Researchers at IIT-M develop solar parabolic trough collector

Chennai, May 21 (): A new trough collector equipped with enhanced energy to serve industries has been developed by Indian Institute of Madras (IIT-M), its researchers said here on Wednesday. The 'Parabolic Trough Collector' is a lightweight and low-cost system with high energy efficiency and can operate under the country's varied climatic conditions. Besides, it can pave way for sustainable energy solutions in agriculture and industrial process heat sectors. The 'Trough Collector' focuses sunlight on a small area where it is absorbed and then utilised for heating and subsequently into energy generation, the researchers said. The system can help manufacturers in solar energy devices with higher efficiency, they said. The concept also follows the Centre's National Solar Mission which has set a target of providing 20,000 MW solar power by 2022. Commenting on the development, IIT-M professor K Srinivas Reddy said solar energy is a most propitious technology for clinching sustainability in the energy domain. "Particularly, concentrated solar power technology can meet therma and electrical energy demands due to its high dispatchability and reliability", Reddy, who led the team to develop the collector, said. States like Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat have great potential to harness this energy, he said. VIJ NVG NVG