ReNew inks MoU with IIT Delhi to set up research facility

Moneycontrol BureauReNew Power Ventures, India’s leading renewable energy company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD) to set up a research facility on renewable energy. This exchange took place in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The MoU is aimed at encouraging and nurturing talent in the field of renewable energy at the IIT Delhi campus thereby encouraging opportunities for academic research to advance India’s fast growing renewable energy sector. Under the MOU, ReNew Power and IITD will establish a Chair in the area of Renewable Energy and Storage with representatives from both the entities. The collaboration will jointly propose research and training programmes for representatives of both ReNew and IIT Delhi to lead or participate in.Sumant Sinha, Chairman and CEO, ReNew Power said, "In India the current level of Research and Development in the field of clean energy is very low and we feel that when it comes to developing renewable energy technology for our country, collaboration between academia and industry is the key." "Under this MoU, we will be setting up a Centre of Excellence as a model for clean technology research with best-in-class research facilities. We believe that this collaboration will play a key role in promoting the advanced development of clean energy technologies through innovative research to generate a greater awareness about and thereby promote the use of clean energy,” he added.Speaking about the initiative, Prof V Ramagopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said: "We are pleased that a Center of Excellence on Renewable Energy is being set up at IIT Delhi in partnership with ReNew Power. "The synergistic combination of a large pool of expertise available at IIT Delhi and the vast industrial experience of Renew Power in the field of renewable energy will help in focusing the research efforts towards addressing India specific issues in this important area." "It is quite satisfying for us that IITD is partnering with Renew Power, which has been established by our own alumnus and I am confident that Sumant's proven leadership will be a great inspiration for young students in our institute and will inspire them to think green," he added.Several activities around research and policy advocacy are planned under the initiative wherein the centre will be providing advice papers and status reports for the Government of India and multilateral organisations on renewable energy policy matters as a part of its objective. Academic programmes for undergraduate, graduate and PHD students from a leading institute such as IITD through ReNew’s research centre will not only provide numerous opportunities for prospective renewable energy scholars but also develop a thought process around India’s postion as a rising renewable energy nation worldwide.