Motivation:

The United Nations has identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for achieving a better future for all. SDG-7 is Affordable and Clean Energy (ACE). The impact of any development in this domain has the potential to create a multiplier effect as energy is a key input in income and economic progress, ensuring minimum healthcare, education, transportation, communication facilities in remote regions, minimizing damage to the environment, etc. As one can see many other SDGs are closely linked with ACE, e.g. SDG-8 Decent work and growth, SDG-3 Good health and wellbeing, SDG-13 Climate action, to mention a few.

For India to meet its SDG targets by 2030, numerous innovations need to happen and dissipate across the width and breadth of the country. These will not only help India’s goals but will also become a more inclusive society. The student community of elite institutions to create startups that can change the lives of millions. The Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad has established a Global Center of Excellence in Affordable and Clean Energy (GCoE-ACE) with the help of the Strategic Alliances division of the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor of Government of India. The results from the on-field deployments and subsequent assessments of the technological interventions in the areas of affordable and clean energy will also help the GCoE-ACE in adding its value in the national policies like national education policy, national digital health mission, national start-up policy, and so on.

Objectives

• to provide (a) test and measurement equipment facility, (b) fabrication laboratory equipment, (c) skill-development and outreach, (d) research & development laboratory, and (e) model clean energy village deployments
• to create a platform to design and engineer affordable, energy-efficient, and renewable energy-powered products to enhance livelihood.
• to systematically identify various avenues for widespread adoption of ACE for better opportunities that are socially and environmentally sustainable.
• to mentor and incubate innovative ideas that have relevance to the population of the country and on a global scale.
• to improve the energy efficiencies of the appliances which work using the on-grid energy.