Dr Vinod Kumar Sharma
, ENEA Research Centre Trisaia, Solar Collector Testing Laboratory, Italy
Invited Talk
Dr Vinod Kumar Sharma, ENEA Research Centre Trisaia, Solar Collector Testing Laboratory, Italy
Rapid industrialisation, economic growth, human civilisation and its progress, communications, health, shelter and other basic needs of the society are very much restrained by inadequate availability of energy. Moreover, today with billions of tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, global temperature rise, threats of climatic changes and the great obstacles to further development of conventional energy sources, it is very important that due attention be given to a range of environmental-friendly energy technologies which are too relevant to us, in the developing countries. Solar thermal energy should be looked as the most important instrument for the socio-economic development, eradication of poverty and unemployment and an instrument of rural development.
Solar thermal is becoming big business: The solar thermal business is one of the fastest growing businesses in Europe. This correspond to an annual turn-over – collectors only – of about 300 millions of Euro. Including the other components and the installation of the solar thermal system, the annual turn-over reaches above 1 billion of Euro. Ensuring a high quality solar thermal products is important for the industry. Solar Keymark is the first internationally recognized quality mark for solar thermal products. Standard test methods exist to check durability, safety and performance. These procedures are specified in European Standards (EN).
Developing the market of solar thermal products has a very high political priority. National and regional subsidies are given most of the places all over Europe, but only if the products are certified – and the common European level of certification is already the requirements in the new European standards. Ensuring a high quality solar thermal products is important for the industry. Standard test methods exist to check durability, safety and performance. These procedures are specified in European Standards (EN).
Although the Keymark is voluntary mark – and that goes for the Solar Keymark too – there is a very high motivation from the industry to have this certificate because of the possibility of obtaining subsidy. Solar Keymark states conformity with these European standards and is valid almost all over Europe.
It is in the above context that energy and, in particular, the clean energy, is certainly an important scientific topic that needs special attention by the scientific community World-wide and, more so, in the context of the developing countries. World is certainly moving in this direction and let us commit ourselves, as well, to the development of pollution-free renewable energy technologies.
Biography
Got my MSc in Physics (specialization in electronics) from Punjabi University Patiala (India), in 1978. Received Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Physics with specialization in Solid State Materials from Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in June 1980. I was awarded PhD in Solar Energy from Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (India) on January 1983. Worked as Senior Scientific Officer (Grade 1) at IIT Delhi during the period July 1981 – Feb.1988. Subsequently, migrated to Italy to avail Post-Doctoral Fellowship from International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, in Italy. Since then I’ve been working at various scientific institutions of international prestige; especially, JRC, ENEA, ICTP, UNESCO, etc. Have already acquired vast working experience of more than 36 years (with more than twenty-eight years working experience abroad) focusing on research and development activities on solar thermal /photovoltaic, develop european standards for solar thermal products, biomass gasification for energy production, second generation biofuels, etc. Have already published more than 150 research papers, three books, four chapters in three books, won numerous awards (inclusive of three gold medals), etc. Presently, while working as senior scientist at ENEA, also, serve as National Consultant (UNIDO), Italian expert at CTI, CEN/TC312 and Coordinator for CEN/TC312 WG2, etc.
Specialties: RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Thermal and electric power generation using biomass gasification, formulation of European standards for solar thermal products (EN 12975, 76 and 77), biofuels, energy and material recovery from used rubber tyres through pyrolysis, semi-solid organic waste for biogas production, solar thermal for space heating and cooling photovoltaic, etc.).
FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION
Science, Engineering & Technology, Higher Education & Technical Education, Energy, Ecology and Environment, Solar Energy & Energy Efficiency & Conservation.