EPR December 2014

MAHENG/2012/47805

Vol 3 Issue 2 • Pages 52 • December 1, 2014 • `100/- • www.eprmagazine.com

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS ON ELECTRICAL & POWER

EPR Personality Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman IPCC One-on-one K N Subramaniam, Moser Baer Solar Arul Shanmugasundaram, Tata Power Solar Tech View Power factor correction in a harmonicrich environment

Solarising power Switching on the growth

An I-Tech Media Publication

PowerSCADA Expert

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editorial ‘Modi’fying power sector After making solar power an instant hit in his own state, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to bring a revolution in the Indian power sector using potential of solar. www.eprmagazine.com

I-Tech Media Pvt Ltd, 15/2, 2nd Floor, Chandroday Co-Op Society, Swastik Park, CST Road, Chembur, Mumbai - 400071. (India) Tel.: +91-22-32682214 / 15 GROUP EDITOR* Subhajit Roy Email: editor@eprmagazine.com EDITORIAL Dibyendu RoyChowdhury ADVERTISING Sanjay Poojary Email: sanjay@i-techmedia.com Call: +91-9975097047 SUBSCRIPTION subscribe@eprmagazine.com Telephone: +91-22-3268 2214/15

As CM of Gujarat, Modi encouraged companies to develop more than 900 MW of solar plant across the state within a very short span of time. Apart from excelling in conventional ways of generating solar power using panels, Gujarat achieved the rare feat of developing ‘world’s first’ canal-top 1 MW solar project on 750-metre stretch of the Sanand branch canal of the Sardar Sarovar Project. Located at Chandrasan village near Mehsana, 45 kms from Ahmedabad, the project will generate 1.6 million units of electricity per year.

Now, the question is whether Modi can repeat such feat across India as Prime Minister. Nobel laureate Rajendra Kumar Pachauri observes, “...when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he did a remarkable job of promoting renewable energy. I am sure this will be the case now as he is the Prime Minister.”

Today, India has a solar generation capacity of 2,900 MW. Realising the tremendous benefits and potential of solar power generation, the earlier government had set a target of achieving 20,000 MW capacity by 2022. However, the current Modi-led government has substantially revised the earlier target and plans to achieve 1,00,000 MW solar power within the same time frame.

*responsible for selection of news under PRB Act

However, shortage of skilled workforce is one of the key barriers. To address this issue, the government plans to train around 50,000 people to take the job related to solar power sector.

Maintenance of solar panels in large-scale projects like UMPP is again a challenge. What can be the best if a robot can accomplish this job? Recently, an Israeli start-up company made news by innovating robots that can dry clean solar panels. Adoption of such technologies will certainly help our power project developers. And, following the ‘Make in India’ mission, if we can indigenise such technology, it will be a win-win situation.

Hope you will enjoy reading this issue as always. Please do send me your comments at editor@eprmagazine.com

Printed and published by Subhajit Roy on behalf of I-Tech Media Pvt Ltd. and printed at Print, Process Offset Printers, B-23, Royal Industrial Estate, 5-B, Wadala, Mumbai-400031 and published from I-Tech Media Pvt Ltd. 1, Gayatri, Karumari Amman, Chheda Nagar, Chembur (West), Mumbai - 400089. Editor: Subhajit Roy All rights reserved. While all efforts are made to ensure that the information published is correct, Electrical & Power Review holds no responsibility for any unlikely errors that might occur. The information on products and services / technology on offer is being provided for the reference of readers. However, readers are cautioned to make inquiries and take their decisions on purchase or investment after consulting experts on the subject. Electrical & Power Review holds no responsibility for any decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Tel.: +91-22-32682214/15, +91-9821667357

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December 2014

Electrical & Power Review

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Cover Story

Solarising power India’s dream to get a grip in solar power generation isn’t impossible anymore

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EPR PERSONALITY

Act now Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, Director General, TERI India and Chairman IPCC urges early actions to tackle with the climate change-related issues.

Interview

Solar: small, going to be big

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K N Subramaniam, CEO, Moser Baer Solar talks about solar power and what keeps Moser Baer Solar always innovating.

ONE-ON-ONE

Advantage solar

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Switching on the growth Rising demand in the power capacity addition is making switchgear highly demanded

Greater acceptance for ”Made in India” Rajesh Nandwani, Business Head - Switchgear, Anchor Electricals shares the switchgear markets trends and how Anchor can reach to the top.

Leaning towards cogeneration projects Raman Roop Sawhney, Managing Director, Chola Turbo Machinery International highlights the growth factors for cogeneration market

Cogeneration to drive process driven industries P. K. Batra, Joint Managing Director, Kessels Engineering Works talks how to stay ahead of competition

Arul Shanmugasundaram, Executive VP – Projects and CTO, Tata Power Solar shares how his company is innovating by introducing highly energy efficient products.

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tech view

Power factor correction in a harmonic-rich environment A guide identifies the optimal approach to prevent problems when selecting new or upgrading existing capacitor banks

InTERVIEW

Switchgear market: cautious with optimism Biswaroop Ukil, Vice President – Direct Sales (India), CG talks how the switchgear market is moving forward.

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InTERVIEW

Switched towards revival AV Jagdish, Vice President, Havells India talks how Havells is continuingly innovate and upgrade its products to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Electrical & Power Review

08 48 50

Power Update Trading Zone Event

December 2014

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Power Update Adani Power to acquire Korba West Power Project Adani Power Limited (APL) has announced that it has executed a binding term sheet for acquisition of 100 per cent shares of Korba West Power Co. Ltd. (KWPCL) from Avantha Power and Infrastructure. KWPCL owns a completed 600 MW coal based power plant at Korba and also an expansion phase in progress.

Adani Power’s current operational capacity is of 9,240 MW, comprising of 4,620 MW at Mundra in Gujarat, 3,300 MW at Tiroda in Maharashtra and 1,320 MW at Kawai in Rajasthan.

With the acquisition of 1200 MW Udupi power plant which is due for completion shortly and with KWPCL now, the installed base of APL will increase to 11,040 MW, getting Adani Power closer to its goal of achieving 20,000 MW of capacity by 2020.

“This is the time for consolidation in the Indian power sector; and as a private power producer, Adani Power, has taken the lead in acquiring power assets which are strategic fit to group businesses and potentially at the lowest end of the cost curve.

The acquisition of KWPCL expands our footprint in India particularly in the coal mining belt of India. We are committed towards contributing in India’s growth and confident of achieving our target of generating 20,000 MW by 2020,” said Gautam Adani, Chairman Adani Group.

Jindal Power wins CII - National Award In recognition of its commitment towards energy conservation and efficiency, Jindal Power Limited (JPL) – Chhattisgarh has

received the CII - National Award for Excellence in Energy Management, 2014. Jindal Power Ltd won the award for -‘Excellent Energy Efficient Unit’ at the CII Convention, held at the International Convention Centre, Hyderabad.

Ravi Uppal, MD and Group CEO, JSPL said – “We are delighted to receive this prestigious CII Award. At JPL, we have created new benchmarks in the power sector, and this award is a testament of our unrelenting quest for innovation and operational excellence.”

The evaluation criterion of the award included a critical assessment of - trends of reduction in energy consumption, adoption of innovative energy saving initiatives, quantification of energy savings, specific methodologies adopted and proven efforts in harnessing renewable energy and waste materials.

ACME Group signs PPA for 30 MW project ACME Group has announced that it has signed the PPA for 30 MW solar PV power projects with Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited.

As per the terms and conditions of the agreement, ACME Group will provide approximately 50 mn units power annually for a period of 25 years at a tariff of ` 6.46 / KWh. Commenting on the occasion, Manoj Kumar Upadhyay, Founder and Chairman, ACME Group said, “We thank the Chhattisgarh Government and Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (State Discom) for

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the opportunity given to us to partner with the state through green energy generation.”

This project would entail an estimated investment of around $ 40 mm or ` 210 crores. The work on the project shall commence by June 2015 and will be commissioned by December 2015.

This will be evacuated by 33 K and above line connecting the power plant to nearest grid.

Earlier in October, ACME Group had received the final approval for credit facility of $ 100 mn loan from Asian

Development Bank. Out of which US$ 50 mn shall be utilised in developing 100 MW projects in Rajasthan and the remaining amount of loan shall be used for its upcoming projects.

The company has an existing portfolio of 422.5 MW including 160 MW in Andhra Pradesh, 100 MW JNNSM Phase II Projects in Rajasthan and other projects in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The company aims to generate 1,000 MW by the year 2017.

Electrical & Power Review

Power Update Anchor unveils LED lighting solutions

designed for wide range of offices and stores. The PROiD Series of LED base lights, incorporating the light fitting itself with the light bar has 54 models. The Best-Buy range of products custom designed for Indian business segments includes 130 products such as Spot lights Panel lights, Down lights, Batten lights etc.

HCC awarded contracts worth ` 634.79 crore HCC Ltd has been awarded two contracts worth ` 634.79 crore in Transportation and Hydel Power segments.

Anchor Electricals has announced the launch of its new professional LED lighting solutions for its consumers. The latest offering offers reliable lighting solutions for all kinds of commercial, retail and hospitality sectors. With the launch of this range of solutions, the company is aiming at tapping lucrative opportunities present in the solutions business.

Along with an already established expanding residential LED luminaire portfolio, the company aims at growing its presence as a lighting solutions provider.

The new range of LED lights come equipped with specially designed heat sink, anti-glare diffuser and separate energyefficient electronic drivers, thereby offering a long service life, unique structural design and peerless safety of operation. The new solutions feature product series- the SmartArchi Series of high-end architectural luminaires and the PROiD Series of integral-type LED base lights especially designed for the Indian consumers. The SmartArchi high-end architectural luminaires focus on the superiority of light and high quality lighting design.

This Made-In-Japan series with the concept of “Giving freedom to architecture” features a total of 92 models in the lineup

The first contract worth ` 454.89 crore is from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) for 4-laning of 50.5 km long Numaligarh to Jorhat section of NH-37 in Assam. The project is part of the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North Eastern Region (SARDP-NE) and includes rehabilitation, up gradation and augmentation of the existing carriageway, major and minor bridges, culverts, road intersections, interchanges, drains, etc.

The second contract is worth ` 179.90 crore from Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) for the balance works of Head Race Tunnel of 111 MW Sawra Kuddu Hydel Power Project in Shimla district.

“HCC has received three major orders totalling ` 1,028 crore in last fortnight that includes two EPC orders from MoRTH and an order from HPPCL. Earlier, the company was awarded ` 393 crore MoRTH contract for widening of 65.87 km section of NH-233, on the Indo-Nepal Border,” said Arun Karambelkar, President and CEO, HCC Ltd.

CG to supply Linky Meters to ERDF Avantha Group Company CG has been selected by ERDF -Electricité Réseau Distribution France, the public electricity distribution company managing 95 per cent of the electricity distribution network in continental France, as one of the six suppliers to manufacture the first three million of its new generation Linky smart meters.

The initial order is the first phase of a 35 million unit rollout by 2021. According to ERDF, the Linky program is a major industrial program that will create 10,000 jobs located in France.

By modernising the distribution grid, this program will bring important benefits for the consumers helping them to better understand their electricity bills and reduce consumption, and at the end, helping to preserve the environment by means of a more efficient grid management.

This contract is a very significant achievement for CG, a company that has CG’s CEO and Managing Director Laurent Demortier The Director of ERDF Linky program, Bernard Lassus said, “The built its competitive strategy in the development of smart awarding of these contracts is a major step for ERDF and kicks grid solutions, under ZIV brand, based on its own technology off the industrial stage of the Linky program. Its success is based and a unique mix of knowledge in protection and control, on ERDF’s partnership with all the concerned industry players.” communications and metering technologies.

Electrical & Power Review

December 2014

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Power Update JSW acquires two hydro electric projects JSW Energy has acquired the 300 MW Baspa II hydro electric project and 1,090 MW Karcham Wangtoo hydro electric project both located at Himachal Pradesh from Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited. JSW Energy Limited has also executed the documents of acquisition from Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd (JPVL) and other shareholders 100 per cent stake in Himachal Baspa Power Company Ltd. The board of Directors of Jaipraksh Power Ventures Limited has already approved the transfer of the 300MW Baspa II hydro electric project and 1,091 MW Karcham Wangtoo hydro electric project into a separate company, i.e. the Himachal Baspa Power Company Limited as going through a scheme of arrangement under sections 391-394 of Indian Companies Act, 1956.

Subsequent to the scheme of arrangement being made effective and subject to other terms and conditions agreed between JSW Energy limited and JPVL, JSW Energy Limited proposes to acquire 100 per cent of the securities of the target held by JPVL and other shareholders.

The consideration to be payable by JSW Energy Limited is linked to a base price value of approximately ` 9,700 crores for the 300 MW Baspa II hydro electric plant and 1,091 MW Karcham Wangtoo hydro electric plant, subject to mutually agreed adjustments.

The operating hydropower capacity of 1,300 MW will make JSW Energy Limited the largest private sector hydro power

generator in the country. Post acquisition the installed and operational capacity of JSW will enhance to 4,531 MW.

Cairn India starts polymer injection Cairn India, has initiated polymer injection at the Mangala field. Mangala Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project, which is amongst the largest polymer flood EOR programmes in the world, commences well ahead of the guidance provided by the company. The polymer injection activity would gradually be ramped up.

Cairn India had recognised the potential for chemical EOR at an early stage of development in its Mangala, Bhagyam and Aishwariya (MBA) fields. The reservoir quality, oil properties and ambient temperature make these fields ideal for the application of chemical flooding EOR methods such as polymer or alkaline surfactant polymer (ASP) flooding. The chemical EOR programme has a potential to enhance recoveries from the Mangala, Bhagyam and Aishwariya fields by around 300 mmbbls.

The Mangala ASP pilot programme, the next phase of EOR has also yielded excellent results so far, suggesting better mobilisation of oil post polymer flooding.

Sudhir Mathur, CFO, Cairn India, said, “Injecting the polymer at our world class polymer flood EOR project, ahead of schedule is a testament to our execution skills and team work. This will enable us to further unlock the potential of the prolific Rajasthan block and help contribute significantly towards the nation’s energy security.”

Schneider showcases smart city solutions at Barcelona The company had approached this edition with the know-how and experience gleaned from 200-plus projects it is presently working on in cities across the world, which were displayed at its stand – covering settings as diverse as water management, enhancing the efficiency of cities or progress in optimising energy use.

Projects from Hong Kong, Carson City, Barcelona and Lyon were on display among this year’s success stories.

Venkaiah Naidu at Schneider’s smart cities stall

After its participation in some of the most cutting-edge projects in the development of smart cities – such as the programme to reduce energy consumption by improving efficiency in the city of Boston – Schneider Electric explained how it is responding to city challenges at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona held recently.

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At the event inaugurated by India’s Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, as the Smart Cities’ experts, Schneider Electric will be providing their vision and expertise on the future of the sector during the keynote speeches.

Electrical & Power Review

Power Update With new name IMI to focus on global power sector The former IMI Severe Service business will now be known as IMI Critical Engineering, reflecting its status as a supplier of critical flow control solutions which allows the sector to operate safely, cleanly, reliably and more efficiently.

The change is part of IMI plc’s strategy to bring all of its group businesses closer together, enabling wider sharing of resources with the aim of engineering great solutions for its customers.

Within IMI Critical Engineering, the focus will be on continued, high-level investment in world-class facilities, with the creation of new plants and support sites to guarantee a truly local and responsive service to customers.

Roy Twite, Divisional Managing Director of IMI Critical Engineering, said, “The rebrand to IMI Critical Engineering enables us to demonstrate the full breadth of our portfolio and experience to our customers. Our aim is to harness

our technical expertise, exceptional engineering talent and global service to create great solutions for customers in the power sector tackling the world’s most demanding engineering challenges.

Moser Baer to lead rooftop solar installation Moser Baer Solar Ltd has emerged as the No.1 player in the state run programmes in the rooftop solar installations having bagged the contract for all 3 states; Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. The announcement comes back of Bridge to India report which placed Moser Baer Solar as the undisputed leader in grid tied systems for 2 years in a row.

Moser Baer Solar Ltd is now focussing on residential rooftop segments. The company has produced many unique products and technologies to address local requirements of each state and residential segment in general. The company has introduced the concept of designing and installing a portable solar system that can be put on a roof without needing to puncture the roof, which used to damage the structure of the building.

Speaking on this Vivek Chaturvedi, Chief Marketing Officer, Moser Baer Solar said, “We are working with the state nodal agencies to solarise Indian homes. We are bringing world class ‘made in India’ modules and design practices to Indian residential segment. We will use MBPV Elite series modules for our Indian installations as well. Which have been well acclaimed in the Japanese residential segment for the last 3 years.”

Suzlon surpasses 1,100 MW milestone cent of Suzlon’s total pan-India capacity of over 8,250 MW. The company also unveiled S97 120 m – World’s tallest hybrid tower at the hands of the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel.

The S97 120 m is Worlds’ tallest Hybrid Tower model designed indigenously to harness the wind energy across low wind sites. It is installed at Jamanwada, Kutch in Gujarat and has successfully generated 1500+ kWh in its pilot stage of 3 months.

Unveiling of the world’s tallest hybrid WTG at the hands of Gujarat Chief Minister

Suzlon Group has surpassed yet another milestone by expanding the capacity of Asia’s largest wind farm at Kutch, Gujarat to 1100 MW. With this expansion, Suzlon now generates 1800 MW in Gujarat thus accounting for 20 per

Electrical & Power Review

Tulsi Tanti, CMD, Suzlon Energy, said, “The S97 120 m hybrid tower, a potential game changer, is the result of our continued focus to invest in next generation technologies that will provide energy efficient solutions thus ensuring higher yields to our customers.”

December 2014

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Power Update Hope to make India powersurplus by 2019: Piyush Goyal “The government is working towards making India a powersurplus country by 2019,” said Minister of State for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal.

He stated that ensuring the availability of power on a 24x7 basis is one of the most pressing challenges that the government is facing today. The Minister was addressing a session at the India Economic Summit being organised by the World Economic Forum and the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi.

He pointed out that 53 million homes in the country were not yet electrified. There were still many offices and factories operating on diesel gensets. The government had made it a priority to find ways of ensuring that power reaches these consumers. He expected that the demand for power in the country would double in the next 5 years.

“To solve these issues the government was pursuing a twopronged strategy of improving the utilisation of existing assets by improving plant load factor and freeing up stranded assets and improving access to fuel supplies,” Mr Goyal informed.

“The government was also improving the electricity mix with greater focus on renewable energy sources.”

Praj wins ` 235 cr order in Brazil Praj industries has won a ` 235 crore order for oil and gas process skids for Petrobras, a multinational fortune 500 Oil and gas corporation based out of Brazil.

QGIT, the main contractor for the Petrobras project in Brazil, has awarded the order for skids on Praj. In this project, Praj will provide detailed engineering, procurement, manufacturing of skids along with all related equipment. The weight of individual skids range from 50-150 tons. Some of the units will be large multi-storeyed skids.

Praj will manufacture these process skids as per ASME and Brazilian code requirements at its SEZ Kandla units in Gujarat, India.

RRP Infra JV bags ` 87 Cr. project from KSEB RPP Infra Project Ltd. along with its joint venture partner Saravana Engineering Bhavani Pvt. Ltd. has bagged an order worth ` 87 crore from Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) for civil works of Bhoothathankettu small hydro electric project (24 MW). RPP Infra’s scope is around 30 per cent of the total contract.

The details of the said project include civil works of Bhoothathankettu small hydro electric project, construction of concrete power channel, power house, tail race channel and design, fabrication, delivery, erection, testing and commissioning of intake gates, fresh track, draft tube gates, etc.

Arun Sundaram, CMD, RPP Infra Projects said, “We are moving in the right direction and the company hopes to bid and win such projects in coming months which will enhance turnover, and profitability of the company in coming quarters.”

The project is expected to be completed in 24 months.

Terracon Ecotech ties with Bhagirath Gram Vikas Prathisthan Terracon Ecotech Pvt. Ltd. the company offering ecology based advisory services and a turnkey solution has announced their association with Bhagirath Gram Vikas Prathisthan.

The project includes development of 10,000 community Bio-gas unit in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state in India, for household uses.

Dr. Prasad Deodhar, Managing Trustee – Bhagirath Gramvikas Pratishthan, said, “Bhagirath Gramvikas Pratishthan is promoting ‘Knowledge Intensive Farming’ against ‘Labour Initiative

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Farming’. We believe in ‘Think Globally and Act Locally’ and Bamboo biogas is an example of using local and environment friendly resources.”

The community biogas technology will offer low cost solution, which not only provides a source of clean energy for cooking and income generating activities, but also creating organic fertiliser for enhancing agricultural production.

Terracon’s and BGVP project promotes sustainable growth at the grass root

level which will help villagers save on fuel expenses drastically. The aim of the project is to channelise the carbon credit revenue of the people to improve their lifestyle and create a healthy environment for growth and development.

Under this project, bio-digesters installed at households of small farmers and poor families by the Bhagirath Prathisthan while Terracon Ecotech Pvt. Ltd. will initiate the process of availing carbon credit revenue under Gold Standard mechanism.

Electrical & Power Review

EPR PERSONALITY

Act now

I “In the case of climate change we don’t have the luxury of time.

If we need to take any actions, we have to take it as early as possible,” says Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, Director General, TERI India and Chairman IPCC

n an exclusive interview, internationally acclaimed environmentalist Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri speaks with Subhajit Roy and discusses why Modi’s Gujarat model of optimising renewable energy will work for India. He also urges early actions to tackle with the climate change-related issues.

How do you look at the present government’s initiative towards promoting renewable energy?

We have to see what is going to happen.

What I know is that when the Prime Minister was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he did more for the renewable energy than any other chief minister in the country. He has not only shown us the vision but also the determination for implementation. As we know in Gujarat, the canals have been covered with photovoltaic panels. That has huge benefits — there is no need of land, and it cuts down on evaporation. With the lower temperatures of photovoltaic panels, the performance also improves.

Besides, people living by the canals can get electricity supply. All I would say is when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he did a remarkable job of promoting renewable energy. I am sure this will be the case now as he is the prime minister.

Do you feel that the Gujarat model will work for India as well?

As far as renewable energy is concerned, it will certainly work because we have the required technology and demand.

Economics also supports it.

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PV manufacturing sector was facing some challenges. What are your suggestions to deal with DCR-related issues?

I don’t know enough about the manufacturing sector as far as photovoltaic is concerned. Anyone who is in this field in India is bound to do well simply because the growth of the market is going to be phenomenal. There is no doubt about it.

The government aims at achieving targets of 20,000 MW of solar power generation by 2020. Your comments.

I hope that the government will raise its ambitions to a higher level. Also the cost of solar power has come down.

Eight years before, nobody knew that the cost will come down so much. My own expectation is that it will further come down significantly. Therefore, solar cost will become even more competitive in the future.

Talking about climate change what is the way to come out from the conflict among developed and developing countries?

Frankly speaking, I don’t think there is a conflict. This is a part of negotiations, and these things take time — for example, if we look at the WTO or other international negotiations. Most importantly, in the case of climate change, we don’t have the luxury of time. If we need to take any actions we have to take it as early as possible. That can be done in many ways.

We can do it in our own home, our own countries as well as internationally.

Electrical & Power Review

SPECIAL REPORT

Rooftop solar will reduce energy poverty in developing countries: IFC

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FC, a member of the World Bank Group, in partnership with the Norwegian Trust Fund for Private Sector and Infrastructure, recently launched a white paper highlighting how developing countries can help meet growing energy demands with environmentally-friendly, gridconnected, rooftop solar photovoltaic technologies.

The white paper, Harnessing Energy from the Sun, was launched by Tarun Kapoor, the Joint Secretary for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy at Intersolar India. It is expected to create awareness among stakeholders - including policy makers, utilities, and regulators - of the opportunities and challenges of the rooftop solar market.

“Reliable, sustainable electricity is absolutely essential to help India reach its development goals,” said Tarun Kapoor at the launch. “Tapping our natural and sustainable energy sources like solar and hydro can make the country more self-reliant in energy.”

The white paper draws lessons from selected global experiences in designing and implementing rooftop solar business models. It identifies success drivers and potential challenges in implementing these projects and provides an overview of the nascent market in India.

Rajendra Nimje, Managing Director, Solar Energy Corporation of India said, “IFC’s white paper is a timely and valuable guide detailing how successful

collaborations can develop the rooftop solar market to meet energy needs of future generations.”

A successful initiative in Gandhinagar by the Government of Gujarat, in collaboration with the private sector and IFC, has demonstrated the viability of rooftop solar systems. IFC also supports the replication of this initiative in five other cities across Gujarat.

“This white paper looks at the Gujarat rooftop solar program to showcase how a public-private partnership approach can effectively bring policymakers, regulatory bodies, investors, and utilities together to devise feasible frameworks,” said Isabel Chatterton, Manager, Public Private Partnerships Advisory Services, IFC South Asia.

COVER STORY

Solarising power India’s dream to get a grip in solar power generation isn’t impossible anymore 16

December 2014

Electrical & Power Review

COVER STORY

E

nergy landscape is changing, and there is no secret about it. Most countries are shifting their focus on renewable energy sources and trying to phase out fossil fuels.

Frost & Sullivan reports that revenues in global solar power market are expected to more than double by 2020, from $60 billion in 2013 to $137 billion. The report focuses more Asia which will account for 46 per cent % of annual installed solar capacity. China, Japan, India and Australia are top four countries to take the greatest leaps.

Solarised India India, which is energised with Modi wave, is working towards making India a power surplus country by 2019.

The same is echoed by Arul Shanmugasundaram, Executive VP – Projects and CTO, Tata Power Solar.

He says, “India has about 2.8 GW of solar electricity installed, but the new government is striving hard and plans to install 100 GW of solar energy by 2022.

With the government’s support, India will not face any issues related to solar power generation for the next 5-7 years.

There is growth of at least 10 crore, if not more.”

K N Subramaniam, CEO, Moser Baer Solar Ltd., is also very optimistic about India’s future in solar power. “There is enough land to set up solar projects, and there is enough demand for solar power in India,” he explains.

Subramaniam also points out the best thing about solar. “People don’t need to carry it to long distances; they can generate and consume,” he adds. “Solar energy is extremely relevant for India.

In the next 5-7 years, the sector will experience huge growth in India.”

Private sector participation The government along with its positives initiatives need to focus more on attracting private participation. There is a serious concern of lack of private sector participation in the power segment.

Electrical & Power Review

Even there is believe in India Inc. — go anywhere, but not to power.

“The Indian power sector has had its set of issues — be it for project approvals, environmental approvals, timeline for setting up the projects, or getting delayed due to various issues,” remarks Shanmugasundaram.

Although lack of private sector participation is the negative part, the good thing is there is a clear dichotomy between plain power and conventional power. Most important, it’s not lack of demand. India continues to have lack of supply. Problems are only from supply side.

According to Subramaniam, “The phrase of ‘go anywhere, but not to power’ is primarily driven by the challenges faced in generation of thermal power globally as well as in India. However, discoms in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have shown how one can manage power sector well and not to be distressed. Luckily, two out of these three states are very relevant for solar energy perspective. There is a clear dichotomy between solar and conventional power.

Engaging with the industries as well as taking small steps will go a long way in strengthening solar energy’s prospect in India.”

Jayaram.U.K., Vice President - Operations, Renewsys India Pvt. Ltd., thinks that the government institutions should be transparent, aggressive and focused.

They shouldn’t just make promises; they should also implement.

Government support Though India’s share is small, but our nation plans very big. The government has a clear focus on this industry. The government of India is taking several initiatives to promote solar energy.

According to Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal, India aims to generate 2 trillion units of power by 2019. Currently, renewable energy sources account for only 6 per cent of the total power generated and about 53 million homes in the country are not yet electrified. The

government believes that domestic solar equipment manufacturing capacity of 700-800 MW is not sufficient to meet the government’s ambitious plans of adding more power generation capacity through renewable energy sources.

‘100 Smart Cities’ mission In order to complete “acche din” vision, PM Modi has made a grandiose promise of building 100 smart cities in India.

The government has already allocated Rs.1,000 crore for each city which will be selected according to its population.

While talking about “smart city mission”, Shanmugasundaram says, “A true Indian would like to see cities that have all the amenities and are not just wireless mobile access and everything. One of the main things that the smart cities initiative focuses is not just on mobile, digital access and energy but also sustainability.

From a smart cities point of initiative, it is a good effort. The government will make significant progress in this aspect.”

Subramaniam is also optimistic about PM Modi’s ambitious mission. He is so confidant about the present government that he thinks India can develop 100 smart cities in a time frame which can surprise everybody including the government itself.

“This mission is excellent and would improve the infrastructure in India,” echoes Jayaram. “The mission will also give a lot of job opportunities and change the global perception towards India.”

Challenges and opportunities The biggest challenge can be land availability, and in India per capita land availability is low. Required land for utility-scale solar power plants is about 1 sq. km (250 acres) for every 20–60 MW generated, and this can strain India’s available land resource. However, the good news is that solar-generation costs here have dropped from INR18 a kWh to about INR7 a kWh. Even the government is planning to subsidy the production of PV panels, which, in turn, will reduce the market price and lead to more usage of solar power in India.

December 2014

17

Industry Analysis

Solar installations reach 3 GW and to double in 2015 Since the elections, especially after getting past the anti-dumping case, the Indian solar industry is visibly upbeat

However, 2014 will be a disappointment with calendar year installations forecasted at about 800 MW, a 20 per cent drop year-over-year. Land acquisition delays due to elections and uncertainty caused by the anti-dumping case contributed to a slowdown in installations. The update also forecasts that 2015 installations will double in 2015, reaching about 1,800 MW. “The Indian solar industry is visibly upbeat since the elections and especially after getting past the antidumping case,” comments Raj Prabhu, CEO and Co-Founder, Mercom Capital Group. “Recent cancellations of coal

mining licenses by the Supreme Court amid rising coal imports and increasing costs, and continuing power shortages have all contributed to the positive momentum in the solar sector.”

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) released a new installation goal of 15 GW by 2019 via solar parks (a large area and infrastructure set aside by states to accommodate installations of 5001,000 MW) to be set up by states in three tranches. A revised draft for Phase II, Batch 2, Tranche I Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) projects was released with a target of 3,000 MW. There have been other announcements in a short period of time: a new programme aimed at ‘ultra-mega solar projects’ with a goal of installing 20 GW by establishing solar parks was Nov 2014

India Solar Installation (MW) 2,000

1,780

1,800

Annual Solar Installations

Annual Installations (MW)

1,600

4,000

1,200

986

1,000

1,004

3,000 802

800

2,000

600 400

0

1,000

172 6

12

2009

2010

2011

Data derived from NNRE Marcom Project Tracker & Public Sources

18

5,000

Cumulative Solar Installations

1,400

200

6,000

December 2014

2012

2013

2014F

2015F

Cumulative Installations (MW)

C

umulative solar installations in India crossed the 3 GW mark with 734 MW installed so far this year, reports Mercom Capital Group in its quarterly update on the Indian solar market.

0

Source: Mercom Capital Group, IIc

announced recently. MNRE has also asked Public Sector Units (PSUs) to set up large solar projects to meet RPO obligations. At the request of the PM Office, MNRE is also working on a plan to increase JNNSM installation goal to a staggering 100 GW of solar.

By focusing exclusively on large-scale and mega solar projects, India is going in the opposite direction compared to other markets. In most major solar markets, with drop in costs, the market has shifted from large-scale projects to residential and commercial rooftop projects — closer to the end users.

With transmission and distribution losses estimated at about 25 per cent, and considering the country is severely challenged when it comes to land availability and grid infrastructure, this may not be a sound long-term strategy.

Since the inception of JNNSM in 2010, there has never been a shortage of big goals and announcements.

Two primary challenges have been execution and uncertainty, due to the lack of long-term market visibility. A renewed government focus to address these challenges would give confidence to the markets and help attract sorely needed foreign investments. That said, prospects for the Indian solar sector have never looked better and the Modi administration’s strong commitment towards solar has percolated to states, evidenced by the sense of urgency and seriousness being shown by state administrations towards solar — the likes of which the industry hasn’t seen in the past 5 years.

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Interview

Solar: small, going to be big

M

oser Baer Solar Ltd., one of the largest solar EPC players in India and has installed more than 300 MW, has innovated in every possible aspect in solar PV market. In an interview with EPR, K N Subramaniam talks about solar power and what keeps Moser Baer Solar always innovating.

“Moser Baer has installed close to 300 MW as a solar EPC and knows everything about this business,” says K N Subramaniam, CEO, Moser Baer Solar Ltd.

India and solar power India’s share is small, but the plans are very big. The global installed solar power will 150 GW by the end of this year.

India will have close to 3 GW installed, and the new government targets to achieve 20 GW of solar power by 2020.

So there is a clear focus on this industry.

India has been blessed with quite a good numbers of sunny days. There is enough land to set up solar projects, and there is enough demand for solar power in India. Moser Baer Solar isn’t talking about substituting energy drive from dirty to clean but about energy access.

The best thing about solar is that it can be decentralised with nature. People don’t need to carry it to long distances; they can generate and consume. Solar energy is extremely relevant for India.

In the next 5-7 years, the sector will experience huge growth in India.

Moser Baer Solar at present market scenario K N Subramaniam thinks that there cannot be a company in better position where Moser Baer is right now. The company is amongst the first movers in the solar sector when it invested in manufacturing; unfortunately that has been its area of concern as well.

Keeping away the challenges, Moser

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December 2014

Baer is India’s largest integrated solar player. It is India’s No 1 solar EPC and largest cell and module manufacturing company. There are cell manufacturers and module manufacturers of different capacities, so Moser Baer is the largest among them. Moser Baer has installed close to 300 MW as a solar EPC and knows everything about this business.

The company is well presented to leverage on any opportunity which the industry presents to it.

Attracting more private sector participation Lack of private sector participation is the negative part, but the good thing is there is a clear dichotomy between plain power and conventional power.

The phrase of “go anywhere, but not to power” is primarily driven by the challenges faced in generation of thermal power globally as well as in India. There is no lack of demand; India continues to have lack of supply. So from demand side, there is no concern.

Problems are only from supply side.

Lack of willingness to apply policies from the past regimes has driven the discoms to almost bankruptcy. However, discoms in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have shown how one can manage power sector well and not to be distressed. Luckily, two out of these three states are very relevant for solar energy perspective. There is a clear dichotomy between solar and conventional power. There are also a few things in which Moser Baer is already having a dialogue with the ministry, and the new government has taken off in a manner as if they were waiting for the opportunity. Engaging with the

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Interview industries as well as taking small steps will go a long way in strengthening solar energy’s prospect in India.

‘100 Smart Cities’ mission The mission of ‘100 Smart Cities’ is an extremely ambitious plan and a good starting point. Unless somebody like PM Narendra Modi gives a mission or a vision of creating 100 smart cities, we are able to develop only 25 in the next 10 years. However, the way government is moving currently, we can develop 100 smart cities in a time frame which can surprise everybody including the government itself.

Standing out in market Moser Baer Solar is the No 1 company as well as only solar PV manufacturing company in the world that has been

given 5-Star ratings on the quality TUV Rheinland. Its quest for excellence and quality has helped Moser Baer differentiate itself. As a result, Moser Baer is exporting more than 80 per cent of its output to Japan, which is the most advanced place for technology and products as a market. Japanese doesn’t accept which is not highly advanced as per technology and quality.

In India, Moser Baer is delivering the same quality products that have been delivered in Japan for the last 5 years. The company has been manufacturing solar cells for almost 6 years in India. Hence, it knows more about cells which are the core of any photovoltaic modules.

The company understands that the cell, which is going in the module, is fit enough to go in it, according to

the Indian conditions. Even it has manufactured some of the components that go into PV modules. Moser Baer has manufactured the junction box, one of the most expensive components of the PV module, in collaboration with a Japanese brand.

Being the largest solar EPC player in the country and having installed more than 300 MW, Moser Baer has innovated in every possible aspect. The company has been doing pilot installations across the country. Having learning from those installations, the company is now implementing them in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. Moser Baer has made moves much before others did. Others have been following it, and that keeps extra pressure of always innovating.

Panasonic India launches solar LED lights

A

s a continuation to the “100 Thousand Solar Lanterns Project” — an initiative to donate 100,000 solar LED lanterns, Panasonic India has introduced its range of solar LED lights to help resolve lighting issues in non-electrified regions.

The solar LED light, fully rechargeable in 5 hours and emitting light Uni-directionally (120 degrees), is convenient and practical as a light source as well as a power source in areas without electricity.

A large population in India who are living in non-electrified regions is still using kerosene lamps for lighting. However, kerosene lamps not only fail to provide sufficient light but also emit toxic fumes and pose a fire risk. Addressing to this need, Panasonic’s solar LED light with

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a 1.25-watt output solar panel and a mobile charging port offers a clean, safe alternative as a light source, as well as a power source for people living in such areas. The portable light can be used in homes and various other locations, including hospitals, schools, shops and outdoors. The light can be fully charged in 5 hours to provide up to 6 hours of light at the maximum brightness setting.

Speaking on the launch, Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India, said, “India being a tropical country is endowed with abundant solar energy and has a very high potential for maximising eco-friendly energy which is fast becoming popular in rural and remote areas. We, at Panasonic, believe that these LED solar lights will play a huge role in minimising the dependence

of rural households on fire wood and dung cakes, which in turn will contribute to environmental conservation.”

Kenichi Kudara, Associate Director, India Business Development Centre, Panasonic India, added, “At Panasonic, we continue to strive for a better tomorrow by contributing to the society through our corporate citizenship activities and always making ‘people’ central to our activities, and thereby focusing on people’s lives. We will continue to provide better living for our customers.

It is in-line with this philosophy that Panasonic’s new range of solar LED lights will meet the needs of the people living in areas without electricity and the scope of power generation using solar energy is certainly very bright.”

December 2014

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ONE-ON-ONE

Advantage solar

T

ata Power Solar having 25 years of experience offers its experience, expertise and longevity to support the products that makes difference to a consumer’s life. The company continues to drive innovative business models that will reduce the cost of energy. In an exclusive interview with EPR, Arul Shanmugasundaram shares how Tata Power Solar is innovating by introducing highly energy efficient products.

“We are looking at very innovative model combined with its technical innovation to reduce the cost of electricity,” states Arul Shanmugasundaram, Executive VP – Projects and CTO, Tata Power Solar

India and solar power Currently, India’s global solar share is very low. India has about 2.8GW of solar electricity installed, but the new government is striving hard and plans to install 100 GW of solar energy by 2022. With the government’s support, India will not face any issues related to solar power generation for the next 5-7 years. There is growth of at least 10 crore, if not more.

Tata Power Solar at present market scenario As per the market projections, there are few segments that are expected to grow significantly, except large-scale EPC projects. On the consumer side, small rooftop installation projects and solar water pumps segments are expected to grow in the next 5-7 years.

Tata Power Solar is planning to focus on large EPC projects, rooftop installations and pumps. These are the three major areas that are poised for significant growth in India.

Attracting more private sector participation The Indian power sector has had its set of issues — be it for project approvals, environmental approvals, timeline for setting up the projects, or getting delayed due to various issues. Once

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December 2014

people set up these projects and start selling the generated power, they have issues related to obtaining payments.

Mostly, the companies are bank corrupt or struggling with monetary issues, and they are not able to make payments on time. In such scenario, it is quite difficult; there should be some level of market ways of compensation for power generation. It should be realistic and attractive like marketbased remuneration for the generated power as well as the payments. Unless both these things happen, the project cannot be done in a timely manner. In solar, this has not been a major issue so far in the country. About 95 per cent of the solar projects have been built on time. Quick implementation of the projects is one of the advantages of solar.

Smart mission Shanmugasundaram observes, a true Indian would like to see cities that have all the amenities and are not just wireless mobile access and everything.

One of the main things that the smart cities initiative focuses is not just on mobile, digital access and energy but also sustainability. From a smart cities point of initiative, it is a good effort.

The government will make significant progress in this aspect.

In terms of “Make in India”, it is important that the government should support the domestic manufacturers.

Not in terms of an anti-dumping treaty but to express their commitment in domestic manufacturing sector. Initial steps are encouraging from solar sectors perspective, and Tata Power Solar hopes the government stays with the commitment. In terms of labour, India has got a lot of advantages along with cost of capital.

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Industry Analysis

Switching on the growth Rising demand in the power capacity addition is making switchgear highly demanded

I

ndia is the world’s sixth largest energy consumer, accounting for 3.4 per cent of global energy consumption. It doesn’t require any high IQ to understand the high demand of switchgear. Since the Indian government has allowed 100 per cent FDI in the electrical equipment industry, switchgear market has switched on for a better future.

“The Indian switchgear market can be segregated into three categories on the basis of voltage: low-voltage switchgears, medium-voltage switchgears and highvoltage switchgears,” shares Sandeep Selot, Director, Marketing and Strategy - Energy Business, Schneider Electric India.

He continues, “The market contribution of low-voltage switchgears has displayed a remarkable traction, surging

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December 2014

from 31.7 per cent in FY 08 to 55.3 per cent in FY 13. This progressive increase in the market share of low-voltage switchgears has been largely attributed to increased urbanisation, construction of new residential households and commercial areas taking place in the country, coupled with the growing concerns for safety and security with respect to the electric equipment.

In fact, the low-voltage switchgears represent more than 55 per cent of the aggregate market share, and the share is expected to expand in the impending years.”

Key market trends The switchgear industry, which is currently valued at ` 135 crore (FY 13), has witnessed a sluggish growth in the past 3 years due to overall adverse macro-economic environment. AV Jagdish, Vice President, Havells India

Ltd., says that the industry is going to be stronger due to the growing consumption of electricity, rising urbanisation and infrastructural developments. “With the stable central government, which looks determined to reinvigorate growth, attract large dosage of investments across industries and revive sentiment, the switchgear market is geared up for revival,” he adds.

Even Rajesh Nandwani, Business Head Switchgear, Anchor Electricals Pvt. Ltd., echoes the same. He elaborates, “The per capita total energy consumption in India was 917.2 KWh by March 2013, which is expected to grow to 1,200 KWh by 2016. With the rapid increase in urbanisation, new residential and commercial complexes, and an increase in infrastructure, there is a high demand for electrical switchgears.”

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Industry Analysis will see the next wave of investment which in turn will drive demand.

Policy consistency will boost investor confidence. Proposed bail-out packages for power projects hit by funding and clearance hurdles will revive the sector.

This will include implementation of easier funding rules and improvement in the distribution architecture.

Ukil also says that focus on “Green and Clean Energy” will add to the momentum and “Make in India” drive will help bring new technologies and enable domestic industry to enhance skill levels.

Driving factors

The low-voltage switchgear market size in India is about ` 11,000 crore. The domestic switchgear market is about ` 2,200 crore. While talking about lowvoltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) switchgear markets in India, Selot says, “The government as well as the power ministry are planning extensive power enhancement and improvement of electrical grid networks to support growth. The need to have a safe, reliable and efficient power distribution setup at both micro and macro levels is providing growth opportunities to the low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) switchgear markets in India.”

While shining light on the double-digit growth of MCB market, Nandwani shares, “The increased awareness in the masses about importance of protection from electrical faults for safeguarding their lives, and property has contributed to double-digit growth in MCB market for the past few years.”

Biswaroop Ukil, Vice President – Direct Sales (India), Crompton Greaves, sounds little cautious yet optimistic. “With the change of guard at the centre,” he explains “it is expected that the sector

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“Boom in the residential sector, increasing purchase of home appliances, increased voltage fluctuations, poor wiring practices, and the media doing its bit in creating awareness about switchgears have propelled the demand,” according to Nandwani.

“Moreover, export of switchgears is showing an increasing trend since few years as ‘Made in India’ brand is obtaining wide acceptance in the export market, especially for the Middle-East and African nations.”

Ukil says, “Allotment of coal blocks will pave the way for generation capacity addition. Investment worth ` 1.8 trillion for addition of 88,000 MW in 12th Plan and near term opportunity of $1.5 billion in grid intelligence in the T&D sector will open up growth opportunities for business.”

He also adds, “Fresh investment in the green energy corridor, intra-state transmission projects, smart city and other substation projects for grid stability will also drive the market.”

Challenges to market growth Likewise several other sectors, switchgear is facing a suit of challenges like competitiveness, managing return on investment, operating margins and maintaining the technology leadership.

“The recent slowdown in real estate segment, slowing demand from projects is one of the short-term challenges,”

says Nandwani. However, he believes that major reforms from the new government will usher the demand of switchgear products in next 5 years.

Jagdish feels that the increasing competition from the unorganised sector along with the lack of standardisation is adversely impacting the industry. He adds, “The increasing trend of customisation is also hampering the growth of switchgear market in India. The switchgear industry has to continuously innovate and upgrade its products to meet the evolving needs of its customers.”

Then there are technical and nontechnical losses, which are very high in energy value chain. Sadly, large section of our citizens has no access to electrical energy. The government really needs to work on the last mile connectivity to consumers. “Today investments are being made to strengthen the MV network under government sponsored RAPDRP programme,” Selot opines, “However, the technology adaptation for last mile connectivity is far behind as compared globally. The overhead infrastructure for rural and semi urban areas still needs strengthening.”

Switching towards 2016 Overall, the sector is very optimistic about its future. With clear visibility on policies and various government initiatives, the market seems to witness an upswing in opportunities.

“The next 10 years will be crucial for the Indian electrical equipment industry as it gears up to meet the rapidly rising domestic demand,” shares Selot. “The industry also establishes its presence as an important player in the global electrical equipment arena.”

The market has reported a stupendous CAGR of 21.6 per cent during FY 08 to FY 13. In the past 3 years, the market has grown at 15 per cent. If the trends continue, the Indian switchgear market will be worth about ` 215 billion by FY 2017, growing at a diminished CAGR of 10 per cent.

December 2014

25

technology

Switchgear technology with ecoefficient insulation gas ABB’s eco-efficient gas-insulated switchgear with new gas mixture New gas mixture offers alternative Breakthrough in switchgear technology to SF6 and has potential to reduce carbon footprint of GIS by up to 50 per cent – technology being deployed in a Swiss pilot project Global warming potential cut by

50%

CO2 reductions equate to taking

20 cars off the road

GIS with new insulating gas

A

BB has achieved a significant breakthrough in switchgear technology with the development of a solution that deploys a new insulation gas mixture as a substitute for sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

This alternate gas mixture has similar insulation properties as SF6 gas now used in switchgear, but can substantially lower environmental impact due to its extremely low global warming potential.

ABB’s gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with the new gas mixture has the potential to lower carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by up to 50 per cent through the lifecycle of the equipment, compared to its predecessor with the same rating.

“This is a significant achievement and can pave the way for more eco-efficient switchgear in the years ahead,” said Bernhard Jucker, Head of ABB’s Power Products division. “It will enable our customers to lower environmental impact and is very much in line with ABB’s ongoing commitment to

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December 2014

An average GIS substation with the new gas equates to taking 20 cars off the road (based on running 15’000km per year)

technology and innovation to enable power and productivity for a better world.”

For decades, SF6 gas has been used extensively in the electrical industry for dielectric insulation and current interruption due to its physical properties. Pressurised SF6 gas aids the safe and reliable operation of gasinsulated switchgear because it has a much higher dielectric strength than other insulation media, making it possible to significantly reduce the size of switchgear installations and enable installation in areas where space is at a premium. However, SF6 is a known greenhouse gas and moreover, its lifecycle management requires careful handling for utility and industrial users.

The cost of managing it in a compliant manner can also be substantial, particularly when decommissioning aging substations.

The new technology will be deployed for the first time at a substation located in Oerlikon, Zürich, as a pilot installation

for the leading Swiss utility, ewz. In addition to the 170 kV high-voltage GIS, ABB will also install medium voltage GIS with the new gas mixture.

In a power system, switchgear is used to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment to boost the reliability of the electrical supply. With GIS technology, key components including contacts and conductors are protected with insulating gas. Compactness, reliability and robustness make it a preferred solution in urban areas and other places where space is a constraint or in harsh environmental conditions.

ABB pioneered high-voltage GIS in the mid-1960s and continues to drive its technology and innovation, offering a full range product portfolio with voltage levels from 72.5 kV to 1,200 kV. As a market leader in high-voltage GIS technology, ABB has a global installed base of more than 23,000 bays. The latest breakthrough will enable further reduction in carbon emissions without compromising efficiency and reliability.

Electrical & Power Review

Interview

Switchgear market: cautious with optimism

A “With clear visibility on policies and various government initiatives, we have started witnessing an upswing in opportunities in the market,” says Biswaroop Ukil, Vice President – Direct Sales (India), CG

lthough the switchgear market is cautious about future, the fresh investment in green energy corridor, intra-state transmission projects and smart city will drive the market. In a conversation with EPR, Biswaroop Ukil talks how the switchgear market is moving forward.

segments. The demand for grid reliability will necessitate requirement of grid protection equipment; namely, SVC and SVG.

Key market trends

Recently approved “Integrated Power Development Scheme” to reduce AT&C losses for strengthening subtransmission and distribution network in the urban areas will fuel the growth of medium voltage equipments. Focus on the “Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana” and special improvement projects for strengthening the intra-state transmission network in North Eastern Region Power System for six states will drive opportunity in MV and EHV segments.

The market is taking a cautiously optimistic approach. With the change of guard at the centre, it is expected that the sector will see the next wave of investment which in turn will drive demand. “Policy Consistency” will boost investor confidence. Proposed bail-out packages for power projects hit by funding and clearance hurdles will revive the sector. This will include implementation of easier funding rules and improvement in the distribution architecture. Focus on “Green and Clean Energy” will add to the momentum. The “Make in India” drive will help bring new technologies and enable domestic industry to enhance skill levels.

Driving factors Fresh investment in the green energy corridor, intra-state transmission projects, smart city and other substation projects for grid stability will also drive the market. The recent SEB restructuring, which has resulted in improvement in the cash flow, is opening investment opportunities by SEB’s in new areas.

Market opportunities Beyond 2025, 400 kV will become subtransmission network, making 765 kV, 1,200 kV, UHVAC and HVDC as the backbone. There will be greater market opportunity for the UHV AC and HVDC

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December 2014

Non-availability of land and system reliability will make GIS a preferred option over AIS in the transmission network.

Challenges to market growth Some of the major challenges in this sector are market competitiveness, managing return on investment, operating margins and maintaining the technology leadership.

Year 2015 and CG For the industry at large, the finalisation of new orders has been slow in this financial year. However, CG has recorded revenue growth due to its healthy order backlog carried from last year.

Outlook for 2016 With clear visibility on policies and various government initiatives, CG has started witnessing an upswing in opportunities in the market. The company expects this to gain momentum and look at FY16 with great deal of optimism.

Electrical & Power Review

Interview

Switched towards revival

T “We hope to continue to grow and provide our customers with great and innovative products,� remarks AV Jagdish, Vice President, Havells India Ltd.

he switchgear industry in India is on its way to the bright tomorrow and estimated to reach ` 215 crore by 2017. The industry can also witness a double-digit growth in the near future. In a conversation with EPR, AV Jagdish talks how Havells is continuingly innovate and upgrade its products to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Key market trends The switchgear industry in India is currently valued at ` 135 crore (FY 13). In the past 3 years, the switchgear market has witnessed a sluggish growth due to overall adverse macroeconomic environment. However, industry expects a strong growth due to the growing consumption of electricity, rising urbanisation and infrastructural developments. With the stable central government, which looks determined to reinvigorate growth, attract large dosage of investments across industries and revive sentiment, the switchgear market is geared up for revival.

Driving factors for market Increased urbanisation, enhancement in building new residential households and growing concerns for quality and safety among the consumers over non-branded products are driving the switchgear market in India.

Market opportunities Increased investment of government in the power sector and the

Electrical & Power Review

modernisation of crucial economic and social infrastructure will drive the switchgear market in India. It is estimated that the switchgear industry in India will reach ` 215 crore by 2017 and witness a doubledigit growth in near future.

Challenges to market growth The increasing competition from the unorganised sector along with the lack of standardisation and design parameters is adversely impacting the quality of products and growth of the industry.

The increasing trend of customisation is also hampering the growth of switchgear market in India.

The switchgear industry has to continuously innovate and upgrade its products to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Year 2014 and Havells The LV switchgear market in India witnessed a single digit growth this year. However, the future of the switchgear market looks bright and is likely to witness a strong growth momentum on account of government planning to increase the installed power generation capacity and the growth of the industrial sector.

Outlook for 2016 Havells hopes to continue to grow and provide its customers with great and innovative products. The company also provides its stakeholders with good return on equity.

December 2014

29

Interview

Greater acceptance for ”Made in India”

A “We intend to double our market share and feature as one of the topend switchgear players in the LV switchgear business by 2018,” remarks Rajesh Nandwani, Business Head - Switchgear, Anchor Electricals Pvt. Ltd.

nchor is one of the largest players in the pan India LV switchgear business, and it exclusively uses Panasonic’s technological expertise. Anchor intends to double its market share and feature as one of the top-end switchgear players in the LV switchgear business by 2018. In an interview with EPR, Rajesh Nandwani shares the switchgear markets trends and how Anchor can reach to the top.

their lives, and property has contributed to double-digit growth in MCB market for the past few years. Anchor expects a huge increment in demand of RCCBs as people have become alert on risks caused by leakage currents such as electrical fires and shocks. Though the awareness of switchgear exists in the electrician and consultant fraternity, the end-user awareness needs to be expanded.

Key market trends

Driving factors

India is the world’s sixth largest energy consumer, accounting for 3.4 per cent of global energy consumption. Due to the flourishing Indian economy, the demand for electrical energy has touched great heights. The per capita total energy consumption in India was 917.2 KWh by March 2013, which is expected to grow to 1,200 KWh by 2016. With the rapid increase in urbanisation, new residential and commercial complexes, and an increase in infrastructure, there is a high demand for electrical switchgears.

Boom in the residential sector, increasing purchase of home appliances, increased voltage fluctuations, poor wiring practices, and the media doing its bit in creating awareness about switchgears have propelled the demand. The misconception of switchgear being an industrial product is now being reduced. Traditional DP switches are being replaced with switchgear suiting needs of modern Indian residences.

The low-voltage switchgear market size in India is about ` 11,000 crore. The domestic switchgear market is about ` 2,200 crore that includes products such as MCB, RCCB and DB. In past, the unorganised sector and cheap imported products had a significant market presence; however, the market is now switching towards organised players. The increased awareness in the masses about importance of protection from electrical faults for safeguarding

30

Moreover, exports of switchgears is showing an increasing trend since few years as “Made in India” brand is obtaining wide acceptance in the export market, especially for the Middle-East and African nations.

Market opportunities Anchor is the sixth largest player in the pan India LV switchgear business.

Its switchgear vertical makes extensive use of Panasonic’s technological expertise. With new range named UNO, Anchor is being considered as a serious switchgear manufacturer. Its 32

December 2014

g

Electrical & Power Review

Interview

Turning on switchgear market

T

“The next 10 years will be crucial for the Indian electrical equipment industry as it gears up to meet the rapidly rising domestic demand,” predicts Sandeep Selot, Director, Marketing and Strategy Energy Business, Schneider Electric India

he Indian switchgear market, which has an important presence in the global electrical equipment arena, has reported a stupendous CAGR of 21.6 per cent during FY 08 to FY 13.

In an interview with EPR, Sandeep Selot shares the future of switchgear market and how Schneider Electric is going to influence the market with its switchgear products.

Key market trends India is witnessing increased investments in the manufacturing segment as well as urban and rural infrastructure development all over the country. The government as well as the power ministry are planning extensive power enhancement and improvement of electrical grid networks to support this growth. The need to have a safe, reliable and efficient power distribution setup at both micro and macro levels is providing growth opportunities to the low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) switchgear markets in India.

Driving factors The nation’s developing infrastructure across various sectors including residential, commercial and transport has been the prime factor that has resulted growth in the demand for switchgears in India. Development in oil and gas, petrochemicals, steel, concrete and telecom has given a huge stimulus to the development of this business, especially in high-voltage section.

The Indian switchgear market can be segregated into three categories

Electrical & Power Review

on the basis of voltage: low-voltage switchgears, medium-voltage switchgears and high-voltage switchgears. The market contribution of low-voltage switchgears has displayed a remarkable traction, surging from 31.7 per cent in FY 08 to 55.3 per cent in FY 13. This progressive increase in the market share of lowvoltage switchgears has been largely attributed to increased urbanisation, construction of new residential households and commercial areas taking place in the country, coupled with the growing concerns for safety and security with respect to the electric equipment. In fact, the low-voltage switchgears represent more than 55 per cent of the aggregate market share, and the share is expected to expand in the impending years.

Keeping in mind the growth parameters and the requirements of the industry, Schneider Electric has come up with smart-grid ready MV switchgear with a highly modular design to facilitate easy installation, upgrading and maintenance. Premset switchgear also uses the Shielded Solid Insulation System (2SIS), a breakthrough innovation that protects switchgears’ live parts to help ensure a safe, trouble-free service life for both operator and equipment. With its 3-in-1 design, Premset switchgear is the most reliable, compact, safest and most intuitive in its class.

Using Premset switchgear enables simplifying network upgrades because the same auxiliaries, accessories

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Interview and monitoring devices can continue being used for the entire range. In fact, this “plug-and-play” design also allows for on-site additions that do not require any special training, tools or adjustments.

Market opportunities The biggest opportunity for the switchgear industry comes from the upcoming power generation capacity.

Power generation capacity is expected to be augmented by around 150,000 MW in the coming time. Expansion of key industry sector (cement steel petrochemicals, telecom and others) and expansion of other infrastructure segments like telecom, railways, airports, ports, roads and hospitals 30

are also key opportunities for the switchgear industry.

Challenges to market growth The technical and non-technical losses in the energy value chain are still high.

We still have high peak deficit of power, and large section of our citizens have no access to electrical energy. There is also a need to work on the last mile connectivity to consumers. Today investments are being made to strengthen the MV network under government sponsored RAPDRP programme. However, the technology adaptation for last mile connectivity is far behind as compared globally. The overhead infrastructure for rural and semi urban areas still needs strengthening.

Outlook for 2016 The next 10 years will be crucial for the Indian electrical equipment industry as it gears up to meet the rapidly rising domestic demand. The industry also establishes its presence as an important player in the global electrical equipment arena. The Indian switchgear market has reported a stupendous CAGR of 21.6 per cent during FY 08 to FY 13.

In FY 13, the switchgear market in India grew by 27.3 per cent compared to 48.2 per cent growth in FY 12. The high growth in FY 12 was significantly attributed to the increased demand for energy-generation equipment which resulted in increased sales of high- and medium-voltage switchgears in India.

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switchgear portfolio is working hand in hand with its wiring devices business, which is its core business.

Anchor UNO range of switchgear

Cutting-edge switchgear technology from Japan packs additional safety for end users. Robust functionality, operational and installation ease as well as availability in every nook and corner of the nation give Anchor the added impetus to be known as a market leader in switchgear industry.

Anchor has a chance to be one of the leading players in the LV switchgear business in next 3-5 years.

Challenges to market growth The recent slowdown in real estate segment, slowing demand from projects is one of the short-term challenges. With liquidity getting tight, the projects are being delayed.

However, Anchor expects major reforms in electrical sector from the new government that will usher the demand of switchgear products in next 5 years. Anchor is confident of strong market growth in long term and preparing itself for expected surge in near future.

Year 2014 and Anchor With the new government in place,

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there are huge expectations of high growth in electricity sector. Although the sentiments are highly positive, the actual consumption has not significantly picked up till recently.

This is due to slow demand from construction and projects segment.

Anchor expects the MCB market to grow between 5-10 per cent in this FY. For Anchor, FY 2014 has been a strong growth year with launch of new product range called Uno Switchgear.

Now, Anchor has three product lines of switchgear with “Gold Range” for economy segment, “Uno Range” for mid-value segment and “Panasonic Range” for premium segment. It is able

to serve all consumer segments of the market. Anchor expects its top line to grow by more than 25 per cent in FY 2014.

Outlook for 2016 Anchor is positive for near future and has already chartered its sales and new product launch plan for the next 5 years. Anchor intends to double its market share and feature as one of the top-end switchgear players in the LV switchgear business by 2018. In 2016, Anchor expects market to grow by more than 10 per cent and Anchor to grow in-line with its vision of becoming one of the Top 3 pan India leaders in the switchgear vertical by 2018.

Electrical & Power Review

MAHENG/2012/47805

Vol 3 Issue 1 • Pages 104 • November 1, 2014 • `100/- • www.eprmagazine.com

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS ON ELECTRICAL & POWER

An I-Tech Media Publication

0

Interview

Leaning towards cogeneration projects

M

“People across the globe think of CTMI as they are looking for a unique waste heat recovery solution,” exclaims Raman Roop Sawhney, Managing Director, Chola Turbo Machinery International Pvt. Ltd.

ost of the countries are too dependent on funds, fuel and policies for their cogeneration sector development. In a conversation with EPR, Raman Roop Sawhney shares why all developing countries and emerging markets in Africa and South-East Asia are slowly reducing their dependence on oil (DG sets) and opting for standard cogeneration projects.

Growth factors for cogeneration market Growth of the cogeneration market is dependent on the availability and accessibility of funds and fuel, and both factors rely on policies adopted by both central and local state governments.

Industry-friendly policies focusing on power infrastructure development would make cogeneration projects more feasible and attract funding.

Similarly, smarter fuel planning would go a long way in making these projects run successfully for a long period of time.

Quality products and services Today a customer (Indian or international) has two basic expectations: quality of the product and quality of the service. When Chola Turbo Machinery International (CTMI) aims to compete with all multinational brands based on its products, which are of international standards, CTMI aspires to offer excellent services as well. This healthy competition keeps CTMI on its toes to carry out more R&D activities for development of newer

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products. This also forms strategic alliances with local partners around the globe to offer prompt services. In the past 3 years, CTMI has developed two new models and tied up with engineering firms from USA, Canada, Ireland and Italy.

Staying ahead of competition The key focus area for CTMI has always been its strength in design and commitment to offer a tailor-made solution for a customer’s requirement.

Despite having three manufacturing facilities in India, CTMI has successfully avoided the rat race of mass producing steam turbines. It also believes that a customer’s unique requirement deserves a customised solution. This resolve has paid off by enabling CTMI to manufacture steam turbines for a variety of applications, ranging form nuclear power and geothermal power to small API standard pump drive turbines.

Cogeneration trends Like India, other countries are too dependent on funds, fuel and policies for their cogeneration sector development. What CTMI is witnessing is that due to better awareness of climate change and government’s environmental initiatives, all developing countries and emerging markets in Africa and South-East Asia are slowly reducing their dependence on oil (DG sets) and opting for standard cogeneration projects. Meanwhile, all CTMI customers based in North American and European countries are 36

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Electrical & Power Review

Interview

Cogeneration to drive process driven industries

C

“The key focus of Kessels has always been on product differentiation based on better, superior technology,� says P. K. Batra, Joint Managing Director, Kessels Engineering Works (P) Ltd.

ogeneration due to its production of both power and steam will be the key in long-term sustainability and profitability of large corporations.

It will be also vital for the growth and expansion of the small-scale process plants and mills that constitute the backbone of the Indian economy. In an interview with EPR, P. K. Batra shares how Kessels Engineering is leaving its mark.

Samsung South Korea 500 KW Single Stage Condensing Stema Turbine

Cogeneration market scenario The Indian cogeneration market is certainly optimistic and looks promising for both immediate and long-term future. The new government and its perceived policy making mechanism and transparency have been the driving force behind this optimism and attracted investment.

The concept of cogeneration is vital for process driven industries (manufacturers of sugar, paper, rice, ethanol and edible oil) to be sustainable, profitable and independent of the utilities provided by the government. As the industry flourishes in these sectors, the cogeneration market is poised to grow along with it proportionately.

Ansan City South Korea - 1.5 MW Back Pressure STG Set

Staying ahead of competition Kessels is one of the top players in the market for cogeneration through the use of steam turbine generator sets in such process-driven industries.

Over the past 27 years, Kessels has grown to become the market leader

Electrical & Power Review

6 MW TG Set for Mexico at Bangalore Works Assembly Floor

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Interview in certain industries and segments in India. In general, it has become a global player, competing regularly with the European, Japanese, Chinese and American manufacturers for an increased presence in the overseas market. Export orders dominate and constitute more than 60 per cent of its current order book. The domestic Indian market, however, tends to look bright, and Kessels might expect the balance to shift back to a majority of domestic orders very soon.

Focusing on trends The key focus of Kessels has always been on product differentiation based on better, superior technology. Investing in technology and development of new frames and models always helps maintain an edge over the domestic competition while keeping Kessels 34

abreast with the global players. It is due to this continuing effort of delivering a product with a better value proposition that companies around the globe are now starting to look towards India for their requirement of steam turbines and other cogeneration equipment.

Going global In fact, Kessels is always proud to inform its prospective clients that the first steam turbine to be utilised in South America for geothermal power generation purposes is going to be a Kessels make, designed and manufactured in India. Apart from being the first manufacturer in India to supply a back pressure steam turbine for geothermal use, Kessels is only manufacturer to have successfully designed, manufactured and installed a single-stage condensing type steam

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turbine as well as a steam turbine for heavy water application (nuclear plants). These projects along with many others highlight that Indian companies too can be at the forefront of design and innovation. They also highlight that these companies can compete and succeed in securing business for technology intensive products such as steam turbines on a global scale.

Kessels and future Going ahead, Kessels believes that cogeneration due to its production of both power and steam will be the key in long-term sustainability and profitability of large corporations and equally vital for the growth and expansion of the small-scale process plants and mills that constitute the backbone of the Indian economy.

that CTMI was able to breach previous untouched markets like North America and Europe within this period. Make in India and hence a “Made in India” product is now something the people associate with excellent quality and innovation. It is a matter of pride that CTMI — an Indian steam turbine manufacturer — is offering turbines which are CE marked and running successfully all over the globe, while competing with all major steam turbine manufacturers.

CTMI in current market scenario

Chola Turbo Machinery facility

focusing on innovative and effective waste heat recovery solutions.

‘Make In India’ mission Deep space exploration has always been considered as pinnacle of

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science and engineering. The success of indigenously made Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan in the past 3 years has made the world sit up and take notice of India’s potential in science and technology. It is no coincidence

As a manufacturer of steam turbine with a vast range (5 KW to 30,000 KW), CTMI is committed to offer a tailormade solution which is cost effective, efficient and robust — whether slowspeed turbines for industrial base load applications or API 611/612 standard pump drives turbines. Its desire to be a globally recognised brand has led to continuous R&D in design and expansion all across the globe. Having earned a reputation of being a company not shying away from challenges, people across the globe think of CTMI as they are looking for a unique waste heat recovery solution.

Electrical & Power Review

Special Report

New light to illuminate world

T

hree physicists have been awarded the Nobel Prize for revolutionising the way the world is lighted: Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura. The Nobel Committee rewarded them for inventing a new energy-efficient and eco-friendly light source – the blue light-emitting diode (LED). In the spirit of Alfred Nobel the Prize rewards an invention of greatest benefit to mankind; using blue LEDs, white light can be created in a new way. With the advent of LED lamps, we now have more long-lasting and more efficient alternatives to older light sources.

around for a long time but without blue light, white lamps could not be created. Despite considerable efforts, both in the scientific community and in industry, the blue LED had remained a challenge for three decades.

Journey towards new light

Saving energy and resources

When Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura produced bright blue light beams from their semi-conductors in the early 1990s, they triggered a fundamental transformation of lighting technology.

Red and green diodes had been

White LED lamps emit a bright white light, are long-lasting and energy-efficient. They are constantly improved, getting more efficient with higher luminous flux (measured in lumen) per unit electrical input power (measured in watt). The most

Electrical & Power Review

They succeeded where everyone else had failed. Akasaki worked together with Amano at the University of Nagoya, while Nakamura was employed at Nichia Chemicals, a small company in Tokushima. Their inventions were revolutionary.

Incandescent light bulbs lit the 20th century; the 21st century will be lit by LED lamps.

recent record is just over 300 lm/W, which can be compared to 16 for regular light bulbs and close to 70 for fluorescent lamps. As about one fourth of world electricity consumption is used for lighting purposes, the LEDs contribute to saving the Earth’s resources. Materials consumption is also diminished as LEDs last up to 100,000 hours, compared to 1,000 for incandescent bulbs and 10,000 hours for fluorescent lights.

A bluer revolution One-fourth of the world’s electrical energy consumption goes to producing light, and LED lamp holds great promise for increasing the quality of life for over 1.5 billion people who lack access to electricity grids.

The invention of the efficient blue LED is just 20 years old, but it has already contributed to create white light in an entirely new manner to the benefit of us all.

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tech view

Power factor correction in a harmonic-rich environment A guide identifies the optimal approach to prevent problems when selecting new or upgrading existing capacitor banks Both the inductance L and the capacitance C represent reactive components with a particular reactance. Capacitive reactive power input is the equivalent of inductive reactive power output and vice versa. Reactive power has, in effect, no clearly definable direction of flow. Reactance is calculated as follows:

and

Therefore, the inductive reactance XL is proportional to frequency f, while the capacitive reactance XC is inversely proportional to frequency f. For any parallel combination of L and C, there will be a frequency f0, at which reactance of L and of C are equal. This is the resonant frequency. This frequency, at which the LC combination oscillates, is calculated as:

C

apacitor banks have been used for many years to compensate the fundamental reactive power required by resistive-inductive loads. They are essential for an economic operation of the electrical system. However, non-linear loads are becoming predominant in today’s electricity system. Capacitor banks must now be designed to cope with two basic challenges these non-linear loads bring about. They have to withstand excess harmonic current, and they have to avoid the risk of resonance with inductances in other appliances in close (electrical) proximity.

Basics: Characteristics capacitance

of

inductance

and

Inductance is the electrical analogue to the inertia of mass in a mechanical system. A reactor, i.e. a component with a defined and intentional inductance value, represents the electrical equivalent of a flywheel with a defined inertia. Of course, anything that has a mass also has certain inertia and, in the same manner, any conductor has a parasitic inductance.

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With respect to leading currents, it may seem a bit difficult to imagine how a capacitive current can ‘know’ in advance what the voltage that drives it will do a quarter of a period later but, in a manner of speaking, this is actually what happens.

To be precise, it is any change of current that is lagging or leading in relation to the corresponding voltage change, e.g. the zero crossing. It originates from the energy being stored in the capacitance and from the special characteristics of the waveform.

Electrical capacitance corresponds to the resilience (elasticity) of a mechanical component. A capacitor can be produced with a defined capacitance, corresponding to a spring in a mechanical system. Just as every material has some degree of resilience (elasticity), there is also a certain parasitic capacitance between any two pieces of conducting material.

The question is whether this parasitic reactance is large enough to play a role in practical engineering. At high voltages or high frequencies, they often are. However, this is not

Electrical & Power Review

tech view normally the case at low voltage levels and mains frequency.

The energy content in each of the two energy stores is given by:

where: D = elasticity constant (elongation per force, Hooke’s

Law) s = elongation (instantaneous distance from point of relaxed state) m = mass

in which s and v should be written as functions of time, s(t) and v(t), for that is what they are, periodically changing with time.

When the energy stores are a capacitor and an inductor, the tension in the extended/compressed spring correlates with the positive/negative voltage in the capacitor and the speed of the mass is the current, also swapping polarity at regular intervals. This means every 90°, all changes of the dimensions (tension/voltage and velocity/current) follow a sine function. Given a 90° phase shift, it can also be said that one of the dimensions follows a cosine function. Assuming linear and loss-free components at any point in time with the oscillation

v = speed of movement of this mass

Figure 2—Triangular current flowing through a capacitor

Figure 3—Sine voltages drive cosine currents in reactive components

Electrical & Power Review

proportional to the rate of change of current with respect to time di/dt (in the case of an inductance L) or the current is proportional to the rate of change of instantaneous voltage with respect to time du/dt (in the case of a capacitance C).

The sinusoidal voltage and current curves have the same shape for resistive and reactive components, but with a phase shift. For reactive components, the voltage is proportional to the rate of change of the current. However, the rate of change of a sinusoid is described by a cosinusoid, which has the same shape and merely a different start point.

What is reactive power?

results in the internal energy

Figure 1—Rectangular voltage causes trapezium current in an ideal (loss free) reactor

curve produces a current curve of the same shape and vice versa. For reactive loads, the instantaneous voltage is

being constant at any point in time.

With actual components, losses do occur and the phase displacement of current against voltage in an inductive/ capacitive component becomes less than ±90°. However, these losses are in general rather low; the influence of non-linearity in reactor core materials is largely negligible for technical purposes if the reactor is properly designed.

In resistive loads, the instantaneous values of voltage and current are proportional to each other (Figure 4).

In reactive components they are not (Figure 6). In the latter case, if one of the dimensions has a sinusoidal wave

Figure 4—Resistive load

What is special about the sine wave?

Sine voltages drive sine currents, and sine currents produce sine voltage drops.

Is this true for the sine waveform only or for any function? To answer directly, it is in fact a peculiarity of the sine wave.

See the examples for other waveforms in Figures 1 and 2. Instantaneous voltage values are proportional to the instantaneous current values only for resistive elements, so that any voltage

Figure 5—Resistive-inductive load

Figure 6—Inductive load

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tech view

Figure 7—Does a phase-angle controlled resistive load cause fundamental reactive power or not? From the utility viewpoint, the additional impact on the mains is indeed there, while energy oscillation – which some experts see as a prerequisite for the existence of reactive power – does not take place.

Figure 8—Voltage drop in a transformer (here 630 kVA according to HD 428 list C) is minor under resistive load, major with inductive load, and negative with capacitive load.

shape, so does the other but with a phase shift between the two. Hence, during two sections of every AC period, they have the same sign, but during the other two sections, their signs are different. During these periods of opposite voltage and current polarities, the product of them, the power, is negative, so a power consumer in fact temporarily turns into a power ‘supply.’ The electrical energy absorbed a quarter period before was not consumed (e.g. converted into another form of energy, such as heat), but was stored and is now recovered and fed back into the network. The real ‘active’ energy transferred during each full period equals the integral of power. That is the area below the voltage multiplied by current curve (shaded areas in the figures), with the parts below the abscissa to be subtracted from those above. Therefore, fundamental reactive power is an oscillation of energy.

reasons for compensating are to avoid: • Undesired demand on transmission capacity (additional current) • Energy losses caused by such loads • Additional voltage drops caused by such loads.

So far, the definition of reactive power, as it relates to sinusoidal voltages and reactive loads, is still relatively simple. However, reactive power is also present in phase angle controlled resistive loads (e.g Incandesecent lamp with dimmer).

Figure 7 provides the explanation. Viewed from the simple point of view of the load (top row in Figure 7), there is no reactive power—current is in phase with voltage (despite the distorted wave shape) and the displacement power factor is unity. Nevertheless, all loads exist in a common system, and should be examined from the system perspective, shown in the lower row of Figure 7. Now the voltage waveform is again sinusoidal and the displacement power factor is now lagging by 0.8 (see the W, VA, and VAR measurements).

Why compensate?

There are many simultaneously active loads in a conventional electricity network. Many are resistive, some have a capacitive component, i.e. (leading), and others have an inductive component, i.e. (lagging). Resistive-inductive loads prevail in most networks, resulting in a resistive-inductive overall current (Figure 5). This incessant, undesired, oscillation of energy results in an additional flow of current in cables and transformers. It causes additional resistive-losses and uses a potentially large portion of their capacity. Therefore the basic

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These extra voltage drops in the system are significant; a reactive current flowing in a resistance causes a genuine power loss.

Even where the impedance is largely reactive, rapid changes in the reactive current may cause flicker. A good example of this is a construction crane connected to a relatively small distribution transformer when building is erected. The cranes are usually driven by relay-controlled three-phase induction motors that are quite frequently switched from stop to start, from slow to fast, and from downwards to upwards. The startup currents of these motors are very high, several times the rated current, and have a very high inductive component, the power factor being around cos ≈ 0.3 (or even smaller with bigger machines). The voltage drop in the transformer is also largely inductive, so it has more or less the same phase angle as the start-up current of the motor. It will add much more to the flicker than the same current drawn by a resistive load (Figure 8). Fortunately, this also means that this flicker can easily be mitigated by adding a capacitor to compensate the inductive component of the motor’s start-up current.

How to compensate under today’s conditions Control and regulation of reactive power It is normally desirable to compensate reactive power. This is quite easy to achieve by adding an appropriate capacitive load parallel with the resistive-inductive loads so that the inductive component is offset. While the capacitive element is feeding its stored energy back into the mains, the inductive component is drawing it, and vice versa, because the leading and the lagging currents flow in opposite directions at any point in time. In this way, the overall current is reduced by adding a load. This is called parallel compensation.

To do this, knowledge of how much inductive load in installation is must, otherwise overcompensation may occur.

Electrical & Power Review

tech view In that case, the installation would become a resistivecapacitive load, which in extreme cases could be worse than having no compensation at all. If the load—more precisely its inductive component varies, then a variable compensator is required. Normally this is achieved by grouping the capacitors and switching each group on and off via relays / contactors.

This of course causes current peaks along with the consequent wear of the contacts, risk of contact welding, and induced voltages in paralleled data lines. Care must be taken in timing the switch on. When voltage is applied to a fully discharged capacitor at the instant of line voltage peak, the inrush current peak is equal to that of a short circuit. Even worse, switching on a short time after switching off, the capacitor may be nearly fully charged with the inverse polarity, causing an inrush current peak nearly twice as high as the plant’s short circuit current peak! If there are many switch-mode power supply loads (SMPS) being operated on the same system, then a charged compensation capacitor, reconnected to the supply, may feed directly into a large number of discharged smoothing capacitors, more or less directly from capacitance to capacitance with hardly any impedance in between. The resulting current peak is extremely short but extremely high.

Much higher in fact than in a short circuit! There are frequent reports about the failure of devices, especially the contacts of the relays controlling the capacitor groups, due to short interruptions in the grid which are carried out automatically, e.g. by auto-reclosers, to extinguish a light arc on a high or medium voltage overhead line. It is often suggested that this doubling of peak value cannot occur with capacitors that are equipped with discharge resistors in accordance with IEC 831.

However, the standard requires that the voltage decays to less than 75 V after 3 minutes, so they have little effect during an interruption as short as a few tens of milliseconds up to a few seconds.

If, at the instant of re-connecting the capacitor to the line voltage, the residual capacitor voltage happens to equal the supply voltage, no current peak occurs. At least this is true if the compensator is viewed as a pure capacitance and the incoming voltage as an ideal voltage source, i.e with zero source impedance. However, if the self-inductance of the system is taken into account, certain resonances between that and the capacitance may occur. Assume the following case: the residual voltage of the capacitor is half the peak value and equal to the instantaneous line voltage, which is at 45° after the last zero voltage crossing, i.e.

At this point, the current in the capacitor is expected to be:

However, this is not the case, because the capacitor has been disconnected from the supply up to this point. At the instant of connection—ignoring the system’s inductance—the current would rise up to this value immediately, and nothing would happen that would not have also happened in the steady state. Nevertheless, a real system is not free of inductance, so the current will assume this value only hesitantly at first, then accelerate and—again due to the inductance, its ‘inertia’— shoot beyond the target up to nearly double the expected value. It will then come down again and thus perform a short period of oscillation that may be attenuated down to zero well within the first mains cycle after connection. The frequency of such oscillation may be rather high, since the mains inductance is low, and may cause interference with other equipment in the installation. Only if the instantaneous line and residual capacitor voltages are both at their positive or negative peaks at the instant of re-connecting the capacitor—at which point the instantaneous current would be zero anyway—will the resistive-inductive current start without oscillation.

In actuality, there are two conditions to be fulfilled. Firstly, the sum of voltages across the capacitance and its serial reactance (be it parasitic or intentional detuning) must be equal to the line voltage. Secondly, the supposed instantaneous current, assuming connection had already taken place and is well established, has to equal the actual current, which of course is zero until the instant of switching. This second condition is fulfilled only at line voltage peak, which therefore has to equal the capacitor voltage. To achieve this, the capacitor is pre-charged from a supplementary power source. This practice has a secondary, albeit minor, advantage. It ensures that there is always the maximum possible amount of energy stored in the capacitor while not in use, so that at the instant of turn-on it may help to mitigate some fast voltage dips and prevent the subsequent flicker.

Relays, however, are too slow and do not operate precisely enough for targeted switching at a particular point in the wave.

When relays are used, measures have to be taken to attenuate the inrush current peak. Such devices include inrush limiting resistors and detuning reactors. The latter are frequently used for other reasons and are occasionally required by utilities.

Although this series reactor replaces the inrush current peak at switch-on with a voltage peak (surge) at switch-off, it is still the lesser evil, since the reactive power rating of the reactor is just a fraction of the capacitor rating and the energy available is therefore less.

Electronic switches, such as thyristors, can be easily controlled to achieve accurate point-on-wave switching. It is also possible to control switching so as to mitigate a fast flicker caused by a large, unstable inductive load, such as the crane motor mentioned previously, an arc furnace, or a spot welder.

An alternative option frequently applied in some parts of

Electrical & Power Review

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tech view Europe is FC/TCR compensation, the paralleling of a Fixed Capacitor with a Thyristor Controlled Reactor.

Centrally or dispersed reactive compensation?

The reason why commercial electricity users normally compensate, is because some utilities charge for reactive power. This reactive power rate compensates for ‘useless use’ of the distribution system and is generally not as high as the active power rate, but significant nonetheless. In some countries, the practice of charging for reactive power is declining. Likewise, power factor compensation is becoming less common. Electricity users see this as an advantage, but in fact, it places an increased load on a system that is often working quite close to its maximum.

The traditional approach is to place one large static compensator at the point of common coupling, the utility entry, and correct the power factor there to the level required to avoid charges (usually cos = 0.90 or cos = 0.95). The alternative approach is to disperse compensation near resistive-inductive loads and, in the extreme case, to an individual appliance that draws reactive current.

Centralised compensation is often believed to be cheaper.

This is because the central unit is less costly to purchase than spreading the same reactive power rating across the plant in small dispersed units. A lower installed compensation capacity can also be chosen because it is assumed that not every reactive current consumer will be active simultaneously.

However, central compensation does nothing to reduce the losses caused by reactive power inside the local network. It merely reduces the power factor charge levied by the utility.

In a system with dispersed compensation, the reactive current only flows in the short distances between the local compensation units and the appliances, while in a system with centralised compensation, the reactive current flows through every cable and every transformer between the inductive appliances and the point of common coupling. Centralised compensation also has some of the other disadvantages of reactive power, namely transmission capacity demand and voltage drop.

Apart from the financial and energy efficiency arguments, there are technical arguments for and against centralised compensation. For example, if the aggregate load on a transformer is capacitive, the output voltage rises above nominal. This effect is sometimes used to offset the voltage drop in a heavily loaded transformer. The load is simply overcompensated so that the overall load appears capacitive to the transformer. This reduces the inductive voltage drop in the transformer [2]. In cases where a frequently switched heavy load causes a flicker problem, this may be a more sturdy and reliable solution than electronic flicker compensators and may also be considerably more cost-efficient in cases where a degree of compensation would be needed in any case.

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However, in general terms, the overvoltage of a transformer under capacitive load is a risk that should be avoided or must be at least adequately dealt with by, for example, using a slightly higher than nominal voltage rating (≈6 per cent). It is sometimes necessary or desirable to apply compensation at MV level and it is attractive to connect LV capacitors via a MV/LV transformer rather than paying the higher price for MV capacitors. In such a case, the transformer load is capacitive and the output voltage may be higher than expected. This can be dealt with by proper selection of components with adequate voltage rating or by selecting the transformer ratio, by the use of taps, to normalise it. The latter is preferable since it avoids running the transformer in an over-excited state with consequently higher losses. This approach can be appealing on paper yet prove to be a false economy. Although the installation cost is reduced, the running costs are increased.

Reactive current in the installation is transformed twice— from the installation LV to the system MV and from system MV to capacitor LV— with two load losses to be paid for by the consumer.

In a decentralisation scheme, each and every resistiveinductive load, however small, may be compensated by integrating a capacitor into it. This has been accomplished quite successfully, for instance, in luminaires with one or two fluorescent lamps and magnetic ballasts. In Germany and Switzerland, this is frequently implemented as serial compensation, where one out of every two lampand- ballast circuits is left uncompensated and the other one is (over-) compensated by means of a series capacitor, dimensioned in such a way as to draw precisely the same amplitude of current as the uncompensated branch, but with the inverse phase angle.

For asynchronous induction machines however, individually local compensation is problematic. If the capacitor is located before the motor switch, then it may easily remain connected when the motor is off, leaving the system overcompensated.

If the capacitor is located after the motor switch so that it is disconnected from the motor, then there is a risk of self-excitation in the machine as it decelerates.Voltage is generated although the device has been isolated from the supply, including overvoltage in the event that the capacitance has been wrongly dimensioned.

Reactive power is not always undesirable. Rather, the proper amount of capacitive reactive power needs to be generated to offset the inductive reactive power and, in cases where resistivecapacitive loads prevail, the reverse is true. However, the latter is not always recommended, as capacitive reactive power can bring along technical advantages. For example, it can be used for exciting asynchronous generators such as wind turbines and cogeneration plants if these are connected directly to the system without an inverter. It even becomes an absolute necessity in situations where such generators are

Electrical & Power Review

tech view supposed to feed an island network. Otherwise there is no excitation, no voltage, and no supply, even while the machine is running.

Detuning Detuning refers to the practice of connecting each compensation capacitor in series with a reactor. One reason for detuning—the attenuation of inrush currents—has already been discussed. However, the basic reason why detuning is recommended by all compensator suppliers and most utilities—and why many consumers have already adopted it— is the problem of voltage disturbances on the network. Modern electronic loads draw harmonic currents, cause harmonic voltage disturbance, and impose high frequency noise on the network. As the reactance of a capacitor is inversely proportional to the frequency, these high frequencies can cause the current rating of the capacitor to be exceeded.

This is prevented by the presence of a detuning inductor. The reactive power rating of the detuning reactor is usually 5 per cent, 7 per cent, or 11 per cent of the reactive power of the compensation capacitor. This percentage is also called the ‘detuning factor.’

When discussing ratings, there is often considerable confusion as to whether the reactive power indicated on the rating plate of a compensator refers to the rated mains voltage or to the rated capacitor voltage (which is higher), and whether or not the detuning factor has been taken into account. In fact, the stated reactive power should always refer to the combined unit—compensator plus detuning reactor—at supply voltage and fundamental frequency.

Since the reactance of a reactor rises proportionally with the frequency while that of the capacitor drops, an 11 per cent detuning factor at 50 Hz already becomes ≈100 per cent at 150 Hz1. This means that the inductive reactance and the capacitive reactance are equal (in resonance) and cancel each other out. This provides an option to design detuning factors to ‘suck out’ a particular harmonic from the network, while performing the basic compensation function as well.

Generally, however, in order to prevent capacitor and reactor overload, it is preferable to avoid detuning factors that place the resonant frequency on one of the predominant harmonic frequencies. Rather, the detuning factor is chosen so that the capacitor/inductor combination becomes inductive for frequencies just below the lowest occurring harmonic and above (Figure 9). This avoids resonances (Figure 10) that might otherwise occur between the capacitor and other elements of the system. This is especially true of the stray inductance of the nearest transformer being excited by one or another harmonic. In the figures, the amplification factors are plotted against the frequency. The amplification factor here is to be understood as the ratio of the system’s behaviour as it is, compared to the same system’s behaviour in the absence of the compensator.

But this is not the only reason for detuning. Nowadays capacitors may also easily be overloaded by the higher frequencies omnipresent in the networks. These are often higher than even the most common harmonics. Even small high frequency voltages superimposed on the supply voltage— so small that they are not visible in the voltage recordings of a high-class network analyser (Figure 11)— can drive high currents through the capacitors.

On the left is an 11 W fluorescent lamp operated with a magnetic ballast but without compensation. However, the very high amount of reactive power requires compensation by capacitors. On the right, the lamp system current (the serial connection of lamp and ballast, paralleled with the appropriate capacitor) is a bizarre zigzag rather than the desired approximate sine wave. This additional mixture of higher frequency currents must be flowing through the

Figure 9—Resonance curves of different compensators ranging from 50 kvar (curve 1) to 400 kvar (curve 8), operated on a 1,250 kVA transformer (Frako)

Figure 10—Resonance curves of different detuned compensators ranging from 50 kvar (curve 1) to 400 kvar (curve 8), operated on a 1,250 kVA transformer (Frako)

Electrical & Power Review

Figure 11—11 W fluorescent lamp without (left) and with parallel compensation (right)

December 2014

43

tech view capacitor, since nothing else has changed in the wiring.

Measurements confirm this. Since the current on the left is almost sinusoidal, the difference between the power factor (also called load factor LF) and the cos (also called displacement power factor DPF) is small. On the right, however, it is significant. The reason is that the power factor is the ratio of real (50 Hz) power to apparent power, including fundamental reactive power, harmonic power, and noise power, while the cos —displacement factor—only includes the fundamental reactive power caused by a phase shift between voltage and fundamental current. The capacitor is intended to carry reactive current (left), but is also a sink for harmonic currents (right) if not detuned.

This is the second reason for the widespread detuning practice today and reveals how important it may be for the life of a capacitor designed for 50 Hz. The experiment can be repeated with similar results in nearly all modern networks.

Simply connecting a capacitor to the line voltage and recording the current will give similar readings everywhere.

It is very impressive to let the capacitor current flow through an appropriately dimensioned loudspeaker. The noise is truly awful, but it changes back again to a calm and quiet 50 Hz hum as soon as the capacitor is ‘detuned’ with a reactor.

The present example also makes the above mentioned serial compensation practice for fluorescent lamps appear quite advantageous, as it represents a compensating capacitance with a detuning factor of 50 per cent, and this even with a reactor that is already in place and need not be added.

Conclusions Inductive load components prevail over capacitive load components in most networks. This results in an undesired oscillation of energy, bringing along an additional flow of current in cables and transformers. It causes additional resistive-losses and uses a potentially large part of their capacity. Compensating the inductive load component avoids: • Undesired demand on transmission capacity (additional current) • Energy losses caused • Additional voltage drops.

Doing this properly requires knowledge of the amount of inductive load in the installation; otherwise, overcompensation may occur, which in extreme cases can be worse than having no compensation at all. A variable compensator is required in case the inductive load component varies.

Variable compensation can be achieved by grouping the capacitors and switching each of those groups on and off separately. The switching system should be precise enough for targeted switching at a certain point in the wave. The resistiveinductive current will only start without oscillation if, at the moment of switching, the instantaneous line and residual

44

December 2014

capacitor voltages are both at their positive or negative peaks. If not, resonance between the self-inductance of the system and the capacitance may occur. The frequency of such oscillation may be rather high and may cause interference with other equipment in the installation. Therefore, variable compensation units should preferably be designed using semiconductor switches, such as thyristors, and intelligent control algorithms. Relays are too slow and do not operate precisely enough. But if relays are used, measures have to be taken to attenuate the inrush current peak, such as inrush limiting resistors or detuning reactors.

Compensation capacitors should always be detuned in order to avoid resonance with harmonics and overload by high frequency current. Indeed, modern electronic loads draw harmonic currents, cause harmonic voltage disturbance, and impose high frequency noise on the network. As the reactance of a capacitor is inversely proportional to the frequency, these high frequencies can cause the current rating of the capacitor to be exceeded. This is prevented by the presence of a detuning inductor. The reactive power rating of the detuning reactor is usually 5 per cent, 7 per cent, or 11 per cent of the reactive power of the compensation capacitor.

Compensation capacitors can be centralised or dispersed. The traditional approach is to place one large static compensator at the point of common coupling and correct the power factor there to the level required to avoid charges. The alternative approach is to disperse compensation near resistiveinductive loads and, in the extreme, to an individual appliance that draws reactive current. In the first case, the installation cost will be lower. One large unit will be cheaper than the sum of several small units. Moreover, the installed compensation capacity can be lower because it is assumed that not every reactive current consumer will be switched on simultaneously.

However, it is far from certain that centralised compensation will also have the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). With centralised compensation, reactive current will still flow between the appliances and the compensator at the point of common coupling. This means that in the local private network, all disadvantages of reactive power remain, namely energy losses, capacity demand for cables and transformers, and voltage drop. For this reason, the TCO of dispersed compensation will in some cases be lower than the TCO of centralised compensation. There are indeed some additional technical arguments to be made in favour of either centralised or dispersed compensation. For asynchronous induction motors, for instance, individual decentralised compensation is problematic.

Authored by_ Manas Kundu, Director Energy Solutions, International Copper Association India (ICAI)

Electrical & Power Review

power brand

Base launches 3 new batteries for home UPS application

B

ase Batteries, one of the leaders in Indian power backup industry, has launched three new products: Tuff-Tubular, Galaxy and Everlast for the home UPS application. With 27 years of technological innovation in automotive and standby power solutions, Base is known for its expertise in battery industry.

Base Tuff-Tubular batteries are ideal for homes. Base TuffTubular batteries are most energyefficient backup unit designed to protect homes from experiencing the inconvenience caused by power outages, minimise energy consumption and help the consumer

save as much as on electricity bills.

The tall container allows for greater amount of electrolyte, which reduces maintenance and increases life even in tough power conditions.

Galaxy batteries are ideal for homes, offices and business centers. These are eco-friendly and free from acid and fumes. Galaxy batteries have also 300 per cent longer lifespan than other conventional batteries.

Everlast series is at its technological best — ideal and suitable for home and commercial use. These fastcharging, durable batteries with extended backup are also backed by an excellent after-sales service and

warranty. These are best user-friendly battery and customised to suit all type of H-UPS and inverter applications.

Mahindra Powerol wins Deming Prize for 2014

M

ahindra Powerol, the Mahindra Group’s off-grid power generation and energy solutions business, received the Deming Prize at a glittering ceremony held in Tokyo. Mahindra Powerol was the only company from India to win this global distinction this year.

The Deming Prize is a global quality award instituted by the Japanese Union for Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) that recognises both individuals for their contributions to the field of total quality management (TQM) and businesses that have successfully implemented TQM. It is the oldest, most widely recognised quality award in the world. Prior illustrious recipients include Toyota Motor Corp.,

Electrical & Power Review

Tata Steel, Mahindra Tractor Division and Mahindra Swaraj Division.

Speaking on the award, Ashok Sharma, Chief Executive, Agri & Allied Businesses, said, “We are greatly honoured to have received this prestigious international award. The Deming Prize bears testimony to a long journey in customer centricity, quality focus and change management at Powerol. We have faced several business challenges since inception and have been able to convert these adversities into opportunities by promoting the TQM approach across our organisation and for our business partners.”

P. Palaniappan, Senior Vice President, Powerol, said, “The Deming Prize is a testament to Powerol’s agility

Mahindra Powerol wins the 2014 Deming Prize

and ability to respond quickly to the dynamic market scenario. It also highlights Powerol’s highly successful ‘Lean Asset Model’ of manufacturing and vindicates the TQM principles that the business has been practising since 2007.”

December 2014

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power brand

Tata Power Solar emerges as leaders in solar rooftop market Power Solar also ranked No 2 under the residential rooftop space, in the Solar Rooftop Map 2015.

T

ata Power Solar, India’s one of the largest integrated solar players, emerged as a leader in the industrial and commercial rooftop segment, in the recently released India Solar Rooftop Map 2015 by Bridge To India, one of the leading cleantech consulting firms. Tata

Commenting on the map, Dr Tobias Engelmeier, Founder and Director, Bridge To India, said, “We are extremely happy to present the first-ever solar rooftop map in the region. The potential and benefits of the solar rooftop segment in India are huge and the market is just getting started. In-line with our earlier findings, we see that Tata Power Solar is building a very strong position in the EPC market.”

As per industry reports, the realisable potential in India for solar generated from residential rooftops will be 35 GW by 2024; correspondingly for industrial and commercial rooftops,

the realisable potential in the next 10 years is up to 41 GW. These projections clearly indicate the growing importance and opportunity that the solar rooftop segment presents in the Indian context.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Arul Shanmugasundram, EVP Projects and CTO, Tata Power Solar, said, “Solar rooftops have the potential to revolutionise India’s solar scene.

Over the last few years, we have aggressively focused on this space, having installed more than 40 MW of rooftop and distributed generation projects. It is great to see an industry wide effort in recognising and mapping this space, and we are pleased to be acknowledged for our efforts.”

GlacialTech launches lightweight, high wattage heatsinks

G

lacialTech, the diversified lighting and thermal solution provider, announces its line of Bay Light heatsinks for high wattage LED applications from 100W to 250W the Igloo SR100, SR150, SR200, SR200HP and SR250HP. These lightweight heatsinks are made through a stamping process and achieve superb thermal performance from 0.71 C/W to 0.39 C/W at a competitive price point. For high power CoB applications, these heat sinks also come in heat pipe models for even higher thermal efficiency.

High Power LEDs need high power heatsinks. The new Igloo SR100, SR150, SR200, SR200HP and SR250HP Bay Light heatsinks from GlacialTech are stamped

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December 2014

for high performance cooling at a cost effective price, achieving up to 0.39 C/W. Maximising surface area at a light weight, these powerful heatsinks are ideal for bay light applications from 100W to 250W. IP66 compatible thermal solution through appropriate design, lighting fixture manufacturers can use these thermal modules not only for interior lighting applications but also to easily build IP66-rated lighting fixtures for exterior applications.

Bay Light SKD GlacialTech also offers a Bay Light Knock Down Kit, a set of easy-to-assemble bay light components. Consisting of a power box for housing the LED driver, brace,

GL-Bay Light with IP66

glass lens, and lampshade, this semiknock-down kit (SKD) allows integrators to easily assemble a custom lighting solution with the LED modules and drivers of their choice.

Electrical & Power Review

power brand

Cooper Corp. introduces CPCB II compliant generators

E

ngine manufacturers Cooper Corporation is one of the industry pioneers in developing a series of generator sets (gensets) that are compliant with the new environmental norms (CPCB II) implemented by the Central Pollution Control Board in India effective 1st July. As per the new directive, all manufacturers, importers or assemblers of diesel generator sets in India were to comply with cleaner emission standards, for products up to 800 kilowatt.

Cooper Corporation was the first in the country to be ready with its Eco Pack Gensets that comply with the latest CPCB II Emission Limits for new diesel gensets up to 200KVA, bringing it closer to its customer base in India and other international markets. With the lowest cost of ownership, over 2000 units of Cooper Corporation’s CPCB II range of gensets between 10KVA – 200 KVA are already available in the domestic market.

Commenting on the new Environment Protection Rules and Cooper Ecopack gensets Farrokh N. Cooper, Chairman and Managing Director, Cooper Corporation Pvt. Ltd said, “This notification was long overdue and we welcome the implementation of these norms. We strongly believe that the latest CPCB II Emission Norms is a breakthrough legislation which will help India’s engines compete with those in Europe and America.”

Cooper Corporation’s cost efficient, silent revolution with eco-friendly diesel generators under the brand name ‘Cooper ECOPACK’ is a low fuel consumption generator which is lighter in weight, smaller in size and is built with emissions that meet US and European norms. The in-house research process at Cooper, the technical collaboration

Electrical & Power Review

with Ricardo, UK along with our over ninety year legacy in India allows us to bring market competitive products that comply with regulations and norms in India.”

Emphasising on the importance of reducing carbon footprint, Mr Cooper further added, “Aimed at reigning pollution and creating a healthy sustainable environment, these norms will enable us not just to benefit the environment but also move much needed steps towards global standards.”

The engines have an advanced ECU module which controls all critical parameters of the engine, making the Cooper ECOPACK efficient and customer friendly. With the longest maintenance interval of 500 hours and lube oil consumption of less than 0.1 per cent, this technology makes Cooper ECOPACK the most economic and efficient brand of generators to operate and maintain. Cooper Corp’s ECOPACK series Gensets come with a complete Cooper assurance with maximum uptime. A nationwide network of service dealers who are well equipped with genuine spare parts in stock are geared to provide prompt after sales support.

Cooper Corp’s Eco Pack finds takers in homes, farmhouses, bungalows, hotels, retail outlets, IT offices, telecom towers and hospitals among others.

Cooper Corporation has a strong network presence with both dealers and regional offices across the country to cater to the demands from the domestic market.

Cooper has never stopped at the domestic market however; this pioneering organization has successfully expanded its global footprint by catering to orders from countries like

Ecopack Gensets

Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Panama, Afghanistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka etc. Cooper Corporation has already exported close to 1000 units of CPCB II compliant gensets so far and has over 600 orders in the pipeline.

The company has used its in-house innovative technology and concepts to develop Cooper ECOPACK Gensets to function in extreme conditions depending on the local requirements and conditions of different countries.

Best in class fuel consumption and long service intervals thereby lower maintenance costs play a deciding role in favoring Cooper Corporation Gensets against global competition.

Some of the key features incorporated into the Cooper Gensets to meet local requirements include: • Customised voltage and frequency • Customised all weather proof, compact and light weight acoustic enclosure • Special auto transfer switches • Customised colour combinations depending on the market requirement • Frequency switches and engine control switches with customised frequencies as per the desired requirements of the country.

December 2014

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Trade Zone

t o psh

a n S et

k r a M

IEX & PXIL Price and Volume Day Ahead Market-Oct’14 Delivery day

"IEX Avg MCP (Rs./kWh)"

"PXIL Avg MCP (Rs./kWh)"

"IEX MCV (MWh)"

"PXIL MCV (MWh)"

Delivery day

"IEX Avg MCP (Rs./kWh)"

"PXIL Avg MCP (Rs./kWh)"

"IEX MCV (MWh)"

"PXIL MCV (MWh)"

1st October

7.00

6.37

81,184

120

16th October

4.32

3.48

85,829

302

2nd October

5.45

4.75

104,760

105

17th October

4.26

3.46

92,825

404

18th October

4.30

3.66

99,312

428

19th October

3.97

3.85

97,689

308

20th October

4.17

3.48

89,970

522

21st October

4.23

3.75

90,262

643

22nd October

3.77

3.65

83,366

629

23rd October

3.46

3.10

71,547

737

24th October

2.71

3.81

60,747

472

3rd October

3.94

4.50

91,633

250

4th October

3.85

4.08

87,021

278

5th October

3.37

3.48

94,100

277

6th October

4.29

3.85

112,642

240

7th October

5.29

4.31

125,619

160

8th October

5.80

5.23

119,184

160

9th October

5.83

4.50

116,388

140

10th October

5.60

5.89

123,878

160

25th October

2.82

3.15

57,022

168

2.61

2.72

59,826

514

11th October

5.48

5.57

131,356

260

26th October

12th October

3.74

5.63

106,601

-

27th October

2.85

3.27

60,999

32

13th October

4.25

4.13

104,544

220

28th October

3.03

3.44

60,581

242

14th October

4.62

3.65

107,927

330

29th October

3.00

4.27

65,042

244

15th October

4.96

4.00

84,598

288

30th October

3.11

3.44

63,618

232

31st October

3.07

3.18

60,686

173

IEX & PXIL Price & Volume in Day Ahead Market-Oct'14 Volume (MWh)

IEX MCV (MWh)

PXIL MCV (MWh)

IEX Avg MCP (Rs./kWh)

PXIL Avg MCP (Rs./kWh)

Price (Rs/KWh)

140,000

8.00

120,000

7.00 6.00

100,000

5.00

80,000

4.00

60,000

3.00

40,000

2.00

20,000

1.00 0.00

-

1st October

4th October

7th October

10th October

13th October

16th October Day

19th October

22nd October

25th October

28th October

31st October Source: IEX

48

December 2014

Electrical & Power Review

Trade Zone

IEX Non-solar REC Trade Details Month

Buy Bid

Sale Bid

Cleared Volume

Cleared Price (Rs/REC)

Month

Buy Bid

Sale Bid

Cleared Volume

Cleared Price (Rs/REC)

Apr'11

260

4,046

260

1,500

Feb'13

48,093

1,526,114

48,093

1,500

May'11

14,002

15,143

14,002

1,500

Mar'13

307,260

1,308,044

307,260

1,500

Jun'11

72,002

21,331

15,902

1,505

Apr'13

10,670

1,221,579

10,670

1,500

Jul'11

81,493

34,976

14,668

1,555

May'13

18,543

1,280,605

18,543

1,500

Aug'11

145,204

49,897

22,096

1,800

Jun'13

36,147

1,401,048

36,147

1,500

Sep'11

196,159

76,026

41,385

2,300

Jul'13

72,321

1,676,875

72,321

1,500

Oct'11

201,532

135,424

92,303

2,700

Aug'13

31,101

1,872,449

31,101

1,500

Nov'11

257,578

155,917

96,154

2,900

Sep'13

38,195

2,325,171

38,195

1,500

Dec'11

264,093

166,000

105,942

2,950

Oct'13

98,921

2,447,684

98,921

1,500

Jan'12

414,387

186,610

165,460

3,051

Nov'13

97,743

2,760,452

97,743

1,500

Feb'12

360,330

215,157

190,482

3,066

Dec'13

250,722

2,712,444

250,722

1,500

Mar'12

272,366

223,907

190,354

2,900

Jan'14

78,955

2,557,666

78,955

1,500

Apr'12

237,100

105,844

62,277

2,201

Feb'14

176,107

2,015,377

176,107

1,500

May'12

339,882

246,501

153,125

2,402

Mar'14

361,842

2,893,896

361,842

1,500

Jun'12

313,973

330,371

223,164

2,402

Jul'12

149,628

435,348

147,369

2,000

Apr'14

16,798

2,924,976

16,798

1,500

Aug'12

248,168

568,097

248,168

1,500

May'14

16,142

3,615,695

16,142

1,500

Sep'12

239,364

664,641

239,364

1,500

June'14

50,743

3,166,863

50,743

1,500

Oct'12

132,231

851,177

132,231

1,500

Nov'12

54,976

921,376

54,976

1,500

July'14

13,609

4,241,244

13,609

1,500

Jan'13

190,875

1,371,503

190,875

1,500

Aug'14

15,736

3,949,016

15,736

1,500

Sep'14

8,994

4,342,307

8,994

1,500

Jan'13

190,875

1,371,503

190,875

1,500

Oct'14

36,411

4,766,941

36,411

1,500

IEX Non-solar REC Trade Details Sale Bid

Cleared Volume

Cleared Price (Rs/REC)

2,000,000

3,500

1,600,000

2,800

1,200,000

2,100

800,000

1,400

400,000 0

700 0

Cleared Price (Rs./REC)

No. of REC

Buy Bid

Source: IEX

Electrical & Power Review

December 2014

49

Event

electronica India and productronica India drew record participation

e

lectronica India 2014 and productronica India 2014 ended with a strong result of 13,906 visitors. About 350 exhibitors, representing 713 companies, showcased their products, solutions and services at the trade fairs from September 23 to 25, 2014 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Center (BIEC), Bengaluru.

The trade fairs had a grandeur opening with participation from government officials, leading associations, industry professionals and technical experts.

One of the highlight of the trade fairs

was the Buyer-Seller forum. This forum fulfilled the requirement of large electronics hardware manufacturers by connecting them with the best suppliers. The buyers got the chance to shortlist the suppliers based on their requirements and engage in a focused one-on-one discussion.

One of the highlights of the trade fairs was the DEFTRONICS conference on India’s defense and aerospace sector.

The trade fairs were supported by leading associations like Indian

Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), Electronic Industries Association of India (ELCINA), Consortium of Electronic Industries of Karnataka (CLIK) and LED products Manufacturers’ Association of India (LEDMA).

Other accompanying programs were LEDCON, IPC INDIA 2014, SMT Workshop and ELCINA seminar. The next edition of electronica India and productronica India will take place from September 9 to 11, 2015 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

India Nuclear Energy 14 concluded on a grand note

T

he India Nuclear Energy 2014, one of India’s largest civil nuclear events, is recognised as an integral part of the power industry in India. The 3-day (6th-8th November) event, held at Nehru Centre, Mumbai, was inaugurated by Dr R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India. The summit brought together senior nuclear professionals from DAE, NPCIL, INS and other private companies from the civil nuclear space. The event was marked by a summit based on the theme of “Nuclear Power: Global and

Indian Perspective”, setting the stage for the policy think tanks to further chart India’s role as a growing civil nuclear power.

The event had exhibitors from France, UK, Canada Korea and India. The total footfall achieved this year was double from that of last year. The second day of the event focused on niche segments of the nuclear industry, including a seminar by the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on doing business in nuclear energy.

“There is renewed interest by the UK Government in promoting bilateral trade, and there is a great opportunity for both our countries in promoting business in the nuclear sector,” said Chris Dain, First Secretary Trade and Investment - North India, British High Commission. “Lessons have been learnt and hence mistakes will not be repeated.

There will be new avenues which will be addressed. Ministers are serious about conducting business with India, and the same voices are being echoed by the political leadership in India as well.”

Intersolar India proved energising again

I

ntersolar India 2014, India’s one of the largest solar events, is recognised as an integral part of the power industry in India. The 3-day (18th-20th November) event, hosted by MMI India, featured various national pavilions, which gave especially small and medium companies from abroad the possibility to present their products and services to the Indian solar market.

The event brought together senior solar professionals from Consulate General of

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December 2014

India Frankfurt, SESI, New Renewable Energy Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, VDMA Photovoltaic Equipment, AEEE (Alliance for Energy Efficient Economy), SEMI, IBG (India Business Group), BSW (Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft), EVI (Emergent Ventures India Ltd.), EPIA (European Photovoltaic Industry Association), ARE (Alliance for Rural Electrification) and other private companies from the solar space. Intersolar India 2014 was marked by an award felicitation

programme that paid tribute and gave further impetus to the innovative power of the industry.

Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, Director General, TERI India and Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said, “India receives the highest amount of solar irradiation throughout the year; therefore, we should efficiently harness this energy resource and utilise this for the areas shortage of conventional power.”

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