State govt grants ₹3.5 crore for solar photovoltaic testing lab at tech varsity
The Directorate of Higher Education Department has granted Rs 3.5 crore for the setting up of a solar photovoltaic (solar panels) systems and devices testing lab as a part of the Centre of Excellence-Renewable Energy Test Centre (CoE-RETC) at Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST), Murthal.
The lab would be the first in northern India to be established for testing solar panels installed under various government schemes and projects. The laboratory will provide NABL and BIS standard certificates after conducting tests.
Vineet Garg, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Higher Education Department, in an order issued in this regard, provided a list of equipment to be purchased for the laboratory.
The university had to purchase a sun simulator, visual inspection testing machine, DC insulation tracer, pyranometer, air temperature sensor, wind speed sensor, data logger, and wind directions, IV curve tracer, UV exposure testing machine, environment chamber, humidity chamber, rebustment of termination tester, wet leakage current testing machine, mechanical load tester, hail impact testing machine, and a bypass diode tester to set up the lab.
The university has been directed to purchase these items per the proposal submitted by the DCRUST in May.
The laboratory is poised to function as a self-sustainable facility after two years.
Earlier, a proposal was submitted by SK Singh, a retired department of physics professor, to set up a centre of excellence on the direction of the government.
After a due assessment, DCRUST was selected for the establishment of a CoE-RETC with a grant of Rs 1 crore.
The Central Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had set up a Regional Testing Centre here in 2013, with the centre currently running successfully in the self-sustainable mode.
It is the only centre of the state government that is accredited with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), and recognised by the Bureau of India Standards (BIS).
Amid the fossil fuel crisis, the development of renewable energy, especially photovoltaic systems (electricity generating systems), is the need of the hour.
In this regard, Vice-Chancellor Shree Prakash Singh had exhorted personnel working at the CoE-RTC to expand the activities of the centre in the field of renewable energy.
Following this, a special proposal was prepared by Rajni Shukla under the guidance of SK Singh for the solar photovoltaic testing lab, according to the Vice-Chancellor.
After due assessment, the state government approved the project and granted Rs 3.5 crore to DCRUST to develop the lab.
“The centre will be a unique testing facility for photovoltaic systems, especially solar panels, and provide technical backup to universities and industries in north India, especially in Haryana,” the VC said.
Haryana Tribune