IIT-B looks to solar power

To help facilitate cost-effective solar thermal power generation, IIT Bombay plans to develop a megawatt-scale solar thermal power facility, which is being sponsored by the ministry of new and renewable energy.

“The idea is to help create cost-effective solar power. There is a huge gap between the demand and supply of electricity and one option worth developing is solar power,” said a faculty member of IIT Bombay. The plan to build the  plant was proposed by IIT-B last year and it will come up at the Solar Energy Centre in Gurgaon. It will be connected to a grid and supply around a megawatt to the national grid. The test and simulation facility will be set up by a consortium involving different Indian industries and IIT-B.

“While the US and Europe have already built such consortia, it will be a first in India. This facility is expected to help in developing inexpensive solar power plants in the future,” he said.

Even as the test facility will enable assessment of new technologies, components, and systems for solar thermal power, the simulation can be used to scale up designs and optimise use of solar power.

“Besides developing indigenous capability, it is expected to provide the experience in concentrated solar power, which has the potential to provide a sustainable energy solution for India’s power system,” said the faculty member. The project, which will last for five years, is expected to start in another two years.