About IMESD 2018:
An International Meeting and Industry-Academia Conclave was organized on December 10- 12, 2018, at IIT Roorkee where 300 participants represented about 14 countries, and discussed the issues related to role of Energy Storage Devices to reduce the carbon footprint to save the planet in the line of Paris Agreement. Eminent scientist and founder of manycompanies,co-inventor of many materials being used in commercialized battery system, Prof. Arumugam Manthiram from University of Texas at Austin, a well-known researcher authored/co-authored more than 700 research articles and having h-index of 112 emphasized on the need of efficient trained manpower todeal with the development of indigenous battery technology. He further suggested that a consortium of IITs, NITs, National Labs and Industry must be formed at national level where IIT Roorkee may play anvital as IITR is well equipped with the facility required for energy storage technologies. Further, framing, implementing and executing various policies towards use of energy storage devices then their integration and deployment with various renewable energy establishments may also be done with the help of IITR.
During a popular lecture by Prof. VijayaMohananK. Pillai, a policy maker, adviser and outstanding scientist (former director of CSIR-CECRI and NCL, Pune suggested an urgent need for development of affordable material and energy storage technologies to support our Electric Vehicle program of self-sustainable growth of Nation.
To promote the spirit of partnership of IIT Roorkee with other industries, National Labs, other IITs and strategic sector, an industry-Academia conclave was also organized under the aegis of IMESD-18. While, inaugurating the conclave, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala (Bhatnagar awardee and Padamshree from IIT Madras, leading researcher/entrepreneur/administrator and advisors to many ministries/organizations and a leading person to make this electric mobility programme of Govt. of India successful, emphasized on the need of developing robust charging platform and battery recycling technologies of battery material alongwith indigenous development of secondary batteries specifically for EV application. To make self-sustained economic development of our Nation, a need of other indigenous battery technology requirement was highlighted during his discussion with the audience. In this line, R and D on Na- batteries, Redox-flow batteries, and Li-sulpher batteries was proposed to support our long term perspective of power, transportation and other allied sectors.
During discussion/deliberation at Conclave, most of the companies/industries working in the area of storage devices such as Amar Raja Batteries Ltd. (Amaron Batteries), TVS Motors, XNRGI (Exponential Energy), USA, BHEL, BEL MNRE, DRDO)have shown keen interest to support IITR storage program/facility @ Department of Physics, IIT Roorkee under the mentorship of Prof. Yogesh Sharma, Convener of the meeting. Infact, CEO and President XNRGI (Exponential Energy), USA has committed to supporting one PhD student of Prof. Sharma’s group for Prime Minister Research Program of Govt. of India as an indicativeof strong research collaboration with him and promised to be an industry partner to develop indigenous energy technologies @ IIT Roorkee.
Convener Prof. Yogesh Sharma thanked all participants from India and abroad and emphasized on active and rigorous collaboration with each other to bring storage to the fore front of conversations around the future of the grid, renewable deployment and system planning and Invited all participants to attend IMESD-2023 which will be held again at IITR in 2023.
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