In 2015, A 500 kW roof top based Solar PV module has been successfully installed by Tata power system pvt.ltd in VIT University. The two academic buildings and rooftops of three men’s hostel buildings were used to install the unit. The system produces approximately 2200 units per day. Observation suggests that the capital investment for Solar PV will be taken back within 4-5 years of time.

Solar PV plant at CO2 RGTC

10 kWe Solar Dish Stirling Engine

Butanol is expected to replace ethyl alcohol as renewable fuel as it has got number of favorable properties as fuel compared to ethanol. After the introduction of hydro carbon fuels butanols are being produced from hydro carbon. Since Iso-butanol has a number of uses in the chemical industry as feed stock and solvent, most of the early work on the use of butanol was based on iso butanol. However, the interest in butanol as fuel has revived.

Process selection and optimization for the production of oil from sterculia oil seed and from bottle palm oil seeds is in progress, along with R&D for the production of biodiesel using these oils. A bus operated with 30% bio diesel is being evaluated for fuel efficiency, exhaust gas composition, engine wear and tear, and lubricant performance. The bus has covered more than 60,000 kms in the last two years without any breakdown R & D in Oil extraction and biodiesel production using different vegetable oil seeds.

We have installed a 300 m³ Biogas plant using the sludge from the waste water treatment plant. The plant is under operation since December 2012 and has been funded by MNRE. The 40 kVA biogas engine is being run by using the gas from the biogas plant and the evacuated power is supplied to the waste water treatment plant. Additionally 15 kVA producer gas engine is installed in the plant for the purpose of research.

A pebble bed pyroliser followed by catalytic pyrolysis/reforming unit with low temperature and chilled water condenser and gas holder has been developed and is used for the pyrolysis of waste tyres and plastics and agro bio mass. The process parameters are optimized for maximizing the required product by pyrolysing organic Pyrolysis Reactors waste. Studies are being carried out on waste tyre, HDP bags and thermacol.

As early as in 2002, VIT installed a biomass based power plant with a capacity of 90 kW using the biomass available in and around Vellore District. Each day nearly 1.8 metric tons of Juliflora wood is being used for the production of approximately 1500 units of power. This power is supplied to four hostels in the institution. VIT is now set to share the rich experience with the government for installing decentralized power plants next to each substation using the surplus agro biomass and to train the rural youth in the operation and maintenance of the biomass power plant.

CO2 Research centre has developed an engine that runs on carbon dioxide gas. This engine is hybridized with a diesel engine and is being assembled in a vehicle for demonstration and technology developmental studies. The successful demonstration will help in the mitigation of CO2 towards reducing its adverse effects on global temperatures and climatic changes.