First ever integrated Solar Power Tile launched in Kochi, Kerala (India)

The Amrita Centre for Nanosciences has come out with what is billed as the world's first integrated solar power storage tile using super capacitor.

It has been named 'Amrita Smart' and was launched at the International Conference, NanoSolar 2012, organised by the Amrita Centre for Nanosciences at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences.

The product has been developed at the Amrita Centre by its team of 40 researchers headed by Shanti Nair and Vinod Gopal.

Amrita Smart is a combination device of a solar cell and a battery that can be used to power devices even at night. The patented concept uses special electronics to integrate the solar cell with the storage device. The products are capable of charging a laptop or a mobile phone and their use can be extended for building integrated solar storage and usage (home use) at night without the need for expensive battery systems. These solar modules, when exposed to sun for four hours, can later charge the laptops and mobile phones in two hours and can have seven days' storage capacity. The product would weigh 200 grams and is expected to be marketed in one to two years. Shanti Nair said that energy generation and storage must go hand in hand.

"The development of the solar storage tile is a milestone in nanosolar aided research and in the field of renewable energy sector," said Shanti Nair.