CSIR's chemical arm is doing research on generating electricity from polymer electrolyte fuel cell A major programme on energy is underway at Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) and its affiliate National Chemical
Laboratory (NCL) here with a focus on search for novel materials and
turning them into devices for affordable technologies.
The CSIR-NCL which has identified Solar energy and Fuel Cell as two
major “thrust areas” of its research, is working on harnessing solar
energy to produce thermal and electric power, in particular “organic
photovoltaic and dye-sensitised solar cells”, the important components
of the country’s Solar Mission project to add a 500 MW of power
availability, according to Saurav Pal, Director, CSIR-NCL.
“In the area of fuel cells, NCL’s thrust is on polymer electrolyte fuel
cell (PEFC) which combines hydrogen and air to produce electricity,
water and heat, making it an important alternative energy source along
with solar and wind,” he said.
Their emerging applications of the fuel cells are in towers, replacement
for diesel generations, co-generation in nuclear plants and
electrification of rural and urban locations, Dr. Pal noted at a media
interaction, explaining CSIR-NCL research activity aimed at taking
science out of laboratories in order to enhance the quality of life of
the common man.
The research being conducted and to be commissioned soon by NCL will
lead to conservation of conventional and fossil fuels and subsequently
add to the use of alternative sources of energy, Dr. Pal said.
“The clean energy alternatives being developed by NCL will assist in
mitigation of global warming and assist in achievement of the Millennium
Development goals”, he added.
The institute has now set up a “Centre of Excellence” for solar energy
research inaugurated a few days ago by Union Minister of State for
Science and Technology Ashwini Kumar who interacted with CSIR-NCL
scientists calling for a boost to sustainable energy research, voicing
the government’s commitment to “incentivising” renewable energy use in
the country.
The CSIR-NCL is endeavouring to make Indian chemical industry “globally
competitive” by designing new and creative process equipment and their
integration with process chemistry, the Director stated.
NCL is a flagship laboratory of CSIR which is the largest network of publicly funded research institute in the country.
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