SC Mande, secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and director general of CSIR, inaugurated the Rooftop Solar Power System at the National Metallurgical Laboratory ( NML) premises.
As part of the initiative to strengthen the renewable energy sector, CSIR-NML has installed the 493kWp capacity On-Grid roof top solar power plant upon various building roofs in Jamshedpur office.
This power project aimed at catering the internal power utility needs of CSIR- NML, who is actively involved in R&D activities through pyro-metallurgy route along with processing of various material and metallurgical operations.
In the recent publication on ‘CSIR Technologies for COVID-19 Mitigation’, the secretary said : “CSIR, through its 38 laboratories and expertise in diverse areas ranging from aerospace to buildings to genomics to chemicals, quickly sprang into action developing COVID-19 interventions. For effective planning and strategizing, CSIR swiftly set up five COVID-19 verticals including disease surveillance, drugs & vaccines, testing & diagnostics, PPEs and supply chain management.”
Mande met young scientists of NML to understand and discuss NML’s initiatives for self-reliant India.
For the past few years NML has been working on various collaborative projects with Tata Steel, RDCIS (Ranchi) and other organizations in the areas of mineral beneficiation and development of special steels for automobile and rail industry. Extensive research work is going on at NML and technology transfer has taken place for making India self-reliant in lithium ion battery manufacturing. India occupies 5th position in terms of rare earth reserves. So, extraction of rare earths especially from secondary resources like industrial waste has a good potential to make India self-reliant. NML’s on-going research in these areas was demonstrated through a presentation by a few young scientists of NML which drew appreciation from DG, CSIR and his team.
Udaya Bhaskara Rao, Sr. Scientist, NML looked after a plant project activity that this plant would be capable of generating an average of 1400kWh units on a daily basis and can be charged throughout the year with an expected lifetime of 25 years. Being an on-grid roof top solar power plant in nature, requirement of batteries for energy storage is excluded and this plant can be hooked up to charge the local utility grid during the lean demand load period from consumers.
Mande also visited the Urban Recycling Centre of CSIR-NML which was inaugurated by him earlier as a centre of excellence in the area of e-waste recycling.
