Development of Solar Electricity Supply System in India: An Overview
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Renewable Energy Centre, Mithradham A Sustainable Development Model For Education
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By Staff Writer
By Sandeep Kumar Gupta and Raghubir Singh Anand
Renewable Energy: Our Best Choice
District Cooling Prospects in the Middle East By Salman Zafar
Clean energy technologies remain largely untapped Statistics, Reasons and Recommendations
Green Buildings Old Wine in a New Bottle By Sundaresan Subramanian
What's next for CSP In the UAE? By Heba Hashem
By Staff Writer
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Wave energy converter for clean energy in future
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21 By Dr. S.A. Sannasiraj
29 A diary of newspaper reports on Kerala State’s ambitious renewable energy promotional plans
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By Staff Writer
32 New Technology:
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Rawlemon's Spherical Solar Energy Generating Globes Can Even Harvest Energy from Moonlight
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ENERGY
ITZ L B
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2013
Advisory Board Dr. A. Jagadeesh | India Dr. Bhamy Shenoy | USA Er. Darshan Goswami | USA Elizabeth H. Thompson | Barbados Pincas Jawetz | USA Ediorial Board Salman Zafar | India Editor & Publisher M. R. Menon Business & Media P. Roshini Book Design Shamal Nath Circulation Manager Andrew Paul Printed and Published by M.R.Menon at Midas Offset Printers, Kuthuparamba, Kerala Editorial Office 'Pallavi' Kulapully Shoranur 679122, Kerala (E-Mail: editor.energyblitz@gmail.com) Disclaimer: The views expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and the Editorial team / Energy Blitz does not take responsibility for the contents and opinions. Energy Blitz will not be responsible for errors, omissions or comments made by writers, interviewers or advertisers. Any part of this publication may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the author and the magazine. Registered and Editorial Office 'Pallavi, Kulapully, Shoranur 679122, Kerala, India Tel: +91-466-2220852/9995081018 E-mail: editor.energyblitz@gmail.com Web: energyblitz.webs.com
Waste-To-Wealth (W2W) simply means the process of turning the waste we generate into wealth rather than allowing them to waste away. In simpler language it means creating wealth out of the waste we generate. It's a recycling process through which wealth can be brought out of those things we see and consider as waste and useless like used nylons, metals, plastics, etc. By definition anything which we discard is considered a waste which becomes useless according to our own consideration. But in the real sense precious wealth are abound in those things we consider as waste such that if we are aware of their value, we would not readily throw things away. Lots of value exist in the things we see as waste. At this juncture it's important to acquaint ourselves with some of the benefits derivable from recycling waste. Waste recycling can solve many human problems like environmental problem, food problem, unemployment problem and so on. Take for instance for a start proper handling of all kinds of waste will save our environment. And as we know a good and save environment promotes good health. With good health we spend less on healthcare. Recycling of waste also helps to guarantee food security. How? As we all know food is a necessity. To guarantee food security sustainable agriculture becomes imperative. Application of land enriching materials like fertilizer to our farmland helps to save our land and increase its productivity. The fertilizer and other manures we add to the land that make it to be more productive are derived from what we see and consider as waste after undergoing recycling. It's also worth mentioning that in the advanced countries of the world they use waste recycling to generate energy and power. Waste-to-energy plants today are much more advanced than the incinerators that many remember from long ago. First, as their name implies, waste-to-energy facilities extract energy from the trash, whereas incinerators only attempted to reduce the volume of the trash and did not do a very good job of even that. Waste-to-energy plants use high temperature combustion to reduce the volume of the trash by 90%, lessening the need for valuable landfill space. Also, incinerators employed only rudimentary pollution control equipment, if any. Every year, about 55 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) and 38 billion liters of sewage are generated in the urban areas of India. In addition, large quantities of solid and liquid wastes are generated by industries. Waste generation in India is expected to increase rapidly in the future. As more people migrate to urban areas and as incomes increase, consumption levels are likely to rise, as are rates of waste generation. It is estimated that the amount of waste generated in India will increase at a per capita rate of approximately 1-1.33% annually. This has significant impacts on the amount of land that is and will be needed for disposal, economic costs of collecting and transporting waste, and the environmental consequences of increased MSW generation levels. While some still confuse modern waste-to-energy plants with incinerators of the past, the environmental performance of the industry is beyond reproach. Studies have also shown that communities that employ waste-toenergy technology have higher recycling rates than communities that do not utilize waste-to-energy. The recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from waste-to-energy plants for recycling is strong and growing each year. In addition, numerous studies have determined that waste-toenergy plants actually reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere.
Ramanathan Menon
A Yeomen Service to the Society
Renewable Energy Centre, Mithradham A Sustainable Development Model For Education By Staff Writer
Solar Panel at the roof of Mithradham, installed in 1999 Renewable Energy Centre, Mithradham, an educational institution in the non-formal sector, established by the CMI religious congregation in Kochi, Kerala, is the first fully renewable energy run institution in India, dedicated to the promotion of environment and renewable energy. Inaugurated on 2nd October 2000, the millennium project under the Rajagiri Institutions, is attempting to take the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, to the 21st century of science and technology. The centre presents a sustainable development model by becoming self sufficient in energy, food and waste-management for thirty people.
Food Self-Sufficiency The centre attached to a three hectare agricultural land in the premises which contain cash crops like coconut, pepper and nutmeg together with vegetable, fruits, spices and tubers. Although the land is at present not producing food for thirty
Energy Self-Sufficiency The energy required for the centre is produced by nearly 8 KWp solar power stations supported by a 300w wind generator. Solar cookers, biogas plant, and hot water systems are intended to provide the necessary thermal energy for cooking and hot water. A solar tunnel dryer unit provides the energy for drying and processing of agriculture products from the land around the main oval shaped building. Water pumping from a deep well is carried out by a solar deep well pump which pumps water to an overhead tank during day time. Energy efficiency is also an important component of energy self sufficiency practiced at the centre.
Renewable Energy Centre, Mithradham, lodging facility for trainees
people to satisfy the dietary habits of the region, the necessary ingredients for nutrition can be obtained from the items like Fruits and berries, Nuts, Greens, Vegetables,
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Legumes, Tubers which are growing at the centre. Grains, Poultry, Fish and Dairy are yet in the experimental stage and not yet successfully established. Normally only vegetarian food is served in the centre. Self-sufficiency in food has yet to be fully realized but the centre is on this path.
suited to all people. Variety and diversity are encouraged while keeping the goal of life in mind. Pain and pleasure though apparently opposite are seen as complimentary elements of successful and happy life and hence are equally good and acceptable in the renewable life vision. Mithradham would like to see many more of such sustainable developmental models of families and institutions in our country in the spirit of the father of our Nation. All the above aspects are included in the national and international training programmes, one day visits, study tours, block training programmes, seminars, workshops and various other programmes and projects undertaken by Mithradham every year. Going back is not the answer for all the problems faced by modern man; going forward with 'innovation and inspiration' is the only sustainable solution before him.
A basket made out of waste bamboo sticks Waste Management The waste produced at the centre is minimized by proper and efficient use of materials. All the left out from various activities are separated, collected and sent for recycling. The bio-waste goes for animal food or for composting. The centre also presents some models for value addition and reuse of waste. Various model projects for home and small establishment for the efficient handling of waste by value addition are undertaken by the centre. Training- solar PV roof top installation at Mithradham
Renewable' Life Vision
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Over and above the technical aspects of renewable energy, a renewable life vision is presented through the life style promoted at Mithradham. Evolving with time and maintaining simple, efficient and transparent life style by all concerned, Mithradham aims at presenting a fulfilling life
Editor's Note: The Renewable Energy Centre Mithradham was called into being through the initiatives of Mrs. Rosemarie Zaiser, Stuttgart-Germany, and Dr. George Peter Pittappillil, Kerala-India.)
Mrs. Rosemarie Zaiser is the president of the Society for the Promotion of Development oriented Projects, a charitable association that started in 1995 with the objectives of promoting intercultural dialogue, education and research, social and charitable institutions and environment protection agencies in developing countries. The main targets of the Society are the overall management, the integration, coordination of partners and information dissemination to sponsors or interested parties, the conception, planning and project organization and supervision. As Vice President of the Society for the Promotion of Development oriented Projects, Mrs. Marte-Lowe supports Mrs. Zaiser in all administration tasks of the society.
Dr. George Peter Pittappillil is the Director of the Renewable Energy Centre, Mithradham managing the realization, demonstration and other activites of the Mithradham project. Training programmes, workshops, exhibitions as well as promotions are examples of the various events. Contact: Dr. George Peter Pittappillil, Director, Mithrahdam - Mob.09847747650 Web:http://www.mithradham.org/live/management.php)
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Table 2: State-wise solar RPO. (Source: SERCs order on RPO regulations [29] ).
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Table 11: Compilation of recently declared preferential tariffs for solar PV and solar thermal technologies [27].
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Likewise several states have also come up with many other encouraging policies like Accelerated Depreciation (AD) on capital investment, soft loan for financing, reduced or no transmission and wheeling charges, no cross subsidy surcharge for open-access transactions, reduced or no intra-state Availability-Based Tariff (ABT), nonapplicability of merit order dispatch principles, exemption from electricity tax, tax concessions, refund of stamp duty and registration charges paid for land purchase, single window clearance, faster power evacuation approval, and so forth [2527].
of 3600? MW for central and 5400? MW for states, changes in policies and schemes in light of the experience of Phase I, and development of 54 solar cities are likely to impact the National Solar Mission performance and enhance the overall visibility of solarbased electricity generation and utilization. Abbreviations
CDM: Clean development mechanism CSP: Concentrated solar power DNI: Direct normal irradiance FiT: Feed-in tariff GBIs: Generation-based incentives GoI: Government of India IEX: Indian energy exchange IMD: Indian meteorological department
Conclusion The study concludes that though JNNSM first phase could not perform up to the expectations, the state level policies have been doing well to fill the gap. The recently announced JNNSM Phase II target composition
Dr. R.S. Anand did his Master in Technology and Doctor in Philosophy in Electrical Engineering with specialization in Micro-electronics from IIT Kanpur, India. He is working as Principal Research Engineer & is the coordinator of the Semiconductor Device Fabrication Lab. He is involved in research and development of organic LEDs, polymer photo-diode, polymer solar cells and silicon photo-detector, solar cells, high voltage BJTs, rectifier etc. Field Performance Test Stations of five photovoltaic technologies in fixed and 2-D configurations have been established at Solar Energy Research Enclave at IIT Kanpur. The research work has been published in various journals and presented in different national and international conferences and symposium. He organized a National Conference on the Emerging Trends in the Photovoltaic Energy Generation and Utilization in Mar 2008 (NCETPEGU, http://www.iitk.ac.in/photovoltaics/), an International Symposium on Photovoltaic Science and Technology (http://www.iitk.ac.in/ispst/) on 13 Jan 2010 and a Seminar on Micro-solar Energy Generation and Utilization on 3rd and 4th Sep 2011. http://home.iitk.ac.in/~rsanand/ - His contact email: rsanand@iitk.ac.in Sandeep Gupta has been pursing Ph.D. from Department of Industrial and Management Engineering of IIT Kanpur. He holds MBA (finance) from GBPUA&T, Pantnagar and M.Tech (Agricultural Engg.) from IIT Kharagpur. He has 5 years of teaching and research experience. His contact email: sandipkg@iitk.ac.inImage of 'Rock n Roll' wave energy device
Add colors to your dreams next time “All of us believe that the God Almighty has created the world in which we live on. So we love him, we praise him, we worship him and go on asking for more from him. If the God was not a dreamer, he could not have made all those beautiful things that we call 'nature.' Among all his creations, his favorite toy was the SUN! If you can think seriously and dream about the wonderful things you can do with the sunshine other than drying your clothes or tanning your skin, you will have colorful dreams about the fantastic benefits you can derive by properly utilizing the sunshine. Imagination is the only nation which has no boundaries. So dream about the ways and means through which our entire planet earth can benefit from sunshine�
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By Staff Writer
It is noon and the heat is overwhelming. The soil, once fruitful and productive a few years ago, is now dry and barren. A massive group of people is making a journey across this hazardous landscape; they are environmental refugees who have lost their supply of drinking water due to the heat. Everyday these unfortunate souls search for sources of water and food across this unforgiving land. Many often don't survive the journey; their desiccated bodies covering the landscape.
One of the most abundant forms of renewable energy is solar power. Solar energy is an excellent option for a renewable energy resource because it produces no greenhouse gases or hazardous waste products. Solar energy can be utilized by using several different techniques. Photovoltaic cells are used to collect solar energy to power individual homes and small electrical devices. Solar power is not the only renewable energy source that is available for our use; there is another option for power that is simply blowing in the wind.
The children of this world may wonder why their circumstances are so unbearable and how this came to be. Our current method of providing power to the modern world is to blame. Our climate may be drastically altered by continued use of fossil fuels. Our climate can be secured because fossil fuels are not the only power sources that people have to choose from.
Wind power would be an excellent energy source for several reasons. Wind turbines do not consume water like nuclear generators and fossil fuel plants, which makes this power source ideal for drought-prone areas. Wind is also inexhaustible and infinitely renewable, meaning we can never run out of power. Wind energy is also a diverse power source since there is more than one way to harness it. Using wind power would definitely be a step in the right direction; however there are several other sources of clean power that we shouldn't ignore, namely, hydro-electricity; geothermal, biomass, etc.
There are alternative fuels that exist such as solar power, wind power, and hydrogen power. Implementing these fuels will not only benefit the earth but it will benefit individuals as well due to lower pollution levels, reduced impact on the local environment and lower energy costs. In order to encourage the growth of a healthy planet, fossil fuel use should be swiftly phased out while promoting the implementation of renewable energy. The main source of the climate problem on Earth is the overdependence of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the remains of plants and animals that have been compress by the earth for millions of years. Over time what forms is coal and oil. According to a recent NASA report, the temperature of the earth has increased by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit due to increased fossil fuel use and the greenhouse gases that are released as a result. There are other options for power that exist other than fossil fuels.
Wind Power All energy sources have some impact on our environment. Fossil fuels coal, oil, and natural gas do substantially more harm than renewable energy sources by most measures, including air and water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat loss, water use, land use, and global warming emissions. It is still important, however, to understand the environmental impacts associated with producing power from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. The exact type and intensity of environmental impacts varies depending on the specific technology used, the geographic location, and a number of other factors. By understanding
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or binary) and the type of cooling technology they use (water-cooled and air-cooled). Environmental impacts differ depending on the conversion and cooling technology used.
the current and potential environmental issues associated with each renewable energy source, we can takes steps to effectively avoid or minimize these impacts as they become a larger portion of our electric supply.
Biomass
Harnessing power from the wind is one of the cleanest and most sustainable ways to generate electricity as it produces no toxic pollution or global warming emissions. Wind is also abundant, inexhaustible, and affordable, which makes it a viable and large-scale alternative to fossil fuels. Despite its vast potential, there are a variety of environmental impacts associated with wind power generation that should be recognized and mitigated. Solar Power
Biomass power plants share some similarities with fossil fuel power plants: both involve the combustion of a feedstock to generate electricity. Thus, biomass plants raise similar, but not identical, concerns about air emissions and water use as fossil fuel plants. However, the feedstock of biomass plants can be sustainable produced, while fossil fuels are non-renewable. Sources of biomass resources for producing electricity are diverse; including energy crops (like switch grass), agricultural waste, manure, forest products and waste, and urban waste. Both the type of feedstock and the manner in which it is developed and harvested significantly affect land use and life-cycle global warming emissions impacts of producing power from biomass.
Like wind power, the sun provides a tremendous resource For generating clean and sustainable electricity. The environmental impacts associated with solar power can include land use and habitat loss, water use, and the use of hazardous materials in manufacturing, though the types of impacts vary greatly depending on the scale of the system and the technology used photovoltaic (PV) solar cells or concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP).
Hydroelectric Power Hydroelectric power includes both massive hydroelectric dams and small run-of-the-river plants. Large-scale hydroelectric dams continue to be built in many parts of the world (including China and Brazil).
Geothermal Energy The most widely developed type of geothermal power plant (known as hydrothermal plants) are located near geologic “hot spots� where hot molten rock is close to the earth's crust and produces hot water. In other regions enhanced geothermal systems (or hot dry rock geothermal), which involve drilling into the earth's surface to reach deeper geothermal resources, can allow broader access to geothermal energy. Geothermal plants also differ in terms of the technology they use to convert the resource to electricity (direct steam, flash,
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District Cooling Prospects in the Middle East By Salman Zafar commercial space in Stockholm is connected to the district cooling grid. The Stockholm district cooling grid currently consists of different systems with capacities ranging from 3 MW to 228 MW. The district cooling network in Stockholm is currently 76 kilometers long.
District Cooling in the Middle East
District cooling produces chilled water in a centralized location for distribution to buildings like offices and factories through a network of insulated underground pipes. The chilled water travels to different buildings, where the water circulates through refrigeration coils or uses absorption technology to enter the air-conditioning system. During winter, the source for the cooling can often be sea water, so it is a cheaper resource than using electricity to run compressors for cooling.
Advantages of District Cooling District cooling provides effective control over internal temperature of a building, requires less maintenance than a standalone air-conditioning system, consumes lesser space and reduces noise pollution. The effect of district cooling systems on the environment is minimal because of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, use of eco-friendly refrigerants and implementation of rigorous health and safety standards. The Helsinki district cooling system in Finland uses waste heat from CHP power generation units to run absorption refrigerators for cooling during summer time, greatly reducing electricity usage. In winter time, cooling is achieved more directly using sea water. The adoption of district cooling is estimated to reduce the consumption of electricity for cooling purposes by as much as 90 percent. The idea is now being adopted in other Finnish cities. The use of district cooling is also growing rapidly in Sweden and in a similar way. District cooling is very widespread in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. In fact, approx. 7 million square meters of
There is tremendous potential for the utilization of district cooling systems in the Middle East. The constant year-round heat coupled with expensive glass exteriors for hotel, airports and offices etc result in very high indoor temperatures. The combination of distributed generation of power and utilization of waste heat can provide a sustainable solution to meet the high demand for refrigeration in the region. District cooling systems can provide cooling solutions to commercial buildings, hotels, apartment blocks, shopping malls, etc. The world's largest district cooling plant, Integrated District Cooling Plant (IDCP), was installed in The Pearl-Qatar in 2010. IDCP will service more than 80 apartment towers, beachfront villas, townhouses, shopping complexes, offices, schools and hotels throughout the Island, ultimately supplying more than 130,000 tons of refrigeration to the Island's estimated 50,000 residents. Despite paramount importance of air conditioning in Middle East countries, regional governments have failed to incorporate it in policy and planning which has lead to the evolution of an unregulated market for cooling systems. Most of the cooling methods employed nowadays are based on traditional window units or central air cooling systems where consume copious amount of power and also damage the environment. District cooling has the potential to provide a viable solution to meet air conditioning requirements in the Middle East. Low energy requirement, peak saving potential, eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness are major hallmarks of district cooling networks. District cooling can play a vital role in fostering sustainable development in Middle East nations. Apart from providing cooling needs, district cooling can reduce the need for new power plants, slash fossil fuel requirements and substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the region.
Salman Zafar is a renowned expert in waste management, biomass energy, environment protection and sustainability. He is proactively engaged in popularizing clean energy, environment and sustainable development through his websites, blogs, articles and projects. He has participated in numerous conferences as session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. Salman is a prolific professional cleantech writer and has authored numerous articles in reputed journals, magazines and newsletters. He holds Masters and Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering and can be contacted at: salman@cleantechloops.com
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Wave energy converter for clean energy in future By Dr. S.A. Sannasiraj
“People are becoming aware of the importance of ocean energy, which will lead to a new era of alternative energy. Because of this knowledge, wave energy has great potential and bright prospects in future�
Distribution of wave power in kW/m around the world Periods of rapid development in technological and economic and hydro power attests the above mentioned fact. State of activities of nations have increased the enormous the art in ocean energy has been showing technologies for consumption of fossil fuels for meeting the ever increasing harnessing energy from tidal variation, marine current, energy needs. The manifestation of irreversible changes salinity gradient, offshore wind, ocean thermal energy and observed in the ecosystem and climatic conditions paved the wave energy. Of these wave energy stands out as a promising way for the renewable energy awakening of 1950's. Over the resource for clean energy production owing to its availability period of time, it has been observed that renewable energy over an aerial extent covering Âą60o latitude. The quality use mainly from sunlight and wind has grown much faster which makes wave energy distinctly different from the than anticipated. Based on the trajectory of progress, present day counterparts is that just below the ocean surface scientists have advanced plans to power 100% of the world's the spatial concentration of wave power is about five times energy with renewable energy by the year 2030. In the light larger than the corresponding wind power 20m above the sea of above projection, it goes without saying that the same can surface, and 20 to 30 times that of the solar power. So it is of be achieved based on the combined and co-operative efforts historic opportunity before nations endowed with coastal over the renewable energy sources namely solar energy, wind belts to avail itself of this clean energy resource. The global power, hydro power, geothermal energy and ocean energy. In distribution of wave energy indicates that there are many retrospect, it can be seen that technology for solar, wind and countries with coastal land mass have favorable exploitation hydro power has grown from conceptualization to of this resource. The wave power resource at a location commercialization but for others, it is still in the formative varies from day to day, from season to season, and from year stage only. to year as do the wind and solar energies. This variability in available power can be overcome by control systems that The recent news about Spain having achieved 51.8% of integrate conventional power systems for back up. energy needs by renewable energy from solar energy, wind
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Schematic sketches to illustrate the conversion principle
Pelamis Wave Energy Converter-An example for wave activated body
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Completed structure of LIMPET OWC device before commissioning The ocean waves seen as the undulations of sea surface are themanifestation of energy movement from the sun to wind to ocean. The waves can do work on objects encountered on its path while moving from a deep water location to a coastal site. Though people had understood the implications of this principle even before industrial revolution, its scope was limited to only mechanical systems. But with the invention of electricity, it was found out that mechanical energy available at one place can be carried to faraway places after converting it to electricity.
it interacts with waves. This relative motion is made use of for working of the hydraulic pump. In OWC, as the water surface raises inside the caisson it compresses the air developing pneumatic power. This pneumatic power can rotate the turbine when the air flow is properly channeled through a duct. In the next phase as the water surface lowers down, the vacuum being generated absorbs air in to the air chamber through the turbine duct. By placing appropriate turbine in the duct, the bidirectional movement of air flow is converted in to unidirectional rotation of the turbine.
The wave energy conversion process in the normal way takes place through three stages. In the primary stage, the wave energy is converted in to mechanical energy through an interface device known as Wave Energy Converter (WEC). The mechanical energy converted does work on a turbine which remains coupled with an electric generator and forms secondary stage in the conversion process. In the tertiary process the output from the generator is conditioned appropriately by control systems before sending to the grid line. Wave energy research started with the oil crisis of 1970's and have generated a variety of concepts which can be broadly classified in to three categories: overtopping devices, wave activated bodies and Oscillating Water Column (OWC). In overtopping device, the wave is made to negotiate tapered channels to store water at an elevated position and energy is extracted as it is being done for hydropower. In wave activated bodies the floating buoy undergoes motion response with respect to some reference as
Relative to other concepts the OWC concept has got the unique distinction of having turbine as the only moving component installed above the water surface. So operational and maintenance become simple and easier in OWC devices. So research and development activities are progressing in OWC concept for bringing efficiency in energy conversion process. Land Installed Marine Energy Transmitter (LIMPET) is a shoreline OWC device constructed in Scotland. As far as the latest information available the company celebrated 10 years of operational service by November 2010 by giving more than 60,000 grid connected hours in power supply. The operational behavior of the plant without serious limitations has enhanced the confidence level of energy production. The added advantage of OWC device is that it can be integrated coastal protections works of break waters, so the cost sharing brings down the capital cost significantly. Among the other prominent devices, long floating tubes
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made up of many modules are showing imminent success. Examples of such devices are Pelamis and Anaconda. These can extract wave energy from offshore area of about 2-10 km from the coast. In physical form, one Pelamis unit is a floating device of diameter of 3.5m and length of 120m. It is still under research and development phase after its pilot plant installation in 2008. The need of the hour in wave energy research is diagnosis of the problem occurred in this venture which started in 1970's with the incredible primary energy conversion efficiency of around 85%. Keeping this as the main focus, Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) has taken initiatives to seriously look into the
problem for identifying the factors inherent in it. The various activities being undertaken in this direction are development of new concepts in energy conversion and testing its effectiveness by both experimental methods and numerical means, studying survivability of WECs under possible extreme sea states, optimization studies on device configurations to have maximum energy conversion efficiency and minimum environmental loading and feasibility studies on multi-purpose floating platforms which accommodates wave energy and wind energy conversion units. It is believed that the incremental steps in research will enable wave energy to find its rightful place over renewable energy in the near future.
Prof. S.A. Sannasiraj is currently a full time professor at Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India. His research contributions are well received in the international platform in the fields of wind-wave modeling, dynamics of wave breaking and numerical modeling of nonlinear free surface waves. He is one of the collaborating partners in the program 'Coordination action on wave energy' under European Commission 6th Framework Program on Research, Technological Developmental and Demonstration. He has also carried out an Indo-Russia joint research project on Wind and wave climate study in Indian Ocean based on numerical simulations by the new wind-wave model. This model has successfully implemented under the support of Russian Foundation for Basic Research. At present, he is involved in an application project on coastal process modelling for Building Construction Authority of Singapore Government. Apart from the international research collaboration, he has carried out five major research projects sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Naval Research Board, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Indian Space Research Organization, Govt. of India. The broad major thrust of above research programs is laboratory investigations on wave-structure interaction, numerical modelling of sloshing and wind-wave modelling. He has been recognized with DAAD Fellowship by German Foundation during 2006, Endeavour India Executive Award by the Australian Government during 2007 and Fulbright-Nehru Senior research fellowship by Department of Education, Science and Technology, US Government during 2011. His work on prediction of tsunami wave using data buoys has been recognized by the Indian Government with Indian Maritime Award during 2005-'06. He is a member of various professional bodies in his field of expertise including The Institution of Engineers (India), PIANC, The International Navigation Association, Brussels, and IAHR. He has organized various short courses and workshops for field engineers, scientists and academicians. He has supervised 12 graduate theses and 8 ph. D theses. He has 50 research papers in peer reviewed journals and more than 100 publications in the National and International conferences. Apart from core research activities, he has been actively involved in various field application projects as consultant in coastal protection, outfall system design, breakwaters and wave modelling. His contact email: sasraj@iitm.ac.in
The Sun needs your help “Most people don't know the potential of solar energy; many of those who do simply shrug as they reach for the switch on the air-conditioner. The worst of all, the doom-crying ecologists scarcely mention a word about solar energy, the beneficent radiation that makes life possible, grows all our food and timber, provides wind and water power that is non-polluting, and does it plansisgiant solarand power orbit Earth best to clean up the pollution our machines contribute.Russia The Sun ready ablestation to dotoso a lot more to mankind. But not without man's help. Make your electricity from the glowing Sun, or the blowing Wind or the swinging Sea wavesthe choice is yours!!!�
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A diary of newspaper reports on Kerala State's Ambitious Renewable Energy Promotional Plans: Promises, Publicity and Failures - Nett Result- A Total Solar Energy Eclipse in Kerala State… By Staff Writer
Routing of subsidy through banks will also ensure its reach to eligible persons, she says. “We have noticed an increasing preference towards solarpowered systems. But the increase in battery cost and maintenance charge make Malayalis a bit hesitant to invest in solar energy,” says Anish S Prasad, technical official with ANERT (Agency for non-conventional energy and rural technology), a central nodal agency for implementing solar systems. “However, increasing electricity charge is forcing many to opt for renewable energy,” he says.
Solar-powered systems to cost less in Kerala May 7, 2012 If you want to invest in solar power, now is the time. The union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), in association with NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), has revamped its 2011 subsidy scheme to promote the usage of solar-powered lighting systems in the state. Under the revised format, NABARD has increased the subsidy to 40% from the previous 30%, for the capital subsidy-cum-refinance scheme to install photovoltaic and thermal systems for individual homes, both in rural and urban areas. However, those individuals who want to avail themselves of the government subsidy will have to get a loan from scheduled commercial banks and regional rural banks to set up the systems as NABARD will route the subsidy only through banks. NABARD Thiruvananthapuram deputy general manager G. Janaki says the scheme is expected to further boost the preference of Kerala towards solar-powered applications. The solar-powered systems have been attracting a lot of consumers in the state, since the scheme was introduced last year under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. “We are just an implementing body. NABARD has noted an increase in preference for solar-powered applications, particularly from the middle class of Kerala. The maximum subsidy will be 40% and the models could be home lighting systems or inverter-based systems. The amount for the scheme is delivered only through banks as we want to ensure that even the poorest in society benefit out of the scheme. Depending on the watt capacity, which ranges from 10-watt to 210-watt systems, a consumer can get a maximum subsidy of Rs. 22,680,” says Janaki.
Kerala gets central government in-principle approval for 10,000 Solar Homes project August 13, 2012 The state's plans to exploit renewable energy sources to meet electricity demands has inched one step closer to reality with the central government giving an in-principle approval for the 10,000 Solar Homes project. An official announcement is expected soon, said a top government official. Solar power plants, with a capacity of 1kw, will be installed on roof tops of 10,000 homes. Solar panels, which can generate approximately five units of electricity every day will be installed on rooftops due to the scarcity of huge tracts of land required for solar power plants. It is estimated that each unit would cost approximately Rs. 2.5 lakh, including solar panels and storage batteries. But people availing this solar scheme will get a subsidy of around Rs. 1.5 lakh. “We had approached the ministry of new and renewable energy to fund the project three months ago. And the central government recently gave an assurance that it will give a subsidy of Rs. 81,000 or 30% of the total cost, whichever is less,” said a top official with the Agency for NonConventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), on condition of anonymity. ANERT will implement this project
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in Kerala. The project has envisaged in such a way that all 14 districts would be given equal priority while implementing the project. “A notification will be issued in a month's time for selecting houses to implement the project. Even though all districts would be given equal priority, the number of solar power units in each district will be decided after considering the response received, said the official. He added that technical verification would be made before selecting beneficiaries under the project in order to ensure that they have enough space for installing solar power panels. The official said that state government will give a subsidy of Rs. 39,000 for installing solar units and have already sanctioned fund for the same. The state's plans to exploit renewable energy sources to meet its electricity requirements has inched one step closer to reality with the central government giving in-principle approval for the '10,000 Solar Homes project' and an official announcement is expected soon. The project envisages to install solar power plants of 1 kw capacity each, totaling 10MW, on rooftops of 10,000 homes across the state for electricity generation. Under the much-hyped project, solar panels, which can generate approximately five units of electricity every day will be installed on rooftops due to the scarcity of huge tracts of land required for solar power plants. It is estimated that each unit would cost approximately Rs. 2.5 lakh, including solar panels and storage batteries, but will get a subsidy of around Rs. 1.5 lakhs under the project. “We had approached the ministry of new and renewable energy to fund the project three months ago. And the central government recently gave an assurance to provide a subsidy of Rs. 81,000 or 30 percent of the total cost, whichever is less,” said a top official with the Agency for NonConventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), who didn't want to be quoted. ANERT is the implementing agency for the project. The project has envisaged in such a way that all the districts in the state would be given equal priority for the implementation of the project. “A notification will be issued in a month's time for the selection of houses to implement the project. Even as all the districts would be given equal priority, number of solar power units in each district will be decided after considering the response received, said the official. He added that technical verification would be made before selecting beneficiaries under the project in order to ensure that they have enough space for installing solar power panels. The official said that state government will give a subsidy of Rs 39,000 for installing solar units and have already sanctioned fund for the same.
Soon, subsidy for solar power generators for homes October 31, 2012 An easy option to escape from hackles of rising power bills is in the offing. The Union government will provide 30% subsidy for installing home solar power generation systems. The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) will be soon ready with a new national scheme that will allow house or flat owners to install solar panels on rooftops. This system will help them feed the power directly into the grid and keep bulky batteries at bay. The new system envisages a metering
system where in a household will get the power bill depending on the difference between the power consumed and generated by it. For instance, if a solar panel generates around 400 units a month and a household consumes the same number of units, the net bill would be zero. In case, your solar panel generates more units than that you have consumed, money for the extra units will be credited to your account. “The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is finalising the technical standards for connectivity to enable power distribution companies to provide the service to consumers,” said MNRE secretary Gireesh Pradhan. The discoms will have to take solar generated power from consumers as the rules require them to avail of electricity from renewable sources. In addition, a ministry source said, the companies will not be able to refuse solar power from its consumers. Around 63% of homes in Germany have grid-linked solar power systems on their home rooftops. It happened because the German government initiated the scheme with the feed in tariff for solar energy being higher than the rate for the power consumed. After the scheme took off, the German government had gradually reduced the feed in tariff to make it comparable with electricity price. A ministry official said India has opted for feed in tariff as the power tariff is bound to rise. A roof-top solar system runs for around 25 years. The government has decided to provide the subsidy on capital cost since discoms' attempts to make consumers install solar systems have failed, because of their higher price.“State government agencies will disburse the subsidy component for installing the system,” an official said.
Kerala launches off-grid solar PV subsidy program for 2012-2013 November 11, 2012 The Indian state of Kerala has launched a subsidy program for off-grid rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plants for 20122013. Under the Solar Rooftop Power Plants program the state will provide INR 39,000 (USD 720) per 1 KW system, and anticipates an additional central government subsidy of INR 81,000 (USD 1,500) per system. The program will be limited to 10,000 1 KW systems, for a total of 10 MW of PV capacity. Under the program, systems must have battery power storage between 5.4 kWh and 12 kWh. ANERT (Thiruvananthapuram, India) estimates that these systems will cost around INR 2.5 lakh (USD 4,600). Applications have been available on the ANERT website as of September 1st, 2012, and ANERT will additionally be announcing a list of qualified vendors for the program.
Rooftop solar power plant scheme finds takers in Thiruvananthapuram November 14, 2012 The Kerala state government's attempt to popularize solarbased small-scale power plants is getting a solid response from the public. The Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), which is implementing the scheme, has received around 4,000 applications for setting up power
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plants of 1 kWp capacity. “The initial public response is pretty good. Our target is to set up 10,000 rooftop solar power plants in the current fiscal. Once we finalize our technology partners and the cost per plant, we expect more people to take up the scheme,” ANERT director P Valsaraj said. Though the government had planned to rope in interested households for setting up 15,000 grid-connected rooftop solar power plants across the state, the idea was shelved because the Union government subsidy for solar plants is limited to 'off grid' power plants. The beneficiaries of the scheme would get around Rs. 1.2 lakh as subsidy from the state and central governments. The selected households will have to spend around Rs. 1 lakh for setting up a plant. The electricity department hopes to generate 10MW power by setting up 10,000 such units. Valsaraj said several companies had come forward to partner with ANERT for the project. “We would be empanelling at least 20 top-rated companies to provide technical assistance. Once this is done, we would be able to create a benchmark for the quality of equipment and fix the price structure,” he said. Thiruvananthapuram: The state government's attempt to popularise solar based small scale power plants has started getting impressive response from public. Agency for Nonconventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), nodal agency for the scheme roll out, has received around 4000 applications for setting up the power plants of 1 KWp capacity. The initial public response towards the subsidized scheme is pretty good. Our target is to set up 10,000 roof top mount solar power plants during the current fiscal. Once we complete the process of finalising the technology partners and the cost per plant, we expect more people to show interest towards the scheme”, said P Valsaraj, director of ANERT. Though the state government had at first planned to rope in interested households for setting up 15,000 grid connected roof top solar power plants across the state, the idea had to be shelved primarily because the Union government subsidy to the solar plants is limited only to off grid” power plants. Beneficiaries of the scheme would get around Rs. 1.2 lakh as subsidy from the state and central governments together. For setting up a single plant, the selected households will have to spend around Rs. 1 lakh. By setting up 10,000 such units, the state power department hops to generate 10 MW of collar energy. According to Valsaraj, several companies with national presence have expressed their willingness to part with ANERT for the roll of the solar power project in a technically competent, yet financially viable manner. We would be empanelling at least 20 top rated companies for providing technical assistance for the roll out of the scheme. Once the empanelment is through, we would be able to create a bench mark for the quality of equipment and price structure for small scale solar power plants in the state”, he said.
Rural Technology (ANERT) is scouting for experts to inspect the quality of the power units being set up. “We plan to set up a panel of experts in all districts to ensure that the solar power units being installed by different companies on rooftops stick to the safety standards and quality. We hope the retired engineers from the Kerala State Electricity Board or ANERT, with at least 10 years of work experience, would come forward to join the panel”, said ANERT director P Valsaraj. The empanelled engineers will be trained and provided with technical information required for inspecting the plants would be provided. At present, over 4,000 people have expressed interest for setting up solar power units being rolled out with the subsidy of Union and state governments. The experts (engineers) would be empanelled district-wise. The district offices of ANERT would coordinate the inspection of completed power plants. The empanelled experts are required to obtain the details of the power plants from the district office, physically inspect all components of the rooftop power plant and submit the report to the district office. Subject to approval, the empanelled engineers would be eligible for an honorarium of Rs. 775 for inspecting each plant. According to ANERT authorities, the selection of companies competent to set up solar power generation units of 1 KWp (kilowatts peak) capacity is in the final stage. ANERT plans to select at least 20 competent agencies with adequate credentials and national presence. “We are trying to ensure that the agencies, upon their selection, are willing to set up at least two customer care and maintenance units in the state. We also want to ensure that the services of these companies are available in every district”, the ANERT director said. According to the rooftop solar power project scheme, selected households will get Rs 1.2 lakh as subsidy. Over and above this, individuals will also have to spent Rs 1 lakh. As a first step, ANERT plans to set up 10,000 roofmounted solar power units in the state.
Kerala empanels 14 firms for 10000 rooftop solar programme February 3, 2013 Tata Power Solar, Aditya Birla Solar, Su-Kam and Waree are among the 14 companies empanelled by Kerala's Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology, for the State's ambitious '10,000 rooftops' programme. The programme seeks to facilitate households interested in putting up solar photo-voltaic power plants on their rooftops by offering them a subsidy of Rs 39,000 per kW of installed capacity, over and above the subsidy given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. According to Madhavan Nampoothiri, Founder-Director of RESolve Energy Consultants, 4,705 applications were received as of January 18. The applicants can now choose from the 14 companies registered to put up rooftop plants and be eligible for the State government subsidy.
Rooftop solar units under ANERT's scrutiny December 5, 2012
Rooftop solar power panels a big hit in Kozhikode February 15, 2013
As part of setting up 10,000 rooftop solar power units across the state, the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and
Individuals constructing new houses in the city prefer rooftop solar power plant scheme of the state government to
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bring down the electricity bill. Over 70 individuals, who are constructing new houses in Kozhikode city, have approached the Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) for subsidized installation of solar power plants. Many who own electrified houses have also approached ANERT for installing the solar panel. “Of the total of 288 applications received by ANERT, 99% are for installing solar panels at houses,” said C Sebastian, regional project manager of ANERT. “Individuals who consume more than 300 units of electricity are more interested in installing solar panels, as they will have to pay huge sum for hydroelectric power, on the introduction of new power tariff scheme of KSEB,” he said. According to officials with the Anert, individuals from cities are more interested in installing solar power panels as the consumption of electricity is high in cities owing to the influence of climatic conditions. The beneficiaries of the scheme would get around Rs. 1.2 lakh as subsidy from the state and central governments. The price of rooftop solar power plant ranges between Rs. 1.77 lakh and Rs. 2.05 lakh. The selected households will have to spend around Rs. 1 lakh for setting up a plant. ANERT has identified 14 agencies for distribution and installation of the solar plants and the beneficiaries can depend on any of these agencies. The unit comprises solar panel with 1 kW capacity, inverter and batteries with 7,200 W hour Rooftop solar power plants aims to meet the domestic needs of the individuals from 6-10 in the evening and 5-6 in the morning, said Sebastian. Government offices and banks have also come forward to support the scheme as they could use solar energy directly without installing batteries, he added. The consumers, who fear of huge bill with the new billing system of KSEB are on a move to bring down the units of hydroelectric power consumption by setting up solar power units. Those who use air conditioners, water-heaters and washing machines and other home appliances are more in favour of solar panels. While Ernakulam leads the list of applicants, Wayanad is on the bottom-line with only 45 applicants, said the regional project manager of ANERT. Lower number of household using AC due to climatic conditions is cited the reason for lesser number of applications from Wayanad. According to officials, a plant can be used to produce an average of 4 units of electricity a day. The production will go as high as 6 units during summer and as low as 2 units during monsoon.
Kerala to hold Renewable Energy Conference in March 2013 February 6, 2013
major reasons. First, the State is in the grip of an energy crisis, with the peak power deficit having gone beyond 1,600 MW and the state electricity utility bleeding on account of having to purchase high cost power from the market to supply to consumers. Second, the state has just unveiled an ambitious “10,000 rooftop solar plant” programme and is working towards following it up with another 25,000 rooftop programme. ANERT also has a few other renewable energy programmes on the drawing board. 'Save Power Show' will be a good platform to discuss these and will mainly address questions such as “how to avert the looming power crisis” and “how the renewable energy sector is shaping up in the state”. The event is being organised by AOJ Media. Madhavan Nampoothiri, Director, RESolve Energy Consultants, who are the knowledge partners for the meeting, observed that the people of Kerala were affluent, thanks partly to the remittances from the Keralite diaspora around the world. As such it would not be an issue for them to spend on rooftop solar plants, for the reward of uninterrupted electricity supply. It was also pointed out at the meeting that the Government of Kerala has hiked the tariffs for high-level consumptionfor consumption more than 300 units, the tariff is Rs 15 a unit. Against this, rooftop solar plants make eminent economic sense.
Kerala plans 25,000-rooftop solar units programme February 6, 2013 Even as it is getting ready to formally launch its '10,000 rooftop' programme, Kerala is working on the next stepanother programme to facilitate an additional 25,000 rooftop solar plants in the State. But unlike the 10,000rooftop programme, which is to be formally launched on February 11, the next one will be grid-connected. This was disclosed by the Director of the Agency For Nonconventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), M. Jayaraju. ANERT is Kerala's nodal body for driving renewable energy. The regulations for the grid-tie 25,000 rooftop programme are being evolved by the Kerala State Electricity Board and will have to be approved by the state electricity regulatory commission. Jayaraju expressed confidence that the programme would be brought in before 2014.
The Government of Kerala will hold a 3-day conference on renewable energy with an objective to “sketching the road ahead for the renewable energy sector in the state”. The 'Save Power Show' conference-cum-exhibition event, to be be held in Kochi between March 2 and 4, is the “first-of-its-kind knowledge sharing platform” in Kerala. The event is being organised by AOJ Media.
The State Government is also working on the subsidy to those who put up rooftop solar plants. In the current '10,000 rooftop' programme, the State gives a subsidy of Rs 39,000 for a one kW system, over and above the subsidy given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Sources, Government of India. (Incidentally, this programme is for 1 kW per householdno subsidy will be given for any capacity beyond 1 kW.) For the current programme, ANERT has empanelled 15 companies. Any person who is interested in putting up a solar plant on his roof could get it done by any of these companies and be eligible for the state government subsidy.
Announcing this in Chennai on Tuesday at a gathering of solar power developers, the Director of the Agency For Nonconventional Energy And Rural Technology, ANERT, M. Jayaraju, noted that the conference was very timely for two
With the subsidies from both the central and state government, the cost for the 1 kW system works out to be around Rs. 80,000. ANERT is also talking to banks for facilitating funding for even this amount, says Jayaraju.
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Kerala is suffering from a big power deficit, Jayaraju said. Since no power plant has come up after NTPC's Kayamkulam plant in 1998, the peak power deficit in the State is as much as 1,600 MW. A uniqueness of the state is that about 80 per cent of the demand is from the 90 lakh-odd domestic consumers. However, most consumers are affluent and would not mind putting up solar plants on their roofs for the sake of energy security, he said. ANERT on its part is putting up a 2 MW ground-mounted solar power plant near Palakkad, Jayaraju said.
Kerala rooftop solar scheme on shaky ground March 4, 2013 Reports ask whether the rooftop solar programme, launched by the State government a fortnight ago, be a boon to the power-starved State? Several experts in the field are of the view that the scheme might fail, if not implemented with utmost care. It is pointed out that for a mass project which has no parallels in Kerala in terms of technology integration, a failure at the grassroots level will be counterproductive in the long-term. The pilot project, envisaged to provide offgrid power of one kilowatt each to 10,000 households, comes with a subsidy of about Rs.92,000 to each beneficiary. The project, intended to produce 10MW power in total, is being implemented through Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT). The consumer has to register with ANERT to be eligible for the subsidy comprising Rs.81,000 from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Rs.39,000 from ANERT. The beneficiary will incur a cost of Rs.2 2.5 lakh or more, including subsidy element. Fourteen agencies have been empanelled by ANERT for the consumer to choose from in order to undertake the installation across the State. Out of this, 13 belong to other States, but have associates and dealersBy in Amy Kerala.Cutter, The arrangement potential for trouble, Editor ofhas Outreach says Georgekutty. K, who owns Lifeway Solar, an enterprise in the solar photovoltaic sector and has set up solar power generation systems in Ernakulam.
that there is a possibility that the ignorant customer is misguided on the performance of the system. The inverter used in the system was made in USA, but it had to be replaced three or four times. The success of the programme rests on the kind of quality material used, says Vijay ranjan, marketing Manager, Team Sustain, another enterprise in the solar PV sector which has installed a few solar power generating units in the State. His apprehension is that there won't be 100 per cent capacity fulfilment under the conditions prescribed by ANERT. M.Jayaraju, Director of ANERT, said about 7,000 people have already registered.ANERT's technical team will oversee the feasibility in each case before installation.
Sales of Solar PV products in Kerala dip by 75% after the controversy July 11, 2013 Rising controversy over the solar fraud case has damaged the sales and market of solar photovoltaic (SPV) business in the state, say experts in the field. "Sales of solar PV products in Kerala have dipped by 75% after the controversy. Those planning to install solar-powered inverters have postponed their purchase," said K. N. Iyer, MD of Kraftwork Solar Pvt. Ltd and VP of Kerala Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs & Promoters Association. He also feels that the industry would take another year to regain its momentum. According to Sijo Joseph, CEO of Technopark-based Ronds Innotech Pvt Ltd, even larger projects have been postponed or cancelled. "We got a customer who had almost handed over a cheque but changed his stand as the controversy began. Now we have to finish installing the equipment to get back the project cost of Rs. 11 lakh," he said. However, his sales of residential systems are unaffected as he relies mainly on word-of-mouth publicity. Prabissh Thomas, MD of UAE-based PTL Solar Fz Llc, opined that awareness among consumers is the key as controversies will be there in any industry. "There will be fly-by-night companies who would make money out of the market potential," said Thomas who managed to fetch his largest contract despite the controversy. Marketing malpractices, low-quality components and high-priced solar panels are the other problems that are hurting the industry's growth. A Kochi-based firm got out of the business as they found out that there are widespread marketing malpractices. "Many companies hide from their clients that there is energy loss in PV systems. If you set up a 1KW system, it would give you a maximum output of 800W. The maintenance cost of a battery is quite high - it may last for a maximum of 5 years and you have to spend Rs. 15,000 Rs. 18,000 on a single battery," said the owner of the firm on conditions of anonymity.
Irena launches roadmap to double renewable energy by 2030
The photovoltaic system needs periodic maintenance and the agency is bound by a warranty stretching 5 years, but it will be easier for at least some of the agencies outside the State to get away with inefficient handling. Mr. Georgekutty, who is also the secretary of the 16-member Kerala Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs and Promoters' Association (Kreepa), cautions that inefficient post-installation service could sound a death knell to the solar photovoltaic initiative. Shinu Kuriakose, owner of a bakery unit at Thodupuzha where a 10 kw solar photovoltaic system has been installed over a year ago, says that there are immense possibilities for the consumer being cheated. The agency should ensure production of 4 units of power daily on an average, as envisaged in the scheme. He cautions against use of inferior gadgets which would result in lesser efficiency. The consumer has a responsibility to make sure that the installed equipments are worthy and should not get carried away by the promises of the handling agency. J.K. Thomas, Managing Director of Malankara Plantations Limited, who has installed a 15 kw solar PV system at the headquarters building at Kottayam, about a year ago, says
No rollback of solar programme in State, says Central ministry July 12, 2013 The Union Ministry of New and Renewable energy (MNRE) has ruled out a rollback of its ambitious roof-top solar programme in Kerala amid the raging solar scam in the State. Instead, the Ministry has plans to strengthen its programmes while ensuring that the people are not taken for a ride by
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fraudulent agencies in the name of installing centrally assisted photovoltaic systems. Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary in MNRE spearheading the National Solar Mission, toldThe Hindu that the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), which is implementing its '10,000 roof-top solar programme', has been directed to be “more careful as people [fraudsters] can make tall claims and later take the customers for a ride�. He said the common man needs to tap the potential of solar energy to address their increasing power requirements. Asked whether the promoters of 'Team Solar' company involved in the solar scam had made efforts to get into the empanelled list of suppliers of solar panels under the MNRE, Mr. Kapoor denied such reports and said empanelling remains a lengthy procedure. Even those who were not manufacturers need to source a product and get it tested and certified from an authorised laboratory. Only then they can they apply for accreditation, he said. The head of the National Solar Mission pointed out that there was no bar on increasing the list of empanelled agencies under ANERT but whoever [company] is considered should have a service network. He also said the Ministry had been encouraging start-ups and innovators to join the solar field. Mr. Kapoor said MNRE has recommended a special public awareness campaign in the State to check fraudulent agencies swindling public in the name of installing centrally assisted SPV systems. The Ministry would launch the campaign soon and it would be carried out by ANERT, he said. There was no bar on increasing the list of empanelled agencies under ANERT, said head of the National Solar Mission
Subsidies hold rooftop solar projects July 13, 2013 With the Tamil Nadu government aggressively promoting installation of rooftop solar systems, the key factor that is driving adoption -subsidies - are running dry, subsequently hampering installations. Several solar power companies say that subsidies promised by the government in the National Solar Policy are not coming through, and off late, even applications for subsidies aren't being accepted, thus drastically impacting the adoption of rooftop solar systems as companies are holding back projects until subsidies are paid. "The last application of ours that was accepted was in February. All applications we have sent after that is awaiting clearance. We have about 1.7MW of projects awaiting clearance," said Manu Karan, who heads the Rooftop Solar business for SunEdison. Though costs of putting up residential solar rooftop systems are gradually coming down, it is still unviable without government support, and subsidies offered are critical to the adoption of solar power. The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has promised a subsidy of 30% on the project cost for a 1 kilowatt rooftop solar system. The channel partners-- dealers authorized to set up residential solar systems -- install the systems at costs net of the government subsidy - the ministry pays them the subsidy amount directly. The subsidy was meant to be a catalyst, but is actually being a bottleneck. "MNRE orders say that unless subsidies are cleared we aren't allowed to go ahead with installations, so we have orders under the subsidy scheme but can't execute
them," Karan said. Also, subsidies for projects that have been approved, haven't reached solar companies yet. "The budget allocated is not sufficient enough and has been exhausted on projects submitted. Clients believe subsidy is still in place and force the contractors to take the burden on them," said Guy Baeyens, managing director of Enfinity Solar Solutions. "Our company is yet to receive over Rs 50 lakh for projects approved over the last year," said KE Raghunath, managing director, Solkar Solar Industry. Issues are compounded in Tamil Nadu as there is no clarity on how state government subsidies will be given, he added. The MNRE, however, says that this was a temporary blip. "We had stopped sanctions for some time. There was a routine delay. We were trying to see how to cater to demand which has doubled this year," Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary, MNRE said. Also, the subsidy scheme elapsed with first phase of the solar mission, and the revised policy is going through approvals from ministry now. "Meanwhile, the old scheme has been extended till September 30," he said. The ministry has, over the last four years, released close to Rs 1,280 crore as subsidies for off-grid solar applications.
No State Government agency in Kerala to certify solar firms 21st July, 2013 At a time when the solar scam is simmering, it has come to light that there exists no state government agency which could provide a stamp of approval or official certification to the many solar firms that have been doing business in the state. Such an official certification would prevent dubious operators like Team Solar to grow and flourish. The Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), which is the state government agency for support and implementation of schemes and projects in the nonconventional energy sector, has not been empowered in this regard so far. While ANERT officials sit pretty, the public gropes in the dark. Currently, there are only two Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)- empanelled solar service providers from the state. They are Ammini Solar and Shobitha Electronics Private Limited. They are the only two empanelled service providers by ANERT, while there are nearly 20 firms undertaking works from the state in this regard, which include four NGOs. They have formed an association, Kerala Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs and Promoters Association (KREEPA). The members include Cusat, Mithradam Renewable Energy Centre, V Guard, Hykon and Lifeway Solar Devices. While this vast section is out of the recognized circuit, it is alleged that hefty sums are being collected by Central officials to issue the MNRE certificates, which has dissuaded many of them from approaching the Central Ministry for the certificate. KREEPA secretary Georgekutty Kariyanappally said that in Tamil Nadu, the state government agency, TEDA, was providing the certification while ANERT could not do so. When contacted, ANERT director M. Jayaraju said the agency had suggested to the government that it be given the power to issue such certification and it was for the government to decide on it.
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In times of scam, a shining solar story July 26, 2013 Tired of hearing solar panel scam stories? Then here is a feel-good solar power story for you from the Alappuzha Government Medical College Hospital. The mortuary of the hospital is powered by solar energy. “The unit here is 30 KW with which we are running 20 fans, 20 lights, two AC units of 1.5 tonne each and two motors of total 3.5 HP,” said S. Rajagopal, Assistant Engineer of PWD, Alappuzha Medical College. He said they were still experimenting with the system. “The idea to introduce solar energy system originated when we came up with the proposal for the mortuary building. The officials in our department asked us to test the solar system to overcome the power crisis,” Mr. Rajagopal said. The solar panels were installed with the back-up unit of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) unit and battery series at a cost of Rs. 80 lakhs. Cessil Varghese, assistant executive engineer, is in charge of the unit. The panels are from the U.S. based company Uni-solar. There are separate solar panels to power the solar heater of 1000 litre capacity for the activities of the mortuary. “Since the four compressors needed for freezers for keeping bodies have not been installed, the excess current is now diverted for the four ACs of the ninth ward of the hospital. We had an electricity connection from the KSEB, which we are not using for the mortuary,” added Mr. Rajagopal.
Kochi gets ready to wear 'solar city' tag August 3, 2013 Kochi is taking the first step towards its journey to become a solar city under a programme of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Kochi Corporation has initiated measures to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on the scheme. The services of ICLEI , an international agency involved in supporting local governments to identify solutions to governance including energy management, will be engaged for making the DPR, K.J. Sohan, Standing Committee Chairman, Town Planning, told The Hindu. He said the agency had been involved in similar projects in other cities. A solar city cell has already been constituted as required under the MNRE scheme, he said. The Kochi Mayor was not available for comments. The scheme was floated about two years ago and several cities had already been enrolled. Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram were in the MNRE's list of 48 cities which were given in-principle approval out of 60 cities chosen initially. A top official of ANERT (Agency for NonConventional Energy and Rural Technology), the nodal agency for MNRE in Kerala, said the Thiruvananthapuram corporation authorities had not shown much interest in the scheme. Kochi was not given a place in the first stage of MNRE scheme, in which 31 cities were given sanction. The city is being considered in the second phase, according to Mr.Sohan.
PROJECT'S AIM The programme to develop Solar Cities is aimed at providing support to urban local bodies to utilise renewable energy with a view to reduce overall energy consumption. The project targets 10 per cent reduction in the use of conventional energy within five years through a holistic approach of adopting energy efficient measures and supply
of more renewable energy. The programme envisages promotion of solar water heating systems in domestic and commercial buildings; deployment of solar photovoltaic systems for demonstration; establishment of shops for sale of solar energy products; use of urban and industrial waste management for energy generation. Making a framework to prepare a master plan on future energy demand, involving various stakeholders in the planning process, is part of the programme. A total of 60 cities or towns were selected initially to implement the programme. Aid under the programme includes a sum upto Rs.10 lakh for preparation of a master plan along with detailed project report; upto Rs. 10 lakh for setting up of Solar City Cell and it's functioning for a period of three years; upto Rs.10 lakh for overseeing of implementation during these three years; upto Rs. 20 lakh for capacity building and other promotional activities to be utilized in three years.
Government urged to implement solar policy at the earliest 12th August 2013 KREEPA (Kerala Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs and Promoters Association), the association for Manufacturers and integrators of solar power systems in Kerala state, who are facing a 'credibility crisis' in the current scenario following the infamous solar scam, have asked the government to implement the solar policy as early as possible to ensure a fair environment in the sector. “It is the need of the hour as many other states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, have this policy. We made a draft and nothing happened as the controversy had broke out,” said Georgekutty Kariyanappally, secretary of KREEPA, at a meeting on Sunday (August 10, 2013). He also demanded the government to make the KREEPA a consultant for its agencies, with arbitrary powers in dispute cases with clients. The KREEPA, which aims to make the state a model for others in the use of renewable energy, organised the meeting to discuss the 'solar scam' fallout on the industry and to formulate a way out for the Rs. 200 crore market. Majority of the participants of the meeting held at Mithradham near here said the absence of a state government agency, which could provide a stamp of approval or official certification, paved the way for the scam which made a negative impact on the market with a potential of Rs. 400 crore. The Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), the state government agency for support and implementation of schemes and projects in the non-conventional energy sector, has not been empowered in this regard. “Many clients find it difficult to ascertain the genuineness of companies. We will have a thorough scrutiny of new members as we want to add more credibility to our organisation,” said Jose Kallookkaran, KREEPA treasurer. “The last state budget had proposed 50% reduction in residential tax for buildings with facility to produce solar energy. It had also suggested 1 Rupee reduction in power tariff for every one unit of power produced using solar equipment. However, both did not happen and there is no discussion regarding this,” said G. Sivaramakrishnan, KREEPA executive member.
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Green Buildings:
Old Wine in a New Bottle By Sundaresan Subramanian
CII's Green Business Center in Hyderabad
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ITC Center, Gurgaon
Sundaresan Subramanian (“Subi�) is a senior management professional with an array of global experiences in the field of energy and environment. His work experience includes promoting US-Asia partnerships and projects for multinational corporations. Currently based in Chicago, he serves as an international consultant and a LEED Green Associate. You can reach him at subi@consultsubi.com
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ENVIRONMENT: Overview of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) By Staff Writer
CO2 emissions
Capture is the first and most expensive element in the CCS “The global challenge of achieving the chain, imposing a significant parasitic energy penalty on the significant CO2 emissions reductions necessary process, requiring about 20% more fuel to be burned for the to mitigate climate change cannot be overstated. same powerenergy output. For power plants, the capture step India committed to sustainable for all Far-reaching strategies must be deployed to involves separating dilute CO2 (315% by volume) from a achieve reductions in every sector, including: gas stream, with nitrogen, water vapour and minor impurities comprising the balance. The near pure CO2 is then improving the efficiency of energy compressed to high pressure (around 10 MPa) for transport transformation, improving end-use energy to a storage site where it is injected into geological efficiency, increased use of renewable energy formations either deep underground or under the seafloor. sources, increased use of nuclear power, behavioural and lifestyle changes to reduce CCS is a transitional technology offering a near-term way of mitigating climate change, as progress towards a truly demand, as well as carbon capture and storage sustainable low-carbon energy system is likely to take many (CCS) applied to power generation and industry� Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) refers to the set of technologies developed to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) gas from the exhausts of power stations and from other industrial sources, the infrastructure for handling and transporting CO2, and the technologies for injecting and storing the CO2 in deep geological formations. All the individual elements operate today in the oil, gas and chemical processing sectors; however, their integration and scale-up for CO2 capture from power plants in the next two decades is a major challenge, and the storage of giga-tonnes of CO2 deep underground raises new issues of liability and risk.
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decades. Since we have to use fossil fuels while achieving large-scale global CO2 emissions reductions in the next 3040 years, CCS is an essential technology. Substantial additional investment is needed to deploy any low-carbon energy technology while meeting the projected growing demand for energy. These costs are expected to be considerably higher if CCS is not included in the low-carbon energy technology portfolio. For energy security, the deployment of CCS in countries with very large indigenous fossil fuel reserves is important; equally, decoupling the use of coal from CO2 emissions is attractive in terms of allowing a more diverse range of energy sources for countries heavily reliant on imported fuels. The energy sector accounts for the biggest share of anthropogenic GHG emissions, mostly CO2 as a by-product of fossil fuel combustion. Coal, which has the highest emission intensity of conventional fossil fuels, is also the fuel whose rate of utilization is increasing the greatest. The relationship between energy demand and CO2 emissions is reflected in the increasing trend in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion (including coal, gas and liquid fuels). The exponential increase in CO2 emissions is a consequence of rapid industrialisation, ignited by the industrial revolution in the “west”, sustained by its spread to the rest of the world especially India and China and with additional demand owing to the electronic revolution and globalisation of the late 20th Century. The deployment of CCS technology in the power and industrial sector is therefore important to help mitigate climate change in the near-term (2020s) and to provide energy security, by decoupling CO2 emissions from fossil fuel usage, and allowing a more diverse range of fuels and energy supply lines to meet a demand that cannot be met on this timescale by renewable and nuclear energy. In the longer-term, CCS can support a transition to a sustainable energy future recognising that at any rate of improvement in energy efficiency and increase in the use of renewable energy sources, CCS will be critical in curtailing emissions from the necessary continued and extensive use of fossil fuels in the next few decades at least.
to survive. But over time we have invented power plants and vehicles, which burn fossil fuels, releasing extra CO2 into the air. By adding extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, more heat is stored on Earth, which causes the temperature to rise. This is called global warming. CCS involves trapping the carbon dioxide at its emission source, transporting it to a storage location and isolating it. Using this method we could grab excess CO2 right from the power plant, creating greener energy. Several CCS options available are: (1) CO2 is pumped into disused coal fields displacing methane, which can be used as fuel; (2) CO2 can be pumped into and stored safely in saline aquifers; and (3) CO2 can be pumped into oil fields, helping maintain pressure, which makes extraction easier. The first is post-combustion capture. Post-combustion capture is primarily applicable to conventional pulverized coal-fired power plants. Here, the flue gases are diverted through an absorber, where the CO2 is taken up by a solvent. The next stage is heating the CO2 rich solvent to 120° C in a reformer, releasing the CO2 for capture. The second technology is pre-combustion capture, which is applicable to integrated gasification combined cycle power plants, where solid fuel is converted into gaseous components by applying heat under pressure in the presence of steam and oxygen. In this case, the carbon is captured before combustion and power production occurs. There is another technology called oxyfuel where the fossil fuel is burned in 95% pure oxygen instead of in air, resulting in a flue gas that consists of high CO2 concentrations and water vapor. The two can be separated just by cooling and the CO2 is then condensed and compressed for storage. In the first stage of oxyfuel, the air separator removes nitrogen, which makes up 78% of the air. Once the nitrogen has been removed, the remaining product is an almost pure stream of oxygen. A mixture of coal and oxygen is blasted into the boiler and ignited.
Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) entails technologies that can be used to capture CO2 (carbon dioxide) from point sources, such as power plants and other industrial facilities; compress it; transport it to suitable locations; and inject it into deep subsurface geological formations for indefinite isolation from the atmosphere. CCS is a solution to reduce climate change, because it reduces CO2 emissions from fossil-based fuels, which helps with an unpolluted and sustainable energy future.
The combustion of the coal and oxygen generate the heat that makes the steam to power the generator. The steam generated as a result of heating water passed through the boiler in pipes is then used to drive steam turbines that create electricity. Then there is a series of "cleaning" processes that the flue gas will pass through beginning with particle
Co2 is a natural gas that allows sunlight to get through to the Earth, while at the same time; it prevents some of the sun's heat from radiating back into space, thereby warming the planet. This warming is called the “greenhouse” effect, which basically results in sufficient heat to maintain life. Without this effect, the Earth would be a frozen rock. The CO2 that causes the greenhouse effect is necessary for us
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removal. The next stage, which usually involves a process called flue gas desulphurisation, removes sulphur dioxide, which causes acid rain if it is released into the atmosphere. At the final filtering stage, the flue gas is cooled to condense the water vapor.
metric tons of possible carbon dioxide storage in saline formations, oil and gas reservoirs, and un-mineable coal seams, according to a new U.S. Department of Energy publication. The sequestering of CO2 is not the final solution. We must look for other renewable energy sources and become more energy efficient.
Because nitrogen was removed during the air separation process, nitrogen oxides were prevented from forming during the combustion process. As a result, the remaining gas is an almost pure stream of CO2. An international group of scientists has identified a previously underused material that was discovered fifteen years ago, known as SIFSIX-1-Cu, which offers a highly efficient mechanism for capturing CO2 . This material is highly effective at carbon capture even in the presence of water vapor, a standard that other materials have not been able to meet. In real world applications, water normally interferes with CO2 capture, but the material developed in the USF-KAUST project, using SIFSIX-1-Cu, overcomes the hindrance. SIFSIX-1-Cu will capture carbon from coal-burning plants, purify methane in natural gas wells, and advance clean-coal technology, all helping to control carbon for cleaner air. The biggest problem has been the high cost of actually separating captured carbon dioxide, because the process sometimes destroys the material used in the process. SIFSIX-1-Cu offers an advantage in this area, because it uses comparatively less energy to release the gas while remaining completely reusable.
Coal is an extremely important fuel and will remain so for many years. However, burning coal produces almost 14 billion tons of CO2 each year which is released to the atmosphere, most of which is from power generation. Development of new "clean coal" technologies is addressing this problem so that the United States' enormous resources of coal can be utilized for future generations without contributing to global warming. At its current state of development, CCS is not ready for widespread deployment on coal-based power plants for three reasons:
Hexafluorosilicate (SIFSIX-1-Cu) Geosequestration (also known as carbon sink or CCS) is the process of converting carbon dioxide into a liquid and depositing it below the earth's surface. Research on geosequestration is ongoing at several locations in the world. The main potential appears to be deep saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas fields. In both, the CO2 is expected to remain as a supercritical gas for thousands of years, with some dissolving. The United States has at least 2,400 billion
o
It has not been demonstrated at a large enough scale necessary for power plant application;
o
The energy required to support CO2 capture would significantly decrease power generating capacity; and
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If successfully scaled-up, it would not be costeffective at its current level of process development.
So, what is the future of CCS? The technology has been proven in the laboratory and on a small scale, but it has yet to become commercially viable for large scale operations. Many people view CCS as a way to produce greener power while prolonging the supply of fossil fuels like coal, but that's not the current reality anywhere in the world. CCS hasn't been confirmed on the scale that it needs to be demonstrated. CCS is a transitional technology mitigating climate change as we implement proven alternative energy technologies.
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Renewable Energy Cooperatives--Citizens, communities and local economy in good company By Staff Writer The expansion of renewable energies leads to fundamental changes concerning our energy supply. Wind turbines in the landscape, photovoltaic systems on roofs or farms with biogas plants are visible indications for the development in that sector. Heat pumps, wood pellet and woodchip heating
energy supply and make energy supply accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget. Even if they do not have a rooftop of their own, citizens can thus profit. The members of such energy cooperatives could augment the protection of the environment and the expansion of renewable energy sources, as well as the promotion of regional value creation, as a higher priority than profit. And these goals can be attained as calculations show that the electricity production of the energy cooperatives completely covers the household electricity needs of their members. Every minute, enough sunlight reaches Earth to supply the planet's energy needs for a year. This energy is free, but variable depending on climatic conditions.
plants provide heat and relieve whole villages from fossil fuels. Renewable energies do not only protect the climate, but also improve the security of supply, create new jobs and increase the regional income. The decentralized nature of renewable energy gives every citizen the opportunity to make an active contribution to the transformation of energy supply, either by building their own facilities or by participating in community projects.
Converting to solar power is highly tempting to the greeninclined but buying and installing solar panels sufficient to provide the necessary electricity for a household is an expensive proposition, even with available rebates and tax incentives. And for some, investigation the technological and practical issues is intimidating. One solution many communities are increasingly using to handle the issues surrounding individual solar conversion is solar cooperatives, or co-ops. The major advantages of belonging to a co-op when going solar involve economies of scale. A solar co-op purchasing
In the last three decades, people came together in numerous citizens' groups, local councils and regional businesses to establish common renewable energy projects in their region. Energy cooperatives as organisational form are growing a lot in popularity because they offer a variety of possibilities for action and design. Currently, more than 80,000 citizens in Germany hold shares in new energy cooperatives. They can already participate with small amounts. In the last years, more than 500 newly-founded energy cooperatives invested a total of 800 million euros in renewable energy. More than 90% of energy cooperatives operate solar power systems, which can be set up nearly anywhere and everywhere with only minimal technical and financial resources. Solar technology and cooperative models are a perfect match. They represent the democratization of the
Solar Co-ops: Bringing Sun Power to Your Neighborhood For an entire community can negotiate wholesale or near wholesale prices on solar panels and designs. The solar coop also can also assist members with assessing the feasibility of going solar and educating them about available financial incentives.
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By Heba Hashem
sizable role in Dubai,” Vahid Fotuhi, president of the Emirates Solar Industry Association, said in an interview with CSP Today. The first phase of the Dubai Solar Park, a 13 MW PV plant, is already under construction by First Solar, with commissioning to start in September a month ahead of the project's launch date. Another 100 MW will soon be put out to tender, also for a PV facility, according to local daily The National. This raises questions to where CSP would fit in the big picture. Waleed Salman, chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the authority funding and implementing the project, told CSP Today last year that out of the envisaged 1,000MW, 200MW would be generated through PV and 800MW through CSP. However, the breakdown has not been officially revealed to date, and therefore, changes may take place. Abu Dhabi made history when it launched the world's largest CSP plant, Shams 1, in March 2013. With Dubai's 1 GW solar park now underway, how open will the market be to international CSP players, and what could possibly hinder CSP development in the UAE? Ever since Dubai's 1GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park was announced in January 2012, the CSP industry has been anticipating new opportunities while observing how the project would unfold in terms of the CSP portion.
A series of solar discussions In addition to power generation, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the state-owned power supplier that will be managing and operating the solar park, plans to incorporate other facilities into the project. “Not only will the Solar Park deliver 1,000 MW of power to Dubai's electricity network, but it will host an R&D centre and a renewable energy academy to spur continued innovation,” Fatima Al Shamsi, vice president of New Business Development at DEWA, said earlier this year.
"The government has not yet unveiled what the breakdown of the 1GW will be. They will likely want to keep their options open as solar technologies continue to evolve. If concentrated solar can prove itself commercially in the region then CSP companies stand a good chance of playing a
Although DEWA hasn't revealed which CSP technology would be used in the solar park, nor the percentage of power it would generate out of the 1GW, the utility's officials have been meeting with numerous international companies,
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organisations and delegations from the solar energy sector. In the past year alone, DEWA received delegations from Saudi business conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel Group, which amongst many segments works in renewable energy, as well as from U.S. renewable energy consultancy Navigant, and Swiss industrial group ABB, a key CSP player providing power and automation solutions for all the main CSP technologies. The utility also received a senior committee from Schneider Electric, a French multinational corporation specialising in energy management and electricity distribution. Schneider had designed a highly integrated control system architecture for Torresol Energy, an alliance between Spain's SENER and Masdar that aims to makes CSP plants an economically viable alternative to traditional power sources.
“Second, the soil in Dubai is very soft and corrosive; it's not clear if the heavy steel structures required for CSP would be sustainable for Dubai. This is not to say that it's not possible, it just means that there's some 'ground-work' to be done first”. Although Masdar opted for parabolic trough technology for Shams 1, as long as CSP technologies can prove their operational viability and bankability, be it parabolic trough, solar tower, linear Fresnel or dish Stirling, the UAE market will be open for them. “Given the UAE's available land and abundant solar potential, there is room for other CSP technologies in the region, given they are proven, scalable and bankable. CSP offers base-load generation capacity and the potential for large-scale energy storage, which both help stabilize the grid,” Al-Ali highlights. A market worth entering?
In addition to hosting delegations, DEWA officials have been visiting leading solar markets to obtain first-hand insight into the latest renewable energy innovations. Last year, a DEWA delegation spent one week in the U.S. visiting public and private sector organisations, including the U.S. Department of Energy and Silicon Oasis. More recently, DEWA visited China to observe the country's achievements and best practices in the renewable sector, and toured the Changzhou Solar City. One of the first visits made by DEWA, however, was to Masdar City and Shams 1, with the objectives of creating closer ties and sharing experiences between the two organisations. “Masdar welcomes Dubai's move into solar as it will attract more investment into the growing PV and CSP sectors in the UAE. We not only look forward to the additional attention this move will bring to the local renewable energy market, we look forward to the additional renewable energy capacity this will add to the UAE energy mix,” Yousif Ahmed Al-Ali, general manager of Shams Power Company, told CSP Today. Haze and soft soil In desert areas like the southern and western regions of Abu Dhabi, where vast sand dunes merge into the Empty Quarter, the loss of direct solar radiation can be substantial due to high dust concentration at the lower layers of the atmosphere, according to Al-Ali. In fact, dust can reduce Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) to levels below 2,000 kWh/m2/yr, which is a relatively low solar insolation when compared to locations in Spain and southern USA where DNI varies from 2,000 2,700 kWh/m2/yr. “I see two big challenges for CSP companies,” notes Fotuhi. “First, international CSP companies need to demonstrate that their technology is commercially and operationally viable in hazy and sandy conditions where Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) levels are low. This has so far been the Achilles heel of CSP in the Gulf”.
To date, the UAE has not yet formulated a local content policy, but Fotuhi suggests that the country may do so in the future, especially since it has the necessary infrastructure and labour force needed to localize the CSP supply chain. “With the world-class Shams 1 CSP project already installed and commissioned in Abu Dhabi, I would say that there is already sizable CSP ecosystem in this country. The foundation is there for other CSP companies to build on. But first they must demonstrate that they are as competitive as PV in generating low-cost electricity in high-soiling environments. If they don't then we can expect to see the current ecosystem start eroding”. Robin Mills, head of consulting at Dubai-based Manaar Energy and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis, shares a similar view: “I think the main issue at the moment is that, given the dramatic fall in PV costs, that is shifting attention towards PV for Dubai and Abu Dhabi for now”. As reported previously by CSP Today, PV was chosen for the first phase of Dubai's solar park, because it has less interconnectivity requirements than CSP and because DEWA's existing grid is available in the area. For the time being, Masdar has no plans for CSP development in Abu Dhabi. “We will continue to assess the performance of Shams 1 over the coming months and keep a close eye on technological advancements in the industry, especially as it pertains to the region,” notes Al-Ali. Despite CSP not featuring in the UAE's immediate agenda, Fotuhi believes that it would be prudent for international CSP companies to start looking into local partners now. “Developing relationships with local suppliers and partners is a long-term commitment and so the sooner you start, the better”. (Courtesy: Ms. Jenny Muirhead, Editor, CSP Today, U.K.)
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Photovoltaic Diesel Hybrid Project with SMA System Technology Has Gone Into Operation in India SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) has equipped another photovoltaic diesel hybrid system with Sunny Tripower inverters and the intelligent control unit SMA Fuel Save Controller. Thanks to the SMA Fuel Save Solution the system owner, a cotton mill operator in Palladam, a suburb of Tirupur in the Indian state Tamil Nadu, is able to continue production despite daily utility grid failures with solar energy and is saving fuel costs and reducing CO2 emissions considerably.
“For factories that suffer power outages and are dependent on diesel generators for their power supply, a hybrid system is the perfect solution as it increases the utilization of the PV power plant significantly and thus reduces payback time,” says Dhananjay Nandedkar, assistant to the vice-president, Solar projects, Chemtrols Solar. Solar Energy an Alternative to Diesel. The installation in Palladam is SMA's second hybrid system to use the SMA Fuel Save Solution. In December 2012, the first hybrid system in the megawatts went into operation in Thabazimbi, South Africa in a chrome ore mine. “The system in Thabazimbi combines an energy supply based on diesel with PV, while the installation in Palladam is the first hybrid system in which the diesel genset is used as backup power supply, due to the weakness of the utility grid,” explains Roland Grebe. “With these two installations, we have proven our expertise in the hybridization of both energy supply systems.” There is good potential in India for hybrid systems currently over 20 gigawatts of diesel gensets produce the energy used in industries such as raw material processing, agriculture and textiles. And with a solar irradiation of 1,500 kWh per kWp and up to 300 sunny days per year, India is a prime location for PV array power. “We are currently planning further installations in collaboration with the system designer and EPC Company, Chemtrols Solar,” says Roland Grebe. “In sunny regions, the SMA Fuel Save Solution is an economical and ecological alternative to increasing diesel prices and high CO2 emissions.”
Reliable Energy Supply Despite Daily Power Outages Daily power outages lasting several hours are commonplace in Palladam. Until now, the cotton mill operator Alpine Knits used a 1.25 MVA diesel generator to supply power during the power outages. However, the ongoing fuel consumption led to continuous increases in production costs. To reduce their energy bill, the cotton mill operator decided to install a PV system on the rooftop of their factory. In June, the new PV system with a 1 MWp module capacity designed, installed and commissioned by Chemtrols Solar Pvt. Ltd., an established EPC service provider based in Mumbai, started producing inexpensive energy.
About SMA The SMA Group generated sales of €1.5 billion in 2012 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants and, as an energy management group, offers innovative key technologies for future power supply structures. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented internationally in 21 countries. The Group employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. SMA's broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all plant sizes. The product range includes both inverters for photovoltaic plants connected to the grid as well as inverters for off-grid systems. SMA is therefore able to provide ideal technical inverter solutions for all plant sizes and types. Since 2008, the Group's parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and also in the TecDAX index. In recent years, SMA has received numerous awards for excellence as an employer and achieved first place in the nationwide “Great Place to Work®” competition in 2011 and 2012 and fourth place in 2013.
“Low costs, quick operational readiness, maximum reliability and availability are fundamental for energyintensive operations,” says Roland Grebe, Chief Technology Officer at SMA. “This is why we developed the SMA Fuel Save Solution for industrial applications.” The SMA Fuel Save Solution combines the PV system and local diesel gensets to work as a PV diesel hybrid system that covers the energy demand of the cotton mill reliably even when the grid fails. The PV array with 44 Sunny Tripower 20000TLEE inverters can meet up to 60 percent of the energy demand. The SMA Fuel Save Controller intelligently controls PV feed-in based on load profiles and PV array power for a consistent and secure supply of electricity, reduced fuel costs and minimum CO2 emissions, with excess solar energy fed into the utility grid.
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New Technology: Rawlemon's Spherical Solar Energy Generating Globes Can Even Harvest Energy from Moonlight solar efficiency capabilities - the ß.torics system isdesigned to generate lunar energy too! The spheres are able to concentrate diffused moonlight into a steady source of energy. The futuristic ß.torics system is catching a lot of attention for its clean and beautiful design. (Despite solar power's huge potential, we haven't seen too many beautiful solar power technologies). We're excited to see how architects will incorporate these energy generating orbs into alternative energy agendas and future building designs!
The solar energy designers at Rawlemon have created a spherical, sun-tracking glass globe that is able to concentrate sunlight (and moonlight) up to 10,000 times. The company claims that its ß.torics system is 35% more efficient than traditional dual-axis photovoltaic designs, and the fully rotational, weatherproof sphere is even capable of harvesting electricity from moonlight. The ß.torics system was invented by Barcelona-based German Architect André Broessel. He sought to create a solar system that could be embedded in the wallsof buildings so that they may act as both windows and energy generators. But theproject isn't only noteworthy for its
Innovation - A paint that can generate solar power
Solar energy could pay for itself - and turn a profit
The paint on your wall could soon power your home by generating electricity from sunlight. Interestingly, it could even change colour on request if you find it tiring to stare at the same shade.
Homes and businesses with solar panels could soon provide energy for the rest of Dubai - and perhaps even get paid for it.
British scientists have found that combining the wonder material 'graphene' with other stunning one-atom thick materials could create the next generation of solar cells and optoelectronic devices. The breakthrough, published in the journal Science in June 2013, could lead to electric energy that runs entire buildings by sunlight absorbed by its exposed walls.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) is planning to recruit international consultants to look into the viability of such a plan.
The energy can also be used at will to change the transparency and reflectivity of fixtures and windows depending on environmental conditions, such as temperature and brightness. The isolation of grapheme led to the discovery of new family of one-atom-thick materials.
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Dubai looks to rooftop solar power revolution But tariffs will not be the only measure under consideration that will incentivise the use of solar panels, said Mr. Iannelli. Key to Dubai's efforts to introduce solar to the grid is the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa). Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, its chief executive, announced July 2012 that the government utility was hiring a consultancy to help to establish a framework that incorporated solar into the energy mix. Dubai's move towards solar energy is increasing its appeal to industry players. In July 2013, SolarWorld, one of Germany's biggest panel producers, opened a showroom for its products at the Dubai Creek, where its panels will be sold by the local distributor PTL Solar. The company welcomes plans for a rooftop solar programme. "We hope it will be implemented," said Carsten Pattberg, the head of exports at SolarWorld. "[Rooftop solar] is our key business in Europe."
Bahrain students develop water producing fuel cell car Dubai is finalising legislation that will enable property owners to feed solar power into the grid and may even allow them to make money from it. The Government last year unveiled plans for a 1,000megawatt solar park, but it believes that small-scale applications are important for meeting its renewable energy targets. "In the near future we will have a legislative environment that allows for grid-connected solar power. There will be different approaches for different scales," said Ivano Iannelli, the chief executive of the government-owned advisory company Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence. "In the next 12 months, we will see a constant increase of solar infrastructure. Not only standalone facilities such as solar pumps, but to actually power our villas, our parks, our residential communities." Industry sources say that encouraging the use of solar on rooftops is one of the pillars of Dubai's plans to bring the technology to the emirate. Photovoltaic panels can be mounted on roofs of residential properties, office buildings or industrial facilities, providing electricity and creating a surplus that can be fed into the grid.
After decades of relying on fossil fuels, Dubai has now woken up to the potential of solar power. The emirate seeks to generate 5% of its electricity from the sun by 2030. Last year, the Dubai Supreme Council for Energy announced plans for the Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and Dewa awarded the contract for the first array in October 2012. While solar is a clean source of energy, it is also an increasingly viable alternative to scarce natural gas. Dubai's power plants run on natural gas, all of which is imported. During the summer months, when increased air conditioning causes a spike in electricity consumption, the emirate is forced to buy expensive liquefied natural gas, adding to costs. This added expense is passed on to consumers with a fuel surcharge. At the same time, solar panels are getting cheaper, as the technology advances and fierce competition is driving down prices.
In countries that derive solar energy from such small-scale sources, suppliers frequently receive a feed-in tariff from the government, a measure under consideration in Dubai. "Feed-in tariffs are part of the different activities that are being looked upon," said Mr. Iannelli. Such feed-in tariffs are usually above the market rate, making the installation of expensive solar panels profitable.
Abu Dhabi is also taking steps towards reducing the carbon footprint of its power generation and launched the Shams-1 solar plant in March. At 100MW, it is the largest solar installation in the Middle East, and the emirate plans to produce 7 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
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Global Renewable Energy Updates Global demand for renewable energy continued to rise during 2011 and 2012, supplying an estimated 19% of global final energy consumption in 2011 (the latest year for which data are available), with a little less than half from traditional biomass. For only the second time since 2006, global investments in renewable energy in 2012 failed to top the year before, falling 12% mainly due to dramatically lower solar prices
hydro and wind. In the lead is China, which in 2012 consolidated its position as the world's dominant renewable energy market playerup 22%, an equivalent of $67 billion, thanks largely to a jump in solar investment. Elsewhere there were particularly sharp increases in South Africa, Morocco, Mexico, Chile and Kenya, with Middle East and Africa showing the highest regional growth of 228% to $12 billion. This development is particularly encouraging in view of the interlinked nature of the UN Secretary General's Sustainable Energy for All objectives of universal access to modern energy services, and the doubling of both the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. Job Opportunities: In 2012, an estimated 5.7 million people worldwide worked directly or indirectly in the renewable energy sector. Although a growing number of countries invest in renewable energy, the bulk of employment remains concentrated in a relatively small number of countries, including Brazil, China, India, members of the EU, and the US. Employment is flourishing in other countries, and there is an increasing number of technical and sale jobs, particularly in the off-grid sector in the developing world.
and weakened US and EU markets, says the Frankfurt School UNEP/BNEF report, Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2013. However, with $244 billion (including small hydro-electric projects) 2012 was the second highest year ever for renewable energy investments. There was a continuing upward trend in developing countries, with investments in the South topping $112 billion versus $132 billon in developed countriesa dramatic change from 2007, when developed economies invested 2.5 times more in renewables (excluding large hydro) than developing countries. The gap has now closed to just 18%. In terms of power generation capacity, 2012 was another record year with 115 GW of new renewables installed worldwide, equivalent to just over half of total net additions. Of the 138 countries with renewables targets or policies in place, two-thirds are in the developing world. The geographical distribution of renewables deployment is also widening, particularly in the developing countries. Total renewable power capacity worldwide exceeded 1,470 GW in 2012, up 8.5% from 2011. Wind power accounted for about 39% of renewable power capacity added followed by hydropower and solar PV, which each accounted for approximately 26%. Solar PV capacity reached the 100 GW milestone, surpassing bio-power to become the third largest renewable technology in terms of capacity in operation, after
According to Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, “the uptake of renewable energies continues world-wide as countries, companies and communities seize the linkages between low carbon Green Economies and a future of energy access and security, sustainable livelihoods and a stabilised climate. There has been a dramatic increase in number and size of projects. There have also been sharp falls in manufacturing costs and in the selling prices of wind turbines and photovoltaic panels, contributing to a shake-out in the industry in 2012. This is not only normal in a rapidly growing, high tech industry but is likely to lead to even more competition, with even bigger gains for consumers, the climate and wider sustainability opportunities.” 2012 has been another record year for renewable energy installations worldwide and it is encouraging to see that 138 countries have put renewable energy targets and policy frameworks in place. We stand on the cusp of renewables becoming a central part of the world's energy mix. However, to rapidly achieve higher renewable energy shares and secure the necessary investments, stable national and international policy frameworks that reflect the benefits of renewables are needed. Professor Dr. Udo Steffens, President and CEO of the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, host of the Frankfurt School UNEP Collaborating Centre for Climate & Sustainable Energy Finance adds, “to meet the common goal to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius from preindustrial levels public and private partners need to increase their mutual understanding and cooperate in their efforts to advance options for new climate finance investments.”
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Highlights from different world regions/leading countries:
renewables is clear: they accounted for 60% of world investment in 2012, even though it was the weakest year for Europe since 2009.
Renewables are picking up speed across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, with new investment in all technologies. The Middle East-North Africa region (MENA) and South Africa, in particular, witnessed the launch of ambitious new targets in 2012, and the emergence of policy frameworks and renewables deployment. Markets, manufacturing, and investment shifted increasingly towards developing countries during 2012. Renewables represent a rapidly growing share of energy supply in a growing number of countries and regions: In China, wind power generation increased more than that from coal and passed nuclear power output for the first time.
In Germany, renewables accounted for 22.9% of electricity consumption (up from 20.5% in 2011), 10.4% of national heat use, and 12.6% of total final energy demand. Germany saw renewables investment slip 35% to $20 billion, mainly driven by lower costs of installed solar capacity. The United States added more capacity from wind power than any other technology, and all renewables made up about half of total electric capacity additions over the year. However, the, investment was down 34% to $36 billion, mainly due to uncertainties over US policy. The Middle East and Africa showed the highest regional growth in 2012, with investment up 228% to $12 billion.
In the European Union, renewables accounted for almost 70% of additions to electric capacity in 2012, coming predominately from solar PV and wind power. In 2011 (the latest data available), renewables met 20.6% of the region's electricity consumption and 13.4% of gross final energy consumption.
The brightest news from amongst the developed countries was Japan, where investment in renewable energy (excluding research and development) surged 73% to $16 billion, thanks largely to a boom in small-scale solar on the back of new feed-in tariffs for installations.
The importance of China and Europe for investments in
Facing technical challenges in Middle East and North Africa By Beatriz Gonzalez, CSP Today The CSP potential in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region has grown with the 660 million dollars funding from the CTF (Clean Technology Fund). North African countries are now ready to achieve 1120MW of energy from CSP for the region in one of the most ambitious CSP plans worldwide. Other notable projects in the MENA region include the 100MW Shams 1 project in the UAE and the 50 MW CSP Shagaya Project which the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has recently opened bids for. A breakdown of the funding includes: Morocco: CTF US$218M for 300 MW (Ouarzazate II) Egypt: CTF US$123M for 100 MW (Kom Ombo) Tunisia: CTF US$62M for 50 MW (Akarit) (may increase to 100) Jordan: CTF US$50M for up to 100 MW including CPV All these projects face economic, regulatory and environmental challenges. Sandstorms, water scarcity,
natural resources abundance, direct normal irradiation or sandy soil affect plant at all its stages, from design to operation, including construction and commissioning. All these factors and strategies will be addressed in detail at CSP Today Enhanced Plant Engineering, where technical experts in international market from ACWA, Cobra Energy, Astrom Technical Advisors or Tractebel GDF Suez, will delve deep into the strategies that solve specific technical and market challenges. They'll be focusing on design and operation optimization, cutting costs, enhancing plant versatility and performance to achieve a more competitive plant and break into the market. As part of the International CSP Week, CSP Today Enhanced Plant Engineering will take place 12-13 November, where plant directors, O&M managers, project & engineering directors, researchers and technical experts will meet with international CSP leaders to provide solutions to the most pressing technical questions.
Energy Conservation “The great Mahatma Gandhi once said: Energy Conservation is essential for Sustainable Development. In my opinion sustainable development is economic development based on ecological principles like environmental harmony, economic efficiency, energy (resource) conservation, local self-reliance and equity with social justice.�
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Why nuclear when wind energy is better? By Malavika Velayanikal Parliamentarians at the Climate Parliament meet in Bangalore on Saturday, July 13, 2013
75,000 MW and 65,000 MW respectively, when India is lagging behind at 20,000 MW.
What happens when a bunch of intelligent and well-informed Members of Parliament get thrown into a room full of renewable energy experts? A lot of pertinent questions are asked, solutions are discussed and plans of action to tap green energy get charted. This, in nutshell, is what happened at the first day on Climate Parliament meet in Bangalore on Saturday.
The reason for this is lack of generation-based incentives from the government and long-term polices on wind and other renewable energy, said Ramesh Kymal, chairman and managing director of Gamesa Wind Turbines Pvt Ltd, which has manufactured and set up most of the wind energy units in India. “NAPCC [National Action Plan on Climate Change] has set a target of 70,000 MW from wind. We have the manufacturing and technical capacity to manage it. All we need is small policy changes,” Kymal said
“When both nuclear energy and wind energy each contribute 3% of the total energy production in the country, why is the government promoting and investing in nuclear energy, and not wind energy, which is almost entirely funded by the private sector?” This was one of the hard questions that came up during the meet.
Comments from Dr. A. Jagadeesh (Advisory Board Member of Energy Blitz) In a country with heavy energy demand every energy source has a role to play. Often Nuclear is dubbed as unsafe. Of late there is criticism on bird deaths due to wind, Radiation effects due to Solar PV. Coal power plants associated with pollution.
It was V Subramanian, former secretary general, now heading Indian Wind Energy Association, who first brought up the fact about nuclear energy production vis-a-vis wind energy in India to the legislators. “Nuclear energy is important. But wind energy is better. Since 2007, with almost 100% investment from the private sector, wind energy production is more than that of nuclear energy,” he said. To this, Dr. Anshu Bharadwaj, executive director of Centre for Study of Science, Technology & Policy (CSTEP), added that the nuclear sector receives huge investment from the Indian government and produces just about 3% of the total energy needs. “Power produced from wind energy is also 3% presently after the production dropped since government took away most of the incentives,” Bharadwaj said. This renewable energy expert, who also has had extensive administrative experience, having been an Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer for 15 years before joining CSTEP, was quick to add that he is not anti-nuclear energy. Karnataka alone has a wind energy potential of 4.5 lakh MW, Dr. Meera Sudhakar, senior research analyst, CSTEP, said quoting from their case study. “Even modest calculations say producing 45,000 MW isn't difficult. And we can tap it at a cost of Rs. 3.80 per Kwhr. Just by making use of the wastelands in Bellary, Chitradurga, Chamrajnagar, Chikballapur, Hassan and Koppal, 30,000 MW can be generated,” she said. Tamil Nadu is the leading the way in wind energy production. They have managed to tap about 50% of their potential and 35% of their energy needs are being met through wind energy. Nine years ago, the US, India and China were almost on par in wind energy tapping. The US was slightly ahead of India, and China was just behind us. But China and the US surged ahead and presently are producing
Wind is the most matured Renewable Energy Source. Today MW size wind turbines are common. One area which is fast emerging in the West is Offshore Wind Farms. The Wind energy primarily depends on wind speed as power is cube of velocity. As such to get the best results windy site is the primary need. In the beginning 100% depreciation was given to Wind Projects. There was quantum jump in wind farms especially in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Due to various reasons including misuse, the depreciation has been reduced to 15%. Hitherto the depreciation benefits are given to big industrialists. To make it broad based with people's participation, Wind Farm Co-operatives on the lines of those in Denmark can be started in India. A WIND FUND can be created and people investing in it under section 80C can be exempted from Income Tax. There are 25 offshore wind farms that are currently operational, rated by nameplate capacity. The ten largest offshore wind farms which are currently under construction, the ten largest proposed, and offshore wind farms with notability other than size. As of September 2012, the Greater Gabbard Wind Farm in the United Kingdom is the largest offshore wind farm in the world at 504 MW, followed by Walney Wind Farm (367 MW), also in the UK. The London Array (630 MW) is the largest project under construction. The biggest producer of wind energy is Horns Rev 2 in Denmark even though it has a smaller nameplate capacity than a few other wind farms. In 2011 Horns Rev 2 produced 911.03GigaWatt-hours (GWh). The second largest producer is Rodsand 2 with 833,47 GWh produced in 2011. In terms of total production since introduction Horns Rev 1 remains the largest with 5.200,57 GWh produced since the park opened. Nysted 1, also in Denmark, is the second largest wind farm in the world in terms of total energy produced. Nysted 1 has produced 4.521,45 GWh since its start. Third is Horns Rev 2 with 2.002,66 GWh produced. India should start at least pilot offshore Wind Farms.
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Solar Power's Bright Future By Stanford A conversation with Stefan Reichelstein on the economics of solar power Nearly everyone thinks that generating electricity via solar power is good for the environment, but there's much less agreement on whether it makes sense from an economic point of view. At what point will solar power be competitive with electricity generated by conventional, fossil-fuel plants, and how long will subsidies need to remain in place before the solar industry can stand on its own? Those are some of the questions addressed in “The Prospects for CostCompetitive Solar PV Power,” a new working paper by Professor Stefan Reichelstein of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Michael Yorston, graduate student in the Department of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford. Their paper breaks new ground in studying the life-cycle cost of electricity generated by solar photovoltaic, paying particular attention to key factors such as location, public subsidies, and the long-term learning effects in manufacturing solar panels. Here is an excerpt from our discussion with Professor Reichelstein: Stanford GSB: Why did you decide to study the economics of solar photovoltaic power at this time? Stefan Reichelstein: Renewable energy and solar in particular remain rather controversial in the public debate about energy policy. Passions have been running high. What motivated me is the bewildering range of statements you have out there regarding the cost effectiveness of electricity based on solar PV. Given the range of opinions, I wanted to do my own analysis. I'm looking at it from the point of view of a business economist who is interested in measuring the life-cycle cost of this abundant energy source. Your main conclusions Solar PV is not yet competitive with fossil fuel, like natural gas, from the perspective of a utility that can either build a new natural gas power plant or invest in solar installations. For a commercial power user, say a business with plenty of rooftop space, the cost of generating your own electricity is now on par with what the business would need to pay in retail electricity prices. In that sense, grid parity has been achieved for commercial-scale installations. However, I need to add immediately that this is subject to two important qualifiers. The facility has to be in a favorable location, such as the Southwestern United States, and secondly the business must be able to take advantage of the current federal tax subsidies. Concerning the future, and this may sound like a pun, the future of solar PV looks rather bright. The industry has consistently been able to lower the cost of solar panels. If this trend can be maintained for the next 10 years, and if subsidies are continued for that period, there is a real prospect for solar to become cost competitive on its own (that is, without a subsidy), at least for commercial installations. Utility-scale installations will take longer to become competitive; possibly 15 years, though it obviously becomes murkier to make projections that far into the future. What happens if subsidies disappear or are sharply reduced? The current federal tax subsidies come out of the Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and will be in place until 2016 unless Congress changes the rules. The solar panel manufacturing industry has been on a remarkably steady learning curve for several decades now, which has pushed down the systems price of solar panels at a dramatic rate. However, this learning curve seems very much dependent upon production volume. So, if the tax subsidies were to cease, new production volume would probably be lower, and the
effect of that would be to slow down the rate of cost improvements. If the current preferential tax treatment is kept in place for about the next 10 years, and the observed learning curve holds up, we are projecting that, at that point in time, solar-generated electricity would be competitive with that generated from fossil-fuel power plants. Why will it take longer for utility-scale installations to stand on their own, than for commercial-scale installations? You have different benchmarks. For commercial-scale and also for residential solar, the benchmark is the retail price of electricity, while for utility-scale projects it is the wholesale price. The difference between the two is the cost of transmission, distribution, and administration; that is, everything that gets you from generating the power to delivering it to your customers. What assumptions are you making about the cost of generating electricity from fossil fuels? We believe that natural gas, as opposed to coal, is the most important fossil fuel competitor to renewable energy. In our cost projections, we have assumed a modern combined-cycle gas power plant with the price of natural gas given by the historical average observed in the United States over the past 10 years. Are you factoring in the price of oil? No. Oil is not used widely to generate electricity. The price of oil would be relevant to our analysis only to the extent that you want to compare gasoline-powered cars against electric vehicles. Isn't it true that panel costs have dropped sharply because of excess capacity in the industry? Yes, solar panel producers are waiting for demand to catch up with current industry capacity. Until that happens, the panel producers will continue to hurt in terms of profits. In the last year, panel price came down about 40%, a drop that can't be attributed to the learning curve alone. Without the capacity glut caused by new entrants, but taking into account the historic learning curve, we would have predicted a drop in prices of about 20% in 2011. Without the excess capacity in the industry, our estimate of the current life-cycle cost of electricity generated by solar PV would have been about 15% higher than it was. In large part, solar PV panels are semiconductors; does Moore's Law apply to them as well? Yes, in a sense. Moore's Law speaks to the rate at which the number of transistors doubles on an integrated circuit. In the context of solar panels, it appears that whenever the total cumulative amount of panels produced doubles, the unit cost decreases by 20%. What is driving the economics of solar power? A mix of federal tax incentives has been especially helpful to commercial-scale installations, and even to home installations. We've also seen dramatic growth in recent years of utility-scale installations despite their current cost disadvantage relative to fossil fuel power plants. The reason appears to be the additional subsidy mechanisms at the state and local level. Here in California, Assembly Bill 32 (a 2006 law that set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and the state's “renewable portfolio standard,” which requires that 33% of California's electricity come from renewable resources by 2020, seem to be driving demand. Other countries (such as Germany) have different subsidy mechanisms that yield similar effects. (Source: From Stanford Knowledgebase, a free monthly electronic source of information, ideas, and research published by the Stanford Graduate School of business Www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/knowledgebase2.html)
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