SEI-1: Roadmapping and Policy Assessment

Solar Energy Research Center for India and the United States (SERIIUS)

Thrust:

Solar Energy Integration

Activity:

Roadmapping and assessment

Objective:

To address the technical grand challenges for wide-scale application of solar energy in India, and to ensure the eventual deployment of SERIIUS-developed disruptive technologies by identifying, analyzing, and assessing technical, economic, environmental, and policy aspects for developing and executing solar technologies in India, including understanding resources, infrastructure, constraints, scale, deployment scenarios, and policy needs.

Project Milestones:

S1: Report on resource assessment and technology roadmap frameworks for PV and CSP in India (annual).

S2: Detailed roadmaps (SERIIUS R&D priorities) (biennial).

Task 1: Roadmapping and policy assessment

  • Center for the Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP)
  • RAND Corporation
Identify present and potential future solar energy applications specific to India and then develop technology roadmaps for the platforms investigated in our PV and CSP thrusts, including resource assessment, critical technology development, environmental impact, and processing and manufacturing needs. Identify and assess barriers to deployment of PV and CSP electricity in India similar to and different from deployment in the U.S., as well as additional R&D needs and technology roadmaps specific to India. This information will help focus and accelerate SERIIUS R&D. Assess the technology status and identify the critical R&D gaps that will be employed to help define research priorities. We will publish an annual report highlighting R&D priorities and describing the projects undertaken by SERIIUS align with these priorities, noting programs and remaining deficiencies. Use CSTEP’s and RAND’s expertise to study the existing policy framework for solar energy in India and provide technical, economic, environmental, and policy analyses. Assess the current state of the technology and the existing policy and regulatory framework, and examine the technical and market factors.