From pv journal International 04/23
I spent 4 years working intently with Pranav Mehta and noticed how his 5 many years of service formed the present Indian photo voltaic sector and contributed to India and the world.
A 31-year-old Mehta conceived, promoted, and applied the usage of pure fuel, as a substitute of coal, for steelmaking. He left Tata Metal to hitch the Gujarat authorities in 1982 and, eight years later, his lobbying led to the primary gas-based “sponge iron” metal plant, in Hazira. The location saved tens of millions of tons of emissions related to coking coal-based manufacturing and introduced jobs and financial advantages.
Mehta was honored with the Ministry of Metal and Mines’ Nationwide Metallurgist Award in 1990, offered by the Indian Institute of Metals, and he was felicitated by future president APJ Abdul Kalam on the ceremony.
As compressed pure fuel advisor to the Gujarat State Petroleum Company – an appointment made by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi – Mehta has been instrumental in lowering air air pollution within the megacity of Ahmedabad and different cities within the state.
Day journey
Mehta’s photo voltaic journey started in 2006 and, working with the previous state physique Planning Fee of India, he steered the Ministry of New and Renewable Power to give you India’s first photo voltaic coverage two years in the past. From the preliminary objective of fifty MW of photo voltaic technology capability, India now has 63 GW, and is the fifth largest photo voltaic state on this planet.
In Could 2013, Mehta based the commerce physique NSEFI to characterize the complete photo voltaic provide chain, together with regional, nationwide, and worldwide builders; producers; engineering, procurement, and development contractors; installers; and system integrators; together with small and medium-sized enterprises.
NSEFI is working with central and state governments in the direction of India’s objective of 450 GW of renewable capability by 2030 and has achieved the objective of constructing photo voltaic reasonably priced in lower than a decade, below Mehta’s management.
Management in India
NSEFI additionally performed an essential position in co-founding the International Photo voltaic Council on the COP21 local weather change summit in Paris in 2015, together with different nationwide photo voltaic associations. This transfer is a crucial recognition of India’s rising position within the world photo voltaic narrative. Later, in 2019, Mehta grew to become the primary Indian to chair the International Photo voltaic Council and his tenure was marked by advocacy at world platforms, particularly in creating international locations, for the necessity to speed up set up photo voltaic. Mehta was additionally the primary Indian to sit down on the seven-member steering committee of the Worldwide Renewable Power Company’s Coalition for Motion, in 2019.
Due to India’s success with photo voltaic power, and Shri Mehta’s management and involvement within the business, he has been invited by governments and different establishments from 15 international locations together with the USA, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain , China, Taiwan, Qatar. , the UAE, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Egypt to share his views and expertise within the areas of coverage advocacy, photo voltaic progress planning, ability growth, and the usage of photo voltaic power to make sure sustainable progress . By these world efforts and actions Mehta stored the Indian flag flying excessive internationally.
Rewards and recognition
Mehta has obtained accolades, each in India and world wide. Key awards he has honored embody the Photo voltaic Visionary Influencer and Disruptor Award from the Abu Dhabi-based Cleantech Enterprise Membership, in 2019. This award was beforehand obtained by Tony Seba, of Stanford College, and former German MP Hans-Joseph Fell .
Shri Mehta additionally obtained the Excellent Inexperienced Activist Award from the Indian Federation of Inexperienced Power, with the dignity offered by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Roads, Transport, and Highways, in 2019. The Indian photo voltaic champion obtained the International Excellence Award in Renewable Power 2017, from the Power and Surroundings Basis and then-energy minister Piyush Goyal.
Mehta’s efforts have had a major socioeconomic influence, when it comes to catalyzing large-scale funding, creating entrepreneurship within the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprize (MSME) sector – particularly among the many youth. entrepreneur – and he obtained the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises with recognition given by MSME minister Haribhai Chaudhari in 2017.
In Shri Mehta, the world has misplaced a local weather warrior, the nation has misplaced a real son and power ambassador, and the Indian photo voltaic business has misplaced a visionary chief. . The perfect tribute we are able to pay him is to hold on his legacy by persevering with his work and constructing the inspiration of his imaginative and prescient for a sustainable India and a sustainable world.
Concerning the writer: Subrahmanyam Pulipaka is the NSEFI chief govt. He is without doubt one of the youngest winners of the BRICS Younger Scientist Award 2018. A famend speaker at varied photo voltaic and renewable power occasions in India, Pulipaka has represented India at varied scientific and technological platforms throughout world, together with the USA, China, Russia, and Rwanda. With a background in photo voltaic module reliability analysis, he has revealed greater than a dozen analysis articles in internationally acknowledged journals. He’s additionally the founding chairman of the India Africa Youth Power Discussion board, a platform devoted to nurturing future power leaders in each markets.
The views and opinions expressed on this article are these of the writer, and don’t essentially mirror these held by pv journal.
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