Scientists Find Ways to Store Solar Energy Using Water

Eyeing to revolutionise the energy storage part of the solar energy industry, a team led by Professor Dr. S.P. Gon Chaudhuri have successfully converted solar energy into kinetic energy stored in water.

When talking about solar energy, storage often becomes a sticking point due to the various limitations of existing models of batteries. Proving to be a setback in the solar energy sector, the framework based on batteries is not the most reliable or trustworthy.

This is what a team of scientists from NB Institute for Rural Technology is trying to change.

Having five different components in total, the system uses solar PV cells to convert solar energy into electricity which runs a micro solar water pump.

Using the pump, water is elevated from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir thus converting idle water into potential source of energy which can be used as and when required.

The water then is used to run a micro-hydel pump which creates clean, ready to use electricity any time of the day or night eliminating the need of sunlight or storage options.

NB Institute for Rural Technology has partnered with Visva-Bharati University for the development and further research on the project. Government of India has sanctioned Rs 2.6 crore for implementing a pilot scale of the project in an Assam village.

Dr. Chaudhuri firmly believes that this innovative technology can revolutionize the concept of solar energy storage and aid in eradicating energy crisis.

Being cost effective and eco-friendly, the team believes that this technology can also be implemented in the existing hydro power plants making them more efficient.