New Delhi: Amid the twin challenges of rising energy demand and environmental protection, a promising line of research is emerging at Delhi University’s Miranda House College, where researchers are working to convert everyday waste energy into usable electricity with the help of environment-friendly, lead-free materials.Led by college principal Vijayalakshmi Nanda and physics department professor Monika Tomar, the project aims to harness energy that is usually overlooked, such as human movement, machine vibrations, temperature changes, and traffic activity, and transform it into clean power through advances in materials science and energy-harvesting technologies. The initiative is seen as an important step towards sustainable energy, while also strengthening the foundations of a greener and more self-reliant future.Researchers explained that energy is constantly present in our surroundings but is largely lost without being put to use. The research focuses on capturing this dispersed energy and converting it into practical electrical power. “In the future,” she said, “small electronic devices such as watches and sensors may no longer require frequent charging or battery replacement. A wristwatch could run simply on the movement of the wearer’s hand, while vibrations generated by vehicles on roads could be captured through piezoelectric tiles to power streetlights,” said Tomar.The team is also developing thermoelectric and pyroelectric energy harvesters, which can generate electricity from temperature differences. Even a gap of 10-20 degrees Celsius is sufficient to produce power, making the technology especially useful in factories, around heavy machinery and in specific geographical regions where temperatures fluctuate regularly. Such systems could help tap into the vast amounts of heat currently wasted in industrial and mechanical processes.A key feature of this research is its emphasis on environmentally safe materials. Tomar noted that many energy harvesters available today rely on lead-based components, which pose serious risks to both health and the environment. Her team is instead working on lead-free alternatives, which are safer, sustainable and have the potential to replace conventional lead-based options in future devices.At present, the project remains at the laboratory stage, but the next goal is to develop more efficient energy harvesters and partner with industry to bring these innovations to the market. The researchers hope this collaboration will help scale up production and make the technology accessible for widespread use, allowing ordinary people to benefit from clean energy solutions.Alongside the research, Miranda House is also training students under the Prime Minister’s Semiconductor Mission, with a focus on making them industry-ready. Students are introduced to emerging technologies so they can play a meaningful role in the semiconductor and energy sectors in the years ahead, opening new opportunities in both research and employment.
