A New Era of Sustainable Infrastructure
22 January 2025 | Photography by Auna Sando
Exploring India’s sustainability shift through IIT Madras Research Park’s innovative green energy solutions
India, the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is on a mission to reduce its carbon footprint significantly. Integration of renewable energy, advanced energy management, sustainable infrastructure, and district cooling can propel the nation toward a greener future. District cooling enables multi-building developments to manage energy demands by centralizing cooling through a shared network. It reduces peak energy loads, lowers carbon emissions, and provides cost-effective, reliable cooling for dense urban areas, positioning it as a critical solution for sustainable urban growth.
This photo essay explores how India’s building and energy sectors are evolving to embrace sustainability. Focused on the IIT Madras Research Park (IITM-RP) – a hub for innovation – it showcases the newly installed battery energy storage and thermal energy storage (TES) systems that significantly reduce dependency on coal. Elements Energy, a startup providing advanced energy management systems (EMS), is key in integrating renewable energy and optimizing energy usage. Through energy-efficient practices like green building design and smart building integration, this essay captures India’s path toward a greener future.
Sustainable development in India today is transforming, led by institutions like the IITM-RP. As one of the country’s most advanced centers for research and innovation, IITM-RP integrates renewable energy, green building practices, district cooling, and smart energy management to create a low-carbon future. By fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and startups, it accelerates the adoption of sustainable energy solutions across the country.
ITM-RP integrates renewable energy, green building practices, district cooling, and smart energy management to create a low-carbon future.
Through a commitment to sustainability, IITM-RP is reducing its carbon emissions and setting a precedent for the future of green buildings in India. Incorporating passive design techniques like natural ventilation, daylighting, and high-performance insulation reduces the need for artificial lighting, heating, or cooling.
“We have a new energy crisis, and efficiency is the largest, cheapest, safest, cleanest, and fastest way to address it.” – Amory Lovins
This principle underscores the importance of demand reduction in energy efficiency strategies. Instead of simply optimizing the energy we consume, the goal should be to minimize unnecessary energy use altogether.
One of IITM-RP’s major achievements is its ability to harness renewable energy to meet its growing power needs. With a 1.1 MW rooftop solar system complemented by a 4 MW solar plant and a 2 MW wind farm, IITM-RP has dramatically reduced its reliance on conventional energy sources.
These renewable systems are designed to work in tandem with energy storage solutions, ensuring a steady energy supply even when solar or wind generation dips. This forward-thinking approach reduces the campus’ carbon footprint while setting a standard for similar facilities nationwide.
Energy storage plays a crucial role in making renewable energy reliable and efficient. IITM-RP has implemented lithium-ion battery and TES systems to manage its energy use. A lithium-ion battery system stores excess energy for later use, ensuring uninterrupted power even when renewable generation is low.
This cutting-edge technology supports sustainable energy management by storing excess energy for optimal use, contributing to the park’s commitment to green innovation and efficiency.
TES systems, meanwhile, address the significant energy demand for cooling in tropical climates. By storing cool energy during non-peak hours, these systems help reduce the strain on conventional air conditioning, further improving energy efficiency.
Through a combination of renewable energy sources, energy storage, and smart EMSes, IITM-RP aims to achieve near-complete reliance on renewable energy. An EMS helps balance the energy supply from renewables and the grid, while intelligent controls optimize usage based on real-time data.
New-age startups like Elements Energy are leading this charge, taking a holistic approach to decarbonizing the building sector through three verticals: Design, Build, and Operate. They focus on adopting sustainable design practices and integrating renewable energy sources and advanced energy management systems into the built environment, exemplifying the potential for startups to drive sustainable development across India.
