Nashik: NIMA Training Promotes Solar Thermal Technology To Cut Industrial Fuel Costs

Nashik: The Nashik Industries and Manufacturers' Association (NIMA) organised a two-day technical training programme on Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology at NIMA Hall to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) reduce production costs, save fuel and curb carbon emissions.

The programme was inaugurated in the presence of NIMA president Ashish Nahar, secretary Rajendra Ahire, vice-presidents Kishor Rathi and Manish Rawal, energy committee chairman Milind Rajput, Global Sustainable Energy Solutions India managing director Dwipen Barua and IT Power chief consultant Pranab Kumar Nath. The initiative was jointly organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with NIMA's support. The training is particularly relevant for industries in agro-processing, dairy, wineries and foundries that require substantial heat for their production processes.

Addressing the participants, Barua and Nath explained that concentrated solar thermal technology could provide an effective alternative to conventional fuels such as coal, furnace oil, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and biofuels used for industrial heating. Its adoption can help industries reduce fuel expenditure, improve energy efficiency and minimise environmental damage.

The first day covered the fundamentals of solar thermal technology, industrial heat requirements, different technology options and successful implementation examples from Indian industries. Participants were also guided on assessing the technical suitability of industrial sites, solar energy availability, determining project capacity and evaluating technical feasibility.

The programme further covered capital investment requirements, thermal energy storage systems, installation costs, return on investment, the cost of heat generation per unit and various financing options to help entrepreneurs assess the economic viability of adopting the technology.

In his introductory address, Nahar highlighted the importance of solar thermal technology and urged industrialists to adopt energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable solutions to reduce operating costs.

The remaining training sessions will be conducted online, featuring technical information and experiences from industrialists across different states. Interested entrepreneurs have been encouraged to contact the NIMA office for further details.

Several industrialists attended the event, including Kiran Khabiya, Amit Kulkarni, Govind Borse, Jaydeep Rajput, Uday Rakibe, Nanasaheb Devre, Nakul Borade, Anant Deshmukh, Kiran Wani, Gopal Chandak and Vipul Shinkar.