Madras : The Indian Institute of Technology Madras has signed an agreement with Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen, a German High Voltage Technology firm and RWTH Aachen, a German University for carrying out research in Power Engineering and to support research in sustainability, electrical grids and related fields.

An MoU was signed by the German company and IITM on the occasion of the inauguration of the New Premises of the Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (ICGS) at IIT Madras.

Under the MoU, Maschinefabrik Reinhausen will sponsor a research project that will deal with the use of latest power semi-conductor devices for grid control.

The ICGS was established at IIT Madras to promote cooperation between German and Indian scientists on fundamental and applied research, teaching and training besides in dissemination of information in the area of sustainable development. The New Premises is located at the Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, IIT Madras.

It was inaugurated by Mr Achim Fabig, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chennai in the presence of Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT-Madras and Prof Ernst Schmachtenburg, Rector, RWTH Aachen University.

Speaking during the inaugural function, Mr Achim Fabig said ÂQuestions of sustainability have become more and more pressing and important. The role of civil society has become even more important and centres like IGCS have a stronger role to play by coming up with solutions to the challenges being faced.Â

The IGCS provides opportunities for researchers and students to work in the core areas: Sustainable Energy, Land-Use, Waste and Water management and Climate Change Adapatation. The new premises will provide more space for interactions, visiting faculty and staff.

According to Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi:ÂIt is good to have a proper physical space where people can brainstorm on issues of importance. The IGCS is poised to focus on additional aspects of sustainability, which are beyond the agenda of the Govt. The major focus area, of the Centre, for next five years will be issues of sustainability, survival, coastal area resilience and so on.Â

The ICGS was set up in 2010 with funding from both Germany, through the German Academic Exchange Program, DAAD, for exchange of scholars, and India through the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India) and IIT Madras for carrying out research. Its special focus is the protection of the environment considering water resources, energy, land use and rural development and waste management.

The Centre promotes the development of relevant ideas on and solutions to specific local issues, through interdisciplinary research and study projects in the above mentioned areas.