Syllabus

Global Energy Demand, Renewable Energy Sources, Materials for Renewable Energy Conversion- Solar Energy, Photovoltaics, Photoelectrochemical cells and Fuel cells. Mechanism, Fabrication, Evaluation, and Efficiency. Future energy economy-Hydrogen economy- Hydrogen storage, Overview of other renewable energy sources.

Detailed Version

Introduction: Global Energy Demand and Use, Impacts of conventional energy utilization, Renewable Energy Sources- Indian scenario- where we stand, our potential, Economics of conventional and renewable energy systems.

Solar Energy and Solar Cells: Solar Spectrum, Solar constant, Passive conversion –Materials for Renewable energy conversion- Photovoltaics --Silicon (Si) solar cells, Crystalline/ Semicrystalline/ Amorphous Si solar cells, Thin film solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells - Semiconductor electrochemistry - Photoelectrolysis, photochemical cells, phootcatalysis, Mechanism- electron transfer: Factors affecting electron transfer. Organic solar cells- bilayer, Bulk heterojucntion, polymer solar cells, pervoskite based solar cells, hybrid solar cells. Efficiency; limiting factors.

Sustainable Energy Conversion: Fuel cells-, Various types, Materials- Fuels- Reforming, Electrodes, Catalyst,electrolyte -efficiency. Internal resistance, general causes for failure.  Future energy economy-Hydrogen economy – Materials for  hydrogen storage,

Overview of other renewable energy sources: Hydroelectric, Wind, geothermal and Tidal Energy –Conversion, potential and limitations– Bio-energy-Safety, economical and Environmental Aspects