Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR)

Context: 

The Union Government recently launched a National Mission to quickly identify emerging technologies in the power sector and develop them indigenously, at scale, for deployment within and outside India. 

About the Mission:

• Launched by: Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
• Aim: 
  • To facilitate indigenous research, development and demonstration of the latest and emerging technologies in the power sector. 
  • To identify emerging technologies and take them to the implementation stage
  • To leverage emerging technologies as the main fuel for future economic growth and thus make India a manufacturing hub of the world.

• Funding: 
  • 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 mobilised from Government of India’s budgetary resources.
• Duration of Mission: Planned for an initial period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28, the Mission will follow the technology life cycle approach of Idea to Product.

Objectives:

• 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 research & development 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 a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in the Power Sector of the country.
• To make India among the leading countries in Power System related Technologies & Applications development.

Areas 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

News Source: PIB

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