Advanced Nanomaterials for Sustainable Energy Systems: Enabling India's Green Transition

The accelerating demand for clean and sustainable energy in India necessitates technological innovations that enhance the efficiency, affordability, and scalability of renewable systems. Nanomaterials have emerged as critical enablers in advancing next-generation renewable energy technologies due to their unique physicochemical properties, including high surface-to-volume ratio, tunable bandgap, enhanced charge transport, and catalytic activity. This review systematically examines recent progress in nanomaterial applications across solar photovoltaics, wind energy systems, energy storage devices, hydrogen production, and bioenergy technologies within the Indian renewable energy context. Particular emphasis is placed on perovskite and quantum dot solar cells, graphene- and carbon nanotube-based supercapacitors, nanostructured lithium-ion battery electrodes, metal–organic frameworks for hydrogen storage, and photocatalytic nanomaterials for water splitting. The review synthesizes advancements in material design, performance optimization, and scalability while critically evaluating challenges related to stability, lifecycle environmental impacts, cost-effectiveness, and commercialization barriers. Furthermore, the paper discusses policy integration, research funding trends, and industrial adoption pathways necessary to translate laboratory-scale nanomaterial innovations into large-scale renewable deployment. The study concludes that strategic alignment between nanotechnology research and national renewable energy goals can significantly accelerate India’s transition toward a low-carbon and energy-secure future.