The global quest for affordable and clean energy is more urgent than ever, a beacon guiding us towards a sustainable future encapsulated by Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7). While the challenge is universal, the solutions often lie in understanding unique regional contexts and fostering unprecedented collaboration. This was precisely the spirit that animated the recent Research Conclave-2025 on "Towards Achieving SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): Collaborative Roles of Engineering and Science Disciplines in Higher Education", held on September 13, 2025, at the Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) in Guwahati, Assam, India.
Organized by the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, ADBU, in collaboration with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Assam Engineering College (AEC), this conclave was far more than an academic gathering. It was a strategic convergence, designed to bridge critical gaps in collaboration between universities, industries, NGOs, and government bodies in Northeast India.
This ambitious event attracted a diverse cohort of 93 participants, comprising students, scholars, faculty members, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The intellectual tapestry of the conclave was woven from contributions by numerous regional institutions, including Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU), Assam Engineering College (AEC), C-DAC, Cotton University, Dudhnoi College, Girijananda Chowdhury University (GCU), Mangaldai College, and Rangia College. Other regional institutions like GIMT, GU, IIT, Royal Global University, NIT Silchar, Assam Down Town University, and Tezpur University were also involved as participants. Crucial to its success were the dedicated industry partners: the Clean Energy Access Network, Emertxe, and WRI India, whose support underpinned the conclave's objectives. Their collective presence underscored the event's commitment to multi-stakeholder collaboration, setting the stage for a day of profound insights and actionable strategies.
Many dignitaries and key individuals from ADBU were present throughout the Research Conclave. Fr. Joseph Nellanatt, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of ADBU, initiated the event with the Welcome Address and Prayer. Following this, Dr. Pushpanjalee Konwar, Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) at ADBU, provided an essential overview of the conclave and was also noted as a co-presenter for research papers. During the afternoon's paper presentation sessions, Prof. (Dr.) Shakuntala Laskar and Dr. Bikramjit Goswami, both from ADBU, chaired the Presentation Track-1 and Track-3 respectively, with the Track-2 being chaired by Prof. (Dr.) Runumi Sarma – Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Assam Engineering College. The crucial "Way forward" session was led by Prof. (Dr.) Manoranjan Kalita, Director of ADBU School of Technology, while the feedback session was facilitated by Dr. Hironmay Deb, Co-Convener of the conclave and an Assistant Professor at ADBU, who also acted as the anchor for the event. Fr. K. J. Thomas, Rector of ADBU- took initiative in distributing the participation certificates. The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Dr. Jyoti Kumar Barman, Convener of the conclave and an Assistant Professor at ADBU. Adding a cultural touch, Ms. Promita Das, an ADBU student, performed the Saraswati Vandana and presented her own research. Beyond these facilitators and organizers, numerous other students and faculty from ADBU actively participated by presenting papers or acting as co-presenters, demonstrating the university's broad engagement in the research discourse.
A Morning of Vision: Global Insights, Regional Resonance
The day kicked off with an invigorating Morning Session featuring eminent speakers who offered a panoramic view of cutting-edge global and industry research in clean energy. Visionaries like Mr. Mrinal Krishna Choudhury (Former Director, AEDA), Dr. Pankaj Kalita (IIT Guwahati), Mr. Jayakumar Balasubramanian (Director, Emertxe), Mr. Masfick Hazarika (Program Manager, Energy, WRI India), and Dr. Yanrenthung Odyuo (NIT Meghalaya), among others, shared their expertise. Their plenary talks were not just informative; they served as a powerful catalyst, framing the technical and policy discourse for the day and helping to identify pilot priorities specifically for Northeast India. These discussions underscored that reliable, affordable, and clean energy is not merely a technological pursuit but a fundamental pillar for economic growth, environmental protection, and social fairness.
The Afternoon Unveiled: 29 Pathways to a Cleaner Tomorrow
The Afternoon Session truly brought the regional context to the forefront with 29 technical research paper presentations delivered by students and scholars from various regional institutions. These institutions included Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU), Assam Engineering College (AEC), C-DAC, Cotton University, Dudhnoi College, Girijananda Chowdhury University (GCU), Mangaldai College, Rangia College, GIMT, GU, IIT, Royal Global University, NIT Silchar, Assam Down Town University, Tezpur University, and Kaziranga University. These presentations, the vibrant heart of the conclave, showcased a remarkable breadth of innovative research, all aimed at addressing Northeast India's unique challenges stemming from its diverse geography, rich biodiversity, and scattered rural communities.
Topics spanned the entire spectrum of clean energy innovation:
- Smart Grid and Energy Management Systems: Researchers delved into securing our future grids with papers like "Cyber Threats and Vulnerability Analysis in Smart Metering Systems" and "Mitigation and Defence Techniques for Smart Meters Cyber-attacks". Other presentations focused on enhancing operational efficiency, such as "Predictive Maintenance of Induction Motors Using Dual-Sensor Monitoring" and "Smart Three-Phase Energy Monitoring System with Critical Alert Generation and IoT Cloud Integration".
- Renewable Energy Technologies and Integration: Innovations in solar power were a key focus, with studies on "Recent Advances in Photovoltaic Cell Efficiency Enhancement", "A Machine Learning Approach to Solar Energy Prediction from Weather Forecast Data", and "A Review of Standalone Solar PV System Design Using PVGIS, PVsyst, and HOMER". The crucial role of energy storage was highlighted in "Recent progress in energy storage solutions for renewable energy systems", alongside explorations of "Microgrid Configurations: A Comprehensive Review of AC, DC and Hybrid Systems".
- Applications of AI/ML: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning emerged as powerful tools for sustainability. Papers like "Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Sustainable Energy Systems: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions" demonstrated their utility in forecasting, smart grid optimization, and fault detection in power systems.
- Sustainable Practices and Community Impact: The human element was not overlooked. Research on "Awareness and Adoption of Eco-Friendly Products among the Students of Higher Educational Institutions" and "Awareness and Practices of Energy Conservation among Undergraduate Students" addressed crucial behavioral changes. Innovative IoT solutions for societal challenges included "Solar power IoT enabled smart retractable greenhouse with hydroponics and energy optimization" and even an "IOT Based elephant intrusion detection and warning system".
These sessions and structured discussions further facilitated the comparison of regional research with global benchmarks, creating vital pathways for future collaborations and identifying research gaps. Abstracts for all these impactful papers are meticulously documented in the Abstract Book, which was launched in the concluding ceremony.
Catalyzing Action: Outcomes and the Way Forward
The conclave successfully delivered on its ambitious objectives, fostering a dynamic environment for exchange and innovation. Key outcomes included:
- A stronger regional clean energy network, connecting academia, industry, NGOs, and policymakers.
- Clear identification of research gaps between regional and global/industry standards.
- The development of collaborative roadmaps for applied research projects and pilot deployments, especially for rural and underserved areas.
- Improved student and researcher capacity in renewable energy technologies and policy frameworks.
- Crucially, recommendations for policy and industry engagement, tailored to the Northeast’s unique energy challenges.
This event powerfully supported the advancement of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) solutions, which are particularly vital for the scattered rural communities of Northeast India. By encouraging multi-stakeholder collaboration and promoting knowledge exchange, the conclave aimed to build capacity in solar, wind, hydro, and biomass technologies, catalyzing partnerships for sustainable, locally relevant energy solutions aligned with SDG 7 and inclusive economic growth.
The organizers, with the support of industry partners, have pledged follow-up collaborations to ensure this research translates into tangible community impact. Moreover, selected papers from the presentations will be considered for publication in the ADBU Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (AJEEE), ISSN: 2582-0257, a peer-reviewed journal indexed in Google Scholar, Index Copernicus International, and Semantic Scholar. This offers authors wider academic recognition and amplifies the regional research impact.
The "Way forward" discussions emphasized that continued innovation and cooperation are paramount to protecting the reliability and privacy of smart metering ecosystems and advancing sustainable energy solutions for all. This conclave stands as a significant stride towards engineering a brighter, cleaner, and more equitable energy future for Northeast India and beyond.
