Mr. Omkar Buwa will present his APS as per the details below:
Date: 11th September 2025
Time: 1530 - 1700 hrs.
Venue: LT 305
Guide: Prof. Anand B. Rao, Prof. Jayendran Venkateswaran
RPC Members: Prof. Satish Agnihotri, Prof. Albert Thomas, Prof. Priya Jadhav
Title: Dynamic Sustainability Assessment of Solar Mini-Grids Using a Systems Thinking Approach
Abstract:
Global efforts to achieve universal electrification are advancing. However, by 2030, around 660 million people, mostly in rural areas, are still expected to lack access to electricity. Extending central grid infrastructure to these regions is often costly and impractical, making decentralised solutions like mini- grids, frequently powered by renewable energy such as solar, a practical alternative. However, the sustainability of mini-grids during their operation is shaped not only by technology but also by community interactions, local ecosystems, and the feedback loops that develop over time. These dynamics are complex and often overlooked by conventional impact assessments, but a systems thinking approach using tools like causal loop diagrams and stock flow diagrams can help capture and explain these interactions.
This research aims to develop a dynamic sustainability assessment framework that addresses the operational sustainability of mini-grids using a ‘socio-technical system’ lens, applying a ‘systems’ approach. The three years of research work defined research questions and objectives, clarified key concepts, and explored various mini-grid topologies as case studies. An initial causal loop diagram was developed from literature and expert knowledge. The research work, with a focus on the key activities carried out during the fourth year, will be discussed in the seminar. The seminar also outlines the next steps planned to complete the remaining aspects of the research design.
In the fourth year of the research, the work focused on grounding the study in real-world contexts and refining the perspective. This included visiting mini-grids with different business models across various regions in India to validate the causal loop diagrams and carrying out technical and economic stock-flow modeling. The research questions, scope, and boundaries were revisited and clarified, with discussions on socio-technical systems helping to define what to include in the analysis. The socio-technical lens also helped to define the ‘sustainability’ for the mini-grids within the context of this research. Moreover, key leverage points were identified using Meadows’ framework and system archetypes, and a general method was developed for applying a systems approach to the operation of socio-technical systems, bringing together practical insights and theoretical understanding to better assess operational sustainability.