HPU Prof appointed member of International energy agency’s task force

Himachal Pradesh University’s (HPU) Dr Manish Kumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of ECE (UIT) and Deputy Director, Centre for Green Energy and Nanotechnology (C-GENT), has been officially appointed as an Expert Member of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems (PVPS) Task 13.

Dr Kumar’s induction into the IEA PVPS Task 13 Expert Members list marks a historic milestone, as he becomes the first representative from the country in Task 13.

The IEA is a premier Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation established within the legal framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It brings together developed and emerging economies to promote global energy security, economic resilience and sustainable development. Within this framework, the IEA PVPS functions as a specialised technical platform, and Task 13 is dedicated to the performance, operation, and reliability of photovoltaic systems.

HPU Vice-Chancellor Mahavir Singh said this appointment was of strategic international importance, as Task 13 served as the world’s leading platform for scientific analysis of solar PV system performance, including module degradation, failure mechanisms, reliability assessment and long-term durability under diverse climatic conditions.

“Dr Kumar’s expertise in floating solar photovoltaic systems is expected to contribute significantly to global PV research outcomes. The recognition also underscores the HPU’s growing role in high-impact renewable energy research at the global level. In addition to this international recognition, Dr Kumar has an extensive global research profile. He recently served as a visiting scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), Freiburg, Germany, one of the world’s leading solar energy research institutes. Earlier, he worked as a scientist at the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Norway, contributing to advanced research in photovoltaic and energy systems,” he said.

The VC further said that Dr Kumar was also a recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant and the Indo-German Science and Technology Early Career Research Award. He is a Member of The Institution of Engineers (India), reflecting his professional standing and sustained contributions to engineering and renewable energy research. Dr Kumar has also visited several countries across the globe as part of his academic and research engagements and has gained extensive international exposure.