Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP)

CSTEP, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy is a Bengaluru (India) based Think Tank founded in 2005 by its current Chairman Dr VS Arunachalam,[1] former Scientific Advisor to India's Defence Minister, and erstwhile head of DRDO. Dr Arunachalam received DRDO's Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 for his outstanding contribution in the field of scientific research and technology.[2] Its Executive Director is Dr. Anshu Bharadwaj, an energy systems expert who served in the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) for 15 years[3] and was nominated as a member of the ‘Expert Group on Low Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth’ of the Planning Commission (India).[4]
CSTEP's research explores how newly emerging technologies can be used for social and economic development. It recommends options for public policy in the areas of energy and environment, infrastructure, and emergency and disaster management.[5] In some projects and programmes it partners with private and public organisations, including government departments.
CSTEP is a registered Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.[6]

Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy
AbbreviationCSTEP
TypeScience and Technology Think Tank
PurposeTo enrich the nation with technology enabled policy options for equitable growth
HeadquartersNumber 18, 10th Cross
Mayura Street,Papanna Layout
Nagashettyhalli
RMV II Stage
Bangalore-560094
Location
Chairperson
Dr. V.S. Arunachalam
Executive Director
Dr. Anshu Bharadwaj
Staff
67
Websitewww.cstep.in

Expertise

CSTEP's website http://www.cstep.in/ claims expertise in the areas of Energy, Infrastructure, New Materials, Security Studies, Climate Studies and Governance. Profiles of its Scientists and Researchers available on the website indicate highest strength in Energy and Climate Studies.

Milestones
  • Assisted India's Planning Commission by developing a ‘systems map’ to provide a more rigorous grounding to the three scenarios presented in India's 12th Five Year Plan[7]
  • Associated with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s, National Wind Energy Mission[8]
  • A Knowledge partner in the development of India Energy Security Scenarios 2047[9] launched by India’s Planning Commission in February 2014.[10]
  • Worked on methodologies for target setting and implementation[11] of the Perform, Achieve, Trade scheme of Bureau for Energy Efficiency , under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency.
  • Outlined Karnataka’s roadmap for power in 2021-22 on behalf of Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission.[12]
  • Involved in an IBM project to create a cost benefit analysis of setting up smart grids in India.[13]
  • Developed a decision support tool[14] to help urban local bodies and governments provide cost-effective and sustainable sanitation options for all, especially the urban poor, with funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.[15]

Collaborative Projects
  • CSTEP is one of the Indian organizations participating in SERIIUS: Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States. http://www.seriius.org/[16] SERIIUS is one of the three Joint Clean Energy Development and Research Centers[17] established by the government of India and the US Department of Energy.[18] CSTEP’s role in SERIIUS includes, in partnership with other organisations:
  1. Road-mapping and Policy Assessment[19]
  2. Computational and assessment tool development and implementation[20]
  3. Energy Storage Analysis and Technology Development[21]
  4. Analysis and assessment of decentralized options for India

  • Heads a consortium of Indian and international organizations which are collaborating to design and develop a ‘demonstration’ Solar- Thermal and Biomass hybrid power plant to meet energy requirements in a more sustainable manner. This 5-year project (2013 – 2018) titled SCOPE BIG (Scalable CSP Optimized Power Plant Engineered with Biomass Integrated Gasification) is a part of the EU-India Cooperation on Renewable Energy.[22]
  • Member of a consortium, FOWIND led by Global Wind Energy Council to undertake studies for facilitating off-shore wind energy in India. CSTEP's role: a pre-feasibility study of the potential for off-shore wind farms.[23]

Funding

CSTEP receives grants from domestic and international foundations, industry trusts and governments. Grants and donations made to CSTEP are eligible for exemptions u/s 80 (G) of India's Income Tax Act, 1961 . It is registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.[24] While some funding is project or programme specific, CSTEP receives core grants from International Development Research Centre (IDRC)[25] and OAK Foundation.[26]

Credentials


CSTEP ranks 25th among the Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea and is listed among the top Science and Technology Think Tanks in the world.[27] It is one of forty three Think Tanks in the developing world[28] (one of seven from India) chosen to receive support from Think Tank Initiative, an initiative aimed at strengthening Think Tanks in developing countries.[29] It is listed as a ‘go to’ institution for multi-national organizations seeking ‘targeted technical research partnerships'.[30] David Malone, then President of International Development Research Centre, wrote in 2010, "Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) under V.S. Arunachalam has produced remarkable work on energy technology and energy security policies"[31]

References
  1. "Dr. V. S. Arunachalam Chairman, Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy (CSTEP), Bangalore" (PDF). www.oecd.org. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. "V S Arunachalam gets DRDO lifetime achievement award". Business Standard. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  3. Velayanikal, Malavika (July 15, 2013). "Why nuclear when wind energy is better?". DNA. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  4. "The Final Report of the Expert Group on Low Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth" (PDF). planningcommission.nic.in. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  5. "Think Tank Directory". www.thinktankinitiative.org/. Think Tank Initiative. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  6. "Directory of R & D Institutions, 2010" (PDF). p. 123. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  7. Planning Commission, Government of India (July 2012). "Scenarios: Shaping India's Future" (PDF). p. 4. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  8. Choudhury, Biswajit (Jan 23, 2014). "MNRE starts process for a National Wind Energy Mission". Yahoo India News. IANS India Private Ltd. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  9. "India Energy Security Scenarios : 2047/Stakeholders". indiaenergy.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2015-02-22. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  10. Sharma, Yogina (February 28, 2014). "Energy imports will rise to 84% in 2047 if policy not changed: Planning Commission". E T Bureau. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  11. "Phase I of Perform, Achieve & Trade to start from April 2011". The Hindu. July 6, 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  12. "Future shock: Bengaluru can soon expect 12 to 24-hr power cuts". Deccan Chronicle. October 13, 2013. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  13. Gandhi, Jamsheed (May 18, 2011). "IBM to study cost benefits for Indian smart grids". www.cxotoday.com. CXOtoday.com. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  14. "SANTOOL". Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  15. "How We Work, Grant". www.gatesfoundation.orG. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  16. "Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States (SERIIUS)". www1.iitb.ac.in/. Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  17. "Energy Department Announces Selections for U.S.-India Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center". energy.gov/. April 13, 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  18. "SERIIUS" (PDF). www.seriius.org. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  19. "SEI 1: Solar Energy Integration: Roadmapping and Policy Assessment". www.seriius.org. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  20. "SEI-2: Computational Tools for Economic Assessment, Bankability, and Deployment". www.seriius.org. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  21. "SEI-3: Integration and Energy Storage". www.seriius.org. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  22. "EU-India Cooperation in Renewable Energy". euindiaenewsletter.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  23. R Srikanth; Sangeetha Kandavel (January 29, 2015). "Tapping the offshore wind". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  24. "About CSTEP". www.cstep.in/. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  25. "TTI Phase 2 Cohort: 43 Institutions Receive Funding". www.thinktankinitiative.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  26. "OAK FOUNDATION, ANNUAL REPORT 2014" (PDF). www.oakfnd.org. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  27. McGann, James. "2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report". www.upenn.edu. University of Pennsylvania, Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  28. "Think Tank Directory". Think Tank Initiative. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  29. "About TTI". www.thinktankinitiative.org. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  30. Twigg, Caroline (2013). Corporate Sustainability in India: A Practical Guide for Multinationals. Do Sustainability. p. 88,89. ISBN 9781909293755.
  31. David M Malone (October 27, 2010). "Outstanding research can shape better policy". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
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