In the wake of environmental concerns and the global uproar about rapidly-declining reserves of fossil fuels the development of alternative fuels is crucial for the sustenance and development of human civilization. Climate change, pollution, and energy insecurity are significant problems, and addressing them requires major changes to energy infrastructures. Renewable energy technologies are essential contributors to the energy supply portfolio, as they contribute to world energy security, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and provide opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gases. Climate-disrupting fossil fuels are being replaced by clean, climate-stabilizing, non-depletable sources of energy. Today, renewables are seen not only as sources of energy, but also as tools to address many other pressing needs, including: improving energy security; reducing the health and environmental impacts associated with fossil and nuclear energy; mitigating greenhouse gas emissions; improving educational opportunities; creating jobs; reducing poverty; and increasing gender equality. Renewables have entered the mainstream.

Due to the growing environmental concerns and depleting reserves of fossil fuels along with their expensive extraction and processing, more emphasis is being laid on finding alternative fuels which are non-polluting and renewable/abundant. Solar energy, being the most abundant of the renewable energy sources, is being sought after to cater to the increasing global power demand in order to minimise environmental damage. The average solar power received by the earth's surface stands at 173000 terawatts. This enormous amount of energy can act as source of energy if we can successfully convert and store it as electrical energy as per our requirement. One can achieve this by photovoltaic devices which are capable of converting the solar photons into electrons to creative a current or can hydrolyse water (another abundant resource) by the means of a photo-catalyst through photo-elctro-chemical water splitting. Both these approaches have enormous potential as alternative and renewable energy technology for the future generation. In view of the above, and due to rapid urbanisation of Indian economy, the demand for alternative energy has been ever increasing in India. Durgapur being an industrial city, and due to Govt. of India’s look east policy, need for developing technologies that can provide energy in a sustainable way for long term economic growth of the eastern India, it is high time that researchers at NIT Durgapur, take proactive role in transforming this growth process within the region. It is with these objectives, that a group of researchers as underlined below from a number of departments of NIT Durgapur, a premier technological institute, have come together to work jointly to develop technologies that can contribute significantly to the sustainable growth of the eastern region of India.

Due to the growing environmental concerns and depleting reserves of fossil fuels along with their expensive extraction and processing, more emphasis is being laid on finding alternative fuels which are non-polluting and renewable/abundant. Solar energy, being the most abundant of the renewable energy sources, is being sought after to cater to the increasing global power demand in order to minimise environmental damage. The average solar power received by the earth's surface stands at 173000 terawatts. This enormous amount of energy can act as source of energy if we can successfully convert and store it as electrical energy as per our requirement. One can achieve this by photovoltaic devices which are capable of converting the solar photons into electrons to creative a current or can hydrolyse water (another abundant resource) by the means of a photo-catalyst through photo-elctro-chemical water splitting. Both these approaches have enormous potential as alternative and renewable energy technology for the future generation. In view of the above, and due to rapid urbanisation of Indian economy, the demand for alternative energy has been ever increasing in India. Durgapur being an industrial city, and due to Govt. of India’s look east policy, need for developing technologies that can provide energy in a sustainable way for long term economic growth of the eastern India, it is high time that researchers at NIT Durgapur, take proactive role in transforming this growth process within the region. It is with these objectives, that a group of researchers as underlined below from a number of departments of NIT Durgapur, a premier technological institute, have come together to work jointly to develop technologies that can contribute significantly to the sustainable growth of the eastern region of India.

Vission : To be a globally recognised centre of excellence in the field of energy for providing/imparting quality education, interdisciplinary research and innovative development of products for the betterment of society.

Mission : To establish a Center for Advanced Research on Energy (CARE) at NIT Durgapur is to promote multidisciplinary activities focused to various facets of energy technology and systems in the form of research, teaching and consultancy. The research activities in the centre will be in the form of research based projects funded by various national and international funding agencies. Faculty members from various departments of the institute will be associated with the centre for the promotion of interdisciplinary research for sustainable energy. The centre will provide support for the betterment of society through training program, short term courses. The centre will start academic programmes - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and M. Tech.

To realize its vision and accomplish its mission, the centre will have the following specific objectives:

 

1. To carry out advanced interdisciplinary research activities in the area of energy to the needs of the society.
2. To conduct training programmes in the related areas for professional skill development.
3. To Generate Intellectual Properties (IP) in terms of patents and high quality technical publications.
4. To established regional green building monitoring centre.
5. To established Suryamitra Skill Development Programme under National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Technology transfer
6. To facilitate incubation of business ideas from students and mentor them to develop as entrepreneurs in relevant areas.
7. To introduce post graduate courses in energy with certain specializations that will focus on emerging areas of energy devices Design and Development, sensors, smart materials, etc.
8. To provide a platform for interaction between industry fraternity with scientists and management experts from neighbouring institutions interested to work in identified topics by organizing regular seminar series.
9. To conduct courses with significant participation from external faculty, industrial and regulatory experts in the field of energy. Offer PhD courses in relevant areas of expertise. Also to provide customized/flexible PhD Courses to student(s) of any department of the institute pursuing/ intended to pursue his/her thesis on specific problems in energy.
10. To integrate the various aspects related to energy in the institute under one roof to better utilize the resources of the Institution.
11. To enter into collaborative research engagements with Extra-mural funding agencies and Industrial Organizations for better understanding of issues of scientific and technological management between different stakeholders.

 

Patents, papers and technology transfer High quality man power with adequate skill to meet the new challenges evolving out of rapid technology changes. Technological innovation that directly impact on society. Generate revenue form consultancy, technology transfer and training programmes.

The following are the major partners and stakeholders of the Center for Advanced Research on Energy (CARE) in its teaching and research activity.

Potential Partners

 

• CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur
• National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gurgaon, Haryana
• Durgapur steel plant, Durgapur
• The Energy and Resources Institute, Delhi

 

Stakeholders

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
• Different Departments of National Institute of Technology Durgapur

Students will

 

• gain broad exposure in the field of energy research;
• interact with faculty and students across different disciplines;
• learn techniques that address Energy and health science research questions;
  • experience the synergy of an interdisciplinary approach to understanding energy systems;
• develop an appreciation for interrelationships among the disciplines;

 

Faculty members will

 

• have access to core facilities and shared equipment;
• have the opportunity to work in a highly collaborative research environment;
  • be eligible to receive support for attending national meetings and professional development programs/workshops in the relevant areas
  • be able to strengthen the depth and breadth of their research projects through interdisciplinary research, which will enhance their ability to secure external funding.