Publications

Watershed management and development

Article
| January 31, 2018

The primary cause for poverty and marginalization in rainfed rural areas is low crop and livestock productivity coupled with deterioration in the quality of land and other natural resources.

Turning plastic on its head

Article
| January 29, 2018

Resource Efficient Technologies in SRC has been working on making plastic environment-friendly The resource efficient technologies (RET) group in SRC focuses mainly on the development of environment-friendly plastics with a special emphasis on biomaterials, using naturally available renewable resources. The group works on the following thrust areas to be able to come up with ways to meet the challenge of consumption and disposal of the seemingly indestructible material.

Eight years of National Solar Mission: Renewing the renewables target

Article
| January 24, 2018

The National Solar Mission's original target of achieving 20 gigawatts (GW) of grid-connected solar power plants by 2020 has been since revised to 100 GW

Breathe and Let Breathe

Article
| January 24, 2018

An action plan against air pollution for Delhi cannot be fully implemented if the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have no plans of their own.

Renewable Energy: Harnessing the last three 'horses of energy'

Article
| January 22, 2018

India's tryst with renewable power goes back decades. In the past few years, it has grown even more ambitious regarding the share of renewables in its energy mix.

From lab to room- how I integrated renewables in my life

Article
| January 22, 2018

Our researcher put theory into practice and made reduced carbon footprint a way of life Before solar power became a buzzword, thanks to the plummeting electricity tariffs under the National Solar Mission, it was a part of a silent revolution at my home.

Energy efficiency: The balancing act between industrial growth and pollution control

Article
| January 22, 2018

Industries, both big and small, require energy efficiency to not only meet pollution control norms but also stay competitive in a global market by reducing energy costs Industry, the key to national development in many countries, is the powerful engine that drives economic growth, spurs innovation and entrepreneurship, and provides direct and indirect employment to vast number of people. Industry is also among the largest consumers of energy, for instance in India, the industrial sector accounts for nearly half of the nation’s commercial energy consumption.

Creating framework for climate resilient building materials in Himalayan region

Research Paper
| January 20, 2018

Construction sector accounts for about 25% of the carbon emissions in India. With constant increase in the rate of construction, it is important that the sector identifies and applies sustainable construction and production practices. The sustainability index (SI) of building materials created as part of the study in the Himalayan region of South Asia will help create low-cost, climate resilient structures based on local climate and available resources. This implies customization as per regional needs when scaling up in other topographies.

Energy Management Controls in Cooling Plants

Article
| January 20, 2018

With cooling systems accounting for maximum energy consumption, a monitoring and controlling system can help reduce costs and consumption. In India, the building sector accounts for approximately 35% of the total energy consumption and is growing at a rate of 8% annually (Bureau of Energy Efficiency). Commercial buildings in India account for nearly 8% of the total electricity supplied by the utilities. Electricity usage in the sectors has been growing at about 11%–12% annually. Building energy consumption has seen an increase from14% in the 1970s to nearly 33% in 2004/05.

Resettling India's urban poor sustainably

Article
| January 20, 2018

In a bid to resettle the urban poor, local governments are rapidly constructing houses using cheap, energy-inefficient material causing discomfort to the occupants in the long run. Given this, can participation from the private sector and deployment of local resources help in providing smart, affordable housing to them?