The summer has its perks and its downsides, but one of the primary advantages that we just can’t seem to tap into is the abundance of heat we receive every year, all year round. Ironically, as we sit in our rooms sheltered from the blistering afternoon cursing the sun as we blast our AC, solar energy is knocking right at our doorsteps. And these IIT scientists have found a way to welcome the sunshine and turn it into something far more sustainable. Researchers at IIT Roorkee have tested Jamuns in creating inexpensive and more efficient solar cells. The naturally occurring pigment found in these delectable fruits have been concluded to make inexpensive photosensitizers for Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSCs).

On a campus surrounded by jamun trees, these IITians used the dark pigmentation of the jamun as a possible dye for the cells. Mr. Satapathi, a visiting faculty at the University of Massachusetts, USA, was quoted saying, “Natural pigments are more economical in comparison to regular Ruthenium-based pigments and scientists are optimized to improve the efficiency.”

There has been an exponentially increasing need for sustainable sources of energy, especially with the depleting resources of coal and the uncertainty on the pace at which industrial and nuclear plants are being built. In an area like India, not only is the need for solar energy high, but more so is the potential to tap into it. With the country’s pledge to develop a 40% share of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, the ambition for sustainable power usage is also high, as reported by The Hindu.

Across the world, there has existed a strong need for renewable energy use and the primary problem faced by most solar energy production outlets is the high cost of solar cell productions. The research team on this project claim that not only does this new possibility makes solar cell production economically accessible, but it ensures that the process can be easily replicated for mass production.

The research was published in the Journal of Photovoltaics.