National
Renewable Energy Microgrid Power Plant for electrical energy requirements of rural communities
⇒ Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, launched the indigenous Technology of Hybrid Green Energy Microgrid for Electrical energy requirements of the Rural communities at Elephant Rehabilitation Centre (ERC), Kottoor, Thiruvananthapuram on 10 August 2023.
- It was developed by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram, as part of National Mission on Power Electronics Technology (NaMPET) Program.
About Microgrid:
- A renewable energy microgrid is an autonomous, localised and self-contained energy system that incorporates renewable energy sources as its primary generation inputs.
- The major building blocks of a renewable energy microgrid include various components and systems that work together to generate, store, manage, and distribute energy in a localized and sustainable manner.
- In the off-grid mode of operation of a microgrid, it generates, stores, and distributes electricity within a specific area or community while prioritizing the use of renewable energy to minimize reliance on fossil fuels and reduce environmental impact.
- In the on-grid mode of operation, the microgrid will be able to interact with utility grid and export power if the generation is excess of what is locally needed.
- In the microgrid scheme implemented in ERC, a unique 25kW Power Conditioning Unit technology using Silicon Carbide, a Wide Band Gap Semiconductor device operating at 50kHz and avoiding bulky 50Hz transformer make the system very compact and a container-based deployment in remote location is realised.
- The above Technology is developed by CDAC.
Rising India - She Shakti by Network 18
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced a function ‘Rising India – She Shakti’ in New Delhi on August 11, 2023.
» Rising India She Shakti is a Network18 initiative that aims to shine a spotlight on just some of these incredible women, and to celebrate their strength, resilience, and limitless potential.
Organized by:
This event was organized by Network 18 to acknowledge, honour and celebrate women achievers.
Highlights:
- The event served as a platform where women from every level of society, from tribal artists to heavy machinery operators, from social workers and village panchayats to presidents, all came together to share their stories, learnings, their motivations, and a lot more besides.
- The central theme of the event, ‘main kar sakti hoon, main she shakti hoon,’ was echoed by all at various points during the day.
- The day-long session was insightful and most certainly worth a watch, and we strongly recommend taking the time off to understand how women are shaping India’s future, and to learn how we can support such women in making this happen.
International
27th Exercise MALABAR 2023
⇒ The 27th edition of Exercise MALABAR, concluded on the East Coast of Australia off Sydney on 21 August 2023. The multilateral naval exercise Malabar 2023 began on 11 August 2023.
- MALABAR 2023 was hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Participation:
- The exercise saw participation of Ships, Submarines and aircraft from the Indian Navy (IN), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and the US Navy (USN).
- The Indian Navy was represented by indigenously built Destroyer INS Kolkata, Frigate INS Sahyadri and P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
- Other participating units included RAN ships HMAS Choules and HMAS Brisbane, USS Raphael Peralta, JS Shiranui, along with submarines, fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft and shipborne helicopters.
Phases of Exercise:
Exercise MALABAR 23 was conducted in two phases, which included a harbour phase from 11-15 August 2023 and a sea phase from 16-21 August 2023.
Harbour Phase:
The Harbour Phase involved wide-ranging activities such as cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, sports fixtures and several interactions for planning and conduct of the Sea Phase.
Sea Phase:
- While the ships sailed out for the sea phase from Sydney harbour, the Air assets operated from RAAF Amberley Brisbane, where the P-8I Dets involving IN, RAAF and US P-8 crew were stationed.
- The sea phase of Ex Malabar witnessed complex and high intensity exercises in air, surface and undersea domains, weapon firings and cross deck helicopter operations.
- The joint exercises at sea honed the war-fighting skills and enhanced interoperability between the four navies to undertake advanced maritime operations.
- The seamless integration of air assets also showcased the exceptional coordination and interoperability between the Indian, Australian and US maritime patrol aircraft units.
» The exercise not only reaffirmed the ability of the four navies to operate together as an integrated force but also highlighted their shared commitment to maritime security and regional stability through collaborative training and mutual understanding.
» At the culmination of five days of multifarious exercises, Exercise MALABAR vividly showcased the strong cooperation, shared values and the collective ability of the four participating nations to ensure a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific promoting peace and security for all.
About MALABAR Exercise:
- MALABAR series of maritime exercise commenced in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between Indian Navy and US Navy.
- It has grown in stature over the years to include four prominent navies in the Indo-Pacific Region. The 2020 edition witnessed the maiden participation of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Death
Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha
⇒ Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha died in Kolkata on 11 August 2023. The veteran nuclear physicist who specialized in high energy physics was 78.
About Shri Sinha:
- Shri Sinha was the director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), from where he retired in June 2009, and the chairman of the board of governors of the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur.
- He was the Homi Bhabha Chair Professor of VECC. He was also a member of the scientific advisory board to the Prime Minister of India.
- Sinha was awarded the Padma Shri in 2003 and Padma Bhushan in 2010.