Sustainable Tech. Research

Sustainable Technology Research

IIT Kanpur has a strong focus on sustainable technology development. Some representative activities are mentioned below.

Energy Activities

IIT Kanpur has undertaken a multidisciplinary approach to strengthen ongoing research and initiate research on new and challenging areas of solar energy development and one such activity is a Solar Energy Research Enclave, which includes a solar silicon photovoltaic technology demonstrator with various modular components and associated laboratories. In addition, there are activities on organic photovoltaics, fuel cells, solar-hydrogen generation, and connections of the solar cells to the grid in a smart manner, solid state lighting and efficient combustion technologies.

Clean Water and Air

IIT Kanpur is the lead/nodal institute for the Ganga River Basin Environment Management Programme. Also there are activities on adsorbents for filtration of water and effluent treatment plants for industries, and pilot plant demonstrations of abatement of air pollutants.

Zero Discharge Toilets

Use of membrane technology with innovative flow designs has been demonstrated to produce water of recyclable quality and produce organic manure. The technology has been demonstrated on a pilot scale in railways, community toilets and house boats.

Biofuels

There are activities on the production and on the use of biodiesels as a substitute to mineral diesels.

Green Chemistry

To sustain living standards of an ever-increasing population, chemical compounds need to be accessed in a simple and energy-efficient manner from abundant natural sources with minimal impact on environment. Catalysis is the key technology to convert challenging substrates to useful chemicals. IIT Kanpur has a strong program in developing homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for efficient, effective, safe and sustainable processes and products. Other important aspects of this activity include the development and utilization of atom-economy reactions and the catalyst engineering for the use of environmentally benign solvents in bulk chemical processes.