Nanyang Technological University (NTU) declared that it will invest nearly $3 million for three years to establish a new research center for nanostructured photosystems for the development and commercialization of future-generation solar cells.
The NTU made the announcement during the official launch of the Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems and the Workshop on Nanostructured Photosystems. The Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Energy Research Institute at NTU (ERI@N) and developer of artificial photosynthesis, Michael Graetzel will serve as the advisor of the Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems, which will be located at NTU.
Graetzel is the developer of the Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell or Graetzel cells, a system that imitates the photosynthesis process in plants for the production of electricity by capturing photons of light. The innovative cell utilizes unique dyes to capture light energy at various wavelengths similar to that of chlorophyll of plants.
The artificial photosynthesis technology is a cost-effective replacement for existing silicon photovoltaic cells, as it requires inexpensive materials and eliminates the requirement of complex apparatus for production. The Director of the Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems and Executive Director of ERI@N, Subodh Mhaisalkar stated that the center would conduct basic study on the complex photosystems in order to produce efficient solar cells through major technological advancements.
To begin with, the Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems will be jointly operated by NTU’s School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and School of Materials Science & Engineering, and ERI@N. It will also operate in partnership with NTU’s College of Science and College of Engineering.
Source: http://www.ntu.edu.sg