Eb june july 2013

II VI

JUNE - JULY 2013

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With about 300 sunny days and theoretical power reception capacity of 5000 PWh/Year, India truly can lead world in solar energy generation

By Sumit Nawathe

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Building a Solar Economy: 4 Lessons from Hawaii

By Erin L. McCoy

Renewable Energy-Powered Desalination – A Better Choice for MENA Region

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By Salman Zafar

Organic Rankine Cycle-based power generation Technology

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By Joseph Arulappan

1832 Innovation: Energy from Sea Waves

By T. Sampath Kumar

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By Ramanathan Menon

Standards in Solar PV Module Manufacturing

By Dr. J. N. Roy

37 37 41 NEWS:

FOCUS: Global Renewable Energy Initiatives

Decommissioning of a Nuclear Power Plant: Challenges, Costs, Consequences and Remedy

By Staff Writer

290 MW of solar PV commissioned in Indiaunder Phase I Batch 2

ENERGY

ITZ L B

JUNE-JULY 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 blitzdoes 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 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

The growth of renewable energy sources (now known as green energy) worldwide began in the 1990s and increased greatly in the 2000s. By the year 2011, the green energy industry was investing US $260 billion annually. Many energy and environment experts have credited this growth to the proliferation of supportive government policies, to rising costs of conventional energy, and to dramatic reductions in green energy technology costs and economies of scale in manufacturing. The experts emphasized that policies at the national, state, provincial, and local levels have played a pivotal role in driving green energy markets, investments, and industry growth over the past two decades.

Given the dynamic nature of this growth over the past decade, many past projections of green energy sources have already fallen short. For example, the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2000 projected 34 gigawatts (GW) of wind power globally by 2010, while the actual level reached was 200 GW. The World Bank in 1996 projected 9 GW of wind power and 0.5 GW of solar PV in China by 2020, while the actual levels reached in 2011, nine years early, were 62 GW of wind power and 3 GW of solar PV. The history of energy scenarios is full of similar projections for renewable energy that proved too low by a factor of 10, or was achieved a decade earlier than expected.

Yet, many experts believed that technology and cost are no longer the fundamental issue. Many scenarios referenced in various reports portray highgreen energy futures using only currently existing technologies. Some scenarios also show total energy system cost to be roughly equal for renewables-centric and fossil fuel-centric cases. Thus, experts made clear that green energy futures also depend on finance, risk-return profiles, business models, investment lifetimes, infrastructure integration, social and environmental factors, and a fundamental rethinking of how energy systems are designed, operated, and financed.

Renewable energy has historically had many detractors. “Renewable energy is too expensive,” many have said over the years. “Increasing amounts of public subsidies will be required for a long time,” many have also said, or its variation, “renewable energy is only developing because there is policy support.” And, many have considered renewable energy technologies relatively immature and requiring further research.

But the advocates of renewables reiterate that conventional cost comparisons are unfair for a host of reasons, including existing public subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear, the failure to properly incorporate future fuel-price risks in comparisons, and the failure to adequately count environmental costs. They also say that some renewable technologies are already fully competitive, and that for others, policy support will not be necessary in the long run, as rapid evolution in markets, technologies, and costs, driven by past policies, are making more renewable technologies fully competitive more quickly. Most scenario projections of renewable energy show lower renewables costs in the coming decade and beyond.

The contents of this issue, the Part-II of the series 'Global Renewable Energy Initiatives' point out one thing that it is time for all of us to take a new look at the SUN, the SEA and the WIND for our future energy needs because all these natural energy resources are available in abundant and free of cost; they are non-hazardous and clean; they will remain forever until the time the humankind perish from the Planet Earth.

Ramanathan Menon

With about 300 sunny days and theoretical power reception capacity of 5000 PWh/Year, India truly can lead world in solar energy generation

By Sumit Nawathe

I

ndia is a large tropical country having area of 3,287,263 km² and average solar irradiation in between 4-7 KWh/m2. When such a large area captures this amount of solar irradiation then indeed it results in very high potential to generate solar power.

With about 300 sunny days and theoretical power

reception capacity of 5000 Peta Watt-hour/Year India truly can lead world in solar energy generation.

Having this perception in the mind, India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in July 2009. One of the major

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footsteps under the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC). The objective of the National Solar Mission is to establish India as a global leader in solar

connectivity. State like Kerala has one of the highest population densities in the country and does not have any sizable barren land. This makes utility scale ground mounting

JNNSM Policy Targets for III Phases

energy, by creating the policy conditions for its diffusion across the country as quickly as possible. The Mission has set a target, for deployment of grid connected solar power capacity of 20,000 MW by 2022 to be achieved in 3 phases first phase up to 2012-13, second phase from 2013 to 2017 and the third phase from 2017 to 2022.

PV Projects almost impossible to develop. Another big issue is that the state receives sizable rainfall, which reduces the average Plant Load Factor (PLF) and makes it a lesser attractive option compared to other southern states. This is where the off-grid rooftop PV (photo-voltaic) systems become attractive. Rural electrification is also one of the key areas which face highest problems in grid connectivity.

The immediate aim of the Mission was to focus on setting up an enabling environment for solar technology Economical penetration in the country both at a centralized and decentralized level which was quite succeeded after the In India, average Transmission & Distribution (T&D) losses completion of phase 1 in the march 2012. Mission have been officially indicated as 23% of the electricity effectively reached 1000 MW of installation milestone in generated. However, as per sample studies carried out by August 2012. Gujarat came up with lion's share of independent agencies including TERI (The Energy Research almost 709 MW under the Gujarat solar policy and Institute), these losses have been estimated to be as high as JNNSM. Until April 2013 India has reached its installed 50% in some states. Most of the states' distribution utilities capacity of around 1416.8 Status of Solar PV rooftop projects under RPSSGP MW with having 6% shares of Rooftop Photovoltaic and Small Solar Power Generation Program (RPSSGP).

India - ideal location for rooftop solar development Meteorological India has very diverse climate regions; it's a gathering of tropical wet, tropical dry and subtropical humid nature.

Due to its miscellaneous climate and meteorological location its renewable resources is also varied in nature. South-west coastal area is affluent by wind energy resources; Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and major part of the south India has highest solar irradiation in the country. But due to the scattered population in sub urban, village areas and high urbanization rate state distribution utilities faces some major problem in grid

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are carrying heavy burden of loans, after restructuring their loan state electricity regulatory commission (SERC) will try to pass on some part of their loan to the end users by increasing the tariff. Currently, SERC accounting for 5% yearly tariff escalation rate. People generally use diesel generator set as a substitute power source due to its low upfront installation cost but in fact those sets not only cause pollution but also cost hefty for daily use as a high operating cost and fuel charges with comparatively low life.

Technological In last 3 years due to massive production capacity buildup of PV manufacturing companies and drastically reduction in input costs of Polysilicon, price of PV module is reduce by almost 60%. On the other side technological developments in PV are reaching new efficiency records. Along with PV module, Inverter price also dropped by 50% from $0.36/Wp in 2009 to about $0.18/Wp in mid-2012. With the innovative concept of smart grid and micro grid total electrical system is becoming more efficient and reliable. In-house generation of solar energy and net metering facility makes house owner energy independent.

Central government initiative The Phase II of JNNSM have targeted deployment of 1,000 MW of rooftop projects both at off-grid and grid connected levels, to do so MNRE launched a pilot scheme for promotion of large scale grid-connected roof top solar PV projects and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is designated as a implementing agency.

The pilot scheme targets large area roofs of government offices, PSUs, Commercial establishments, hospitals, cold storages, warehouses, industry and educational institutions. In phase I of this scheme six cities/states

were selected for total 10 MW of capacity addition Out of which 5.5 MW were allocated in four cities. Under this scheme project owner could be an owner of rooftop (building) or external project developer who build, operate and maintain solar project. Due to such flexible arrangement building owner can lease his rooftop to the project developer for 25 years. Same facility is available under the Karnataka rooftop program. After completion of phase I, SECI has come up with phase II for capacity addition of 11.1 MW. To qualify for 20% subsidy respective project should require meeting minimum 75% performance ratio at the time of inspection and minimum 15% CUF for two years. Those strict criteria will be useful to maintain quality aspect of the module.

Kerala's 10,000 Rooftop program Apart from most of the state solar policies and even JNNSM which are revolving around grid-connected utilities projects, Kerala came up with off-grid 10,000 rooftop PV (around 10 MW) program. Under this program house owner have to install 1.0 kW PV system with battery backup as an off grid system. This program is not for commercial building or governmental head offices which is common pattern in other states program. It is restricted to the residential apartments only. As an Incentive point of view this policy is very attractive to the middle class families as they are targeted as a recipients, it offers 30% MNRE subsidy plus INR 39,000/system from state government of Kerala through ANERT. List of 24 empanelled agencies are selected to install rooftop PV system in which minimum installation cost starts from INR 85,279/ kW system with 7200 Whr. and 1KW inverter which is dramatically lowest cost for the entire system. At the time of official announcement of 10,000 rooftop program the Minister for Power for Kerala, Mr. Aryadan Muhammed announced the intention to expand the program to 75,000 rooftop program very soon. Of which 25,000 PV systems will be grid tied systems on the government buildings, while another 50,000 PV systems will

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Building a Solar Economy: 4 Lessons from Hawaii

By Erin L. McCoy

Photo by Shutterstock.

T

he solar era has begun: the industry is booming, prices are dropping, and solar energy at last seems poised to help topple the climate-altering dominance of fossil fuels. But bringing it to the masses won't be as simple as just soaking up the sun.

Hawaii is solving problems today that other states may encounter tomorrow

“Hawaii generates more of its power from the sun than any other state.

Here's what the rest of us can learn from the obstacles that came up along the way and what's being done to overcome them�

To gain a better picture of the challenges to comeand of some possible solutionselectric companies and solar developers throughout the nation are watching Hawaii, which derives a larger fraction of its electricity from the sun than any other state. Homeowners and businesses have led the charge here, something that distinguishes Hawaii from other states at the forefront of solar, like Nevada and Arizona, which depend more heavily on large-scale installations.

The reasons for Hawaii's solar boom are many. The Polynesians who inhabited the Hawaiian islands before the arrival of Europeans were entirely self-sufficient. But in 2010 it was a different picture: the state generated 86.1 percent of its electricity from imported petroleum. The high price tag on that energy, along with a heightened awareness of the islands' isolation, has led the state to set an ambitious goal: to derive 40 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2030. It reached 13 percent in 2012.

Hawaii has roughly doubled its solar power capacity every year since 2007, and in 2012 installed more solar than in the last six years combined. It's not hard to see what's behind the solar frenzy: With the average electric bill stacking up to roughly $230 per month, Hawaii has the highest electricity rates in the nation by farnearly twice as high as the second-most expensive state.

Solar has the potential to decrease a homeowner's electric bill to zero, except for a monthly $18 service charge. Those kinds of savings, combined with federal and local tax credits, mean a Hawaiian homeowner can recoup the cost of a solar investment in just 3.1 years. Even if all the tax credits were removed, it would still take only 8.9 years for a

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Obstacle 1: More power than the grid can handle “What about cloudy days?” That's the perennial question for an industry striving to improve the efficiency of solar technology. But it's too much power, not too little, that's the problem in Hawaii.

“The system was not designed originally to have energy flowing two ways,” explained Peter Rosegg, spokesman for the Hawaiian Electric Company, or HECO, which provides electricity to 95 percent of the Hawaiian population. “Now all of a sudden you have rooftop solar and most of them are sending power back over these [lines] during much of the day because they're producing more than they can use.”

Traditionally, a human operator at a centralized system operations center tracks power generation to ensure that it stays exactly equal to demand. But solar power generated by individual homes or businesses is invisible to these operators.

This increases the risk of a sudden spike or drop-off in power, which can damage generation or transmission equipmenteven home appliancesand cause outages and instability across the grid.

Solution: Grid upgrades, meters, and batteries Ultimately, infrastructure upgradesprobably massive oneswill be essential. HECO and several solar industry and advocacy groups have developed a plan for rolling out these upgrades, which they presented to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission for review in January. They recommend what they call a “proactive approach,” and advise utilities to prioritize grid upgrades in areas where they anticipate seeing the most demand for solar.

Hawaii solar installation to pay for itself.

But so much solar has also created problems. Each island's electric grid is isolated from the others, and therefore less stable than a typical mainland grid, particularly when unpredictable solar energy enters the picture. But solutions are beginning to emerge. Better energy storage systems and weather-prediction technology are being developed to stabilize those grids.

Meanwhile, the Hawaii legislature is poised to reduce solar tax credits, which some say are too expensive. In short, Hawaii is solving problems today that other states may encounter tomorrow.

Hawaii's high rate of solar adoption makes it a likely picture of California's future, according to Elaine SisonLebrilla, renewable energy program manager at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. The district is collaborating with the Hawaiian Electric Company to develop solutions to many of the obstacles it's encountered.

“They'll see these problems much sooner than us,” Sison-Lebrilla said, “and the hope is that there will be lessons learned from them and we'll be prepared.”

The technologies that will be used to redefine the grid are under development. Among these are “smart meters” that would make solar power generation visible to system operators. The Project will be collecting data from smart meters it's testing throughout 2013.

Short-term battery storage systems are further along, with experiments using 1-megawatt batteries now underway on three islands. Such batteries could store excess power to smooth out power spikes and lulls.

These batteries are expensive, but if they're proven to work, Rosegg says it's reasonable to expect demand to go up and prices to go down. And lower prices for a proven technology could pave the way for other grids around the country.

Hawaii is an ideal place to test these technologies: Unlike on the mainland, where power companies can draw electricity from surrounding areas if they run into problems, each island has its own grid that is unconnected to the others. That's why Hawaii is in such a precarious situation in the first place, but it also makes the success or failure of any technology that's being tested immediately visible.

Obstacle 2: The unpredictable politics of solar tax credits

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Hawaii is doling out more solar tax credit dollars than ever, and now state legislators are seeking to reduce that spending. But some argue that the expenses have been overestimated, while the benefits have been overlooked.

project.Nonprofit law organization Earthjustice is now representing the Sierra Club in a lawsuit over the rule, pointing to past releases from the department that defend the practice it's now trying to eradicate.

The solar industry now accounts for 26 percent of the state's construction-related spending.

Such policy changes create uncertainty that hits the solar industry hard, said Isaac Moriwake, an Earthjustice attorney.

“That's the exact wrong message you want to send the market: 'We support renewable energy. No, just kidding.'”

In

Solution: A more stable tax policy Cutting back on the tax credit may look like a sure way to save money in tough economic times, but Moriwake and others in the industry say uncertainty is the problem, not the tax credit.

Hawaii Solar Energy Association's Executive Director Leslie Cole-Brooks says that when legislators worry about high tax credits, they're overlooking a wealth of benefits and revenues.

September 2012, the state's Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism projected that Hawaii would spend more than $173 million on tax credits for solar by year's endfive times as much as in 2010.

But one solar industry leader, Mark Duda, contends that those projections were overestimated by more than $56 million, according to actual year-end figures. Duda is principal and founder of Oahu's top solar company, RevoluSun, and president of the Hawaii PV Coalition.

It's a staggering difference, and an important one, considering how closely the state legislature is watching these numbers. In the next month, the legislature is expected to vote on a measure that could gradually decrease the state's 35 percent capped tax creditwhich solar adopters receive in addition to a 30 percent federal tax credit.

How the tax credit should be handled is just one piece in a puzzle of controversies. Also on the table is a Department of Taxation administrative rule, effective January 1, which aimed to cut down on the widespread practice of claiming multiple tax credits for a single

Aside from the environmental benefits of clean energy, increased economic independence means that Hawaii's energy prices won't spike when oil prices dowhich is what happened after the Japanese tsunami in 2011. Cole-Brooks also points to the increased income and sales tax revenues from local and mainland companies riding the solar wave.

After all, the solar industry now lays claim to 26 percent of the state's construction-related spending.

The economic benefits Hawaii is experiencing are promising for any state, at least according to a January 2013 report from the Blue Planet Foundation, a Hawaii nonprofit.

The report estimates that for every dollar spent in solar tax credits for residential installations, the state receives $1.97 in additional tax revenues. That number bumps to $2.67 for commercial installations. And the benefits don't end there: over its lifetime, a 5.27-kilowatt residential system creates more than three jobsand a remarkable 81 jobs are created over the lifetime of a 118-kW commercial system.

Despite these benefits, the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and Duda now support a gradual ramp-down of the tax credit.

The association views this support as a compromise, but Duda says that in the context of Hawaii's high energy prices, the credit is “unnecessarily generous.” His main goal is eliminating uncertainty in the solar industry, and for that Hawaii needs a stable tax policy.

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Obstacle 3: “The 15 Percent Rule”

Obstacle 4: The unpredictability of the sun's power

Power companies have long been concerned about too much solar energy overloading the grid. Too much can pose a danger by suddenly powering lines which, during a power outage, utility employees don't expect to be electrified. So for several years, Hawaii adhered to “The 15 Percent Rule,” which prohibits the owners of solar installations from producing more than 15 percent of the maximum energy demand in a given day.

Because of the 15 percent rule, some homeowners who wanted to install solar were required to undergo “interconnection studies” to test whether their installation would overload their part of the grid.

Rosegg says that 29 commercial and residential studies were required in 2012. It doesn't sound like much, but the studies have raised a lot of controversy about whether the 15 percent rule is too strictand with the help of that popular pressure, the rules are changing.

Hawaii's weather is a lot more complex than the cloudless skies and unblinking sun most of us imagine. And with complex weather comes unpredictable solar power generation. That's one reason many utilities hesitate to adopt solar.

“If you've ever been to Hawaii, their cloud cover comes in much more quickly and goes out and is a lot less predictable,” Sison-Lebrilla said. And it's not all sunny: parts of Hawaii log some of the highest rainfall averages on Earth.

So to stabilize its grids in the face of unpredictable weather, Hawaii needs better weather prediction technologiesif utilities know when the sun will be shining and when it won't, they can plan ahead and adjust for spikes or dips in solar power generation.

Solution: Better solar prediction

Solution: Lift excessively cautious limits

dollars in savings through cheap and simple forms of renewable energy.

Solar forecasting aims to predict levels of sunlight and the level of solar power generation that will result. This requires predicting the cloud cover in specific areas, which the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research calls “one of the greatest challenges in meteorology.”

Developing solar forecasting tools is one of the primary goals of the collaboration between the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and the Hawaiian Electric Company, and they've already begun testing such technologies.

That's just what happened last year: Hawaii raised solar's maximum allowable contribution to 75 percent of minimum daytime demand, or about 23 percent of maximum daily demand. Actual minimum demand generally occurs in the middle of the night when most people are sleeping, but there's no risk of too much solar power at night, so minimum “daytime” demand is looked upon as a fairer approach.

“We've put up a network of sensors in [the District's] territory, and Hawaii has done that also,” Sison-Lebrilla said.The Sacramento and Hawaii utilities aren't the only organizations working on such a project, but Hawaii's variety of microclimates could make data there more broadly applicable than if the test were conducted in a lower-penetration and more interconnected grid such as Sacramento's.

The Hawaiian Energy Company also refunded the cost of any studies conducted on systems 10 kW or smaller.

Their research is already paying off on a national scale: The two utilities are now partners in a three-year effort, announced in February, to develop 36-hour forecasting for solar energy. The project is headed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

As Moriwake sees it, electric companies arrived at the 15 percent rule somewhat arbitrarily. He believes that percentage can be increased safely, while stimulating the industry along the way.

How Renewable Energy Rescues Schools from Budget CutsEducators across the country are finding millions of

The “proactive approach” proposal recommends increasing the allowance all the way to 100 percent of minimum demand. The Public Utilities Commission will need to review the report's recommendations, but Moriwake hopes for a decision in the next several months.

California raised its limit to 100 percent of minimum last year without major problems, and if Hawaii, too, can handle that amount, it may encourage other states to skip overly cautious maximums that limit solar potential.

Hawaii's high demand for new solar installations is expected to slow down in 2013, but one thing is certain: solar is here to stay. All eyes are on the Aloha State as it overcomes these obstacles, one by one, to pave the way for solar nationwide.

Erin L. McCoy, a Kentucky native, is a Seattle-based freelancer specializing in science, education, travel, and environmental journalism. Read more of her work at www.erinlmccoy.com or email her at: elmccoy@gmail.com

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Saudi Arabia's biggest ground-mounted photovoltaic plant located on the grounds of the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) in Riyadh. Saudi hopes to generate 1/3 of its electricity through solar energy by 2032. Image credit-reve

Desalination is a water treatment process that separates salts from saline water to produce potable water. The desalination process uses large amount of energy to produce pure water from salt water source. Salt water is fed into the process, and the result is an output stream of pure water and another stream of waster with high salt concentration.

Desalination techniques are mainly classified into two types:

of multi-stage flash (MSF) with about 40 percent market share. The main sources of feed water for desalination are seawater (58 percent), brackish ground water (23 percent), and other sources such as rivers and small salt lakes.

Water Problems in MENA and Desalination Access to clean drinking water is one of the major health issues today. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the most water scarce region of the world.

High population growth rate, urbanization and industrialization, coupled with limited availability of natural potable water resources are leading to serious deficits of freshwater in many parts of MENA. Freshwater sources in the MENA region are being continuously over-exploited and increased use of desalted seawater is unavoidable in order to maintain a reasonable level of water supply.

• Processes based on physical change in the state of the water, and • Processes using a membrane that employ the concept of filtration.

There are more than 15,000 industrial-scale desalination units worldwide, with combined capacity exceeding 8.5 billion gallons per day. The market leader is the membrane desalination process with around 44 percent of total capacity, followed closely by the thermal process

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The negative effects of desalination can be minimized, to some extent, by using renewable energy to power the plants. Renewable energypowered desalination offers a sustainable method to increase supply of potable water in MENA countries. The region has tremendous wind and solar energy potential. Solar and wind power can be effectively utilized in desalination processes like reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and ultrafiltration and nanofiltration. The cost of renewable energy desalination is expected to become more attractive with technological advancements and coupled with rising costs of freshwater and fossil fuels.

Solar-Powered Desalination for MENA Solar energy can be directly or indirectly used in the desalination process. Collection systems that use solar energy to produce distillate directly in the solar collector are called direct collection systems while systems that combine solar energy collection systems with conventional desalination systems are called indirect systems. The major drawbacks with the use of solar thermal energy in large-scale desalination plants are low productivity rate, low thermal efficiency and large area requirement. Solar thermal-based desalination plants are more suitable for small-scale production especially in remote arid areas and islands having scarce conventional energy resources.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) offers an attractive option to power industrial-scale desalination plants that require both high temperature fluids and electricity. CSP can provide stable energy supply for continuous operation of desalination plants based on thermal or membrane processes. The MENA region has tremendous solar energy potentials that can facilitate the generation of energy required to offset the alarming freshwater deficit. The region would be facing a grave water crisis with the population expected to be double by 2050.

Conventional large-scale desalination is cost-prohibitive and energy-intensive, and not viable for poor countries in the MENA region due to increasing costs of fossil fuels.

In addition, the environmental impacts of desalination are considered critical on account of emissions from energy consumption and discharge of brine into the sea.

Brine has extremely high salt concentration and also contains leftover chemicals and metals from the treatment process which poses danger to marine life.

Solar-powered desalination combined with efficient use of water reserves and re-use of wastewater can help in easing the water crisis in the region. It will also help in reducing the financial load on MENA governments from power and water sectors, and thus diverting funds to much-needed educational, health and industrial sectors.

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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Industrial Applications

Marine Vessels

Geothermal Energy

Organic Rankine Cycle-based power generation Technology

By Joseph Arulappan The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) was invented by the Scottish Professor William Rankine in the mid 1800's.

The ORC cycle is a simple thermodynamic cycle with an organic fluid as a working media. While traditional power

Examples of waste heat sources

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plants use the Rankine cycle for power generation from heat, FlexiGen utilizes the ORC process, which works the same way in principle as a Rankine cycle. The major difference between the two processes is the working medium ORC utilizes an organic fluid as the working

2. Pre-heater, a heat exchanger transfer the heat from the waste heat and pre-heats the ORC cycle working media at high pressure, about 20-30 bar depending of type of working media and temperature.

3. Waste heat with low temperature, from 50째C

medium. Technically speaking, the ORC system is simpler in design, due to lower operating temperature and noncorrosiveness of the working medium. ORC units from 25 Kwe up to 800 KWe can be delivered to customers.

4. Evaporator, a heat exchanger transfer the heat from the waste heat source and evaporates the ORC cycle working media.

5. Working media, i.e. refrigerant R134a in gas phase at high pressure, about 20-30 bar.

6. Expander, (turbine) converts the energy in ORC cycle working media to mechanical energy and runs the generator for electricity production.

7. Condenser, a heat exchanger that condenses the ORC cycle working media after the expander at a low pressure, about 3-10 bar depending of type of working media and temperature. The heat is transferred to a heat sink, i.e. lake.

8. The heat sink, i.e. water from a cooling towers. To receive optimal system efficiency the cooling water temperature should be lowest possible and the flow should be kept high.

9. Pump, the working media is pumped and pressurized from the condenser (low pressure) to the pre-heater and evaporator (high pressure).

Nordic Cleantech Pvt.Ltd., Chennai, offers Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) based power generation technology in India. Products are based on the ORC technology for waste heat recovery at low temperatures (from 100 deg C to 220 deg C) for production of electric and mechanical power.

The 'fuel' used here is waste or excess heat that is generated in processes and is usually free, by virtue of the fact that no additional cost is required to provide fuel for this process.

ORC Process 1. Waste heat with low temperature, from 50째C.

Mr. Joseph Arulappan is the founder at Indsight Business Consulting, a clean technology firm based in Stockholm, Sweden. He is also the Co-Founder and CEO at Nordic Cleantech Pvt. Ltd. based in Chennai, India. His contact email address: joseph@nordcleantech.com

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Innovation: Energy from Sea Waves

By T. Sampath Kumar The Earth has abundant renewable energy for all its energy requirements. Extraordinary efforts have to be made to identify, develop and deploy new and innovative technologies for identifying and tapping the resources for the benefit of all mankind.

conspicuous devices to produce power. Wave energy varies as the square of wave height whereas wind power varies with the cube of air speed. Water being 850 times as dense as air results in much higher power produced from wave averaged over time.

Image of 'Rock n Roll' wave energy device

Discovery of energy from sea waves has led to many developments in generation of devices to extract this energy.Sea wave energy has the highest concentration of renewable energy. Sea waves are the result of the concentration of energy from various natural sources such as sun, wind, tides, ocean currents, moon, and earth's rotation.

Waves originate from wind and storms far out to sea travelling long distances without significant energy loss.

Hence, power production is much steadier and more predictable reducing project risk.

Wave energy contains roughly 1000 times the kinetic energy of wind. Hence it allows smaller and less

Theoretically, 40 MW of power can be extracted per kilometer of coast where there are gentle waves (approximately 1 meter height) and 1000 MW per kilometer of coast where the wave height is 5 meters. Unlike wind and solar energy, power from sea waves continues to be produced round the clock whereas wind velocity tends to die in the morning and at night and solar energy diminishes during night and cloud coverage.

The main disadvantage with sea waves is that they have very high force at low speeds while high speeds are required for electricity generation. The design of the device to perform this conversion is most crucial to economics.

With India having a coastline of about 7000 kilometers and

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average wave height of 1 meter the theoretical wave power that can be generated is 7000 * 40 MW= 2,80,000 MW. Obtaining even a fraction of this power would be extremely beneficial.

The energy from sea waves and ocean currents is currently controlled by the Government. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) does not have a policy or guidelines on how entrepreneurs can implement new technologies / devices to tap wave energy / tidal energy. Without an advanced policy, new development is very difficult. Also permissions from the Government for device trials in the oceans are essential.

Considerable Government or private sector funds for development are required until a proper device is installed and tested. Development and the deployment of the correct wave energy devices can dramatically alter the renewable energy scene. It is possible to develop technology that can produce power at a cheaper price than fossil fuel power plants. The initial R&D will be expensive and risky; funds between Rs. 50-100 crores will be necessary to produce a device for power generation.

The ocean wave energy is very complex and hence has been very difficult to tap it. The design of the device is most important for the successful production of cheap energy.

there is an imbalance in the position of the buoys due to wave action, the levers of both the buoys move which results in a rocking movement of the shaft. The mechanical energy in the waves thus gets converted as torque from the upward and downward movement of both the shafts.

The bidirectional movement of the shaft is converted by a mechanical converter to a single direction rotary movement.

The rotary movement is converted to higher revolutions by a gearbox (present inside the buoy). The gear box is connected to a fly wheel that stores the kinetic energy and equalizes the uneven forces of the waves. The flywheel is then connected to an alternator that produces electricity. The mechanical conversion of the energy is far more efficient as compared to other devices that convert using pneumatic, hydraulic or other means.

The Rock n Roll wave energy device can be used both as a near shore device and in deep oceans. It does not need any foundation and anchors will suffice. The waves can rise from any direction. All moving parts are protected from the corrosive sea environment, since they are located inside the buoys. The equipment can be moved to any other place without any hassle. It is estimated that each device can generate power of about 200 kilowatts for about 3 meters wave height.

This device is economical to construct and maintain and easy to transport and install. It has the potential to capture the bulk of the energy in the waves and convert to power.

We all know that waves are generated from movement of energy on the surface and not water. It is the energy that increases the wave height and not the water. Removal of the energy from water will cause a decrease in wave height.

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The following link provides details and working of a device called “Rock n Roll wave energy device�.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aroNN6bglfs.

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The animation will show a demonstration of a system called Rock n Roll wave energy device. This device captures the mechanical energy from the waves and converts it to electrical energy.

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The 'Rock n Roll' wave energy device can be installed on oceans where waves are present and are kept from drifting using anchors. The following figure shows the device.

Advantages:

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It can produce power at a cost cheaper than coal.

Can be positioned near shore as well as in deep oceans.

Waves can come from any direction.

All moving parts are inside the buoy and hence free from corrosion of sea waters.

Buoys can be made from corrosion resistant materials like FRP, Rubber, and Concrete etc.

No foundations required in sea bed. A few anchors will do.

Can be moved to new places with minimal effort.

Most efficient converter since mechanical energy is directly converted to electricity.

Each device can theoretically produce 200 KW for a 3 meter height wave.

Can face storms, rough seas and highly irregular waves due to the configuration.

Has minimum maintenance requirement

It consists of two buoys connected with one another.

Each buoy has a shaft and lever on one side. Whenever The author is an inventor and an entrepreneur from his college days. He has a company in Bangalore called Nualgi Nanobiotech manufacturing nano biotech products. He has inventions in different fields with 3 patents to his credit. His first patent is on a nano nutrient for boosting photosynthesis in agriculture and for growth of diatom algae (useful for remedying sewage polluted lakes and for fisheries). The second is on a nanodispersion for zinc based rechargeable battery. The third patent is on a wave energy device. He is also a qualified chartered accountant but has chosen to take on a career of innovation and entrepreneurship. His company's products are being sold throughout the India and the USA. His contact email address: sampath@nualgi.com

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FOCUS: Global Renewable Energy Initiatives

By Ramanathan Menon

UNITED STATES: An initiative that would allow utilities to count all hydroelectric power toward renewable energy requirements was approved in May 2013 for signature gathering. Organizers need to gather 87,213 valid signatures by July 3, 2014, to place the initiative on the Nov. 2014 ballot. The initiative seeks to alter renewable

portfolio standards approved in 2007 that require large utilities obtain 15% of their energy from renewable sources by 2015, and 25% by 2025. The law prohibits large utilities from counting hydroelectric power generated by dams built before 1995 towards the standard.

Portland lobbyist Paul Cosgrove and Salem resident Tom

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Hammer, the initiative sponsors, want to count all hydroelectric power toward the green energy mandate.

“Most people agree that hydro power is renewable because in the every day meaning of that term, it is renewable,” Cosgrove said.

Cosgrove represents the Umatilla Electric Cooperative, a small utility in Northeast Oregon. The initiative, if approved, would also help smaller utilities meet their green energy mandates, which are lower than those set for large utilities.

Critics of the initiative say the renewable portfolio standards were aimed at developing newer sources of renewable energy, such as wind and solar, to meet future demand. The standards weren't meant to count hydroelectric power generated by dams built decades ago, said Jeff Bissonnette, organizing director for the Citizens' Utility Board of Oregon, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

“Hydro is renewable, but we can't pat ourselves on the back for the things we did back in the '30s,” Bissonnette said. “That's meeting current load. We're trying to figure out how to meet load growth going forward.”

The Opportunity in Clean Energy Manufacturing Over the last several years, global investment in the clean energy sector has risen nearly fivefold, growing from $54 billion in 2004 to $269 billion world-wide in 2012. The United States faces a stark choice: the energy technologies of the future can be developed and manufactured in America for export around the world, or we can cede global leadership and import those technologies from China, Germany, and elsewhere.

The Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative will strategically focus and rally EERE's (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies) clean energy technology offices and Advanced Manufacturing Office around the urgent competitive opportunity for the United States to be the leader in the clean energy manufacturing industries and jobs of today and tomorrow. This initiative will bring together a wide array of relevant EERE and Department of Energy offices, federal agencies, research institutions, and private sector partners to map out and implement a strategy to ensure that U.S. manufacturers are competitive in the global marketplace.

legislation on energy efficiency, the ALTENER initiative (EUR 12.6 million) on non-technological actions to accelerate the implementation of renewable energies to meet 2020 targets e.g. grid initiatives and speeding up permit procedures, the STEER programme (EUR 9.6 million) to promote the use of new and renewable fuels and efficiency in transport and Integrated Initiatives (EUR 27.2 million) that combine initiatives under SAVE, ALTENER and STEER. Current challenges and opportunities for renewable energy in the European internal energy market On 21st May 2013 the European Parliament (EP) adopted the report (465 for, 177 against, 46 abstentions), drafted by Herbert Reul, on behalf of Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), at the Plenary in Strasbourg.

This is a non-legislative own-initiative report, seeking a motion for an EP resolution, drafted in response to a Communication from the Commission entitled "Renewable Energy: a major player in the European energy market," published on 6th June 2012. According to the European Commission, renewable energy enables the European Union (EU) to diversify its energy supply, thereby increasing the EU's security of supply, at the same time as improving the EU's competitiveness by creating new industries, jobs, economic growth and export opportunities, whilst simultaneously reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions (GGE).

The European Commission also believes that strong growth in the renewable energy sector could create over 3 million jobs, by 2030, as well as increase the number of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). By maintaining its leadership in renewable energy technology the European Commission think that the EU will also increase its competitiveness globally as "clean tech" industries become increasingly important throughout the world.

In 2007 the EU set ambitious goals, of achieving a 20% share of renewable energy and a 10% share of renewable energy in transport, to be in effect by 2020 and has strengthened these objectives by implementing a series of supporting policies.

The goal for renewable energy is one of the prime objectives of Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Although at the beginning of 2012 the renewable energy policies had begun to work, so that the EU was on track to achieve the goals it had set the economic crisis has made investors cautious about investing further in the energy sector.

EUROPIAN UNION The EC Intelligent Energy Europe call for proposals for 2013 is now open, with a total of EUR 65 million available for renewable energy projects to foster energy efficiency and the use of new and renewable energy resources, including in the transport sector.

The IEE grants offer 75% of total eligible costs, the rest to be made up by the beneficiary, local, national or regional authorities and/or other bodies. Priorities in this call include the SAVE energy efficiency programme (worth EUR 15.6 million) to help implement EU

Currently with the majority of the EU's energy companies being in the private sector, and dependent on private sector investment, it is important that there is stability in renewable energy policy. Similarly investment in infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics also requires investment in the support industries such as testing facilities, cable production, factories and the ships needed to build offshore wind installations. Thus, in parallel with the rigorous implementation and enforcement of the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC clarity on longer term policy is needed to ensure that the necessary investment is made.

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“The Energy Roadmap 2050 builds on the single energy market, the implementation of the energy infrastructure package and climate objectives as outlined in the 2050 low carbon economy roadmap. Regardless of scenario choice, the biggest share of energy supply in 2050 will come from renewable energy. Strong growth in renewables is the so-called 'no regrets' option. However, despite the strong framework to 2020, the Roadmap suggests that growth of renewable energy will drop after 2020 without further intervention due to their higher costs and barriers compared to fossil fuels. Early policy clarity on the post 2020 regime will generate real benefits for investors in industry and infrastructure as well as for renewable energy investors directly. As currently framed, the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC is designed to ensure the achievement of the 2020 renewable energy targets. It foresees a post-2020 roadmap in 2018. However, stakeholders have already been asking for clarity regarding policy developments after 2020. This is why the Commission believes it is important to start preparing now for the period beyond 2020.”

to 2009 (around 339,500 jobs), and well over twice the number of jobs in 2004 (160,500). About two-thirds of these jobs are attributed to the Renewable Energy Sources Act Germany has been called "the world's first major renewable energy economy".

The share of electricity produced from renewable energy in Germany has increased from 6.3% of the national total in 2000 to about 25% in the first half of 2012. In 2011 20.5% (123.5 TWh) of Germany's electricity supply (603 TWH) was produced from renewable energy sources, more than the 2010 contribution of gas-fired power plants. Siemens chief executive, Peter Löscher believes that Germany's target of generating 35% of its electricity from renewables by 2020 is achievable and, most probably, profitable for Europe's largest engineering company.

In 2012, the use of variable renewable energy is, according to the German newspaper Der Spiegel, causing increasing electricity prices and grid instability induced power outages.

However, based on official statistics for the period between 2007 and 2012, electricity prices for industrial consumers in Germany were decreased from €94.6 to €89.5 per MWh.

GERMANY FRANCE France is aiming to reduce the share of nuclear in its electricity production from 75% to 50% by 2025, to increase the country's energy efficiency by around 20%, and by 2020 to produce around 23% of electricity from renewables. Germany, meanwhile, wants by 2022 to no longer produce any energy from nuclear power and by 2030 to produce at least 50% of its electricity from renewables.

German Renewable Energy Association and its member associations had launched a series of posters across Berlin displaying the slogan “No Hidden Costs: Renewable Energy” within their joint initiative “Renewable Energy Revolution Now!”.

The country's renewable energy sector is among the most innovative and successful worldwide. Nordex, Repower, Fuhrländer and Enercon are wind power companies based in Germany. Solon SE, Q-Cells and Conergy are solar power companies based in Germany. These companies dominate the world market. Every third solar panel and every second wind rotor is made in Germany, and German turbines and generators used in hydro energy generation are among the most popular worldwide. In 2010, investments totaling 26 billion euros were made in Germany's renewable energies sector.

According to official figures, some 370,000 people in Germany were employed in the renewable energy sector in 2010, especially in small and medium sized companies. This is an increase of around 8% compared

This does not mean that the two countries plan to become clones.

“Each of our countries has its energy model, but reinforcing the cooperation between our two countries will contribute significantly to reaching these objectives,” said the ministers.

This initiative is hugely important since Franco-German cooperation will be critical if the EU is to achieve a stable energy, and in particular renewables, market and a common legislative framework underpinned by a 2030 renewable energy target.

UNITED KINGDOM Kids in England, who have been raising money to fund solar for schools in Africa, now are bringing the concept closer to home. Solar Schools, a new scheme founded by the highprofile climate change campaign 10:10, is harnessing the power of crowdfunding to finance solar panels on school roofs across Great Britain.

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By setting up a proposed solar project, schools create their own personalized website with fundraising ideas and goals, and then engage parents, teachers, local businesses and the children themselves in an effort to meet those goals and install a solar array. Each school's site includes a running total of the amount of money raised, as well as a visual representation of solar panels that allows donors to upload a photo, image, or logo, as well as a message of encouragement for the kids.

James Taylor, a teacher at EP Collier Primary School, credits the format of the website as having a huge impact on the success of the fundraising: “Because of the system, the website built day-by-day. That was really important from the children's perspective. Every day, even if they only saw it more by a fiver or a tenner, they saw it move up. I remember putting up the website in my classroom one day and it hadn't moved. Zane was furious “I can't have this not move” so he went home and made his parents buy 15 quid's worth of panels that night because he needed that number to move.”

Solar Schools is not just an innovative lesson in effective fundraising, however, it is also an example of how solar advocates have shifted some of their focus in changing economic times. Like any emerging industry that is battling established and well supported incumbents like the fossil fuel monoliths, solar and other clean technologies still need financial assistance to compete on a level playing field. Until recently, the U.K. solar industry had been growing rapidly thanks to some of the world's most generous government subsidies in the form of feed-in tariffs.

Those subsidies, however, were cut dramatically due to political pressure for austerity, leaving solar advocates searching around for other models to keep the industry viable. Madeline Carroll, PR director for Solar Schools, argues that her initiative was a logical response to policy uncertainty: “Back in 2006, a Sustainable schools consultation highlighted a UK government aspiration that by 2020 all schools should be "models of energy efficiency and renewable energy, showcasing wind, solar and biofuel sources in their communities ...". But since 2006, the solar industry in the UK has been through a near 'boom and bust' phase. High FIT levels saw a proliferation of private 'rent a roof' and council schemes. But with the FIT cuts many of these schemes are no longer available, and any grants or support have, in the most part, either been slashed or completely removed. That's where Solar Schools come in!”

Interestingly, crowdfunding for solar is taking off in the U.S., too. An initiative called Mosaic recently reported that it had sourced more than $1 million worth of support for solar projects since it was founded in 2011.

While schemes like these may, in part, be spurred on by uncertainty around government subsidies and legislative support, the real hope lies not in an either/or approach to solar funding, but rather a combination of predictable,

long-term government support and a grassroots movement for citizen funding. With President Barack Obama reaffirming his commitment to fighting climate change in the U.S., and a recent energy bill in the U.K. being hailed as a victory for clean energy and a signal of a more stable longterm policy environment, there's real hope that this might actually happen.

Our tax dollars can and should play a powerful role in kickstarting the clean energy revolution. Combined with our donations and civic engagement, they could prove unstoppable.

INDIA Delivering the inaugural address at the Fourth Clean Energy Ministerial on April 16, 2013, India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said India had drawn up plans to double its renewable energy capacity to 55,000 MW by 2017 as part initiatives to promote renewable energy use. "It is proposed to double the renewable energy capacity in our country from 25000 MW in 2012 to 55000 MW by the year 2017. This would include exploiting non-conventional energy sources such as solar, wind power and energy from biomass," he added.

The Prime Minister said rich nations, who were responsible for a bulk of greenhouse gas emissions, were best placed to provide workable solutions to mitigate climate change. "The industrialised nations have high per capita incomes, which gives them the highest capacity to bear the burden. They are technically most advanced, and to that extent best placed to provide workable solutions not only for themselves but for the whole world. Unfortunately, progress in these negotiations is painfully slow. The goal of stabilising global temperatures at acceptable levels is nowhere in sight," he remarked.

"In India, we have set ourselves a national target of increasing the efficiency of energy use to bring about a 20 to 25% reduction in the energy intensity of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2020. The 12th Plan envisaged an expanded role for clean energy, including hydro, solar and wind power. The cost of solar energy for example has nearly halved over the last two years, though it remains higher than the cost of fossil fuel based electricity. If the cost imposed by carbon emissions is taken into account, then solar energy is more cost effective, but it is still more expensive," added.

He said developing countries account for 82% of the world's population and they use 55% of the available global supply of energy. "They must aim at faster growth of their GDP to improve the living standards of their populations and this will entail an expanded demand for energy. If they follow the industrialised countries in meeting their energy requirements through fossil fuel based energy, we know that the impact on the global climate would be simply unsustainable," he stated.

He said there is need for inter-country consultation and discussion in these areas to promote information exchange and to identify possible areas of collaboration, and also to learn from each other's experience in addressing common problems. The initiative for launching the New Delhi

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Ministerial was taken by Dr. Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary, who is also a very distinguished Nobel Laureate.

He also setting up of a National Institute of Solar Energy, which would be a global level R&D centre, which could draw upon international cooperation as well, to enable the creation of more affordable and convenient solar power systems, and promote innovations that enable the storage of solar power for sustained, long-term use. It is expected to be operational by 2015.

India is emerging both as an economic powerhouse and a global environmental leader. As India's economy charges ahead, the country needs to produce more energy to provide a better life for its people, many of whom live in rural areas and are very poor. At the same time, India has recognized that tackling climate change is in its own national interests. The nation is taking concrete measures to constrain its own emissions and to protect its people from climatic disruptions.

India is already a major greenhouse gas emitter and key player in the international climate arena. Cooperation between India and the United States on climate change and clean energy is improving significantly. This growing relationship holds tremendous promise for the economies of both countries and could serve as a model for enhanced global efforts to respond to the climate crisis.

India is working to bolster its institutional capacity to implement and enforce existing environmental laws through efforts that include the new National Green Tribunal and proposals to improve environmental compliance.

PAKISTAN Pakistan is blessed with an abundance of energy resources yet there is a dearth of energy supply. Water, sun, wind, geothermal energy, and biomass exist in far greater quantities than the country can now utilize and, most importantly, they are local and renewable. To be sure, these resources are not without costs but often the real costs are exaggerated because of current legal and institutional frameworks that make conventional energy artificially cheaper: Pakistan's citizens do not see the real cost of using fossil fuels except perhaps in the constant outages and shortages that they experience.

Pakistan has multiple sources of renewable energy which can be exploited, these include Solar, Wind, Hydro and Biomass. At present Hydro power accounts for 10.9% of the Primary Energy Mix with other renewable energy sources having no significant contribution.

The potential for Hydropower is approximately 56,000 MW while the Wind power potential is estimated at 43,000 MW, the Solar potential is huge given conditions similar to the Middle East in a large part of Pakistan.

A completely different set of drivers is at play in the

development of the Renewable Policy initiatives in Pakistan.

It is the sixth most populous country in the world with a population of 169 million, it has a semi industrialized economy which mainly encompasses textile, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. Pakistan's per capita electricity generation is 581 kWh which is about 20% of the world average. Only 53% of the households have access to grid supplied electricity and 74 million people are without electricity. Pakistan is dependent on expensive imported oil for a significant portion of its energy needs.

Pakistan had 27.4 gigawatts (GW) of installed electric generating capacity in 2010. Conventional thermal plants using oil, natural gas, and coal account for about 67% of Pakistan's capacity, with hydroelectricity making up 28%, renewable energy 3% and nuclear 2%. The Pakistani government estimates that by 2015, Pakistan will have to increase its generating capacity by more than 70% to meet increasing. Rotating blackouts ("load shedding") are necessary in some areas. In addition, transmission losses are about 30%, due to poor quality infrastructure and a significant amount of power theft Pakistan's renewable energy policy is therefore driven by the considerations of Energy Security, Economic Benefits, Social Equity, Environmental Protection and Sustainable development.

JAPAN Japan's proposal to cut the price paid for solar power by 10% leaves in place incentives for a boom in installations this year, the industry's lobby group said. A committee of experts advising the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in March 2013 recommended the price for solar power should be cut beginning April 1, and the payment for wind should remain unchanged. The government must endorse the proposal before it comes into force.

Investments on non-residential solar projects totaled 222 billion yen ($2.3 billion) in Japan last year, adding 580 megawatts of capacity, according to an estimate by Bloomberg. Spending this year is expected to rise to 438 billion yen for 1,460 megawatts, Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts.

“The solar market is expanding, and we don't think the proposed tariff would change the trend much,” Hisao Kayaoka, secretary general of the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association, said. “The proposed tariff will allow for continued growth in the market.”

Japan's introduction of incentives in July 2012 enticed panel makers such as Kyocera Corp. to begin building solar stations and encouraged new entrants such as Softbank Corp. (9984), a mobile- phone provider, to develop solar plants.

The cost of solar equipment has fallen so much that officials say incentives can be cut without squeezing development plans amid a push to diversify sources of energy after the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.

Prices for silicon-based solar panels sank about 20% in the past 12 months. Solar capacity, including both residential and

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non-residential, rose 29% in Japan from April to November 2013 as developers added 1,398 megawatts of installations to a base of 4,800 megawatts, according to trade ministry data.

The average system cost for non-residential solar has fallen 14% to 280,000 yen per kilowatt since October 2012 compared with the amount used by the committee to set the solar tariff for the year ending March 31, 2013.

CHINA Government policies and investment have transformed China into one of the world's leading adopters and manufacturers of Renewable Energy technology.

Ambitious renewable energy targets and strategic government investment have helped China become a world leader in renewable energy manufacturing and power generation. In 2010, China surpassed the U.S. to become the world's largest wind power producer with 44.7 GW of installed capacity. China renewable energy manufacturers produce more solar photovoltaic panels and wind turbines than any other country. By 2020, installed capacity of wind, solar and biomass power is targeted to more than quadruple, from less than 50 GW in 2010 to more than 200 GW in 2020. Given China's installation track record, combined with reassessments of nuclear energy in the wake of the disaster in Japan, these targets are probably conservative.

China plans to boost solar capacity 20-fold by 2020, from 800 MW in 2010 to more than 20 GW, including more development in western China, with technologies beyond the crystalline silicon (c-Si PV) solutions China has favored so far. Already the world leader in solar panel manufacturing, China is poised to enter a new phase: developing domestic solar power generation capacity. In early concession rounds, western regions have been favored for large-scale projects using primarily domestically produced crystalline silicon PV panels. As technology and power generation costs decline, it is likely that China will install a mix of solar technologies to achieve its 2015 and 2020 solar power generation targets. China is reconsidering its energy targets in the wake of Japan's nuclear crisis, which may increase solar power targets further to 10 GW by 2015 and 30 GW by 2020.

to ensure profitable operation, just as with early onshore wind farms. Given policy and technical uncertainties, the current market does not suit risk-averse developers. For foreign equipment and service providers, the market may be favorable, but due to pricing constraints there may be limited opportunities for foreign turbine manufacturers.

China is a leading player in DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) with significant capacity in small hydropower, household biogas digesters and rooftop solar water heating.

However, without grid improvements, more cost-effective energy storage and subsidies, promising DRE technologies will not reach their full potential.

China's push for rural electrification in previous decades promoted DRE technologies for the first time. China's small hydro capacity, at 55 GW, is the largest in the world and supplies 50% of China's rural electricity. Solar hot water heaters are also prevalent in China, covering more than 145 million square meters and accounting for more than 80% of the world's solar water heating capacity. Most development has been government funded and driven, although private financing models have been used successfully in wealthier urban areas for distributed RUSSIA Russia's Energy Ministry submitted a draft renewable energy law to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev for approval on 15 April, 2013. It is aimed at supporting the deployment of renewable energy sources including solar, wind and hydroelectric power plants across the country.

Russia's new renewable energy incentive scheme is expected to be implemented through PPAs (power purchase agreements) and will prioritize projects in line with a local content requirement. If approved, RUB 85 billion (around US$2.8 billion, â‚Ź2 billion) will be made available to support

As a new government priority, China's offshore wind market is poised for takeoff; however, since offshore wind is more than twice as expensive to develop than China's still abundant onshore resources, the market represents a paradox for investors.

China's offshore wind market only began in 2009 with the construction of its first offshore wind farm near Shanghai, but government targets call for swift growth to 30 GW by 2020. Offshore wind capital costs in China are expected to be at least double onshore costs, yet the first concession round held in 2010 for four projects totaling 1 GW resulted in low bid pricesinsufficient, it appears, for profitable ownership. These projects may be subsequently awarded higher tariffs by the government

Russia plans giant solar power station to orbit Earth renewable energy projects in Russia.

The incentive scheme is expected to be implemented through PPAs and will prioritize projects in line with a local content requirement. According to the draft, the new law guarantees a

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14% return on investment. No specific details have been released regarding the tariffs for the individual technologies.

The draft law is one of the major provisions of the recently approved state program, "Energy Efficiency and Energy Development in Russia" for the period 2013 to 2020. It has been devised in an attempt to reduce Russia's reliance on oil and gas.

The law has been based on the Russian Energy Ministry's renewable energy program launched in 2009.

Originally, the goal was for renewables to cover 1.5% of Russia's electricity demand by 2010, 2.5% by 2015 and at least 4.5% or 11 GW of installed capacity by 2020.

However, in 2011, only 8.5 billion kWh of energy less than 1% of Russia's total electricity output was produced from renewables.

This underachievement was not unexpected, given that the industry suffered from extremely low investment attractiveness, reports Russian newspaper, Kommersant.

It cites the lack of local legislation, compensation rules, grid connection and experience for production of equipment for renewable plants, as well as the high cost of electricity, as the major problems, which impeded the development of the renewables industry in Russia.

Consequently, the government is now said to be targeting around 2 to 2.5% of renewables, or 6 GW of installed capacity by 2020.

Local consumer associations and conventional energy producers have opposed the proposed law, specifically due to the investment volume and the subsidization of renewables, continues Kommersant.

According to the newspaper, they claim the incentive program could lead to weaken the position of solar thermal generation, and cause a significant rise in electricity bills. It is not unacceptable to subsidize renewables at the expense of other consumers, they reportedly argue.

In October 2012, it was reported that Russia was said to be considering the introduction of an auction, in order to select solar projects. At the time, it was expected that no more than RUB 50 billion would be made available until 2020.

Russia is thinking of building a giant solar power station capable of collecting energy and beaming it to Earth.

This idea was put forward by Central Scientific Research institute for Engineering, a subsidiary of the Russian Space Agency, Roskosmos.

The concept of such a power station was formulated by Peter Glasier in the US in 1968. It is aimed at beaming energy to Earth using giant solar panels. To generate necessary power, the panels should have an area of several square kilometers. The power would be converted to electricity onboard the spacecraft and sent to wherever it is needed on Earth by a large microwave-

transmitting antenna, and then fed into a power grid.

The scientific research institute suggests using lasers instead of microwaves because radio beams are difficult to focus, and an area of several square kilometers will be needed for the receiving antenna. In case of a laser beam this area would be ten times smaller. However, at present, there are no such powerful lasers, although many infrared lasers distributed over the panel could be used instead. Their radiation would be put together and beamed to Earth.

The US, Japan, Europe and China plan to build solar power stations between 2030 and 2040. It is not surprising that Russia will join them, says Academician Alexander Zheleznyakov.

"Russia should study this problem. If energy from space is cheaper, it is beneficial because Earth has been experiencing an energy deficit. There is a need to think of the future. We are building power plants on Earth, and if we can build a solar power station in space, we should not miss this opportunity," Alexander Zheleznyakov said. However, deputy editor-in-chief of the Novosti Kosmonavtiki" magazine Igor Lisov insists that this is a beautiful idea but it needs huge investment. Consequently, it is not feasible.

"There is a need to watch the situation with open eyes without indulging in wishful thinking. None of the countries is conducting serious work that could shift to experimental studies of supplying energy from space," Igor Lisov said. The project is based on the myth that mankind will exhaust energy in the near future. This will be true if the only sources of energy remain oil and gas. But mankind will probably develop other sources of energy including thermonuclear energy. With the appearance of such power plants, there will be no need to build space solar power stations, says Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics Andrei Ionin.

"It will be very expensive to place a power station in orbit and exploit it. It may also have a negative impact on ecology.

We do not know what could happen to Earth if a laser beam turns the wrong way. Perhaps, it may burn the ozone layer. If this happens, the consequences will cost a hundred times more than the price of the power generated. I believe that the Scientific Research Institute for Engineering should study reports by ecologists," Andrei Ionin said. This project will not be implemented in the near future. However, it's necessary to study the problem, experts say. This may breed new technical solutions, such as more effective lasers or solar batteries.

GERMANY Against the background of the consequences of climate change, which science has described in vivid detail and which include increases in temperature, floods, droughts, accelerated melting of the polar icecaps and species extinction, as well as the constantly increasing global consumption of fossil fuels, renewable, climate-friendly alternatives are becoming increasingly more significant. The availability of wind, water, sun, biomass and geothermal energy is unlimited and they release no emissions which are damaging to the climate. Renewable energies now make up

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for more than 10% of all German energy consumption.

With almost 14% of global wind energy output, Germany places third behind China and the USA. The North Sea Offshore Initiative, in which Germany and eight other EU Member States have joined forces, sees new potential for its use. With regard to photovoltaic technology, which is used to turn the sun's rays into electricity, Germany, with an installed output of 17,300 megawatts, even placed first ahead of Spain and Japan in 2010. The Desertec initiative, which is largely being funded by German companies, is a major European investment in sustainable energy technology. By 2050 the energy produced by solar power stations in North Africa is intended to cover 15% of European electricity requirements.

With a capacity of 100 megawatts enough to power 20,000 homes Shams 1 covers 2.5 square kilometres in Madinat Zayed in the Western Region. With the push of a button, to rounds of applause, Sheikh Khalifa officially started the plant before stepping out on to an outdoor terrace overlooking the solar field.

To harness the power of the sun, Shams 1 relies on a solar field large enough to fit 285 football fields.

Giant curved mirrors concentrate solar light on to a small glass tube, collecting heat. This is then used to power an electric turbine and produce power.

The plant relies on a small amount of natural gas to boost its efficiency during the day. This also allows it to generate electricity at night. If the plant's power was produced using Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi (L), greets Shams Power Company employees during the Shams 1 opening ceremony.

Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Since 2002 the German government has been closely involved in supporting the global dissemination and transfer of technologies for renewable energies, under the banner "renewables - Made in Germany". The responsible authority, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, is thus making an active contribution to the global fight against climate change while promoting the worldwide acceptance and use of renewable energies.

By showcasing Germany's technical expertise in the field of renewable energy and by organising business trips to and from Germany, the initiative facilitates business contacts between German companies and those from abroad.German companies in the renewable energy sector are producers and providers of world-class technology.

ABU DHABI President Sheikh Khalifa on May 17, 2013 launched the Dh2.2 billion Shams 1 solar power plant the largest working plant in the world using concentrated solar power. More than 600 guests attended, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Other dignitaries present included Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Foreign Minister; Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The President expressed his support for the project, calling it “a strategic investment” for the UAE. “Expanding our leadership into renewable sources of power demonstrates the commitment of the United Arab Emirates to maintaining its position as a major provider of energy,” he said. “The inauguration of Shams 1 is a major milestone in our country's economic diversification and a step toward long-term energy security.”

fossil fuels, it would involve pumping 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Producing the same amount of power using sunlight is the equivalent of planting 1.5 million trees or taking 15,000 cars off the road every year.

With the completion of Shams 1, the UAE now has about 68% of the total solar power capacity in the Arabian Gulf and nearly 10% of the world's installed capacity of concentrated solar power, said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of clean-energy company Masdar and Minister of State. Masdar developed Shams 1 with the help of a French oil company, Total, and Abengoa of Spain, which specialises in the engineering and construction of projects in the power and water sectors. Each of the two partners owns a 20%stake in the Shams Power Company, which developed the plant. The remainder belongs to Masdar.

“The inauguration of Shams 1 is a breakthrough for renewable energy development in the Middle East and contributes to maintaining the position of the United Arab Emirates as a constructive force for stability and development,” said Dr. Al Jaber.

Philippe Boisseau, president of marketing and services and new energies at Total, said the French oil company's decision to invest in the project stemmed from a partnership with Abu Dhabi that was now more than 70 years old. Like the emirate, the French oil company believes the current energy mix needs to be diversified, said Mr. Boisseau. “We absolutely share the same vision that Abu Dhabi has of the need to

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diversify the energy mix,” he said.

“Our vision is really that all energies are necessary to supply the world with energy, that only one is not enough, that you need a combination of all. The energies are not competing against one another, they are really complementary to one another.” Santiago Seage, chief executive of Abengoa Solar, said Shams 1 would likely inspire other countries in the region to follow suit.

part to make the UAE the world's second biggest emitter of carbon dioxide per capita. But it also undermines the economic rationale for rooftop solar, as electricity from PV

“Shams is, and will be, a key achievement in the region, not only in the UAE. It starts an era of renewable energy in many countries around us,” he said. “Many leaders in the region are convinced now that they need to follow the path Masdar initiated with our small collaboration and we hope that we will see many other renewable energy power plants.”

Masdar is keen to use its expertise to capitalise on regional solar ambitions. It can now boast experience in launching both CSP and PV solar technologies in desert conditions. Over the past 35 years, the UAE has handed out US$35 billion (Dh128.55bn) in loans, grants and assistance in development projects, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Last year, the UAE was the 16th largest foreign aid donor, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which calculated the percentage of gross national income given as aid.

Over the past 35 years, the UAE has handed out US$35 billion (Dh128.55bn) in loans, grants and assistance in development projects, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Last year, the UAE was the 16th largest foreign aid donor, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which calculated the percentage of gross national income given as aid.

DUBAI “Aside from giving permission to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, a rooftop solar programme also needs to provide incentive to do so. While their costs are falling, panels remain expensive, and their installation requires significant upfront costs” In countries that have taken to rooftop solar, the payback comes from so-called feed-in tariff for electricity that is surplus to requirements at the source, and is fed into the national grid. Feed-in tariffs are above the going rate for electricity, making rooftop solar financially viable to households or businesses, which also make a saving by satisfying some of their own electricity needs.

Dubai is considering feed-in tariffs, and it has little choice if it wants to encourage rooftop solar. Due to the peculiarities of power generation in the region, such a tariff might have to be significantly higher than elsewhere. Throughout the Middle East, electricity is heavily subsidised, and while Dubai has restricted subsidies to UAE nationals, expats still benefit from cheap gas that is feeding power plants in the emirate.

Cheap electricity encourages waste, which has done its

panels is comparatively more expensive, and the savings less pronounced. The only answer is to offer a feed-in tariff that compensates for the price discrepancy.

In Germany, utilities pass on the additional cost feed-in tariffs to consumers by adding it to the electricity bills, but this is unlikely to happen in a region where cheap fuel, electricity and water is regarded as a basic right by the population.

Another concern is grid stability. Grids that have to cope with two-way flows of electricity from thousands of sources need to be sophisticated, and countries with a large renewables content in their energy mix have resorted to upgrading to socalled smart grids equipped with the latest technology. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) have been smartening up its grid for some time, but still seem uneasy at the prospect of mass solar input.

Such worries are unfounded, says Michael Krämer, a Dubaibased lawyer at Taylor Wessing and solar specialist. Because the average household in the Emirates uses about 10 times as much electricity as its European counterpart, even the most extensive rooftop solar mounting will not be large enough to feed substantial amounts of power into the grid.

Mr. Krämer recommends a conservative feed-in tariff to avoid a rush towards rooftop solar that could lead to overcapacity and grid instability. With only small amounts of electricity likely to flow into the grid from rooftop panels, the impact of feed-in tariffs may be limited in any case. This seems to have been recognised, and DEWA is looking into a "whole series of economic and support tools," according to Ivano Iannelli, the chief executive of government-owned advisory company Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence.

While the cost of adopting rooftop solar may be substantial, the drain on government budgets would likely decline over time.

Not only are panels getting cheaper, but installation - which accounts for about two thirds of the costs of a rooftop array will become less expensive once demand creates more competition among providers, says Vahid Fotuhi, the president of the Emirates Solar Industry Association. "Once you create a market the costs will come down." And, even though solar remains a more expensive option to natural gas-

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fired power plants for now, the growing shortage of cheap gas could in time turn this calculation on its head.

WEST AFRICA Masdar, the clean energy company and creator of the eponymous “green city” on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, launched a $32 million solar plant in Mauritania in West Africa on April 18, 2013. The Sheikh Zayed Solar Power Plant, located in the capital, Nouakchott, will generate 15-megawatts of solar photovoltaic (PV) power and, according to Masdar, is now the largest PV plant in all of Africa. It will, in fact, deliver 10% of the country's current electricity load.

The launch of this new solar power plant is significant for several reasons. Masdar City, only one part of the company but the immediate showpiece that comes to mind, is often derided as a fluff project in a country that is one of the world's highest carbon emitters per capita.

And while the United Arab Emirates' massive carbon output is, of course, concerning, at the same time the UAE's leadership has shown it is willing to be part of the solution in addressing climate change and energy scarcity. As much of the developed world from the U.S. to Japan is mired in debt and political polarization, there is an opening for such countries in the Middle East as the UAE and nearby Qatar to invest in renewablesafter all, their reserves of oil and gas are finite.

30,000 solar panels in Nouakchott, will displace over 21,000 tons of carbon emissions annually and will provide up to 10% of the country's total energy needs. Should this new plant prove to be an important anchor of Mauritania's energy potential, more hope is on the horizon: Masdar claims the country's wind potential is four times than its current energy demands.

"Electrification, through sustainable sources of energy, is critical in ensuring our people have access to basic services and is a step toward improving our infrastructure and longterm economic development," Mauritania's president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, said at the launch. Developing new sources of power is crucial for the country, as demand is growing at 12% per annum in Mauritania, a Maghreb state in West Africa with a population of about 3.5 million.

"Renewable energy has the potential to be a major contributor to the energy mix in developing countries where access to conventional energy is limited," said Sultan Al Jaber, Masdar's chief executive. "With energy demand expected to nearly double by 2030, renewable energy will play an increasingly important role." The solar plant is operated by the Société Mauritanienne D'electricité, Mauritania's government utility.

The country's conventional power generation capacity lies at 144MW, most of which is produced by costly and polluting diesel generators.

BAHRAIN In one of the first major solar energy projects in the Middle East, Bahrain in June 2012 had announced plans to implement a solar smart grid in Awali, paving the way for future smart cities in Gulf. "The Middle East has for some time evaluated the integration of solar energy for reduction of reliance on non-renewable energy sources.

However, Bahrain is among the first in the region to implement a project of this kind, demonstrating a serious commitment to long term solutions," Marty Youssefiani, CEO of Caspian Energy Holdings, said.

Masdar kicked off the Mauritania project last fall as part of its commitment to the UN's “Year of Sustainable Energy for All.” As announced last year by UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, 'Sustainable Energy for All' aimed to expand modern energy sources to those who could least afford it; double energy efficiency worldwide; and double the amount of clean electricity and power within the globe's total energy portfolio. The results may not have been as impressive as the goals, but arguably the UAE, Abu Dhabi and Masdar kept their end of the deal.

Mauritania's energy grid is currently marred by energy shortages and both expensive and dirty diesel generators.

Masdar claims the new solar energy plant, with its

Bahrain's National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) is implementing 5-megawatt solar capacity into a wireless smart grid network in cooperation with Petra Solar, Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) and Caspian Energy Holdings. The grid circumvents common interconnection issues and costs of traditional solar systems because of its ability to install into the current transmission and distribution infrastructure. Bahrain intends to spread similar sustainable technology across the country in the future.

"The project in Awali represents just the first step in a series of initiatives by NOGA to diversify the sources of energy needed to ensure the sustainable development of the Kingdom. Following a successful implementation of this pilot project we expect that other projects will follow in the near future," Minister of Energy Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali

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Mirza said. With this project, Bahrain aims to ultimately transform its energy sector into one that is more environmentally friendly.

"The landscape of Awali will be changed by this initiative; but more than the landscape, the operating philosophy of BAPCO which relied totally on fossil fuels for generating its electricity, will also change as a result of this project," Gordon Smith , CEO at the Bahrain Petroleum Company, said.

Bahrain, a small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf, has lagged behind other Gulf region countries in developing its clean energy sector.

But the ministry of electricity and water affairs is looking to change all of that with the announcement of a new solar energy project in the capital, Manama. The hope is that the new project will be a watershed for the small Gulf Kingdom, an archipelago of 33 islands, to begin to establish alternative energy as a key driver of the country's energy sector.

While still in its development stage, the project in the Awali Township aims to produce 5-MW of power from the utility-scale photovoltaic solar facility.

It is all part of Bahrain Vision 2030, an ambitious project that aims to see the country reach between five and 7% energy from renewables by 2030. While seen as a solid move in the direction of clean technology and energy development, the government has largely failed to address cost-effectiveness in the program, which has many questioning how the country will make inroads into the renewables sector.

From now on cost-effectiveness remains a crucial factor for fully integrating an alternative energy infrastructure. Bahrain currently enjoys an adequate supply of natural gas 1.7bn standard cu feet per day to meet its industrial, manufacturing and domestic electricity demands. Although the government has moderately raised the price of gas to $2.25 per million British thermal units, an energy subsidy continues to keep the price low, which inhibits the development of a sizable market for alternative energy.

Secondary obstacles to an alternative energy segment include high real estate prices and the lack of a legal framework.

Land is limited on the 765-sq-km island, and renewable energy projects, particularly solar, require sizable areas for development.

Bahrain as well lacks formal legislation that would better facilitate sector development, such as tax incentives or the reselling of carbon dioxide no longer being used back to the national's electric grid network. Similarly, there is an absence of legislation regarding a formalised process for integrating electricity output from renewable plants to the grid.

Although the obstacles to wide-scale renewable energy remain significant, the market conditions for renewable technology are continually improving. "In just the past two years, the cost of producing 1 MW of solar energy using American technology has dropped to $2m from $3m,” according to Rob Sobhani, the president of Caspian Energy Consulting. “The price of smart grid technology has fallen to $5m per MW from $6m per MW” he added.

Another policy trend linking to smart technology is Bahrain's eGovernment initiatives, which aim to apply smart grid technology to several components of infrastructure, such as street lighting, parking meters, automated management systems, and perhaps electric vehicles. The increasingly extra affordable technology used for the Petra Solar project may have a significant ripple effect for public service systems across Bahrain.

Irena launches roadmap to double renewable energy by 2030

Experts have warned that efforts in Bahrain to develop alternative sources of energy from oil are being hindered

By Amysubsidies Cutter, on Editor of Outreach by continued petroleum products and petrol, which stymies the potential need to develop the clean energy sector. Still, the ministry believes that this initial solar project can show the government and energy experts that combining traditional energy output with renewables will be a boost to the country, both environmentally and economically.

The Kingdom has edged one step closer to developing a viable alternative energy infrastructure with its implementation of a solar energy project in the Awali Township of Manama. The 5MW, utility-scale photovoltaic solar facility was arranged as a joint venture between the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), Caspian Energy Holdings and Petra Solar. The project marks one of the Gulf region's first tendered utility-scale solar project.

The Kingdom currently meets its domestic electricity request exclusively with fossil fuels 85% from natural gas and 15% from oil. Vision 2030, a comprehensive plan for economic development through 2030, includes a benchmark for 5-7% of installed capacity to stem from renewable sources.

“By conservative estimates from private and government experts, countries in the Middle East plan to invest around $500bn in solar energy over the next two decades,” said Sobhani. With high solar energy performance indicators (a world horizontal irradiance of 2160 kWh per sq metre per year and a direct normal irradiance of 2050 kWh per sq metre per year), growing electricity consumption rates, a renewed debate on subsidy reduction, and uncertainty regarding next domestic energy production and foreign gas suppliers, Bahrain possesses strong potential to develop a viable renewable energy market, with solar energy in particular key to potential next success.

QATAR "Countries that have opted and developed solar energy have benefited a lot. And, Qatar is planning to replace 10% of total energy used for electricity generation and water desalination with solar power by 2018" The growing demand for energy in Qatar is one of the highest in world but with the abundance of sunshine the country

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receives makes it ideal for solar-powered energy. Qatar, with one of the highest solar irradiation rates in the world, has plans to utilize the sun's rays as a sustainable energy source over the next few years. With every square kilometer of land in Qatar receiving yearly solar energy

as 40% after six months. Photovoltaic also operate less effectively in high temperatures.

Other international firms investing in solar research in Qatar include General Electric, Shell and ConocoPhillips, while the Doha campus of Texas A&M University has a project working on using solar energy to break down natural gas into carbon and hydrogen for industrial uses.

As the Middle East and North African (Mena) countries set to emerge as a major renewable energy force, Qatar is getting ready to be a key contributor. A top Qatari official said the country would be one of the contributors to the GCC power grid interconnections that would export electricity to the neighbouring countries and even beyond.

Qatar is eyeing the export of electricity from the six countries in the Gulf co-operation Council regional group. The upgrade of the region's power grid interconnections might accentuate the plans. The potential of the region's renewable energy goes beyond to see the GCC connection to Egypt and then Europe.

equivalent to 1.5 million barrels of crude oil, Qatar is geographically well-positioned to significantly benefit from solar energy.

According to Qatar's Minister of Economy and Energy, Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Qatar would launch pilot projects in the solar sector as part of a 200MW solar program. The initial phase will see small-scale plants generating 5MW-10MW each, installed on underutilized land. In 2011 the cost of this phase was estimated at $30 million. Phase two will involve assessment of the initial sites, with a view to bringing in private investment to increase solar capacity.

SAUDI ARABIA “Soaring demand for electricity and a growing shortage of natural gas have led governments in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region to rethink their energy strategy and incorporate solar power in particular into their plans. In Saudi Arabia, plans are being drawn up for the world's largest solar desalination plant, and Abu Dhabi's Masdar is also preparing to utilise renewable energy to this end�

In a region where potable water is scarce, desalination - the desalting of seawater - is used to generate sufficient supply.

In fact, Qatar aims to generate 20% of its energy from renewables by 2024, and to have 1,800MW of installed green capacity by 2020. These are ambitious targets given the current power generation mix, but not an unobtainable one, thanks to the financial resources at its disposal and its year-round sun, which makes it well suited for solar development.

Many international companies are involved in research and development in the solar sector in Qatar. US energy giant Chevron is investing $10 million in the Centre for Sustainable Energy Efficiency (CSEE) at Qatar Science & Technology Park, with another $10 million coming from local clean energy firm GreenGulf. The CSEE aims to develop solar technology that is suited to Qatar's climate and the specific needs of its energy users. One of the issues that Chevron aims to address is building solar panels that can perform in the hot and dusty Gulf environment. With very little rain, panels can get clogged with sand and dust, and thus absorb less sunlight. According to Chevron, their effectiveness can be reduced by as much

Per-capita water consumption in the Gulf is the highest in the world and according to conservative estimates desalination accounts for up to a fifth of generated electricity. This is adding to the strain on gas resources, which are unable to match growing demand.

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The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), one of the Saudi government organisations looking at the deployment of alternative energies, has taken the lead role in a consortium that could in the future produce 50 million gallons of potable water per day from solar desalination. The consortium is composed of five entities in Jeddah with significant water needs. A feasibility study for the huge plant has already been completed and preliminary plans for a pilot project drawn up.

The economics look promising, meaning that the plant stands a good chance of being completed, said Imad Feghali, the regional technology manager at CH2M Hill, the engineering firm hired by Kaust. "When we look at the cost of this facility, and we compare this to how much they are paying right now from the supplier over there, we realise that there is a margin there, and they can definitely save by doing the project," said Mr. Feghali, who spoke on the sidelines of the Solar Desalination Forum held in Abu Dhabi in May 2013.

Saudi Arabia could also draw on geothermal energy for its desalination needs, says Daniel Zywietz, the managing director at Ambata Capital Middle East. At a cost of no more than US$3 per million British thermal units of energy, geothermal desalination is cost-competitive with facilities that rely on more expensive gas being produced or bought now that demand exceeds cheaper supply, said Mr. Zywietz. "The primary challenge is that very few people know about geothermal," he added.

for the whole Middle East region.

A recent report compiled by Ernst & Young's Renewables Financial Advisers, takes an in-depth look at each country's individual technologies, renewable infrastructures, wind and solar indices, as well as an overall renewables index.

In addition, the report provides deep insights into the renewables market, the recent trends and advances, and the challenges and outlook predicted for the future. The report says Saudi Arabia has increased its ranking from 14 to 12, after Makkah Municipality's recent announcement of its plans to build a solar power plant. This initiative, announced in Q4 2012, would make Makkah the first city in Saudi Arabia to develop a renewable energy project.

A slide in solar power costs and a surge in oil prices over the last few years have made solar power a win-win strategy for Saudi Arabia. Saving billions of dollars of crude for export while making electricity at less than half the cost.

Riyadh plans to install 41,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power over the next 20 years, but to date has built only 12 MW or less than even Britain installed in early May 2013.

Saudi energy officials have talked of becoming major solar players for years, but while China built 5,000 MW in 2012 alone, Saudi solar capacity is still insignificant. That is set to change, with an economic argument too strong to ignore.

OMAN

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is fast becoming a leading investor in alternative energy with the KSA Government announcing various solar energy projects that are aimed to ensure sustainable long-term supply of energy across the Kingdom. The Saudi Government has already announced plans to invest SR408.75bn to produce an additional 41 GW of solar energy by 2032, which will account for a third of the total domestic energy consumption.

The Sultanate of Oman, which boasts one of the highest solar energy densities in the world, is investigating the development of a massive 200MW solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) project. If the project gets the go-ahead, then the solar farm could generate the entire country's electricity supply while covering a tiny percentage of the desert with solar collectors, dramatically reducing the state's dependence on domestic oil.

The Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) has identified four potential locations for the establishment of large-scale solar power projects, and land has been allocated at two of these places. The Authority had commissioned a study on suitable alternative energy

With the first round of solar energy project tenders expected to be launched within the first quarter of 2013, KSA has already generated strong attention from international suppliers, contractors and other key industry players in the global renewable energy sector.

In addition to diversifying KSA's energy resources, the government's aggressive investments in renewable energy is also part of a strategy to maximize its traditional energy reserves, while taking huge steps towards significantly reducing carbon emissions.

The Kingdom's IDEA Polysilicon Company (IPC) also has plans to reach financial close on the funding for its Yanbu project by the end of 2013. The project, which will cost $ 1.1 billion, aims to produce 10,000 metric tons of polysilicon and 800 mega watts of solar Wafers per year, which will be used to produce solar panels

resources and to set up renewable energy projects in the sultanate.

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the Amal West oilfield, operated by Petroleum Development Oman. But these glasshouses aren't growing tomatoes, or any other crop, rather they are making steam.

When it comes to developing its oil and gas reserves Oman faces a conundrum. The small country on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula has a lot of oil, but it is mostly of the heavy kind. Far from gushing up out of the sands, this oil is stubborn and needs to be coaxed out of its reservoirs. To do that, Petroleum Development Oman (60% Oman government, 34% Royal Dutch Shell), has perfected the technique of blasting steam down into the oil reservoirs to soften and loosen up the thick crude and push it up to the surface.

As many as 23 locations were identified and tested in the study, adding that northern Oman was found most feasible for solar power projects, while some parts in the south were found appropriate for wind energy projects. Of these 23 locations, four - Adam, Manah, Al Khaboura and Ibri - have been identified as most feasible for solar power projects.

Adam and Manah have been identified for large-scale projects. Land at these two locations has already been allocated and tenders are being studied and awaiting final approval.

The solar power projects in Adam and Manah will be large-scale projects, in the 100MW-200MW range, while a plan is being laid out on whether to use solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) technology for the project.

Renewable Energy now on the right track in the Sultanate of Oman

At PDO's Amal West oil field in southern Oman, a California-based company called GlassPoint has installed an innovative solar system that seeks to assist in the steam-generation process by boiling water with sunshine. From outside, the GlassPoint installation doesn't look a thing like any solar project you may have in your mind's eye. It's not photovoltaic-based, so there are no panels. And there's no stand-alone solarconcentrating dishes. These glasshouses are filled with flimsy mirrorslittle more than curved sheets of aluminum foil, suspended by wires from the ceiling. Motors pull the wires, adjusting the mirrors' pitch to ensure they're tracking the sun perfectly. The reflected rays are focused and concentrated to heat water inside a network of pipes, boiling it into steam that is continually injected down oil wells deep underground, loosening up and pushing out the gunky crude.

There are good reasons for putting the gear under glass.

Wind is a problem for solar installations they need to be sturdy enough to withstand gusts, and heavier systems require more robust actuators and gears. Glasspoint's technique enables them to use cheaper, lightweight materials. The glass also protects the gear from dust it's easier to clean dust off of glass than from mirrors.

The Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAECO) announced in April 2013 its commitment to two pilot projects on solar and wind power at Al Mazyouna in Dhofar and Masirah in South Sharqiyah governorates.

The solar and wind projects will generate 350kW and 750kW power respectively. According to RAECO all equipment including photovoltaic cells to generate power will be available. The intention is to generate wind and solar power on a bigger scale after successful implementation of the pilot projects. The later main project, which will also be executed in Al Mazyouna and Masirah is expected to cost RO1.2mn. RAECO is currently scouting internationally for the fitting investors to implement the main project.

The Oman project, covering 4 acres and generating the equivalent of 7 mw of energy per day, is only a test pilot.

But so far the tests look good.

If all goes well, a full-scale GlassPoint build out in Oman could come next. PDO won't say how big, or what it might cost, but industry sources suggest the scale would consist of more like 3,000 mw and cost upwards of $1.5 billion, assuming installation costs of roughly 50 cents per wat

In the desert of southern Oman, near the border with Yemen, 4 acres of glass houses catch the sun. They sit in

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Standards in Solar PV Module Manufacturing

By Dr. J. N. Roy

Introduction: The solar power sector continues its rapid growth.

Crystalline silicon (c-Si) is most popular technology for

cell, framing technology, etc. can help to improve Supply Chain Management (SCM) and time to market. The Standardization of various testing standards, such as Vibration Testing for Solar PV Module to reduce damage

Fig.1: Failure of Junction Box Connector during one of the chamber (Reliability) test.

solar cell. The raw material for this technology is sand, which is available in abundance. Although the basic technology was available since mid-1950, the advancement of c-Si technology has been picked up pace in last few years. Thin film technology, which provides alternative solution, has also been demonstrated at manufacturing/product level. This is cheaper to produce but has lower efficiency. At present the market share for this type of product is low as compared to c-Si. High efficiency solar cells based on GaAs technology is also in place. This has the highest cost and therefore been used only for tailor made applications such as “Satellite/space craft” and where the space is limited such as CPV. Some new and promising technologies, such as Organic Solar cells, Carbon Nano Tubes (CNT), Quantum Dots (QDs), etc., are being pursued at research labs.

during transportation, will be helpful.

Quality and Reliability Standards: Quality/Reliability standards are primarily driven by IEC for Europe and UL for North America. Other countries either entirely adopted one of these or have their own standards similar to these. For example IEC standards are followed in India. The followings are the major applicable IEC standards for Solar PV modules:

India committed to sustainable energy for all

The importance on standards for the coherent and comprehensive growth of this industry is becoming more and more important. Similar to VLSI industry, the standardization in Solar PV is broadly focused on “Standardization Programs” primarily led by SEMI and “Quality/Reliability Standards” such as IEC and UL. As the Solar PV area is still comparatively new, worldwide trend is to focus on the later more than the former.

However, it is now being felt that the former also need focus primarily due to standardizing material, equipment and manufacturing to improve quality and cost. For example; various standards for physical dimensions (e.g. module size), bus bar width used solar

† IEC 61730 I : Photovoltaic module safety qualification Requirements for Construction IEC 61730 II : Photovoltaic module safety qualification Requirements for testing IEC 61215 : Crystalline Silicon terrestrial photovoltaic modules Design qualification and type approval IEC 61646 : Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic modules Design qualification and type approval IEC 61701 : Salt Mist Spray Test of Photovoltaic Modules and Panels The following are the major tests performed • • •

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Visual Pre and post Reliability Power Determination Electrical Insulation, Hot Spot, UV Preconditioning

• • • • • •

Thermal Cycling (TC) Test Humidity Freeze (HF) Test Damp Heat (DH) Test Mechanical load test, Hail Test Fire Test Salt Mist Spray Test

reasonably long time. This severely affects “time to market”.

Also during this long period, any of the BOM, equipment or the process can undergo change / improvement /obsolesce.

This would result either to drop the product after certification or go for a lengthy re-test process. There are also no solid data or modelling to conclude that the test standard adopted for certification ensure guaranteed output in long run; i.e. typically 10% energy degradation in first ten years and another 10% in next 15 years. Extending the environmental stress test duration may be one way of tackling this.

However, this will add to manufacturer's misery as discussed above. The other extreme will be to adopt “Quick Test” scheme such as boiling water test, pressure cooker test, etc.

This would require much better understanding of failure mechanism and manifestation. The climatic condition, which is primary reason for reliability failure, varies widely depending on geographical location. A single test sequence is therefore may not be appropriate. It may require development of test methods specific to climatic characteristics where the modules are going to be installed eventually.

Quality and Reliability Failure: Case Study

Fig.2: Failure during one of the Chamber (Reliability) tests due to Solar Cell. Half of the module used good cells and rest (where bubbles appeared) are will bad cells.

The standards clearly define the test “Tree”, Sequence and Duration. Certificate for a particular set (or combination) of BOM must be obtained from authorized certification agency such as TUV. Any failure can be traced back to component or process related failure.

There are no norms expressed in certification guidelines which separate process failure from material failure.

Some listed components, such as Junction Box, require independent certification to be used in Solar PV module.

Any changes in material(s) require re-certification through a time consuming re-test guidelines. For example if the cell technology is changed, the module re-certification, using the changed cell, involves re-test for Thermal Cycle (TC), Damp Heat (DH), Outdoor Exposure, and Hot Spot amounting to be very close to fresh certification itself.

The stringent standard of certification requirement has both sides; positive and negative. On one hand this, to large extent, ensures Quality and Reliability. “Large extent” phrase is uses as there is a possibility that initial certification modules sent to certification agency are “cherry picked”; quality and reliability of subsequent lot of BOM and process may not be maintained. The additional advantage of certification can be a strong selling proposition for the manufacturers. The certification requirement can also speed up the learning curve and increase depth of knowledge.

However, at the present form, there are some drawbacks as well. Certification test and issuing certificate(s) takes

From author's own experience some interesting case studies are presented below to highlight another side of certification issue. It has been mentioned earlier that some component, used in the module, have to be certified beforehand. For example, only certified set of Junction Box/Cable/Connector has to be used for modules sent for certification. On the other hand some other important components do not have this prerequisite. For example although solar cell is the most critical part of a PV module, no separate certification is required for this.

The first failure example is depicted in Fig. 1. The certified component, in this case connector (part of Junction box Kit), failed which has nothing to do with manufacturing process or other BOM as such. There is a crack on the barrel and charring of inner surface.

The other failure example is related to solar cell as shown in Fig. 2. This depicts the bubbles due to improper metal paste used in the cell manufacturing. This is a 60 cells module and used two types of cells. Half of them are with good cells showing no presence of bubble on that portion. The other half are with bad cells showing bubbles during one of the chamber (reliability) test. This clearly indicates that rest of the BOM (other than cell) and process have no problem.

Reliability Modeling: It is important to develop and validate a good model for failure rate prediction. In the absence of this the Reliability (certification) tests would be subjective and away from real life situation. The method adopted by VLSI industry can provide lead. A typical “Bath Tub” behaviour, shown in Fig.3, must also be valid for Solar PV manufacturing. Some of the standard parameters such as “Hazard Rate”, “Failure Rate” and “Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)” can also be therefore determined. The basic definition of reliability i.e.

“Reliability of a device is defined as its characteristics expressed by the probability that it will perform its required function under specific conditions for a stated period of time” is also valid. However, there are differences. Unlike standard

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semiconductor devices, such as ICs, the specified operating conditions are not fixed but depend on the climatic behaviour of the installation locations. The size of the modules are also a detrimental factors for adopting the “Screening” and “Qualification” approach widely used in VLSI industry. Moreover, the fundamental nature of infant mortality characteristic may also be very much

different due to much simpler technology used in Solar PV manufacturing.

Fig.3: Bath Tub Characteristics: Failure rate and operating life

Dr. J. N. Roy completed his Ph.D. (Materials Science) from IIT Kharagpur in 1984. He was with Semiconductor Complex Ltd. (SCL), now known as Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) a VLSI & MEMS manufacturing and R&D facility, from Jan.1984 to Oct. 2004 and Sept. 2006 to July2008.

He was responsible for VLSI and MEMS related activities of the organization; including Process Technology Development, Design, Fabrication, Testing and Assembly. During the period between October 2004 and September 2006, he was with Punjab University as Professor (Microelectronics).

Currently he is Senior Vice President (R&D) - Solar Semiconductor Pvt. Ltd. & Director (Independent) – Reach Solar and responsible for Technology, Engineering, Quality, Reliability and EPC related activities of the organization. He was a consultant to Analog Integration CorporationUSA. He has conducted short training courses for faculty, researchers and corporate houses. He has 4 patents/applications and more than 80 publications in Journals/Conference proceedings. He is a co-editor of a Conference Proceedings and co-authored a book “Introduction to VLSI Design and Technology”. He is a Fellow INAE, Senior Member IEEE and Fellow IMS. He has received best innovator award from EDN-Asia. He had been an INAE Distinguished Visiting Professor and Honorary Vice Chair Person of IEEE Hyderabad Section. His contact email addresses: jatin.roy@solarsemiconductor.com / jnroy@ieee.org / jatinroy2000@yahoo.co.in

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Decommissioning of a Nuclear Power Plant: Challenges, Costs, Consequences and Remedy

By Staff Writer

“Nuclear decommissioning is the dismantling and decontamination of a nuclear power plant site so that it will no longer require measures for radiation protection. The presence of radioactive material necessitates special precautions not required for the dismantling of other types of power plants�

Since nuclear fission creates radioactivity, the reactor core is surrounded by a protective shield. This containment absorbs radiation and prevents radioactive material from being released into the environment. In addition, many reactors are equipped with a dome of concrete to protect the reactor against both internal casualties and external impacts. In nuclear power plants, different types of reactors, nuclear fuels, and cooling circuits and moderators are used.

A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The most common use of nuclear reactors is for the generation of electric energy and for the propulsion of ships. The nuclear reactor is the heart of the plant. In its central part, the reactor core's heat is generated by controlled nuclear fission. With this heat, a coolant is heated as it is pumped through the reactor and thereby removes the energy from the reactor. Heat from nuclear fission is used to raise steam, which runs through turbines, which in turn powers either ship's propellers or electrical generators.

The economics of new nuclear power plants is a controversial subject, and multi-billion dollar investments ride on the choice of an energy source. Nuclear power plants typically have high capital costs, but low direct fuel costs (with much of the costs of fuel extraction, processing, use and long-term storage externalized). Therefore, comparison with other power generation methods is strongly dependent on assumptions about construction timescales and capital financing for nuclear plants. Cost estimates also need to take into account plant decommissioning and nuclear waste storage or recycling costs. All nuclear waste could potentially be recycled by

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using other reactors.

serious nuclear accidents. Critics do not believe that these risks can be reduced through new technology. They argue

Let us take a look at the Challenges, Costs, Consequences and Remedy in decommissioning or dismantling an aged nuclear power plant: On the other hand, measures to mitigate global warming, such as a carbon tax or carbon emissions trading, may favor the economics of nuclear power. Further efficiencies are hoped to be achieved through more advanced reactor designs, Generation III reactors promise to be 17% more fuel efficient, and have lower capital costs, while futuristic Generation IV reactors promise 10000-30000% greater fuel efficiency and the elimination of nuclear waste.

Proponents argue that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source which reduces carbon emissions and can increase energy security if its use supplants a dependence on imported fuels. Proponents advance the notion that nuclear power produces virtually no air pollution, in contrast to the chief viable alternative of fossil fuel.

Proponents also believe that nuclear power is the only viable course to achieve energy independence for most Western countries. They emphasize that the risks of storing waste are small and can be further reduced by using the latest technology in newer reactors, and the operational safety record in the Western world is excellent when compared to the other major kinds of power plants.

Opponents say that nuclear power poses many threats to people and the environment. These threats include health risks and environmental damage from uranium mining, processing and transport, the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation or sabotage, and the unsolved problem of radioactive nuclear waste. They also contend that reactors themselves are enormously complex machines where many things can and do go wrong, and there have been many

that when all the energy-intensive stages of the nuclear fuel chain are considered, from uranium mining to nuclear decommissioning, nuclear power is not a low-carbon electricity source.

Challenges As we are all aware, dismantling a nuclear power plant is a complicated issue that requires much more time and costs a great deal more than what we would like or than might appear to be reasonable, compared to the costs and periods involved in the construction and operating phases.

When we ask ourselves why this should be, we all immediately think of the complexity and risk involved in working with contaminated and/or activated materials. It is not the same to build a plant with clean materials and without active systems as it is to dismantle or demolish it, when many active andpotentially contaminated systems still remain. If we think about the subject in greater detail, we also find socio-political reasons making the process more difficult, and varying considerably from one country to the next, such as the lack of facilities for the disposal of radioactive wastes, the lack of treatment or recycling plants for non-contaminated materials, the lack of companies equipped to do the job or simply the absence of a financing scheme allowing the work to be performed.

But the difficulty is also due to the fact that we are dealing with a relatively new activity of which there is little

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experience and that has not yet been sufficiently standardised.

Consequences

Costs Decommissioning is very expensive. The current estimate by the United Kingdom's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is that it will cost at least £70 billion to decommission the 19 existing United Kingdom nuclear sites; this takes no account of what will happen in the future. Also, due to the radioactivity in the reactor structure, decommissioning is a slow process which takes place in stages. The plans of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for decommissioning reactors have an average 50 year time frame. The long time frame makes reliable cost estimates extremely difficult. Excessive cost overruns are not uncommon even for projects done in a much shorter time frame.

According to Greenpeace, The nuclear industry is hugely expensive. The construction and generating costs of nuclear power are greater than most renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Added to these are costs associated with dismantling nuclear stations and waste disposal. The clean up costs for the UK's existing nuclear industry and its waste have alone been estimated at up to £100bn. That's £100bn of public money.

During the past few years, estimates of dismantling costs have soared by more than $4.6 billion because rising energy and labor costs, while the investment funds that are supposed to pay for shutting plants down have lost $4.4 billion in the battered stock market.

Decommissioning a Nuclear Plant Can Cost $1 Billion and Take Decades According to EnergySolutions CEO Val Christensen, full decommissioning will cost about $1 billion dollars over the next 10 years. Every nuclear plant must be decommissioned at the end of its useful life, usually after it has been operating for 40-60 years. The costly, laborintensive process involves two major actions: nuclear waste disposal and decontamination to reduce residual radioactivity.

The U.S. currently operates 104 commercial nuclear power plants. Most were built in the 1970s and are slated for decommissioning during the next three decades. As of April 2011, there were 23 nuclear units in various stages of decommissioning. Ten out of the 23 have been completely cleaned up.

According to Paul Genoa, director of policy development of the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade group for the nuclear power industry, decommissioning costs typically run at $500 million per unit. But actual costs vary based on the plant's size and design, and some have reached over $1 billion between 10% and 25% of the cost of constructing a nuclear reactor today.

The companies and the governments worldwide that own nuclear reactors are not setting aside enough money to dismantle them, and many may sit idle for decades and pose safety and security risks. The shortfalls are caused not by fluctuating appetites for nuclear power but by the stock market and other investments, which have suffered huge losses over the past year and devastated the plants' savings, and by the soaring costs of decommissioning.

Owners at 19 plants have won approval to mothball reactors for as long as 60 years. A method called Safestor has been approved for reactors including the three Palo Verde units in the Arizona desert and the Three Mile Island 1 reactor near Harrisburg, Pa. Under this method, radioactive fuel is removed from the reactor and the spent fuel storage pool and is stored in dry casks on plant property. Plant systems are drained of water, and the remaining radioactivity in the plant is left to decay until the facility is dismantled.But some analysts worry the utility companies that own nuclear plants might not even exist in six decades.

“Our concern is that they'll just walk away from it,” said Jim Riccio, a Greenpeace nuclear policy analyst. “It's like a sitting time bomb. The notion that you can just walk away from these sites and everything will be hunky-dory is just not true.”

The operators of 54 nuclear plants, or more than half in the U.S., have already received 20-year license extensions.

Sixteen more are being reviewed, and the commission expects to receive 21 more applications in the next several years. To date, the NRC hasn't turned down any license extensions. While companies ask for extensions for other reasons primarily to keep producing power and making money some companies have explicitly told shareholders they will use license extensions to meet their decommissioning obligations.

The waste disposal problem has become especially acute since the federal government scrapped plans to store nuclear waste at a secure facility in Yucca Mountain, Nev. Instead, radioactive fuel rods are now stored in large concrete and steel canisters on plant grounds that are guarded around the clock and tested often for leaks.

Decontamination in Action - As it turns out, “decommissioning” does not mean “neutralizing”; it means moving radioactive material from one place to another. At Maine Yankee, that means 233 million pounds of waste, of which 150 million pounds is concrete. A little more than half the waste, 130 million pounds, is radioactive. Younger plants have 50% more generating capacity than older ones, and their debris volume will be somewhat larger.

A decommissioned plant creates several different streams of waste. For one, spent nuclear fuel rods are kept in dry storage at the reactor sites. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, an average nuclear plant generates 20

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metric tons of used nuclear fuel annually, or 1,200 metric tons over a plant's 60-year lifespan an amount equivalent to the size and weight of about 1,200 SUVs.

of Uranium fuel due to embargo....now where are the reports?? how Nuclear Deal was signed by ignoring such really qualified and accepted reports??)

Nevertheless, we can't afford an old / un-proven and unsafe technology of Nuclear power, instead renewable energy generation in rural India is a must and we need to identify each of village + Village clusters wherein we can implement 50 MW / 100 MW at one location and allot to small investors, thus, create rural jobs with low skills, too.

Two, anything contaminated with small levels of radiation pipes, tools, workers' clothing are sent to special low-level nuclear waste facilities around the country. The remaining non-radiated waste can be disposed of in regular landfills.

When Connecticut's Haddam Neck plant was dismantled in 1996, for instance, some contaminated materials were mistakenly sent to municipal landfills. They were later dug up and moved to nuclear waste facilities, a mistake that cost the company millions. The original decommissioning cost was estimated at $719 million; the company spent nearly $1.2 billion in the end.

Nuclear energy comes with a price (including the padded Nuclear Deal commissions, etc. as reported as nothing comes free in this world) and LIFE RISK for our future generation including extinction like Chernobyl, Fukushima and many more on the anvil.

Report warns of India nuclear power safety

My views are based on the basics and when NONRADIATION hazard renewable energy resource is in abundance, why push our grand children to the brink of a LIFE RISK with nuclear power? Can't we draw a leaf from Germany?

An Indian government auditing agency criticized India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for not being truly autonomous and for its lack of a radiation safety policy. India's Comptroller and Auditor General, in a report warned that a Fukushima or Chernobyl-like disaster could occur in India if the government doesn't address nuclear safety.

Even if 10 billion dollars nuclear business (as of now) is to be dumped, it is worth doing so, considering a safe and nuclear radiation-free India which we can gift to our grand children or to next generation. Why India / Indians suffer for 2% energy addition through nuclear?? We can show the clear road map including land availability to execute cheaper and safer Solar Power and Hydro power in India, esp. 2% is negligible. So, let us not buy the idea of penalties due to failure of nuclear deal, loss of investor confidence or such humbugs. We have good strategy in place and India can live without nuclear energy.

While AERB is responsible for supervising safety issues for the plants, it doesn't have power to make rules, enforce compliance or impose penalty in cases of nuclear safety oversight, the report states.

No legislative framework is in place for decommissioning of nuclear power plants, says CAG. Furthermore, AERB doesn't have a mandate other than the prescribing of codes, guides and safety manuals on decommissioning.

While drawing the leaf out of huge costs and life risks of decommissioning, which when added up will indicate that the tariff per kwh will be astronomical, hence, the nuclear power plant is not viable and the transparency shall be brought out by the concerned, if need be through RTI, to inform the people of India as to what is good and at what cost and why to pass on life risk to our future generation and then allow Kudonkolum or Jaitapur or other nuclear power projects? It is high time that we must establish 10 to 20 MW solar PV power in each Indian Taluka (4500 taluka x 20 mw = 90,000 MW i.e.

90 GW (which is way above 20 GW planned through Nuclear) with the necessary solutions on storage of solar PV to have continuous power.

The report says that in the 13 years since AERB's safety manual was issued, "none of the nuclear power plants in the country, including those operating for 30 years, and those which had been shut down, had any decommissioning plan."

India's 20 nuclear plants have an installed capacity of 4,780 megawatts. The government aims to generate 20,000 megawatts of power from nuclear power by 2020.

Remedy Energy Blitz has received following comments and recommendations from Mr. Praveen Kumar Kulkarni, Chairman, KK Nesar Projects Private Limited based in Vadodara, Gujarat on the topic of this article:

Meanwhile, the western countries, who may love to have Nuclear power plant (for their business interests), let them find solutions to low-cost commissioning, nuclear dumping, risk mitigation and very low decommissioning costs in the next 20 years, then, India, can think with the transparency, till then, we have lot of potential through solar, hydro and biomass, wind, etc.

India has challenges on Nuclear power plants and was never a feasible options considering the Nuclear waste disposal too for the sea eco-system (refer earlier notes in Parliament / Science conferences when India was denied

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NEWS: 290 MW of solar PV commissioned in India under Phase I Batch 2 Solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants with an installed capacity of 290 MW have been commissioned as of April 15, 2013 under Phase I Batch 2 of India's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), according to Union Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

According to official sources, three PV plants with a cumulative capacity of 50 MW under Phase I Batch 2 of the Mission are yet to be commissioned. The solar plants that are yet to be commissioned include a 10-MW plant in Rajasthan, a 20-MW each in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

During Batch 2 of Phase I, Rajasthan led the charge with a majority of projects coming up there. Out of the total commissioned projects under this batch, only one project of 5 MW came up in Maharashtra while the rest were in Rajasthan. All the above mentioned plants were commissioned between December 24, 2012 and March 26, 2013. However, four solar plants of 10 MW which are reported as commissioned are still awaiting certificates.

Apart from the MW scale power plants, the country also installed 88.8 MW of solar PV plants in Rooftop PV and Small Solar Generation Program (RPSSGP) category, besides 48 MW through the migration scheme. Unlike the MW scale projects, the distribution of RPSSGP is more diverse, covering 12 states. Here Jharkhand leads the list with 16 MW followed by Rajasthan (11 MW0 and Andhra Pradesh (9.75 MW).

Solar installations in India for 2013 looks flat compared to 2012 Despite bankruptcies and trade cases in the industry, global solar installations in 2012 totalled about 31GW, a 13% growth over the previous year.

India installed 980MW in 2012, and has installed about 600MW of solar power, so far in 2013. With most of the concentrated solar power (CSP) projects that were due to be commissioned in May 2013 delayed, the forecast for installations in 2013 looks flat compared to 2012. Long touted to be a fast-growing emerging solar market where the growth rate is expected to be much higher than other parts of the world, installations in 2013 will likely be disappointing.

Globally, however, demand for solar power in 2013 looks promising despite the uncertainty surrounding the ChinaEuropean Union (EU) trade case. This is primarily due to the rise of Japan's solar market, which is on pace to install in excess of 7GW, compensating for the pullback in demand from Germany and Italy.

There seems to be more focus on eastern markets this year.

Attempting to diversifying its energy generation sources after the Fukushima disaster, the Ministry of economy, trade, and industry (METI) in Japan announced a 10% cut in tariffs

to about 짜38 (roughly $0.40) starting April 1, 2013 one of the most generous solar feed-in-tariffs in the world, and this has helped spur growth.

China, another large eastern market, is looking at solar power as a solution to the serious air pollution problems. Also, the providing of billions of dollars in credit to Chinese manufacturers by Chinese banks to ramp-up capacity resulted in massive overcapacity, which led to a steep fall in panel prices, leading to anti-dumping cases. With the announcement of an 11.8% provisional anti-dumping tariff by the European Union, which could escalate to 47.6% by August 2013, there is a serious push towards new subsidies and programs to stimulate domestic demand.

MNRE to grade solar rooftop equipment The Government of India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in New Delhi is working on an exercise to grade solar rooftop equipment.

The contours of the grading scheme are being worked out, but the grading would be similar to the 'star rating' given by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on electrical appliances.

The need to grade solar equipment has to be seen in the context of the surge in demand for putting up solar rooftop projects. The Ministry gives a 30% subsidy for rooftop projects up to 1.0 kW capacity. The demand for subsidy has gone up 4-5 times.

The target for solar rooftop projects to be put up under Phase I of the National Solar Mission was 200 MW. Against this, the Ministry has sanctioned projects worth 240 MW. In the Phase II of the National Solar Mission, MNRE wants to promote 800 MW of rooftop capacity over four years. The demand for subsidies will be for about 200 MW each year, compared with 240 MW in the last three years.

Discoms to benefit Various state distribution companies that enter into agreements with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to buy solar-generated power would stand to benefit immensely, as they would get power at Rs. 5.50 a kWhr for the next 25 years. Bidders will bid for a capital grant from the Government that will help them meet bridge any viability gap in putting up a solar PV project and selling power from that project to SECI at a fixed tariff of Rs 5.45 a unit. Winning bidders will be those who demand least grant.

SECI, in turn, will supply the power it buys from these projects to various state electricity distribution companies.

The government of India-owned SECI is, however, yet to enter into back-to-back agreements with the distribution companies for selling power at Rs. 5.50 a unit.

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representatives.

Biomass power industry seeks generation-based incentive

Biomass-based power projects use agriculture waste and other woody matter as fuel to generate electricity. There are over 1,250 MW of biomass-based power plants but more than half these units are not able to operate because of high fuel costs and low power tariff.

Biomass power plant owners are seeking generationbased incentive along the lines of that extended to wind power projects.

According to an industry representative, biomass fuel now costs around Rs. 2600-3000 a tonne. The tariff for electricity generated from this source is Rs. 4.85 a unit which does not cover the fuel cost which is estimated at Rs. 5.20 a unit of electricity.

The Indian Biomass Power Association, a newly formed body to represent the cause of this category of renewable energy, has written to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to consider extending the incentive which is now available to wind energy sector.

The units that are in operation manage by selling electricity to private players at a higher cost under the open access system, the representative said.

The Government had announced generation-based incentive for wind energy projects in the Budget. The wind power will get Rs. 0.50 a unit of electricity as incentive up to a ceiling of Rs. 1 crore a MW. This incentive had been available up to March 2012 and encouraged investments in wind energy. After it was withdrawn in April 2012, investments were down by more than half, according to wind energy

The sector is not supported by other policy measures like renewable purchase obligation ensuring that electricity utilities buy a portion of their power requirement from this source along the lines available to wind and solar power, he said.

Bahrain students develop water producing fuel cell car A group of Bahrain University students have developed a new hydrogen fuel cell car that could produce drinking water.

exhaust.

The water that the engine produces is too pure for human use, but with the addition of some salts it can actually produce high quality drinking water. Al Balooshi explained that hydrogen fuel cell technology is viable in the region as most of the chemical required can be attained as a byproduct of oil drilling, which is not being utilised locally.

He also said the solar-powered car, which has a theoretical top speed of 105kmh, is still in its production phase.

The first-of-its-kind prototype in the Middle East is being displayed at the fourth Energy and Water Conservation Expo and Forum which was launched on June 17, 2013 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

“The car is still in phase one, which means at this point it is not covered and it is just a functioning skeleton at the moment,” said Al Balooshi. “We are waiting for our sponsors to provide the funding for the body. As soon as that happens the final shape of the car will be ready.”

The developers have not decided what to do with the finished project in terms of selling the design to an international car manufacturer or possibly creating a local energy efficient vehicle manufacturing facility.

The engineering students, who are all part of the university's Go Green 2013 project, have been developing alternative energy products, including a solar-powered car.

“We are actually building two new modified vehicles solar and hydrogen fuel cell,” said team leader Ahmed Mohamed Al Balooshi. “The hydrogen fuel cell is the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East which runs on hydrogen fuel by sucking in oxygen and hydrogen. The engine produces electricity and pure water as a by-product which come out of the

Al Balooshi is excited about the possibilities, but said the vehicle is still in its research and development stage and would be a while before a fully tested concept car is unveiled. He said most of the interest for the development of the energy efficient vehicles has come from petroleum companies who have seen the potential of using such vehicles onsite. “The petroleum companies want to use the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in their plants,” said Al Balooshi. “It would be used inside their closed workshops or in malls as it produces almost no emissions. They have even talked about mass production as it is a vehicle that can be used indoors in places like malls.”

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The stadiums and their solar arrays will help reduce their use of gridsupplied energy. But they'll also demonstrate the power and benefits of solar to billions of soccer fans around the planet. Since Brazil is hosting the Olympics in 2016, some of the stadiums will also be used for events

As soccer-loving Brazil preps for hosting FIFA's World Cup in 2014, at least seven of its stadiums are incorporating solar arrays to provide on-site power generation for one of the world's largest sporting events. At least two of the installations were recently completed, one in the capitol city Brasiliaone of the first few LEED Platinum stadiums in the worldand another in Rio De Janeiro. More installations are on the way.

in that worldwide event.

Brazil's President, Dilma Rousseff inaugurated the National Stadium Mane Garrincha during the 2013 Brasilia's Championship soccer game between the Brasilia and Brasiliense soccer teams. The stadium also hosted the opening match of the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 between Brazil and Japan on June 15.

Next year it will host seven of the World Cup matches in Brazil,

Budget 2013: Waste to energy to get a boost India's Union Finance Minister, P Chidambaram promised to incentivise waste-to-energy projects that would come up through public private partnership mode with city municipalities and are neutral to different technologies. This is a much needed welcome step. India's waste to energy potential is enormous and the country has solid waste of around 55 Million tonnes besides 38 Billion litres of sewage every year barring the industrial wastes, according to Indresh Batra,

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including the game for the second runner up.

Brazil also recently reopened the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The retrofit of the stadium includes a solar array as well, and the stadium also is trying to qualify for LEED status. “It is a smart building. You collect water from the surface. There are fifty thousand square meters for collecting the water, which may be used in the toilets. The roof's compression ring has solar power panels. It is not much now, but in the future we'll be able to use the roof's membrane for solar power. The technology for this is still being developed,� stated Icaro Moreno Junior, president of the Rio de Janeiro State Public Construction Company, which rebuilt the stadium.

The stadium in Brasilia may be the first to achieve LEED Platinum status, the highest status awarded by the Green Building Council. Its rooftop features a 2.2 megawatt photovoltaic array. All the materials from the former stadium were collected and reused on and off-site. The stadium also stores rainwater in five tanks, where it is filtered and treated to be reused in the toilets and for irrigating the pitch, according to Brazil's World Cup site. In the coming months more of the solar-powered stadiums will come online as Brazil attempts to hold the most sustainable World Cup to date.

Managing Director, Jindal SAW Ltd.

a move Jindal ITF welcomes," says Mr Batra.

Government will support municipalities that will implement waste-to-energy projects through different instruments such as viability gap funding, repayable grant and low cost capital, said the FM.

According Delhi based Kuick Research Class I cities contribute 72% to Municipal Solid Waste in urban area and by 2021 towns will contribute 60%.

"Impetus given to Waste to energy projects undertaken by municipalities by giving them viability gap funding will encourage more cities to adopt waste-to-energy projects...

This will further boost more Schemes to allow the cities and municipalities to take up waste to energy projects on PPP mode will encourage more waste - to - energy project,

Budget 2013: FM says to reintroduce generation based incentive for wind power projects The government will reintroduce 'generation based incentives' for wind power projects after a break of one year to boost capacity addition in the sector, said Finance Minister P. Chidambaram while presenting the Union Budget 2013-14.

The minister said that Rs. 800 crore would be allocated to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to support the incentive. Past few years, the wind energy

While the extension of 801A was on expected lines, the provisioning of concessional loans from IREDA through NCEF and Grants for Waste-To-Energy projects to Municipalities is also likely to further up the investor sentiment.

sector thrived even as other sectors missed targets due to incentives such as generation-based incentives (GBI) and accelerated depreciation (AD). But from April 2012, the government rolled back the GBI, which gave independent power producers a benefit of 50 paise for every unit of power generated.

The accelerated depreciation benefit, which allowed project developers to write off 80% of the project value in the first year as depreciation and reduced their tax burden, was also withdrawn. Due to the roll back of incentives, India may be able to add only 1,500 MW of new wind energy capacity in the fiscal year 2012-13, missing the target of 2,500 MW set at the beginning of the year. India has an ambitious target of acquiring 15% of its power needs, or 80,000 MW, from renewable sources by 2020, with an investment of Rs. 1.5 lakh crore.

Wind energy was pegged as a key growth driver with the sector targeting 15,000 MW of new capacity in the next five years.

India has a total installed renewable energy capacity of 26,000 MW, which comprises mainly wind power of 18,275 MW.

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Farmers look to the sun to power their IP sets

since many years. Even in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu farmers have switched over to renewable energy resources to pump groundwater. They had reduced electricity consumption, cut down energy costs to the government and achieved self-reliance, he said. He said 5 HP pumps could be operated on solar power and water could be drawn from a depth of 300 feet. In spite of certain limitations, it was a feasible option to switch over to solar-powered pumps.

Farmers, hit by frequent and unscheduled power cuts in Karnataka State, are showing interest in alternative sources of energy to power their irrigation pumpsets (IP sets). Despite their limitations, farmers here believe solar-powered IP sets can be used for at least four to five hours a day to draw groundwater without any interruptions and thus reduce their dependency on electricity. Farmers in some parts of the State have installed solar-powered pumps.

Claiming that farmers were ready to contribute their share for installing solar-powered pumpsets if the government gave 75% subsidy, he said alternative energy resources could also be explored for drip irrigation.

To promote green energy among growers, a group of farmers, at a pre-budget meeting in Bangalore on June 24, 2013, urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to announce 75% subsidy on solar-powered pumpsets. The State Budget is scheduled to be presented next month.

Many States, including Tamil Nadu, offer subsidy on solar-powered pumpsets.

“At a time when farm production is slumping for reasons such as inadequate power supply, the government can take the first step by making allocation in the budget to take this concept forward. At least, we are assured of power from alternative energy resources for four to five hours [a day]. We can use electricity on days when solar power cannot be harnessed much,” he said.

2.2 million IP sets

Renewable energy resources were being accepted by

President of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers' Association Kurubur Shanthakumar, who attended the meeting, told the press that 2.2 million irrigation pumpsets were being used by farmers in the State and each farmer spends nearly Rs. 2 lakh on installing a pump set. Also, the cost incurred on laying electricity lines for the IP sets, including installation of transformers and other works, was huge, he said.

However, one-time cost incurred on installing a solar-powered pump set was around Rs. 2.5 lakh.

Besides saving electricity, the government could also save on the cost incurred on operations, he said.

“Farmers cannot expect uninterrupted power supply despite government promises; this has resulted in crops loss and slump in overall farm production. Our aim is to boost food production besides cutting down on power consumption and reducing dependency on electricity,” Mr. Shanthakumar said. He said he had met farmers in Maharashtra who were using solar-powered pumpsets

farmers in the State, he said, and added that some growers in Belgaum district were using solar-powered pump set. This needs to be expanded with government support, he said. In the perennially drought-prone Chamarajnagar district, there were about 25,000 IP sets.

The number was more in Mysore district, he added.

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Forest Act responsible for power crisis: Aryadan

Kerala's solar dreams wilt away even before takeoff The discouraging response to the '10,000 Roof-Top Solar Power Plant' project, the baby step towards making 2.5 million households switch over to solar power, has put a big question mark over the state's move to tap alternative energy sources. Only 30% of the 10,000 houses selected for the 1.0 kW Roof-Top Solar Power Plant project have placed work orders.

“10,000 households were selected, letters were sent out and orientation classes were also held. But the response is alarmingly poor,” according to K. George of Chemtrols Solar, one of the 25 solar agencies empanelled by state nodal agency ANERT (Alternative and New Energy and Rural Technology) to implement the project. Chemtrols could install roof-top plants in only 40 households. Even big empanelled players like Tata Power Solar Systems have not been able to install roof-top plants in more than 200 houses.

“People expected too much from solar power,” said Jimmy,

Kerala State's power minister Aryadan Muhammad said that Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 was standing in the way of the state's development. “The state has the potential to generate 6000 MW but all that we have managed in the last 55 years is just 2800 MW. Projects worth 700 MW have been awaiting environment clearance for years and are as good as lost,” Aryadan said. “We require these 700 MW to pull ourselves out of the current power crisis,” he added. “The high density of population has made the implementation of solar and wind projects difficult in the state,” Aryadan said. He said by 2017, the demand will rise to 4300 MW.

Plastic waste burns to give cooking gas A team of researchers from the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) in Kerala, has developed a technology that converts plastic waste into cooking gas, without causing pollution.

According to the team, led by Lisa Sreejith, associate professor, Department of Chemistry, NIT-C and N. Sitaraman, retired chemistry professor of the institute, the cost-effective and eco-friendly breakthrough was achieved through a thermo-chemical decomposition of the shredded waste plastic at an elevated temperature in the absence of oxygen.

“As much as 750 ml of gas can be produced from a mere four grams of plastic waste using the technology (750 litre from 4 kg),” said Dr. Lisa. Apart from the gas, other costly chemicals including the plasticizers employed to make plastic more pliable, can also be extracted during the process, she said.

a service provider for both Adithya Solar Power Systems and Moser Baer Solar. It is not a substitute for KSEB power. A 1.0 kW solar plant cannot work power loads like fridge, mixie, AC and motor pump. More than 50% of a household's power requirements will still have to be met from KSEB.

Unlike in the existing recycling system, no plastic item is rejected in the new method. “The trials have been successful in disintegrating all kinds of plastics including polythene, bottles, bags, tyres, charring plastics such as toffee covers and thermocol,” said Dr. Lisa.

There is also a commercial disadvantage. Even with a subsidy of Rs. 92,262, a household will have to shell out Rs. 1 lakh or more for setting up a roof-top plant. Then, there is the recurring battery cost of Rs. 40,000 every six to seven years. Many registered households were denied rooftop green energy because they refused to cut down huge shade trees within their premises. “We cannot set up solar panels under a tree shade,” said Jintu of Tata Power Solar Systems.

According to Dr. Lisa, a plant for processing 100 tonnes of plastic waste daily can be set up at an estimated cost of Rs.2.5 crore. “This includes machinery and storage facilities for gas in liquid form as it is done in refineries,” she said.

Dr. Lisa said that her team has submitted the project to various State and Central funding agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology of the Union government for approval and the the patent filing process also is in progress.

With power curbs abut to be lifted, agencies fear further drop in interest. “Why should a household invest on solar power when it gets uninterrupted and cheap KSEB power?,” asked Jimmy.

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