The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Coal India Limited (CIL) announced on Wednesday that they will work together to build a “Centre for Sustainable Energy” on the IIT Madras campus. This is a big step toward India’s clean energy aspirations. The goal of the program is to encourage cutting-edge research and technology innovation for a low-carbon and sustainable energy future. This is in line with India’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.
V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, and Achut Ghatak, Director (Technical) of Coal India, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that made the relationship official. P. M. Prasad, Chairman of Coal India, was there to see it happen.
The press release says that the new center will be a “Centre of Excellence” where experts from academia and industry will work together to come up with solutions for India’s energy transition that are good for the economy, can be scaled up, and are good for the environment.
Pay attention to long-term innovation
The Centre for Sustainable Energy will focus its research on four main areas:
Materials that last and a circular economy
Reusing mines and electrifying fleets
Fixing the environment
Things that can store energy from coal
Prof. Satyanarayanan Seshadri and Prof. Rajnish Kumar from IIT Madras will be in charge of the new center. They are both experts in materials science and sustainable energy systems.
First Projects Getting Started
Some of the center’s early projects are to:
Use coal to make polymer composites that last.
To help the circular economy, recycle batteries and solar panels.
To cut down on carbon emissions in the mining industry, make mining equipment electric.
Look up ways to store energy in mined-out areas so that you can use it more efficiently.
These projects are meant to connect academic research with real-world use in industry, making sure that they have an effect on India’s energy landscape.
Voices from the Team
IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti welcomed the relationship and stressed how important it is for schools and businesses to work together to solve problems related to energy and climate change.
“Working together with businesses and universities has been a key part of IIT Madras’ work to help India move to a low-carbon economy.” He remarked, “Our partnership with Coal India shows how much we care about this cause.”
P. M. Prasad, the chairman of Coal India, talked about how the PSU’s role in India’s energy ecosystem is changing.
“This MoU is a historic step for Coal India on its path to sustainable growth.” He stated, “The company is changing from being the country’s energy provider to being a key player in India’s transition to clean energy.”
A Step Toward India’s Vision of Net-Zero
India is putting more and more emphasis on making its industries more environmentally friendly, as shown by the partnership between IIT Madras and Coal India. This project intends to reuse and decarbonize current resources while encouraging the development of new clean technologies, since coal is still a major source of energy in India.
The Centre for Sustainable Energy is projected to play a key role in helping India achieve long-term energy security and climate resilience by connecting technology progress with environmental protection.