- G K Moinudeen & Vineet K Goyal

• Dirty silicon’ to enable cheaper solar cells
  http://www.eet.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=168602062
  
  
  Mark LaPedus
  EE Times
  (08/16/2005 2:44 PM EDT)
  
  SAN JOSE, Calif. — Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have developed a new technique based on “dirty silicon” that could reduce the cost of solar cells.
  
  Nearly 90 percent of solar, or photovoltaic, cells are made from a refined and purified form of silicon. Attempts to use the far more abundant and cheaper form of silicon — one that is laden with metal impurities and defects — have failed because solar cells made from this material do not perform as well.

  In addition, manufacturing techniques used to remove impurities are expensive, negating the cost benefits of using the cheaper material.

  "We have proposed a new approach to the use of dirty silicon," said Eicke Weber, professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California at Berkeley and principal investigator of the Center for Advanced Materials at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), in a statement.

  "Instead of taking the impurities out, we can leave them in but manipulate them in a way that reduces their detrimental impact on the solar cell efficiency," Weber said.

  The researchers say the findings, published Aug. 14 in the journal Nature Materials, could reduce the cost of solar cells by making the use of cheaper materials feasible.
  
  The solar energy industry could grow much faster if researchers and manufacturers could further reduce the cost of the cells, according to the researchers.

  
  
  
• INDUCTION OF CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY
  http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=11288

  The Government has taken a number of steps to induct clean coal technologies in the coal industry. Thermal power stations located in specified areas have been asked to use coal with ash content not exceeding 34 per cent. Government is encouraging setting up of coal washeries by private operators on behalf of coal consumers.

  In order to harness Coal Bed Methane (CBM) potential in the country, the Government formulated a CBM policy in 1997. A total of 16 CBM blocks have been awarded so far for exploration and production of CBM. In addition, a demonstration project named Coal Bed Methane Recovery & Commercial Utilization has been taken up in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project was sanctioned by Government of India in September, 1999 and is under implementation at Sudamdih and Moonidih mines at BCCL.

  To establish underground coal gasification technology, a Memorandum of Understaning (MoU) with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has already been approved by Board of Director of Coal India Limited. Initial work of data exchange needed for identification of trial site has been taken up.

  Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) proposes to taken up a Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) project in a suitable lignite block in Rajasthan under Ministry of Coal's S&T programme and Department of Science & Technology funding at a total cost of Rs.1,125 lakhs. Private sector is already participating in the development of clean coal technologies like CBM and coal washeries.

  This information was given by the Minister of State for Coal, Dr. Dasari Narayana Rao, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.