Belgian Economic Mission to India: UHasselt – partner in EnergyVille – signs two major collaborations on solar cell technology
During the Belgian Economic Mission to India, UHasselt – partner in EnergyVille, has signed two new collaboration agreements with prominent research institutions in Mumbai and Bangalore. Over the next few years, the research centres will work intensively on the development of new types of flexible solar cells and the production of green hydrogen. “India is the second-largest market for solar cells after China, and these collaborations with a leading Indian research institute and renowned university offer many opportunities for new joint research projects and exchanges of researchers and students on both sides,” says Prof. Dr. Bart Vermang (UHasselt/imec/EnergyVille).
The signing of the two so-called ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoUs) between imo-imomec, the joint research lab of UHasselt and imec, and the research institutions IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore took place in Mumbai, in the presence of Princess Astrid, who is leading this Belgian Economic Mission to India.
“Like our research institute within EnergyVille, these two Indian institutions are strongly focused on developing new types of solar cells to address the challenges related to the energy transition. India is the second-largest market for solar cells after China. However, while China primarily focuses on traditional silicon panels, which are still mainly used on rooftops, researchers in India, like us at EnergyVille, are particularly focused on new, often flexible materials for solar cells that can be integrated into rooftops, windows, and walls of buildings, as well as used in agriculture. Through these collaborations, we will exchange research results and start new joint projects,” says Prof. Dr. Bart Vermang.
New Technologies
The researchers will collaborate on thin-film solar cells based on perovskite, a promising ultra-thin material for creating efficient, lightweight solar cells. “Additionally, the Indian partners are strong in developing thin-film solar cells made from flexible metal. This will be one of the areas we will further explore with them. At the same time, we are also looking into projects for the production of green hydrogen, where solar cells are used to split water into hydrogen as an energy source for industry,” says Bart Vermang. “Furthermore, India, given its large market, naturally offers many opportunities for the various companies and spin-offs developing new types of solar cells that are based at Thor Park, with the research at EnergyVille being one of the key drivers.”
Master of Energy
There are also opportunities for education at UHasselt within these collaboration agreements. “Last academic year, the joint Faculty of Industrial Engineering at UHasselt and KU Leuven started the English-language master’s program in Energy. This collaboration brings many exchange opportunities, both for our students who can undertake internships at the partner institutions in India, and for students from the Indian institutions who can follow the master’s program here. The demand for this is certainly very high,” concludes Bart Vermang.
In addition to the signing of these collaboration agreements, an energy conclave will take place in Mumbai on March 6, with solar energy being one of the central topics.
