Brain Booster for UPSC & State PCS Examination (Topic: Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research - MAHIR)

Why in Broadcast?

  • The Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have jointly launched a Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR) to quickly identify emerging technologies in the power sector and develop them indigenously, at scale, for deployment within and outside India.

Mission Objectives

  • To identify emerging technologies and areas of future relevance for the Global Power Sector and take up indigenous end-to-end development of relevant technologies.
  • To provide a common platform for Power Sector Stakeholders for collective brainstorming, synergetic technology development and devise pathways for smooth transfer of technology.
  • To support pilot projects of indigenous technologies (developed especially by Indian Start-ups) and facilitate their commercialization.
  • To leverage foreign alliances and partnerships to accelerate R&D of advanced technologies and to build competencies, capabilities and access to advanced technologies through bilateral or multilateral collaborations, thereby facilitating exchange of knowhow and Technology Transfer.
  • To seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and to create vibrant & innovative ecosystem in the Power Sector of the country.
  • To make our Nation among the leading Countries in Power System related Technologies & Applications development.

Funding

  • The Mission will be funded by pooling financial resources of the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Central Public Sector Enterprises under the two Ministries.
  • Any additional funding needed will be mobilized from Government of India’s budgetary resources.

Areas Identified for Research

To begin with, the following eight areas are identified for research:

  • Alternatives to Lithium-Ion storage batteries
  • Modifying electric cookers / pans to suit Indian cooking methods
  • Green hydrogen for mobility (High Efficiency Fuel Cell)
  • Carbon capture
  • Geo-thermal energy
  • Solid state refrigeration.
  • Nano technology for EV battery
  • Indigenous CRGO technology

Scope of the Mission

  • Under the Mission, once research areas are identified, the proposals will be invited from companies / organizations across the globe.
  • The selection of the proposal shall be done through Quality cum Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) basis.
  • The organizations of the Ministries may also co-develop the technologies with the selected Research Agency.
  • The IPR of the technology developed would be shared by the Government of India and the Research Agency.
  • The Mission shall also fund pilot projects of technologies developed by Indian Start-ups and facilitate their commercialization through the Central Public Sector Enterprises under both the Ministries.
  • The start-ups will have to share the IPR with the Government of India / Central Power Research Institute.
  • The Mission will also facilitate international collaboration for smooth exchange of know-how and Technology Transfer.
  • The Mission will also seek collaboration with the best laboratories of the world for joint development of technologies.