ABOUT ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE

Energy Research Centre was established in 1983 at Panjab University to promote R&D and Extension activities in the emerging field of Renewable Energy. It has emerged as a major focal point of R&D and extension on energy and environment at national and international level.. Energy research centre was the only R&D centre in the country which was designated as Nodal Agency for the implementation of different programmes of MNES. As a result of extension activities undertaken by the Centre in UT of Chandigarh , Chandigarh has emerged as a city with highest per capita alternate energy consumption on Asia and Pacific. As per survey conducted by NCAER, 5 million cookstoves designed by the centre are in operation in the country. Under these programmes, large number of self employed workers and potters have been trained thus creating job avenues in rural area apart from saving huge quantity of wood. Laboratories of the Centre are equipped with the state- of -the- art equipment. Centre has been designated as a regional test centre for testing solar thermal equipment by MNES. Bureau of Indian Standard has approved the centre for testing wood burning stoves. Centre has provided consultancy to a large number of countries in Asia- Pacific region such as Maldives, Bangla Desh, Srilanka, Myanmar, Kiribati and Tuvalu, in the area of renewable energy sources, energy management and environmental protection. . Centre has also helped the states of Haryana, Panjab and Himachal Pradesh in solving problems associated with energy planning & management and Environmental protection.

A total commulative capacity of 1,00,000 litre per day solar hot water systems have been installed at hospitals, industrial units, canteens and research laboratories. Apart from 150 KVA wood gasifier, 150 litre solar desalination system and 7 cu meter solar wood seasoning timber kiln. Centre is responsible for undertaking training and feed back surveys in the States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, U.T. Chandigarh and Jammu Region of J and K State, under National Programme on Improved Cookstove, Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources , Govt of India. Representative of Centre are members of Advisory bodies on Energy and environment in these states.

IT has also brought major transformations in this region A large number of community stoves developed at the centre have been installed at religious places, para military masses and industrial unit. These have resulted in the substantial saving of wood and safety from resulting pollution.