Solar Thermal Energy Technology | 08 Aug 2019

The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed an agreement to initiate a skill development programme for different levels of beneficiaries in the solar thermal energy sector.

  • The agreement is part of the ongoing MNRE-GEF-UNIDO project which aims to support capacity building and skill development of technical manpower in the Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy Technologies (CST) which are being used to replace conventional fossil fuels e.g. coal, diesel, furnace oil etc.
    • The GEF-UNIDO’s project is designed to complement MNRE’s support programme by helping to remove barriers associated with CST technology, its awareness, capacity building, market and financial barriers.
    • The duration of the project is from January 2015 to December 2019.
    • Different concentrating technologies have been developed or are currently under development for various commercial and industrial applications.
    • For industrial processes where temperatures above 80°C are required, concentrating solar collectors such as parabolic trough or dish collectors, non-imaging concentrators or a Linear Fresnel system are required to be used.
    • The industries showing good potential for implementation of solar concentrators are food processing, paper and pulp, fertilizer, breweries, electroplating, pharmaceutical, textiles, refineries, rubber and desalination sectors.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

  • The United Nations General Assembly passed the resolution for establishing the UNIDO in the year 1966.
  • It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability.
  • As of 1st April 2019, 170 States are members of UNIDO.
  • It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

National Institute of Solar Energy

  • National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institution of the Ministry of New and Renewable (MNRE), is the apex National R&D institution in the field of Solar Energy.
  • The Government of India converted 25 year old Solar Energy Centre (SEC) under MNRE to an autonomous institution in September, 2013 to assist the Ministry in implementing the National Solar Mission and to coordinate research, technology and other related works.
  • It is located in Gurugram, Haryana.

Source: PIB