Roorkee (The Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) presents the 2nd international meeting on Energy Storage Devices 2023 and Industry-Academia Conclave in association with Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) from December 7-10th, 2023 organized by the Department of Physics and Centre for Sustainable Energy. With over 600 participants from both India and abroad, this meeting is poised to be a ground-breaking event in the field of energy storage devices and their applications for renewable energy integration, e-mobility, and modern electronics.
The IMESD 2023 conference organized by IIT Roorkee aims to unite global experts in the field of energy storage devices, fostering interdisciplinary discussions and collaborations. The event's central theme revolves around bringing diverse energy storage technologies onto a common platform to explore recent trends and future research directions. With a focus on the current status, challenges, and future prospects of energy storage devices in India, the four-day conference includes parallel symposia covering topics such as lithium-ion batteries, beyond Li-ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen economy, and system design and integration. Distinguished speakers from countries like the USA, UK, Singapore, Sweden, France, and UAE, along with high-ranking officials from Indian institutes and research organizations, will share their latest advancements, contributing to a dynamic knowledge-sharing platform. A special attraction of the event shall be the Defence-Industry-Academia Conclave scheduled on 8th Dec 2023. The event promises a comprehensive experience, featuring an exhibition on batteries and fuel cells by 10 different DRDO labs being used in various strategic applications. In addition, other premier organizations like ARCI, IITR, IITB, IIT Ropar, DST (C3E division), Hyderabad Battery Limited, Oorja Energy, Indi Energy and many more will be showcasing their products and prototypes. A series of insightful panel discussions shall also be running. The conference was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Padma Bhushan Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Honorable Member, NITI Aayog in the presence of Prof. KK Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee and Prof. B. V. R. Chowdari (BVRC), MRS-Singapore. The eminent scientists working in the energy storage area were present in the inaugural ceremony including Prof. Arumugam Manthiram, University of Texas; Prof. Satishchandra Ogale, Director, RISE, TCG Crest; Prof. Ram B. Gupta, Virginia Commonwealth University, Prof. Dominique Guyomard, Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes.
Prof. Dominique Guyomard, Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes is the Chair for the technical session of the conference on the first day of the conclave with lectures from Prof. Arumugam Manthiram, Prof. Satishchandra Ogale and Prof. Ram B. Gupta. Day two of the event shall witness the inauguration of Defence Industry-Academia Conclave and Exhibition and the felicitation of Prof. B. V. R. Chowdari (BVRC), Senior Executive Director and President Emeritus of MRS-Singapore & Director IUMRS. Day three of the conclave shall be chaired by Prof. Arumugam Manthiram, The University of Texas at Austin having lectures of Prof. Clare P. Grey, University of Cambridge, UK; Dr. T. N. Rao, Director, ARCI; Dr. S. Loganathan, DRDO; Prof. A. Mukhopadhyay, IIT Bombay. Day four shall be chaired by Prof. K. Ramesha, Director, CSIR-CECRI with Prof. B.B. Kale, CMET; Prof. Prabhakar Singh, IIT BHU joining as speakers. The last day of this conclave also features Young Battery Researcher Award Presentation at APJ Block, LHC followed by the Valedictory Function and Award Ceremony.
In his address, Padma Bhushan Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Honorable Member, NITI Aayog, discussed the relevance of various kinds of energy storage devices including Li-ion batteries, beyond li-ion batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells for e-mobility and stationary energy storage. He elaborated on how India is moving forward on the roadmap for renewable energy generation and its storage to mitigate carbon emissions and build a sustainable society. He emphasized that the alternative to lithium batteries is very much required to make India self-reliant. Witnessing the demonstration of sodium-ion battery technology, he mentioned that IIT Roorkee-based startup Indi Energy is doing good work from materials to device fabrications indicating their edge over other technologies due to the indigenous supply chain. This sodium-ion battery technology has to be scaled up collectively. He also emphasized the role of research and development., scientists, industries, and policymakers and congratulated the IIT Roorkee team to bring them on a single platform for engaging discussions."
In his address, Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, "In addressing the imperative goal of utilizing 400 GW of renewable energy by 2030, Prof. K. K. Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, emphasized the pivotal role of electrifying transportation and deploying renewable energy while reducing fossil fuel consumption. Recognizing the pressing need for effective reuse of Li-ion/Na or Al batteries in the off-road phase, he highlighted the significance of the IMESD platform to address these concerns collaboratively. The discussions held during the meeting are poised to not only foster research in energy storage but also drive innovative breakthroughs, steering us towards a sustainable future.”
Convener, Prof Yogesh Kumar Sharma was enthusiastic to welcome distinguished speakers and participants from IISc, IITs, and different organizations from the USA, UK, Singapore, Sweden, France and UAE. He emphasized the need of innovations in the area of energy storage devices for Renewable energy integration, manufacturing with clean energy and sustainable mobility. Dr Sharma focused on the need of indigenous batteries for safe, eco-friendly and cost-effective electric vehicles and grid storage.
