Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research: Launched in Power Sector
The Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy are jointly launching the National Mission on Power Sector. Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR), is being launch to take advantage of emerging technologies in the power sector.
Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR)
The National Mission ‘MAHIR’ will help to quickly identify emerging technologies in the power sector and develop them indigenously on a large scale for deployment within and outside India. The main objective of the mission is to facilitate indigenous research, development and demonstration of latest and emerging technologies in the power sector. With the support of this national mission, India can become a manufacturing hub of the world.
Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR) under 2 ministries will be fund by pooling financial resources of Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Central Public Sector Enterprises. In addition, the necessary funding will be mobilize from the budgetary resources of the Government of India.
MAHIR scheme is designe for an initial period of 5 years from 2023-24 to 2027-28. The mission will follow Idea’s technology life cycle approach to the product.
Need for Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR)
The Indian power sector has undergone a vibrant and financially viable transformation in the last nine years. India is going to grow at a rate of more than 7 percent in the coming few years. During this period, the demand of electricity in the country is going to increase by about 10 percent. Apart from this, India is aiming for an energy transition following the vision of the Prime Minister’s Life Mission. There is a need not only for massive investment but also for a transformative approach driven by research and innovation.
Objectives of MAHIR
- To support pilot projects of indigenous technologies and facilitate their commercialization.
- To identify emerging technologies and areas of future relevance in the global energy sector and initiate indigenous development of relevant technologies.
- To provide a common platform for stakeholders of the power sector for collective brainstorming, synergistic technology development and devising pathways for smooth transfer of technology.
- To make India one of the leading countries in the development of power system related technologies and applications.
- To seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and thereby create a vibrant and innovative ecosystem in the country’s power sector.
Identified Areas for Research
Initially the following 8 areas have been identified for research:
- Lithium-Ion Storage Battery Alternatives
- Modifying electric cookers/pans to suit Indian cooking methods
- Green Hydrogen for Mobility (High Efficiency Fuel Cell)
- carbon capture
- geothermal energy
- solid state refrigeration
- Nanotechnology for EV Battery
- Indigenous CRGO Technology
Structure of Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research
The MAHIR Mission will have a two-tier structure – a Technical Working Committee and an Apex Committee.
1. The Technical Scope Committee (TSC)
The Technical Scope Committee will be chaired by the Chairman, Central Electricity Authority. The functions of TSC will be as follows –
- The Technical Sector Committee (TSC) will identify ongoing and emerging research areas globally.
- The TSC will recommend possible technologies for development under the mission.
- It will justify the techno-economic benefits.
- Provide a research framework and monitor the approved research projects from time to time.
2. Apex Committee
The functions of the Apex Committee headed by the Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy will be as follows –
- The Apex Committee will approve research proposals and monitor the progress of research.
- The technology/products to be developed under the mission will be discussed by the Apex Committee.
- Final approval of all research proposals/projects done by the Apex Committee.
- Approval of any collaboration, technology to be developed and agreement to be entered into with the partner country will be decided by the Apex Committee.
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