The Cabinet of Madhya Pradesh sanctioned 21.494 hectares of land in Bhauri, Bhopal, for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research to have its Solar and Renewable Energy Research Center. This will conduct research and develop innovations in solar, wind, and other renewable energy technologies and will work towards improvement in efficiency of solar cells and reduction of loss in energy.
The state government has agreed to provide a 53.75-acre plot of free land to develop the facility. About Rs 550 crore was estimated to be invested in the project, which will be drawn from CSR contributions by large public sector enterprises like GAIL India, Coal India, and Indian Oil. The construction of the center will take two years. It will be the first center in Madhya Pradesh that focuses on solar energy research.
The facility will involve multiple IISER departments: Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Electrical and Chemical Engineering, and Artificial Intelligence. An MTech program in Renewable Energy will be introduced to equip students with advanced knowledge in sustainable energy technologies.
The cabinet has expanded the manufacturing area for electrical and renewable energy equipment in the Mohasa-Babai industrial area of Narmadapuram district. The area has increased by 214.42 acres, bringing the total to 441.96 acres. This move aims to boost renewable energy equipment production, supporting the state's green energy initiatives.
The central government has set specific research targets for the new IISER Bhopal center, including improving efficiency, making green hydrogen production affordable, developing technologies to reduce energy distribution losses, cutting carbon emissions, and increasing wind energy production cost-effectiveness.
IISER’s acting registrar, Gaurav Awasthi, highlighted that the center will focus on advanced research in solar, wind, hydro, and green hydrogen energy, aligning with the broader goals of promoting renewable energy solutions.
The MP state government has announced the sixth Regional Investment Conclave, which will take place on December 7 in Narmadapuram. The conclave will be full of investment opportunities for renewable energy and make the state a green technology manufacturer.
The Madhya Pradesh has the current production capacity of 7,000 megawatts of solar energy. This is likely to go up another 8,000 megawatts, and Madhya Pradesh would further entrench as a clean energy leader.
