Small technologies, Big Tremors: CSIR-CMERI’s Solar Tree & Ginger-Turmeric Processing tech get whistles

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The certainty that India could achieve its ‘atmanirbharta’ goal swirls around the fact that Indian institutions, ventures and startups seem to be realising the importance of giving attention to even small, unattended technologies. These technologies play a great role in lifting the growth of MSMEs, SMEs, SHGs and even various big scale industries.

As the CSIR-CMERI’s Solar Tree & Ginger-Turmeric Processing Technology got applause in the Techno-fair Conclave at Meghalaya, it becomes quite comprehensible that such technologies do hold the potential to turn an entire state economically empowered.

Other technologies at CSIR-CMERI’s stall

CSIR-CMERI utilised to the fullest the chance to showcase some of its other useful technologies at the Conclave which included municipal solid waste management, solar tree and artefacts, complete water purification technologies (Arsenic-Iron-Fluoride) & solutions, Effluent Treatment Plant, Hybrid Mini-Grid among others.

Chief Secretary of Meghalaya had also visited the CSIR-CMERI exhibition & expressed his interests in the technologies developed by CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur, especially the Ginger-Turmeric Processing unit, the solar-based hybrid mini-grid & municipal waste management. Such a level of interest reflects that the possibilities of utilising such technologies to make the states economically developed are now being envisioned.

World’s Largest Solar Tree

The COVID year saw CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) claiming to have developed the world’s largest ‘solar tree’ which is installed at its residential complex in Durgapur, West Bengal. The installed capacity of the solar tree is said to be above 11.5 kWp (kilowatts peak) with an annual capacity to generate 12,000-14,000 units of clean and green power. The solar tree has many solar PV panels and this entire setup has been designed in a manner that ensures every panel gets maximum exposure to sunlight. Each solar tree has the potential to save 10-12 tons of CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere. Parallelly, the surplus power that the tree generates can all be fed into the energy grid. Such solar trees can be viable for a range of agricultural activities such as high capacity pumps, e-Tractors and e-Power Tillers and more.

Ginger-Turmeric Processing tech

This is a commercially viable generic technology to process fresh spices to make essential oil and spice powders. It converts raw ginger rhizomes/ raw turmeric rhizomes into dry powder or flakes. This process yields more oil than the conventional process and also reduces processing time by one-fourth. It also results in reduced energy consumption & processing cost. The process not only ensures superior quality but also leaves a possibility for byproducts utilization.

Technologising Meghalaya

Various institutes in Meghalaya are in active discussion with CSIR-CMERI regarding the exploration of opportunities. National Institute of Technology, Meghalaya is also considering signing an MoU with CSIR-CMERI for the implementation of CSIR-CMERI Technologies in Meghalaya, Incubation of Start-Ups, Skill Development and Research Collaboration.

North-East Council too had an elaborate discussion regarding possibilities of using CSIR-developed Technologies in Meghalaya. CSIR-CMERI has also been asked to send detailed technical proposals to the North-East Council for exploring the avenues for implementation of the same in the entire North-East.