The main idea of establishing the Vehicle, Fuel and Environment Research Institute was proposed by the late Dr. Taghi Ebtakar, the father of Iran’s environmental movement. He believed that in the metropolis of Tehran, cars play the most significant role in air pollution. Therefore, the name of the research center was suggested to be the Research Center for Vehicle, Fuel and Environment, considering that fuel is also one of the key factors in air pollution.
Establishment of the Vehicle Fuel and Environment Research Institute
The establishment of the Vehicle Fuel and Environment Research Institute officially began in February 2003 at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty of the University of Tehran. Due to the growing research activities and increasing human resources, the need for more research space was felt, leading to the relocation of the center to the Institute of Petroleum Engineering.
With the approval of the Council for Development of Science and Technology, the center was upgraded to a research institute on September 14, 2014, due to the level and quality of its research and industrial projects.
Currently, the Vehicle Fuel and Environment Research Institute provides over 1100 square meters of advanced research facilities to researchers. The center takes pride in offering technical, engineering, and environmental services to the country without receiving any government budget, solely relying on its capabilities.
The Vehicle Fuel and Environment Research Institute is now recognized as one of the leading centers for national and international research, development, and innovation. It serves as an arm of various governmental and private research institutions, including the National Fuel Consumption Optimization Company, the Scientific and Technological Deputy of the President’s Office, the National Gas Company of Iran, the Environmental Protection Organization, the Organization for Industrial Development and Renovation of Iran, and the National Transportation and Fuel Management Headquarters.
Humanity’s Technological Advancement Through Science with six thousand years of apprenticeship in the school of nature, humanity has achieved industry and technology, ultimately overcoming nature with the weapon of science. History reminds us that without the magic wand of scientific advancement, no invention can ever reach its full potential, and with time, it will be reduced to nothing more than a relic of the past. For centuries, water power turned the millstones, with no purpose beyond grinding wheat, extracting olive oil, driving the blacksmith's hammer, or moving textile rollers. Then, in the 19th century, Fourneyron, armed with the logic and calculations of fluid mechanics, revolutionized the field by introducing the water turbine. Suddenly, the era of massive machines came to an end, and compact, efficient devices emerged, capable of generating hundreds, thousands, and even tens of thousands of horsepower. Many such examples illustrate how science breathes life into inventions, enabling them to attain their true value and status. Without science, these inventions would struggle to survive or fade into oblivion. Thus, the presence of universities as centers of knowledge production alongside industry is essential for its growth and sustainability. Otherwise, industry will resemble a river whose source—growth and dynamism—has dried up.
