Energy System Modelling

We are collaborating with the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) and the Shakti Foundation for the development of low-carbon pathways for the energy and transportation sector. Utilizing the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) software, we build future scenarios that highlight the role of different sectors in decarbonization. These results would help the policymakers to make informed choices, given the fact that there is no single energy production pathway that can be truly sustainable.
We are also collaborating with Laboratoire Image Ville Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and University of Strasbourg, France for understanding the energy-water-air nexus for wastewater treatment. This project aims to evaluate the feasibility of net positive energy wastewater treatment while providing reduced air pollutant emissions. My team has been awarded the CNRS International Emerging Actions (IEA) grant to pursue the collaboration.

Green Hydrogen

In line with the National Hydrogen Mission, the lab is focussing on process development and process optimization, techno-enviro-economic analysis, and life cycle assessment (LCA) of different Hydrogen production pathways. Major highlights are as follows:

We have been awarded a DST project for the development of solar-powered decentralized fertilizer production-cum-irrigation units. The project aims at producing decentralized hydrogen/ammonia from the solar PV coupled PEM electrolyzer route. Furthermore, the project would also focus on integrating the proposed solar fertilizer unit with the conventional solar pumping mechanism.
We are working with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.(BHEL) on the simulation and optimization of the balance of the plant for an alkaline electrolyzer.
The feasibility of ammonia cracking for hydrogen production is also an important area of research.

Biomass Gasification

We are working on the sustainability assessment of the co-gasification of different biomass feedstocks such as pine needles, lantana, and straw with plastics in a downdraft gasifier. Key areas of research include:

• Mapping and supply chain optimization of forestry biomass feedstocks such as pine needle and lantana, leading to their utilization for energy.

· Co-gasification of biomass feedstocks with plastics leading to enhanced electricity production.

· Understanding the effect of pre-treatment on the economics and emissions profile of biomass gasification.

· Gasification of novel feedstock such as paper dust briquettes resulting from the paper packaging industry.

· Potential assessment of co-firing of biomass in thermal power plants.

The equipment available includes a 5 kW throatless downdraft gasifier with a modified engine, a producer gas analyzer, a flue gas analyzer, and a tar analyzer.

Collaborators

Georgia Tech., US (Prof. Valerie Thomas and Prof. Matthew Realff)
IIM Sambhalpur (Prof. Diptiranjan Mahapatra)
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), (Dr. Piyali Das and Dr Shovan Mondal)
Laboratoire Image Ville Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and University of Strasbourg (Dr. Nadege Blond)
Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) (Dr. Vaibhav Chaturvedi)

Funding Agencies