E- KELU

Inspiration Millions of middle-class families and apartment owners in India want solar energy but cannot install it. Regular solar panels are too expensive and need heavy iron stands. Also, people living in flats do not have their own roofs, but they have balcony walls. In hot summers, normal panels overheat and lose 15% to 20% of their power. Another big crisis is that by 2035, India will face over 500,000 tonnes of toxic solar panel waste, which is very dangerous and hard to recycle. We wanted to solve all these problems with one single product.

What it does E-KELU is a brand new invention. It is the world’s first Solar Clay Tile. It can be easily installed directly on home roofs, straight building walls, and small apartment balconies without any heavy iron stands. It generates clean, green electricity from sunlight and is 40% cheaper than standard solar panel setups.

How we built it We used our Mechanical Engineering and SolidWorks CAD design knowledge to build the initial prototype. The tile features a highly innovative multi-wave structural design. This special wave pattern underneath the tile body acts as a passive natural cooling system. It allows free airflow to keep the solar cells cool, ensuring 20% higher daily power generation efficiency even during extreme peak Indian summers. The base of the tile is completely made from eco-friendly natural earth composite.

Challenges we ran into The biggest challenge was to create a lightweight yet high-strength structural design that can easily handle heavy wind and stone impacts on balconies or walls without breaking. We spent months researching the right materials and pressure balance to achieve this perfect, durable shape.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of We are very proud that we created a 100% brand-new product from scratch that solves real housing and energy problems. Our design successfully combines traditional clay tiles with modern green technology without creating any bad chemical waste.

What we learned We learned a lot about how materials behave under heat and pressure. We also learned how important it is to design products specifically for urban flats and apartments where open roof space is not available.

What’s next for E-KELU Our next big step is to secure international patents for this unique wave-cooling ventilation design. After that, we will complete official government lab certifications for waterproofing and load strength, and then launch our first commercial live pilots.