A National Seminar on “Biomass Management for Energy Purposes – Issues and Strategies” was organized on 11-12 December 2004 at Anand.  The objectives of the Seminar were:

• To review and document the status of biomass management.

• To identify issues related to the efficient management of biomass for energy purposes and make appropriate recommendations.

Six comprehensive papers on different subjects related to biomass management were prepared by eminent scientists and these were presented in the Seminar. The presentations were followed by detailed discussions in which the major issues were identified. The recommendations made were issue specific and covered subjects like development of information base, financial support for result oriented research and formulation of an appropriate strategy to achieve conservation and proper utilization of the biomass resources for various purposes including energy generation.  Eighty one participants from research and educational institutions, Govt. departments and agencies, industries and NGOs participated in the Seminar.

Another National Seminar on “Biomass Based Decentralized Power Generation” was organized on 21-22 January 2005 at Anand.  The objectives were: 

• To review and document the status of different biomass based power generation technologies.

• To identify major issues and make appropriate recommendations for utilizing biomass to supplement inadequate grid power supply to the rural sector through decentralized power generation.

Ten comprehensive papers were prepared by the experts on different topics related to the Seminar theme and presented in the Seminar.  Detailed discussions on the presentations were utilized to identify the important issues which needed to be addressed to promote biomass based decentralized power generation. Issue specific recommendations were made. One hundred and ten participants from research and educational institutions, Govt. departments and agencies, industries and NGOs participated in the Seminar.

On December 11 – 12, 2004 SPRERI organized an exhibition of the renewable energy devices and systems with focus on latest developments. In addition to the R&D organizations many industries manufacturing renewable energy gadgets and systems participated in the exhibition.

Shri C.B. Patel, an eminent engineer and Chairman, Charutar Gramoddhar Sahakari Mandal Ltd. Was invited to deliver guest lecture.  Shri Patel spoke on the development of Vallabh Vidyanagar as a leading educational center.

The Hari Om Ashram Young Scientist award for outstanding research in the field of renewable energy (1998-2002) was given to Dr. G.R. Ramakrishna Murthy for his Doctoral thesis on “Development and Performance Evaluation of Fertilizer Salt Gradient Solar Ponds”.

Prof. (Mrs) P.P. Parikh was felicitated for her contributions in the field of renewable energy at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.  Former members of the Board of Management of SPRERI and its former Directors were also felicitated for their contributions to the development of SPRERI as a premier institution for renewable energy research and development.