CSIR-CMERI Registers Name in Guinness Book of World Records for Developing World’s Largest Solar Tree

In a bid to promote the usage of solar energy, CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI) has developed the world’s largest ‘solar tree’ that can be used to convert solar energy to electricity.  

The solar tree has been installed at ‘Centre of Excellence for Farm Machinery’, Ludhiana, Punjab and is officially certified by Guinness World Records (GWR) as the Largest Solar Tree in the world.

The total solar photovoltaic (PV) panel surface area is 309.83 sq.m in this installation, surpassing the previous record of 67 sq.m.

Besides, the installed capacity of the ‘Solar Tree’ is 53.6 kWp (kilowatts peak) with a capacity to generate 160-200 units per day of Clean and Green Power.
 
Commenting on the achievement, Prof. (Dr.) Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, saif “It gives us immense pleasure to announce a slew of innovative applications that will follow the Solar Tree. Being part of the Guiness World Records (GWR) as the Largest Solar Tree is definitely a feather in the cap and a booster for all the scientists who has worked in the project.”

Dr. Hirani further added that, these solar trees have wide applications such as distributed power generation to cater the needs of different integrated faming activities of charging e- tractors, e-power tillers & EV charging station, running agriculture pumps for irrigation needs, solar based cooking system for food preparation needs at the farm site, powering the cold storage needs of the farm produce thereby increasing the shelf life.

Prof. Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur while addressing the media announced innovative technologies –

The energy requirements for the integrated farm, like irrigation pumps, tractors, power tillers, motors, cold storage, processing facilities, fish farming, can be met from the energy produced by the solar tree making it a self-sustainable energy surplus system.
 
The Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) is the apex R&D institute for mechanical engineering under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Being the only national level research institute in this field, CMERI’s mandate is to serve industry and develop mechanical engineering technology so that India’s dependence on foreign collaboration is substantially reduced in strategic and economy sectors. Besides, the institute is facilitating innovations and inventions for establishing the claims of Indian talent in international fields where Indian products shall ultimately compete.