In a significant step toward India’s clean energy future, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, lauded the pioneering work of the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE) at IIT Bombay. During his visit, the Minister highlighted a major achievement by the IIT Bombay-incubated startup ART-PV India, which has developed a high-efficiency Silicon-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cell with a conversion rate of 29.8%—among the highest in India.
Calling it a blueprint for scalable and self-reliant energy production, Joshi emphasized the potential of this technology to surpass 30% efficiency, far exceeding traditional solar panels. He stated that innovations like this position India at the forefront of next-generation solar technology and align with the nation’s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat vision.
NCPRE, launched in 2010 with support from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has received over ₹200 crore in funding over the last 15 years. MNRE is also backing ART-PV India with an additional ₹83 crore to establish a pilot manufacturing unit at IIT Bombay, underlining the government’s commitment to domestic innovation and global competitiveness.
The Minister reiterated that India is not just adopting renewable technologies but actively shaping the future of energy through research in perovskite solar cells, inverter technology, PV reliability, green hydrogen, and storage solutions. He added that the recently approved ₹1.27 lakh crore Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme will further accelerate the transition from lab-scale breakthroughs to real-world applications.
Joshi encouraged the ART-PV team to demonstrate the commercial scalability of their solar technology, noting that making advanced solutions both profitable and accessible is key to building India’s clean energy leadership. The visit concluded with senior IIT Bombay officials, including Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare and researchers from NCPRE, outlining plans to translate this innovation into global benchmarks.
As India intensifies its renewable energy push, NCPRE’s achievements reflect the country’s growing role in defining the technologies that will drive a sustainable and self-reliant energy future.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
