IIT Delhi installs eco-friendly charging station | Fusion - WeRIndia

To bring the latest eco-friendly technology to people, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi launched eco-friendly charging stations at the campus.

This charging station is powered by high durable Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) to help charge electronic devices like laptop, mobile phones, tablets, portable chargers, mobile banks etc.

The Sustainable Environergy Research Lab (SERL) under the Department of Chemical Engineering designed the VRFB powered charging station. The department has been working on VRFB technology for a few years. IIT Director Professor Ram Gopal Rao commenced the facility.

The charging station is useful for students and professors at IIT Delhi and visitors. DST, MHRD, and IIT Delhi collectively funded the project.

One of the notable features of the VRFB technology is it can use renewable energy efficiently. The technology utilizes liquid electrolyte to store electrical energy. The electrical energy is stored in the liquid electrolyte during charging while the stored energy is used during discharge. Moreover, it does not emit carbon footprint. It has a long discharge time. In addition to that, it is cost-effective.

The stored energy is used for different applications. Hence, it is ideal for domestic as well as commercial electricity backup process, e-vehicle charging, electrification in rural areas etc.

As VRFB technology is easily scalable, it can be used extensively. It has many benefits. The first and foremost benefit is, it is eco-friendly. It does not have emissions. Besides, it is durable. Dr Anil Verma, professor at the chemical engineering department said that the VRFB technology is an ideal substitution for diesel generators.

He also said that the research group developed the second generation prototype. The team gathers the data to identify ambient conditions to make further changes in design and operation. Based on the data, the team will design the next-generation prototype.

Image Credit: Asad K electro / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IIT_Delhi_Entrance.jpg