MNRE to Hold Webinars for 75 Weeks to Mark 75 Years of Independence

In a statement released yesterday, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said that it has been conducting a series of webinars on achievements in new and renewable energy since March 15, 2021. The purpose behind the webinars, which are to continue for 75 weeks since its beginning date, is the commemoration of 75 years of India’s independence —’Bharat Ka Amrut Mahotsav’.

A webinar on “Solar Parks in India” was organized on April 1, 2021 to discuss the progress in solar park development in the country. Around 350 participants attended the event. The panelists shared their experiences on the subject and highlighted the key challenges.

An Interactive webinar with Biogas plant manufacturers/ developers was organized on April 12, 2021 to discuss the development of Biogas sector in the country. The webinar focused on new technologies and successful case studies, and also deliberated on the challenges in scaling up the biogas programme. The outcomes of this webinar will aid the Ministry in a better & more effective implementation of the National Biogas Programme.

A webinar on “Research and Innovation in Solar Energy” was organized on April 16, 2021 by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institute of the Ministry. Recent research and innovation in the field of solar energy and the scope of commercialization of products developed by NISE was discussed during the webinar. Around 200 participants attended the webinar.

A Workshop on “Photovoltaic R&D Vision 2026: Role of government, Industry and NCPRE” was organized by the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE), IIT Bombay at the behest of MNRE on April 26, 2021. The goal of this workshop was to come up with tangible ideas and identify how MNRE, NCPRE and Industry can work together to support the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India) in the next decade.

The invite-only workshop was divided into 5 sessions, and was attended by officers of MNRE, several faculty members from IIT Bombay and 43 delegates from the industry. Each session included a presentation from NCPRE faculty on their R&D vision and a panel discussion with industry delegates followed by Q&A. The following sessions were part of this workshop: Manufacturing of Si Wafers, Cells and Equipment for Manufacturing and Testing, PV Modules and BoM Components Manufacturing, Next Generation Utility Scale Power Plants, Power Electronics and Grid Integration Technologies.

Industry delegates discussed the needs, areas and specific technology sectors on which they would like to collaborate with NCPRE. Industry also emphasized the need for hands-on skill development programs for working professionals to upgrade their skill sets in state-of-the-art technologies.

A webinar on ‘Rice Straw Biogas Technology and its Implementation was conducted on May 05, 2021 by National Institute of Bio Energy (NIBE), an autonomous institute of the Ministry in partnership with German RETech, Germany. More than 20 technical experts from India & Germany deliberated on the Rice Straw Biogas Technology, its challenges & shared experiences on such developments in India and Germany. The achievements under the Waste to Energy programme of the Ministry was discussed. Policy and regulatory support offered by both the Governments was also discussed.