Seasonally optimized calibrations improve low-cost sensor performance: long-term field evaluation of PurpleAir sensors in urban and rural India

Lower-cost air pollution sensors can fill critical air quality data gaps in India, which experiences very high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution but has sparse regulatory air monitoring. Challenges for low-cost PM2.5 sensors in India include high-aerosol mass concentrations and pronounced regional and seasonal gradients in aerosol composition. Here, we report on a detailed long-time performance evaluation of a popular sensor, the Purple Air PA-II, at multiple sites in India.

Intern

The intern should be able to assist in the ongoing work and help in putting together training/capacity-building modules and sessions. She/he should be willing to work under guidance and deliver in a reasonable amount of time.

 

Responsibilities

Consultant

The candidate should be able to conduct research, contribute to policy enrichment, and write proposals on circular economy. The role requires a good knowledge of the circular economy field. The incumbent should be willing to work under guidance and deliver in a reasonable amount of time.

 

Responsibilities

Intern (Decarbonisation)

We are looking for a dedicated intern to support our research and analysis efforts in the field of data centre decarbonisation in India. The selected candidate will work with an industry partner (engaged with CSTEP) in this segment and play a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of the current state of data centre emissions and identifying strategies for decarbonisation from 2025 to 2030.

 

Responsibilities:

 

Literature Survey

The Solar PV Market in India: Bridging the Gaps

India’s solar photovoltaics (PV) market is rapidly growing. However, to reach the ambitious goal of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, there is a pressing need to increase installed capacity and generation targets. With only around 62 GW of installed solar capacity achieved by the end of 2022, India fell short of its 100 GW target for the year. Favourable policies, financial support, technological advancements, and a competitive market are essential for further advancing the growth of India’s solar PV sector.

The complex path to biofuel sustainability

Until a few years ago, working on biofuels called for constant justification in the face of electric vehicles (EVs) taking over the world. Today, while there is no doubt that EV adoption has amplified over the years, there is growing awareness of the fact that no decarbonisation strategy is trade-off-free. For instance, for a transition to EVs, existing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and the supporting infrastructure need to be replaced entirely, which is capital intensive.

Can Hydrogen hasten the utilisation of alternative fuel resources in the cement industry?

In 2021, Hanson — a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement in the United Kingdom — substituted 100% of thermal energy with energy from alternative fuels in one of its cement kilns by using a mixture of hydrogen (39%), glycerine (49%), and meat and bone meal (MBM; 12%) instead of coal. This is the world’s first usage of 100% climate-neutral fuel and one of the first demonstrations of hydrogen-based technology in the cement kiln. Such adaptations, comprising a climate-neutral fuel blend, in the Indian cement industry remain elusive, even in 5% of the plants.