UPCOMING PROJECTS
STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS INDIA’S CRITICAL MINERALS’ VULNERABILITY THROUGH RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
The future global economy is underpinned by technologies depending on minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, titanium, rare earth elements, and a few more. India is highly dependent on imports for the supply of such critical minerals, 30 of which have also been highlighted as essential for economic development and national security by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India. The research will focus on the techno-economic viability scenarios for critical minerals, a resource efficiency pathway analysis and policy recommendations for critical mineral resource management of India across three policy scenarios.
MACROECONOMIC IMPACTS OF COAL TO RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION
India has set near, mid-term and long-term goals to become a developed economy by 2047. This goal has to be achieved while continuing to meet its net zero target of 2070. A phase down of coal and a transition to clean energy sources like solar, wind, hydro is a key part of this pathway, without compromising on the developmental and employment impacts. The project aims to understand the macroeconomic impacts of coal to renewable energy transition in terms of economic, development, financing and employment impacts.
PROGRAM ON ENERGY TRANSITION ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR WOMEN
SEWA has set-up a Climate School for the poor informal sector women workers as part of their core mission of “Building clean Skies”. As part of this Climate School, ACPET proposes to develop a certificate program on energy transition entrepreneurship to prepare these women to mitigate climate change as well as adapt to the challenges it brings.Through this training, ACPET will prepare a certified cadre of 72 young women entrepreneurs from Gujarat and Rajasthan and support and mentor 10 start-up ideas by them.
DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSITION METAL HETEROGENEOUS CATALYST TO PRODUCE HYDROGEN FROM METHANOL AND ETHANOL
Hydrogen is being seen as one of the fuels of the future. It has the highest energy per mass of any fuel; however, its low ambient temperature density results in a low energy per unit volume, making its storage a challenge in terms of feasibility. Currently, methanol and ethanol are considered as the best candidates for chemical hydrogen storage material because of the double benefits of CO2 utilization and hydrogen storage. The objectives of the project are to perform computational study to identify lead catalysts to get hydrogen from methanol and ethanol, synthesis of the lead catalysts, designing and optimization of experimental protocols, establishing the methods and scale up the synthesis of hydrogen.
SOCIAL TIPPING DYNAMICS – LIFE @2047
Given the diversity of India, understanding social tipping dynamics and shaping a suitable pathway will be key in order to achieve the net zero economy status by 2070. The project looks at the role of such processes in order to attain the goals of Mission LIFE, proposed by Prime Minister Modi and more specifically at the the demand-side changes that can come through, with the adoption of Efficient Fans, Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Induction Cookstoves through behavioral nudges of end users.
