This document provides an overview of the National Center for Photovoltaics, Research and Education (NCPRE) in India. It discusses NCPRE's history, achievements over two phases of funding totaling 110 crore from 2010-2021, research outputs including 245 journal papers and 325 conference presentations. NCPRE has 29 faculty members and 170 students conducting research in areas like thin films, power electronics, battery storage and more. It has fostered several startups and has extensive international collaborations. NCPRE is seeking industrial members to help guide future research and commercialization efforts in power electronics over the next phase.

1. National Center for Photovoltaic Research
and Education (NCPRE)
by
Prof. Sandeep Anand
In-charge of Power Electronics and Grid Integration Group
(Lead-PI: Prof. B.G. Fernandes & Prof. S. Doolla)
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai-400076, India
March 29th, 2022

2. Agenda of the Presentation
• History and Contribution
• Milestone Achievements of NCPRE
• Call for Industrial Members
• Future Vision of Upcoming NCPRE Phase 3
• Facilities for Cutting Edge Research

3. National Center for Photovoltaics, Research and
Education(NCPRE)
• NCPRE set up by MNRE (Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy) in 2010 as a part of National Solar
Mission
• Two phases (5 years each) completed
• Total funding: 110 Crore from 2010-2021
– Excellent research facilities
– Manpower: 29 faculty members and about 170 post-
graduate students and research assistants from 8 different
departments contribute to various activities of NCPRE
– Research Output: 245 journal papers, 325 conference
presentations
– Technologies Developed: 22 patent applications
Fig. Demonstration of Power Electronics
Prototypes to Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi
Fig. All India PV Survey

4. Fostering Startups
• Virya batteries
• Price: USD 160 / KWh
• Production Status/Manufacturing
Capacity: with Contract manufacturer,
Manufacturing capacity phase I – 1 GWh by
2023
Our cells never catch FIRE even slicing at full charge condition
Winner of Uber E-mobility Innovation Challenge 2021
• SolarMarQ
• MOTIVATION – field EL imaging with
laminated budget
• DSLR Camera : Low cost EL camera
• 13 EL Pro units shipped to 4
different countries
A PV Test Equipment
Company

5. NCPRE – A Magnet for International Collaboration & Projects
NCPRE Groups Indo – UK
(Microgrids)
Indo - UK
(SUNRISE)
Indo-Norwegian
(New Wafers)
Indo – US
(SERIIUS)
Indo-Swedish
(Halide
Perovskites)
Indo-Dutch
(Power
Electronics)
Indo-US
(Waterless
cleaning of
panels)
Silicon Cell
PV Module
Reliability
Thin Films &
New Materials
Power
Electronics
Battery

6. Industrial Collaboration

7. Power Electronics Group
Thin Film Group
Silicon Group
Module Reliability Group
Energy Storage Group
Areas of Research : NCPRE

8. Power Electronics and Grid Integration
Key Research Projects
• Solar PV Inverter for urban home :
– Single Phase 2.5 kVA SiC Based Hybrid PV inverter (PV + Battery + Grid)
– Smart Inverter features LVRT, Islanding, MPPT, etc.
• Solar PV Inverter for Rural Home :
– 300 VA and 500 VA Low Cost PV Battery Integrated Standalone inverter
• Low cost ferrite based BLDC Motor for a PV based
deep-well submersible pump
– Reduces dependency on China for 𝑁𝑑𝐹𝑒𝐵 magnets
– Supplied the technology to the industry (Technoride Solutions Private Limited)
SiC based hybrid power inverter (TRL 6)
Ferrite based BLDC Motor (TRL 7)
Technoride
Solutions
Private
Limited
Standalone Inverter (TRL 6)
https://www.technoride.net.in/dware and
software solutions (technoride.net.in)

9. Call for Industrial Members
Advantages
Deliverable including
exhaustive research
Branding on NCPRE
Website
Access to Manpower –
PhD / M.Tech students
Continuous Interaction
through meetings /
workshops
Role
Help us to identify
market needs and
specification.
Defining the next 5
years of R&D in
power electronics
Help in packaging
Facilitate the field
trial and
deployment.
Facilitate
commercialization.

10. Contribution
Contribution
Direct funding support/ cash
support
CSR funding support
Letter of intent followed by the discussions.
Sample Letter of Intent is shown →

11. SiC based
Solar Inverters
SiC based
Inverters
SiC based
Inverters
Future Vision of Phase 3
MV Grid
• Wide band gap devices such as SiC and
GaN operates at high frequency,
temperature
• SiC helps in shift the device capability in
MW, kHz and kV range
• Opens the gate way to develop single
converter of MW range with high power
density.
• Solar PV is most important player in
renewable sector , expanding at a very
high rate.
• Low frequency transformer can be
eliminated by medium frequency
transformer using Silicon Carbide (SiC)
based Medium Voltage (MV) connected
PV inverters for mega plants
MV SiC Converters

12. MV Laboratory Set up

13. Facilities : Tools for Cutting Edge Research

14. Thank You !