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Volume # 8 | Issue # 10 | October 2016 - Part 1 |

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Volume # 8 | Issue # 10 | October 2016 - Part 1 |

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C ONTEN T

VOLUME 8 Issue # 10

14 INDIA India drags US to WTO Over Renewable Energy

INDIA

Waaree Energies announces entry into floating solar PV market

18 SOLAR INVERTERS Punjab gets largest solar power plant in Mansa

21 RESEARCH & ANALYSIS Global energy investment down 8% in 2015 with flows signalling move towards cleaner energy

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.

FEATURED

BUISNESS & FINANCE

Vikram Solar CEO bags Bengal Entrepreneurship Award 2016cleaner energy

Tata Power and ICICI Venture partner to launch power platform with global investors

54 69

50 SOLAR TRACKERS Aniruddha Kulkarni, Head Design, Scorpius Trackers

with Li Xiande, Jinko Solar’s Chairman

TECHNOLOGY Switching your installation from 1000 VDC to 1500 VDC in Solar PV Plant- Understand the technical challenge and commercial opportunity

49 ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS

BIPV Performance Analysis of a BIPV System and a Desert PV System

65 POLICY & REGULATION Accelerated depreciation benefit – A major incentive for solar power

GCL-SI Named Tier 1 PV Manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance

INTERVIEW with Rajeshwara Bhat Managing Director, Juwi India Renewables Pvt. Ltd.

48 EXPERT OPINION GST in renewables: Consultation is the need of the hour

68 INTERVIEW

FROM REI 2016

SOLAR PROJECT

Vikram Solar launches ‘HELITRAC’- the revolutionary Sun tracking system

Coal India to set up 600 MW solar plants in four states

with Kapiel Dongle Business Head, Fourth Partner Energy

73 INTERVIEW with Mr.ajay Bhure Director, Aelius Renewable Infra Services Pvt. Ltd.

NEWS & ANALYSIS Pg-14-49 PV MANUFACTURING

ENERGY STORAGE

ROOFTOP & OFFGRID

Heraeus‘ new front-side paste SOL9631J Series enables Jinko Solar to produce new highefficiency solar cells

India wastes 15-20% of its renewable energy due to lack of storage: Panasonic Energy head, Atul Arya

Postal Dept plans to harness solar power at its offices

PRODUCTS Pg-76-81

India

India drags US to WTO over renewable energy

IBC SOLAR signs sixth EPC contract in India

India has dragged the US to the WTO over America’s domestic content requirements and subsidies provided by eight states in the renewable energy sector.

The Indian subsidiary of IBC SOLAR AG, a global leader in photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy storage, announces the signing of another EPC (Engineering, procurement, construction) contract for a 22.5 MWp PV system in Rajasthan, India.

T “India has requested consultations with the US under the dispute settlement system regarding alleged domestic content requirements and subsidies provided by eight US states in the renewable energy sector.”

T 14

The WTO Said he eight states are – Washington, California, Montana, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Delaware and Minnesota. When contacted, an Indian official said, “Yes we have sought consultations with the US on the matter.” India has stated that the measures are inconsistent with the global trade norms because they provide less favourable treatment to imported products than to like domestic products, and because the subsidies are contingent on the use of domestic over imported goods. The request for consultations is the first step in a dispute at the WTO under its Dispute Settlement System. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations fail to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.

October 2016

he new PV installation is located near Phalodi in Rajasthan – one of the federal states with the largest amount of installed solar capacity in India and a dedicated policy regarding renewable energy, especially for large-scale PV power plants. The construction start is expected in October 2016, commission is planned for April 2017.

“With this project, IBC SOLAR India will reach an important milestone of installing more than 50 MW of solar capacity in India for third party customers”, says Shailendra Bebortha, Managing Director of the Indian subsidiary IBC SOLAR Projects Private Ltd. having its offices in Mumbai and New Delhi.

“Phalodi” is IBC SOLAR’s sixth EPC project in India. The German company IBC SOLAR AG will provide engineering services and technical supervision, whilst the Indian subsidiary will be responsible for the construction work on site. Client and investor is the LN Bangur Group, which has previously worked with IBC SOLAR on several turnkey projects, such as in Bhadla (2014) and Pokhran (2015). The region of Rajasthan is topographically and climatically challenging and requires an experienced EPC supervision. IBC SOLAR offers more than 30 years of expertise in delivering turnkey PV projects in time. The new contract demonstrates LN Bangur Group’s trust in IBC SOLAR and its ability to deliver high quality solar PV projects in India. IBC SOLAR is globally represented in more than 30 countries – with its own subsidiaries, international partner companies, and its activities as project developer, project marketer and EPC service provider. No matter what size of PV project, the system house provides expert assistance to its customers and is a financially strong partner with solar system competence from Germany.

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India

USAID announces 5 new partnerships in India With an aim to expand Indo-US cooperation, a US agency recently announced five new partnerships in the fields of clean energy, environment and climate change to help India make the transition to a low emission and energy-secure economy. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced five new partnerships, four of which are with the government. The announcement was made by USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers who was in Delhi to represent the agency at the second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

irst among these new partnerships is USAID’s commitment to work with the Bangalore power utility BESCOM and US-based company Innovari to launch the first grid integration pilot under the “Greening the Grid” (GTG) initiative. GTG is a joint initiative of USAID and the Power Ministry to strengthen India’s power grid to manage large-scale integration of renewable energy. India aims to provide 24/7 power to all Indian households by 2020 by adding and integrating 175 gigawatts of renewable energy into the national grid. Under another partnership, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and USAID agreed to expand their solar rooftop programme to an additional eight states and 15 utilities. “During the first phase of this programme, USAID and MNRE supported the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh to introduce appropriate net-metering policies and regulations and provided technical assistance to the state distribution utilities implementing solar rooftop programs.

USAID with GE to improve standards in Indian solar industry the US Agency for International Development has announced to fund and promote research in partnership with the General Electrics to improve standards in the Indian solar industry.

his is one of the 49 projects selected by USAID’s US Global Development Lab that would receive a total of USD 10 million to address critical areas of development, a media release said yesterday. Funded through the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program, the individual projects will address gaps in scientific knowledge ranging from disaster preparedness to maternal and child health to food security, it said.

“Through programs like PEER, we help strengthen the global scientific research community by providing opportunities for the best scientific minds to collaborate on crucial development issues.”

Ann Mei Chang, USAID’s Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of the US Global Development Lab

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“As part of the expansion of USIndia bilateral cooperation, USAID will continue to support Ministries of power, new and renewable energy, and environment to help India transition to a highperforming, low-emission, energysecure economy. He announced the partnerships highlighting that “USAID welcomes and appreciates this historic opportunity to play a useful role in India’s path forward”. Asia Jonathan Stivers, USAID Assistant Administrator “In the expanded programme, USAID will also partner with MNRE to train 5,000 utility engineers and 1,000 bankers and entrepreneurs on installation and operation best practices for solar rooftop systems,” A Statement Said

Among the new awards, the PEER program will support research in Morocco on the integration of solar energy microgrid into ‘smart buildings’ in partnership with National Instruments. It will aslo aid research in Peru on climate adaptation strategies with the goals of informing practical solutions to water sustainability and water quality research in Lebanon to determine how pollutants may affect refugee populations. It has also selected research in partnership with the National Cancer Institution on how Health approaches can be used to reduce tobacco use in patients with tuberculosis and research in partnership with USAID/ Southern Africa, and the Government of South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) to co-fund two research projects addressing water quality. Since its launch in 2011, PEER has supported more than 200 researchers in over 45 countries, with a total investment of over USD 50 million. EQ

October 2016

India

Waaree Energies announces entry into floating solar PV market Waaree Energies,India’s largest solar panel manufacturer, announces a strategic partnership with 4CSolar – a proven technology solutions provider based in California specializing in floating solar arrays.

CSolar has developed patent-protected technologies to enable highly reliable, low-cost and eco-friendly installations of floating solar power plants on lakes, dams, and near-shore seawater. This product is now available for demonstration and sale through SunMount Engineering Pvt. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waaree Energies. “We are extremely pleased to establish this partnership with 4CSolar, which is a prominent solar solution provider in floating solar modules. Through this association, we aim to develop a cost-effective and lowmaintenance solution that can help address India’s energy and water challenges, and also enable our domestic suppliers to upgrade their technology.” Mr. Hitesh Doshi, Chairman & MD, Waaree Energies “We are very proud to be associated with a leading solar manufacturing brand like Waaree Energies, which is quite active in its efforts to maximize India’s solar capacity. With them, we wish to contribute to the nation’s ‘Make in India’ campaign through our comprehensive, eco-friendly floating solar solutions, and also upgrade the manufacturing capabilities of domestic companies – creating more room for sustainable Ms. Judith Smadja, growth.” Chief Executive Officer At 4Csolar

Ujaas Commission’s Three Epc Projects Across The Country Ujaas the pioneer of solar REC Mechanism in the country announced successful commissioning of 25 MW EPC projects, executed at three different locations across the nation: 16

October 2016

“Floating solar” is a solution where solar modules are mounted on floating pontoons which are either tethered to the shore, or anchored to the bottom of water bodies. Such installations can minimize the use of precious agricultural land for solar power generation, and also curb evaporation losses from water reservoirs by as much as 70%. By being located close to their point-ofuse these installations can power sustainable solutions such as lift-irrigation, orprovide rural electricity with low T&D losses. This strategic tie-up will enable Waaree Energies and 4CSolar to provide scalable solutions for lakes, reservoirs, canals and off-shore solar projects in India.

9 MW Oil India Project at Raghawa Dist Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 6 MW Daman & Diu Electricity Dept. Project in village Fudam / Malala, Diu 10 MW West Bengal Electricity Company Ltd. (WBSEDCL) Project in Canal Bank in between Tailrace Channel of Teesta Canal Fall stage-II Hydro Power Station and Mahananda Link Canal, Haptiagachh, Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal.

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India

Sungrow releases new inverters at Renewable Energy India Expo 2016

ungrow, the world‘s largest PV inverter manufacturer releases new inverters at the Renewable Energy India Expo (REI Expo) for the emerging solar market in India. The company showcased its highly efficient, newly designed central inverter – SG2500 (2.5MW container solution) and two string inverters, the 1100V-SG60KTL (60KW) and the SG80KTL (80KW with big DC clamp) at their booth #3 137. Sungrow’s central inverter SG2500 is best characterized by its cost effectiveness and highly reliable containerized design. The inverter’s 10-foot standardized shipping container design, enables the SG2500 to be easily deployed, saving installation time and cost. With the three-level topology design, maximum efficiency can reach up to 99%, being the highest in class. Sungrow also showcased their SG60KTL inverter (1100V). This 60KW string inverter is capable of overloading at 1.1Pn for a longer time with its maximum DC input arriving at 1100V. Maximum DC/AC ratio reaches up to 1.4, which is again the best in class. The product is designed for high power yields with its maximum efficiency reaching up to 99%. Notably, the string inverter SG80KTL (with big DC clamp) integrates functions including string monitoring and DC fuses as well as DC/AC surge protection within its intelligent design. SG80KTL is also designed for higher power yield with its maximum efficiency of up to 99%.

“Sungrow always focuses on technical innovation with an intention to offer better products and services to customers. We believe that these three new products can meet the demands of solar industry in India and exceed customer expectations.” Professor Renxian Cao, President of Sungrow

India

Anantapur project may be commissioned by next fiscal State-owned NTPC expects to commission 750 MW solar power project in Anantapur by the end of next fiscal.

senior official of the PSU said the company is in the process of inviting bids from the foreign companies for supplying necessary equipment and the same is expected to be over by April next year. Fadnavis said NTPC has been entrusted to develop combined capacity of 1,900 MW solar power projects in Mahabubnagar in Telangana , Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and Pavagada in Karnataka.According to him, the power projects located in the southern region has Plant Load factor (PLF) of 80 per cent.With regard to the 4,000 MW Telangana Super critical Power Project, the NTPC official said contracts have been awarded for setting up the plant.Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone for first phase (2X800) of the project on August 7 at Ramagundam. The Ministry of Coal has allotted Mandakini-B coal mine of Odisha and tapering coal from Singareni Collieries. However, for the 4,000 MW-Lalamkodur Plant in AP, he said the company is awaiting necessary approvals from the departments concerned as the

“In Anantapur of Andhra Pradesh we are installing 1,000 MW of solar power project, out of which 250 MW has been commissioned, rest 750 MW will be commissioned by the end of 2017-18.” V B Fadnavis, NTPC’s Regional Executive Director (South) source of fuel for the project has been changed from imported coal to domestic coal.”We are in the process of getting approvals for the change of fuel type. There may be some change in the designs involved,” Fadnavis said. The senior official quoted above said with the change in the source of fuel, considerable foreign exchange can be saved in future.To a query, he said the power producer has to “back down” power generation in some plants due to lack of demand.

Punjab gets largest solar power plant in Mansa The largest single location solar power plant with a capacity of 31.5 MW was inaugurated in Punjab’s Mansa district on Thursday.

T 18

The solar power plant, spread over 173 acres and costing over Rs 200 crore, is located in Mirpur Kalan village of Mansa district, 250 km from Chandigarh. The plant has been built by Hindustan Power with facilitation from various agencies of Punjab government.Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, inaugurating the largest solar power plant, said the area will get power supply from the plant.Badal said that farmers, who have given their land on lease for the project, would get Rs 50,000 per acre annually.

October 2016

“The investment in the solar power sector has increased to Rs. 8,000 crore and solar power generation has reached 1,000 MW, In the next five years, each of the 12,000 villages in the state would be equipped with solar lights.” Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab CM

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India

West Bengal govt plans small solar parks The West Bengal government has decided to create multiple small solar parks. “We are planning for solar park totalling 500 MW, but doing it at a single site is not possible as we are unable to get large contiguous land,” State Power Minister Shobhondeb Chatterjee said on the sidelines of an interactive session with the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce. About five acres of land was required for 1 MW of Solar power, the minister said. “We will create multiple solar parks and capacity will depend on size of land, which is a more viable option,” Chatterjee pointed out. He said the state government would continue to focus on renewable energy and would attend the Union Power Ministryconvened conference on renewables. I have received a letter from the Union Power Minister for a conference on renewables.” Mr. Shobhondeb Chatterjee, State Power Minister

he minister said 100 per cent electrification was already complete in 11 districts and by March 2017, work would be complete for the entire state. Chatterjee was confident that the 1,000 MW Turga hydel power project would takeoff shortly once environmental clearances were in place. The project has already got the nod form the Central Electricity Authority.

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India

WTO appeals court rejects India’s solar domestic content stipulation

“The Panel sustained the United States’ claims that India’s DCR measures are inconsistent with WTO non-discrimination obligations under Article III:4 of the GATT 1994 and Article 2.1 of the TRIMs Agreement.The Panel also found that the measures are not covered by the government procurement exemption under Article III:8(a) of the GATT 1994, because the product being procured (electricity) was not in a ‘competitive relationship’ with the product discriminated against (solar cells and modules).” - WTO Said

T The World Trade Organisation appellate body has upheld an earlier ruling against India’s domestic content requirements for manufacturing solar cells and modules, the WTO said.

he solar dispute arose from a complaint lodged by the US against India in 2013 for violation of global trading rules. Earlier this year, a WTO dispute settlement panel had ruled that India’s domestic content requirement (DCR) for the solar sector is inconsistent with its treaty obligations.

Rays Power Infra launches 100 MW Solar project in Uttarakhand Rays Power Infra Pvt. Ltd., India’s leading Solar Energy Company, announces the launch of its 100 MW Solar Power Project in Uttarakhand. The Project’s execution began in August, 2016, and is expected to be commissioned by February, 2017. It will be executed by Rays Power Infra on turnkey basis – from land acquisition to commissioning.

October 2016

oreover, instead of forcing farmers to sell their land, Rays Power Infra has devised a unique model where farmers can also become a part of the project, and as a result, will enable the solar company to acquire 500 acres of land in such a difficult terrain. “Rays Power Infra is following a co-development model, i.e., we have got the necessary permission from all local authorities, and are also working with foreign investors. Since

he national treatment obligations required India to treat imported solar cells and modules on par with domestically produced products without any discrimination under Article III:4 of the GATT 1994. The highest adjudicating body for global trade disputes agreed with the panel that India’s domestic content requirements for solar cells and modules under the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission amounted to traderelated investment measures as they favour domestic products over imported products. The domestic content requirement clause under India’s national solar programme, launched in 2010, is aimed to protect and encourage local industry. It mandates that a solar power producer compulsorily source a certain percentage of solar cells and modules from local manufacturers in order to be able to benefit from the government guarantee to purchase the energy produced. America and the European Union themselves have taken antidumping measures against cheaper Chinese solar panels in order to protect their own industries. Earlier this month, India lodged a complaint against the US at the WTO alleging that the latter’s domestic content requirements and subsidies of eight American states - Washington, California, Montana, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Delaware and Minnesota - for renewable energy violated core provisions of global trade rules. India expects to add around 5.5 GW of solar capacity in 2016, making it the fourth-largest solar market globally.

“After successfully commissioning a 55 MW Solar Power PV project in U.P., this 100 MW project in Uttarakhand will be our biggest project, adding another remarkable milestone to Rays’ list of executed projects.” Pawan Sharma, Director-Projects, Rays Power Infra this is a mega-sized project and will require lot of land area, farmers will be getting a recurring rental income for more than 25 years by leasing their lands,” he added. The 100 MW project is spread over a sprawling land area in Tehsil – Bhagwanpur in the Roorkee District of Uttarakhand. It comes under Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency’s (UREDA) competitive bidding for 2015-16.

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rESEARCH & ANALYSIS

Global energy investment down 8% in 2015 with flows signalling move towards cleaner energy

In a first-ever detailed analysis of investment across the global energy system, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday that global energy investment fell by 8% in 2015, with a drop in oil and gas upstream spending outweighing continued robust investment in renewables, electricity networks and energy efficiency.

otal investment in the energy sector reached USD 1.8 trillion in 2015, down from USD 2.0 trillion in 2014, according to World Energy Investment 2016 (WEI 2016). The new annual report provides a comprehensive and detailed picture of the current investment landscape across fuels, technologies and countries. It shows that the energy system is undergoing a broad reorientation toward low-carbon energy and efficiency but investment in key clean energy technologies needs to be further ramped up to put the world economy on track for climate stabilisation.

“We see a broad shift of spending toward cleaner energy, often as a result of government policies, Our report clearly shows that such government measures can work, and are key to a successful energy transition. But while some progress has been achieved, investors need clarity and certainty from policy makers. Governments must not only maintain but heighten their commitment to achieve energy security and climate goals.” - Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director

ith energy supply spending of USD 315 billion, China was once again the world’s largest energy investor last year thanks to robust efforts in building up lowcarbon generation and electricity networks, as well as implementing energy efficiency policies. Investment in the United States’ energy supply declined to about USD 280 billion in 2015, falling nearly USD 75 billion, due to low oil prices and cost deflation, representing half of the total decline in global energy spending. The Middle East and Russia emerged as the most resilient regions to spending cuts, thanks respectively to lower production costs and currency movements. As a result, national oil companies accounted for 44 percent of overall upstream investments, an all-time high. Renewable energy investments of USD 313 billion accounted for nearly a fifth of total energy spending last year, establishing renewables as the largest source of power investment. While spending on renewable power capacity was flat between 2011 and 2015, electricity generation from the new capacity rose by one third, reflecting the steep cost declines in wind turbines and solar PV. The investment in renewable power capacity in 2015 generates more than enough to cover global electricity demand growth.

Technology innovations boosted investment in smart grids and storage, which are expected to play a crucial role in integrating large shares of wind and solar. While grid-scale battery storage investment expanded tenfold since 2010, their value is predominantly to complement the grid, which continues to absorb much larger investment. Global gas-fired power generation investment declined by nearly 40%. Asian markets continued to favour investment in coal power. Investment activity in European gas power remained muted despite large retirements anticipated in the next decade. With investment rising 6%, energy efficiency spending was robust in 2015 due to government policies such as minimum standards that cover a rising share of new buildings, appliances and motor vehicles. In certain countries, lower prices slowed the trend towards more fuelefficient vehicles, most notably in the United States where the rate of improvement in efficiency was twothirds lower than that in recent years.

rESEARCH & ANALYSIS

Adani Has the Largest Solar Project Pipeline in India, Tata Power Leads with Installed Capacity and Rooftop Installations In a first-ever detailed analysis of investment across the global energy system, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday that global energy investment fell by 8% in 2015, with a drop in oil and gas upstream spending outweighing continued robust investment in renewables, electricity networks and energy efficiency.

ccording to Mercom Capital Group’s latest report, India Solar Quarterly Market Update, large scale project development in India is largely fragmented but we are starting to see a shift towards the sector dominated by large corporations and private equity-backed players. The Adani Group, an infrastructure and power conglomerate, which entered the solar sector just over two years ago now has the largest overall solar project pipeline in India with almost 2 GW. The Adani Group, with approximately 11 percent market share, has the most projects under development in India followed by ReNew Power, a wind and solar company backed by Goldman Sachs with ~10 percent market share. Soon to be acquired SunEdison has ~8.5 percent, ACME has ~8 percent, Azure has ~5 percent, Tata Power has 3.8 percent, Suzlon and Hero Future Energies have 3.7 percent of the large-scale solar market each. The top 20 developers account for almost 80 percent of projects under development. In a tough market driven by hyper-competitive reverse auctions and low margins, large conglomerates with deep pockets

and strong balance sheets that can access financing at much lower rates, private equity-backed firms, and international companies with access to cheaper funding abroad are well-positioned to dominate the sector. Other than one-off projects, smaller developers will struggle to grow as financing, low bids, and the policy push towards larger projects will make growth challenging.

Project Results

Tata Power Leads Solar Rooftop Installations

With the acquisition of Welspun’s project portfolio, Tata Power currently has the largest solar installed capacity in India with approximately 9 percent. Tata Power is followed by ACME with 7 percent and SunEdison with approximately 5.5 percent (acquisition of SunEdison pending) and Adani with 5 percent. The top 20 developers only account for approximately 58 percent of the 8.1 GW installed capacity and over 500+ other companies account for the rest.

Tata Power leads as the top rooftop installer in India with more than 100 MW, however the market is still very small. Rooftop solar is struggling to take off in India with 601 MW installed so far. Current incentives have not been enough to move the market forward. Even though there is net-metering policy and policy proposals in many states, implementation has been spotty. It takes six to eight months in some states just to process paperwork. There are currently no subsidies available for commercial and industrial customers, which make up almost 70 percent of the rooftop market. Accelerated depreciation is set to come down to 40 percent in FY 2017-18 from the existing 80 percent. The government’s decision to increase solar parks from 20 GW to 40 GW to make up for slow rooftop adoption indicates that the 40 GW rooftop solar goal by 2022 is not rooftop dependent.

October 2016

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rESEARCH & ANALYSIS

SOLAR INSTALLATIONS IN INDIA TO REACH 4.8 GW IN 2016 WITH A 21 GW DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE Mercom Capital Group, a global clean energy communications and research firm, recently released its quarterly update on the Indian solar market.

“Solar installations and its share of energy generation has picked up speed but distribution companies continue to be a drag on the sector and are showing reluctance to purchase solar in light of low power demand and cheap power availability on the exchanges, This is an alarming development that the central government should address immediately to restore confidence among developers and investors. Companies loaded with debt are finding it difficult to grow in this highly competitive environment and we expect to see a lot more M&A activity on the project side.” - Raj Prabhu, CEO And Co-Founder, Mercom Capital Group

ndia has reached 2.8 GW in solar installations year-to-date and cumulative installations have reached 8.1 GW as of August 2016. Mercom forecasts about 4.8 GW of solar to be installed in calendar year 2016. The solar project pipeline in India is now approximately 21 GW, with 14 GW under development and 7 GW scheduled to be auctioned. Low bids are still a challenge and projects with bids below Rs.5 (~$0.0746)/kWh have yet to close financing. Although bids stabilized somewhat, they fell again with the lowest reaching Rs.4.35 (~$0.0649)/kWh in the latest JNNSM Phase II Batch 2 auction in Rajasthan. Based on our channel checks, Chinese modules in India are currently available for ~$0.39 (~Rs.26)/watt which is the cheapest average selling price currently anywhere in the world. Module prices are forecasted to drop even further in the short-term due to the massive oversupply situation in China. With solar panels making up approximately 60 percent of project costs in India, China’s oversupply issue is a big boost for Indian project developers but not so much for Indian manufacturers. Current incentives have not been enough to move the solar rooftop market forward. Accelerated depreciation is set to come down to 40 percent in FY 2017-18 from the existing 80 percent. The government’s decision to increase solar parks from 20 GW to 40 GW to make up for slow rooftop adoption indicates that the goal for 40 GW of rooftop solar by 2022 is flexible. According to a recent MNRE report, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill will largely be a negative for the solar sector. However, the details are not yet determined and it is still unclear whether renewable energy will be exempt. Developers expect the ‘change in law’ clause in PPAs to protect them from the negative impact of GST. Consolidation activity has picked up in the sector, especially in the downstream segment. Welspun’s 1.1 GW project portfolio was acquired by Tata Power earlier this year for $1.4 billion (~Rs.9,380 crore). There are a number of other M&A deals in the pipeline.

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Though grid congestion and transmission infrastructure is a problem in some regions, low power demand especially from lucrative industrial and commercial segments is negatively affecting DISCOMs and their revenues. DISCOMs have resorted to sporadic curtailment from some solar projects in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu as cheaper power is available on the power exchanges. Grid connection and timely evacuation continues to be a big challenge considering solar project developers do not have the benefit of deemed generation. India’s first solar with energy storage tenders were issued in August 2016 totaling 300 MW. In a welcome development, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) announced a Rs.15 billion (~$224 million) payment guarantee fund to ensure timely payment to developers for projects developed through Viability Gap Funding (VGF). Mercom has been calling for a payment guarantee fund for all projects using the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) for some time to help significantly improve the bankability of projects, reduce borrowing costs and development risks.

October 2016

From REI 2016

Vikram Solar launches ‘HELITRAC’the revolutionary Sun tracking system Vikram Solar recently announced the launch of ‘HELITRAC’, a highly advanced solar tracker with robust weather proof mechanism and multimode intelligent operations.The product was showcased at Renewable Energy India Expo, Greater Noida.

et to boost the solar industry by further improving PV efficiencies, ‘HELITRAC’ can change its orientation throughout the day to follow the sun’s path to maximize energy capture.It allows east-west land undulations up to 3-5 degrees. Additionally, its IP65 gears and drives make the system weather proof and robust. The product is touted to be a breakthrough development, as it introduces certain unique features for the first time in India, viz. Link tube with articulated joints, dust avoidance and rain mode. “In large scale MW projects, utilization of Sun tracking systems is becoming increasingly prevalent as it enables developers to make maximum utilization of available land by generating more electricity even from a shredded down DCcapacity. Our new product- HELITRAC increases performance and PVefficiencies, offering various industry- first features and lowest LCOE. The product has been introduced with a clear aim to cater to the ever growing energy needs in a cost effective way and to serve the energy revolution.” Mr. Siddhartha Sengupta, President- Engineering, Vikram Solar Mr Sengupta further added, “With the benefits of fast installation and ease of transport, the product is slated to hit the market early in Q1 of 2017-18. Our revolutionary sun tracker will not only increase the solar PV plant generation, but also minimize the plant’s

October 2016

capital cost through its unique features.” ‘HELITRAC’ is bestowed with various features that not only makeit a unique product, but are also advantageous for end consumers. Exhibiting intelligent features like link tube with articulated joints and slew drives, it allows massive field adaptation, reducing land preparation cost. It also has a dust avoidance mode and rain mode that minimizes soiling losses and enables self-cleaning of the modules during rains respectively. With back tracking as another significant feature, the tracker keeps inter-row shading under check. Direct normal irradiance (DNI) and Diffused horizontal irradiance (DHI) being two components of sunlight, DNI offers the majority of energy. To maximize the collection of Sun’s light, the sun rays have to be perpendicular to the PV modules as long as possible which is practically not possible in case of traditional fixed tilt mounting systems and this led to the invention of sun trackers. As we know that the relative position of sun changes daily from east to west,it is therefore the angle of rotation that matters. The angle of rotation varies from -60° to +60° (East-West direction), but for tropical countries like India, a single axis movement of -45° to +45° (East-West direction) is enough for extracting the maximum gain. The tracking happens as per the astronomical algorithm encrypted in the controller, defining the relative path of sun round the year even considering all seasonal variations. This process of following the trajectory of sun provides with anelectricity generation gain of around 18% to 25%, depending on its location.

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From REI 2016

ReneSola Attends Renewable Energy India Expo ReneSola Ltd, a leading fully-integrated solar project developer and provider of energy efficient technology products, recently exhibited at the Renewable Energy India Expo (“REI”) trade show from September 7 through September 9 in Greater Noida, India.

EI is the largest solar industry event in India, where Renesola showcased its latest modules. At the Expo, ReneSola introduced its latest modules to the fast-growing Indian PV market, which is forecast to install approximately 3.5 GW of new PV capacity in 2016 and 8.5 GW in 2017, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. These models include the 72-cell Double-Glass and 72-cell 1500V as well as the Virtus III, the latest upgrade in the groundbreaking Virtus module series.

“Attending REI 2016 was a great opportunity to bring our latest modules to India and reaffirm our commitment to the local market, We currently have an installed base of more than 650 MW modules in India and we are on track to add another 450 MW in 2016-17, which will take our total volume of modules supplied to India above 1 GW.” Pradeep Sangwan, General Manager ReneSola India Pvt Ltd.

ReneSola was one of the first Bloomberg New Energy Finance Tier 1 PV module manufacturers to establish dedicated India operations, opening its first corporate office in Mumbai in 2013.

Connected more than 750 MW in India and counting!

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From REI 2016

DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions Showcased Solar Innovations Portfolio at Renewable Energy India Expo 2016 As the industry leader in solar solutions that delivers proven power and lasting value DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions HAD a strong presence at the 10th Renewable Energy India Expo (REI) 2016, from 7 – 9 Sep. at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida.

he DuPont booth was an engaging experience where customers and industry representatives saw the company’s latest products and interact with DuPont experts. Located at1.133 in Hall 1, the booth highlighted products from the DuPont portfolio of solar innovations including DuPont™ Solamet® metallization pastes and Tedlar®polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film for protective backsheets. It also featured collaborations with customers including JinkoSolar that demonstrate the efficiency,reliability and return on investment enabled by DuPont materials. DuPont leaders also shared their expertise on technology advancements and trends in the industry through participation in a panel discussion during the conference. “With solar installations surging in India, we are focused on improving efficiency and reliability of systems to help ensure long term performance and return on investment, while minimizing performance and Rajaram Pai, investment risks, DuPont is Business Leader, the leader in photovoltaic Dupont Electronics & innovations and is committed to helping our Communications And customers transform solar Photovoltaic Solutions, into a clean energy source South Asia for the country.”

Customer collaborations highlighted at the DuPont booth demonstrated how DuPont™Solamet ® photovoltaic metallization pastes help improve efficiency, generate more power output and increase long term return on investment. Jupiter Solar Power Limited has achieved 19% multi-crystalline solar cell efficiency by using DuPont™ Solamet® PV19B front side silver paste. DuPont featured Tedlar® PVF film, the only backsheet material with 30+ years of field proven protection. DuPont experts were on hand to recommend methods for testing backsheet weatherability and introduce the DuPont™ MAST (Module Accelerated Sequential Test) protocols that can better reflect actual conditions faced in the field.DuPont exhibited panels from its extensive field testing program that demonstrated how materials matter for long-term durability. DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions is the leading supplier of specialty materials to the solar energy industry. Since 1975 more than half of the world’s 900 million installed solar panels contain DuPont materials. The DPVS portfolio, including Solamet® photovoltaic metallization pastes and DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride films, is the established benchmark of the industry, delivering lifelong value through proven performance, reliability, efficiency and best return on investment.

Schneider Electric India unveiled Conext SmartGen™: Intelligent, Cloud-Connected Solution for Utility-Scale Renewable Power at REI Expo 2016

chneider Electric India, the global specialist in energy management and automation and a global leader in solar and energy storage solutions – recently unveiled the Conext SmartGen, a 1500-volt utility scale power conversion system, at the Renewable Energy India Expo 2016, India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, National Capital Region. The new paradigm for large-scale renewable power installations, SmartGen provides greater efficiency in power generation with lower short-term and long-term costs, and far longer service life.

October 2016

“We are very proud of launching the first power conversion platform for renewable energies that leverages fully the power of cloud connectivity and analytics. Our unique predictive maintenance and advanced diagnostics features enable remote trouble shooting, avoid break fix situations and do just-intime maintenance, hence reducing downtime and maintenance costs. We also offer superior reliability with an operating life of 30 years in the most extreme environments, which makes a big difference for Indian installations. And our complete system offering, including the SmartGen Power System, our integrated medium voltage power conversion substation, is fully made in India. With the Centre having set ambitious targets in renewable energy production by 2022, we believe Schneider Electric’s innovative offerings can contribute their experience in meeting these stiff targets and tight timelines.” Anurag Garg,

Vice President, Solar Business, Schneider Electric India

Conext SmartGen™ records and stores its own operations and service history has selfdiagnostic capabilities and can send proactive service warnings and reports to the cloud. Housed in a water- and dust-sealed corrosionproof enclosure, it is designed to deliver up to 2MVA of power for 30 years. Its wide operation range, combined with bestin-class efficiency and unprecedented service life maximize its energy generation lifetime. India has set a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, of which 100 GW will be solar. Of this solar capacity, 40 GW will come from Rooftop and 60 GW through Large and Medium Scale Grid Connected Solar Power Projects.

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Featured

Vikram Solar CEO bags Bengal Entrepreneurship Award 2016 Mr Gyanesh Chaudhary, MD and CEO, Vikram Solar, the globally recognized leading solar energy solutions provider won The Bengal Entrepreneurship Award 2016 in the manufacturing sector.

he Bengal Entrepreneurship Award is organised annually by The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I). Dr. Amit Mitra, Hon’ble Minister of Finance, Commerce & Industries, West Bengal presented the award at a ceremony. Three successful entrepreneurs were adjudged and awarded as best entrepreneurs each from the manufacturing, service and start-up sectors. The Bengal Entrepreneurship Recognition initiative is undertaken to identify and reward entrepreneurs of West Bengal who have outstanding entrepreneurial vision irrespective of their size, capital and competencies and who are instrumental in the socio-economic development of the state.The aim of the initiative is to encourage dynamic, sustainable and forward thinking entrepreneurs of West Bengal, who are contributing to the development of the State’s economy.

“It is a proud moment and we are elated to receive this award. This is a noteworthy milestone for all of us as The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry plays an instrumental role in recognizing entrepreneurship and is aimed at promoting further entrepreneurial activity in the state. He further added “At Vikram Solar, we are proud to have carved our niche positioning around the world and look to further expand our presence though innovative products, projects and services.”

Mr. Gyanesh Chaudhary, MD And CEO, Vikram Solar South Asia

The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry was set up in 1853. For the last one and a half centuries, the Chamber has played a pioneering role as a helmsman, steering the evolution of Commerce and Industry in India.

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October 2016

Featured

GCL-SI Named Tier 1 PV Manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance English GCL System Integration Technology, a subsidiary of the world’s leading energy group GCL, has been named in the Tier 1 list of Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (BNEF), ranking of photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers.

n the list, GCL-SI is ranked No. 2 based on its annual solar module capacity. BNEF’s tiering system categorizes hundreds of solar module manufacturers into three tiers based on bankability — the ability of solar product-related projects to acquire non-recourse debt financing from banks. Tier 1 manufacturers have to prove they are able to provide own-brand, self-made products to five different projects that are non-recourse financed by five different (non-development) banks. BNEF also only considers projects that have over 1.5 MW capacity. Featuring on BNEF’s tiering system demonstrates that GCL-SI fulfills all its criteria.

“GCL-SI has grown quickly since its establishment. In less than a year, we have developed international projects that reach BNEF standards. It is a rare case in the solar industry. With GCL-SI on the Tier 1 list, it signifies our ability to secure debt financing from banks and to provide quality PV module products, it will also bring our company more opportunities to explore the market and allow us to contribute more to global green energy.” Mr. Shu Hua, President of GCL-SI

The “Tier 1” list has been widely used in manufacturing forecasts and preliminary competitor analysis as an important method to distinguish the major, bankable suppliers in the PV industry. It is reviewed and updated every quarter with new information added to BNEF’s database. Source: PRNews wire

JinkoSolar As the World Largest Solar Module Producer Attended the Sino-India CEO’s Dialogue JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., a global leader in the PV industry, recently announced that it was invited to attend the India-China CEO’s Dialogue to deliver an opening speech during the “Opportunities in the Renewable Energy Sector”.

inkoSolar discussed the truth about solar, now cheaper than coal, and solar is about to replace fossil fuel to become one of the primary energies. The Company was also invited to the private meeting which was scheduled to be attended by Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance & Minister of Corporate Affairs, and other India’s top governors. “Thanks to the economies of scale, solar is now undercutting coal and becoming the cheapest energy in more and more regions, it demonstrates that solar has accelerated its replacement of coal, and this displacement will bring tremendously huge infrastructure investment opportunities for all countries, including India.”

“As the world largest solar module producer, JinkoSolar has capacity of 6.5GW of solar products, and has ranked #1 globally for the first half year of 2016, in terms of shipment, sales revenue and gross margin. Leading technology and superior quality ahead of peers, and complete vertical integrated supply chain, which allow us to drive down costs constantly and becoming a leading force in the industry to provide the most affordable, cleanest and safest energy. We are very optimistic about the future growth in India’s solar industry, and we will deepen our cooperation with local established renewable firms and local government to promote the solar energy application and vastly transform energy mix in India.” Mr. Dany Qian , Vice President, JinkoSolar’s

The India-China CEO’s Dialogue, JinkoSolar, the world’s largest solar PV company, attended the B20 Summit (the Business 20 Summit) in Hangzhou, and as the only renewable energy company in infrastructure taskforce, the company proposed two key recommendations which were compiled in the B20 report and submitted to G20 Summit (the Government 20 Summit). They are “green infrastructure investment is the new engine of global economic growth”, and “the new record set for world’s cheapest solar is now undercutting coal. Solar, as the primary energy, plus coal, as the supplement energy will be the final energy solution for mankind.”

October 2016

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

Asia needs USD 7.7 tn to meet climate change: study Major Asian economies, including India and China, require more than USD 7 trillion investment to meet the stated ambition to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, a new report said recently. The study ‘Investing for the Climate in Asia’ also found that financial intitutions need to do more before they can fully unlock this multi-trillion-dollar opportunity.

aunched by Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC)- an initiative to create awareness among Asia’s finance sector about climate risks and opportunities, the study reviewed the disclosure of top financial institutions across the region. Undertaken by Asia Research and Engagement with support of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, it found that 31 per cent of the institutions factored climate change risks into their financing operations, with 61 per cent of banks referring to green

products and 56 per cent providing some quantification of their exposure. It said financial institution were factoring climate change risks into their policies and offered green finance products. But only over a quarter of banks referred to climate change factors as a reason to limit financing – and 81 per cent disclosed their policy on responsible lending, it said. Many nations across the region are investing in the policy frameworks and commitments necessary to drive investment into climate solutions.

“We know that between 2014 and 2035, USD 7.7 trillion is needed for renewable energy and energy efficiency to meet the demands of China, India, Japan, and South East Asia if the world is to meet a 2 degrees Celsius warming target, the finance sector has recognised this opportunity and is gearing up fast, While it’s clear that progress is uneven and gaps remain, such as a need for greater focus on climate risk in investing, progress over the past two-to-three years has been remarkable. There’s no doubt that a great transition is on.” Emma Herd, CEO of the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC)

The report said that the physical effects of climate change continue to worsen and new regulations and policies, spurred by national climate commitments and the Paris Climate Agreement are rebalancing the playing field towards low carbon economies and away from high energy, high carbon activities. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming of more than 2 degrees Celsius would have serious consequences, such as an increase in the number of extreme climate events. In Copenhagen in 2009, countries stated their determination to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius between now and 2100.

LERRI Solar Announces Overseas Expansion Ambition Recently, LERRI Solar, a world leading mono-crystalline solar module manufacturer headquartered in Xi’an, China has announced a new initiative to increase its influence in bringing the value of mono modules to the overseas market.

October 2016

ith technical and bankability road shows in Japan, India, USA, UK, Australia, Thailand, Abu Dhabi and South Africa, LERRI Solar is showing the company’s latest mono products for the local market as well as the longterm competitiveness. LERRI Solar’s value proposition is based on value of the module to the developer, the EPC and, most importantly, the owner/investor. LERRI Solar’s technology strategy is high efficiency mono-crystalline silicon cells assembled into long-life high-performance modules using proprietary manufacturing techniques that reduce manufacturing cost and the levelized energy cost of electricity from sunshine.

“In addition to ramping up our manufacturing facilities in India and Malaysia, we have now set up subsidiaries in Tokyo, Frankfurt and San José. These new overseas operations will propel the organization forward to be a truly global solar energy leader.” Mr. Richard, LERRI Solar’s Head of Overseas Business

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

RelyOn Solar announces partnership with MiaSolé forNext Generation, Flexible Ultra-light Solar Technology

Timed with the Renewable Energy Expo 2016 at Greater Noida, RelyOn Solar Pvt. Ltd. – a leading solar power company announced partnership with MiaSolé for sales and marketing of its Next Generation Flexible Ulta-Light Solar Technology Products.

s the solar power sector is grows at an exponential rate in India–with almost 8GW of expected installations forecast in 2016–—MiaSolé’s Next Generation Flexible technology delivers significantly higher levels of efficiency (up to 17% efficient – twice as efficient than previous flexible, thin-film, solar technology) in a flexible, thin, ultra-lightweight form factor (4x lighter than traditional rigid solar panels). RelyOn Solar will represent MiaSolé for the India and South Asia markets,taking bringing them Next Generation Flexible

Ultra-Light Solar Technology products. This is in line with RelyOn Solar’s strategy to develop and commercialize applications in solar power with a focus on identifying customer needs on power and to provide an appropriate solution. RelyOn Solar has already installed systems with MiaSolé’s flexible panel panel-based solar power systems on variety of roof tops –, including railway coaches and residential rooftops. Encouraged by its success, RelyOn Solar plans to introduce & take these products aggressively in to the Indian market.

“This technology is relevant for the India market, especially for applications in the transportation sector and also where conventional solar panels cannot be installed. With the idea of an integrated ‘solar roof’ product instead of separate solar modules installed on a roof. MiaSolé ’s thin-film solar technology has made a generational shift compared to the previous limitations of rigid glass panels, and has reached a new level of efficiency and adaptability. This is especially important for installing solar on the roofs of buildings – our the flexible solar technology is 4x lighter than standard glass panels, which helps solve one of the biggest challenge for integrating solar into roofing structures, which is the weight of the solar panels, the partnership is win-win situation for both – RelyOn Solar bringing the market understanding and reach, while MiaSolé bringing brings the best in class technology for specific requirements”. Suhas Pansare, Vice President Sales & Marketing, RelyOn Solar

“Our new flexible ultra-light solar solution is bringing to light the next generation of flexible solar technology that overcomes most obstacles to solar energy adoption. It will truly put solar panels wherever the sun shines,” Anil Vijayendran, Vice President of Product Sales and Marketing at MiaSolé

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October 2016

BUSINESS & FINANCE

China solar panel glut undermines EU-China accord A sharp increase in solar power production in China and a sharp fall in domestic demand have sparked a sudden surge of cut-price exports, undermining a China-EU agreement to limit damage to European producers.

hina produced 27 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in the first half of 2016, an increase of 37.8 percent and installed 20 GW of new solar power capacity in the same period, three times as much as the same period a year ago. However, demand has since tailed off. Solar projects operational since July face a reduced price paid by grid operators for their power. The China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) has forecast total new capacity by the year-end will be 30 GW, implying just 10 GW in the second half. EU ProSun, an association of EU solar producers, says the price of some panels had fallen to below 0.40 euros per watt, compared with a previous average European price of about 0.50 euros. EU ProSun president, Milan Nitzschke, said that prices had come down by some 20 percent in the past month to below the cost of production. “We fear a second wave of bankruptcies,” he said. The European Union and China were on the verge of a trade war in 2013 over EU allegations of dumping of solar panels into the bloc. The investigation was the largest in EU history, given the value of such exports was 21 billion euros ($23.6 billion) in 2011.

That trade war was averted by agreeing a lower amount of Chinese panels could be imported free of tariffs as long as they did not price them below a minimum initially set at 0.56 euros. However, having signed up to the undertaking, an increasing number of Chinese firms have chosen to opt out considering it better to sell at even cheaper prices, even when faced with duties of between 27.3 and 64.9 percent. JinkoSolar Holding Co became the latest to withdraw from the undertaking last week, saying the minimum price no longer reflected the market reality. Maggie Ma, chief financial officer of Renesola, another company no longer part of the undertaking, forecast that the third quarter would be “sluggish” after China cut preferential tariffs. Miao Liansheng, chairman and CEO of Yingli Green Energy, said in the company’s first-half report that it faced challenges and lower selling prices in the second half because of increasing competition and higher anti-dumping duties in the United States. ($1 = 0.8907 euros) (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels and David Stanway in Shanghai; Editing by Ed Davies)

Greenko to buy SunEdisons Indian assets for $315 million The U.S. based SunEdison, Inc., the largest global renewable energy development company, has agreed to sell its Indian portfolio to Hyderabad based Greenko Energy Holdings for $315 million. UK’s private equity company Actis Capital backed renewable platform Ostro Energy Private Limited has supported Greenko to get through this deal.

unEdison had created quite a stir when it introduced its new projects in India in 2014 with huge profit predictions and low tariff bids. However, in April 2016, SunEdison filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Two months later, it hired Rothschild Inc. and McKinsey Recovery & Transformation Services U.S., LLC as advisors for the restructuring process. This deal, which includes acquisition of SunEdison’s 390MW operational solar park and 48MW of wind parks, is being referred to as the biggest distress sale of all times in the renewable energy sector in India. Greenko also gets the hold of 800MW pipeline at absolutely no additional expenditure. It is believed that $315 million deal includes $30 million equity value and $280 million debt. Greenko, a mainstream participant in the growing Indian energy industry and a market leading owner and operator of clean energy projects in India, is backed by two sovereign fund-backed entities and its current shareholders, Singapore based GIC Private Limited and UAE based The Abu Dhabi

October 2016

Investment Authority. Both these investors will invest another $50-60 million as equity funding in this project. Greenko which already has its presence in hydro, wind, biogas and natural gas sectors, now also adds solar power to its kitty. Earlier in July 2016, Greenko had lost a bid to acquire solar business of Welspun India Limited. This deal is crucial to Greenko’s business strategy. Not only it has acquired SunEdison’s assets at a cheaper rate, it has also gained access to latter’s southern belt presence in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana. Last month, Greenko had raised $500 million through India’s first high-yield green bond issuance. Prior to that in 2014, it had raised $550 million through an overseas bond sale. In the same year, it had acquired Lanco Infratech Limited’s 70 MW Lanco Budhil hydropower project and two plants of 5 MW each in Himachal Pradesh for Rs 650 crore. The Greenko-SunEdison deal brings a new hope for solar energy – ‘the sunrise industry’ of India.

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

Tata Power and ICICI Venture partner to launch power platform with global investors Tata Power’s wholly owned subsidiary Tata Power International and ICICI Venture today announced the creation of a platform company (‘platform’) to facilitate investment in power projects in India in the coming two-three years, which are in advanced stages and near operational readiness or operating.

he platform is co-sponsored by Tata Power and ICICI Bank and has commitments from partner investors, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) of Canada, Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and the State General Reserve Fund (SGRF) of the Sultanate of Oman, which are some of the largest investors globally. The platform will raise an initial capital of up to $850

“It has been our constant endeavour to leverage opportunities in the Indian power sector and create stakeholder value through organic and inorganic means. This platform is one such step in this direction for assets that would be win-win for all stakeholders as it would be value accreting considering the assets would be near-completion or already operating. We are happy that Tata Power International has taken the initiative to join with co-sponsors and investors of tremendous reputation namely ICICI, CDPQ, KIA and SGRF, and we hope this would generate good value for them too.”

million to be contributed by the sponsors and partner investors either directly or through their affiliates. This can be upsized going forward, depending on market opportunities. The platform targets acquisition of controlling stakes in power generating companies, both conventional thermal, hydroelectric and transmission assets in India.

“The platform combines the complementary skills of the sponsors and the bluechip sophisticated investors. Insightful understanding of the lndian infrastructure ecosystem supported by discerning long term global capital would provide a framework for investments with an optimum risk-return profile and also act as a catalyst for revitalisation and growth of the Indian power sector.”

Anil Sardana, CEO and MD, Tata Power

Mohit Batra, Executive Director, ICICI Venture

“Tata Power and ICICI are key strategic players in India and their sophisticated knowledge of the market, combined with their vast expertise in infrastructure and energy, will provide critical insight to the platform. As we continue to build our presence in India, a priority market for us, we value these well-established partners that share our long-term approach to investing.”

Rashad Kaldany, Executive Vice-President, Growth Markets At CDPQ

Development of the Indian power sector

I “We are excited to be part of this platform that combines the expertise of two of India’s leading business groups along with international reputed institutional investors. We are also particularly thrilled to invest in the world’s fifth largest electricity producing country and increase our exposure to Indian infrastructure, a key beneficiary of India’s economic development,” Abdulsalam Al Murshidi, Executive President of SGRF

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n 2014, the government adopted an ambitious five-year programme worth close to $250 billion to complete the electrification of the country to sustain economic growth, improve living conditions for the poorest populations and replace traditional fuels with electricity. The additional capacity required to meet the demand is estimated at 93 GW by 2022, and will be generated through conventional and renewable sources. The required investments will come from both public sources and private investors.

October 2016

BUSINESS & FINANCE

India, US to step up efforts to mobilise clean energy funds India and the US today emphasised on the need to enhance access to both public and private funding for the development of clean energy.

n the progress of the US-India Clean Energy Finance Task Force, India and the US announced their intent to expand the Task Forces work to include new clean energy finance initiatives for joint collaboration. Besides, both the countries reiterated their commitment to doubling their clean energy R&D investment towards fulfillment of the objectives of Mission Innovation, resolved to increased cooperation between national labs and announced the creation of the PACE Fellowship, the statement said. The US also affirmed support for pursuing its membership of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), recognising the critical role it can play in the development and deployment of solar power. The countries applauded continued engagement between Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India toward finalising the contractual arrangements by June 2017 to build six AP 1,000 mw reactors that will provide clean, reliable energy to millions of people in India, it said.

“They also looked forward to the immediate commencement of work on engineering and site design and early conclusion of a competitive financing package based on the joint work by India and the US Export-Import Bank, They resolved to work for early finalisation of the proposed MOU between NTPC and National Energy Technology Laboratory of the US for cooperation in the field of Fossil Energy Technologies.” A Joint Statement On The Second India-Us Strategic And Commercial Dialogue

Recognizing the US-India Joint Clean Energy R&D Center initiatives for technological innovation in clean energy, the countries appreciated the expansion of the Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Research (PACE-R) through a fourth track on smart grid and energy storage technologies. The Sides also noted the progress under the “Greening the Grid” initiative and collaboration for training of Indian professionals in the area of large scale integration of renewable energy into the Indian grid, it added.

NABARD sanctions Rs 204.67 cr for Haryana National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 204.67 crore under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for rural infrastructure in Haryana.

hile stating this here recently, a spokesman of NABARD said that out of the total loan sanctioned, Rs 147.18 crore has been sanctioned to the state government under the 22nd tranche of RIDF for 2016-17 for construction of three rural bridges, construction and upgradation of 26 rural roads in 10 districts namely Ambala, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Hisar, Jind, Karnal, Mahendergarh, Panchkula, Rewari and Yamunanagar. Nabard has sanctioned Rs 57.49 crore for a 10 MW Photo Voltaic Solar Power Plant at Panipat Thermal Power Station (PTPS), Panipat. He said that the aggregate length of the proposed three rural bridges is 329.20 m and that of proposed 26 rural roads in 10 districts is 184.78 Km. The project aims at improving the facilities in the field of agriculture and rural development, improve the quality of life in villages through provision of better transportation system and round-the-year better connectivity to villages with nearby hospitals, educational institutes, godowns and marketing centers, he said. More than 50 per cent of the State is under National Capital Region (NCR). This has added extra traffic load which eventually comes to the rural roads of Haryana. Therefore, the rural roads and bridges in Haryana need construction and up-gradation, he added. 34

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The spokesman said that the installation of 10 MW PV Solar Power Plant at PTPS, Panipat would generate green energy which would have positive results for the environment and help in fulfilling the Renewable energy purchase obligations of the state. It is for the first time that NABARD has sanctioned this type of project in the state of Haryana, he added. He said that with this sanction, the cumulative RIDF assistance sanctioned to the State Government under RIDF has reached Rs 5,613.65 crore involving 4,263 projects under various sectors like irrigation, rural connectivity, water supply, anganwadis, girls toilet blocks, veterinary hospitals or dispensaries and solar power plant. Since inception of RIDF in 1995-96, an amount of Rs 3,859.30 crore has sofar been disbursed.

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ECTIVE F F E R O F ETING K R A M O VIDE

BUSINESS & FINANCE

US assures to provide finances to India for renewable energy US today assured India of “doing more” by providing it finances for innovative renewable energy projects while asserting that it is the “only way” of meeting the challenge of climate change.

S Secretary of State John Kerry said that the civil nuclear cooperation between both the countries will bring affordable and clean energy to tens of millions of Indian households. “To build on our shared leadership in combating climate change, the US is going to do more to help India upgrade its powergrid and work with our private sector in order to help provide financing for innovative renewable energy projects and clean energy entrepreneurs.

“That is the only way we will have a chance of adequately meeting the promise of Paris and adequately meeting the challenge of climate change, My government looks forward to making the promise of Paris a reality and being one of the country that will soon officially join the global climate agreement.”

Kerry said during the joint press interaction with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. He said that US will soon make the promise made by more than 190 nations at the Paris Climate change summit last year a “reality” by officially joining the global climate agreement. “Our civil nuclear cooperation will bring affordable clean energy to tens of millions of Indian households as we move closer in the use of safe, modern, latest generation nuclear power. Meanwhile, Swaraj said that India had a detailed exchange of views on climate change and clean energy issues with US. “Both our countries attach high importance to the full implementation of the Paris Agreement, in the finalization of which President Obama and Prime Minister Modi played key roles. We look forward to working with the US to ensure the success of the International Solar Alliance (ISA),” Sushma Swaraj , External Affairs Minister, India

Mr. John Kerry , US Secretary of State

Swaraj added that both the countries have agreed to scale up collaboration in clean energy and to “quickly” operationalize the different initiatives announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We have agreed to scale up our collaboration in clean energy and to quickly operationalize the various initiatives that were announced during Prime Minister’s visit to facilitate investments in this sector from US into India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with French President Francois Hollande had launched the ISA during the Paris Summit.

PFS ties up with banks for clean energy project loans PTC India Financial Services recently said it has tied up with banks that will provide loans to companies engaged in renewable energy (RE) production. These banks, based on letter of comfort issued by PFS, will issue letter of credit (LC) to project companies in the renewable space with diligence on certain parameters, the company said in a release.

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uch project companies are required to approach various banks and negotiate various associated costs for issuance of letter of credit, which generally takes 3-5 months, it said. Under the new arrangement, LC can be opened in a much shorter time on a case-to-case basis and project companies shall not be required to separately pursue with each bank, PFS said.Haldia expects the tie-up to come as a great relief for RE projects which have a low gestation period. He said it will help developers focus more on project execution with a focussed approach. A subsidiary of PTC India, PFS provides loans to companies in the energy chain.The stock of the company closed 0.42 per cent up at Rs 35.60 on BSE.

October 2016

“It is yet another innovative financing instrument evolved by PFS whereby RE projects (financed by PFS) may not be required to approach individual bank for their non-fund based financial requirements, specifically letter of credit.” Ashok Haldia, MD and CEO, PTC India Financial Services

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

US $100 bn per year by 2020 for developing nations to fight climate change The US today said it will mobilise US $100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries like India to combat climate change.

ecognising the urgency of dealing with climate change, India and the US in a joint statement on the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, agreed to bring the Paris agreement into force at the earliest.The two sides “reiterated their commitment to pursue low greenhouse gas emission development strategies in the pre2020 period and to develop longterm low greenhouse gas emission development strategies.

“The US also remains committed, with other developed countries, to the goal of jointly mobilising $100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation and adaptation action, the US re-stated that it will join the Paris Agreement as soon as possible this year. India has similarly begun its processes to work towards this shared objective.” - Mr. John Kerry, US Secretary of State

India and the US also resolved to work together to adopt a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) amendment in 2016 with increased financial support from donor countries to the Multilateral Fund with an aim of helping developing countries with an ambitious phasedown schedule under the Montreal Protocol. www.EQMagPro.com

ndia and US recognise the urgency of (dealing with) climate change and share the goal of enabling entry into force of the Paris Agreement as early as possible. Both the countries also reiterated their resolve to work together to promote full implementation of the Paris Agreement to address the urgent threats posed by climate change.US Secretary of State John Kerry who is on a visit to India, had yesterday assured India of “doing more” by providing it finances for innovative renewable energy projects while asserting that it is the “only way” of meeting the challenge of climate change. Kerry had said that the civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries will bring affordable and clean energy to tens of millions of Indian households.India and the US recognised the need to play a leadership role to protect the iconic elephant from extinction due to rampant poaching and ivory trafficking. Both the countries expressed their joint support for a resolution that calls on countries to implement domestic ban on the trade in elephant ivory at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Conference of Parties in September. The two sides also expressed their joint support for increased CITES protection of pangolin species ranging from Africa to Asia, the population of which has been decimated due to wildlife trafficking, and stressed on their joint commitment to protect India’s tiger population, the statement said. The two countries took note of the progress achieved through the first three years of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on combating climate change and recognised the progress and opportunities in the bilateral cooperation on resilience, air quality, forestry and science and technology fellowships under the JWG. Both sides resolved to work together at the International Civil Aviation Organisation Assembly to reach a successful outcome to address greenhouse gas emission from international aviation.They decided to pursue under the leadership of the G-20 strong outcomes to promote improved heavy-duty vehicle standards and efficiency in accordance with their national priorities and capabilities.

October 2016

PV MANUFACTURING

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES signs a memorandum of understanding for heterojunction solar cells  in China Cooperation with the Chinese companies GCL and CIE agreed Development of heterojunction solar cells in Taixing, China First processing systems already ordered

INGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Chinese companies Golden Concord Holdings Limited (GCL) and China Intellectual Electric Power Technology Co.,Ltd. (CIE). GCL is one of the world’s largest companies in the solar industry; CIE has specialized in the development of high-efficiency heterojunction (HJT) solar cells. The purpose of the cooperation is to develop highly efficient heterojunction solar cells. The function of CIE and GCL here is to bring on the process technology and manufacture the cells. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is assuming the task of developing, optimizing, building and supplying the appropriate production systems for the manufacturing of HJT solar cells. The three partners are consequently addressing the rising demand for heterojunction solar cells.

Project Results SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is an engineering company and develops and builds machines for economic and resource-efficient production processes. The range of use of the machines built by SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES include vacuum thin-film and plasma coating, wet-chemical cleaning and etching processes as well as thermal processing

technology. For all machines, processes and applications SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES utilizes its know-how in the areas of automation and process technology in order to provide additional, attractive work areas with innovative products next to the existing application areas of Solar, Semiconductors and Optical Disc.

Vikram Solar signs MoU with teamtechnik Vikram Solar has partnered with teamtechnik, a market leader in production technology based in Freiberg am Neckar (Germany), to design production lines and supply plant technology to support the company’s expansion plans.

ecently, both companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the collaboration in the presence of Hon’ble Finance Minister, West Bengal, Shri Amit Mitra. Vikram Solar is set to expand its module production from current 500 MW to 2 GW by 2019. The company plans to invest more than INR 400 crore in the project, creating around 3,000 additional jobs. Vikram Solar’s module production capacity, which is currently at 500 MW, is to be expanded to 2 GW by 2019. teamtechnik will supply solutions and

“We are pleased that a leading Indian company such as Vikram Solar is planning to integrate our stringer and layup solutions into their production lines. Our solutions are based on the experience we have gained through countless productions, and we use this expertise to design the most efficient processes possible for our customers. We have supplied over 600 STRINGER TT systems to date, which has made us a global market leader in just a few years.” Mr. Stefan Rosskopf, CEO teamtechnik Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH 38

October 2016

machines for solar module production and put them into operation as well as train operations managers, process engineers and service technicians at Vikram Solar. The companies are also planning a future collaboration in the area of materials research, process optimization and production technology, with the intention of further improving efficiencies while continuing to reduce module costs. The collaboration with teamtechnik supplements existing collaborations with Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and Centrotherm. “We are very happy to work with teamtechnik. Their solutions have been shown to facilitate production of highly efficient solar modules while keeping costs particularly low. Another key factor in our decision was that their production technology can be expanded in order to integrate highly efficient technologies such as PERC and bifacial cells into the production process. Teamtechnik’s global service complements our local service team. The fast and reliable delivery of replacement parts and materials is a crucial factor for the success of every production line.” Mr. Gyanesh Chaudhary, MD & CEO of Vikram Solar

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Structural EPC Solutions Design, Manufacture & Installation of Solar Module Mounting Structures

PV MANUFACTURING

Heraeus‘ new front-side paste SOL9631J Series enables Jinko Solar to produce new high-efficiency solar cells the industry-leading developer and manufacturer of silver metallization pastes Heraeus Photovoltaics announced a new collaboration with Jinko Solar to support the latter’s launch of efficient polycrystalline cells. The Heraeus SOL9631J Series of new generation front-side silver pastes raises the conversion efficiency of solar cells.

his collaboration marks another milestone in the long-term strategic cooperation between Heraeus and Jinko Solar. Jinko Solar adopts Heraeus SOL9631J Series silver paste to enhance the power output of its solar module design. Compared with the previous generation of products, SOL9631J Series increases the conversion efficiency for Jinko Solar’s cells by more than 0.1%. The improvement is made possible by superior electrical conductivity and excellent fine-line printing technology, which enables a higher aspect ratio and better printability. In addition, the paste is suitable for high-speed printing, which helps Jinko Solar boost its production line productivity and total production capacity, enhancing its competitive power.

“Through our highly successful partnership, Jinko Solar and Heraeus have been able to jointly develop this new-generation of Heraeus silver metallization paste and successfully integrate it into Jinko Solar’s mass production process, thereby greatly improving the conversion efficiency of their solar cells. We are looking forward to creating further achievements with our strategic partners Heraeus in the future, Jinko’s vision and mission is to change the energy structure, and to assume responsibility for the future by providing integrated clean energy solutions. We aim to become a benchmark in our industry to help Chen Kangping, build a more sustainable future. We want to achieve CEO, Jinko Solar this important goal together with Heraeus. “

“We are very pleased to see our new-generation silver metallization paste to the level of mass production by collaborating development with Jinko. This testifies to the substantive progress of our strategic cooperation with Jinko Solar, Heraeus constantly innovates our products and technologies, including customized photovoltaic products and services for Jinko Solar, to enable its next generation of products to advance further. We are convinced that this collaboration with our strategic partner Jinko Solar opens up new prospects for Heraeus‘ customized products in the Andreas Liebheit, photovoltaic industry.” President Heraeus Photovoltaics

Adani’s solar equipment mfg facility may commence by Yr-end Gautam Adani-led Adani Enterprises is expecting to commission the first phase of its solar power equipment facility being set up in Gujarat by year-end, a senior company official said.

n the second phase, Vora said, the company will not only enhance the capacity to 2,000 MW but also manufacture other components like silicon wafers, PV back sheets among others. The second phase of the project is likely to go operational in the second quarter (April-June) of 2017. “This facility will vertically integrate all aspects of solar panel production on site, including polysilicon refining, ingots, wafers, cells, PV back sheets and panels production, with a broader ecosystem involving extended supply chain for raw materials and consumables,” he said. Vora further said over a period, the company may also consider exporting the products to markets like the USA and Europe. “There is a good demand for these products in the domestic as well as international markets. Once we have sufficient capacities, we will consider exporting them to markets like the USA and Europe,” he added. At present, the company has a constructed solar power generation capacity of 648 MW in Tamil Nadu and plans to increase it to 10000 MW by 2022.

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“The first phase of the project in which we are manufacturing solar modules and solar photovoltaic cells is expected to get commissioned by the end of 2016. Our plan is to set up the country’s largest vertically integrated manufacturing facility to support solar power ecosystem of India and create an end-toend solar power play from manufacturing to generation. Samir Vora, Chief Executive, Solar Manufacturing Adani solar

October 2016

Energy Storage

The Global Energy Storage Action Is Heading East Forget Germany or America. India and China are set to lead growth in worldwide energy storage between now and 2024, a new study says. The Global Energy Storage Forecast, 2016-24, published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), predicts the Asia Pacific region will host a majority of the 45 gigawatts and 81.3 gigawatt-hours of non pumped-hydro storage due to be installed worldwide by 2024.

y then, the Asia-Pacific region will account for 53 percent of the world’s total capacity in megawatts. Three Asian countries — Japan, India and China — will be among the world’s top five markets for energy storage. The top five markets, which also includes the United States and the whole of Europe apart from Germany, Italy and the U.K.,

will make up 71 percent of all storage installed. Japan, which currently leads the world in terms of gigawatthours of storage, will remain the world leader up to 2024, according to BNEF. The Asia-Pacific region also covers Australia and South Korea. Both are becoming important markets, but will lag behind China and India in growth.

“Less policy and regulatory support exists in China and India, and the 2016 market size for energy storage is small, However, rapidly increasing electricity demand and increasing levels of renewable energy penetration help spur energy storage adoption. Japan is an early adopter and was the largest small-scale energy storage market in the world as of 2015. “That’s an already large market continuing to grow. Potentially more interesting are India and China. You’re seeing policy steps, and the drivers are in place for taking these markets from not being noteworthy at the moment to potentially the biggest in 2024.” Logan Goldie-Scot, Head Of Energy Storage Analysis At BNEF The annual rate of installations in different markets is due to change substantially in the coming years. This year BNEF expects the U.S. to lead the world in energy storage installations, followed by South Korea. But while the U.S. is expected to show continued growth going forward, with 1.2 gigawatts of capacity being installed in 2024, South Korea’s deployments are forecast to taper off when the country hits a 500-megawatt frequency regulation target in 2017. Despite an initial proposed target of 1.7 gigawatts of storage in South Korea, BNEF is pessimistic about the prospects for further growth in the market beyond 2017, citing a lack of visible policy support and no real incentive for behind-the-meter installations. Instead, the real energy storage heavyweights in 2024 are expected

to be India and China, installing 2.2 gigawatts and 1.8 gigawatts of capacity, respectively. India and China will also lead worldwide installations in terms of gigawatthours. Worldwide, annual installation rates will have risen from just under 2 gigawatt-hours this year to more than 16 gigawatt-hours in 2024. And while the BNEF report does not break down installations by technology, the belief is that the overwhelming bulk of deployments will be of lithium-ion batteries. This is simply a function of the massive lithium-ion production capacity being ramped up to supply the global electric-vehicle market. By 2024, BNEF predicts annual demand for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles will hit 163 gigawatt-hours, or more than 10 times the capacity needed for stationary storage.

“Even if the whole stationary energy storage market in 2024 was lithium-ion, this would make up only 10 percent of annual electric vehicle lithium-ion sales. “Lithium-ion has been the preferred technology to date and was used in 90 percent of utility-scale projects, based on power output, in 2015. We expect it to remain a key technology over this period.” The Analysis Firm,

October 2016

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Energy Storage

India wastes 15-20% of its renewable energy due to lack of storage: Panasonic Energy head, ATUL ARYA The variations in wind and solar energy, and the lack of adequate electricity storage facilities, result in about 15-20 per cent of all renewable energy generated in India going to waste, according to a top official in Panasonic India’s energy division.

GRID MANAGEMENT “On average, if 24 hours is the potential of electricity generation, then you can easily say that 15-20 per cent is wasted because the grid can’t manage the kind of variation in the electricity sourced from wind and solar generation, But if you look at state-specific grids, then the picture changes, he added. For example, look at the Tamil Nadu grid. Percentage-wise, wind is pretty high in the Tamil Nadu grid and that is what is creating problems for them. With wind changing its speed and direction, it becomes horrible from a grid stability point of view.” - Mr. Atul Arya, Head, Energy Systems, Panasonic India

DISCARDING POWER The typical strategy in India at the moment, Mr Arya said, is to simply discard the unstable power without it ever entering the grid. “So you are generating but not using it in the grid,” he said. “It gets wasted. Electricity is something you either use immediately, or you cannot use it at all.”

hat’s where storage technology comes in. Storage technology can ensure that no matter the wind or solar generation, what you get out of the generation-cum-storage unit is a uniform output, “which is great for the grid”, according to Mr Arya. As far as battery technology goes, lithium-ion batteries—the kind used in cellphones—have emerged as the technology of choice since they outperform all the other competing technologies in terms of size, capacity, efficiency, and environmental impact. “Lithium-ion does not seem to be going anywhere in the next decade,” Mr Arya said. “And if you include the fact that even electric cars use that battery, then you can expect greater R&D and investment in this technology in the future.”

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SECTOR INCENTIVES

he Central government has been pushing renewable energy hard since it came to power, but there it is still moving relatively slowly on storage technologies, something that a few policy decisions could rectify, according to Mr Arya. “There is an amount of realisation in the government and the ministries in understanding the subject, but yes, it is quite new,” he said. “Maybe it will still take some time (for government policy to gain traction).”

VIABILITY-GAP FUNDING

part from announcing tax incentives for storage technology manufacturing, such as is being done for the IT sector, other steps like viabilitygap funding can also boost the sector. “The government currently only recognises gas-based plants as the service providers to boost generation whenever it falls short of demand,” Mr Arya said. “But it doesn’t recognise energy storage for this purpose, something that is already happening in the western world.”

October 2016

ROOFTOP & OFFGRID

Sunsure Commissions one of the Largest Rooftop Solar Power Plants in Haryana

ne of the largest single rooftop solar PV power projects in Haryana with a capacity of 550 kW was inaugurated in Rohad, Bahadurgarh on 1st September. The project set up in Merino Panel Products Ltd. (MPPL) was synchronised last month and has been successfully generating clean power since then. Bahadurgarh is one “Apart from environmental benefits, going solar also makes a lot of commercial sense for industries. A unit generated from solar costs around Rs 4 per unit as compared to industrial tariff of Rs 7 or more. Low maintenance and payback period of 2-3 years makes this an extremely viable investment.” Shri C. L. Lohia, Chairman of the KD group “We are a technology oriented company with strong focus on innovation. Our customers benefit from our experience in engineering, quality acumen and our absolute commitment to solar. When clients choose Sunsure, they know they are in very good hands. Impressed by our work, our client Merino Industries has already chosen us as the solar partner for their Hapur and Hosur facilities as well. We are installing close to 1.5 MW for the group.” Shashank Sharma, Director and CEO, Sunsure “Our assurances of quality is evidenced by the solar power generation of this 550 kW scale plant inaugurated, with our power generation being 10%-12% higher than solar plants already set up by other companies within Merino premises itself.” Shantanu Faugaat, Director and COO, Sunsure

of the leading industrial areas in the country and home to some of the prestigious Indian industries.Chairman of the group Shri C. L. Lohia is a big believer in the potential of solar energy and is making all efforts to go green as part of MPPL’s business strategy. Today, about 15% of MPPL’s power requirements are met from Solar Energy. The plant was engineered by Sunsure Energy Pvt. Ltd – a Delhi-based company providing rooftop and ground mounted solar solutions to industries and utilities in India. The company is run by young entrepreneurs from IIT Delhi and IIT – BHU. Sunsure has won accolades from top industries in the country for the seamless experience provided through its ‘concept to commissioning’ approach. “The solar space in India is rapidly expanding and the company is successfully operating in 6 states across India. We plan to expand this to 10 states soon. We have also signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement as an independent power producer for supplying 4 MW solar power to the government of Karnataka.” Rajiv Kulshreshtha, Director Sales and Marketing Sunsure Sunsure claims that its young team of entrepreneurs under the guidance of industry experts helps in making them better, faster and more competitive than others. While there are many companies competing in the space of solar power implementation, the company highlights quality of services as its differentiating USP. Source: PRNewswire

CleanMax eyes 400 MW rooftop solar installed capacity in 2 yrs

uoyed by the Centre’s increased focus on renewable energy sector, solar solutions provider CleanMax Solar is looking to enhance its rooftop installed capacity by nearly eight-fold to about 400 MW in the next two years, company’s Managing Director Kuldeep Singh told PTI here. He said the government’s vision of 40,000 MW of installed rooftop solar capacity by 2022 gives the company a huge opportunity to grow.

The company, which enjoys nearly 28 per cent share in the total rooftop solar market, has presence in six metros including Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Jaipur, Chennai and Hyderabad. When asked whether the government’s ambitious target of 40,000 MW was achievable, Jain said, “The target is massive and we should not go much into the numbers. But the positive side to it is that there is improved activity and acceptability in this space.” CleanMax caters to clients across sectors like

October 2016

“With a current installed rooftop solar capacity of 55 MW across the major metros in the country, we are looking at increasing it to up to 400 MW in the next two years, Along with this, a number of private and government entities are also coming forward where we provide bespoke rooftop solar solutions.” CleanMax Company Official Said,

automotive/auto components, food and beverages, government establishments, academic institutions, IT/ ITeS and other manufacturing industries. Founded in 2011, the company develops solar projects on a turnkey basis, providing power on a per-kWh basis, under longterm power purchase agreements, typically at rates cheaper than grid tariffs. It also installs solar power plants on a capex basis, and can supply off-site solar power through open access in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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ROOFTOP & OFFGRID

Postal Dept plans to harness solar power at its offices The Department of Posts has planned to harness solar power by launching a project at its headquarters in Delhi and plans to expand it to its buildings spread across the country, a top official said recently. “We are examining the process of harnessing roof-top solar energy.

o start, we are looking whether it can be done from our headquarters in Delhi with 160 kw solar power plant. “If it succeeds…We have around 4,000 departmental buildings across the country and we would like to slowly spread to all of them,” Department of Posts Secretary B V Sudhakar said. He said the department is also examining the scope of online recruitment for Grameen Dak Sevaks as there are 55,000 vacancies across India. “The software is under testing and the candidates can apply online. The idea is to bring in transparency and expedite the process of recruitment. It will be a major step in the recruitment process of postal department. By November, we shall use that application, the department is looking at achieving total revenue of Rs 13,800 crore for the current fiscal as against Rs 12,900 crore in 2015-16, adding, There was a fiscal deficit of about Rs 6,000 crore. We will be emphasising on e-commerce and new e-technology based products to cover up the deficit.” B V Sudhakar, Department Of Posts Secretary

Snapdeal goes green, warehouses to generate solar energy Snapdeal, India’s largest online marketplace recently announced its plans to utilise solar energy in a big way as an integral part of its daily operations. The green initiative will kick off at Snapdeal warehouses which are operated by Vulcan Express.

he testing phase is complete at the centres in Gurgaon and Hyderabad and full scale roll out will commence shortly. Following this initiative, the centres will decrease power consumption by producing nearly 1MW at peak through solar panels and generate 1.5 million units per year. In addition to extensive use of solar power, the warehouses are in the process of becoming more energy efficient through installation of auto controllers for lighting systems, which will maintain the required lux levels and vary it as per operating requirements, thus making it the first such warehouse in the country.

Other design features being implemented, to reduce dependence on grid power, are extensive use of sky lights at larger centres, LED lighting, roof insulation and HVLS Fans to reduce cooling and air conditioning costs.

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The Department is emphasising on e-commerce. “On e-commerce, we got revenue of Rs 300 crore last year and this year we are looking at Rs 400 crore. We want to give good impetus to this and bring in customer-friendly services using technology,” Sudhakar said. On India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), which was incorporated last month, Sudhakar said nominee directors are in place and the process is underway for appointment of independent directors. “The total investment in the India Post Payments Bank is Rs 800 crore. Out of this, Rs 400 crore is equity, while the remaining amount is grant. IPPB target is that by May 2017 we should be able to open few branches, and then 650 branches by September 2017. The idea is to facilitate financial inclusion and ensure DBT payments seamlessly,” he added.

Off-site energy monitoring system & fuel management system will ensure closer remote monitoring and system alerts to plug excess consumption and leakages. Snapdeal currently has 69 fulfilment centres spread across 25 cities in India. The company recently opened 6 mega logistics hubs in Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kolkata in the run up to the festive season. “Energy conservation for us is not only cost savings, but also our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint in various small and big ways. We have strategic relationships with lead vendors in this area and have worked out joint initiatives & innovations. In addition to use of solar power at our centres, we also encourage conservation by optimally planning our delivery routes to reduce fuel wastage.” - Mr. Hardeep Singh, CEO, Vulcan Express

October 2016

Solar Project

NEXTracker Delivers India’s Largest Solar Tracker Plant for Adani NEXTracker™, a Flex company, announced recently it has delivered its award-winning PV technology to India’s largest solar tracker power plant, in collaboration with its customer, Adani Power Ltd.

ocated in the State of Punjab, the project is 105 MW and is already 50% installed and commissioned. This is the first phase of a strategic agreement between Adani and NEXTracker to supply tracker technology, design consultation, installation and commissioning support to Adani’s PV power plant deployments in India and around the world.

“We are playing an active role in supporting India’s National Action Plan for Climate Change to help our country reach 100 GW by 2022 by deploying 10 GW of solar in that time, We’re very pleased to be incorporating NEXTracker’s advanced solar tracking system into our utility-scale PV projects; their high quality components and solid financial backing by Flex are important aspects of our solar strategy. After evaluating NEXTracker’s technology, we found the system’s balanced design and robust wind capability are ideal for our environmental and soil conditions, and will help maximize energy yield and cost savings.” Jayant Parimal, CEO Of Adani Green Energy “Adani is a visionary energy and infrastructure firm that’s focused on ensuring that development – especially in emerging economies – is sustainable; their leadership has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to deploying clean technologies to meet the world’s growing energy needs, We’re honored to be partnering with Adani to design and deploy highperformance utility-scale solar power projects. Dan Shugar, CEO NEXTracker As India is poised for intensive ground mount solar deployment over the next decade according to a recent report by Deutche Bank Market Research, with 100-fold solar industry growth over the last five years. As a more modest figure, Greentech Media estimates that ground mount solar installations with solar trackers will reach 3GW by 2020, or 25%[1] of total installed ground mount installations (estimated at 11.7GW).

Regardless, demand for solar is increasing at an aggressive pace and the prospects for wider PV adoption in India are promising thanks to favorable government policies and the region’s high irradiance. NEXTracker’s balanced design, advanced wind capabilities, and rapid stowing features are ideal for this region known for its high winds and desert soil conditions. NEXTracker also has fewer foundations and assembly points, helping mitigate geotechnical risk and accelerate project construction schedules. With over 4 GW of tracker systems delivered to date, NEXTracker’s PV system technology, coupled with Adani’s extensive experience in energy infrastructure projects, aims to serve as a model for deployment of solar in India.

V O C Port inks pact with SECI to set up 5 MW solar plant The V O Chidambaranar Port has inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to install a 5 MW solar power plant.

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he plant, estimated to cost Rs 30 crore, would be of the direct grid connect type and will be set up under Power Purchase mode. It is expected to be completed by March, 2017. The expected annual power generation would be 7.5 million units. Reduction of carbon emission from the project will be 8,025 Metric Tonnes per year, a release from the port said, adding the project is a milestone from the environmental aspect as it would generate pollution-free power. The power would be fully utilised by the port, it said. The MoU was signed on Aug 24 by Port Chairman S Anantha Chandra

October 2016

Bose and Ashvini Kumar, SECI Managing Director, in the presence of Upendra Tripathy, Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. The release said that as part of Green Port initiative, it has already commissioned a 100 KW solar power plant at the port’s administrative building on August 14. The annual power generation from this plant is 1.70 lakh units. Another 400 KW Solar power plant is under installation on various buildings of the port and is expected to be commissioned in October, 2016, generating 6.80 lakh units per year, the release said.

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Solar Project

Coal India to set up 600 MW solar plants in four states State-run mining major Coal India will develop solar power plants of 600 MW capacity in four states, including West Bengal and Maharashtra, under the second phase of its plan to set up a total 1,000 MW green energy plants.

he Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has already floated tenders for development of solar capacity in the second phase. Coal India has signed an agreement with SECI for setting up of solar power plants of total 1000 MW capacity in different parts of the country. “In the first phase, CIL is going to set up 2×100 MW solar power plants in the state of Madhya Pradesh. In the second phase CIL is going to develop a capacity of 600 MW in the solar parks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Maharashtra for which NIT has already been floated by SECI.” The Coal Major Said In Its Annual Report, To promote green initiatives of the government, CIL has submitted Green Energy Commitment letter to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for developing 1000 MW solar power projects during 2014-19, it said. CIL’s initiatives has resulted in installation of 2.0 MW

capacity, 0.19 MW capacity, and 0.14 MW solar PV power plants in MCL (Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd)–a CIL arm, Burla, CMPDIL, Ranchi and CIL HQ at Kolkata respectively, it added.

Now Read on

Tablet & Smartphone

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Expert Opinion

GST in renewables: Consultation is the need of the hour India recently passed the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2014, also known as the GST (Goods and Services Tax) Bill. The 122nd amendment to the Indian Constitution is the first step that the country is taking towards simplifying the taxation regimen.

- BY SUMANT SINHA, CHAIRMAN & CEO, RENEW POWER

The GST, once implemented, will be India’s biggest structural reform, simplifying imposition of indirect taxes in the country. Predictably, the passage is now facing heat from both the left and the right sides of the spectrum. While the former talks of its inflationary pressure, the latter is talking of the rates being too high to have a tangible economic impact. Studies indicate that the direct benefit of implementing GST could be as high as $15 billion.

Need For Consultation

hile the GST will have a positive and net accretive impact on the Indian economy, there is a definite need to balance the government’s priorities in the short term and the long term. At a time when India is committed to reducing its dependence on fossil fuels by increasing the share of renewable energy capacity in its total power generation, the introduction of GST has the potential to set the industry back. The sector currently enjoys various fiscal incentives, including 100% tax holiday on earnings for 10 years, and concessional excise and custom duties for several key components. The implementation of GST will bring with it a tax liability of around 18% and increase the cost for new projects by as much as 20%. The impact is going to be particularly significant in case of solar at a time when solar is going to be the mainstay of India’s ambitious 175 gigawatt (GW) target by 2022. In solar projects, the biggest expenditure is the costs of panels, which are mostly imported. The GST implementation is likely to increase tax on such panels and is likely to arrest the fall in per unit price of power that has been achieved till now. As per a report released by the

ministry of new and renewable energy, the promulgation of the law can result in an overall increase in tariff by 12-15% in case of solar and 12-14% in case of wind, depending upon the state where the project is located. In the current scenario, developers are unaware of the various uncertainties in the post-GST period, especially in case of projects that have been tendered and won under the old tax regime. A round of consultation will help power generation companies arrive at clarity on the fate of the power purchase agreements (PPAs), which were executed in the old tax regime but will be implemented in the new tax regime. But the problem is—while costs, internal rate of return (IRR) and tariff have been calculated taking into account the current tax structure, the implementation under the new regimen will lead to additional taxes on projects. In case of projects where the bid process has been concluded but PPAs are yet to be signed, even the ‘change in law’ protection under the PPA is not afforded to developers. Therefore, such consultation will also help developers understand the new regime and take into account appropriate mitigation measures in all upcoming bids.

Finding A Middle Ground

olicy decisions in any economy need to be made with the governance principle of ‘greatest good for the greatest number of people’. While one agrees that the GST legislation has its benefits, the long-term impact on renewables also needs to be kept in the policymakers’ set of considerations. Since the GST bill does have an exemption list of around 100 items, the government can accentuate its policy push towards renewables by including solar panels, solar cells and modules in that list. Alternatively, categorising renewable power as ‘zero rated’—the provision for which exists in the draft GST law—and allowing renewable power generating 48

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companies to claim refund of input taxes will also reduce the looming threat of large taxation on the renewable sector. India as a nation aspires to have 100GW of solar and 60GW of wind energy capacity by 2022. An ambition that guarantees better and cleaner air to our future generations along with a stable economy that is immune from oil price fluctuations. Therefore, it is imperative that a structural reform such as GST is implemented with an eye on the future and due consultation with the stakeholders who are working to achieve that ambition.

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Achievements & Awards

GCL-SI Named Tier 1 PV Manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance a subsidiary of the world’s leading energy group GCL, has been named in the Tier 1 list of Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (BNEF), ranking of photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers. On the list, GCL-SI is ranked No. 2 based on its annual solar module capacity.

NEF’s tiering system categorizes hundreds of solar module manufacturers into three tiers based on bankability -- the ability of solar product-related projects to acquire non-recourse debt financing from banks. Tier 1 manufacturers have to prove they are able to provide own-brand, self-made products to five different projects that are non-recourse financed by five different (non-development) banks. BNEF also only considers projects that have over 1.5 MW capacity. Featuring on BNEF’s tiering system demonstrates that GCL-SI fulfills all its criteria.

“GCL-SI has grown quickly since its establishment. In less than a year, we have developed international projects that reach BNEF standards. It is a rare case in the solar industry. With GCL-SI on the Tier 1 list, it signifies our ability to secure debt financing from banks and to provide quality PV module products, It will also bring our company more opportunities to explore the market and allow us to contribute more to global green energy.” - Mr. Shu Hua, President Of GCL-SI

C&S Electric adds new feathers in its cap. C&S Electric has been awarded for Outstanding Performance for the Highest Solar Energy Generated per KW/ Annum in UT- Chandigarh by Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society.

he award recognizes the excellent performance of C&S Electric commissioned Solar PV Rooftop Power plants on the roof tops of various Government Institutes. The company was also felicitated with the Award For Outstanding Performance for the Highest Installations of Solar Photovoltaic Projects by Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society in UT-Chandigarh. C&S Electric has designed, supplied, Installed, tested & commissioned multiple Solar PV Power Rooftops at Chandigarh to world class standards aggregating to approximately 2 MWp capacity, The operation and maintenance of these rooftop Solar PV Power Plants is being undertaken by C&S Solar.

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October 2016

SOLAR TRACKERS

Make Sun Shine on Your Solar Array -

Be Safe, Sure, Satisfied AUTHOR Aniruddha Kulkarni, Head Design, Scorpius Trackers

Lower solar Feed in Tariffs has required developers to look at cost effective solutions to meet project IRR requirements. Trackers are increasingly being preferred by many IPPs, as good trackers are the only Bankable way to meet the IRR target. Decision to be made is which Tracker technology is suitable in terms of cost but at same time, will last for 25 years. Simply compromising on the structure integrity to arrive at lower cost is not prudent. Scorpius Trackers Private Limited (SCORPIUS), based Pune India, is a pioneer provider of robust, intelligent, and trust worthy solar tracking array designs, systems and equipmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. With ground breaking relentless tracking innovation, design research and stringent testing, we at SCORPIUS bring you the quality excellence in solar array tracking equipment and design, which you and your investor can trust. 50Â

October 2016

Design Philosophy: Play with Wind

t Scorpius Trackers, we evolved the array design incorporating length and breadth of behavior of wind, its turbulent nature, effect on solar arrays and aftereffects on subsequent array rows. The dynamic nature of trackers necessitates the study to inculcate the actual effect of such ground based moving PV panels mounted on module mounting systems (MMS). The wind for bigger structures varies in nature as against the multiple multiline arrays of solar plants. Various national and international codes and standards refer to canopies which are much stiffer and heavier as compared to solar panels in the field. Varying sources clearly point out the necessity to investigate the nature of such off-normal non-standard structures to be specifically studied for their behavior under wind effects. SCORPIUS, knowing the importance of this, took help from a well-established Wind Tunnel Test facility in the US, for its expertise in area of boundary layer wind tunnel testing. The boundary layer wind tunnel also has a large length where obstructions of appropriate roughness are added to create the turbulence expected for a particular exposure category to reach the test area. This differs from aerospace wind tunnels where the speed of the air flow is more or less uniform across the cross section of the wind tunnel. Boundary Layer facilities and testing is very time consuming and costly, and is not commercially available in many countries.

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SOLAR TRACKERS Wind Tunnel: Don’t be Blown

CORPIUS design incorporates the static and dynamic nature of wind on its solar arrays. From wind tunnel studies, the effect of wind turbulence was quantified in the real sense. This differs from many existing national and international codes. It is evident from wind tunnel study by SCORPIUS, that in a typical tracker block, the extreme edges facing wind or where there are sufficient gaps available in arrays and adjoining blocks, the wind is far more aggressive and uproots the peripheral areas. Whereas it was also evident from the study, that for internal rows of arrays at specific distances from the periphery of wind exposures, the panels and MMS experience much lower wind effects than those estimated from existing code or standard provisions. It would be in interest of everyone to note that various national and international standards have clearly noted requirements and importance of such wind tunnel studies for special structures.

Fig. 1: SCORPIUS Scaled model of typical solar arrays in boundary layer wind tunnel (©SCORPIUS)

Interesting Facts Uncovered by Wind Tunnel Studies Twisting: Over the length of single row array it was noted that wind does not impart a uniform flow pattern and consequently uniform loading on single row is a very common misunderstanding. Referring any national or international code provisions, it would be un-realistic to model the forces on MMS as same uniform line loads and corresponding turning-twisting effects. The wind effect on MMS is similar to sketch in Figure 2. At SCORPIUS we incorporate these non-uniform twisting moments on structure at places designated by wind tunnel study. This gives the model more stability against ferocious wind torque. These correlated torques caused by wind are accumulated at center of the row of MMS at the drive line.

Fig. 2: General Uniform Twisting

Fig. 3: Schematic Representation of Uneven Twisting Torque on Line of Arrays

What renowned pioneers in national and international standard establisher’s say: “The response of a building to high wind pressures depends not only upon the geographical location and proximity of other obstructions to airflow but also upon the characteristics of the structure itself.The dynamic characteristics of a flexible structure defined by its time period of vibration and damping would affect its response to the gustiness or turbulence in wind, which itself gets modified due to presence of other structures/ obstructions, particularly those in the close vicinity of the structure. The effect of the latter is difficult to evaluate.” The above statement is a perfect example giving necessity of wind tunnel tests for solar array plants. SCORPIUS took the adept step to incorporate wind tunnel test into its design, which results in safe, sound and realistic design withstanding wind’s ferocity.

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October 2016

SOLAR TRACKERS

Flexing / Heaving: The fundamental weakness of solar arrays against winds with higher velocity is flexing of structure due to its nature, geometrical arrangement, weight, etc., resulting in horizontal, vertical and heaving deformation. Some tracker companies assume that the wind load on the structure decreases the further you go into the array. This is not necessarily true as the turbulent nature of the wind during periods of high wind speeds causes higher loads on some parts of the tracker in the interior which are dependent on their vibration modes and damping ratio. Aerodynamic flutter: Though with static designs complying the codes and standards are theoretically and functionally sound, there is much more the solar array has to undergo. One of the most critical code requirements is that “cumulative effect of undamped rhythmic forces” produce “intense resonant oscillation.” In other words, the structures’ lightness, combined with an accumulation of wind pressure, causes huge stress mechanisms, to which static design fails. Although the static air loads on the array are always less than its structural strength, once the array begins to twist and bend in a periodic manner, under certain conditions the dynamic air loads may begin feeding the elastic motion of structure, causing its amplitude to grow, which in turn causes increased air loads that eventually exceed the structural strength. Such a catastrophic dynamic coupling between the elastic motion and the unsteady aerodynamic loading is called “flutter”.

Calculating wind deflection on solar trackers is one of the most challenging computations and falls under Fluid Structure Interaction in computational fluid dynamics. Needless to say that the person using this approach has to know what he is doing! But having done all this, it is still necessary to cross check results in a boundary layer wind tunnel. If this analysis is not performed and if the tracker does not have a torsion mitigation system, you will observe wild oscillations, resulting into quick failure of the central torque tube during high wind events that often accompany thunderstorms.

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This is the area where most of the designs being quoted in the market are lacking. Scorpius Trackers Strong Fundamentals

nother area of importance are foundations. No matter how strong the structure is, should those loads not get transferred to earth, the huge investment is at stake. SCORPIUS’s design methodology ensure that due care is taken to place the proper foundations of requisite strength at all vulnerable areas of wind aggressiveness and danger to arrays getting blown off or damaged is negligible. This gives us edge over other solution providers. As known to all, and through many failure cases, foundations if improperly designed and placed, do not suffice the structural strength of superstructure causing irreversible damage to structure resulting in overturned arrays. Driving some tent pegsalike into the ground to hold down the mounting structure with/without a bucket of concrete will not last for five minutes in strong wind. SCORPIUS has devised and tested (on and off site) ways to dampen the aerodynamic flutter resulting in rugged installations. Our dampers play a major role in avoiding the structure’s entry into uncontrolled oscillatory mode. Placements of well thought and engineered dampers play important role in saving structure and owners’ investment against treacherous nature and effect of wind gusts. Torsional stiffness and torsional damping with proper stow angle are the only defenses against aerodynamic flutter. SCORPIUS has taken a lot of efforts to improve the damping characteristics of the structure to ensure that structures stay safe in the field. SCORPIUS has taken due care in its robust design to guard against catastrophic damage to structure of arrays in adverse wind conditions. Though this may result in slightly heavier structures, it is better to be safe than sorry!

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BIPV

Performance Analysis of a BIPV System and a Desert PV System AUTHORS : X.J. Zou1, Haitao. Liu1, L. Yang1 & Y.H. Zhai1 1 Photovoltaic and Wind Power Systems Quality Test Center, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (Technology Support and Detection Supervision Center of Changzhou Great Solar Technology Co.,Ltd. )

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his paper analyses the performance of a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system installed on the city rooftops in south China and a desert photovoltaic (PV) system in remote desert in northwest China. A subsystem of the BIPV system and a subsystem of the desert PV system were monitored by a movable monitoring system. The results showed that the PR of the BIPV subsystem and the desert PV subsystem was 0.88 and 0.80 respectively. The analysis showed that PR was not influenced by Yr except Yr lower than 1.0 h/d. The final yield Yf increased with the

increasing of reference yield Yr. The LRc of the desert PV subsystem was 15.51% and it was much higher than 15.51% of the BIPV subsystem. The main reason was considered as much higher dirt losses and line losses of the desert PV subsystem in rainy and humid region in south China than that of the BIPV subsystem in dry, windy and dusty region in northwest China. The LRBOS of the BIPV subsystem was a little higher than that of the desert PV subsystem. The main losses of the BIPV subsystem was LRBOS while the main losses of the desert PV subsystem was LRc.

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BIPV 1. Introduction

3. Monitoring system

n recent years renewable energy application has been developing rapidly due to the conventional energy shortage and environment pollution. Solar energy is one of the renewable energy. There are many photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in different location with different types such as building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems on the city rooftops in south China and large scale PV systems in remote desert in northwest China. The performance of these systems is one of the questions of common concern. It is affected by its local environmental and weather conditions, plant types and other considerations. In this paper, the performance of two PV systems has been analyzed. One is a BIPV system with capacity of 1.295 MW installed on the roof of the district 4 of the Yiwu international trade city in Gejiang province in south China. The other is a large scale desert PV system with capacity of 20MW in suburban Geermu in Qinghai province in northwest China. A movable monitoring system was used to collect and process the meteorological parameters and electrical parameters for analyzing the performance of the PV systems.

he subsystem is fully monitored to analysis performance by a movable monitoring system. The movable monitoring system was designed to meet guideline of standard IEC 61724 [1,2] and within the framework of the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power System (IEA PVPS) Program TASK 2 [3,4]. It was used to collect the following data: DC current and voltage, AC current and voltage, DC and AC power, output energy, module temperature, solar radiance and environment temperature. The necessary information of the subsystem was input into the PC by the input interface.

2. Description of the PV systems

he main structure of the BIPV system and the desert PV system is almost the same shown in Fig.1. It is composed of the following main parts: PV array unit, power conditioning unit (PCU) and grid access unit. The PV array unit consists of several module strings and some combiner boxes. Each module string consists of several PV modules connected in series. Several output wires of combiners are connected to the input terminal of PCU in parallel. PCU consist of inverters, DC control cabinets and AC control cabinets. Grid access unit consists of set-up transformers, relay protection devices and electric energy metering devices, etc. If the utility grid is low voltage grid, the set-up transformer will not be used in the PV plant. Subsystem PV array unit

Power conditioning unit (PCU)

PV array

The main performance parameters was calculated from the recorded monitoring data using sums, averages, maxima, minima, and ratios over the measuring period Ď&#x201E;, (such as days, weeks, months and years) by the monitoring software.

4. Analysis system performance

Set-up

The main performance parameters which will be used in this paper are shown in table 1.

transformer

Fig. 1: Diagram of a grid-connected PV plant. he difference of the two systems is described as follows. The BIPV system was composed of 8 subsystems. Each subsystem was composed of following main components: PV arrays, combiner boxes, a power conditioning unit (PCU) which consists of 1 inverter and 1 combined DC and AC control cabinet. The inverter rated power was 150 kVA. It has been designed to directly interconnect into the low voltage utility grid. The desert PV system was composed of 20 subsystems. The structure of each subsystem was almost the same as BIPV system except the PCU which consists of 2 inverters, 2 DC control cabinets and 1 AC control cabinet. The inverter rated power was 500 kVA. It has been designed to interconnect into the high voltage utility grid through a set-up transformer. Since the subsystems of each PV system have almost the same structure and components no matter BIPV system or desert PV system, we selected one of subsystems for the monitoring in each system.

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One subsystem in the BIPV system and one subsystem in the desert PV system were selected for monitoring. The movable monitoring system has been carried out for more than 10 days. The parameters measured in real time. The sampling interval for parameters was set as 5 seconds and stored as 1 minute average. All parameters were continuously measured during the specified monitoring period at a common rate.

Utility grid Grid access unit

PV array

Parameters

Symbol

Unit

Final yield

h/d

Refernce yield

h/d

Array capture losses

h/d

BOS losses

LBOS

Dimensionless

Array capture loss radio

LRc

Dimensionless

BOS loss radio

LRBOS

Dimensionless

Performance ratio

BOS: balance of system components (inverter, DC and AC control cabinet). Final yield Yf is defined as the energy generated by the system in a frame of time, divided by the nominal power of the PV generator [5]. Reference yield Yr is defined as the solar irradiance in the inclination plane of the PV panels in a frame of time, divided by the solar irradiance under standard conditions. The array capture losses Lc represent the losses due to array operation. The BOS losses represent the losses in the BOS components.

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55Â

BIPV

In this paper, to make it easy to understand, Lc is expressed as array capture loss radio LRc to represent the capture losses. It can be obtained by using Lc divided by Yr (LRc = Lc/Yr). LBOS is also expressed as BOS loss radio LRBOS to represent the BOS losses. It can be obtained by using LBOS divided by Yr (LRBOS = LBOS/Yr). Performance ratio PR indicates the overall effect of losses on the array’s rated output due to dirt losses, line losses, mismatch losses, efficiency reduction of PV module, module temperature losses, efficiency reduction of inverter, etc.

4.1 Analysis performance of BIPV system

Yr 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0

6 Days

Fig. 2: Reference yield (Yr), final yield (Yf), performance ratio (PR) array capture loss radio (LRc) and BOS loss ratio (LRBOS) of the monitored BIPV subsystem in 10 days from April 1 to 10. As shown in Fig.2, it can be seen clearly that the final yield Yf was increased with the increasing of reference yield Yr. This indicated that Yr was the important factor to influence on Yf. PR curve showed that it wasn’t exactly influenced by Yr except the special case when Yr was very lower than a value. Here we made a tentative value as 1.0 h/d. Of course, this value needs to be determined though many time tests. As we can see in Fig.2, the PR value in monitoring days was all higher than 0.8 except for the 3th day. The Yr of the 3th day was only 0.35 h/d and lower than 1.0 h/d. The PR of the 3th day was severely influenced by Yr by this time. The LRBOS of the 3th day was 0.25 which was the highest in all monitoring days. This is because the inverter was operated at very low load with a low efficiency when Yr was very low. From the analysis mentioned above, we can concluded that the final yield Yf was increased with the increasing of reference yield Yr and PR was not influenced by Yr except Yr lower than 1.0 h/d. 56

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4.2 Analysis performance of desert PV system

he curves of the performance parameters of the monitored desert PV subsystem in 10 days from are shown in Fig.3. April 12 to 21. The Yf value varied between 3.92 h/d and 6.44 h/d while the Yr value varied between 4.66 h/d and 8.21 h/d respectively. The total PR was 0.80 and it varied between 0.74 and 0.85. The LRc value varied between 0.12 and 0.23 while the LRBOS value varied between 0.03 and 0.05 respectively. From Fig.3 we can see that Yf of the desert PV system had the same characteristic with BIPV system that its value was increased with the increasing of Yr. It has been proven again that Yr was the important factor to influence on Yf. From Fig.3 we can also see that PR was not influence by Yr. The Yr curve showed that all Yr values were higher than 1.0 h/d high Yr made the inverter operated in relatively high load with the relatively high efficiency. From the analysis above, it proved again that he final yield Yf was increased with the increasing of reference yield Yr and PR was not influenced by Yr except Yr lower than 1.0 h/d. 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

LRc

LRBOS

5 6 Days

Yr 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 10

Refernce yield (Yr) (h/d), Fina l yield (Yr) (h/d)

LRBOC

Performa nce ra tio (PR)，a rra y ca pture loss ra dio (LRc) a nd BOS loss ra tio (LRBOS)

LRc 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

Refernce yield (Yr) (h/d), Final yield (Yr) (h/d)

Performance ratio (PR)，array capture loss radio (LRc) and BOS loss ratio (LRBOS)

The curves of the performance parameters of the monitored BIPV subsystem in 10 days from April 1 to 10 are shown in Fig.2. The Yf value varied between 0.21 h/d and 0.35 h/d while the Yr value varied between 0.48 h/d and 5.91 h/d respectively. The total PR was 0.88 and it varied between 0.73 and 0.92. The LRc value varied between 0.02 and 0.08 while the LRBOS value varied between 0.06 and 0.25 respectively.

Fig. 3: Reference yield (Yr), final yield (Yf), performance ratio (PR) array capture loss radio (LRc) and BOS loss ratio (LRBOS) of the monitored desert PV subsystem in 10 days from April 12 to 21.

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BIPV 5.11%

15.51%

6.72%

5.11%

6.72%

4.3 Comparative analysis of the BIPV system and the desert PV system

he performances of a BIPV system and a desert PV system are analyzed. A movable monitoring system was used to collect and derive the following data: DC current and voltage, AC current and voltage, DC and AC power, output energy, module temperature, Yf, Yr, PR, Lc LBOS, etc. The results have shown that the PR of the BIPV subsystem and the desert PV subsystem was 0.88 and 0.80 respectively. From the analysis we concluded that PR was not influenced by Yr except Yr lower than 1.0 h/d. The final yield Yf increased with the increasing of reference yield Yr. The LRc of the desert PV subsystem was 15.51% and it was much higher than 15.51% of the BIPV subsystem. The main reason was considered as much higher dirt losses and line losses of the desert PV subsystem in rainy and humid region in south China than that of the BIPV subsystem in dry, windy and dusty region in northwest China. The LRBOS of the BIPV subsystem was a little higher than that of the desert PV subsystem. The main losses of the BIPV subsystem was LRBOS while the main losses of the desert PV subsystem was LRc.

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LR BOS

80.16% 5.11%

88.15%

he distribution of performance ratio (PR) and losses of the monitored BIPV subsystem and desert PV subsystem in 10 days are shown in Fig.4. To illustrate to proportion of PR, LRc and LRBOS clearly, the values of them were expressed as percentages. As shown in Fig.4, the PR of BIPV subsystem (a) was 88.15% and it was higher than 80.16% of desert PV subsystem (b). The LRc of a was 5.11% and it was much lower than 15.51% of b. The factors influnenced LRc includes dirt losses, line losses and mismatch losses, etc. The BIPV system was located in the rainy and humid region in south China and it had the compact stucture due to the small local on the roof, hence the dirt losses, line losses and mismatch losses were much lower than that of desert PV system which was located in dry, windy and dirty region in northwest China and covered larger area than BIPV system. The much more dirt losses and line losses caused the higher LRc in desert PV system. The LRBOS of a was 6.72% and it was a little higher than 4.04% of b. The mainly factor influnenced LRBOS was inverter loss. Because the BIPV system was located in the rainy region, very low irradiation day may happen such 88.15% as Yr in the 3th day shown in Fig. 2. The low irradiation can lead to efficiency of inverter decreased due to low operation load. The very low irradiation was not happened in desert PV system. Hence the LRBOS of a was a little higher than that of b. The We also finded that the main losses of a was LRBOS while the main losses of b was LRc as shown in Fig. 4.

5. Conclusion

LRc

6.72%

80.16%

88.15% 80.16%

88.15%

a. BIPV subsystem 5.11%

15.51%

6.72%

4.04%

80.16%

b. Desert PV subsystem Fig. 4: Performance radio (PR), capture loss radio (LRc) and BOS loss radio (LRBOS) of the monitored BIPV subsystem and desert PV subsystem.

Acknowledgme nt

his work was supp orte Research & Develop d by National High-tech ment Program (8 63 of Ministry of Sc Program) contract No 2015BA ience and Technology of China unde r A0 9B02.

Refrences

[1] B. Marion, J. Adelstei n, K. Boyle, H. Hayden,B . Hammond, T. Fletcher, etc.,“Performance par ameters for grid-conn ected PV systems,” Photovoltaic Specialis ts Co Thirty-first IEEE, pp. 160 nference, 2005. Conference Record of the 1–1606. [2] IEC, “Photovoltaic System Performance Monitoring Guidelines for Measurement, Data Exc Geneva, Switzerland, 199 hange, and Analysis, IEC Standard 61724,” 8. [3] U. Jahn, D. Mayer, “International energy agency PVPS TASK2: analysis of the operat ional systems,” Six teenth Eur per formance of the IEA database PV ope and exhibition, Glasgow, an photovoltaic solar energy conference United Kingdom, May 20 00, PDF for download ww w.task 2.org . at [4] J. Ulrike, G. Bodo, “Ta sk2 operational per for mance of PV systems and subsystems,” IEA-PV PS, Repor t IEA-PVPS T201, 2000. [5] A.J. Aristizabal, G. Gordi first grid-connected BIP llo, “Performance monitoring results of the V system in Colombia,” Renewable Energy 33, 2008, 2475-2484.

October 2016

INTERViEW

INTERVIEW WITH RAJESHWARA BHAT

1 EQ: How much projects have you executed in the past, what is the current pipeline, orders under negotiations and mid-term and future plans, targets DS: We have executed 182 MW as on date. Pipeline 750 MW. 300 MW under negotiation. We would like to execute 500 MW in a year as annual target for the maintaining our quality standards and timely execution philosophy. We are diversifying into development and Energy storage systems as our focus going forward from 2017 onwards.

Enlighten on the performance of past projects built by your company and your study on the performance of solar plants in various geographies, various technologies, O&M, challenges, degradation.

RB: juwi has built plants worldwide and has experience since 1999, in India juwi is one of the early entrants and first project totaling 17MWp built in 2011 and currently the total capacity of the installed plants are 182 MWp in India installed. All the plants built by juwi across Indian states and also in APAC have exceeded their performance in terms of Performance Ratio, Availability Guarantee and even the predicted CUF has been met. The juwi deisgn, installation coupled with O&M team has ensured the 5 years old plants are still yielding the expected results. To meet the site and customer requirement juwi adopted design and component technologies to maximize the yield. To overcome the challenges during the O&M, juwi has maintained an optimal process with respect to having a competent resours, established supply chain management of required component, spares management, optimal module cleaning and conducting analysis at regular intervals for Predictive maintenance. Juwi conducts at regular intervals IV curve analysis to make sure the degradation are well within the limit

Please present some case studies of few noteworthy projects built by your company in the ground mount, rooftop, offgrid, rural & offshore space

RB: 1. 51 MWâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Mw Charanka 2. 1 Mw Rooftop - Infosys

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INTERViEW

MANAGING DIRECTOR, JUWI INDIA RENEWABLES PVT. LTD.

Kindly highlight your strengths and USP which gives your company a distinct advantage as compared to your competitors.

RB: Advantages against Indiancompetitors : • Proven German technology • Quality on the project delivery • Timely execution • Very strong technical and engineering capability • Acquiring 3rd party O&M projects and improving their PR to a substantial level • O&M – consistency in giving the required and beyond guaranteed yield PR, Generation. • Capability and technology to implement 100% renewable projects • Wind – technology - ATF

What is the latest technology solution you would recommend to a developer of solar power plant explain the tech road map in short term, mid term and long term.

RB: The technology solution is not a one size fits all bracket. It’s a function of the several parameters – project location, project capacity, off take mechanism etc. At the end our intent is not to position the most sophisticated technology to the client but to enable him realize the project metrics in a predictable manner. In the short term we expect the trackers and 1500VDC systems to play a key role we expect a move towards 1500VDC systems in the mid term. In the longer term we see forecasting and storage play a significant role.

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Kindly enlighten on “Energy Storage as Game Changer”. Technology & Cost Trends, Incentives and Government Support needed RB: Combining solar power with energy storage — what’s called “solar-plusstorage” — has also been picking up strength. Storage is a big hot subject with a annual installation forecast of more than 6 to 7 gigawatts starting from 2017 onwards upto 50 GW by 2022 is the prediction. The age of battery is picking as there is definite cost advantage. When storage is utilized for multiple services, a key to realizing the value of storage to customers and grid, most of storage costs are fixed and capital costs. Variable costs as battery lifetime, capacity loss over the time, eplacements depending on charge and discharge making the cost calculation little difficult.

COSTS WILL COME DOWN IN FUTURE WITH ECONOMIES OF SCALE• India is looking for rapid adoption of clean energy technologies with anticipated addition of 30-50 GW of new wind capacity and 20-30 GW of solar capacity by 2020. • India has various initiatives for providing energy access where government of India provides up to 90% of the capital funding for building microgrids in rural areas with no access to electricity. • Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has mandated use of renewable power for telecom towers in India that are currently utilizing diesel power as primary source of energy.

• India is looking for rapid adoption of clean energy technologies with anticipated addition of 30-50 GW of new wind capacity and 20-30 GW of solar capacity by 2020. • India has various initiatives for providing energy access where government of India provides up to 90% of the capital funding for building microgrids in rural areas with no access to electricity. • Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has mandated use of renewable power for telecom towers in India that are currently utilizing diesel power as primary source of energy.

October 2016

INTERViEW

Technology as a Game Changer in Solar PV Modules with emergence of 1500V, BiFacial Cells, PERC/PERT, 5-6 BusBars, Glass to Glass etc. Please comment on the technology roadmap, its cost trends, adaptability, your preference

RB: 1500VDC system will make an impact the gap to be closed currently is the cost of BoS other than inverters. That still needs to be in control. We do not see much of interest in BiFacial technology at the current price points it could be definitely interesting if the price drops and the BIPV markets pick up. For the rest the adoption it’s a question of how soon these technologies scale up but we are watching them closely and expect atleast few of them to be bring in value to the customer.

As a EPC do you have plans for backward integration with manufacturing of Modules/Cells/Wafers etc. Currently would you buy from Indian or Asian or other manufacturer ?

RB: Yes with the growing volume business to install 100+ MWp at a time backward integration is the way forward as it has improved efficiency and cost saving. We are on the path to integrate with suppliers and vendors, currently we are working with a combination with Indian and Asian manufacturers for modules.

Inverter Technology : Please comment of Central vs String, Container vs Civil Structure for Inverter, System Design and Architecture, Make of Inverters

RB: The inverter part is pretty geography specific – we see more of container adoption in countries with higher cost of labour, but more so we see the inverter manufacturers shifting to outdoor rated inverters eliminating the need for a container itself. That would be an interesting shift. The central inverters are becoming bigger in size while the string retains its position. We might also see movements towards micro inverters if the small roof tops pick up few module manufacturers are giving modules with micro inverters integrated.

Mounting & Tracking : What kind of mounting would you adapt .fixed or tilt of seasonal tilt etc. In Tracking what are your view on the technology available , its cost-benefit analysis, O&M

RB: This is again a very difficult question to answer as the choice of structure depends on the benefits. We would not be looking at seasonal tracking due to high capex and opex with limited gains. Seasonal tilt might make sense for a small size plants of 2 MW not larger ones as the effort of aligning all the structure would outweigh the gains. Fixed systems will continue to exist and be the larger portion of the overall market. Trackers will start increasing the market share. There would be a learning curve as new technologies and configurations get played out. But in longer run its quiet likely that trackers will grow on to be a major part of the market.

October 2016

Whats your view on the Government of India target of 100GW Solar and 75GW Wind Power by 2022. Can we achieve that and what would be the challenges

RB: The vision of 100GW by 2022 is indeed very heartening. However the implementation process has to be accelerated to achieve grid parity by 2017 as envisaged for which all measures required have to be taken up. The Government of India along with state Governments, MNRE, SECI , NTPC, PSU’s, Sate Nodal agencies , Discomsetc to name a few all have taken excellent steps to gear up to this vision extremely well. The growth has been phenomenal from apporx 4 GW to 7 GW this year and tenders of 18-20 GW being announced. In addition to support if the Government is able to establish stable market by announcing policy for the next five to ten years with the following in mind, it would boost this sector: • Creating a market of 10 GW / year, enabling the setting up of local integrated manufacturing of 5 GW by making land available at suitable locations, stable and assured power etc. •The benefits of promoting growth of solar in India is immense to make sure that it fulfills our dream of Energy security in the country

India has 750 GW of Solar Potential. By when should we able to achieve that?

RB: The vision of 100 GW by 2022 is indeed very good. However the implementation process has to be accelerated. To achieve grid parity by 2017 as envisaged, all measures required have to be taken up: creating a market of 10 GW / year, enabling the setting up of local integrated manufacturing of 10 GW by making land available at suitable locations, stable and assured power etc. The benefits of promoting growth of solar in India is immense. Stringent and effective enactment of environmental legislation for a green energy movement to make RE compulsory for all those polluting system to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystem.

Loan incentives Tax incentives (including corporate tax, personal income tax, sales tax and property tax) Production incentives to boost DCR

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Hitesh Doshi CMD - Waaree Energies Ltd.

Rabindra Kumar Satpathy - CEO-Renewable Power Emami Power Ltd

K Subramanyam Former CEO Tata BP Solar Shaji John ChiefSolar Initiatives L&T Ravi Khanna - CEO Solar Power Business Aditya Birla Group

EQ International Magazine

Sunil Jain Chief Exe. Off. & Exe. Director Hero Future Energies Pvt Ltd.

Editorial Advisory Board

Rajesh Bhat Managing Director juwi India Renewable Energies Pvt Ltd

Gaurav Sood Managing Director Solairedirect Energy India Pvt Ltd Pashupathy Gopalan Managing Director MEMCSunEdison

Himamsu Popuri CEO Nuevosol Energy Pvt. Ltd. Inderpreet Wadhwa CEO Azure Power Gyanesh Chaudhary Managing Director Vikram Solar Private Limited

Rohit Dhar CEO C & S Electric

PV MANUFACTURING

PV Industry Should Learn From History And Jointly Promote Sustainable Development

- By DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions India PV industry has experienced rapid development in the last five years. Since the inception of JNNSM in 2010, PV installations in India have multiplied from a meager 300 MW to more than 8 GW in 2016. While the market growth has been fast paced, the reducing tariffs are imposing significant cost pressures on module manufacturers who, in order to generate short term profits and cash flows, are cutting costs by rapidly deploying technological changes in design, construction, and ‘bill of materials’, which have direct and significant impact on performance of modules in the field.

October 2016

he situation of significant price drop of modules was witnessed in China in 2011-2012 owing to dual attack of anti-dumping duties and cost pressures from developers. Many manufacturers suffered heavy losses and adopted cost reduction strategies to make some profits and survive in the market. Proven materials were replaced by low cost unproven materials, compromising quality of modules. The impact was seen after a few years in the field when huge number of modules with unproven materials began to show large scale failures, significantly impacting the payback period and causing financial losses to the investors. India is observing a similar situation of significant price reduction by module manufacturers, primarily driven by aggressive bidding for solar projects. Lack of robust standards and mechanism to evaluate module quality allows module manufacturers to use low cost, unproven materials which, as seen in China’s case, pose substantial risks on module performance and returns on investment. This practice has the potential to jeopardize credibility of India’s PV industry at this critical juncture in its development.

To avoid this, India’s PV industry needs to learn from experienced countries like China and not repeat the same mistakes by ensuring use of good quality proven materials in the modules to promote long term health and sustainable development of the industry.

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PV MANUFACTURING

A real case study from China

n 2012, a PV power plant was successfully commissioned in western China and connected to the grid. the initiative generated a lot of excitement among stakeholders, and raised hopes of the entire PV industry for a better future of solar in China. However, in 2013, hopes began to fade when a random testing of the modules demonstrated large number of micro-cracks on the surface of module

backsheet. In a re-inspection of the plant in 2016, the defect (backsheet micro-cracks) was found to have worsened – cracks increased in number, became longer, wider, and deeper, more cracks developed along cell busbars – resulting in significant current leakage issues. The O&M team alerted about safety risks and initiated warranty claims with module manufacturers.

4 years in field

1 year in field

Micro-cracks

his is not a standalone case of backsheet cracking in China. By 2016 the industry began to hear about more and more cases of backsheet cracking in only 4-5 year old installations. Not only China, backsheet cracking instances have been found in less than 5-year old solar plants in Europe and Southeast Asia. Module manufacturer had to replace these modules under 10year product warranty which caused huge financial losses

and set back to the company’s credibility in the market. Developers and other stakeholders were baffled about – how can these modules, certified as per international norms, fail and demonstrate quality issues at such early stage? Doubts were raised whether these certifications were robust enough to evaluate module’s quality and ability to perform in outdoor environment and harsh conditions for 25 years.

The Root Cause

Optimized Test Method

irstly, the conventional test methods currently used by the industry are single-stress tests. These tests do not simulate actual conditions outside where multiple stresses (UV, heat, humidity, temperature changes) occur simultaneously, and thus do not reflect actual ageing of materials in field conditions. Secondly, some of the tests are underperformed in existing standards and thus do not reflect the risk associated with backsheet material during warranty phase. For example, the cumulative UV dosage for 25 years on backsheet is approximately 275 kWh/m2 in harsh desert climates, and approximately 170 kWh / m2 even in mild climates. However, current certification requires only 15 kWh/2 UV dosage (only front side) which simulates only ~70 days of outdoor exposure. Finally, the current tests do not evaluate change in backsheet mechanical properties after ageing. The outdoor failure of backsheet often occurs due to degradation of its mechanical properties after prolonged exposure to UV radiation and damp heat conditions. In order to better simulate the impact of outdoor conditions of backsheet material and assess its longterm ageing performance, the accelerated test should reflect the situation of outdoor ageing test sequence, and should be done on the same set of samples.

V modules are required to be designed to perform for 25 years in outdoor conditions. The materials used in a module are responsible to protect it and should be capable to withstand challenging climatic. In particular, the backsheet – which is the outermost layer of a PV module and most important component as far as environmental protection of module is concerned – should be highly durable and reliable. Being directly exposed to environmental stresses such as UV, wind, sand, and temperature changes, backsheet materials are most prone to ageing problems and degrade quickly if they are not selected carefully. Due to lack of test methods and standards to evaluate long term aging performance of PV modules, materials of varying qualities are able to pass existing certification testing. This results in failure of materials which are not capable to withstand outdoor exposure for long term. To prevent this, industry urgently needs to develop better testing standards to more accurately predict long term reliability and performance of the backsheet materials.

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October 2016

PV MANUFACTURING Sequential Aging Test

or example, the given sequential ageing test was conducted on PVF and PVDF based backsheets. After the test, PVDF backsheet cracked along transverse direction. This happened due poor mechanical properties of the PVDF film which becomes brittle after exposure to damp heat conditions (refer figure – shows complete loss of elongation PA backsheet cracks after sequential aging tests, which simulates field failure mode.

of PVDF film after only 500 hrs of damp heat exposure). Comparing this result with that observed in the field, one can see a good correlation between recommended sequential testing and field data as both of them show cracking of outer PVDF film in the backsheet. No cracking of degradation was seen in the Tedlar® PVF-film based backsheet.

PVDF backsheet also shows cracking issue after sequential aging tests

Backsheet outer layer PVDF film delaminated and totally peeled off

PA backsheet cracks

TD elongation of PVDF films after UV aging

PVDF outer layer of the backsheet cracks along Sequential with TDaging test: DH1000+UV1000(65kWh/m2)+TC200 direction

TD elongation of PVDF films after DH aging

This image is of a 4-year old installation in North America wherein ~57% of the modules demonstrated cracking and delamination in PVDF backsheet. SUMMARY Extended service life and low power degradation of PV modules is an important factor to reduce the cost of electricity and ensure return on investment. Field performance of PV modules is the ultimate basis of module selection, however, fast changes in module technologies, designs, and materials require dependence of accelerated tests to evaluate module quality. For PV backsheets, the recommended sequential testing should be widely used to evaluate long term reliability of different backsheet materials and provide a better source to module manufacturer for selecting good quality backsheets.

October 2016

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Policy & Regulation

Accelerated depreciation benefit – A major incentive for solar power

- By Mr. Rounak Muthiyan & Shreya Parekh, Kalpa Power

Solar power is largely associated with two primary incentives: 1. Savings associated with the cost of solar power vs. grid electricity 2. Tax relief due to availing higher rate of depreciationmore often termed as accelerated depreciation,under section 32 of Income Tax act

rom these two benefits, the accelerated depreciation accounts for major relief in the upfront cost of solar by providing a tax break in the first year of operation. Ideally, there isn’t such term as accelerated depreciation. It is only a method of depreciation used for accounting or income tax purposes that enable greater deductions in the earlylife of the asset. By increasing the deductions taken during the first few years, one can lower the overall tax burden. The normal depreciation rate for plant and machinery is 15%. As per section-32 of Income Tax Act 1961, schedule entry 8(xiii),the Government of India(GoI) had till date allowed to claim maximum up to 80% depreciation in year one of commissioning of solar power plant. Also as per Section 32(1) (iiA)of Income Tax Act 1961, an additional depreciation of 20% (max.) of actual cost can be claimed if new plant and machinery is installed for purpose of manufacturing. Hence, one can claim 100% depreciation for a solar power project, if the asset is in use for more than 180 days of the fiscal year. If the solar power plant is commissioned for a period of less than 180 days, then the depreciation benefit is split over two financial years.This applies to projects commissioned in fiscal year 2016-17.

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Post Union Budget 2016-17 As per Union Budget 2016-17, GoI has proposed to cap the higher rate of depreciation at 40% which is 50% of the existing depreciation rate. It will be with effect from April 1, 2017.

October 2016

Policy & Regulation Let’s understand the same with the help of an example: Assumptions: 1. Cost of solar power project: Rs. 120 lacs. 2. Tax rate: 33.06% 3. Depreciation rate till 31st March 2017 : 80% 4. Depreciation rate w.e.f 1st April 2017: 40% 5. Additional depreciation rate as per section 32(1)(iiA) of Income Tax Act of 1961: 20%

We will observe four scenarios as mentioned below1. Project commissioned for more than 180 days, during H1 (March – September) of 2016-17 2. Project commissioned for less than 180 days, during H2 (September – March) of 2016-17 3. Project commissioned for more than 180 days, during H1 (March – September) of 2017-18 4. Project commissioned for less than 180 days, during H2(September – March) of 2017-18

As observed in the table above, due to a proposed cap on the rate of depreciation, the benefit that was available to the investor till date will now be halved in the first year and spread over the subsequent years. Though, this has been considered as a setback to the renewable sector, it has not affected much the viability of the solar power systems. The investor can still expect a payback of 4-5 years for an investment in solar power generation systems. Hence, we can safely say that solar power will still remain as an attractive investment in the coming financial year. 66

October 2016

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India's Largest Exhibition and Conference for the Solar Industry Bombay Exhibition Centre, Hall 1, Mumbai Network with over 11,000 potential business contacts from the solar industry Stay up to date with the latest trends and technological developments Boost your brand visibility with an established B2B event

SMS IS16 06 to 56767 to visit Intersolar India with special exhibitions

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October 2016

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INTERViEW

INTERVIEW WITH KAPIEL DONGLE BUSINESS HEAD, FOURTH PARTNER ENERGY

EQ: India has an impending need to build renewable energy infrastructure to nurture its economic growth? What are your views on this? KD: Indeed, India has an impending need to build renewable energy infrastructure today to nurture its economic growth as it can help in addressing many pressing concerns, such as a) The ability of RE to support in bridging country’s electricity demand-supply gap, b) Reducing dependence on imported fuels which has significant share in country’s national budget c) supporting the country’s commitment in curbing climate change impacts resulting from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly resulted from burning fossil fuels such as coal. Renewable energy projects are clean, and have much lesser carbon footprints. d) Renewable energy has potential to create employment across various segments e) Renewable energy projects range from ultra mega watt to a few kilo watt. Small decentralized projects especially can find significant importance in lighting and cooking applications in far-off rural areas

October 2016

The present government has laid down ambitious plans to build the India renewable energy Infrastructure. Do you think the plans are achievable and what are the policy changes which are required to turn these plans into reality? KD: The plan of building renewable energy (175 GW by 2022) infrastructure by the present government is indeed very ambitious considering the total installed capacity as on today is about 45 GW. We possibbly may not achieve the 175 GW target, but would certainly install a very substantial renewable energy capacity in the country by 2022. However, to enable that several policy measures are required such as: a) Policy to create skilled/semi-skilled work force across the sector b) More rigorous campaigning for creating awareness among citizens about renewable energy sector c) Implementation of the plans to create infrastructure for transmission of renewable energy, such as green corridors d) Enabling provisions for long term finance at low interest rates for renewable energy projects

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INTERViEW

What is the role Fourth Partner Energy (4PEL) would be playing in the India Infrastructure growth story?

KD: We aim to be a Partner for sustainable change. Through our products (solar lanterns, street lighting systems, etc) and Rooftop Solar solutions, we hope to provide cost-efficient energy solutions to our customers and make a positive impact to the local community & environment.

4PEL focuses on distributed solar power, what are its advantages?

KD: The advantages of distributed power being: a) Roofowner/consumer can install such project in his premises; thereby effectively using the space (such as roof) available b) Such projects help in significant savings to the consumer in grid electricity usage. c) As the power is generated on-site, the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses incurred in the grid network are minimized d) The project commissioning takes in minimal time as the technology doesn’t need significant infrastructure building

What are the major sectors, where you feel that immense possibilities exist and why?

KD: As far as renewable energy is concerned, there are several sectors which offer immense possibilities. To list a few: a) Rooftop PV projects offer on-site power generation and its consumption opportunity for consumers which help them reducing their electricity bills. This option is now available due to the considerable fall in the cost of generation of solar power compared to grid tariffs in many Indian states. b) There are now new business models being offered by solar companies (such as CAPEX or OPEX with and without net metering) which provide options for rooftop owner/consumer while decision making c) Under government’s ambitious smart city initiative, there is immense possibility of using renewable energy in India’s urban areas d) In rural areas, off-grid power projects using solar projects and biomass gasifiers have immense possibilities

What are the major challenges for the renewable energy infrastructure growth in India?

KD: The major challenges for the renewable energy infrastructure growth in India being: a) Insufficient transmission network to transmits electricity from renewable projects in remote areas b) The finance provided to the renewable energy projects is short term and at significant rates such as 12% c) Lack of skilled work-force d) There are several procedural hurdles in obtaining licenses/ permission at government agencies, especially in land acquisition, etc

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4PEL major projects are in B2B space where as residential projects are few in numbers, what is the reason for this anomaly?

KD: There are several reasons behind this discrepancy as this segment is picking up slowly when compared to B2B space..The main issues being: a) Consumer awareness: as many domestic consumers/roof owners are not well verse with the aspects of solar technology, space requirement, cost incurred, finance available, government policies, etc. b) Finance: obtaining finance is big hurdle for small consumers before investing upfront in the solar projects. c) For residential sector, solar PV hasn’t achieved grid-parity yet in many states. Thus pay-back period for solar projects are still considerably long.

What are the Operations & Maintenance Services offered by 4PEL?

KD: We offer post-installation long term O&M services to customers. These include preventive maintenance and breakdown maintenance services.

How will the government’s smart cities initiative boost the solar product demand in the country?

KD: Smart cities initiative will boost the solar product demand in the country as: a) It will create awareness among the urban consumers about the technology b) It will minimize procedural hurdles in obtaining permissions from the local bodies by creating online/single window options c) Net metering based projects will see significantly less grid electricity usage, thereby incentivizing consumers in terms of savings d) A significant rooftop area available on the existing as well as upcoming buildings can be put in use

October 2016

TECHNOLOGY

Switching your installation from 1000 VDC to 1500 VDC in Solar PV Plant-

Understand the technical challenge and commercial opportunity Why and how it makes sense to go with higher DC system voltage?

- By Ashish Verma,

Analyst- Engineering & Projects, AMP Solar India

As entire solar Industry across the globe is facing heat in competitive bid recent years that is because of drastically fall of overall project cost of Solar PV plant and along with other factors i.e. Radiation, financing, creditworthiness of Offtaker etc. The drastically downfall of overall Solar PV system cost due to drastically change in Solar PV Module price (~0.80%-1.10%/Month since March 2015) and innovation ,optimization in BoS i.e. Solar Inverter, block size (smart block arrangement), optimized DC overloading, Structure design.

Lets checkout- How Solar Industry shifted in Higher voltage installation on DC side

The primary reason is the 31% to 37% decrease in DC current for the same power.

hy did the industry move from 600 volt solar arrays to 1000 volt solar arrays? The answer is simple, to reduce system costs. The value of increased system voltages is realized in infrastructure savings, reduced installation costs, and end-to-end efficiency improvements. That is the same reason that the industry is now moving from 1000 volt systems to 1500 volt systems. Although 1000VDC-rated BOS equipment was generally more expensive than 600VDC equipment, those costs were more than offset by the cost reductions throughout the overall system. As the volume of the higher voltage rated components and wire increased, the installed costs were reduced even further. Again, the story is repeated with the move towards 1500VDC systems.

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TECHNOLOGY

Let’s talk about advantages first 1. Lower DC Losses - Higher the system voltage lower the system current, for the same resistance ohmic losses will be lower 2. Less Strings 3. Reduced string cable length and Array cable length - Due to higher no. of module in series in case of 1500 V dc system compare to 1000 Vdc 4. Reduction of String Combiner boxes 5. Capex & Opex Saving 6. Bigger Block Size - Concept of the bigger is better

Efficiency and cost considerations for 1500VDC PV Systems

Understand the challenge

ne might ask why stop at 1500VDC? Why wasn’t it 2000V? The short answer is the solar panel, switchgear, fuse, and circuit breaker manufacturers weren’t ready to work with an increase of 1000V, so the acceptable challenge was a 500V step above the 1000VDC rating. 1500V rated wire is not the problem. Switchgear, fuses, surge protectors, circuit breakers and other BOS components are still being introduced and certified. The reduction of current is the advantage, but the corresponding disadvantage is the conductor spacing (creep). Spacing must be greater for the higher voltages so the equipment gets correspondingly bigger and takes up more room. Internal arcing becomes a bigger concern so the design standards for these components become more complex and costly.

“Cooper Bussmann announced 1500VDC fuses in late 2012 and ABB announced their line of 1500VDC disconnect switches, molded case switches, contactors, surge protective devices and sensors in late 2014. Other manufacturers have joined in and the competition to supply the industry with the full range of 1500VDC rated components has both kept prices in check and increased the range of available product options. However, the list is still limited compared to those rated for 1000VDC” The good news is that at any given power capacity, with the increase in voltage, the current is reduced. Inverters are power conditioning units that essentially, “push” current at a fixed voltage. The higher the current, the higher the heat and the higher the stress on current carrying components and switching devices. So a reduction in current is, in general, a good thing from the inverter’s perspective

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Higher output power levels can be obtained from essentially the same IGBT stacks if the current is reduced.The catch is that to work at the higher voltages, IGBTs have to be rated at the higher peak operating voltages. This means more expensive devices and higher switching losses. Some inverter manufacturers have had to accept lower efficiencies (usually .5% lower) compared to 1000VDC inverters. Sungrow has been able to maintain the same CEC energy conversion efficiencies in their line of 1500VDC inverters as they do in their line of central and string 1000VDC inverters (98.5%). There are cost savings on the AC side of the inverter as well. With the increase in DC input voltage, the inverter can be designed for a higher AC output voltage. This reduces the AC current and allows for smaller gauge wire to be used for the wire runs from the inverters to the transformers. For example, a change from an output voltage of 480VAC to 600VAC reduces the current by 20%. For the same distance between the inverter and the point of connection to the transformer, this can mean a reduction of two wire sizes in most cases .

October 2016

TECHNOLOGY

credit- Mr. Bhuwan Mehta, Gensol Consultants

Way forward- What does 1500 Vdc mean for Solar Industry in future

1. So where are the real savings?

f there is a premium for 1500VDC rated solar panels, and the 1500VDC rated BOS components have a premium, will that offset the savings in wire, labor, and other installation costs? If the inverter has a lower CEC weighted efficiency that results in a lower energy throughput, then the answer will be a resounding “maybe”. To some degree, the savings will be site specific, but with the high cost of wire and labor in the US, there will definitely be a reduction in the cost of the installed system. This is verified by the fact that virtually all utility scale project developers and EPCs are going with 1500VDC systems.

2. So where will the industry go from here?

It may move to even higher DC voltages, but the costs required to design and manufacture key components that can handle say, 2000VDC, may be too daunting. Most, if not all of the innovations and design changes have been incorporated based on their ability to reduce costs somewhere in the BOS components, installation, or O&M processes. Large volume orders and competition among 1500VDC component suppliers will continue to drive BOS costs down.

October 2016

“A recent survey by IHS showed that the over-all savings estimates for 1500VDC system installations by experienced EPCs were in the range of 20% to 25% compared to 1000VDC systems. The variables include the cost of the wire (changes with the market price of copper), the local labor rates, union or non-union, system architectures, use of trackers, and the choice of inverters”

REFRENCES 1. http://s3.amazonaws.com/engineering.whitepapers/ Sungrow/2FNL_spw_1500V_system_white_paper.pdf 2. http://www.slideshare.net/AnmolJaggi/optimisationof-balance-of-system-bos-for-solar-projects

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INTERViEW

INTERVIEW WITH Mr.AJAY BHURE Director, Aelius Renewable Infra services Pvt. Ltd.

EQ: What made you venture in Renewable Energy Sector?

•

AB: Having worked in Information Technology sector in various geographies for almost 2 decades,I was keen to explore uncharted territories. When I was exploring options for my start-up, the renewable energy sector especially solar looked very attractive. As the readers of this well-known magazine appreciate, I believe that we are at the inflection point in terms of growth in this sector that is addressing very crucial dimensions of India’s Growth in terms of Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability. I am very keen to participate in this growth story by making catalytic contributions.

Taking necessary permissions / approvals from the government and relevant agencies.

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Securing ‘Right of Way (roW)’ and erecting power transmission lines and getting power evacuation permission from substation.

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Securing ‘Power evacuation’ permission from substation and construction of bay at the substation.

EQ: How is the sector performing vis-a-vis ambitious plans of the present Government at Centre? AB: The aspiration of the current Government to have 100 GW of Solar Capacity by 2022 is indeed praise worthy and very encouraging. In the paradigm of ‘Think Big---Start Small---Scale Fast’, the first two steps are done and it is the ‘Scale Fast’ that we need to get even better at. We have a capacity of 4.6 GW as published in the year-end review (CY 2015) by MNRE. As long as we add the third more capacity than the cumulative in the previous year we will certainly be able to cross the target of 100 GW by 2022. There is still lot of potential to be realized. Among other things, tighter implementation of broadly agreed open access policies by the state / Regulators and other stakeholders of this industry is very crucial in this journey to 100 GW.

EQ: What is your company focused on? AB: We (Aelius Renewable Energy Infrastructure Services Pvt. Ltd.) are focused on developing ‘Solar Parks’ that provide‘Plug-and-Play’ environment for the developers directly or through the EPCs. The idea is to play a catalytic role in the value chain by providing much needed infrastructure for the solar plants and thereby enabling all other stakeholders (Consumer, Developer and ECP) to focus on their respective ‘core competence’.

EQ: What services does the ‘Aelius Solar Park’ provide? AB: Solar parks are pre-build infrastructure that creates ‘Plug and Play’ environment for solar power developers. Instead of developers or EPC players having to spend time in developing the huge infrastructure and sorting various approvals independently, solar park developer take responsibility of such task and reduce the cost and time to start immediate production. Solar Park entails various aspects of infrastructure including – •

Technical feasibility of Solar Plant Site, land acquisition and development of facilities like road, water, security, monitoring system and communication facilities.

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EQ: How is the response from market to ‘ Aelius Solar Park’? AB:The response to our offering is quite encouraging. We have active discussions with some of the Indian and foreign entities. As the ready park gets the lead time of project for infrastructure building from 9 to 12 months to just couple of weeks, it is quite lucrative proposition for developers and EPCs. Moreover it also addresses the element of risk. We have our skin in the game in development of park in terms of having made all the investments upfront. Developers and EPCs find it very attractive that all the legal aspects are well addressed by us. There are one or two other solar parks in Maharashtra set up by EPCs themselves but unlike those, the developer is not tied with one EPC in Aelius Solar Park and has choice of getting competitive bids and ensuring that the developer/ consumer chooses the best EPC player in the country in terms of ‘expertise’ and ‘Value for Money’.

EQ: Why will clients prefer your park versus Govt Park? AB:My answer to this question is pretty simple; while we have supermarkets in the Indian economy there is still space and scope for corner shops. Our play is like that of corner shops. Government developing parks is great initiative and will help ecosystem catapult at logarithmic scale. They will provide scalable infrastructure to meet our country’s vision of 100 GW by 2022. But you will appreciate that corporate and solar park developers who wants autonomy, flexibility, speed and control would like to choose us. Also most Government Solar Parks that are ready to ‘Plug-n-Play’ will have the minimum ticket size of 10 MW whereas in ‘Aelius Solar Park’ complements those efforts by helping developers with any sizes from 2 MW upto 20 MW.

EQ: What are your future plans? AB:We would continue to stick to our core competence in the solar value chain. We will continue to build more solar parks from ‘conceptualization to construction’. This will make us unique player in market who would offer solar park infrastructure thereby ensuring ‘upfront investment’ and ‘reducing risk’ for other stakeholders in the value chain. From my previous life connects in London, Hong kong and other countires we are discussing with focused funds to secure larger funding to scale up our operations.

October 2016

NATURE OF CREDIT ENHANCEMENT IREDA will provide credit enhancement by way of unconditional and irrevocable partial credit guarantee to enhance the credit rating of the proposed bonds.

SECURITY CONDITIONS ■■

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TECHNOLOGIES ■■

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Grid connected Renewable Energy Projects ( Solar/ Wind). ■■ ■■

i. Investors to the project bond will have pari-passu charge, on the assets of the project bond issuer, with other senior lenders in the project, if any. IREDA will have a charge, which may be subordinated to the project bond Investors and other senior debt lenders. ii. However, IREDA will have pari-passu charge to the extent of invoked guarantee on either acceleration of the Project Bonds and/or termination of the concession agreement and/ or enforcement of security after paying its obligations under the Guarantee. iii. In addition to above, IREDA to explore securing corporate guarantee/undertaking/personal guarantee from the sponsor/ holding company/promoters, Collateral security, shares, or any other form of security to secure its exposure. iv. TRA agreement with trustee bank. v.The terms of Bonds being issued, for which IREDA is issuing the Guarantee, should have first pari-passu charge on project’s TRA (in case of holding company, the TRA of respective subsidiary company) at par with Senior Lenders.

TENURE The period of Guarantee would be linked with the period for which bond are issued, the maximum tenure of the project bonds may be upto 15 years. 74

October 2016

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October 2016

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Sungrow Unveiled the World’s First 1500V String Inverter at AsiaSolar 2016 Sungrow, the world’s leading PV inverter manufacturer, officially released the world’s first 1500V string inverter, the SG80HV, at theAsiaSolar 2016 solar trade show in August.

he SG80HV has a power output of 80KW rated at 1500VDC. Witha 2.5MW PV power block design, DC side cabling costs can be reduced by 30%. Sungrow’s patented five-level topology design enables SG80HV to lift the maximum efficiency up to over 99%, even at a 1500VDC voltage rating. Also, SG80HV is able to operate at 1.1 times overload in temperatures as high as 45 degrees centigrade. Andthe SG80HV is capable of avoiding power losses caused by temperature derating with its class-leading cooling system. At a 1500VDC rating, the SG80HV is also able to reduce balance of system costs in addition to the high power generation yield it offers. The SG80HV is designed with a next-generation film capacitor designed to prolong the lifetime of the inverter. Its patented PID protection and repair function enable SG80HV to work stably. In addition, the inverter’s power factor can be continuously adjusted from 0.9 lagging to 0.9 leading when it is operating at full active power with the support of stronger reactive power.

“1500V solar systems are expected to dramatically reduce system costs and improve power generation efficiency. The solar industry has long demanded a 1500V string inverter, and Sungrow surprised many with our release of the SG80HV,developed by our global-leading R&D team. As the world’s first 1500V string inverter, SG80HVis the pinnacle of solar inverter technology, and we hope it will encourage further industry growth by increasing PV plant ROI.” - Dr. David Zhao, Senior Vice President of Sungrow

Ingeteam achieves UL1741 compliance for the new 1500 VDC Central Inverter Product line. Ingeteam´s INGECON SUN PowerMax U B Series inverters are dimensionally just 111” x 35” x 80” inches; these inverters are able to supply up to a maximum power of 1,637 kVA in a single unit – making it the solar inverter with the highest power density in the market, thanks to its more than 326 kW/m3 (5.34W/in3).

October 2016

he 1500 Vdc INGECON SUN PowerMax B Series inverter family features a Smart Cooling System which makes it possible to optimize and reduce the auxiliary services consumption. Furthermore, the inverter’s latest-generation electronic components are housed in an IP66 (NEMA 4) protected compartment, thereby preventing condensation and lengthening the useful life of the power electronics. This inverter family is ready to be installed indoors (IP50) and outdoors (NEMA3/IP56), and can deliver its rated power up to an ambient temperature of 50ºC (122ºF). Additionally, the new improved inverter design facilitates the installation and wiring tasks

(on both DC and AC) in addition to the maintenance and repair work. Reliability of the product has been proved on the Bankability and Reliability report issued by Black & Veatch. Thanks to its compactness, the inverter can be easily integrated into medium voltage solutions or power stations that contain all the equipment required for large PV plants. In fact, three (3) inverters can be mounted in the same power station in order to reach up to 4.91 MVA in a single medium voltage unit. This equipment and the medium voltage solutions mentioned, are to be showcased on the Ingeteam Booth #1559 at the 2016 Solar Power International show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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

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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.

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October 2016

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Waaree Energies Ltd launches new 1500-Voltage Crystalline Solar PV Module at 2016 Renewable Energy India Expo

Waaree Energies Ltd, one of India’s most diversified and fastest growing solar power Solutions Company, recently announced the launch of the new 1500V System Voltage (“1500V”) crystalline solar module at the Renewable Energy India Expo, 2016.The conventional 1000V system voltage allows PV system designed only up to 1000V.

he new 1500V module has proven its performance under UL 1703; Standard for Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels and allows a significantly more efficient system design while reducing the overall BOS and cabling costs. Raising the maximum system voltage to 1500V means a potential increase of up to 50% in string length, hence reducing the

overall BOS cost. It is an inevitable trend that 1500V systems would begin to be installed on a global scale in the future, not so far away. The module still remains PID (Potential Induced Degradation) resistant as per IEC 62804. The company announced the successful completion of the project at the much coveted Renewable Energy India Expo.

“We are immensely excited about this project as it is a milestone for us at Waaree. This marks a momentous win for us as it adds to our already high quality database of modules.1500 V module comes packed with a whole lot of inherent advantages which are absentin 1000 V modules. Certain key ones include the lowering of balance of system costs as high voltage systems allows more number of modules to be connected in a single string and thus reduces the number of combiner boxes, shorter runs of wiring, trenching, labor, DC breakers and, overall loss to the system.We believe this new product can perfectly meet the growing demand for higher voltage systems with lower system costs. Infact, installing 1500V DC systems in place of the nowused 1000V DC can lower costs by as much as $ 0.05 per watt, which by itself is noteworthy. Additionally, installation and maintenance costs also comes down once you start using 1500V design in PV arrays. This is particularly beneficial to the EPCs as the overhead costs are reduced and margins are expanded.” - Mr. Hitesh Doshi, Chairman & Managing Director, Waaree Energies Ltd

The indigenous market is of high strategic importance to Waaree and it is committed to deliver innovative technology solutions to the market.

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October 2016

Skytron® energy launches version 2.4 of PVGuard® Supervision Platform Skytron energy, the global leader in utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) monitoring, recently announced a further enhanced version 2.4 of the renowned PVGuard® Supervision Platform.

ocusing on fleet management, the new version will allow system owners and operators to monitor the technical performance of all PV power plants, inverters and alarms across their entire fleet in a single view, which they can filter or sort to suit their individual needs.

“We already operate more than 100 PV power plants, with new sites being added to our fleet almost weekly, through our close and professional collaboration with skytron energy, we can guarantee our customers a very high level of plant availability. As we approach 1GW of installed solar, the new portfolio management features of PVGuard will be of enormous benefit to our team, and help us to surmount our increasing workload.” Mike Loeser, Senior Manager of Asset Management at Strata Solar

The new features of PVGuard provide a completely new way of obtaining a summary view of an entire fleet. All of a customer’s monitored inverters can be seen in one place, irrespective of plant. The graphical display can be sorted according to the performance ratio of each individual device. In this way, any poorly-performing inverters become obvious immediately. Added to this, the alarms from all power plants under supervision can be brought together and processed in a single place. Using proven drill-down techniques the view’s perspective can be refined, bringing in further detail.

“This enhanced version of the SCADA software, allows our customers to keep their maintenance and operations costs low for increasing portfolio sizes, yet still obtain high quality and efficient system monitoring.” Hendrik Hoffmann, Director Software, Service and O&M at skytron energy

The Fleet Manager is being made available in both the PVGuard Supervision Platform and in the PVGuard Mobile Apps. As a special bonus, a separate HTML version will also be available that can be embedded on a big screen in a control room or on a tablet PC. In particular, this will benefit operators providing on-call services for power plant fleets with the essential at-a-glance information they need. 80

October 2016

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REC launches 72-cell version of the award-winning REC TwinPeak Series – rated up to 340 Wp REC, a leading European brand of solar panels, has begun mass production of the new REC TwinPeak 72 Series solar panel. With nominal power of up to 340 watt peak (Wp), the REC TwinPeak 72 Series is bigger in size, delivers even higher power output per m2, and is ideally suited for commercial, industrial, and large-scale applications worldwide.

ased on the REC TwinPeak Series, which was launched in 2015 and won the Intersolar Award for ‘Photovoltaics’ that same year, the REC TwinPeak 72 consists of the same four key technologies:

Half-cut cell technology (144 half-cut solar cells) PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) technology Four busbars Split junction box spread across the middle of the panel, allowing an innovative panel design REC was the first manufacturer to successfully combine these four technologies into a single product on a multicrystalline platform for industrial-scale production. Together, they enhance power output in the REC TwinPeak 72 Series by around 20 Wp, compared to standard 72-cell panels. Installers, EPCs, investors, and end customers will experience its advantages almost immediately, including lower balance of system costs and higher yield thanks to its increased power output and improved performance in shaded conditions, enabled by the innovative ‘twin’ design.

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“REC is seeing increasing demand for high efficiency products which our proven TwinPeak technologies can deliver, The addition of the REC TwinPeak 72 Series to our portfolio underlines our commitment to supplying our customers with high-power panels with renowned REC quality.” Cemil Seber, Director Product Marketing and Global Expansion at REC

The REC TwinPeak 72 is available for all regions, and is certified for a maximum system voltage of 1000V according to IEC 61215 & 61730 as well as UL 1703 standards, with a 1500V variant available from November 2016. As with all REC panels, the REC TwinPeak 72 is 100% free from potential induced degradation (PID), avoiding power losses even in the harshest conditions and environments in terms of high temperatures and humidity.

October 2016

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