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The role of renewable energy particularly solar power technology in the mitigation process of

impending environmental pollution and the indian research effort


Dr. S.N. Maity,
Chief Scientist & Head, Technology Innovation Centre,
CSIR-CMERI,M G ROAD, Durgapur-713209.
Contact: Office: 03436510216 Mob. 09434710952

There are pollutions at severe rate in the different environmental fields and the most violent and
fearing phenomenon is the global warming. In its assessment of the relevant scientific literature, the
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that scientists were more than 90% certain
that most of global warming was being caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases
produced by human activities. Affirming these findings in 2013, IPCC says that the largest driver of
global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion, cement production,
and land use changes such as deforestation.
Now the only way to reduce fossil fuel consumption is the increase in use of renewable energy
resources. People are trying over different sources to find out non conventional green energies, like
solar, wind, tidal power, hydro power etc. Power from sun, as it is thought today, is the only major
alternative in comparison to other sources of renewable energies presently being tried to replace the
conventional source of fossil fuel like coal, gas, oil etc.
Then how to tap the power of sun? There are many ways being devised time to time for absorbing the
sun rays coming towards the surface of earth, but most efficient and easily available is the solid silicon
crystalline photo voltaic (SPV) module till date. One need to erect the SPV panels under the sun so
that the surface of panel gets the maximum sun of the day being laid at an angle. Today the general
method is that hut like inclined structures are made over the land surface to hold the solar panels.
Now for an example, the generation of 2MW power from PV module system requires the land of 10
Acres approx. for housing the panels only. But land is already the biggest crisis of the earth. The
cultivable land which is going to be the costliest commodity in the near future, if used for other than
agriculture, it will be uncountable loss. Many national and International projects are facing the severe
problem of acquisition of land. Therefore there is a need for devising a method and fabricating a
suitable device so that the solar power can be absorbed without occupying much surface area, rather
utilizing the minimum of land so that the electricity must be economically viable. Here it is to mention
the endeavour of Indian research at this corner of India where at CSIR-CMERI a new invention Solar
Power Tree (SPT) has been designed.
SPT is a device of installing PV modules on a tall pole like structure with leaf like branches
surrounding it following a pattern of spiralling phyllotaxy as found in a natural tree. It would take only
1% of land area in comparison to conventional SPV layout as being practiced at present. This would
hopefully solve the biggest problem of Land Constraint of producing large scale solar power by SPV
method and at the same time help to reduce CO2 emission.

References :
1. Markvart T. Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conservation, Proceedings of Energy for Europe. 7 th 14th July, Strassbourg, 2002.
2. P. Baruch A two level system as photovoltaic solar cell . Journal of Applied physics vol57
1347, 1985
3. L. L. Bucciarelli The affect of day to day correlation in solar radiation on the probability of loss
of power in a stand-alone photovoltaic energy systems. Solar Energy Vol. 36, 11. 1986.

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