EQ Magazine January 2017 Edition

Volume # 9 | Issue # 1 | January 2017 | Rs.5/-

*BLOOMBERG Q3, 2016

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

OWNER :

FirstSource Energy INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

PLACE OF PUBLICATION :

95-C, Sampat Farms, Bicholi Mardana Distt-Indore 452016, Madhya Pradesh, INDIA Tel. + 91 96441 22268 Tel. + 91 96441 33319

www.EQMagPro.com

EDITOR & CEO :

ANAND GUPTA anand.gupta@EQmag.net

PUBLISHER :

ANAND GUPTA

PRINTER :

ANAND GUPTA

TRENDS & ANALYSIS

SAUMYA BANSAL GUPTA saumya.gupta@EQmag.net

PUBLISHING COMPANY DIRECTORS: ANIL GUPTA

ANITA GUPTA

CONSULTING EDITOR : SURENDRA BAJPAI

SALES & MARKETING : GOURAV GARG gourav.garg@EQmag.net

SUBSCRIPTIONS :

ASHISH HARDIA ashish.eq@gmail.com

DESIGN & GRAPHIC DIRECTOR : ANKIT PANDEY (Sahil)

DESIGNER :

ANAND VADIYA

PRINTING PRESS :

SHREE GRAPHICS, 74-75, HAMMAL COLONY INDORE (MADHYA PRADSH) Disclaimer,Limitations of Liability While every efforts has been made to ensure the high quality and accuracy of EQ international and all our authors research articles with the greatest of care and attention ,we make no warranty concerning its content,and the magazine is provided on an>> as is <<basis.EQ international contains advertising and third â&#x20AC;&#x201C;party contents.EQ International is not liable for any third- party content or error,omission or inaccuracy in any advertising material ,nor is it responsible for the availability of external web sites or their contents The data and information presented in this magazine is provided for informational purpose only.neither EQ INTERNATINAL ,Its affiliates,Information providers nor content providers shall have any liability for investment decisions based up on or the results obtained from the information provided. Nothing contained in this magazine should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sale any securities. The facts and opinions stated in this magazine do not constitute an offer on the part of EQ International for the sale or purchase of any securities, nor any such offer intended or implied Restriction on use The material in this magazine is protected by international copyright and trademark laws. You may not modify,copy,reproduce,republish,post,transmit,or distribute any part of the magazine in any way.you may only use material for your personall,Non-Commercial use, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices.If you want to use material for any non-personel,non commercial purpose,you need written permission from EQ International.

C ONTEN T

VOLUME 9 Issue # 1

46

RESEARCH & ANALYSIS 2016 :THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF ENERGY -A BEGINNING

60 ENERGY STORAGE Overview Of Energy Storage System In India & Their Future

23 Hero Future Energies Raises Fresh Equity Of Us $ 125 Million To Fund Growth Plans

62 CASE STUDY The Largest Solar Plant For A Government Academic Institute In Karnataka

By Clean Max Solar

64

70

SOLAR INVERTERS Huawei Smart IV Curve Diagnosis- Fast, Comprehensive, Automated Fault Detection for PV Modules

SOLAR INVERTERS Fronius And Victron Energy Are Now Extending Their Collaboration To The Indian Subcontinent

50

40

24 Solar is no longer a “Back-up” energy, it’s increasingly becoming an alternate primary energy, driven by the distinct trend of being more cost-effective.

Solar is mankind’s next energy resource.

17

INDIA Ganges Internationale to install 10 MW ground mount structure at Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams

FEATURED NEWS A new dawn in Renewable Energy- India attains 4th position in global wind power installed capacity

Solar Market Outlook For 2017

By MENA NEW ENERGY

12 Power ministry projects fund requirement of Rs 10 lakh crore over five years through 2022

08 Vikram Solar appoints Nimish Jain as Head of Global Module Sales

28 GCL Ranks Second on Global Top 500 New Energy Enterprises List

38

37 26

Oil India Limited rolls out solar power plant for eco-tourism project

FEATURED States with over 90% of Total DISCOM Debts to be covered under UDAY after Tamil Nadu comes on board

DISTRIBUTED SOLAR

Microgrids: The Potential to Power India’s Future

72

57

SOLAR INVERTERS

SOLAR SHOW

Ginlong Technology Pioneered The Launch Of 4Th Generation Inverter Technology

European Solar Market Installs 1.56 Gw In Third Quarter 2016, Down 10% Year-On-Year

43

Shri Deepak Gupta rejoining NSEFI as Director General

56 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Ms. Dany Qian, Vice President, Jinko Solar

NEWS & ANALYSIS Pg. 08-45 PRODUCT Pg. 74-77

m

www.jasolar.co

unshine Harvest the S ium Modules , Prem

Premium Cells

INDIA

Vikram Solar appoints Nimish Jain as Head of Global Module Sales Vikram Solar, the globally recognized leading solar energy solutions provider, recentlyannounced the appointment of its new Head of Global Module Sales- Nimish Jain. In the given role,

Mr. Ivan Saha

President & CTO, Vikram Solar

Mr. Nimish Jain Head of Global

Module Sales, Vikram Solar

10

EQ

January 2017

As we enter into the next phase of our growth, Nimish’s appointment is anticipated to bring in a fresh perspective to our sales operations and our overall growth strategy. He is a result driven professional with proven success in P&L.

The coming years are going to be important for the entire solar segment and therefore I intend to set my best foot forward, as I unravel a new chapter of my career with Vikram Solar. As the wheel rolls uphill for the solar segment, keeping pace with the fast evolving segment, I aspire to contribute meaningfully to the company’s growth and achieve new miles stones in terms of expansion, both geographically and financially.

H

e would be responsible for driving sales in both domestic and international markets. He would also supervise the accomplishments of targets and P&L of the year, along with recruiting and managing the sales team. Talking about Nimish’s expertise and expressing his optimism for the days to come, Business Management, sales, marketing, strategic planning and International Business.

We hope this association is a lasting one and is conducive not only for the growth of the company, but also helps him grow personally.”

With around 9 years of experience in the Solar PV segment, Nimish, in his most recent stint was associated with Jinko Solar as its Deputy Director – APAC, where he was responsible for the complete business operations in SE Asia. Additionally, he has held leadership positions in renowned companies like, SMA Solar and Reliance Industries Limited. Commenting on the occasion, Nimish is an MBA in sales and marketing from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, and has been conferred with awards like “The Outstanding Achievement Award” at World HRD Congress and “Global Solar Energy Leadership Award” at Solar Energy Global Conference and Award.

www.EQMagPro.com

7.91 % ADVANTAGE

6.93 % ADVANTAGE

9000

8.19 % ADVANTAGE

8500

MW hrs

8000

7500

7000

6500

6000

POLYSILICON PLANT

2013

FIRST SOLAR PLANT

2014

2015

Generation data from co-located PolySilicon Plant and First Solar Plant of Sunkon Energy Pvt Ltd, at Ghespur, Amreli Distt, Gujarat, India

TURNING ENERGY PREDICTIONS INTO REALITIES Year after year, First Solar’s advanced thin film PV modules deliver 6-9 percent more energy in India’s hot and humid climate.* Which means you can generate more solar energy on less land.

Bankable, affordable and reliable. First Solar gives you certainty you can take to the bank.

*Compared to polysilicon-based modules

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Suzlon Partners with AMP So- C&S Electric lar for 15 MW Solar Project in Anounces its new Telangana Joint Venture A project of 15 MW located at the Achampet site, which is part of a group of 210 MW projects won through competitive bidding in Telangana

company for US market

Pune, India: Suzlon Group, one of the leading renewable energy solutions provider in the world, today announced a joint venture with AMP Solar for the development and construction of a 15 MW Solar PV Project located at Achampet, Mahaboobnagar District, Telangana.

A

ccording to the contract signed between Suzlon Group and the AMP Solar on December 21, 2016, the AMP Solar shall acquire a 49% stake in Rudra Solarfarms Limited, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set-up by Suzlon for executing this project. AMP Solar has the option to acquire the balance of the 51% stake in the SPV in the future in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations. The off-taker of the SPV project will be the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL). Suzlon will be responsible for project commissioning and to provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services for a period of 25 years. The project is expected to be commissioned in the financial year 2017 (FY17). Suzlon won solar projects of 210 MW in Telangana through a competitive bidding process and the PPAs for the same were signed in February, 2016. These include one project of 100 MW, one of 50 MW and four projects of 15 MW each.

Pinaki Bhattacharyya

CEO, AMP Solar

“Our vision is to become the leading global solar energy platform by creating geographically focused, structured portfolios of assets that have attractive risk-adjusted return profiles. And this partnership has been yet another step towards our vision. Indian market is presently booming for the renewable industry and this shall be beneficial to our investors and stakeholders. We are happy to be associated with Suzlon and shall work in synergy towards our common goal of reducing and bringing the carbon footprint down.”

“The global renewable energy sector is witnessing a huge momentum. We are glad to partner with AMP Solar. For Suzlon, this project is a contribution towards our commitment for reducing the carbon footprint and transitioning of renewables from alternate to mainstream source of energy. We look forward to work collaboratively with AMP Solar and contribute towards promoting green energy.”

12

EQ

January 2017

J.P. Chalasani

T

he leading electrical and electronic product manufacturer in India is pleased to announce the formation of its new joint venture company TC Electric Control LLC for serving US market. TC Electric Controls will operate out of its office in Schaumburg Illinois with warehousing facilities in Sterling IL and Melbourne Florida. TC Electric capabilities include stocking as well as local engineering support. TC Electric’s goal is to serve the broader long term interest of C&S Electric as a whole in the region.

An important part of this will be supporting its existing customers with local support and by working together as needed to grow its business. The product lines for Joint Venture will include Controlgear and Switchgear products used for power distribution, control & protection application for various facilities ranging from commercial and industrial facilities to utilities and power generation facilities.

Group CEO, Suzlon

www.EQMagPro.com

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Power ministry projects fund requirement of Rs 10 lakh crore over five years through 2022

“The requirement of funds for generation projects for 2017-2022 has been assessed based on total capacity addition of 72,495 MW consisting of 50,025 MW of coal and lignite-based power stations, 4,340 MW of gas-based power stations, 15,330 MW of hydro generation and 2,800 MW of nuclear generation,”

T

CEA in the draft NEP, inviting stakeholders’ comments on the document.

CEA said the fund requirement has been assessed based on assumptions of cost per MW for various types of generation projects based on present day costs and yearwise phasing of expenditure.

It clarified the estimate does not include funds required for Renovation and Maintenance of power plants and captive generation projects.

14

EQ

January 2017

he power ministry has projected a mammoth fund requirement of Rs 10.33 lakh crore over the next five years (2017-22) for completion of the targeted electricity generation capacity during the period. This is a 40 per cent jump over the funding requirement of Rs 6.43 lakh crore estimated in 2012 for meeting the targets of powercapacity addition in the current plan period ending March 2017.

The estimate for the five year period between 2017 and 2022 includes Rs 8.59 lakh crore for setting up 72,000 Megawatt (MW) capacity in the conventional space and an additional 115,000 MW in the renewable energy sector, apart from Rs 1.74 lakh crore funding for what the ministry calls “advance action” for the period 2022-27.The estimates are part of the draft of the National Electricity Plan (NEP) document compiled by the ministry’s technical and planning wing Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The document is prepared every five years for smooth commissioning of the targeted power capacity projects.

For the five year period beyond 2022, the ministry has estimated fund requirement to the tune of Rs 6 lakh crore. “The fund requirement for the period 2022-27 has been calculated based on capacity addition of 1,16,800

MW consisting of 0 MW thermal, 12,000 MW hydro, 4,800 MW nuclear and 1,00,000 MW renewable capacity addition,” the CEA said.

CEA said the fund requirements for 2022-27 have been assessed based on assumptions of cost per megawatt for various types of generation projects based on escalation of 20 per cent of present day costs, except for solar projects, the cost of which has been retained and year-wise phasing of expenditure. The document also states 70 per cent of the cost of central sector projects and 80 per cent of the cost of state sector projects would be met through debt. For private sector projects, the debt component has been assumed at 75 per cent.

The NEP document also states debt for the projects would be sourced through domestic term loans from banks, financial institutions and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). The government would also source debt from domestic bonds and foreign currency loans in addition to a $1-1.5 billion fund that would be set up through the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (Ltd) for renewable projects.

www.EQMagPro.com

If things never change, what would happened to the world?

This is a television of 30 years ago.

R&D, science and technology give life to innovation and evolution. Innovation always brings technological improvements, while evolution is necessary to reach the best results.

BACKSHEETS CAN CHANGE FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE FILMBACK (PET 185//PRIMER120)

MLP

Over 3000 hrs of DHT Superior UV resistance High reflectivity PDT 1200 VDC RTI 140°C

Filmback MLP represents a NEW GENERATION of backsheets with an innovative and performing PET MONOLAYER high grade, UV stable and hydrolysis resistant that is the ULTIMATE SOLUTION in terms of durability, performance and cost reduction.

www.filmcutter.it info@filmcutter.it

featured

Ambiguity around GST hurting project planning: ReNew

Mr. Sumant Sinha CEO, ReNew Power Ventures

Q:

A:

The much anticipated rollout of India’s biggest tax reform, Goods and Services Tax (GST), may come as a bit of a negative surprise to the country’s booming renewable industry. In a report assessing the probable implications of GST, the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) estimated that after GST implementation, the cost of setting up and operations will increase by 12-16 percent for grid-connected solar photovoltaic projects and 16-20 percent for off-grid solar projects. It also estimated an increase of 11-15 percent in wind energy project costs. If the assessment is correct, the new tax regime will force a tariff hike and may counter the government’s push towards cleaner sources of energy.

Speaking to Moneycontrol, Sumant Sinha, CEO of ReNew Power Ventures, one of India’s largest clean energy company outlined his views on what the new tax regime has in store for the industry.

What are your first thoughts on the development till now and how do you see it impacting the renewable sector and your business?

The country’s move to the single tax system is a welcome move. The underlying rationale is to do away with the anomalies found in existing regime such as multiple taxes etc. The recent developments suggest that lawmakers are working hard on building consensus and necessary procedures to get a proper shape to the new GST regime.

The consensus on GST rates and the announcement of different slab rates is a step in such direction, however the exact list of goods and services which would get covered in such slabs is yet to come – which the lawmakers must prescribe at the earliest. In general, on the impact of GST on renewable power generation sector, the sector presently is subject to several tax exemptions/incentives which results in our ability to procure capital goods/ input and thus set up projects at a lower tax cost. If these incentives are taken away in the GST regime, it would enhance the costs. We urge the lawmakers to be considerate towards the sector and look at long term potential and benefits that the sector can generate for the economy. There is a definite need for clarity on exact goods and services which will be subject to tax at a particular rate as per the slabs to clearly determine the impact on sector.

majority of projects in the renewable energy space are conceptualised factoring in the costs for equipment, land costs and other factors. If the input is taxed at rates that are higher than the current rates, the final landed costs of power will be higher making it unviable when compared with the power generated through traditional means such as coal. It is therefore imperative that the current benefits to renewable industry continue in the GST regime as well.

Q: A:

Q: Q:

A:

16

How do you see this impacting the various exemptions on capital goods and inputs used in the renewable energy projects?

In the existing tax regime (pre-GST), renewable power projects – both wind and solar are subject to several exemptions/tax incentives such as excise and custom duty exemption, VAT exemption, refund etc. Thus, it is possible to procure capital goods/inputs for power projects with a lower tax cost. This in turn has helped companies expand capacities and provide a boost to India’s commitment to generate 175 GW power through renewable means by 2022. In the GST draft law available as on date, power (output for our projects) has been made GST exempt and there has not been any discussion to provide any incentive etc. to our sector on input side. The ambiguity on input is detrimental since a

EQ

January 2017

A:

How does this impact the pricing gains the industry has seen over the past two years?

It is important to understand that the benefits that were granted to renewable energy industry in the pre GST regime have been instrumental in driving the growth of industry. Single biggest impact of these benefits was the fall in price of power to Rs 4.00/kWh unit which attracted interest from global players in this sector. Should these benefits go, considering that there is an ambiguity on the input costs we will most definitely see an escalation in the per unit cost of power generated through renewable energy. Depending upon the classification, the costs for the project and the quotes that developers offer will get revised upwards. Clarity therefore on categorisation of goods and services will be most beneficial.

With the four-slab tax structure in place now, what more clarity does the solar industry seek?

The four slab structure is a first step to drive consensus between the federal and state authorities. We do not have a clarity on which goods and services are getting covered in these categories. Therefore there is an urgent need for the authorities to look at this sector and offer some clarity on what rates will be applicable to what goods and services. This will help developers estimate with clarity their procurement costs and taxes around them. The draft law also mentions a zero rated supply which covers exports. The ambiguity is hurting the project planning and will lead to delays, hence it is imperative that authorities look at inclusion of supplies of input and capital goods to renewable power projects as zero rated supply and help facilitate the growth of industry.

www.EQMagPro.com

30 + YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

2000

+

30+ years Experience in energy & power conditioning systems

Public Listed Company with large market capitalization

100 MW state-of-art manufacturing faciltiy at Bangalore, India

An Independent Power Producer with SPV projects developed under various national and state schemes

Over 45 MW Solar PV Projects with 2000 rooftop installations

Excellent after-sales service 3 decades of experience /service centres across 250 locations

Ministry of New & Renewable Energy Channel Partner with SP1A Rating

An ESCO empanelled company

by BEE & IMS Certified company

Strong Business Tie-ups Elite customers from Corporates, Banks, Govt.

Educational, Industrial etc.,

Turnkey Solution Provider For high-quality solar PV modules and complete Balance of Systems with IEC/MNRE certifications

(Formerly known as NUMERIC POWER SYSTEMS LIMITED) SWELECT HOUSE, No 5, Sir P.S. Sivasamy Salai, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004, Tamil Nadu, India.

Tel: +91 44 2499 3266 Fax: +91 44 2499 5179 Toll Free No. Email: info@swelectes.com 1800 425 9600 www.swelectes.com

featured

Engie: Renewables Could Drag Oil Prices Down to $10 a Barrel The oil industry must brace for five energy “tsunamis” that threaten to drag prices as low as $10 a barrel in less than a decade, according to Engie SA’s innovation chief. The falling cost of solar power and battery storage, rising sales of electric vehicles, increasingly smart buildings and cheap hydrogen will all weigh on crude, Thierry Lepercq, head of research, technology and innovation at the French energy company, said in an interview.

U

18

EQ

kraine wants to attract investors to the designated exclusion area around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site. The government plans to present the site to potential investors at the upcoming Expo 2017 exposition in Kazakhstan.

Recently, the Ukrainian government maintains a 30-kilometer-wide exclusion zone around the nuclear plant. Part of the area, which is affected by high radiation and limited to 10 kilometers away from the blown-up power plant, will remain closed. The rest of the territory, which is safe, will be designated as a nature reserve, the Minister for Regional Development Hennadiy Zubko said in an interview with Ukrinform on Dec. 27.

The solar power plan has already attracted some interest from Chinese investors. GCL System Integration Technology announced in November that it intended to cooperate with China National Complete Engineering on building a solar farm in the exclusion zone. The status of that project remains unclear.

Salon: Here Comes the Sun — Elon Musk’s Ambitious Solar Panel Factory Vision Highlights the Challenges of a Globalized Economy.

Old rail cars and giant turbines discovered by construction workers in 2014 have been put on display as a symbol of what the construction site represents: turning a blighted part of downtown into a high-tech manufacturing hub. The equipment had been buried and left behind by Republic Steel when globalization sent one of the nation’s biggest steelmakers into insolvency and collapse in 1984, helping turn Buffalo into one of the nation’s poorest larger Rust Belt cities.Now thanks to hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, the site is part of New York Governor.

Andrew Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion initiative, an ambitious effort to breathe new economic life into upstate New York.

If all goes as planned, the SolarCity factory will anchor a development zone that will include centers of genomic research and information technology, creating thousands of jobs locally and for the state.

Donald Trump’s election has generated significant and legitimate concerns over the future of federal clean energy policy, with campaign promises disavowing global warming and promoting traditional energy sources such as coal and fracking. With this in mind, observers may worry about America’s solar industry outlook. But the incoming administration portends very little change in the U.S. solar market’s velocity for at least several years and it may mark solar’s coming-of-age moment as a market-driven force independent of federal policy. In fact, very little additional federal support is absolutely needed to keep solar growing in 2017 and beyond.

January 2017

Bloomberg: Big Utility Sees Pathway to $10 Oil “Even if oil demand continues to climb until 2025, its price could drop to $10 if markets anticipate a significant fall in demand,” Lepercq said at his office near Paris. Crude last slumped to that level in 1998. “Solar, battery storage, electrical and hydrogen vehicles, ‘J’ curve,” he said.

“Hydrogen is the missing link in a 100 percent renewable-energy system, but the technological bricks already exist.”

www.EQMagPro.com

featured

A new dawn in Renewable Energy- India attains 4th position in global wind power installed capacity 46.33 GW grid-interactive power; 7,518 MW of grid-connected power; 1502 MW Wind power capacity added; Small hydro power capacity reaches 4323 MW, 92305 Solar Pumps installed, 38,000 crore Green Energy Corridor is being set up; Surya Mitra” mobile App launched , Solar Tariff as low as Rs 3/unit

A

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has taken several steps to fructify Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream of clean energy. The largest renewable capacity expansion programme in the world is being taken up by India.

The government is aiming to increase share of clean energy through massive thrust in renewables. Core drivers for development and deployment of new and renewable energy in India have been Energy security, Electricity shortages, Energy Access, Climate change etc.

capacity addition of 14.30 GW of renewable energy has been reported during the last two and half years under Grid Connected Renewable Power, which include 5.8 GW from Solar Power, 7.04 GW from Wind Power, 0.53 from Small Hydro Power and 0.93 from Biopower. Confident by the growth rate in clean energy sector, the Government of India in its submission to the United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate Change on Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) has stated that India will achieve 40% cumulative Electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost International Finance including from Green Climate Fund. As on 31st October, 2016, Solar Energy Projects with an aggregate capacity of over 8727.62 MW has been installed in the country.

The government is playing an active role in promoting the adoption of renewable energy resources by offering various incentives, such as generation-based incentives (GBIs), capital and interest subsidies, viability gap funding, concessional finance, fiscal incentives etc. The National Solar Mission aims to promote the development and use of solar energy for power generation and other uses, with the ultimate objective of making solar energy compete with fossil-based energy options.

The objective of the National Solar Mission is to reduce the cost of solar power generation in the country through long-term policy, large scale deployment goals, aggressive R&D and

www.EQMagPro.com

the domestic production of critical raw materials, components and products. Renewable energy is becoming increasingly cost-competitive as compared to fossil fuel-based generation. In order to achieve the renewable energy target of 175 GW by the year 2022, the major programmes/ schemes on implementation of Solar Park, Solar Defence Scheme, Solar scheme for CPUs Solar PV power plants on Canal Bank and Canal Tops, Solar Pump, Solar Rooftop etc have been launched during the last two years.

Various policy measures have been initiated and special steps taken in addition to providing financial support to various schemes being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for achieving the target of renewable energy capacity to 175 GW by the year 2022. These include, inter alia, suitable amendments to the Electricity Act. Tariff Policy for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) and for providing Renewable Generation Obligation (RGO); setting up of exclusive solar parks; development of power transmission network through Green Energy Corridor project; identification of large government complexes/ buildings for rooftop projects; provision of roof top solar and 10 percent renewable energy as mandatory under Mission Statement and Guidelines for development of smart cities; amendments in building bye-laws for mandatory provision of roof top solar for new construction or higher Floor Area Ratio; infrastructure status for solar projects; raising tax free solar bonds;

EQ

January 2017

19

featured providing long tenor loans; making roof top solar as a part of housing loan by banks/ NHB; incorporating measures in Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for encouraging distribution companies and making net-metering compulsory and raising funds from bilateral and international donors as also the Green Climate Fund to achieve the target.

ESTIMATED POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGY The increased use of indigenous renewable resources is expected to reduce India’s dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels. India has an estimated renewable energy potential of about 900 GW from commercially exploitable sources viz.

Wind – 102 GW (at 80 meter mast height); Small Hydro – 20 GW; Bio-energy – 25 GW; and 750 GW solar power, assuming 3% wasteland

TARGETS The Government of India has set a target of 175 GW renewable power installed capacity by the end of 2022. This includes 60 GW from wind power, 100 GW from solar power, 10 GW from biomass power and 5 GW from small hydro power.

A target of 16660 MW grid renewable power (wind 4000 MW, solar 12000 MW, small hydro power 250 MW, bio-power 400 MW and waste to power 10 MW), has been set for 2016-17.

Besides, under off-grid renewable system, targets of 15 MW eq. waste to energy, 60 MW eq. biomass non-bagasse cogeneration, 10 MW eq. biomass gasifiers, 1.0 MW eq. small wind/hybrid systems, 100 MW eq. solar photovoltaic systems, 1.0 MW eq. micro hydel and 100,000 nos. family size biogas plants have been set for 2016-17.

The target set for the various renewable energy sources for the next three years are

ACHIEVEMENTS The details of year round initiatives and achievements of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy are as follows: Green Power Capacity Addition A total of 7,518 MW of grid-connected power generation capacity from renewable energy sources has been added so far this year (January 2016 to October 2016) in the country.

A total of 7060 MW of grid-connected power generation capacity from renewable energy sources like solar (3019 MW) and wind (3423 MW), Small Hydro Power (218 MW), Bio-Power (400 MW) has been added during 2015-16 in the country against target of 4,460 MW. During 2016-17, a total 3575 MW capacity has been added till 31.10.2016, making cumulative achievement 46,327 MW.

Sector-wise highlights of achievements · Largest ever wind power capacity addition of 3423 MW

in 2015-16 exceeding target by 43%. During 2016-17, a total 1502 MW capacity has been added till 31.10.2016, making cumulative achievement 28,279 MW. Now, in terms of wind power installed capacity India is globally placed at 4th position after China, USA and Germany.

·

Biggest ever solar power capacity addition of 3,019 MW in 2015-16 exceeding target by 116%. During 2016-17, a total 1750 MW capacity has been added till 31.10.2016, making cumulative achievement 8728 MW. 31,472 Solar Pumps installed in 2015-16, higher than total number of pumps installed during last 24 years i.e. since beginning of the programme in 1991. So far, 92305 Solar Pump have been installed in the Country as on 31.10.2016.

·

Solar projects of capacity 20,904 MW were tendered in 2015-16. Of these, 11,209 MW capacity already awarded.

· · SHARE OF RENEWABLE POWER IN TOTAL INSTALLED CAPACITY Economic growth, increasing prosperity, a growing rate of urbanisation and rising per capita energy consumption has increases the energy demand of the country. In order to meet the energy demand, India has total installed power generation capacity of 307.27 GW as on 31.10.2016 from all resources. With 46.33 GW installed renewable power capacity, the renewable power has a share of about 15% to the total installed capacity.

20

EQ

January 2017

·

A capacity addition of 0.53 GW has been added under Grid Connected Renewable Power since last two and half years from Small Hydro Power plants.

Biomass power includes installations from biomass combustion, biomass gasification and bagasse cogeneration. During 2016-17, against a target of 400 MW, 51 MW installations of biomass power plants has been achieved making a cumulative achievement to 4882 MW. Family Type Biogas Plants mainly for rural and semi- urban households are set up under the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP). During 2016-17, against a target of 1.00 lakh biogas plants, 0.26 lakh biogas plants installations has been achieved making a cumulative achievement to 49.35 lakh biogas plants as on 31.10.2016.

www.EQMagPro.com

featured The sector wise achievements from January 2016 to October are as follows: Programme/ Scheme wise Achievements in Year 2016 (January - October 2016)

·

·

Major Initiatives taken by Ministry Solar Power · Under National Solar Mission, the target for setting up solar capacity

increased from 20 GW to 100 GW by 2021-22. Target of 10,500 MW, set for 2016-17 which will take the cumulative capacity to 17 GW till 31st March 2017.

· · ·

Also, A total amount of Rs. 67.01 crore has been sanctioned for preparation of master plans, solar city cells, promotional activities and installation of renewable energy projects and an amount of Rs. 24.16 crore has been released, so far, under Solar City Programme.

Various departments and ministries under central government have collectively committed to deploying 5,938 MW of rooftop solar capacity for their internal power consumption. SECI is aggregating demand for a part of this requirement and helping in procuring rooftop solar systems.

www.EQMagPro.com

Under Defence scheme against a target of 300 MW, 347 MW sanctioned, under Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) scheme against a target of 1000 MW, all capacity sanctioned, under 3000 MW Bundling scheme, Tranch-I: 3000 MW has been tendered, under 100 MW Canal Bank/ Canal Top scheme, all capacity sanctioned, under 2000 MW & 5000 MW VGF Scheme, tenders issued for 4785 MW, and under 20,000 MW Solar Park scheme, 34 Solar parks have been approved in 21 States with aggregate capacity of 20,000 MW.

solar rooftops to be achieved by 2022 has been set. So far, about 500 MW have been installed and about 3,000 MW has been sanctioned which is under installation. All major sectors i.e. Railways, Airports, Hospitals, Educational Institutions, Government Buildings of Central/ State/PSUs are being targeted besides, the private sector.

34 Solar Parks of capacity 20,000 MW in 21 states have been sanctioned which are under various stages of execution.

As on 31.10.2016, a total of 90,710 solar pumps have been installed throughout the country.

Several schemes namely (i) Defence scheme (ii) Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) scheme (iii) Bundling scheme (iv) Canal Bank/ Canal Top scheme (v) VGF Scheme (vi) Solar Park scheme (vii) Solar rooftops, have been initiated/ launched by the Ministry under National Solar Mission which are under implementation.

Solar Rooftop · A target of 40 GW grid connected

As on date, 19,276 MW has been tendered out, of which LOI issued for 13,910 MW/PPA signed for 10,824 MW.

SECI has issued a tender for development of 1,000 MW rooftop solar capacity on pre-identified central government/ department owned buildings. It is the largest such tender in India’s fledgling rooftop solar market.

·

A massive Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Programme launched with 40 GW target. State Electricity Regulatory Commissions of 30 States/UTs notified regulations for net-metering/feed-in-tarif f mec hanism. Rs. 5 0 0 0 c rore approved for solar rooftops. About 500 MW solar rooftop capacity installed till 30.09.2016.

EQ

January 2017

21

featured

· ·

A total sanction of 1300 million dollars has been received from World Bank, KFW, ADB and NDB through which the SBI, PNB, Canara Bank and IREDA will be in the position to fund at the rate of less than 10%.

of 3.42 GW was made, which is highest ever wind power capacity addition in the country during a single year. The present wind power installed capacity in the country is around 28.28 GW. Now, in terms of wind power installed capacity India is globally placed at

4 position after China, USA and Germany. · India has a strong manufacturing base of wind power

equipment in the country. Presently, there are 20 approved manufacturers with 53 models of wind turbines in the country up to a capacity of 3.00 MW single turbines. Wind turbines being manufactured in India are of international quality standards and cost-wise amongst the lowest in the world being exported to Europe, USA and other countries.

·

· · ·

Family Size Biogas Plants mainly for rural and semi-urban households are set up under the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP). During 2016-17, against a target of 1.00 lakh biogas plants, 0.26 lakh biogas plants installations has been achieved making a cumulative achievement to 49.35 lakh biogas plants.

Off-Grid Solar Applications

· · ·

India has long coastline where there is a good possibility for developing offshore wind power projects. The cabinet has cleared the National Offshore Wind Energy Policy and the same has been notified on 6th October 2015.

Certain blocks near Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coast line have been identified. NIWE is in process of doing the wind resource assessment in these coastal areas.

· ·

Comprehensive Guidelines for Development of On-shore Wind Power Projects in the country have been formulated and issued on 22nd October 2016.

A special programme for 1,00,000 solar pumps launched of which 31,472 Solar Pumps installed in 2015-16, higher than total number of pumps installed during last 24 years i.e. since beginning of the programme in 1991.

Amendments in Tariff Policy to promote Renewable Energy Enhancement in Solar RPO to 8% by March 2022.

Introduction of RGO for New coal/lignite based thermal plants after specified date.

Ensuring affordable renewable power through bundling of renewable power.

No inter-state transmission charges and losses to be levied for solar and wind power.

Further, pursuant to the revised tariff policy, the Ministry of Power on 22nd July 2016 has notified the long term growth trajectory of RPO for solar and non-solar energy for next 3 years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 as under.

Guidelines for implementation of “Scheme for Setting up of 1000 MW Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) connected Wind Power Projects” issued on 22nd October 2016.

The Policy for Repowering of the Wind Power Projects has been released on

A capacity addition of 14.30 GW of renewable energy has been reported during the last two and half years under Grid Connected Renewable Power, 0.53 GW from Small Hydro Power.

22

Biomass power includes installations from biomass combustion, biomass gasification and bagasse cogeneration. During 2016-17, against a target of 400 MW, 51 MW installations of biomass power plants has been achieved making a cumulative achievement to 4882.33 MW.

Family Size Biogas Plants

The wind power potential of the country has been reassessed by the National Institute for Wind Energy (NIWE), it has been estimated to be 302 GW at 100 meter hub-height. Online wind atlas is available on NIWE website. This will create new dimension to the wind power development in the country.

Small Hydro Power

Ministry has tied up with ISRO for Geo tagging of all the Rooftop plants using ISRO’s VEDAS Portal.

Wind Power · During the year 2015-16, wind power capacity addition

·

Biomass Power

EQ

January 2017

IREDA

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has been awarded Mini Ratna Status and the authorised capital of IREDA is increased from Rs.1000 Cr. to Rs.6000 Cr. Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of ‘Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan’, an integrated headquarters building for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy was held on. The Foundation Stone was laid by Shri Piyush Goyal,

www.EQMagPro.com

featured

Installation of 200 MW or more Capacity Solar Power Plant at the Central State Farm at Jetsar, Rajasthan

T

he Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for utilization of 400 hectares of uncultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan for setting up of a solar Power Plant of capacity exceeding 200 MW. The land is presently in possession of National Seeds Corporation (NSC), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The Solar Power Plant will be set up by a CPSE, which would be selected through negotiation. The Project, by utilizing un-cultivable land for a Solar Power Project, will yield revenue for NSC and will also generate clean energy for the nation

www.EQMagPro.com

Green Energy Corridor Rs.38,000 crore Green Energy Corridor is being set up to ensure evacuation of Renewable Energy. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) has sought a Loan assistance of US$ 1,000 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) comprising of Sovereign guaranteed loan of US$ 500 million and Non-Sovereign loan of US$ 500 million. the Loan would be utilized for funding of the following transmission projects including a project under Green Energy Corridor projects in next 3-4 years: (i) HVDC Bipole link between Western Region (Raigarh, Chhattisgarh) and Southern Region (Pugalur, Tamil Nadu) North Trichur (Kerala)- Scheme 1: Raigarh-Pugalur 6000 MW HVDC

System. (ii) HVDC Bipole link between Western Region (Raigarh, Chhattisgarh) and Southern Region (Pugalur, Tamil Nadu) North Trichur (Kerala)- Scheme 3: Pugalur- Trichur 2000 MW VSC based HVDC System. (iii) Real Time Measurement/ monitoring scheme. (iv) Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) associated with Green Energy Corridor as under: a) Ajmer(New) – Bikaner (New) 765 kV D/c b) Bikaner(New) – Moga (PG) 765 kV D/c c) LILO of one circuit of 400kV BhadlaBikaner (RVPN) line at Bikaner(New) d) Establishment of 2x1500 MVA, 765/400 kV S/s at Bikaner (New)

EQ

January 2017

23

featured Enhancement of Budget

Ministry’s budget enhanced from Rs.1500 crore to Rs.9,000 crore (Rs.5,000 crore gross budgetary support + Rs.4,000 crore in way of bonds to be raised by IREDA) by 2016-17.

Other Initiatives · International Solar Alliance was launched as a

special platform for mutual cooperation among 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn at COP21 in Paris on 30th November, 2015 to develop and promote solar energy, with its headquarter in India. On 25th January, 2016, the Foundation Stone for the proposed Headquarters of the ISA was laid at Gurgaon, Haryana (India) and its interim Secretariat was inaugurated. The International Steering Committee (ISC) of the ISA has held four meetings so far. The Framework Agreement of ISA has been finalized after discussions with various stakeholders. It was presented in the fourth meeting of the ISC of ISA. The Framework Agreement of ISA has been signed by 20 member countries including India, France, Brazil and others on 15th November, 2016 at Marrakech, Morocco on the side-lines of COP-22.

LOWEST SOLAR TARIFFS

Solar tariffs have fallen to an unprecedented low of Rs. 4.34 / kWh through reverse auction for one of six projects of 70 MW each to be put up in Rajasthan under the National Solar Mission. NTPC on 18.01.2016 conducted the reverse bidding for 420 MW solar power projects However, the tariff had further fallen to Rs 3 per unit, which was quoted by Amplus Energy Solutions in an auction for rooftop solar power conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Surya Mitra Scheme has been launched for creating 50,000 trained solar photovoltaic technicians by march 2020. A total number of 5492 Surya Mitra’s have been trained as on 30.09.2016 and more than 3000 are undergoing training. A network of over 150 Institutions, spread all over the country, have been created for implementing Surya Mitra scheme.

In addition, short term training programmes for small hydro, entrepreneurship development, operation & maintenance of solar energy devices and boiler operations in co-generation plants, have been organised.About 7800 persons have been trained through these short term training programmes during the last two years.Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy launched “Surya Mitra” mobile App at National Workshop on Rooftop Solar Power on 07.06.2016.

The GPS based mobile app has been developed

by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) which is an autonomous institution of Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). The Surya Mitra Mobile App is currently available in Google play store, which can be downloaded and used across India. This App is a high end technology platform which can handle thousands of calls simultaneously and can efficiently monitor all visits of Suryamitra’s. The trained Suryamitra’s who opts for entrepreneurship have joined in the Mobile App in several states.

These Suryamitras are once again sensitized by NISE on soft skills Customer Relations Management, Punctuality and are now ready to deliver the services.

24

EQ

January 2017

·

Loans will be given to borrowers for purposes like solar based power generators, biomass based power generators, wind power systems, micro-hydel plants and for renewable energy based public utilities viz. Street lighting systems, and remote village electrification. For individual households, the loan limit will be Rs.10 lakh per borrower.

·

·

Bank loans up to a limit of Rs.15 crores

Coal cess has been increased 8 times Rs.50 to Rs.400/ton in last two years (2014-15) which will make available around Rs.40,000 crore/year for supporting and incentivizing development of Clean Energy projects in the country.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% is permitted under the automatic route for renewable energy generation and distribution projects subject to provisions of The Electricity Act, 2003.

www.EQMagPro.com

featured

HERO FUTURE ENERGIES RAISES FRESH EQUITY OF US $ 125 MILLION TO FUND GROWTH PLANS This association is also a validation of our core strengths in timely project delivery, unwavering focus on health safety & environment (HSE) standards, developmental capabilities, stringent asset quality standards and design and engineering skills. We will also aggressively focus on expanding our promising rooftop solar portfolio.”

H

ero Future Energies (HFE), the renewable energy firm of the Pawan Munjal-led Hero Group, recently raised US$ 125 million in equity infusion from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the private sector investment arm of the World Bank – and the IFC Global Infrastructure Fund.

HFE today signed an agreement with IFC for the investment, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the construction of solar and wind power plants of HFE. E&Y was the transaction advisor to HFE. “With this partnership with Hero Future Energies, IFC is helping accelerate the transition of the renewable energy generation business to mainstream power sector. Through the Global Infrastructure Fund, IFC is also bringing in the support of international institutional investors,” said Mengistu Alemayehu, Regional Director, IFC South Asia.

“Such a development will boost confidence of other large business groups and international investors to contribute to India’s ambitious renewable energy targets and make a significant difference in ramping up renewable-energy capacity in the country.”

Huge advances have been made in the past few years to achieve India’s ambitious renewable energy targets of adding 175 GW of renewable energy, including addition of 100 GW of solar power, by the year 2022.

Power generation from renewable energy sources like solar and wind has increased to 7.54 per of the total electricity generated in the country during April-September this fiscal.

The total installed capacity from various renewable energy sources in the country as on October 31, 2016 is 28,279 MW from wind, 8,728 MW from solar, 4,997 MW from bio-power and 4,323 MW from small hydro power.

www.EQMagPro.com

“ We at Hero Group keep expanding our horizon beyond the flagship automotive business to nurture socially responsible entrepreneurship, even as we continue to build on the existing competitive strength of the Group. Hero Future Energies is a key pillar of this strategy. This marquee deal with the International Finance Corporation will empower us to take advantage of the potent ecosystem.”

Mr.Pawan Munjal,

CMD & CEO, Hero Moto Corp “Since our inception in 2012, HFE has been funded by the family. In this rapidly evolving sunrise industry, where targets are getting increasingly ambitious, par tnering with like-minded institutions with complementary skill set is the future. I am happy to join hands with IFC, in our endeavour to achieve new goal of 2.7 GW renewable energy capacity by 2020. ”

Mr.Rahul Munjal Chairman & MD , Hero Future Energies “This partnership will fuel our ambitions to tap into the incredible opportunities that lies in both domestic and overseas markets as well as new technologies namely storage, hybrid projects etc.

Mr.Sunil Jain

CEO, Hero Future Energies

EQ

January 2017

25

featured

Solar is no longer a “Back-up” energy, it’s increasingly becoming an alternate primary energy, driven by the distinct trend of being more cost-effective. Solar is mankind’s next energy resource.

With world record-breaking technology, uncompromised quality and first-class service: The JinkoSolar logo stands tall for this premium promise worldwide, and our customers recognize it. In China, in the US, in Latin America, in Australia, in Turkey, in the UK, in South Africa, JinkoSolar was placed first in terms of product quality and customer services.

V

Mr. Xiande Li

Chairman , Jinko Solar

26

EQ

January 2017

ery challenging and emotional year, is coming to the end. The year in which we set a lot of benchmarks – even though it wasn’t an easy year.

Despite the tough situations, we maintained our ambitious targets.

And I am proud to say: We delivered more than we promised. We not only achieved our targeted unit sales, we rather surpassed them.

This was extraordinary.

At the same time, we posted solid earnings and sharpened our brand’s profile in all continents: 6.6-6.7GW capacity and estimated sales will make us the “world’s No.1 brand” this year. Our pioneering role in solar PV industry and exceeding 50% annual growth rate for consecutive 5 years enabled us to enter the 2016 Fastest Growing Companies by Fortune magazine, ranking No. 16.

The JinkoSolar logo now shines brightly across the world. And it doesn’t end there; in fact, JinkoSolar is leading a major transformation in the global energy portfolio.

The energy industry is fundamentally re-ordering itself at an un-

precedented pace. In response, JinkoSolar is proving to be much more than a “product” company, it is emerging as a “clean electricity and energy service” company. This is a whole new integrated model of innovation, manufacturing, distribution and energy. It provides an open environment for collaboration and rapid scaling, offering not only better products but also affordable electricity, and faster services.

We have now entered a new era in energy, and JinkoSolar is positioned to lead it. A historic moment like the 10-year anniversary exactly showcases JinkoSolar’s unique character and capabilities in the field of energy. Jinko knows what is required to remain a leader, era after era, as Jinko strongly understands the requirements of energy transformation. “Solar is mankind’s next energy resource.” I made this bold prediction when the company was founded in 2006. Over the last 10 years, relying on this vision, the company has made many bold choices, all of which were proven right.

www.EQMagPro.com

featured

Announcement of US-India Clean Energy Finance Facility Initiative Shri piyush Goyal assured that suggestions emerged out would be examined and corrective actions would be taken up soon. He also stated that the new initiative of USICEF launched today would help the early-stage project capital gap for distributed solar by supporting project preparation activities necessary to access long-term debt financing and unlocking OPIC and private finance.

S

hri Piyush Goyal Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy and Mines and US Ambassador Mr Richard Verma in India launched new joint initiative of US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) Initiative which would help in unlocking OPIC financing and mobilize public and private capital to expand access to distributed clean energy projects here today.

Shri Rajeev Kapoor, Secretary, MNRE, White House Senior Director John Morton and Mr William Pegues, Managing Director, OPIC and representatives of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Good Energies Foundation were also present.

Letter of Intents were signed and exchanged between MNRE and OPIC in presence of Shri Piyush Goyal for the creation of a $20 million for US-India Clean Energy Finance

www.EQMagPro.com

(USICEF) Initiative, equally supported by the United States and India would support projects which, upon long-term financing and deployment, and would qualify for the support of long-term debt financing from OPIC. The U.S.-India Clean Energy Finance facility (“USICEF”) would support project preparation activities for distributed solar projects in order to unlock OPIC financing and mobilize public and private capital to expand access to distributed clean energy solutions that will benefit disadvantaged communities in India and contribute to India’s ambitious renewable energy and energy access goals. USICEF builds on the success of other project preparation facilities to support renewable energy in emerging markets. Through this initiative, project developers pursuing mini-grid, distributed rooftop and off-grid solar projects, as well as smaller-scale grid connected solar projects would be benefitted.

During the event, Mr Uday Khemka presented Clean Energy Finance Forum (CEFF) Report to Shri Goyal.

The report has been prepared after an extensive domestic and international consultation with all categories of financial Institutions (including pension funds, sovereign investors, insurance companies, other financial investors/funds, banks, investment banks etc.), multilateral institutions, as well as strategic investors and developers. CEFF has made recommendations which will help solicit greater investment into the renewable energy sector. Some of the key cross cutting recommendations includes to boost and Accelerate “Open Access” Markets; Improve PPA Bankability; Improve Ease of Access to Domestic Banking and Capital Markets; Encourage International Debt and Equity Investments and Mitigate Currency Risk.

EQ

January 2017

27

featured

States with over 90% of Total DISCOM Debts to be covered under UDAY after Tamil Nadu comes on board Praising the advent of transparency and accountability with the launch of web portals and mobile apps, Shri Goyal said that the implementation of public programmes and schemes has become a ‘Citizen Process’, as these portals and apps have placed all the information in public domain for scrutiny. Suppliers can also develop their capabilities by understanding the focus area of the Utilities, resulting in improved performance by them, he added.

U

nion Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal launched the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) Web Portal & Mobile App, here today. It would track and monitor the progress of DISCOMs on operational and financial parameters under the UDAY scheme. An important part of the ‘Digital India Initiative’, the portal/app will ensure transparency, enhance accountability of various stakeholders and facilitate view of near real time progress, enabling consumers to demand better services for themselves. Giving details of the UDAY portal/app, Shri Goyal informed that it would provide details of latest progress made by various DISCOMs, as recent as last month/quarter. The DISCOM-level data will be integrated into State level and National level, which will be processed and used for advanced performance analysis. The National, State and

The Minister said that the portal/app is a logical follow-up to the MoUs signed by the States under UDAY, not only to enable monitoring of the progress made by the DISCOMs at Central Ministry level, but also for making future schemes/plans for improving DISCOMs performance.

28

EQ

January 2017

DISCOM level dashboards will thus provide a snapshot of latest financial and operational performance at various levels in public domain.

This will be the first time when the performance metrics of various DISCOMs will be available in a single platform, which shall promote healthy competition amongst the DISCOMs/States. This will bring about an ethos of ‘Competitive Federalism’ among different States to achieve best progress in public schemes, especially in the power sector, Shri Goyal added. giving examples of achievements in UDAY among States, the minister quoted the Rajasthan Discom where, in less than two years, annual losses of around Rs. 15000 crores will soon be converted into profits. He also talked about Haryana’s progress, where as an example, all 173 villages in Panchkula have received 24x7 Power Supply. Shri Goyal encouraged officials of the Ministry to think innovatively and come out with performance based rewards for best performing States under UDAY. He also talked about starting a ‘Citizen Poll’ to receive feedback on the ground level achievements of different schemes, which would help recalibrating their implementation process.

During the event, the States of Telangana and Assam joined UDAY by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Ministry of Power for operational and financial turnaround of their respective DISCOMs, making the tally in the UDAY Club to 20. States with over 90%

www.EQMagPro.com

of total DISCOM debts to be covered under UDAY after Tamil Nadu comes on board, Shri Goyal added.While the Government of Telangana would take over Rs.8923 crores of the total Rs.11897 crores of ISCOM debt, the Government of Assam would take over Rs.928 crores out of total Rs.1510 crores DISCOM Debt (being 75% of their respective DISCOM debt outstanding as on 30.09.2015, as envisaged in the scheme) and the balance debt would be re-priced or issued as State guaranteed DISCOM bonds. The interest cost on future borrowings is also expected to reduce, providing a saving of around Rs.30-40 crores to these States. In case of Telangana, the reduction in AT&C losses and transmission losses to 9.95% and 3% respectively is likely to bring additional revenue of around Rs.1476 crores, during the period of turnaround, whereas

additional revenue of Rs. 699 crores would accrue to Assam on reduction of AT&C losses and transmission losses to 15% and 3.4% respectively.

The gains to these states through Demand Side interventions in UDAY such as usage of energy-efficient domestic as well as industrial/ commercial equipment is expected to be around Rs. 1200 crores & Rs. 260 crores respectively. The States of Telangana and Assam are also expected to benefit around Rs. 2250 crores and Rs. 520 crores respectively on account of the support being extended by the Centre through various coal reform measures. An overall net benefit of approximately Rs. 6116 crores and Rs. 1663 crores would accrue to these States viz.

Telangana and Assam respectively, under UDAY, by way of savings in interest cost, reduction in AT&C and transmission losses, interventions in energy efficiency, coal reforms etc.

Power and CMD, REC Ltd, Shri Ajay Mishra, Special Chief Secretary, Energy, Government of Telangana, Zareen Rahman Ahmed, Secretary, Power, Government of Assam and other senior officials of the Ministry of Power and the PSUs under the Ministry. State Power Secretaries from UDAY States were also connected through video conferencing.

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

29Â

featured

GCL Ranks Second on Global Top 500 New Energy Enterprises List

N

ow in its sixth year, the “Global Top 500 New Energy Enterprises” Award is determined under supervision of the National Energy Administration of China and English language Chinese newspaper, People’s Daily. Following international standards, the award examines new energy enterprises worldwide on their financial performance the previous year, and publishes a Top 500 list annually.

This year GCL outperformed its global competitors with 30% market share of the world’s high-efficiency photovoltaic materials. The company in the past few years has achieved fast growth and largely increased its global revenue. Starting with thermal power in 1990, GCL has expanded its scope to a full range of green and clean energy covering PV, oil, natural gas, and energy finance over the past three decades.

With the vision of “bringing green power to life”, the company exploits its innovation capability to boost PV productivity, and therefore offers cost-effective solar power solutions around the globe. GCL’s subsidiary GCL-SI, for instance, recently teamed up with Thai energy company Enmax in a 10MW photovoltaic ground power station project in Thailand to provide one-stop solar services.

Commenting on the ranking, and the company’s broader aims, GCL chairman Zhu Gongshan said, “It has been the company’s vision and mission to bring economical green power to every household. Thus, GCL has placed significant emphasis on R&D, ever since its establishment, to enhance PV efficiency and cut conversion cost.” Known as the “King of Electricity” by Chinese media, Zhu was also named Global New Energy Businessperson of the Year. According to the Award Committee, GCL, under Zhu’s management, has grown to be a global leader in PV manufacturing, which has driven the industry to reduce costs by 90%

India to Receive Euro 1 billion Soft Loan for ‘Green Energy Corridors’ from Germany The Minister informed that for the funding of green energy corridors in both intra and inter State transmission projects, under the framework of cooperation between Govt. of India and Govt. of Germany, KfW Germany is providing soft loan to the tune of Euro 1 billion.

U

nion Minister for State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply in Lok Sabha today, said that in order to facilitate integration of large scale renewable generation capacity addition, a comprehensive scheme including IntraState and Inter-State transmission system has been identified as a part of ‘Green Energy Corridors’. Intra-State Transmission System is being implemented by respective State Transmission Utilities (STU) and Inter-State Transmission System is being implemented by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL).

Intra State transmission schemes under Green Energy Corridors (GEC) are to be funded as 20% equity of the State Govt., 40% grant from National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) and 40% soft loan, whereas, the inter State transmission schemes are to be funded as 30% equity by PGCIL and 70% as soft loan, he added.

For Inter-state transmission projects pertaining to Part A, B and C of Green Energy Corridor, loan agreement for financial assistance of Euro 500 million from KfW, Germany has been signed

by PGCIL and the projects are likely to be completed by 2018. Further, for implementation of transmission schemes under Green Energy Corridor-Part D, PGCIL has taken loan from ADB.

Source:prnewswire

30

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

featured

Cabinet approves India’s approach to Climate Change Negotiations at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)

For Intra-state transmission projects under Green Energy Corridor; the States of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have signed the loan agreements from KFW, Germany for financial assistance of Euro 76 million, Euro 49 million, Euro 57 million, Euro 68 million, Euro 114 million and Euro 124 Million respectively.

F

urther, Shri Goyal added that in order to integrate solar parks with the grid, Ministry of Power assigned PGCIL to implement Inter-State transmission scheme for evacuation from 8 solar parks (7200 MW).

Transmission scheme for 6 solar parks (5750 MW) is already under implementation [Ananthapuram (1500 MW), Pavagada (2000 MW), Rewa (750 MW), Bhadla-III (500 MW), Bhadla-IV (250 MW), Essel Saurya (750 MW)]. Tender issued for Banaskantha Solar Park (700 MW), whereas Long Term Access (LTA) application for other MP solar park from the developer is awaited.

To evacuate power from the renewable capacity addition in renewable rich States (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu), transmission system strengthening, both Intra State and Inter State, along with setting up of Renewable Energy Management Centre (REMC) and the control infrastructure is being implemented under GECs.

www.EQMagPro.com

T

he Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to India’s approach to Climate Change Negotiations at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), held in Marrakesh, Morocco during November 7-18, 2016.

Approval to India’s Approach to Climate Change Negotiations at the COP is intended to safeguard the interest of poor and vulnerable groups by emphasizing on adaptation, loss and damage, and protecting the development space. It incorporates the interest of all strata of society in the country.

Growth and development of a country are linked with Greenhouse Gas emissions.

While combating the ill-effects of climate change, the development space for India and developing countries needs to be preserved. The approach outlined in the note enables the achievement of this goal and also seeks to address the adaptation needs of the country.

EQ

January 2017

31

PV MANUFACTURING

Meyer Burger awarded orders Panasonic to invest over for MB PERC cell technology $256 mln in Tesla’s U.S. from two existing Asian plant for solar cells customers for a total amount of about CHF 20 million

M

eyer Burger awarded orders for industry-leading MB PERC upgrade cell technology from two existing Asian customers for a total amount of about CHF 20 million. Two existing PV customers located in Asia have awarded Meyer Burger contracts with a combined value of about CHF 20 million for the delivery and installation of the MAiA 2.1 technology platform with the industryleading upgrade cell technology MB PERC. Delivery and commissioning of the equipment is scheduled to start as of the second quarter of 2017.

Meyer Burger Technology Ltd (SIX Swiss Exchange: MBTN) today announced that it has concluded two important contracts with existing Asian customers amounting to a combined contract volume of about CHF 20 million. The high-tech equipment for the production of high-quality solar cells uses the mass production scalable MB PERC technology on the MAiA 2.1 system platform which will secure a significant increase in cell efficiency for both customers. Both of the orders are reflected in the incoming orders and order backlog 2016. Delivery and commissioning of the equipment is expected to start as of the second quarter 2017.

The plan is part of the solar partnership that the two companies first announced in October, but which did not disclose investment details. Tesla is working exclusively with longtime partner Panasonic to supply batteries for its upcoming Model 3, the company’s first mass-market car.

Panasonic is also the exclusive supplier of batteries to Tesla’s Model S and Model X.

P

anasonic Corp will invest more than 30 billion yen ($256 million) in a New York production facility of Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors to make photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, deepening a partnership of the two companies.

Tesla’s shares were up 3.5 percent at $220.75 in early trading. Japan’s Panasonic, which has been retreating from low-margin consumer electronics to focus more on automotive components and other businesses targeting corporate clients, will make the investment in Tesla’s factory in Buffalo, New York.

The U.S. electric car maker is making a long-term purchase commitment from Panasonic as part of the deal, besides providing factory buildings and infrastructure. n a statement on Tuesday, the two companies said they plan to start production of PV modules in the summer of 2017 and increase to one gigawatt of module production by 2019.

Source:reuters

32

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

PV MANUFACTURING

Imec and Besi Demonstrate Long-Term Reliability of Ni-Cu-Ag Plated Solar Modules “Furthermore it indicates that modules with Cu plated cells lead to industry standard reliability, paving the way for Ni/Cu/Ag plated cells as a viable, low-cost alternative to front side screen printing of Ag pastes.”

T

oday, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics, energy and digital technology imec (partner in EnergyVille) and BE Semiconductor Industries N.V. (Besi), a leading manufacturer of assembly equipment for the semiconductor industry, announced that they have demonstrated long-term reliability in five full size 60-cells Nickel/Copper/Silver (Ni/Cu/Ag) plated solar cell modules, confirming the industrial value of this metallization technology. The modules consist of 60 front side laser ablated and Ni-Cu-Ag plated p-type Cz-Si cells. The plating was performed with Meco’s Direct Plating Line, an industrial plating tool, followed by annealing in an inline belt furnace. Cells were interconnected using standard soldering and lamination processes. Two of the five modules were subjected to 600 thermal cycles (-40°C to +85°C) and they passed this three times IEC61215 specification with overall power losses of only 1.5 percent and 1.8 percent, one of the modules was subjected to a 1000h damp-heat test (85°C, 85 percent RH) with no power loss (0.1 percent gain), and two of the five modules were submitted to a serial testing of 15 kWh UV-conditioning followed by 50 cycles temperature cycling followed by 10 cycles humidity-freeze-test, after which they showed overall power losses of only 0.5 and 3.0 percent. “It demonstrates our industrial leading knowledge on how to make reliable Ni/Cu/Ag plated solar cells and modules with a low cost industrial manufacturing process.” “After the excellent result of the 600 thermal cycle test earlier this year on one module, we are delighted to confirm that these results can be repeated on a larger set of 5 modules” stated Martijn Zwegers, product manager solar at Besi.

www.EQMagPro.com

These test results prove the long-term reliability potential of imec’s and Besi’s Cu-plated cells and modules, as they have now outperformed the industrial standard for reliability, which requires less than 5.0 percent loss relative to initial power.

“We are very pleased with this result”.

Mr.Richard Russell

Principal Engineer, IMEC

EQ

January 2017

33

Inverter

Sungrow supplied central inverters totalling 18MW in Japan in December

S

34

EQ

ungrow, the world’s leading PV inverter manufacturer, announces that it supplied central inverters totaling 18MW in Japan, last December.

Sungrow’s containerized SG2000 central inverter has been supplied to the two plants in the area served by Kansai Electric Power (10MW) and Chubu Electric Power (8MW) respectively, and have been approved to be connected to local grids. Thanks to its compact design, the SG2000 is easy to deploy and install and only occupies 8 square meters.

The Japanese PV inver ter market is traditionally dominated by domestic PV inverter manufacturers, partly because of stringent requirements and very high standards, which have only been met by a select group of overseas manufacturers. The central power plant takes a large proportion of space in spite of the scarcity of land available for solar plant in Japan. Sungrow has proved its ability to meet high standards with the success of this 18MW project, in the high end Japanese market.

Based on the contracts signed for these projects, Sungrow’s central inverter solutions– and the cost savings they promise— have proved to be a rare, yet ideal choice for EPCs in Japan in this case, especially at a time when subsidies are being phased out by the Japanese policymakers.

Having entered into the Japanese market in 2014, Sungrow Japan now has a team of professionals capable of offering sales/after-sales services and technology supports at national scale. “We are committed to continued technical innovation of solar inverters for our Japanese partners, and hope to continue being a technology leader for the solar industry.” said Professor Renxian Cao, President of Sungrow.

January 2017

BayWa r.e. and Huawei Sign a Global Procurement Frame work Contract Huawei and BayWa r.e. will also expand their cooperation in the field of developing smart PV solutions, including a pilot test using Huawei’s FusionSolar® Smart PV Solution with string inverters.

B

aywa Renewable Energy GmbH and Huawei’s Smart PV Business held a high-level cooperation meeting in Shenzhen where the parties jointly announced signing a Global Procurement Framework Contract. The agreement is based on a target volume of 400 MW of inverters sales for the first stage. This agreement marks the start of a comprehensive cooperation between Baywa R.E. and Huawei on global PV plants. A number of senior executives from both parties attended the signing ceremony, including the Managing Director of Baywa R.E., and the President of Huawei Smart PV Business.

The Smart PV Solution incorporates Huawei’s unique I-V Curve Diagnosiscapability that helps accurately scan each PV string of a plant, in addition to centralizing O&M to rapidly locate faults and facilitate a root cause analysis.

Edgar Gimbel, Head of Engineering, of Baywa R.E. Solar Projects GmbH, said, “Huawei’s unique Smart I-V Curve Diagnosis technology promises to improve PV plant performance in a very efficient way.”

Baywa R.E.has ongoing PV projectsacross Europe, North and Central America, and the Asia Pacific. On a global level, Baywa R.E.operates more than 2GW of installed PV and wind capacity. The secured project pipeline will enableup to 250MW of projects in 2017 in Baywa R.E.’s core markets. During the visit, the parties also touredthe Huawei GCTC Reliability Lab and a large-scale ground-mounted smart PV plant in northwest China.

www.EQMagPro.com

PV MANUFACTURING

GCL-SI to Invest in Vietnam for 600MW Solar Cell Production

encouraging Chinese solar energy companies to “team up to march overseas and to gain a more advantaged position in foreign markets ”

G

CL System Integration Technology Co. Ltd. (GCL-SI), one of the world’s largest solar energy companies, recently announced its investment in Vina Cell Technology Co. Ltd., a Vietnam-based solar cell manufacturer, in trade for up to 600MW production capacity.

This was a remarkable move GCL-SI took to strengthen its competitive edge and to be better poised for wider opportunities in the US and European markets. In the deal, GCL-SI will provide solar cell production equipment, whereas Vina offers plant, supporting facilities along with an experienced management team. According to the terms, of Vina’s annual capacity of 600MW, 330 MW will be dedicated to GCLSI. This comprises exclusive use of Vina’s PERC (passivated emitter rear cell) facilities, an upgrade technology for standard ALBSF solar cells. In addition, GCL-SI enjoys privilege over the remaining annual capacity of 270 MW, which will be locked up for GCLSI with an advanced notice.

This is, therefore, an outsourcing strategy tailor-made to GCL-SI and the company expects substantial supply reinforcement to support its fast expansion in both domestic and international markets. This year records a fruitful milestone for GCL System’s global expansion, in which it successfully captured the australia market with its E-KwBe model and hammered out partnership with Enmax in Thailand.

Mr. Shu Hua

President of GCL-SI

Mr. Zhu Gongshan

Chairman of GCL

“The investment not only provides GCL System with cost advantage, but also helps streamline our supply chain by adding cell production into the system. The PERC capacity in particular helps ease current shortage of high-efficiency photovoltaic modules in the Chinese market.” “ The company’s leadership team sees this investment as a strategic move to break into the US and European markets.

Chairman of GCL’s Zhu Gongshan earlier this year indicated similar intention on 2016 Chinese Clean Energy Collaborative Forum”

Source:prnewswire

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

35

PV MANUFACTURING

VDMA Photovoltaic-Equipment Solar industry continues to invest • Orders in the equipment market significantly exceed number of delivered equipment • Incoming orders after three quarters 2016 higher than 2015 in total

T

he international photovoltaic industry invested significantly in production equipment in the past months. This leads to a benefit for manufacturers of components, machines and equipment for the photovoltaic industry in Germany. New orders in the first three quarters 2016 exceeded the amount of order intake of the complete last year. At the same time, however, the increased capacities and the reduction of feed-in tariffs in China are dampening investments in production equipment. The order books are still well filled, the third quarter 2016 reached a ratio of orders to delivered systems (“book-to-Bill”) from 1.5. In terms of sales, however, machine and plant manufacturers in Germany posted a decline of 14 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period of the previous year. Compared to the previous quarter (April to June 2016) the sales declined by 35 percent. Nevertheless companies in Germany, which are very active in the new market as India, Middle East and North Africa, expect fresh impetus in the coming year. “The high investment activity of the solar cell manufacturers in the expansion of existing and new production capacities slows down, especially in China. The production is busy. New orders are now coming increasingly from the Asian region outside China “, Dr. Peter

machinery for polysilicon, Ingot and wafer production amounted to 10 percent. Production solutions for thin-film PV amounted to 15 percent of turnover in the third quarter of 2016. Order intake developed very dynamically,Basic to the delight the development of order intake. Compared to the previous year an increase of 72 percent has been registered.

Compared to the previous quarter however, order intake decreased by 32 percent. However, in the first three quarters more order intakes were posted than in the whole last year.

Business with Asia remains the driver with an extreme order volume of 75 percent in the third quarter, followed by United States at 12 percent and Germany at 9 percent. Europe is beaten off only on a measly 4 percent. “ The order situation was also good in the third quarter of 2016. We see a further shift in the new markets for the coming months. Enhancing technologies for crystalline applications establish itself further (PERC, PERT, etc.). Crystalline solar cell manufacturers choose increasingly also the Heterojunction technology, which promises the highest efficiencies. Many existing facilities be equipped with more efficient technologies”, emphasizes Dr. Jutta Trube, Director of VDMA Photovoltaic Equipment. The order book of the photovoltaic manufacturers reached 5.3 months of production in the third quarter of this year, thus is below the timeframe of the entire machinery industry (5.8 months in October 2016). ,

Dr. Jutta Trube

Director of VDMA -Photovoltaic Equipment.

Asia is the largest business The export share of German suppliers of photovoltaic equipment is a record of 89 percent.

The bread and butter business remains in East Asia, the share of total turnover originating from there amounted 74 percent in the third quarter of 2016.

A high proportion the United States could post: 13 percent of sales in the third quarter of 2016 were achieved across the Atlantic. Germany remains the leader within Europe with a share of sales by 11 percent, the other European countries together had 2 percent of sales. Production equipment for cells (55 percent) remained the strongest turnover segment for German PV manufacturers in the third quarter 2016, followed by equipment for the crystalline backend - module production – (20 percent), and 36

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

Distributed Solar

Azure Powers Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Rooftops with Solar Energy The company will supply power for 25 years which will be utilized for DMRC’s operations. The 14 MW project will be completed in phases and will cover several metro stations, workshops and parking lots.

A

zure Power , a leading independent solar power producer in India, announced the successful installation and operation of its rooftop solar power plant for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) at the Sultanpur facility. This is the first phase of a 14 MW allocation by DMRC to Azure Power, one of the largest by DMRC to a solar power developer. The tariff on the project is INR 5.55 per kWh (US$ 0.083), with a total subsidy of INR 167.4 million (US$ 2.514 million).

We are pleased to partner with DMRC in reducing their GHG emissions through deployment of solar energy in their facilities across the capital city of New Delhi.”

Azure has a portfolio of over 1,000 MW with an excellent record in setting up and operating solar power plants, be it utility scale or commercial rooftop projects. Azure Power has a vast experience in delivering solar power projects, from the construction of India’s first private utility scale solar PV power plant in 2009, implementation of the first MW scale rooftop under the smart city initiative in 2013, to the largest solar plant (100 MW) under India’s National Solar Mission (NSM) policy in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Azure has a portfolio of 500+ rooftops across 10 states under various stages for its customers, which include the country’s largest commercial real estate developer, and a leading global chain of premium hotels.

Source:businesswire

Mr.Anup Kumar Gupta

Director Ele. DMRC

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has taken a number of Green initiatives and steps to reduce its carbon footprint. The power generated from solar energy will not only fulfill our energy requirements but will also help in making the city cleaner and greener. DMRC has signed a PPA for 25 years with Azure Power to help us in this endeavour.

Mr. Inderpreet Wadhwa

Founder & CEOAzure Power

Azure has unique rooftop solar power solutions for infrastructure, commercial and industrial customers in cities across India to lower their energy cost and meet their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.

38

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

Distributed Solar

MIC Electronics spurts on receiving patent for new Solar LED product

Oil India Limited rolls out solar power plant for eco-tourism project

This Solar LED product is a portable one embedded with multiple applications and highly advantageous for rural habitants.

PSU energy firm Oil India today inaugurated a 40 KW solar power plant, which will supply electricity to an eco-tourism project in Dibrugarh district.

M

IC Electronics is currently trading at Rs 16.65, up by 2.37 points or 16.60% from its previous closing of Rs 14.28 on the BSE. The scrip opened at Rs 14.84 and has touched a high and low of Rs 17.13 and Rs 14.10 respectively. So far 1457366 shares were traded on the counter.

The BSE group ‘B’ stock of face value Rs 2 has touched a 52 week high of Rs 28.65 on 06-Jan-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs 12.80 on 09-Nov-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs 16.00 and Rs 14.20 respectively. The current market cap of the company is Rs 250.40 crore.

The promoters holding in the company stood at 19.91% while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 0.13% and 79.96% respectively. MIC Electronics have been granted a patent by the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks, Intellectual Property of India, for an invention entitled Solar Rechargeable Led Lantern for a period of 20 years commencing from 25th day of August, 2008. MIC Electronics is a global leader in the design, development & manufacturing of LED Video Displays and Lighting Products.

Source:Livemint

Mr.Utpal Bora

Chairman and M D Oil India Limited, inaugurated a 40 KW solar power plant in Sasoni Merbeel Eco-Tourism Project, which has been provided

by OIL under the company’s CSR initiatives,” the firm said in a statement. OIL had sanctioned a financial package of Rs one crore, which included assistance to the solar power plant, 13 pedal boats, a four-wheeler, two eco-friendly green vehicles, construction of jetty and a bio digester plant for sewage disposal,

C

Complementing Sasoni Merbeel Eco Tourism Development Committee for its efforts in conservation of the Merbeel, Bora said OIL was always committed to such meaningful environment preservation and community development initiatives. The Sasoni Merbeel Eco Tourism Project is located in the heart of the operational area of OIL, around 20 kms from its field headquarter at Duliajan in Dibrugarh. Merbeel is an ox-bow lake at Naharkatia and covers an area of around 1,550 bighas, including an island of around 933 bighas.

Within 2 kms from the island, there is another wetland called Gudhabeel, which is home to several varieties of local and migratory birds.The wetland is also famous for endangered species of fresh water turtles and various other aquatic life forms.

Source:PTI

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

39

Distributed Solar

Microgrids - The Potential to Power India’s Future India is in the midst of unprecedented urbanization. While overall annual population growth has slowed to 1.2 percent, the country is set to add another 300 million residents to her urban population by the year 2050 according to the first ‘World Cities Report 2016- Urbanisation and Development: Emerging Futures’ report by UN Habitat.

T

he government’s 100 Smart Cities initiative is a step in the right direction, addressing infrastructure needs through a combination of urban expansion and redevelopment with the application of smart technology to improve the delivery of services such as power and water - while enhancing sustainability by promoting low-carbon technologies.

India: A Power Paradox Modernising the energy supply, however, encompasses more than just replacing old equipment with new. The investments will need to address the integration of larger amounts of energy from renewable sources while delivering higher levels of reliability and resilience.

This assumes all the more relevance given the government’s ambition of achieving ‘24×7 power for all’ by 2019. On the power generation front, there are good tidings with data from the Central Electricity Authority showing India to be in a power surplus for the first time, with a surplus of 3.1 percent during peak hours and 1.1 percent during off-peak hours.

This can be attributed to 46,453 MW of additional power capacity and about 11,000 MW of gas-fired power plants revived in the past two years by addressing issues related to fuel supply linkages. Also contributing to the power surplus is the growth of the renewables component of India’s energy mix, with 175 GW of renewable energy to be added by 2022.Despite this, load shedding and power outages are still common

40

EQ

January 2017

with some parts of India having access to power for less than eight hours a day. Distribution - the link between power generation plants and the end users is a complex challenge that India’s power sector is tackling with only qualified success.

Close to one fourth of India’s population still lacks access to the grid, those who do have an intermittent supply of power.

Microgrids: Building energy security for urban and rural communities as well as businesses Microgrids are shifting our conception of how power is produced and distributed. A microgrid is a small-scale localized power generation and distribution network, capable of operating independently or in conjunction with the main grid.

Microgrids are way to provide a reliable supply of power, with the additional benefit of reducing demands upon the conventional distribution network. Users connected to a microgrid can be insulated from the power outages on the conventional network; while microgrids connected to the main distribution network have the potential to support the main grid by exporting surplus power. Typically microgrids use power from a combination of sources. They can help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) by facilitating the use of with low-carbon energy sources such as solar and wind.The cost of energy storage equipment is falling. This means that, for communities where the cost of connection to conventional power distribution networks is prohibitive, mircorgrids which incorporate energy storage offer a cost competitive way of providing power.

www.EQMagPro.com

Distributed Solar

Developing Standards for Microgrids At this early stage of evolution, the microgrid market is fragmented. As Navigant Research highlights in a recent report, projects and business models tend toward being “one-off” custom-designed installations. However, those one-off projects are already showcasing the technologies that are likely to become the standard for the industry.Interestingly, they have also revealed the special challenges in designing microgrids for urban centers.

and evaluating market costs and environmental performance. Modern analytics and control allow microgrid owners to focus on achieving the benefits that are most important to them, be it cost, greenhouse gas reduction, resilience, or other attributes, without sacrificing on other important qualities.

Will Microgrids power India?

Resilient and low-carbon systems require multiple technologies. For example, a system based only on solar and wind generation would be low carbon, but would not deliver resilient or reliable service because these are both intermittent resources dependent upon the sun and wind. To be resilient resources like energy storage and fossil-fueled generation sources are required as part of the system. Seamless integration of multiple generation sources and loads is at the heart of what makes a system a microgrid.

The global microgrid market is estimated to top $35 billion by 2020. The concept of locally generated and consumed energy is evolving how global cities are planning utility systems, with resilience and reliability gaining precedence.The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Government of India has taken cognizance of the importance of micro and mini grids in achieving the objective of ‘24X7 power to all’ with the proposed development of 10,000 renewable microgrids and mini-grids with a generative capacity of 500 MW announced in June this year.

A platform for remotely operating and maintaining multiple distributed generation resources and microgrids is also critical because many of these resources are designed to be “operator-free.”

Modern data analytics platforms can take holistic and granular views of energy flows, operating data in real-time through advanced predictive algorithms and equipment condition monitoring. These platforms can identify wasted energy, enhance efficiency, and enhance resiliency through coordination of generation and demand of smart devices deployed on the system —all while constantly monitoring

Though challenges exist in terms of funding and viability of such projects due to the existing price differentials with state discom supplied power municipalities, city residents and businesses stand to benefit by incorporating distributed low-carbon microgrid projects in smart city initiatives, and even more significantly, embedding them at the core of holistic strategic infrastructure and urban revitalization plans. Finding a solution to these challenges will not just help bring a major chunk of India out of the dark ages, but also power India’s future through her smart cities. Let there be light!

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

41

Distributed Solar

CeNtre sanctions Rs 30 crore for solar cities programme

Mr.Piyush Goyal

Minister of State for Power, Coal

F

42

EQ

Financial support up to Rs 9.50 crore is available to eight model solar cities and up to Rs 2.50 crore to 15 pilot solar cities for setting up of renewable energy projects/ systems/ devices

unds worth over Rs 30 crore have been sanctioned to 21 states and union territories under the solar cities development programme, the government said today. These funds were sanctioned during the last three years till November 30 this year.

Out of the total sanctioned amount of Rs 30.36 crore under the ‘Development of Solar Cities Programme’ for 21 states and union territories, around Rs 12.98 crore have been released, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal told the Lok Sabha.

In a written reply, he said 60 places have been included in the solar cities programme. It includes Gaya (Bihar), Mysore (Karnataka), Kochi (Kerala), Pune (Maharashtra), Panaji City (Goa), Howrah (West Bengal), Imphal (Manipur), Aizawl (Mizoram), Kohima (Nagaland), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh).

Mr.Piyush Goyal said at least one city in each state would be included in the solar cities programme. Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of up to Rs 50 lakh is extended for each solar city.

The money would be given provided that an equal amount is made available by the concerned municipal corporation, city administration, state or from any other resources.

Source: PTI

January 2017

HAL to power its airport with solar energy

S

tate-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has set up a 3.5-megawatt solar energy project to power its airport facility in the eastern suburb of this tech hub, said the defence behemoth on Friday. “The Rs.25-crore project will enable us to use solar energy and reduce dependency on conventional sources to power our airport facilities, including the Light Combat Aircract (LCA) Tejas production complex,” HAL said in a statement here.

Spread over 23 acres with 12,985 solar modules installed, the single-axis tracker based project is the first at an airport in the country. The plant can generate up to 24,000 units of electricity per day depending on sunlight.

“The renewable solar project is an example of promoting climate protection and conservation of resources for meeting our energy needs,” said HAL Chairman and Managing Director T. Suvarna Raju unveiling the facility.

The Gurgaon-based Amplus Energy Solutions, which bagged the order through a competitive bidding, has set up the project on turnkey basis at the HAL airport used for military aircraft test flights, VIP aircraft and charted services. “In addition to cost savings, the 3,900 kilowatt peak (kWp) solar facility will reduce emissions equivalent to 166,257 tonne of carbon dioxide and 384,921 barrels of crude oil and planting of 190,921 trees,” asserted Raju. As part of its commitment to harness renewable sources for its growing energy needs, the company is setting up 50 MW capacity solar plant in two phases over the next two years, with 35.8 MW on open lands and 9.2 MW on roof-tops.

The company has also commissioned a 6.3-MW wind power plant at Harapanahalli in Davangere district, about 300 km from Bengaluru, for its captive power needs. “We are evaluating a proposal to set up 150MW capacity solar power plants in partnership with Bharat Electronics Ltd and Mazagaon Dock Ltd on the lands of Ordnance Factories across the country,” added the statement.

Source:IANS

www.EQMagPro.com

PV MANUFACTURING

Six Hundred Million Ounces of Silver to be Consumed in Photovoltaics and Ethylene Oxide Production Through 2020

Two of the everyday industrial uses for silver are in photovoltaic cells (the main constituents of solar panels) and as a catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide (an important precursor in the production of plastics and chemicals).

T

These two uses of silver will together account for 120 Moz per year of consumption on average from 2016 to 2020, an increase of 32% compared to 2015 levels, according to a new report issued today by the Silver Institute. There are many reasons to be positive about demand for silver in photovoltaic (PV) cells. The number of solar panel installations is forecasted to rise steadily in the coming years as a result of a combination of carbon emissions legislation, government policies and a decrease in the cost per gigawatt of electricity generated using PV. This will bring about substantially increased silver consumption despite slow and steady declines in the amount of silver used per individual solar panel. The report projects that 2018 will be a bumper year for silver demand in PV due to the construction of a record number of solar arrays; silver use in PV in 2018 is expected to be some 75% greater than in 2015. Ethylene Oxide (EO) is a vital raw material for a vast number of plastic and chemical products, the most important of which is ethylene glycol, used in the production of antifreeze coolants and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a resin of the polyester family used in fibers for clothing as well as plastic bottles and food containers. EO requirements

are also expected to increase as the market for antifreeze continues to grow: car usage is expected to increase through 2020, with China leading the way, and Europe and North America projected to maintain their current high vehicle usage rates.

The combined pull of PET packaging and automotive use will boost underlying growth in EO consumption, with a projected 30 Moz of silver demand targeted to EO through 2020. The authors of the report – CRU Consulting, a global commodities consultancy – explain how these expanding industries will help drive demand for silver. Detailed analysis behind the projections are presented in the complimentary report, which can be downloaded at this link Prospects for silver demand in ethylene oxide and photovoltaics. The Silver Institute is a non-profit international industry association headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1971, the Institute’s members include leading silver producers, prominent silver refiners, manufacturers and dealers.

The Institute serves as the industry’s voice in increasing public understanding of the value and the many uses of silver. For more information on the Silver Institute, silver’s important uses in industry, or silver in general,

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Receives Additional Agreed Prepayment for CIGS Project The SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES) has received the next contractually agreed prepayment from the Chinese state-owned enterprise China National Building Materials (CNBM).

Dr.Ing. Stefan Rinck

CEO. Singulus Technologies

“We are very pleased that the construction of the ordered machines for the first of the two CIGS factories is progressing timely. Following talks with our customer, we also expect the prompt setup of the second factory at the beginning of next year.” Dr. Rinck adds: “We see ourselves very well positioned in China in the area of thin-film solar technology and here in particular for production equipment for CIGS thin-film modules.”

S

Ingulus was able to conclude a major order with CNBM dur ing t he c our se of 2016. This order includes three contracts each for two subsidiaries of the Group for the delivery of machines for the setup of two independent production sites for the manufacturing of CIGS solar modules. The order volume for the two production sites combined totals approximately € 110.0 million.

Source:singulus

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

43

INDIA

Ganges Internationale to install 10 MW ground mount structure at Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams

Ganges Internationale Pvt Ltd (GIPL) has bagged the mandate to set up 10 MW solar mounting structures and tracking systems for Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh.

“It is a great initiative by TTD and contributes towards the concept of ‘zero energy’ buildings. Our organisation has always been on the forefront, offering world-class technology and exemplary engineered products to our customers looking out for sustainable green energy solutions.”

T

Mr.Vinay Goyal, CEO, Ganges Internationale

irupati Tirumala Devasthanams (TTD), is an independent trust managing the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh.To harness solar energy, preeminent Temple trusts are now opting to utilize their vacant land and install efficient solar units. In a bid to contribute to a sustainable green eco-system in the country, GIPL structures are chosen by the developer to implement an effective solar solution and bring down its expenditure towards power consumption.

GIPL holds a vast experience on ground mount solar project execution with state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Pondicherry. The organization has contributed majorly in installing solar structures at various parts of the country including Cochin International Airport- world’s first fully solar energy depended airport. At TTD, the organization will install 10 MW ground mounting structure to help access approximately 44MWh units of electricity per day. TTD will utilize its unused land to generate solar energy, where the power generation will be utilized for different energy requirements in and around places. The trust oversees the operations and finances of the second richest and the most visited religious center in the world. It is also involved in various social, religious, literary and educational activities. Ganges is committed to bring remarkable products and technology to the Indian and global markets, with an aim to enhance solar tracking development across the world. GIPL offers globally renowned products and technology distinguished by outstanding design technology and service.

44

EQ

January 2017

Azure Power Wins 50 MW Solar Power Project under SECI Auction Azure Power, a leading solar power producer in India, announced that it has won a 50 MW solar power project under the National Solar Mission (NSM) Phase II Batch III, which was recently put up for auction

by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

A

zure Power secured 50 MW of the total 100 MW capacity auctioned and will supply power to SECI for 25 years. The project will be built in the Ananthapuramu Solar Park, which is being developed by the Solar Park Implementation Agency (SPIA), Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Limited (APSPCL).

The tariff on the project will be INR 4.43 per kWh (US$0.067) with an additional support of INR 12.7 million per MW (US$ 0.19 million) from the Government of India in terms of Viability Gap Funding (VGF). This makes the levelized tariff of this project significantly higher than the levelized tariff of the lowest bid, including VGF, under SECI auctions in NSM Phase II Batch III. “Azure Power maintains a strong track record of winning projects under every phase of National Solar Mission policy. With this win, we have once again demonstrated our strong project development capabilities. We are delighted to make a contribution towards the realization of our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s commitment towards clean and green energy, through solar power generation.”

Azure Power has been among the most active participants in several solar power auctions since the launch of solar power market in India. With a portfolio of over 1,000 MW, the majority of the Company’s projects are with credit worthy customers backed by the sovereign Government of India.

www.EQMagPro.com

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

45Â

INDIA

US forces India at WTO to open up $1 bn solar market Our case against India’s local content requirements for India opened up an estimated USD 1 billion market. And our case against China’s illegal duties on US poultry is worth an estimated USD1 billion,”Froman wrote in his exit memo.

T

The US successfully challenged India’s local content conditions in its solar policy at the WTO which sent a message to the rest of the world that it would not tolerate “new form of protectionism”, outgoing American Trade Representative Mike Froman has said.

S 46

EQ

Further, this also helped the US to get India to open up its market worth USD 1 billion, Froman said yesterday in an exit-memo released by the White House on eight years of the outgoing Obama Administration.USTR, he said, filed as many as 24 cases against other countries before the World Trade Organisation. The US has focused in particular on bringing cases which have broad, systemic benefits, he argued.

“Challenging India’s local content requirements was not just about increasing solar panel exports to India, but was intended to send a message to governments all over the world that the United States would not tolerate this new form of protectionism to exclude our products from their markets, contrary to their WTO commitments,” Froman said.

Similarly challenging China’s use of export restrictions on rare earth materials not only provided important relief to US manufacturers dependent on those materials as inputs, but also provided an opportunity to send a message to China’s government and other governments not to use such restraints in any sector to gain a trade-distortive advantage over US competitors, he said. Of the 24 enforcement actions, 15 have targeted China’s unfair and WTO-illegal policies, ranging from illegal barriers to auto imports, agricultural subsidies to grain producers, discriminatory taxes, barriers to services trade, and barriers to US exports of high-tech steel, Froman said.“We also brought economically significant cases against India’s illegal, non-science-based ban on US poultry, European subsidies to civil aviation, and Argentina’s import restrictions,” he said.“Our trade enforcement successes have positively affected billions of dollars of US exports,” Froman said, adding that the US’ case against China for illegally imposing anti-dumping duties opened up that market to USD 5 billion of auto and auto parts exports.

Source:PTI

Suzlon Energy appoints Mr. Sanjay Baweja as Chief Financial Officer uzlon Energy has appointed Sanjay Baweja as its Chief Financial Officer with effect from December 19, 2016. The Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held on December 16, 2016, has approved the appointment of Sanjay Baweja as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, with effect from December 19, 2016, Suzlon Energy informed BSE. “Kirti Vagadia (Group CFO) will continue in his position and will focus on strategy, shareholder and board related matters at the Group level,” the filing said.

Sanjay Baweja is not related to any of the Directors of the Company, it added. Baweja was previously CFO of Flipkart and prior to that the CFO of Tata Communications, Emaar MGF and North Circles for Bharti Televentures respectively.

January 2017

Suzlon Chairman Tulsi Tanti said in the statement, “We are delighted to be bringing someone with Sanjay’s credentials and experience as the CFO. Sanjay’s previous role as CFO with organisations across sectors like E-Commerce, Infrastructure and Telecom gives him a rich experience.

www.EQMagPro.com

INDIA

Shri Deepak Gupta rejoining NSEFI as Director General Mr. Deepak Gupta former UPSC Chairman and former MNRE Secretary rejoined National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) as Hon. Director General to pursue his old love and passion for solar energy.

S

“We are elated at Gupta Saab rejoining us at this crucial juncture when the country is on a growth trajectory to meet the important national goal of 100,000 MW of solar capacity. His guidance for our policy advocacy role, addressing various challenges in implementation and playing a complimentary role with the Central and State Governments in achieving the set solar targets will be of great value”, - NSEFI Chairman Pranav Mehta said at New Delhi.

hri Deepak Gupta as the then MNRE Secretary presided over the conceptualization and implementation of India’s National Solar Mission Phase – 1, which is the basis for the latest ambitious target of 100,000 MW Solar Capacity with 40,000 MW Solar Rooftop.

He was Honorary Director General of the National Solar Energy Federation of India after retiring from MNRE and was Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission, holding this constitutional position from Nov 2014 to September 2016 before returning to his old love for solar energy sector and rejoining NSEFI after retiring as UPSC Chairman.

His book co-authored with Dr.P.C. Maithani “Achieving Universal Energy Access in India: Challenges and Way Forward” has received a wide acclaim.

Now Read on

Tablet & Smartphone

www.EQMagPro.com

48Â

EQ

January 2017

G

IN

N

N

GI

BE

OC

EM

ED

:T H

TIO N

IZA

RA T

SA Pa NJA r tn Y e r KA ,K M PM ATH G

TH O

U A

OF E

NE RG Y

R

A s2 t h pr e 016 es en c co enc erg am ns e y e t eq an sp o ue d t ac a c nc hi e h los es s w av e, fo il e d th r t l h e ree he av ep t en e f ene ren er ar d ds gy re th in se ach eir ct in or g .

-A

16

20 rESEARCH & ANALYSIS

www.EQMagPro.com

F

www.EQMagPro.com

Supply disruptions average nearly 200 hours a year for most towns and cities, not to mention rural areas. The emergence of this beautiful technology (solar power plus battery - please see Powerwall | The Tesla Home Battery as an example of this technology) has for the first time, allowed for the possibility of market forces meeting the needs of reliable power supply in an affordable manner, without reliance on monopolistic utilities.

I expect 2017 to make us move closer to this reality.

E g le st o, bctr t a u ic p ran y a t v la ort sp nd the ehi fi st e o i t cl ov gu fis d c rt f t w ren es b e re c lo o il d m m n ( r U wa al l se rev l ch is ay I e th S s a to er a in s su ndi an? e d 10 US rge U . I ng di till re a’s W iff 0/ 1 ly S 6 t is e t sp ha to p el er ba 35 to 5 g he uta ve th ow l, t enc rre bn fue bn ood fu ble so is er ha e l. i l w f tu . m vo ge t i be Ho n 2 ou ort or re It e w la ne s a tw w 01 r v h In co is a ti ra b ee m 3 e of di ur he y lit ti ou n u w hi o a. s r to y on t o ch h cle il W e o e t m ! th il d en s in e f o ea It e pe oe o . T t im ns sh co ak s il h he to ow st an US wa at ou s w of d 70 s r ha all no ec t o w on ex f ) om po y. -

irst, solar power emerged as a competitive and scalable energy option.

It breached the US 3c/unit barrier globally, and in India established itself firmly in the sub INR 5/unit level. It is now competitive with coal and will get cheaper. Second, battery storage capital costs have breached the US 300/kwh level which translates to INR 10/unit of storage costs. Companies like Tesla have announced roadmaps of US 100/kwh by 2022, and this is close to the US DOE target as well. Third, electric vehicles are now beginning to look serious. The Tesla Model 3 positioned for the broader market got close to 0.5 million pre-orders, showing early signs of wide consumer interest and acceptance. At home, Mahindra launched e2o plus, positioned near the entry end of the segment. These trends point to certain mega trends that will strengthen in the coming year. What do these mean for India? First, the competitiveness of solar power will mean that it will provide a clean energy pathway to our ‘power for all’ goals. Let’s remember 20% of our people don’t have access to power and a large majority of the remaining suffer with creaky grids.

EQ

January 2017

49

rESEARCH & ANALYSIS

A

s 2017 rings in, there are a lot of positives to look to. I expect wider activity in the solar ecosystem. I would predict a rise in rooftop solar adoption - this is actually the true differentiator of solar power, it allows us to generate at the point of consumption. It will create jobs in the installation ecosystem.

It will start to become a serious alternative to utility power, and for the first time a threat to their monopoly power. Combined with battery storage and digital technologies, it will offer many possibilities.

It was encouraging to see e-rickshaws in Delhi this year. The

50Â

EQ

January 2017

conventional rickshaws are some of the most polluting vehicles, and e-rickshaws have truly come as a breath of fresh air. Lets expect to see acceleration in adoption of these vehicles in 2017. Two and three wheelers should move quickly to electric adoption.

Not everything will be a smooth ride. There will be bumps. People will make mistakes. We may have problems related to grid absorption of renewable power. There will be some product failures and some business model failures too. But we will ride over these bumps and a new future will emerge.

The times are changing for sure, as far as the energy industry is concerned.

There is more technological change in this decade than in the last 100 years of the power industry. The power of oil will weaken.

The power of monopolistic utilities will weaken. The power of the cartels will wane.

This is the beginning of democratisation of energy. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look forward as these events unfold before us.

Happy New Year !!!

www.EQMagPro.com

Annual maintenance contractors Installers / EPC companies Inverters Manufacturers of solar cells Materials and equipment Module connectors Monitor, Mounting Systems, Trackers Photovoltaic (PV) modules Project consultants Smart Grid Technologies

Solar cell manufacturers Solar consumer and commercial products Solar energy storage Solar LEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Solar park developers Solar street and billboard lighting systems Solar water heating, cooling systems and solar pumps Suppliers of raw materials System integrators and assemblers Turnkey solution providers, etc.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

SOLAR MARKET OUTLOOK FOR 2017 - BY MENA NEW ENERGY 2017 Program (MENASOL)

52Â

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

INTRODUCTION THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA’S (MENA) SOLAR ENERGY MARKET IS WITNESSING UNPRECEDENTED DEVELOPMENTS AS GOVERNMENT-DRIVEN AUCTIONING AND NETMETERING SCHEMES DRIVE DOWN COSTS AND ATTRACT INVESTMENTS. SOME OF THE WORLD’S LOWEST SOLAR TARIFFS CAN BE FOUND IN THE REGION TODAY. ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (IEA), LONG-TERM CONTRACT PRICES FOR UTILITY-SCALE PV ARE AS LOW AS $58/MWH AND $61-$77/MWH IN THE UAE AND JORDAN RESPECTIVELY.

IN ITS MEDIUM-TERM REPORT, RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2016, THE IEA FORECAST THAT BY 2021 RENEWABLE CAPACITY IN THE MENA REGION WILL GROW BY-

78%

LED BY THE UAE, EGYPT AND MOROCCO.

TOP MENA RENEWABLE PROJECTS/PROGRAMS IN 2017

Source: Research by New Energy Update

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

53

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

PV ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY

S

olar PV is predicted to account for the lion’s share of new capacity in the region, especially in Jordan and the UAE, James Kurz, senior consultant at Apricum.

The Berlin-based cleantech advisory acted as financial advisor to Swedish advanced materials start-up Sol Voltaics in raising $17 million last May, bringing in the Saudi Arabian fund Riyadh Valley Company as the lead investor.

“We expect a PV market that is much more diversified than CSP and wind. Our forecast is for 1 GW to 1.5 GW of PV to be installed in the MENA region during 2017,” Kurz said.

“The two largest markets will be Jordan, comprised of IPP tenders, EPC projects and commercial and industrial projects, and the UAE, mainly from DEWA’s IPP tender and Shams rooftop programs,” he noted.

“Jordan’s Round 1 of the feed-in-tariff (FIT) program has been successful with all projects achieving financial close.

The attractive FIT, strong regulatory framework and appropriate contracts are relevant factors,” said Gurmeet Kaur, Head of Projects in the UAE at global law firm Eversheds. Whilst the country removed the FIT and shifted to an open competitive model in Round 2, the projects were successfully awarded and now in process of reaching financial close. Therefore, for new markets, an approach which starts with a good FIT and then moves to a more competitive open tender is sensible and would balance the interest of both the private and public sector,” said Kaur.

Scatec Solar’s 10 MW Oryx plant reached commercial operation in June 2016 and was one of the first utility-scale PV projects to be awarded in Jordan.

Image credit: Scatec Solar

Jordan is expected to have about 500 MW of installed wind and solar capacity by the end of 2016, according to the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission. Overall, the country is targeting 10%, or 1,800 MW of renewable capacity by 2020, of which 600 MW will come from solar PV.

PRICE COMPETITIVENESS

I

n the UAE, DEWA’s 800 MW-third phase of the 5 GW Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum solar park made headlines in June 2016 for its low tariff of 2.99 US cents/kWh. The project was awarded to a Masdar-led consortium comprising Spanish firms Fotowatio Renewable Ventures and Gransolar.

An even lower bid of 2.42 US cents/kWh was submitted for Abu Dhabi’s 350 MW Sweihan PV project in September by an Asian consortium, which offered to expand the plant to 1,170 MW at 2.30 US cents/kWh.

54

EQ

January 2017

“There is a clear downward trajectory in tariffs driven by competitive tendering based on lowest cost of energy as well as the continuing decline in costs of PV system components. The next major PV tender in the region is currently underway in Saudi Arabia where the Saudi Electricity Company is tendering 100 MW,” Kurz highlighted.

www.EQMagPro.com

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

At the same time, local installed costs for utility-scale PV have fallen from 7 US cents/Watt in 2008 to less than 1.5 US cents in mid-2015, a drop of almost 75%, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

For the price of a 10 MW plant in 2008, the UAE can now build 46 MW, the agency stated in its Renewable Energy

Roadmap 2030.

“The biggest tenders have been in the UAE, particularly the Sweihan and DEWA Phase III tenders, which will both result in over 1 GW being installed by 2020,” said Kurz. “Additional smaller tenders already underway such as those in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Egypt will also drive significant market

growth through 2020. In Saudi Arabia particularly, we expect the country to ramp up quickly following its inaugural 100 MW IPP tender being run by the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC).”

SEC is currently developing two 50 MW PV IPP plants in Al-Jouf and Rafha in the north of the kingdom and is currently evaluating bids for the projects.

SECONDARY MARKETS

CSP ON THE AGENDA

S

S

econdary markets for PV in 2017 will be Morocco and Egypt, where larger utility-scale projects are being finally realized, said Kurz. One of the latest projects to be awarded was the 170 MW Noor PV 1 in Ouarzazate, which ACWA Power and Chint consortium won after submitting the lowest tariff at 4.8 US cents/ kWh. Egypt, on the other hand, was on the verge of losing investor confidence after a long delay in signing PPAs under Round 1 of the FIT programme.

However, in mid-October 2016, Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MOERE) finally signed eight PPAs worth for 400 MW of solar capacity, representing a much lower capacity that the original 2.5 GW targeted by 2017. Nearly 80 local and international companies had prequalified at the time. On October 28, 2016, the Ministry launched Round 2 of the program, limiting it to developers who prequalified in Round 1, until it reaches the target capacity of 2,000 for solar and 2,000 MW for wind. If these capacities were not met

by Round 1 qualified companies, then the door will be opened for newcomers.

A number of changes will apply in Phase Two, according to Dr. Fatma Salah, managing partner at law firm Riad & Riad. These include lower FITS and new local content requirements. For PV projects between 20 MW and 50 MW, tariffs have been reduced from 14.34 US cents/kWh to 8.40 US cents/kWh. Developers will also be required to use a minimum of 30% local content in solar projects.

www.EQMagPro.com

ince Masdar’s Shams project, CSP activity has mostly concentrated in Morocco, where the 500 MW Noor Ouarzazate complex is quickly taking shape. But in the last two years, governments across the region have shown increased confidence in the technology.

“Morocco will continue to be the CSP hub of the MENA region.

However, Gulf countries including Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia already have concrete plans to build CSP projects alongside PV to take advantage of CSP’s storage capabilities,” Kurz noted.

CSP projects at different stages of development are now underway in Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. These are a mix of standalone units, hybrid PV-CSP, and integrated combined solar cycle (ISCC) stations. The majority of these plants are initial phases of megaprojects. For example, Kuwait’s 50 MW Shagaya CSP, scheduled to come online in early 2018, falls under the first phase of the Shagaya Master Plan. The three-phased multi-technology park is planned to generate 2,000 MW by 2030, including 1,150 MW of CSP, 700 MW of PV, and 140 MW of wind. The first PV and wind plants, each 10 MW, were connected to the grid in November 2016.

Dubai’s 200 MW solar-tower project also represents the first phase of a larger scheme that aims to deploy 1,000 MW of CSP by 2030.

Likewise, Morocco’s Noor Midelt, which comprises 800 MW of hybrid solar plants, is part of the government’s long-term plan to generate 2,000 MW from solar energy by 2020. In Saudi Arabia, CSP will be used in three ISCC stations–Duba 1, Waad Al Shamal, and Taiba–all being developed by Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). Notably, SEC managed to secure the cheapest cost per installed kilowatt for each of Duba 1 and Waad Al Shamal: less than $1,600/kW, compared to the average global price of $5,550/kW for parabolic trough in 2015, based on IRENA estimates.

EQ

January 2017

55

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

EVOLVING FRAMEWORKS

DISTRIBUTED SOLAR

A

ccording to Aleksi Lumijarvi, programme officer at IRENA, current frameworks in the MENA region are largely focused on large-scale individual projects and favour international consortia, an approach which does not encourage development of local value chains. More advanced frameworks were needed to unlock private-sector activity, he said.

Clint Dempsey, principal associate in Evershed’s banking and finance team, recommends the standardisation of documents as an efficient de-risking strategy that can benefit the region’s solar industry.

DEWA has achieved significant results in its Shams Dubai initiative. Image credit: DEWA

“As we have seen with the IFC’s scaling solar program, which proved successful in emerging markets such as Zambia, a standard bankable suite of documents can save an enormous amount of time and cost in achieving financial close.”

Dempsey expects that green sukuk will open another avenue of funding in region. “I also expect to see commercial banks coming into play in countries such as Jordan, where we have seen successful Round 1 and 2 programs funded by development finance institutions.”

Dubai Government recently launched the region’s first clean-tech focused crowdsourcing platform, Green Deal, to make solar systems accessible for residents and businesses. Moreover, in October, eight commercial banks signed an agreement with the UAE Government and UNEP Finance Initiative to fund renewable energy projects over the next five years. The institutions, which included National Bank of Abu Dhabi and HSBC, pledged to lend, invest in, and facilitate financing to large- and small-scale projects and developers.

According to MESIA, solar project investments in the region soared to $3.5 billion in 2015 from about $160 million in 2010.

56

EQ

January 2017

DP World operates the region’s largest marine terminal, the Jebel Ali Port. Image credit: DP World

T

he UAE is one of the few countries in the region taking a comprehensive approach towards solar through initiatives such as Shams Dubai. The rooftop-PV net metering scheme resulted in solar panels being installed on 222 residential and commercial buildings with a capacity of over 6 MW as of October 2016. The largest of these is being implemented by DP World, the operator of the region’s largest marine terminal. The Dubai-based group appointed Green Energy Tomorrow, Phanes Group’s rooftop solar subsidiary in the UAE, to install 88,000 panels on its warehouses, offices and car parks in Jebel Ali Free Zone and Mina Rashid port.

The first, 22 MW phase is scheduled for completion in 2017.

“The DP World solar project is groundbreaking in that it marks a significant turning point for the rapid scale-up of distributed solar energy in the UAE. We are likely to see an increase in distributed solar projects, with the private sector stepping up to provide the granular customization needed to achieve the next steps of integrating solar with things like sustainable water solutions and urban greenhouses.” said Martin Haupts, CEO of Phanes Group.

www.EQMagPro.com

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

The momentum created by Shams Dubai has inspired Abu Dhabi as the emirate is now gearing to launch its own net metering program. Only two years ago, Abu Dhabi’s Regulation and Supervision Bureau (RSB) said it had no plans for a solar FIT scheme in the city. But in a remarkable change of policy direction, RSB announced it would be issuing regulations in December 2016 for PV energy netting of up to 5 MW per premise, a move which should open up opportunities for solar suppliers and contractors in the UAE capital.

Morocco’s government is also undertaking a scheme to install solar PV across 100 of its mosques in 2016, expanding to 15,000 mosques over the next five years. France’s Engie has been awarded the first phase of the project, whose costs will initially be covered by the country’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs in partnership with Germany.

www.EQMagPro.com

MARKETS TO WATCH

I

n addition to the region’s main solar hotspots, Algeria and Palestine are two emerging markets worth keeping an eye on. The Palestinian Energy Authority (PEA) is reportedly planning to tender 10 MW of grid-connected solar projects by 2020 for each of its 11 governorates, totalling 110 MW. A further 35 MW of solar capacity will be added to the grid under a new metering system, split between commercial, public and residential sectors. These projects will be eligible for soft loans from the $50 million Palestinian Solar Fund, Dr. Omar Kittaneh, minister of the PEA said in a Dubai press conference in March 2016. In Algeria, Italian oil and gas conglomerate ENI has started construction on a 10 MW PV plant in the Bir Rebaa North oilfield in collaboration with government-backed power company Sonatrach. It may come as a surprise that Algeria added 268 MW of new solar capacity in 2015, but these are the latest figures from the country’s renewable energy research institute (CDER), which indicate that the OPEC-member is actively pursuing solar.

EQ

January 2017

57

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW WITH Ms. DANY QIAN EQ : Can you briefly summarize what factors enabled you to become the world’s #1 module maker?

DQ: It’s been a spectacular year for JinkoSolar, it has become the world’s largest solar module manufacturer for the first time and has achieved the industry leading gross margin for 14 consecutive quarters. In addition, JinkoSolar holds the world record of 60-cell Mono (343.9W) and Poly (334.5W) module power output, and is the first to achieve 100% in compliance with IEC62804 double 85 antiPID standards. Those achievements reflect on JinkoSolar’s continuous investment in R&D and high standard quality control. Having the industry leading cost structure, JinkoSolar is able to maintain 20% plus margins despite being impacted by the price war. JinkoSolar has robust pipeline to fulfill higher factory utilization and reduce inventory level.

VICE PRESIDENT , JINKO SOLAR

Due to the over-supplying market situation in 2016, high quality and high efficient modules are becoming essential for investors and developers. JinkoSolar has become the biggest winner of the 2016 China “Top Runner” program, which aims to promote the use of high-efficiency PV products and to accelerate PV industry transformation. Winning a 400MW project put Jinko on top of PV players and demonstrates that JinkoSolar’s module efficiency and quality have been recognized as the market leader.

JinkoSolar has always been a pioneer in market development and branding, having secured its leading market position in China and USA. It has also delivered great news in emerging markets this year, securing number 1 market position in several countries. This is how Jinko differentiates among competitors and is the driving force for its continuous growth in the coming years.

EQ : Can you talk more about price?

JinkoSolar has always been one of the lowest-cost module suppliers among tier 1 manufacturers. What are some of the factors behind this?

DQ: JinkoSolar’s success in its vertically integrated model compassing from wafer, cell, module, system to downstream solar power

58

EQ

January 2017

development, supply chain advantage is due to its relationship with Tier1 raw material suppliers worldwide. In addition to its capacity scale, JinkoSolar is able to keep its gross margin above 20% for consecutive years. JinkoSolar has been investing heavily in R&D, whilst holding the world record of both Poly (334.5W) and Mono (343.9W) 60-cell module power output. JinkoSolar delivers higher power its than peers for commercialized products. More importantly, accurate and consistent power output of panels reduces cost in power waste and return rates. As the world’s largest solar module manufacturer, co-chair of B20 Germany 2017 and an advocator of the Paris Agreement, JinkoSolar is obligated to work towards driving down the cost of solar energy by continuing to improve its production and the quality of R&D. Higher power output is meaningful only when the technology can be afforded by consumers, and that’s what JinkoSolar’s R&D team been focusing on.

EQ : Which markets have been important for JinkoSolar’s shipments?

DQ: JinkoSolar has been thriving at all fronts, the total PV installation in 2016 will be around 67-70 GW, JinkoSolar holds almost 10% of the global market share, and is expected to be world’s largest PV brand in 2016. China, US, Latin America, Japan and India are the most important markets for JinkoSolar. JinkoSolar enjoys No.1 market share in over 15 individual key solar PV countries.

EQ : Regarding the Chinese market, what do you see for the future now that China has reduced its long-term installation target?

DQ: We predict that installation capacity in 2017 will keep flat to 2016, especially in first half of the year. The demand in China will still be very robust. Due to the cost reduction of solar systems over the years, and the increasing number of countries reaching grid parity while remaining independent from FiT, we are confident solar will undercut fossil fuel in the coming few years. There’s no doubt that solar energy will become a primary energy source worldwide, and JinkoSolar will be prepared for that.

www.EQMagPro.com

EUROPEAN MARKET

EUROPEAN SOLAR MARKET INSTALLS 1.56 GW IN THIRD QUARTER 2016, DOWN 10% YEAR-ON-YEAR SolarPower Europe’s third quarter 2016 PV market update shows 1.56 GW of newly installed capacity in Europe in the months from June to September. That is about 10% less new solar power installed than the 1.73 GW in the same quarter 2015.

I

n the first 9 months of the year, 5.3 GW of photovoltaic systems were installed in Europe, a decline of 18% over the 6.5 GW in the same period the year before. The main reason for the European market’s decline is the strong demand drop in the UK after slashing feed-in tariffs for smaller installations, and ending its support program for large-scale solar power plants end of the first quarter 2016. While the UK installed 4.1 GW in 2015, the first 9 months of 2016 only saw additions to the grid of around 1.5 GW, with the major part installed in Q1. In a few European markets demand for solar power has improved, but future developments for one of the strongest growth markets, Turkey, is very difficult to predict, due to its political situation and strong protectionist measures.

If the fourth quarter of 2016 develops similar to the previous year, total demand would be around 7.1 GW, which would mean 17% less than the 8.6 GW of new solar power additions than in 2015. SolarPower Europe had forecasted a 7.3 GW market for its medium scenario in its 5-year Global Market Outlook 2016-2020, released in June at Intersolar Europe.

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

59

EUROPEAN MARKET

Mr. Michael Schmela, Executive Advisor and Head of Market Intelligence at SolarPower Europe

“In light of the Paris COP21 agreement it is concerning that the European solar market growth is slowing down, especially now that solar has become the lowest-cost power source in many European regions today.” Adding, “While Europe has recently done little to profit from cheap solar energy, the US market celebrates its best solar quarter ever, installing 4.1 GW in Q3 alone, and anticipating a 14.1 GW size for the full year, up 88% from 2015. China might even install around 30 GW of new solar power capacity in 2016, which would be more than what Europe installed in the last 3 years put together.”

Mr. James Watson, Chief Executive Officer of SolarPower Europe

“It is of utmost importance for the European solar sector that the legislative proposals supporting active power consumers and selfconsumption in the European Commission’s ‘Clean Energy For All Europeans’ package are maintained. We need improvements on several other topics: First, the proposed 27% renewables target is too low. SolarPower Europe calls for a 35% target, which would better suit the ambitions of COP21.

Second, we need to keep priority dispatch and access for renewables in a generation scheme still dominated by inflexible power sources. Finally, the proposed approach to capacity mechanisms needs to be improved if we are to eliminate power generation overcapacities in Europe.”

SolarPower Europe, the association of the European solar sector, publishes detailed quarterly market updates that are available exclusively for its members-

60

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

61Â

ENERGY STORAGE

OVERVIEW OF ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM IN INDIA & THEIR FUTURE Ever since first steam powered electrical distribution system was built in 1882, electricity has today reached and accessible to almost everybody living in the world.

AUTHOR

MR. MANOJ KUMAR UPADHYAY FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN ACME GROUP

62Â

EQ

January 2017

T

echnology has evolved and electric light has become competitive with gas light more than a century ago.

Majority of the energy even today is being generated by using fossil fuels. However over the centuries electricity is being generated, transmitted distributed and then either used or wasted. There is no significant storage of electricity so far. This is also because of the fact that demand is always surpassing the generation and all of that which is generate has been used. This landscape has changed off-late when Renewable energy became competitive with technologies based on fossil fuels. At the same, the facet of transportation is changing very fast from IC engines to Electric Vehicles. World is now moving from power deficit to power surplus and also new forms of energy generated by intermittent sources. Regulating intermittent sources of energy and integrating it with main grid would be difficult without the presence of large storage system. Electric mobility demands energy storage elements with large energy density to meet expectations on range, speed, acceleration and driving experience.

www.EQMagPro.com

ENERGY STORAGE

However, to make these new technologies truly disruptive, there is a need to develop high life cycles and higher energy density storage system. Lead Acid batteries stood undisputedly the most popular batteries until Lithium-ion based batteries were commercialized. Lithium ion based batteries exhibit far better and higher energy density than any other battery in the category.

Usage of Lithium ion batteries has become imperative by early 90s, by the advent of commercially viable portable devices. Taking the advantage of increase in volume, higher energy density and falling prices major car manufacturers are leaning towards extensive usage of Lithium ion batteries while designing their EV versions of cars. Though EV has not reached parity against its IC engines, future looks pretty much attractive with the prices are expected to fall significantly over next couple of years.

Taking this imminent advantage, grid scale storage segment is definitely going to get benefitted. Growing level of integration of Renewable energy sources on to the main Grid and given their intermittent nature makes it imperative to bring in Energy Storage solutions (ESS) in Indian context.

Grid stability becomes a major issue when there is substantial addition of energy through renewable sources, which are intermittent in nature. Energy Storage can play a key role grid stabilization through operations such as Frequency response, peak shaving and time shifting. Energy forecasting which could become major requirements with increased level of Renewables can be made possible by having ESS in place.

Apart from the large scale grid level storage systems, equal importance has to be given towards distributed storage systems at residential & micro grid level that can also bring energy independence to individual user.

Another importance segment where energy storage brings value is EV to building or EV to Grid. With an aggressive plans across the world to introduce Electric Vehicles, this segment is going to clearly influence the Energy storage markets.

Energy storage in this context is not just a back-up power source that is used only when grid is not available. Storage element is not going to be operated in floating applications as it is being used presently with the conventional storage technologies. However, Energy storage is subjected to a daily cycling when it is used in conjunction with renewable sources or Electric Vehicles. This brings a challenge of cyclic life for an energy storage unit. ESS shall have the capability to be used either as an Energy source for applications such as grid and also as power source for applications as in Electric Vehicle. In this context, we see Lithium ion battery clearly

www.EQMagPro.com

Fig 1. Energy Density Comparison (Image credit: NASA)

Fig 2. Grid scale Energy Storage emerging as a favorable choice. With several segments such as Utility scale storage, Distributed Energy and EV emerging as potential growth engines for Energy Storage, it is very important for the country to initiate few pilot projects, gain experience to deal with all these applications. Though large scale storage systems are already installed and operational in countries like Germany, Japan we do not have any thing operational in India.

While it is helpful to learn from what has been installed already elsewhere in the world, it is important to establish proof of concepts in India. This helps the industry to learn what challenges are there in Indian context and also frame regulations and policies around this segment. It is equally important to initiate process of standardization and setting up of testing facilities. Realizing this impending need of Energy Storage, ACME being the leader in Solar Energy, has been

giving a serious thought towards providing sustainable solutions in this area. ACME has already installed Lithium Ion battery based Energy storage systems, and established working examples in various segments like Rural micro grids, Renewable integration at high altitude areas and building solutions.

ACME recently has successfully tested its Lithium ion based battery for two and three wheeler passenger vehicles in India. It is also giving that extra push towards localizing battery assembly in India under â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make in Indiaâ&#x20AC;? initiative. ACME is marching towards major energy supplier for EV industry and is also planning to setup charging stations at identified locations. Hybrid Power Conversion technologies, Battery management system and battery packaging technologies are the key areas ACME is focusing on, towards achieving reliable and sustainable in-house solutions for local and global markets.

EQ

January 2017

63Â

CASE STUDY

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, KARNATAKA

THE LARGEST SOLAR PLANT FOR A GOVERNMENT ACADEMIC INSTITUTE IN KARNATAKA - BY CLEAN MAX SOLAR

Quick Facts Location: Surathkal, Karnataka Capacity: 1,000 kWp Type of System: Spread across 11 RCC and metal rooftops Type of Modules: Polycrystalline Silicon Type of Inverters: String Inverters Annual generation: 15 lac kWh approximately Carbon dioxide abated: 1416 tons of CO2annually Date of Commissioning: September, 2016

64

EQ

January 2017

Key Highlights • 1 MW installation in collaboration with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) • Special lightweightAluminium structures (from Sapa, a Norwegian manufacturer) have been used to prevent corrosion due to close proximity to the coast.

It has been designed for high wind loads (150 km/h) and for a lighter aero drag.

These structures are designed to withstand the highest wind speeds for this location, and will not corrode even when exposed to saline sea spray.

www.EQMagPro.com

CASE STUDY

Key Challenges • To rapidly execute the project, within atime span of 2 months after the PPA signing • Less than 30 days were allotted to complete the onsite civil work • To ensure stringent safety measures since the construction happened during the rainy season NIT Karnataka, the half century old premier educational institution, has always been keen to promote sustainable practices in their efforts to build a green legacy. Carrying on the initiative, the institution inked an agreement with CleanMax Solar, India’s #1 rooftop solar developer, to set up a 1MW plant on 11 academic, administrative and hostel buildings to cater to 15% of the power requirement at their campus.

The said solar plant is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to implement green technologies on NIT and IIT campuses.

Cheaper than the Grid NITK requires around five lakh units of grid power every month. And with a monthly generation of around 1.25 lakh units, the institute would get 15 lakh units per annum from the solar plant, on average.

The agreement entails selling of power to NITK at a low tariff, cheaper than the grid. The institute will purchase power generated by the rooftop solar plants, at a tariff which is well below the present grid tariff.Post the commissioning of the solar plant, NITK’s power bill is expected to come down by Rs. 5 lakh per month. Thereby, the institute is expected to save about Rs. 60 lakh in terms of power bill per annum.

It is worth noting here that the plant is expected to produce around 15 lakh units annually, which is sufficient to power around 1500 homes.

As per the agreement,Team CleanMax Solar has successfully commissioned the plant under a build-own-operatemaintain model,. The project has been designed keeping in mind the high wind speeds and saline spray due to the institute’s proximity to the sea. Going forward, the plant will be operated & maintained by CleanMax Solar for the entire contract duration of 25 years.

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

65

SOLAR INVERTERS

Huawei Smart IV Curve Diagnosis-

Fast, Comprehensive, Automated Fault Detection for PV Modules

P

A global investigation by TÜV Rheinland into PV plants with output totaling 12 GW has shown that 30% of the plants had severe defects, among which 50% were from PV module faults.

V module faults directly affect the energy yields and benefits of PV plants. Locating PV string faults accurately and promptly is an urgent problem for plant owners. However, conventional PV module inspection methods are both time and labor intensive, driving up costs.

A large-scale PV plant has many PV modules and strings scattered over a large area. For example, a typical 100 MW PV plant contains about 400,000 PV modules grouped into 20,000 PV strings and occupying 2.5 km2. It is impossible to compare every two PV modules by comparing their voltages and currents because of the huge number of PV modules and complex outdoor testing environment. This means that only spot checks are feasible.

There are currently two common methods of spot checking PV modules. The first is using a dedicated IV scanner to test site PV modules. The second is sending PV modules to a professional testing organization to obtain IV curves, which are then used to determine PV module faults.

Both methods, however, are time consuming and costly. With a spot-check ratio of just 0.1%, a spot-check on a 10 MW PV plant costs 400,000 rupees.

A further problem is that these methods usually identify PV module faults by comparing the output power, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, operating voltage, and operating current.

The fault identification rate is low and errors of measurement or calculation are common.

SMART IV CURVE DIAGNOSIS: LOCATING FAULTS QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY TO IMPLEMENT PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE

T

o solve the pain points caused by the conventional inspection methods, Huawei has developed smart IV curve diagnosis. This technology allows the inverter to export IV curves, deploys algorithms on the management system, and analyzes data. It also identifies modes to scan all PV strings of a PV plant and identify hidden PV module faults.

This technology, along with the smart PV management system and smart PV controller, can detect all PV strings of a

66

EQ

January 2017

PV plant online with 0.5% precision (more than six times the industry level and equal to the precision of a professional outdoor IV tester). Huawei’s latest SUN200043KTL requires only 1 second to finish scanning and 10 minutes to output a report including data about a PV array in one-click mode, with no testing personnel and testers onsite. This greatly lowers the labor and cost requirements for testing.

Test personnel are forewarned about PV module faults using smart PV string

diagnosis, and the health status of the PV plant can be estimated comprehensively to achieve proactive maintenance. The diagnosis precision and efficacy have been certified by TÜV. A successful trial was carried out at Huanghe Hydropower, finding that 0.17% of PV modules in a PV array were faulty. The big difference is based on Huanghe Hydropower’s previous spot-check ratio of 0.3%, 97.6% of these faulty PV modules would have escaped detection.

www.EQMagPro.com

SOLAR INVERTERS

FAULT TYPES AND FAULT ANALYSIS WITH ONLINE IV CURVE DETECTION In the Huanghe Hydropower project, faults such as PV module glass breakages, PV string open circuits, and faulty diodes were detected using online IV curve detection. The technology can detect many common types of PV string faults.

Common PV string fault types that can be detected

PV string open circuit

PV string performance attenuation

PID

PV string current mismatch

Diode short circuit

Single cell failure

PV module overheating

(cracking or shielded by foreign matter) PV module glass breakage

PV module interconnection fault (disconnected)

PV module interconnection fault (interconnection strip corroded)

PV module delamination

EVA discoloration

-

PID 1. FF of the IV curve decreases dramatically.

2. Slope of the IV curve at the low voltage side abnormal

www.EQMagPro.com

Single PV module shielded

PV string current mismatch Low voltage side of the IV curve deformed.

Cell output abnormal

PV module shielded/PV string current output abnormal/PV module glass breakage 1. High voltage side of the IV curve deformed.

2. Ideal factor n rises abnormally.

EQ

January 2017

67Â

SOLAR INVERTERS IV CURVE CHARACTERISTICS FOR TYPICAL FAULTS Professional instruments used in conventional spot-checks can test PV strings but cannot perform analysis. Smart IV curve diagnosis not only allows every PV string to be scanned, but also assesses the health of PV strings, exports fault reports, and provides recommendations for proactive maintenance. This helps to achieve automatic O&M and intelligent management.

COMPARISON BETWEEN HUAWEI IV CURVE SCANNING SOLUTION AND PROFESSIONAL IV TESTERS

ITEM Scan speed

Huawei IV Curve Scanning Solution < 1s

0.3â&#x20AC;&#x201C;5s

Scan precision

128 points

101 points

Scan accuracy

Current < 0.5% Voltage < 0.5% Voltage < 1% Current < 1% Fixed, PV string IV curve Movable, PV string/ module IV curve

Convenience SYSTEM Scan consistency

Comprehensiveness

Automatic startup

FUNCTION Environment data

Availability

Data analysis

68Â

EQ

January 2017

The entire PV array is scanned, providing high-accuracy power comparison among PV strings.

The entire PV plant is scanned, and no PV module is missed.

Monitors the PV string output and checks PV strings with low output for potential issues.

Reads the environment data automatically.

Professional IV Tester

One PV string is scanned at a time. Power comparison among PV strings is indefinite due to the variety of environments.

A sample of PV modules is tested randomly, and many PV modules escape inspection.

Test objective is hard to select.

Huawei Solution Evaluation and Risk The scan speed is less than 1 second, which is within the same range as professional outdoor testers.

Scan precision reaches the level of a professional outdoor tester.

Accuracy is higher than that of a tester.

No need to remove terminals or enter the site.

The test has little influence on energy yield.

Power comparison among PV strings has high credibility.

Provides great value for PV plant inspection.

Dramatically decreases PV plant inspection cost.

Scans PV strings with low output to find potential issues and reduce the PV module failure rate.

Environment data is collected manually, posing a risk of collecting incorrect data.

Provides a data port, through which environment data is collected automatically as required. This reduces manual recording workload and potential for errors.

The scan is performed Test personnel must carry Decreases test workload and remotely in one-click out the scan onsite, which cost. mode and no profesis difficult and labor intensional skill is required. sive.

Analyzes the IV curve The IV curve is analyzed Reduces requirements for automatically and iden- manually and data is coltechnical personnel and cost. tifies faulty PV strings. lected manually, creating Generates analysis high workload. reports automatically.

www.EQMagPro.com

SOLAR INVERTERS

BENEFITS OF PV STRING IV CURVE DETECTION The online IV curve detection function enables the features and health status of PV strings of large-scale PV plants to be inspected. This facilitates O&M by detecting and processing low-efficiency PV strings, improving energy yields, and preventing faults from propagating. The online IV curve detection function brings four key benefits: Benefit 1: Timely Discovery of PV Module Faults  All PV modules in the PV plant are scanned rapidly and periodically through annual inspection, detecting faulty PV strings. Timely processing of the faulty PV strings helps improve energy yields and prevents faults from propagating.  Carrying out IV tests for PV strings with low output power on an irregular basis helps detecting and preventing faults.

Benefit 2: Inspection Quality Improvement  The IV curve can be used to accept PV modules after a PV plant is constructed, detecting faulty products, improving PV plant quality, and reducing acceptance cost.  Tests the faulty PV strings reported by the system by combining the IV curve detection result. This significantly improves PV plant inspection efficiency and fault detection rate, as well as lowering inspection workload.

www.EQMagPro.com

Benefit 3: High Automation  One-click remote operation greatly reduces PV plant test intensity, requirements on test personnel, and test cost.  Automatic analysis of IV curves lowers requirements on test personnel.  Automatic generation of reports reduces workloads for test personnel.

Benefit 4: Mining the Value of Historical Data  The system automatically collects statistics about PV string fault types and attenuation rate based on PV modules and historical runtime. Using the collected statistics, it provides suggestions for the future construction of the PV plant.  When the array attenuation rate changes rapidly or a certain type of faults propagates throughout the system, the PV plant owner can adjust the O&M policy accordingly. This improves O&M efficiency, reduces costs, and increases the plant PR. PV modules function as the main body of a PV system, making PV module quality a vital consideration. Huawei’s smart IV curve diagnosis technology is a significant step toward freeing PV plants of the consequences of PV module faults.

EQ

January 2017

69

PV MANUFACTURING

THE FACTS BEHIND NO.1

1.

Quality

J

inkoSolar has state-of-the-art, modern manufacturing facilities around the globe andan unblemished quality record. We ensure that each module shipped and complies with the highest quality standards. We have taken the extra steps to ensure that our modulesare second to none with ourrigorous inhouse quality control standards. In addition topassing all standardized tests, we invite the world’s leading 3rd party institutes to audit our facilities, test our products, and help us refine our state-of-the-art manufacturing process. Perhaps this is why we have hadzero power output warranty claims in many countries, including the US and China, our largest market.

GUARANTEED 100 % QUALITY The production process includes 52 tests whichare performed onour modules before delivery to our customers. We perform Electroluminescence Tests on100% of our cells prior to lamination and post lamination on100% of the modules, assuring the modules will have no micro-cracks or problems.

Our traceable quality system allows us to directly cross-reference our solar cells with particular production parameters. Furthermore, each solar cell contains a code which allows us to answer questions about your JinkoSolar module even more efficiently.

2.

Technology

COMPREHENSIVE INDUSTRY QUALITY TESTS CERTIFIED As one of the most recognizedPV manufacturers in the industry,JinkoSolar always achieves certificates which surpass the industry standards. The latest certificate is the IEC TS 62941, a PV-specific quality management standard that focuses on the advanced control ofthe design, manufacturing, and quality control process for the entire production chain. Being that ISO9001 is the reference and prerequisite to obtain IEC TS 62941, this last one goes beyond the reference.Also for instance, JinkoSolar modules can withstand 3600 pa wind load while generally 2400 pa wind load is standard in industry.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH TOP MATERIAL SUPPLIERS JinkoSolar provides customers with products made of competitive raw materials to meet the reliability requirements of various kinds of installations and climate conditions. Jinko`s modules are produced with high quality raw materials, and work only with top and renowned material providers. JinkoSolar has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with DuPont, one of the leading suppliers of advanced photovoltaic materials such as metallization pastes, and Tedlar among others. This type of agreements reinforces Jinko´s position in having high-quality products with the best power outputs possible.

J

inko Solar is continuously investing in R&D to continue leading the industry towards a more profitable and economic solar business.

• Mass production products: 330W and 280W polycrystalline modules are the highest power modules commercially available on the market.

• New products: JinkoSolar’smonocrystalline PERC technology will be producing 350W 72 cells modules and 290W 60cell modules.

• Smart modules which output power are optimized with IC on their Junction Box and Dual Glass that upgrade the current portfolio to operate at 1500V and have 30 years of linear warranty.

• Anti PID guarantee: According to the IEC 62804 Draft std. These test are taken under conditions of 60°C and 85%RH.Jinko modules were the first module to effectively pass a test of 85°C and 85%HR. The module is built with more resistant encapsulation material. The solar cells go through special treatment avoid the occurrence of leakage currents that cause a sudden degradation on the module of up to 30% of power losses on specific strings.

• Temperature Coefficient: Jinko´s EAGLE module has a Pmax loss of -0,40%/°C, and -0,39%/°C on some types of modules. This means more energy yield.

• NOCT and STC: The NOCT Power is more valuable than the STC Power on the datasheet since it happens on more realistic conditions.

Jinko Solar modules have the highest NOCT Power among the top manufacturer and this translates into more energy yield for the projects of our customers.

• Titled “Best Module of the Year” by Photon Lab Test forconsecutive years for its leading position in module yield measurements.

70

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

PV MANUFACTURING

3.

4.

Service

W

e’ve redefined what it means for a solar company to be vertically integrated.

Yes, it means start-to-finish in-house manufacturing of everything from growing the ingots, slicing the wafers and creating solar cells, modules, frames, connectors and junction boxes. But at JinkoSolar, we also integrate on-time delivery, unmatched service and unrivaled product reliability as part of our structure.The extensive local presence is vital for us to be able to provide a timely and high quality service, and to support our customers with market insights and knowledge. JinkoSolar has 6 factories around the globe,a worldwide logistics network, and dedicated warehouse facilities.

Our dedication to our production and logistic timelines allow for our near-perfect on-time delivery rate, with modules arriving in pristine condition. Our team remains fully connected to our customers and highly responsive to their needs.

Because we understand that our customers value local service more and more, we’ve built 34 subsidiaries and sales office with full-service teams. These local operations include sales, technical support, operations, marketing, finance, legal, and business development. In all cases, we have the ability to make quick decisions and provide highly responsive customer service.

Sustainability FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE One of the most important criteria in choosing a PV module manufacturer is to analyze their financial situation. Jinko Solar has one of the healthiest financial statements in the market, showing one of the highest Gross Margin and Net Profit. Additionally, Jinko is listed in NYSE which makes our financial statements public, generating trust among our clients.

JinkoSolar has published the Q3 results which continued to gain growth momentum despite a challenging environment.

BANKABILITY

GROWTH

Jinko’s healthy financial statements and high product quality reflects in the fact that highly recognized banks have financed projects with our modules. 85 banks approved JinkoSolar globally. This has led Jinko Solar to be positioned for Q1, Q2 and Q3 2016 as No. 1 manufacturer on BNEF Tier 1 list.

After 10 years in the market JinkoSolar has been one of the fastest growing companies in the industry, always growing more than the market average, but still maintaining strong financial statements and stock price.

Jinko’s annual growth reflects in the approximate 8% of worldwide market share, which positions Jinko as a leader in the industry. JinkoSolar was ranked 16th among Fortune Magazine`s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies in 2016.

JinkoSolar’s annual production capacity for 2016 is 6.7GW, positioning the company as the largest company in the market. In the year 2017, Jinko Solar is expecting to close again as the #1 PV manufacturer in the industry.

AWARDS

• Ten Years’ Contribution Award • 2016 Top 100 Outstanding Entrepreneurs • B20 Infrastructure Taskforce • FORTUNE TOP 500 listed No.330 • Fastest Growing Company of the Year 2016 by Fortune, listed No.16 • 2015 Paris Climate Conference “Today’s Transformative Step” • World Economic Forum “The Global Growth Company”

BRANDING

• 2015 National Technology Innovation Demonstration Enterprise

Jinko Solar has definitely the biggest market share in the US (utility segment), China, Australia (DG market), Turkey, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Ukraine, etc. Estimated 6.7GW shipment in 2016 makes us No.1 brand in the industry.

• PV Leader of the Year in 2016

www.EQMagPro.com

EQ

January 2017

71

SOLAR INVERTERS

PV inverter under the solar array

Inverter/charger with monitoring unit

FRONIUS AND VICTRON ENERGY ARE NOW EXTENDING THEIR COLLABORATION TO THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT As a “first” in India the two European heavy weights in solar electronics have joined hands in a show case project in the International Township of Auroville, Tamil Nadu.

T 72

EQ

his combination of grid-tie and battery inverter promises to deliver the best of both worlds in terms of conversion efficiency from the PV array coupled on the AC bus with a sophisticated battery management backup system.

In normal operation the plant feeds energy in to the local grid through the Victron Inverter/charger which acts as a watchdog on the supply line, thus making sure that voltage and frequency are within a set window and the battery is fully charged.

In the event of a power interruption the change-over switch inside the VE inverter/charger changes the source of energy from grid to battery within milliseconds allowing the PV inverter to re-synchronise and continue to produce energy, supplying the onsite loads and feeding excess energy back to the battery. In case of a fully charged battery and no takers for

January 2017

INTEGRATED SYSTEM OVERVIEW

PV energy on the local load side the inverter/charger signals this saturation condition to the PV inverter via frequency droop, a slight increase of operating frequency resulting in a proportional reduction of power

output. All data of PV production, load and battery condition can now be conveniently monitored on the local colour display or via the Internet through an app on various operating systems – anytime, anywhere.

www.EQMagPro.com

SOLAR INVERTERS

GINLONG TECHNOLOGY PIONEERED THE LAUNCH OF 4TH GENERATION INVERTER TECHNOLOGY The launch of the “Ginlong Brand New Generation of 4G Inverter” was successful.

74

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

SOLAR INVERTERS

O

n December 22, 2016, the “Ginlong Brand New Generation of 4G Inverter” product launch conference went successfully at Xiangshan Grand Ocean Hotel in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. The significant technical breakthrough of Ginlong 4G Inverter based on the new 4th generation of Inverer platform in aspects of performance, security and grid-friendliness was perfectly demonstrated during the event. The conference has attracted great attention from PV industry insiders.

Mr. Fuxin Shen, Secretary-General of Zhejiang Solar Industry Association, Mr. Weichun Li, TÜV Rheinland Electronics Greater China Managing Director, and Mr. Yiming Wang, Managing Director of Ginlong Technology, together with nearly 300 customers and over 50 news media groups from solar industry and internet portals such as Sina.com attended this new product release conference. The industrial insiders and media groups witnessed this major technical breakthrough and showed their interest and anticipation for the technology innovation.

Ginlong 4G Inverter Unveiling Ceremony was held during the conference. Ginlong Technology Managing Director Mr. Yiming Wang and Secretary General of Zhejiang Solar Industry Association Mr. Fuxin Shen unveiled the new product jointly. The media reporters and conference audiences present witnessed this exciting moment with great applause.

On December 22nd at 8:30 am, the new product launch conference kicked off. Mr. Fuxin Shen,Secretary-General of Zhejiang Solar Industry Association delivered the opening speech. He said: “China’s PV industry will continue to maintain the rapid growing speed during the 13th FiveYear Plan period, and will stand at a even higher starting point and face more sever challenges. The non-stopping technology innovation is the only way to achieve customer satisfaction and industry recognition.”

During the conference, customers from Mexico, US and Sweden highly praised Ginlong via videos for their quality products and attentive service ever delivered , and at the same time, expressed their anticipation to Ginlong’s new 4G inverters.

Following a brief introductory vedio play of the 4G inverter, Mr. Yiming Wang introduced the new 4G product in great detail and answered the questions from the audience. “The new 4G string inverters have unique advantages compared to those conventional inverters in the market,” Mr. Wang said. He then further explained these strengths as following:

E: Built-in Export power management F: High Frequency Switching @ 30KHz Significantly reduces inductance loss and noise levels

A: All New Solis 4G Single Phase Range B: All New Design – Smaller, Lighter and Smarter C: 4G Model range extended to include 6kW + 10kW Single Phase models D: Dual and now Three MPPT options available

G: Fifth Generation Infineon IGBT technology - Improves the efficiency by 0.5-0.8% H: Latest Texas Instruments TI2806 DSP Chip – Reduces CPU processing speed. PMW resolution increased x 1.5 I: Optional AFCI Function J: All New Heat Sync design – Lower operating temperatures

www.EQMagPro.com

Wang indicated that Gilong would start the small batch production of this new 4G product from 2017Q1. As an high-end type of inverter in the current market, Ginlong hopes that customers with demand can start to experience the new product, while the company will try to set a moderate price for it. “Although the current price is 10-15% higher than the conventional inverter, Ginlong hope it can achieve price competitive within 12 months through the market application at large scale. At the same time,the company would like the customers to consider the improvements in performance, safety and reliability the new product brings, not counting on price only. We cannot provide the cheapest inverter, but we do make our high-end product worth its price,” said Wang. Under currently brutal price competition, Ginlong does not take the cost cut as its primary factor in new generation inverter development as other companies do. As an internationally leading inverter manafacturer, Ginlong is willing to take the responsibility on behalf of the industry, bringing a high-end, independently innovated brand new inverter technology platform. Its behavior has won high praises and good wishes for further developments and achievements from the conference attendees.

EQ

January 2017

75

NEW SOFTWARE ANALYZES POWER LOSSES IN THE PRODUCTION OF SOLAR MODULES Research and industry invest lots of know-how in improving solar cell efficiency. In order that PV modules benefit from the advances in cell efficiency, the cell-to-module integration process must be performed reliably with low losses. With this in mind, the photovoltaic module group at Fraunhofer ISE developed the software SmartCalc.CTM, which enables manufacturers of PV modules and materials to optimize the assembly and material combination in a PV module, before fabricating a prototype.

S

martCalc.CTM determines the cell-to-module effects, or “CTM”, which occur when solar cells are integrated into a module. Starting with the cell power, the software calculates the optical losses and gains (e. g. reflection), electrical losses (e. g. due to resistances) and the geometrical losses (inactive areas) in solar modules. The software tool assists in analyzing potential yields, thus enabling PV manufacturers to determine how new materials or concepts would affect module efficiency. In the model, the interaction between components and process steps are optimized in such a way that the best possible module – with the highest power or the maximum efficiency under the given boundary conditions – is achieved.

“SmartCalc.CTM was conceived for module manufacturers and material suppliers,” explains Matthieu Ebert, team leader of “Module Efficiency and New Concepts” at Fraunhofer ISE. “Our software offers added value in that it can quickly analyze the interplay between the influencing factors for a module design and present these in a clear manner.”

The underlying models in SmartCalc.CTM provide detailed yet flexible control at the same time. Properties of solar cells, encapsulation material or module glass can be easily adapted. Thus, the use of new materials and components and their effect on the module efficiency can be easily determined, enabling new technologies and module designs to be evaluated rapidly. The software can also be used to optimize costs. For example, different less-expensive materials can be compared and evaluated with respect to the module’s performance efficiency.

SmartCalc.CTM is based on a simulation model which has been published and is under development at Fraunhofer ISE since 2008. The model considers the many factors that influence module performance such as optical and electrical effects as well as singular components, for example, solar cells, glazings or the module frame. As a result, potential improvements can be indentified easily and applied in practice. The CTM factors can change drastically depending on the choice of solar cell, module materials and the module assembly.

“With a well-selected combination of materials and module design, an optimization of all factors can even lead to a CTM > 100%, indicating a higher output as compared to the sum of all solar cells before integration,” says Ebert.

SmartCalc.CTM has a user-friendly interface with an accompanying operating manual. As well as the software license, the team at Fraunhofer ISE offers consulting and R&D support for analyzing and optimizing the simulation results. The software shall be continually developed in order to keep pace with future module assemblies.

YINGLI’S PANDA BIFACIAL MODULE RECEIVES CGC’S TOP RUNNER PROGRAM CERTIFICATION Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (“Yingli” or “Yingli Solar”) , one of the world’s leading solar panel manufacturers, today announced that its PANDA Bifacial module has received China General Certification Centre’s (“CGC”) Top Runner Program certification, which was the first Top Runner Program certification to module that can generate power by both the front and rear sides in China. The PANDA Bifacial module has been installed on a 50MW Top Runner project in Datong, Shanxi province.

T 76

he PANDA Bifacial module is comprised of two layers of 2.5mm thick tempered glass, which replace the conventional back sheet and glass structure. Specifically, PANDA Bifacial module integrates technology from Yingli’s state of the art PANDA n-type monocrystalline solar cells, which can generate power not only from the front side, but also from the rear side by leveraging reflected light in the environment. Therefore, the power yields of the PANDA Bifacial module can be increased by up to 30% compare to the situation when it only generates from the front side.The PANDA Bifacial module possesses strong durability and resistance to PID (Potential Induced Degradation) and is able to perform well under various harsh environments such as exposure to high temperature and humidity, salt mist and sand. With a maximum system voltage of 1500 Volts (V), PANDA Bifacial module can improve system performance and help to reduce the balance-of-system costs by up to 25%.

EQ

January 2017

“We are glad to receive the first Top Runner Program certification for bifacial PV products. Actually, the performance of our PANDA Bifacial module is beyond Top Runner Program’s requirements, which resulted from our continued technology innovation,” commented Dr. Dengyuan Song, Chief Technology Officer of Yingli. “Yingli will always committed to reducing the cost of solar power generation and making solar electricity affordable and accessible for all through continued technology innovation.”

www.EQMagPro.com

TRINA SOLAR ANNOUNCES NEW EFFICIENCY RECORD OF 22.61% FOR MONO-CRYSTALLINE SILICON PERC CELL Trina Solar Limited, a global leader in photovoltaic (PV) modules, solutions and services, recently announced that its State Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology of China (the “SKL PVST”), set a new world conversion efficiency record of 22.61% for a high-efficiency p-type mono-crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell.

T

he record-breaking solar cell was fabricated on a large-sized boron-doped Cz-Si substrate with a low-cost industrial process of advanced PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) technology that integrates back surface passivation, front surface advanced passivation and anti-LID (Light Induced Degradation) technologies. The 243.23 cm2 solar cell reached a total-area efficiency of 22.61%. This result has

been independently confirmed by the Fraunhofer ISE CalLab in Germany.

Trina Solar achieved a world conversion efficiency record of 21.40% for a large-area PERC mono-crystalline p-type solar cell in 2014, and the Company subsequently beat this with a 22.13% efficiency record in 2015. In July 2016, Trina Solar announced that its production lines were able to produce the same type of PERC solar

cells in large volume with an average efficiency of 21.12%, which is only 1 percentage point less than the record efficiency that was achieved in 2015.

Today, Trina Solar announces that it has broken its previous efficiency record by about a half percentage point, reaching the highest efficiency level to date for a PERC cell fabricated with a low-cost industrial process on a largearea p-type mono-crystalline substrate.

“We are very delighted to announce the latest achievement of our research team at the SKL PVST. Over the last few years, our R&D team has managed to continuously improve the efficiency of our mono- and multi-crystalline silicon PERC solar cells, pushing the limits of technology and surpassing our previous records. We want to demonstrate all the possibilities of PERC technology on an industrial scale, and to approach as close as possible to the 25% efficiency level that was achieved by solar researchers at The University of New South Wales in the laboratory more than 17 years ago. In an innovation-driven PV industry, Trina Solar has been always focused on improving cell conversion efficiency and reducing system costs through the development of leading-edge PV technologies and products. Our goal is to insist on technological innovation, and transfer as quickly as possible the laboratory technology to commercial production.”

- Dr. Pierre Verlinden, Vice-President and Chief Scientist of Trina Solar

1366 TECHNOLOGIES AND HANWHA Q CELLS ACHIEVE 19.6% EFFICIENCY USING DIRECT WAFER® AND Q.ANTUM CELL TECHNOLOGIES Silicon wafer manufacturer 1366 Technologies today announced that it has jointly achieved with Hanwha Q CELLS a new performance record of 19.6% cell efficiency for 1366’s Direct Wafer® technology. The result was independently confirmed by the Fraunhofer ISE CalLab and clearly demonstrates the combined potential of the two inventions – 1366’s kerfless, drop-in 156 mm multicrystalline wafers and Hanwha Q CELLS Q.ANTUM, passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) cell process.

T

he wafers were produced with 1366’s current production furnaces in Bedford, MA and the cell fabrication was completed at Hanwha Q CELLS’ Center for Technology Innovation and Quality in Thalheim, Germany.

“This year we’ve been focused on mass production trials and, together with Hanwha Q CELLS, we’ve continued to push the performance limits of multicrystalline cells while dramatically reducing their costs,” said Frank van Mierlo. “The Direct Wafer process provides an ultra-low cost option to manufacturers to extend multicrystalline’s dominant market position. This latest technical achievement is an impressive demonstration of our wafers’ compatibility with new cell architectures that provide long-term differentiation.”

“These latest results demonstrate the further potential of the Direct Wafer and Q.ANTUM cell technologies that can break the technical limitations of conventional wafer and cell making processes,” said Kai Petter, Senior Manager, R&D Silicon of Hanwha Q CELLS

1366 Technologies’ Direct Wafer® Technology 1366 Technologies’ Direct Wafer® process forms multi-crystalline wafers directly from molten silicon instead of today’s multi-step, energy- and capital-intensive process. The result is a uniformly better wafer, created at one-half the cost. The technology also has the enormous benefit of being a “drop-in” replacement for 60 percent of the photovoltaics market, making it seamless for cell and panel manufacturers to readily adopt the technology without adding a single new piece of equipment.

Source:businesswire

WUXI SUNTECH ANNOUNCED ITS BREAKTHOUGH IN MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON SOLAR CELL PERC TECHNOLOGY Suntech, one of the world’s leading solar modules manufacturers recently announced that its highest mass production conversion efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cell has reached 20%.

I

n recent years, Wuxi Suntech devotes to the technical innovation to improve the conversion efficiency of solar cells. In April 2015, its high-efficiency monocrystalline solar module “HyPro” module was launched to the market and in June 2016 the highest cell conversion efficiency has reacheded 21.3%. In the meantime, the Hydrogenation technology which was co-developed

by Wuxi Suntech and Australia UNSW can decrease the LID (light induced degradation) rate of the multicrystaiiline silicon solar cells to zero.

According to the average conversion efficiency of the mass production of multicrystaiiline silicon PERC solar cells, 72 cells module will reach 330W which is 15W higher than the normal 315W module. Wuxi Suntech will keeps on high performance products developing and technology improvement to further improve the conversion efficiency of solar cells and modules.

MONOCRYSTAL INTRODUCES BACK-SIDE SILVER PASTE FOR PERC

M

onocrystal, a global leading supplier of PV metallization pastes and synthetic sapphire, today announced the launch of its new MY-555 cost-saving backside silver metallization paste for Passivated Emitter Rear Contact (PERC) solar cells. MY-555 was specially developed to meet the demand for product with efficient balance of silver content and paste consumption. 55% silver content along with 6% lower consumption per wafer allow 10-15% cost of ownership reduction. Moreover, MY-555 provides up to 50% higher adhesion resulting in enhanced production yields which also contributes to cell and module reliability.

“Our new paste is perfectly compatible with Monocrystal’s EFX-series back-side aluminum PERC pastes. Monocrystal’s PERC package allows customers to boost efficiency gain up to 0.18%. MY-555 does not penetrate the passivation layer and better protects the emitter during metallization process.

We see the growing demand for PERC products and it is our strategic initiative to focus on PERC R&D. We are committed to further support our customers with cutting-edge solutions”, commented Evgeny Zemlyanukhin, Sales Director of Monocrystal Pastes Division.

Source:monocrystal

78

EQ

January 2017

www.EQMagPro.com

C & S ELECTRIC........................................................................35 First Solar............................................................................09 FILMCUTTER.............................................................................13 Ganges NTERNATIONALE........................................................07 Growatt...........................................front GATEFOLD cover HUAWEI TELECOMMUNICATIONS.............................BACK COVER JA SOLAR..............................................................FRONT COVER L & T CONSTRUCTION...............................................................43 Lerri solar.........................................................INSIDE FRONT MORNSUN.................................................................................27 Risen.......................................................................................11 RENEW X..................................................................................71 SOVA POWER............................................................................21 SOLAR INDIA 2017 EXPO..........................................................49 SNEC PV...................................................................................59 SWELECT..................................................................................15 TBEA........................................................................INSIDE BACK TOPSUN....................................................................................31

PAYMENT

vikram solar.........................................................................03

www.EQMagPro.com 70 EQ October 2016

"

EQ January 2017 79Â www.EQMagPro.com