Windergy India

Windergy India 2022

Wind is the Answer to Climate Change Challenges

Windergy India 2022, tradefair and conference for the wind energy sector will be organised from 27 – 29 April 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Supported by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India and organised by, Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) along with PDA Trade Windergy India 2022, is the only comprehensive trade event for the wind energy sector. The Hon'ble, Prime Minister. Shri Narendra Modiji at COP26 UN Climate summit in Glasgow, announced India’s five-point climate action plan, which he described as “panchamrit (five values)”, is set to give a firm push to India’s plans for increasing renewable energy and India will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070. The Indian Prime Minister also made it clear that rich countries will have to provide $ 1 trillion in climate finance to the developing world to achieve its climate change mitigation targets, while speaking out in support of vulnerable island nations that are in the danger of submerging because of rising sea levels. Amply supported by Union and State Governments– the industry has an annual manufacturing capacity of 10000 MW of wind turbines, which can be ramped up to 15000 MW. It has also achieved about 80% indigenisation, which is in line with the “Make in India” initiative, thus significantly contributing to the rural economy. With these encouraging developments, the trade fair and conference supported by the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), Indian Wind Power Association (IWPA), Independent Power Producers Association of India (IPPAI), National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ), World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), , REAR – Renewable Energy Association and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is expected to bring the complete eco system of the wind sector together. The exhibition is set to have more than 100 plus companies displaying latest products, technologies and services. The focus of the Conference organised alongside the Trade Fair with Wind Independent Power Producers Association (WIPPA) and Vasudha Foundation would be on “Power of the wind: India’s Driver to Net-Zero” in addition to policy & regulations related discussions. Windergy India conference includes high-level keynote speeches, thought-provoking panel discussions, special addresses and technology presentations. The high level and power packed conference happening alongside the exhibition is expected to be inaugurated by Shri. R. K. Singh, Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India and The Danish Ambassador His Excellency Freddy Svane, amidst other dignitaries and industry stalwarts. The attendees can gain by meeting over 150 companies displaying their product, solutions and technology prowess at the show. With 2 days of intense deliberations along with the 3-day exhibition, it offers unmatched networking and business opportunities for participants. RM

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soLis seMinAr ePisode 36: the infLuenCe of Winter on soLAr Pv systeM oPerAtion And reLAted o&M ConsiderAtions

Background Winter is well and truly on its way for the northern hemisphere with temperatures beginning to fall and already reaching freezing point in some regions. According to forecasts there will be prolonged periods of icy and snowy weather in Europe on its way. So, what are the specific effects of winter on the operation of a solar PV system, and how should we carry out effective operation and maintenance (O&M) of the PV plant in cold weather? This Solis seminar will look into the effects of cold weather and share suggestions for keeping your solar plants running effectively through winter.

The main impact of winter on PV plants On the whole, the overall solar radiation intensity in winter is relatively low. Looking at the power generation of a PV plant in one year, summer is the peak period of power generation, and winter is the low period of power generation. In addition, the main influences on the operation of solar power plants in winter are the following factors: 1) Low temperature In cold weather, the ambient temperature in some areas often drops below freezing point (0°C), and in some severe cold areas may drop below -10°C; Low temperature affects the operation of system equipment Since the equipment in a solar PV system, such as solar panels, inverters, data collectors, batteries, etc., have a certain operating temperature range, when the temperature is lower than the allowable temperature of the equipment, it may affect normal operation. This should be considered when choosing the installation site and design of the system.

Recommendation: Equipment should be sited in areas that have temperatures within the working limits of the equipment. Items such as energy storage batteries, household PV inverters, data collectors,

etc., could be installed indoors or in a cold-proof environment. Low temperature affects the Voc voltage of the PV system Low temperature will cause the open circuit voltage(Voc) of PV strings to increase. If the initial design of the system does not fully consider the influence of temperature, during the later operation of the system, the string Voc under low temperature conditions can exceed the maximum allowable input voltage of the inverter, which will likely cause damage.

Taking a 20kW (maximum DC input voltage of 1100V) grid-tied PV system as an example, 52 475W PV panels are used. Assuming that the lowest temperature in the area during the day is -15°C, the string open circuit voltage (Voc ) The following table:

Note: The open circuit voltage temperature coefficient of this PV panel is -0.28%/°C, The value of this coefficient is different for different brands of PV panels;

Recommendation: In the preliminary design of a PV plant, it is necessary to fully consider the Voc of the PV string in extreme low temperature. Reserve sufficient margin to prevent the DC overvoltage in the winter from causing damage to the inverter. If the system has a “OV-DC” alarm, it is necessary to immediately turn off the DC switch of the inverter and reduce the number of solar panels of the PV string. 2) Shading In winter, the angle of sunlight is narrower and shadows are longer. Therefore, the PV array is more prone to shadow occlusion, which has a great influence on the power generation of the PV system.

Recommendation: In winter, the cleaning of the solar panel surface is advised to avoid dirt accumulation. It is also recommended to keep overhanging trees well cut back to prevent the formation of shadows as well as removing furniture causing shadow if possible. 3) Snow cover Another major problem facing PV plant operation in winter is snow accumulation. Snow covering the solar panel will reduce the solar radiation received by the solar panel and directly reduce the power generation. Moreover, the long-term uneven irradiation of the components may also cause greater hidden dangers due to the hot spot effect.

In addition, snow cover is also a major test for the structural design of the entire PV system due to its weight. Severe snow accumulation can even cause the PV array to collapse, causing equipment damage and personal injury and property losses. Recommendation: 1) Clear snow from panels in good time When a PV plant accumulates snow, it needs to be cleaned off in good time to prevent excessive snow accumulation forming into ice, making it heavy and difficult to clean. Please use soft objects for cleaning, do not scratch the glass, and do not step on the PV panel.

Snow removal includes not only solar panels, but also equipment such as inverters and power distribution cabinets. For example, timely clean-up of snow from the cooling air outlet of the inverter, will prevent the surface of the inverter and the external cooling fan from icing. 2) Adapt design and installation to local conditions For areas with frequent snowfall, we need to increase the inclination angle of the solar panel within the optimal inclination range. Keeping within the limits of effective power generation, it is also convenient for snow on the surface of the solar panel to slide down on its own.

When installing, keep a certain distance between the bottom of the solar panel and the ground to prevent snow from accumulating on the bottom. In addition, it is recommended that solar panels be installed horizontally in areas where it snows frequently. Compared with vertical installations, this solution can ensure that there is enough space between the bottom of the solar panel and the

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ground to avoid snow stacking. Due to the structural characteristics of a solar panel, adopting horizontal installation is conducive to reducing the loss of power generation.

It is also recommended to install the inverter in a place where snow can be avoided, such as under the solar panel array bracket, indoors, etc. If the inverter is installed in an open area, it is recommended to add a baffle to prevent excessive snow from blocking the cooling air duct of the inverter or adding extra weight to cause the inverter to fall and be damaged. 3) Online operation and maintenance The severe cold, wind and snow in winter can cause great difficulties in the maintenance of a PV plant. Therefore, in addition to the operation and maintenance activities such as snow removal and equipment replacement, most of the PV plant inspection and operation and maintenance work is recommended to be remotely implemented through the Solis intelligent monitoring platform, SolisCloud.

Summary Winter is coming! In addition to the adequate protection of warm and cold protection measures, you also need to maintain your own photovoltaic power station, keeping the panels clean and clear of shadowing. If snow falls, clear it swiftly to avoid potential damage and loss of power. Ensuring local conditions and weather patterns are taken into consideration when designing a new solar PV system will ensure that power is maintained during harsh winters. RM

ginlong technologies (solis) Awarded ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia’

Ginlong technologies (Solis) was awarded ‘Best Companies to Work For In Asia’ after competing with hundreds of companies in different fields. This glorious coronation is to commend the contribution of the enterprise talent management system construction and value improvement, affirming the achievements of Ginlong Technology (Solis) in the core value of talent management, performance management, incentive system, and other aspects. ‘‘As a world-renowned solar inverter manufacturer, Solis knows that the development of technology and maintaining a competitive edge is closely linked to talent,’’ said Lucy Lu, Assistant General Manager and Marketing Director of Ginlong Technologies (Solis). ‘’The engagement of employees is particularly important for the success and sustainable growth of any company. Solis’s global mission statement, "Developing Technology to Power the World with Clean Energy" focuses to plan brand development strategies tailored to local market characteristics.” We are honored to receive this award, recognizing Solis for its commitment to providing valuable employment opportunities to its employees and for delivering employee engagement and satisfaction. Solis is also looking forward to discovering more talent to explore the infinite possibilities of smart solar creating a green, beautiful and zero-carbon future. RM

Finance Minister Sitharaman promises implementation of BCD on solar modules from April 2022 during a meeting with solar industry associations

The associations have also requested that a notification regarding this be brought in the upcoming union budget

Today, at a meeting with a delegation of North India Module Manufacturers Association (NIMMA), Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) and All India Solar Industries Association (AISIA) officials,, Shri Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister, GoI assured that the BCD (Basic Customs Duty) will be implemented at the proposed time, from 1st April 2022. The meeting took place in the Ministry of Finance, North Block, Delhi under the leadership of Shri Ramcharan Bohra, MP - Jaipur City. The delegation flagged their concerns regarding manufacturing units that are on the verge of closing owing to the current duty-free window on solar panels and solar cells from China and other countries. They also appealed to her to exempt the module and cell line plant and machinery from import duty. Mr. Manish Gupta – President, NIMMA said, “The meeting with the minister was promising as she recognised that the industry will require policy assistance to grow and achieve its full potential. Implementation of BCD will bring relief to the domestic manufacturing industry. We hope that additional measures to address supply-chain gaps will be considered. Further, this is the peak-time for developers to purchase modules, and Irequest them to promote the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and install Indian modules.” Mr. Bharat Bhut – Cofounder & Director, Goldi Solar, leading Indian Solar Manufacturer said, “We appreciate the government’s move to implement BCD on schedule. It is a boon for Indian module manufacturers who have been facing stiff price competition from imported modules. Goldi Solar has also increased its module manufacturing capacity to 2.5 GW and plans to expand to 5 GW to align with the Indian Government’s vision in becoming energy-independent with Made in India modules.” In the delegation, Mr. Manish Gupta, Mr. Vineet Mittal, Mr. Aprit Agarwal, Mr. Manish Agarwal and Mr. Sandeep Gupta were present on behalf of the solar associations. RM

Artha Energy Resources launches Fintech platform to democratize RE investments – RenewShare

- Eyes 15-fold growth with transactions of `100 Cr in 12 months, across 20 cities in India - Aims to break the existing oligopoly of asset ownership in the RE sector; will capture 10% of Indian OPEX projects - Strong initial AUM of `7 Cr; initial commitment of `10 Cr from investors - Enlists thematic SPVs with assets from the wind and solar segment Artha Energy Resources (AER), India’s leading renewable energy solutions provider, today announced the launch of RenewShare, a renewable energy (RE) investment platform that enables fractional ownership of RE assets in the country. Launched as an autonomous investment platform, RenewShare caters to investors interested in diversifying their existing portfolio while being a part of the fast-growing RE landscape in India. The platform, during its launch, has already enlisted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with assets worth `7 Cr and an early investment commitment of `10 Cr from investors, with RE assets spread across 4 cities. As an investor centric platform, RenewShare drives investments into the energy sector by developing RE as a lucrative asset class. It enlists thematic SPVs, wherein similar renewable energy projects in the wind and solar segment are combined after being thoroughly vetted by a team of experts. Investors have the choice and can pick a pool of SPVs with their preferred RE projects based on their risk appetite. Identifying the gap in the RE investment sector, for rooftop and small-scale utility project financing, RenewShare will break the oligopoly created in the RE sector due to the high-ticket size of projects and facilitate bringing in the capital sustainably. SPVs listed on RenewShare would initially require an investment of `20 lakhs from an investor. As a viable alternative to fixed income, the assets listed on the SPVs are filtered in a way to generate a 2x rate of return than the current prevailing long-term FD rates offered by leading Indian Banks. The platform would later be made available to retail investors. The impact investment platform will facilitate multiple investors to co-invest within a large pool of projects but with lower counter-party risk. The investments made in an SPV is split across multiple RE assets, thus lowering the risk considerably. Commenting on the launch, Animesh Damani, Founder and CEO, RenewShare, said, “With the launch of RenewShare, we will enable investors to enter an otherwise high-cap market, while driving an environmental impact through green energy adoption. While RE has an impressive growth story, access to viable investment opportunities in the sector for most investors is virtually non-existent. The RE segment carries the tag of being an extremely expensive asset class to own and manage independently. We, as an aggregator aim to resolve this problem by facilitating to bring down the ticket size for investments”. “With the initial total investment commitment of `10 Cr, the response from the investor circle has been overwhelming, which solidifies our belief in the huge potential and interest in the RE sector. Hence, we will facilitate over `200 crores worth of transactions per annum by FY 2024 and are confident to help investors capture 10% of Indian OPEX projects. We are motivated to continue developing the sector towards becoming a coveted investment avenue while highlighting its contribution towards mitigating climate change”, he added. The team at RenewShare conducts thorough due diligence of the assets listed on the platform and assists investors during the entire investment lifecycle for the investor. The platform offers a lower operational risk profile, as the SPVs only enlist those assets with a 95% uptime guarantee. In addition, RenewShare has anchor investors that ensure a minimum of 10% investment in all SPVs. RM

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SoliS Seminar epiSode 37: Key pointS of inverter Selection in Bipv project

Background In order to cope with climate change, gradually promote the development of energy saving and emission reduction, and realize the dual-carbon goal as soon as possible, the issue of building carbon emissions will be the focus of the follow-up new energy development. Therefore, the organic combination of PV system and buildings makes it fashionable and practical to create green buildings This Solis seminar will take you to share the characteristics of the BIPV project and the key points of inverter selection. BIPV project characteristics In the BIPV project, it is necessary to design the PV system according to the structural characteristics of the building itself. Often the roof area of some buildings is not sufficient. Therefore, in addition to the roof area, other areas of the building need to be used to develop PV curtain walls, daylighting roofs, shading, etc. Many forms. Due to the aesthetic needs of BIPV projects, solar panels are more biased towards power-generating glass, double-glass cells and thin-film cells. Thin-film cells have excellent light transmittance and aesthetics, better low-light conditions, and better scattered light absorption performance. The curtain wall BIPV field occupies the mainstream position. Thin film batteries mainly include copper indium gallium selenium (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe), perovskite (PSC) and other material routes. The PV panels of different material routes lead to different schemes whenthe system chooses the inverter configuration. In addition, because the BIPV project has a complex structure and diverse orientations, especially projects that combine multiple application forms, it is necessary to fully consider the project structure, electrical, and safety issues when designing the PV system.

BIPV project inverter selection Judging from the main features of the BIPV project, there are many architectural application scenarios, such as flat roofs, inclined roofs, curtain walls, transparent roofs, sunshades, etc. In addition, the inclination angle is complex and the selection of materials is diverse, so the following issues must be considered when choosing an inverter. 1. BIPV projects give priority to stringinverters The orientation, inclination, and component selection of the BIPV project are complex and diverse, so try to choose a string inverter with multiple MPPTs, so that the PV system has a better maximum power tracking advantage, and effectively copes with the abovementioned disadvantages.

2. PV panels of different materials need to choose the corresponding inverter configuration scheme In the BIPV project, due to the requirements of aesthetics and maximization of benefits, different building areas will use different PV panels. For example, flat roofs use crystalline silicon panels, light-transmitting areas use photovoltaic power generation glass, and walls use thin-film PV panels. Therefore, it is necessary to select a suitable inverter for solution configuration according to the selected component materials. If the component material is a crystalline silicon component or a cadmium telluride thin-film PV panel, you can use a photovoltaic inverter with a Transformerless topology and configure it in accordance with the conventional method.

If the PV panel use sathin-film cell that requires negative grounding, since the panel is grounded negatively, the possibility of DC leakage and the potential safety hazards of electric shock for positive person nelarein creased; therefore, it is recommended touse inverter with a high-frequency transformer topology. Or the system adopts transformerless topology inverter + power frequency transformer solution for configuration. • Configuration using inverter with high frequency transformer topology Advantages: No need to connect an external power frequency transformer, easy to install. Disadvantages: Inverters with high-frequency isolation topology occupies a small market share, making it difficult to purchase; Secondly, because of its internal isolation transformer power limitation, it is impossible to realize a single high-power product, which may lead to difficulties in the selection and configuration of large-scale projects; In addition, due to the internal transformer, its inverter efficiency is low; • transformerless topology inverter + power frequency transformer solution

For inverters with Transformerless topology, in the thin-film PV panel solution, a frequency transformer must be processed at the output end; and the primary of the transformer is not grounded; three-phase transformers are recommended to use the "∆, Y" connection method, and the end close to the inverter is "∆" , The terminal of the distribution box is "Y" type connection, the neutral point can be connected or not (according to the actual situation of the site). The inverter is connected to the protective ground, and there is no electrical grounding; the capacity is recommended to be 1.1 times the rated capacity of the inverter. Advantages: The inverter products of Transformerless topology are mature, easy to purchase, and the cost is relatively low; Transformer less topology inverters are widely used, from 700W to 320kW each power section of the single product, the system configuration selection is simple. Disadvantages: Need external processing frequency isolation transformer, large volume. 3. The inverter needs to have a strong leakage current suppression function Since most BIPV projects use thin-film PV panels, the distance between the battery and the frame is close, so the capacitance to ground is larger, and the leakage current is larger. If the substrate is metal, the surface of the metal foil is large and thin, and the leakage current to the ground will be greater. Even if the negative grounding is used, there will be leakage current problems, which will affect the safety performance of the system.

Therefore, the selected inverter products need products with strong leakage current suppression function.

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4. The inverter has active safety protection and supporting functions For PV systems applied to buildings, safety protection is very important, especially for fire hazard functions. Therefore, inverters must have supporting functions such as AFCI and RSD to achieve active system protection and subsequent safe operation and maintenance.

5. The inverter has a rich online O&M toolkit BIPV project is a photovoltaic project designed in combination with architectural characteristics. Therefore, compared with traditional photovoltaic projects, its later operation and maintenance are more difficult and costly. Therefore, choosing inverter products requires a wealth of online operation and maintenance tools to achieve intelligence. , Convenient operation and maintenance.

6. Conclude BIPV project products make full use of the area of the building, which can effectively increase the power per unit area by 15-30%; and the development of green buildings is of great significance to society’s energy saving and emission reduction. Therefore, BIPV is undoubtedly the key direction of the later photovoltaic development, and we need to follow Choose a suitable inverter and solution for its own characteristics. RM

SoliS Seminar epiSode 38: inStallation tipS to prevent inverter SoaKing

Background During the process of on-site investigation, you can encounter the problem of inverter failure caused by water ingress. Sometimes there is still water ingress after replacing the new machine and this requires investigation to understand the cause of water ingress from the installation. Troubleshooting Guidance The protection level of the inverter is IP65 or IP66, and it is tested for airtightness when they leave the factory. so it can be used outdoors and can be exposed to rain. The overall water resistance is extremely high, however, during the installation process, irregular construction may still cause water to enter the machine. This Solis seminar will cover the precautions to look out for during the inverter installation process. 1. Inverter door screws are not tightened, causing water to enter Some inverters require the casing to be opened when installing the AC cables. If the screws are not tightened sufficiently during the installation process, the air tightness of the equipment will be compromised and moisture will likely enter.

Suggestion: Check all the screws of the door panel of the maintenance compartment to see if they are fully tightened. If not, rainwater may enter the inverter through the gap. Ensure you fully tighten all screws. 2. Poorly plugged RS485/AC inlet holes, etc., resulting in water ingress When installing communication and AC cables on the inverter, if there is a problem with the plugging of the cable inlet hole, it will also cause water to enter the inverter.

Suggestion: Check whether the cable entry hole is well plugged and whether there is a missing PG head. In low level installations, rainwater may splash into the inverter when it rains, or the inverter may be soaked in water. There may also be condensation problems in humid environments. Ensure the cable entry hold is well plugged and will not let water in. 3. Water enters through the outer sleeve of the cable During the installation and construction of the PV plant, the communication lines, AC cables, ground cables, etc. will use bushings. One end of the bushing extends into the wiring compartment, and the other end is located on the roof. It is located higher and has openings (like the U-shaped connector principle). When it rains or there is water around, the water will flow into the inverter through the bushing.

Suggestion: Remove part of the external bushing at the wire entry hole of the wiring compartment and prohibit the bushing from directly entering the inside of the inverter. This will prevent rainwater from flowing into the inside of the inverter. 4. Poor site location for inverter installation, causing the machine to soak in water Some PV plant installation locations are in low-lying terrain, and it is easy to accumulate water during the rainy season, causing the inverter to be flooded. Equally, during the early stage of construction, prior to inverter installation, do not store the inverter outdoors without any protective measures.

Suggestion: Install the inverter on high ground or carry out drainage work in the installation area of the inverter to prevent water accumulation. In addition, it is recommended to store inverters indoors before installation and construction. RM

Domestic manufacturers applaud MNRE’s move to include Open Access & Net-Metering Projects under ALMM

In an office memorandum released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the Government of India has expanded the scope of “Approved List of Models and Manufacturers” (ALMM) and will be applicable to Open access & Net-Metering Projects from April 1st 2022. These include projects set up for sale of electricity to Government under the Guidelines issued by Central Government under section 63 of Electricity Act, 2003 and projects under Component A of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) program. Officials from North India Module Manufacturers Association (NIMMA), Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) and All India Solar Industries Association (AISIA) and industry leaders have welcomed the decision. “We are thankful to the government for taking this step which will help consumers to get better quality and reliable supplier, lenders and investors will have more confidence on their invesment as module is major and most important component of solar power projects. Domestic Industry is suffering for long time due to almost 90% imports of solar modules. Local Manufactring capacity in India which is more than our requirement now will have some business. Thanks for supporting domestic solar manufacturing industry and huge employment ,” said Hitesh Doshi – President, All India Solar Industries Association. Mr. Manish Gupta – President, NIMMA said, “The move will help provide necessary ammunition to the Make in India movement. It will also help smaller manufacturers expand capacities and improve business as the industry will see an uptake in demand.” Mr. Bharat Bhut – Cofounder & Director, Goldi Solar, leading Indian Solar Manufacturer said, “The ALMM policy amendment by MNRE is a significant announcement in interest of all stake holders . The announcement has come at an appropriate time, just when BCD will be implemented. The combined effect of both these policies will be massive, and I am sure India will grow to become a solar manufacturing hub in the coming years.” RM