Research and Development opportunities in Renewable Energy in India: Experience sharing

Even though India produces most engineers in the world, a lot to be done to inculcate research culture in India. Industries/corporate rely on technical collaborations and import of technology from developing world in many sectors. However renewable energy is one sector where scenario needs to be reversed. Research in developed countries as far as renewable energy is concerned, is largely restricted to solar photovoltaic and wind power. There are many areas in renewable energy sector where there is little chance that developing countries will invest in research as these are not their own requirements. Areas like ‘Solar domestic and community cooking’, ‘small and moderate scale biogas’, solar thermal applications for small and medium scale industries, biomass gasification for stoves for domestic and commercial applications, gasification technologies for industrial scale applications are some areas which are typical requirements of Asia and African countries and country like India has huge opportunities to capture this market.

Applied research, development and commercialization in following technologies can result in huge market potential in Asia and Africa.

• Solar cookers; Domestic and community applications. Small community solar cookers, suitable for 30 to 200 people is a typical of Indian requirement with potential for 12 lakh rural schools serving Mid Day Meals, another few lakhs of Aanganwadis, thousands of PHCs (for Autoclaving) are amongst many prospective beneficiaries.
• Solar concentrators for small and medium scale industries for temperature range of 80 to 400 degree C.
• Biogas: Biogas from waste has really huge potential. Few gross failures in earlier biogas programs were because of selection of wrong technology in many cases and also because of quality issues. Same can be overcome by developing appropriate designs. Mission like “Swatchha Bharat” will also require appropriate technologies for treatment of waste. Most of the towns and cities dump the waste at dumping sites. Almost every town and city has conflicts with the people residing in the areas of dumping sites and this social unrest is growing. Biogas and also ‘Compost’ in combination can be real good solutions. Developing appropriate models in terms of technology as well as business models is urgently needed.
• Biomass gasification technologies: These are required for developing good stoves for smoke free cooking. On moderate scale stoves and biomass gasifiers are required for commercial as well as industrial scales.

There are some efforts for development of technologies by individuals and organisations but real corporate or government level efforts are missing. PRINCE has developed many such technologies and there are many in the piping. There is a need for new applied research and also for upgradation of existing technologies to next level of sophistication and making them cost effective. Looking at huge markets in Asia and Africa and ‘Make in India’ kind of government supported programs such R & D can really yield fruits for the corporate. It can be a good business as well as a social service.