STIP Lecture "Sustainable Development: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation" by Dr R Chidambaram, chaired by Dr Harsh Vardhan | IHC, 26 September, 7:00 pm

You are cordially invited to the First Lecture under 

Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (STIP) Forum Lecture Series

(a collaborative initiative of RIS, TERI, CSE, CEFIPRA and IHC)

on

"Sustainable Development: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation"

by

Dr. R. Chidambaram 

Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India & DAE Homi Bhabha Chair Professor

Chair: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

Hon'ble Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences & Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Date: 26 September 2017, Tuesday | Time: 7.00 PM

Venue: Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (Entry from Gate No.2)

About the Speaker: Dr. R. Chidambaram is the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet. He is also a Member of the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change, Chairman of the High-Level Committee for the National Knowledge Network and a member of the Space Commission. Dr. Chidambaram is one of India's distinguished experimental physicists and he has made outstanding contributions to many aspects of basic science and nuclear technology. Dr. Chidambaram has been awarded the Padma Shri in 1975 and Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India, in 1999. 

About the Chair: Dr Harsh Vardhan, at present Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Government of India, was a practicing ENT surgeon before entering public life in 1993. He took over as Minister for Science &Technology and Earth Sciences in November 2014. He is committed to set a roadmap for the implementation of the "Make in India" programme by building a robust R&D infrastructure and promoting synergies between industry and scientific research institutions. The World Health Organisation recognised his contribution to society and awarded him the Director-General's Commendation Medal at a prestigious function held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, in May 1998.

About the Series: Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) Forum has been initiated with the objective of promoting debate on various aspects of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. The STIPF will go beyond the disciplinary boundaries by taking into account the intersectionality of Science & Technology and Innovation. It will also bridge the gap between the science and society for dissemination of scientific achievements as well as for generalising debate of societal aspirations and promoting responsible research and innovations. 

RSVP: Dr. K Ravi Srinivas/Mr. Tish Malhotra, Tel.: 011-24682176, Email: ravisrinivas[@]ris.org.in, dgoffice[@]ris.org.in

Competition for PostDocs during the Annual Meeting of Lifesciences Switzerland

Competition for PostDocs during the Annual Meeting of Lifesciences Switzerland

Call for applications to the "PIs of Tomorrow: The Future of Swiss Research" session at the next LS2 Annual Meeting 2018, taking place in Lausanne, Switzerland, 12-13 February. This session offers postdocs interested in an academic career an opportunity to present a talk similar in format to a professorship application interview. Selected participants will have the chance to get a slot for a 15-minute scientific presentation, which should be addressed to a broad audience and in which both the achievements accomplished and the proposed future scientific activities are to be explained. If selected, travel and accommodation fees will be paid by the LS2 organisation.

Further Details

Frugality and Cross-Sectoral Policymaking for Food Security | by Bhaduri, Sinha, & Knorringa

Frugality and Cross-Sectoral Policymaking for Food Security

by Saradindu Bhaduri, Kinsuk Mani Sinha & Peter Knorringa, NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 2017, DOI: 10.1016/j.njas.2017.08.002. 

Abstract: The growing concerns about food security, especially in the disadvantaged regions of the world, often point out the inadequacies of strictly sectoral approaches to addressing the problems of agriculture. Such policy approaches coincided with the rise of a global, top-down, formal, science-driven development of agriculture. Over time, such interventions have drawn criticism from multiple corners as inadequately addressing the need for local variation in institutional contexts. The objective of this paper is to adopt a bottom-up perspective to address the need for cross-sectorality in food security policies. Sustainable Rural Livelihood (SRL) and Grassroots Innovation (GI) are two well recognized schools of thought which emphasize the cross-sectoral approaches to livelihood and local level problem-solving. By embracing a frugality lens, we can offer a conceptual regularity in the patterns of behaviour and decision-making highlighted by the SRL and GI schools of thought. Taking a step further, the frugality lens, by focusing on the usefulness of a decision in the actual environment, emphasizes the need to diagnose local institutions better. Note, however, that the contention of the current paper is not to posit 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' as two competing paradigms. It only argues that a frugality lens helps us to better appreciate the strengths of a bottom-up approach for effective policy formulation, an appreciation of which would promote a dignified marriage between the two perspectives.

Highlights:- The need for a cross sectoral policymaking is suggested to better achieve food security in local contexts. Frugality thinking in policymaking is an important way to achieve such cross-sectorality. Frugality can offer a theoretical framework for discourses on grassroots innovations and Sustainable Rural Livelihood. A frugality lens can ensure diagnosis of local institutions needed for policymaking. Two Kenyan cases were discussed as an illustration.

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Report of the Symposium on SDGs, Knowledge and Democracy: Re-imagining Purposes and Opportunities, held at SNU, Greater Noida

Report of the Symposium on SDGs, Knowledge and Democracy: Re-imagining Purposes and Opportunities, organized at Shiv Nadar University (SNU), Greater Noida, U.P., by SHSS, SNU, and CSSP, Jawaharlal Nehru University, during 16-17 January 2017. Report was prepared by Rajeswari S. Raina, SHSS, SNU, March 2017.

Download Full-text PDF (Open Access)

Call for Applications: NITTTR-ITEC Advanced Certificate Course on Modern Library Practices at NITTTR, Chennai, India

NITTTR-ITEC Advanced Certificate on Modern Library Practices 

Where: National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chennai, India

When: 29th November 2017 to 23rd January 2018 (8 Weeks)

Aims of the Course: To develop appropriate competencies and skills of Library and Information Faculty/ Professionals in the digital era - streamlining library processes, promoting and enhancing reading habits among the users - Managing and developing web / traditional resource collections, services and facilities.

Eligibility Criteria for Participants: Applicants for this course must be: Faculty in Library and Information Science or practicing library professionals; completed a diploma / degree in Library and Information Science or equivalent; Minimum of two years experience in teaching / administration of Library; Good proficiency in English; Preferably not more than 45 years. 

Allowances: The Programme covers return travel of the participants between his/her home country and India, accommodation, etc., as per the rules governing ITEC/SCAAP Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Further details can be viewed from the ITEC website: www.itec.mea.gov.in. 

Participation: Only applicants from the least-developed countries (LDCs)/ developing countries will be selected. 

Further Details and Application Link | Course Brochure | ITEC Website | Also Visit the Website of Indian Mission in Your Country

Call for Applications: RIS-ITEC Programmes on South-South Coopeartion Courses at RIS, New Delhi

RIS-ITEC Programmes on South-South Coopeartion Courses at Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi:

• Science Diplomacy | 8-19 January 2018 | Last date for submission of Application Form to Indian Missions: 31 December 2017
• Learning South-South Cooperation | Last date for submission of Application Form to Indian Missions: 12 November 2017
• International Economic Issues and Development Policy (IEIDP) | 12 February to 9 March 2018 | Last date for submission of Application Form to Indian Missions: 15 January 2018

Allowances: The Programmes cover return travel of the participants between his/her home country and India, accommodation, living allowance, book allowance etc., as per the rules governing ITEC/SCAAP Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Further details can be viewed from the ITEC website: https://www.itecgoi.in. 

Participation: Only applicants from the least-developed countries (LDCs)/ developing countries will be selected. 

Further Details | Online Application Link| ITEC Website

AJIP Papers "Inclusive Innovation in India: Contemporary Landscape" & "Inclusive Innovation in India: Historical Roots" | by VV Krishna

Inclusive Innovation in India: Contemporary Landscape

by Venni V Krishna, Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy, 2017, 6(1): 1-22.

Abstract: The essence of inclusive innovation is to serve poor, marginalized and underprivileged sections of society to improve their livelihoods and enable them to climb up the socio-economic ladder. In this article, we explore the contemporary Indian landscape. There is a diversity of institutions and institutional approaches, multiple methodologies and goals in promoting inclusive innovations in this landscape. There are grassroots innovation institutions. All these institutions and groups have demonstrated how to improve the living conditions of poor people and enhance their income. They have developed different methodologies of inclusive innovation to intervene, build capacities and capabilities of poor people towards bridging informal and formal sectors of economy. Indian landscape can now boast of some successful models and a "social laboratory" for inclusive innovation. The challenge, however, remains to replicate and multiply these models to impact other sectors of Indian informal economy.

Keywords: Inclusive innovation, inclusive growth, contemporary landscape, grass roots innovation, organizational innovation, Barefoot College, demystifying technology, White Revolution.

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Inclusive Innovation in India: Historical Roots

by Venni V Krishna, Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy, 2017, 6(2): 170-191.

Abstract: Inclusive innovation refers to different types and forms of innovation activities or performance by which we can get more for lesser cost and which could cater and meet the needs and demands of more people. The essence of inclusive innovation is to help poor, marginalized and underprivileged sections of society to improve their livelihoods and enable them to climb up the socio-economic ladder. In the current phase of economic slowdown, increasing unemployment and inequalities, World Bank, OECD and various governments are turning towards inclusive innovation as a new source of optimism or even as a new innovation strategy. Whilst it is being reframed or packaged as a novel or a new strategy, one can trace its historical roots to the AT movement and the Gandhian ideas of economy and society in the 1940s and 1950s. These ideas have inspired and influenced a range of individuals, institutions and civil society groups in inclusive innovation.

Keywords: Inclusive innovation, inclusive growth, grass roots innovation, Barefoot College, demystifying technology, White Revolution.

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New Report | Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study

by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (USA), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA), Power System Operation Corporation Ltd. (India), and the United States Agency for International Development (USA), June 2017.

 

Abstract

The use of renewable energy (RE) sources, primarily wind and solar generation, is poised to grow significantly within the Indian power system. The Government of India has established a target of 175 gigawatts (GW) of installed RE capacity by 2022, including 60 GW of wind and 100 GW of solar, up from 29 GW wind and 9 GW solar at the beginning of 2017. Using advanced weather and power system modeling made for this project, the study team is able to explore operational impacts of meeting India's RE targets and identify actions that may be favorable for integration.

Our primary tool is a detailed production cost model, which simulates optimal scheduling and dispatch of available generation in a future year (2022) by minimizing total production costs subject to physical, operational, and market constraints. Our team comprises a core group from the Power System Operation Corporation, Ltd. (POSOCO), which is the national grid operator (with representation from the National, Southern, and Western Regional Load Dispatch Centers) under Ministry of Power, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), and a broader modeling team that includes Central Electricity Authority (CEA), POWERGRID (the central transmission utility, CTU), and State Load Dispatch Centers in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh. Our model includes high-resolution wind and solar data (forecasts and actuals), unique properties for each generator, CEA/CTU's anticipated buildout of the power system, and enforced state-to-state transmission flows.

Assuming the fulfillment of current efforts to provide better access to the physical flexibility of the power system, we find that power system balancing with 100 GW of solar and 60 GW of wind is achievable at 15-minute operational timescales with minimal RE curtailment. This RE capacity meets 22% of total projected 2022 electricity consumption in India with annual RE curtailment of 1.4%, in line with experiences in other countries with significant RE penetrations (Bird et. al. 2016). Changes to operational practice can further reduce the cost of operating the power system and reduce RE curtailment. Coordinating scheduling and dispatch over a broader area is the largest driver to reduce costs, saving INR 6300 crore (USD 980 million) annually when optimized regionally. Lowering minimum operating levels of coal plants (from 70% to 40%) is the biggest driver to reduce RE curtailment - from 3.5% down to 0.76%. In fact, this operating property is more influential than faster thermal generation ramp rates in lowering the projected levels of curtailment.

While this study does not answer every question relevant to planning for India's 2022 RE targets, it is an important step toward analyzing operational challenges and cost saving opportunities using state-of-the-art power system planning tools. Further analysis can build upon this basis to explore optimal renewable resource and intrastate transmission siting, system stability during contingencies, and the influence of total power system investment costs on customer tariffs.

 

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Study Scenarios, Assumptions, and Methodology

3 Customizing the Model for the Indian Context

4 Operational Impacts of 175 GW RE

5 Strategies to Improve RE Integration

6 Impacts of Other RE Targets on the Indian Power System

7 Conclusion

 

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Further Details