IIT Madras Invites Applications for Carbon Zero Challenge

The second edition of Carbon Zero Challenge (CZeroC), an initiative by Indian Institute of Technology, is all set to take centre stage in Madras.

The challenge, aimed to encourage environmental entrepreneurs, has opened applications this year. For interested candidates, the application deadline will be  Independence Day, August 15. The objective of this initiative has been to recognise and nurture original solutions and enable them to reach market scale.

The partners aspire to foster a sustainable ecosystem wherein renewable energy and clean technology ideas can emerge and develop into long-term solutions. CZeroC 2019 was launched at IIT-Madras to commemorate World Environment Day 2018.

The initiative seeks to reduce India’s reliance on imported technology for environmental protection which often results in failure or isn’t cost effective. CZeroC recognises the need to develop affordable indigenous technology, which requires less energy and chemicals and at the same time produce less waste and more recoverable material.

The areas of the challenge include agriculture, industries, transportation systems, urban areas and cities, and water and waste management. The grand challenge posed to the competing teams was to develop a grid-free or alternative system which is economically viable, environment-friendly, which can easily be replicated in multiple areas. The challenge is to understand the energy needs of these sectors and develop a sustainable green energy alternative by the combination of one or more renewable energy sources.

According to the Global Innovation Index, India has been faring well for past three years, moving up on the global ranking from 81st in 2015 to 57th this year. The country, however, fared badly on other indicators including political stability & safety, ease of starting a business, overall education and environmental performance. Innovation events such as these offer much needed impetus on innovation to combat climate change and its effects on our surroundings. At the same time, they provide platforms for young Entrepreneurs, to think out-of-the-box and bring newer and better solutions forward.