project is responsible for financial and administrative aspects, with no financial assistance extended to the industry. In the case of multi-institutional projects, the principal investigators must secure formal agreements from collaborating institutions and scientists.</p>
<p>Monitoring mechanisms will be implemented, involving regular assessments through progress reports, financial statements, and committee reviews. Onsite visits by committees approved by the DST will also be done to ensure effective oversight.</p>
<p>Principal investigators and organizations must submit progress reports every six months, providing comprehensive updates on project advancements and expenditures.</p>
<p>The grant may be terminated by DST at any stage if it is determined that the funds have not been appropriately utilized.</p>
<p>Any know-how generated from the projects will be the exclusive property of the Government of India, and proceeds from its sale or utilization, including royalties, belong to the government.</p>
<p>All assets, including equipment and prototypes, are deemed the property of the Government of India, and their disposal or alternative use requires prior approval from DST.</p>
<p>Recently, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cea-begins-planning-for-green-hydrogen-plants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">begun</a> planning to install transmission infrastructure to cater to the power demands of upcoming green hydrogen and green ammonia plants across seven coastal states and three inland states in consultation with the Central Transmission Utility (CTU).</p>
<p>In April this year, the DST <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-hydrogen-valley-innovation-clusters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to establish Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters in the country. A hydrogen valley is a specific geographical region where hydrogen is utilized for multiple applications across different sectors, such as industry, energy, and mobility.</p>


Government Invites Bids to Advance Hydrogen Value Chain Technologies


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					</table><p>Solid-state batteries with a disordered arrangement of metals in electrolytes enhance the performance of the battery by increasing the flow of ions which create an electrical charge, a research study has found.</p>
<p>Material experts recently discovered that solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes cutting the dependence on a multi-metal arrangement like in lithium-ion batteries.</p>
<p>Experts at the U.S. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (<a href="https://www.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LBL</a>) said they have discovered such solid electrolytes in a collaborative experiment with scientists at <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida State University</a> and the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>.</p>
<p>Solid-state batteries possess high energy density and enhanced safety which according to the researchers makes them a potential fit for electric vehicles.</p>
<p>Unlike the largely developed liquid electrolytes for commercial batteries, batteries with solid electrolytes are less prone to overheating, fire, and loss of charge.</p>
<p>The study titled ‘High-entropy mechanism to boost ionic conductivity’ is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/science" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science</a> journal.</p>
<p>The study points out that specific metals currently required in making these batteries are not available in large quantities, ultimately making solid-state batteries costly.</p>
<p><strong>Electrolyte with multiple metals</strong></p>
<p>In their study, the scientists arranged the metals like titanium, zirconium, and tin in the top row of the solid electrolyte while the lower row consisted of hafnium, phosphorous, and oxygen.</p>
<p>They synthesized and tested several lithium-ion and sodium-ion materials and noted the behavior of multiple mixed metals that can be easily sourced.</p>
<p>The teams further used a method called density-functional theory on a supercomputer and found that the movement of ions increased to create an electric charge in the solid-state battery.</p>
<p>They claimed that the ionic conductivity of their solid-state battery with diverse metals performed several orders of magnitude faster than those with single-metal.</p>
<p>“With our new approach to solid-state batteries, you don’t have to give up affordability for performance. Our work is the first to solve this problem by designing a solid electrolyte with not just one metal but with a team of affordable metals,” said co-first author Yan Zeng, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division.</p>
<p>In another study conducted recently, experts at the Illinois Institute of Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory said they have <a href="https://mercomindia.com/new-lithium-air-four-times-than-lithium-ion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a lithium-air battery design that can power domestic airplanes and long-haul trucks. The main new component in this lithium-air battery is a solid electrolyte instead of the usual liquid variety.</p>
<p>In January 2023, researchers at the ARC Training Centre for Future Energy Storage Technologies claimed to have <a href="https://mercomindia.com/researchers-compression-raise-lithium-cell-cycle-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that the suppression of the lithium metal creep (Li-creep) under controlled conditions can extend the cell cycle life by 40%, resulting in reduced deformation levels of lithium.</p>


Disordered Multi-Metals in Electrolyte Can Boost Battery Performance


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					</table><p>Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems</a> (ISE) collaborated with industry partners to achieve an efficiency of 22.55% in a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell measuring over 100 square centimeters.</p>
<p>Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (<a href="https://www.bmwk.de/Navigation/DE/Home/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BMWK</a>), the project, titled SwiTch, developed interconnection and encapsulation solutions for perovskite-silicon tandem cells using industrial screen-printing metallization.</p>
<p>The experiment aimed to reach the best achievable power conversion efficiency in tandem solar cells of larger size. The best-published efficiency for tandem cells measuring 1 square centimeter under laboratory settings has been 31.3%.</p>
<p>However, Fraunhofer ISE researchers realized that most manufacturing processes used in the laboratory are not suitable for the industrial-scale production of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells.</p>
<p>According to the department head of photovoltaic modules at Fraunhofer ISE, Holger Neuhaus, &#8220;The interconnection and lamination processes had to be understood and adapted in such a way that the perovskite-silicon solar cells can be integrated into the module without damage at low cost, and with long-term stability.&#8221;</p>
<p>The solar cell made of perovskite material was stacked atop a conventional silicon solar cell in the experiment. The cells were arranged to enable the enhanced use of the solar spectrum, allowing better capture of sunlight, compared to used pure silicon solar cells.</p>
<p>The positioning of the perovskite solar cell and silicon solar cell establishes improved stability and durability, paving the way for possible industrial production of tandem cells.</p>
<p>The researchers developed the first module prototypes with a peak output of 430 W, for which they performed a detailed analysis of cell-to-module losses while targeting the long-term stability of the tandem photovoltaic modules.</p>
<p>&#8220;Efficiencies of over 35% are possible with these tandem solar cells. Laboratory-scale perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells have already overcome the silicon cell&#8217;s theoretical upper-efficiency limit of 29.4%, showing promise for even more efficient solar cells in the future,&#8221; observed Andreas Bett, director at Fraunhofer ISE.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, scientists at the Swiss Laboratories for Material Science &amp; Technology, Empa, claimed to have <a href="https://mercomindia.com/silver-tandem-solar-cells-achieve-record-efficiency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a low-temperature method using silver to produce a bifacial perovskite-copper indium gallium selenide tandem solar cell. They achieved record efficiencies of 19.8% and 10.9% in the front and rear sides of the bifacial tandem solar cells, respectively.</p>
<p>In June this year, scientists from Fraunhofer ISE&#8217;s Center for High-Efficiency Solar Cells claimed to have <a href="https://mercomindia.com/fraunhofer-researchers-claim-record-efficiency-four-junction-solar-cell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">achieved</a> an energy conversion efficiency of 47.6% in a multijunction solar cell (III-V) using an anti-reflection coating at a concentration of 665 suns.</p>


Scientists Claim 22.5% Efficiency in a Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Cell of Large Area

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