EQ September/October 2012 Issue

9 772231 094004

16

I SSN 2 2 3 1 - 0 9 4 0

EQ

Impact Of Viability Gap Funding For Projects Under Phase Two Of The National Solar Mission

High-Performance Manufacturing Equipment raises Efficiencies and saves Cost in Thin-Film Production

September-October 12

INTERNATIONAL

Grid Parity Gets Closer And Rooftop Solar Could Be A Game Changer For India – ‘The Rising Sun’ Report By Kpmg

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www.EQMaglive.com CPP’s VS. RERC On RPO Imposition : Rajasthan (Jaipur Bench) High Court Judgement

Exclusive Interview with Pashupathy Gopalan, MD, SunEdison

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INTERNATIONAL

EQ Solar Man Of The Year : India 2012

Mr.Vineet Mittal

Co-Founder & M.D. Welspun Energy Limited

Exclusive Interview on Page No. 58

Nov. 7-9,2012 hall 7ďźš7.64

EDITORIAL

W

e are proud to award the “EQ Solar Man of the Year : India 2012” to Mr.Vineet Mittal, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Welspun Energy Limited. Under his dynamic leadership, Welspun Energy is today the largest Solar Project Developer & IPP in the making in India with 250 MW of Projects. Welspun is also the lowest bidder in the JNNSM Batch II Phase I to achieve financial closure for 50 MW project in Rajasthan.

India’s Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the International Seminar on Energy Access in New Delhi and said that India is privileged to host this during the ‘International Year of Sustainable Energy for All’. Over 1.3 billion people in the world today lack access to reliable electricity. Further, around 3 billion people rely entirely, or very substantially, on traditional biomass for their cooking energy needs. Under the ongoing Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme, India’s goal is to electrify all the 600,000 villages of India. More than 100,000 villages have been provided with electricity connections in recent years. Now, only a few thousand villages in the country remain un-electrified.

Besides, one million households in India are now using decentralized solar energy to meet their lighting energy needs. The Government of India aims to provide 24x7 electricity to all households in the country and affordable access to electricity in the next 5 years. GOI hopes to light up around 20 million rural households with solar home lighting by 2022.At the Annual Conference on Solar Market in India 2012, the joint secretary of the MNRE, TarunKapoor, emphasized that the government will be promoting the off grid solar sector through a targeted policy. The state of Kerala recently formulated a policy, aimed at the off-grid sector by subsidizing the installation of 10,000 roof top solar PV systems.Recently Reserve Bank of India mentioned that Loans given to individuals to set up off-grid solar and other renewable energy solutions for households may be classified as priority sector.

Following Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and other solar states, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have announced their solar policies.

Gujarat has announced five new solar rooftop projects, totaling 25MW. These projects are planned to come up in the following cities: Vadodara, Surat, Mehsana, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.

The Chinese media recently reported the incident where India’s Ministry of Commerce received a complaint from domestic solar panel manufacturers, asking the Ministry to investigate dumping allegations made against solar panels manufactured in China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the US. This application was actually filed in January this year with the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) at the Ministry of Commerce.

2012 could be the first down year for world investment in clean energy for at least 8 years.

Germany has remained a strong small-scale solar market this year and, although Italy has dropped off sharply after the government brought an end to its generous subsidy offer, activity has been brisk in China, the US, Japan and the UK.Global investment in clean energy totalled $56.6bn in the third quarter of 2012. This was down 5% on the second quarter and 20% lower than in Q3 2011, explained partly by weaker figures from the US and India, and a lull in wind farm financings. The challenges facing clean energy in the third quarter continued to include policy uncertainty in key markets such as the US, the UK and Italy, and the dampening effect of low sector share prices on public market and venture capital investment.

In addition, the recent sharp falls in the costs of wind and solar photovoltaic technologies have meant that the same megawatt capacity can now be purchased for significantly fewer dollars. The geographical shift that is taking place in clean energy, with established markets such as the US, Europe and China losing momentum while newer markets in South America, Asia and Africa pick up steam.” A sector split of the Q3 investment total shows solar leading the way with $33.8bn, up 1% on Q2 but down 22% on the third quarter of last year. India’s investment fell 16% on the quarter to $1.5bn and was 60% down from the same quarter in 2011 The global solar manufacturing industry is going through a rough period as oversupply has led to a dramatic price drop in the past two years.

Protectionism in the industry is on a rise as US has already imposed anti-dumping duties against Chinese manufacturers and EU is also considering a similar action.

Despite the fact that most leading polysilicon producers have been operating at a loss, polysilicon capacity is expected to grow 22% in 2012 and a further 18% in 2013, according to the NPD Solarbuzz Q3’12 Polysilicon and Wafer Supply Chain Quarterly Report. Average industry-wide polysilicon prices for photovoltaic (PV) applications are forecast to drop 52% in 2012, while plant utilization is expected to decline from 77% in 2011 to 63%.“The last thing the polysilicon industry needs right now is more capacity. But some of the new plants that were started two to three years ago are proving hard to abandon,” stated Charles Annis, Vice President at NPD Solarbuzz. Average polysilicon prices are forecast to start to stabilize in 2013 at around $21/Kg, as the remaining players rationalize utilization rates in line with end-market requirements while ensuring that selling prices remain above their cash costs.

We are happy to add two industry leaders to our Editorial advisory board who needs no introduction. Mr. Rajeshwara Bhat, Managing Director, Juwi India and Mr.Rabindra Kumar Satpathy, President-Solar Energy Business Developemnt of Reliance Industries Limited. We are very happy to have their support and guidance.

Anand Gupta Editor & CEO

Editorial Advisory Board

K Subramanyam

Rajeshwara Bhat

Rabindra Kumar Satpathy

INTERNATIONAL

FirstSource Energy INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

17 Shradhanand Marg, Chawani Indore – 452 001 INDIA Tel. + 91 731 255 3881 Fax. +91 731 2553882

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EDITOR & CEO:

ANAND GUPTA anand.gupta@EQmag.net

TRENDS & ANALYSIS

SAUMYA BANSAL GUPTA saumya.gupta@EQmag.net

PV MANUFACTURING

CONTENTS PV MANUFACTURING

VOLUME 2

Fabian Weber

Dirk Beisenherz

30 Reinventing The Metallization Process

32 High-Performance Manufacturing Equipment raises Efficiencies and saves Cost in Thin-Film Production

ARPITA GUPTA arpita.gupta@EQmag.net

PUBLISHING COMPANY DIRECTORS:

Consulting Editor: SURENDRA BAJPAI

Editorial Department:

ZOHA MAHDI zoha.mahdi@EQmag.net

Editorial Contributions:

Siddhartha Raina , Daniel Ruf, Andrew Xi , Rajaram Pai, Fabian Weber, Dirk Beisenherz, Bernhard Krause, Ravinder Bhardwaj, Corinne Droz, Edward Cahill, Debasish Paul Choudhury, Edward Cahill, Mohamed Hidayathulla, Naveen Bali, Ms YUAN MEI TANG, Santosh Kamath, Rajesh Bhat , Jasmeet Khurana, K Subramanya, Dr. Kanak Mukhopadhyay, J.O.Odden, T.S. Surendra, A.V. Sarma, M. Ramanjaneyulu, R. Nirudi, S. Braathen, T. Ulset,Himamsu Popuri, Nikhil Babu P, Sandy Schnitzer, Lydia Hannemann, Simon T Bircham., Christian Macanda, Sanjay Chandra

SOLAR ENERGY

ANITA GUPTA

SOLAR ENERGY

ANIL GUPTA

Santosh Kamath

Arturo Herrero

60 Grid Parity Gets Closer And Rooftop Solar Could Be A Game Changer For India – ‘The Rising Sun’ Report By KPMG

66 Interview with Arturo Herrero, CMO - Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

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ANAND GUPTA Disclaimer,Limitations of Liability While every efforts has been made to ensure the high quality and accuracy of EQ international and all our authors research articles with the greatest of care and attention ,we make no warranty concerning its content,and the magazine is provided on an>> as is <<basis.EQ international contains advertising and third –party contents.EQ International is not liable for any third- party content or error,omission or inaccuracy in any advertising material ,nor is it responsible for the availability of external web sites or their contents The data and information presented in this magazine is provided for informational purpose only.neither EQ INTERNATINAL ,Its affiliates,Information providers nor content providers shall have any liability for investment decisions based up on or the results obtained from the information provided. Nothing contained in this magazine should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sale any securities. The facts and opinions stated in this magazine do not constitute an offer on the part of EQ International for the sale or purchase of any securities, nor any such offer intended or implied Restriction on use The material in this magazine is protected by international copyright and trademark laws.

You may not modify,copy,reproduce,republish,post,transmit,or distribute any part of the magazine in any way.you may only use material for your personall,Non-Commercial use, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices.If you want to use material for any non-personel,non commercial purpose,you need written permission from EQ International.

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PV MANUFACTURING

SOLAR ENERGY

SOLAR ENERGY

Pashupathy Gopalan

Simon T Bircham.

68 Predictability of PV Power Generation And Realization Of The Same At Site In India.

86 Interview with Pashupathy Gopalan SunEdison

108 Balance Of Power

SOLAR ENERGY

Rajesh Bhat

Eq Business & Financial News

COVER STORY 6-10

Transmission & Distribution 12 July 2012 Power Blackout In Northern India – Undisciplined ...

PV MANFUACTURING Jasmeet Khurana

SOLAR ENERGY

72 Impact Of Viability Gap Funding For Projects Under Phase Two Of The National Solar Mission

Sridhar Murthy S. L.

SOLAR ENERGY

76 Interview With Sridhar Murthy S. L. -AEG Power Solutions India (Private) Ltd

Thomas Wittek 80 Interview With Thomas Wittek - Refu Solar Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

20 Superior Firing Stability Resulting In Cell Performance Improvement In High Volume Production 26 Making Solar Energy Viable For The Long-Term In India 36 High-Speed Laser Processing in Thin-Film Module Manufacturing 40 Meyer Burger Achieves Record 303 Watt Solar Module In Production Conditions 42 Meyer Burger Heterojunction Technology 44 Trends In Wafer Production 46 Pasan Solar Simulators Stad Alone To Receive A Class A+A+A+Certification By TÜV Rheinland 49 Mondragon Assembly Has Introduced The Fastest Tabber & Stringer “Ts 1200 Plus” 50 Module Testing In India – A New Challenge On Performance Tests 53 SCHMID Presents Multi Busbar Connector Prototype at PVSEC 54 Make The Right Choice Of Silicone Sealant For Solar Modules 56 A Solar PV Manufacturing Ecosystem for India – Why & How!

58 Exclusive Interview with Mr. Vineet Mittal

SOLAR ENERGY 64 Picking Up Pennies: What ncumbents will do to keep Module Costs Competitive 71 SUNGEN Delivered 26MWp Of Silicon Thin Film Panel To India 78 Solar MW Power PlantsPerformance Expectations 84 Case Study of Installation of 7 Nos. Solar Power Plants at Mizoram University Campus in Aizwal, Mizoram 88 Superior Performance Of Solar Modules Based On Elkem Solar Silicon (ESS™) Under High Solar Irradiance Conditions 98 Mount Your Investments On Intelligent Pv Racking Systems 102 The Question Of Material For PV Mounting Systems In India: Steel Or Aluminium?

110 DC Surge Protectors For Photovoltaic Systems Following With The European Standards 112 A Short History Of The PV Connector 114 Ingeteam Presents Its PV Inverters For India

INTERVIEW 92 Interview with Venu Uppuluri 106 Interview with Arun Mehta

POLICY & REGULATION 94 Captive Power Plants vs. Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission on RPO imposition.

PRODUCTS 115-119

& EQBusiness Financial News Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Renewable Purchase Obligation And Renewable Energy Certificate Framework Implementation) Regulations, 2012 Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission hereby makes the following regulations for the Renewable Purchase Obligation and Renewable Energy Certificate Framework Implementation

Table -Defined Minimum Quantum of Purchase (in %age) from Renewable Energy Sources (in terms of energy equivalent in kWh) of Total Consumption Year

Solar

Total

(1)

(2)

(3)

2012-13

0.15%

3.40%

2013-14

0.20%

4.80%

(ii) Any Captive user, using other than renewable energy sources exceeding 1 MW; and,

2014-15

0.25%

6.20%

2015-16

0.30%

7.60%

(iii) Any Open Access Consumer with a contract Demand exceeding 1 MW from sources other than renewable sources of energy.

2016-17

0.35%

9.00%

These Regulations shall apply to: (i) Distribution Licensee(s) operating in the National Capital Territory of Delhi;

Every obligated entity shall purchase electricity (in kWh) from renewable sources for fulfillment of a defined minimum percentage of the total quantum/consumption

under the Renewable Purchase Obligation as specified in the Table below subject to Note 1: Every obligated entity shall meet its RPO target by way of its own generation or by way of purchase from other licensee(s)/source(s)

or by way of purchase of Renewable Energy Certificate(s) or by way of combination of any of the above options. Any Long term Power Purchase arrangements shall be made only with the prior approval of the Commission.

Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Policy 2012 The State will promote Solar Power Developers to set up Solar Power Plants for captive use or sale of power to 3rd party/ States other than Andhra Pradesh.

The State will promote Solar Power Developers to set up Solar Power Plants for sale through RE (Solar) Certificate mechanism.

5. To contribute to overall economic development, employment generation and improvement in public services by provision of electrical energy for various needs.

Main objectives of the Solar power policy are:

6. To encourage Decentralised, Distribution Generation System in the State to reduce T&D losses.

1. To encourage, develop and promote solar power generation in the State with a view to meet the growing demand for power in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner.

Following incentives will be extended to those solar power Developers who commission their solar plant by June 2014. These incentives will be in force for a period of seven years from the date of implementation.

2. To attract investment in the state for the establishment of solar power plants.

•

3. To promote investments for setting up manufacturing facilities in the State, which can generate gainful local employment.

6 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

state through 33 KV system subject to industries maintaining their demand within its contracted demand.

4. To promote the Off-Grid Solar applications to meet the power needs on Stand-alone basis.

There will be no wheeling and transmission charges for wheeling of power generated from the Solar Power Projects , to the desired location/s for captive use/third party sale within the

•

Cross subsidy surcharge shall not be applicable for Open Access obtained for third party sale within the state subject to the industries maintaining their demand within its contracted demand with the DISCOMs. It is not applicable for captive use.

•

All Solar Power projects will be exempted from paying Electricity Duty for captive consumption and third party sale within the state.

•

VAT for all the inputs required for solar power projects will be refunded by the Commercial Tax Department.

•

Industries Department will provide incentive in terms of refund of Stamp Duty and Registration charges for land purchased for setting up solar power project.

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& EQBusiness Financial News Record REC Sale offers in 26th September trading session During the September REC auctions held on Wednesday (September 26, 2012), IEX, India’s premier power exchange, received record Sale offers of 6,65,735 RECs. Total RECs available were 11.66 Lac, out of which more than 4 Lac RECs were not offered for sale. The available RECs in the current month were higher than the total RECs traded in the last financial year. The total trading volume in RECs on IEX was 2,40,099 RECs, including non-solar and solar both. Another distinctive feature in the last two sessions was that all purchase bids were successful since the

price discovered was the floor price i.e. Rs 1500/REC. Total non-solar RECs bid for purchase was 2,39,364 and same was the cleared volume. For Solar RECs, buy bids of 1317 RECs and sale bids of 1094 RECs were received against which 735 RECs were cleared at Rs 12,500/REC. Total participants in the auction were 373 consisting of 191 participants from Discoms, captive consumers & open access consumers on the buy side and 182 eligible entities on the sale side.

More than 860 participants are registered in the REC segment at IEX till date. Out

Non-solar REC

Solar REC

Trade Volume (REC)

2,39,364

735

Sale bid (REC)

6,64,641

1094

Purchase Bid (REC)

2,39,364

1317

Price discovered (Rs/REC)

1500

12,500

No. of participants

350

23

Market share

90.4%

of this, 278 are eligible entities, 577 are obligated entities and 5 have been registered as voluntary entities.

Mr. Rajesh K. Mediratta, Director (BD), IEX said “The apparent over-supply is misleading since there is real shortage of renewable power generation in the country.

If all obligated entities that include private and government-owned Discoms, Captive and Open Access consumers, would have bid to purchase RECs, the demand would have surpassed the supply manifold. We need to push hard for compliance. When an instrument has been introduced which facilitates purchase of renewable power so conveniently, there should be no reason for non-compliance by small or big entities.

Awareness among Captive consumers is needed. Compliance measures also need comprehensive implementation. This scenario of over-supply does not augur well for the REC market. Immediate steps to strengthen the mechanism are needed on the compliance side.”

Financial Restructuring of State Distribution Companies The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs recently approved the scheme for Financial Restructuring of State Distribution Companies (Discoms). The scheme contains various measures required to be taken by State Discoms and State Governments for achieving the financial turnaround of the Discoms by restructuring their debt with support through a transitional finance mechanism by the Central Government. The scheme is effective as soon as notified and will remain open upto 31st Dec 2012 unless extended by the GOI. Support under the scheme will be available for all participating State owned Discoms on fulfilling certain mandatory conditions as outlined in Part C of the Scheme.

The salient features of the scheme are as follows: a. 50 percent of the outstanding short term liabilities upto March 31, 2012 to be taken over by State Governments.

This shall be first converted into bonds to be issued by Discoms to

8 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

participating lenders, duly backed by State Governments guarantee. b. Takeover of liability by State Governments from Discoms in the next 2-5 years by way of special securities and repayment and interest payment to be done by State Governments till the date of takeover. c. Restructuring the balance 50 percent Short Term Loan by rescheduling loans and providing moratorium on principal and the best possible terms for this restructuring to ensure viability of this effort. d. The restructuring/reschedulement of loan is to be accompanied by concrete and measurable action by the Discoms/ States to improve the operational performance of the distribution utilities. e.

For monitoring the progress of the turnaround plan, two committees at State and Central levels respectively are proposed to be formed.

f. Central Government will provide incentive by way of grant equal to the value of the additional energy saved by way of accelerated AT&C loss reduction beyond the loss trajectory specified under RAPDRP and capital reimbursement support of 25 percent of principal repayment by the State Governments on the liability taken over by the State Governments under the scheme.

The accumulated losses of the state power distribution companies (Discoms) are estimated to be about Rs 1.9 Lakh crore as on 31st March, 2011. In order to look into the issues of State Discoms and to suggest a strategy for the turnaround of the distribution sector, Planning Commission constituted an Expert Group under the chairmanship of Sh. B K Chaturvedi, Member (Energy), Planning Commission. The approved scheme is formulated based on the report of the Expert Group and deliberations in the PMO and Ministry of Finance.

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& EQBusiness Financial News Tamil Nadu Solar Policy 2012 The Honourable Chief Minister Selvi J Jayalalithaa has a vision of developing Tamil Nadu as a world leader In Solar Energy by establIshing 3000 MW by 2015 and aims to achieve grid parity by 2015. The development is proposed in a phase wise manner.

2013 - 1000 MW 2014 - 1000 MW 2015 - 1000 MW The State will mandate 6% SPO (starting with 3% till December 2013 & 6% from January 2014) for the following category of consumers:

A. HT Consumers (HT Tariff I to V) This category will cover all HT consumers including: 1. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) 2. Industries guaranteed with 24/7 power supply 3. IT Parks, Telecom Towers 4. All Colleges &Residential Schools 5. Buildings with a built up area of 20,000 sq.m. or more

B. LT Commerdal (LT Tariff V) The following categories of consumers will be exempted from SPO:

d. Purchasing power from TANGEDCO at Solar Tariff Consumers desirous of availing SPO exemption by captive solar generation shall necessarily Install separate meters to measure captive generation.

This mechanism will require generation of 1000 MW by 2015

MECHANISM TO GENERATE 3000 MW BY 2015

A Poly Silicon capacity of 10,000 MT would be required to yield silicon wafers sufficient to produce 1000 MW.

In utility scale out of 1500 MW, 1000 MW will be funded through SPO and balance 500 MW through Generation Based Incentive (GBI) provided by the Government.

Net metering will be allowed (at multiple voltage levels) to promote rooftop penetration.

Promoting Roof Top Solar Installations

Domestic Rooftop GBI All domestic consumers will be encouraged to put uproot-top solar installations. A generation based incentive (GBI) of Rs 2 per unit for first two years, Re 1 per unit for next two years, and Re 0.5 per unit for subsequent 2 years will be provided (MW)

2. Huts 4. Powerlooms 5.

LT Industrial consumers

The above obligated consumers may fulfill their SPO by: a. Generating captive Solar Power In Tamil Nadu equivalent to or more than their SPO

RIC (“W)

Net metering facility will be extended to Solar power systems installed in commercial establishments and individual homes connected to the electrical grid to feed excess power back to the grid with “power credits” accruing to the Photovoltaic energy producer .

Projects to evacuate power at suitable voltages as suggested below: Total

Utility Sole (MW)

Solar Roof Tope (MW )

(a)

(b)

(c)

100

150

125

325

125

675

350

1150

750 1000

2014

550 1000

2015

200 1000

Total

1500 3000

b. Buying equivalent to or more than their SPO from other third party developers of Solar Power projects in Tamil Nadu

for all solar or solar-wind hybrid rooftops being installed before 31 March, 2014. A capacity addition of 50 MW is targeted under this scheme. Consumers desirous of availing GBI shall necessarily install separate meters to measure rooftop generation.

c. Buying RECs generated by Solar Power projects In Tamil Nadu equivalent boor more than their SPO.

Utility scale solar parks may comprise 250 MW in sizes of 1 to 5 MW, 600 MW in sizes of 5 to 10 MW and 650 MW of sizes

10 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

1 Net Metering

(a)+(b)+ (C) 2013

6. Agricultural consumers The SPO will be administered by TANGEDCO.

Lands will be identified for development of exclusive solar manufacturing parks.

The State will promote setting up of solar manufacturing industries in these exclusive solar manufacturing parks to be established in the State.

The 3000 MW of Solar Power will be achieved through Utility Scale Projects, Rooftops, and under REC mechanism as follows:

1. Domestic consumers 3. Cottage and Tiny Industries

above 10 MW. Solar Power projects will be developed through competitive/reverse bidding. Solar Parks with a capacity of about 50 MW each will be targeted in 24 districts.

Exemption from payment of electricity tax to the extent of 100% on electricity generated from Solar power projects used for selfconsumption/sale to utility will be allowed for 5 years.

Exemption from demand cut to the extent of 100% of the installed capacity assigned for captive use purpose will be allowed.

Solar PV System Size

Grid Connected

<10kWp

240V

10kWp to <15kWp

240V/ 415V

15kWp to <50KWp

415V

50kWp to <100kWp

415V

> 100kWp

11Kv

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T r a n s mi s s i o n & D i s t r i b ut i o n

Siddhartha Raina - Global Data

July 2012 Power Blackout In Northern India – Undisciplined State Electricity Boards And Technology Shortcomings To Blame 1 July 2012 Power Blackout in Northern India – Undisciplined State Electricity Boards and Technology Shortcomings to Blame 1.1 Summary A massive power blackout in India on two successive days in July 2012 has shown that the country’s undisciplined State Electricity Boards (SEB) and power generation sector are in need of reform. The power blackout of July 30th and July 31st occurred across all 12

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

of northern India ranging from Haryana in the North-west to Meghalaya in the Northeast, affecting around 600 million people and disrupting critical services including railways. The power blackout initially affected the Northern power grid on July 30, but later spread to the Eastern and North-Eastern grids. A number of factors have been suggested as possible reasons, such as the overdrawing of electricity and a lack of advanced infrastructure, but the government of India is yet to confirm any of them.

2 July 2012 Power Blackout in

Northern India – Undisciplined State Electricity Boards and Technology Shortcomings to Blame Power blackouts are one of the major concerns for India’s electricity grid.

The power sector has made considerable advancements and improvements since its liberalization in the 1990s, but the use of outdated grid infrastructure, escalating power demand, the inability to meet the installed capacity targets set by the government,

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Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses and Aggregate Technical and Commercial Losses (AT&C), are all showing adverse effects on the productivity of the grid. T&D losses in India accounted for around 22% of the total electricity generated in 1995– 1996, and increased to 25.6% of the total electricity generated in 2009–2010, and are considered a key factor behind the regular and continuous power failures in India. In European and North American countries, power losses due to T&D issues are on average around 10-15% in 2011, whereas in India it’s around 23.7%. Slow upgrades of old grid infrastructure are also contributing to the power failures. India is also significantly behind in terms of smart grid technology deployment compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and Australia have already developed roadmaps for smart grid deployment and are making considerable progress with financial and non-financial assistance provided by their respective governments. The government assistance needs to be matched by investments from private players to successfully implement this technology. Various smart grid technologies are being deployed, such as smart meters, High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables, Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), synchrophasors, supervisory control and data acquisition software, outage management system software, meter data management software, microgrids, net-metering, distribution energy generation and virtual power plants. Although India has embarked on the installation of smart meter HVDC cables and RTUs, it is not on a par with these countries.

the grid. The drawing of excess power by any state can lead to an imbalance in the power frequency maintained between load and power generation in the grid. The Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC) of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, effective from May 3, 2010, specifies that the power frequency should range from 49.5 to 50.2 Hertz to maintain grid stability and security.

Power overdraws by Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab to meet the agricultural needs of its farmers ultimately resulted in power failure in the NR grid on July 30, 2012. In order to restore power in the NR, electricity was taken from the ER and the synchronous network between the NR, ER and NER grids, resulting in a cascading blackout in these regions on July 31, 2012. This could have been avoided if the SEBs has reduced the excess withdrawal of power on the first day.

2.1 A Poor Monsoon acted as the Initial Driver A lack of adequate rainfall to support the agricultural irrigation needs in India has been blamed as a key factor behind the outage. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) estimated in early 2012 that the country would record an average rainfall of 173.1mm during June, July and August. However, the country actually recorded only 50.7mm rainfall during these months, resulting in

reduced at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.2%, resulting in a shortage of ground-water resources (Planning Commission, 2011). The low availability of water for irrigating seasonal crops due to deficient rains increased the dependence on ground water, forcing farmers to increase the use of water drawn from wells using motorized pumps. This led to increased consumption of electricity in their respective grids; sometimes exceeding the capacity allocated for the respective states. States in the northern region of India suffered inadequate rainfall during the summer months and had overdrawn power in the range of 3–51% from the national electricity grid in June, 2012 (Bhaskar, 2012). Uttar Pradesh was reported to have overdrawn electricity by as much as 43.32 Million Units (MU) per day. Similarly, Haryana and Punjab overdrew power by around 27.83 MU and 18.33 MU per day respectively in June (Bhaskar 2012). Excessive withdrawals of power by SEBs have overloaded and adversely affected the transmission grid. This scenario has ultimately led to large-scale outages in the region such as the July blackout.

The lack of water in the local hydropower sources used for generating electricity also compounded the problem, prompting SEBs to draw power directly from the northern grid. The situation is a familiar one in India during the summer; the Northern states are

The Power Grid Corporation of India limited (PGCIL) monitors the transmission and distribution of power in the country. The country is divided into five zones, namely the Northern Region (NR), Eastern Region (ER), Western Region (WR), Southern Region (SR) and North-Eastern Region (NER). The NR, WR and ER are synchronously connected to form the North East West (NEW) grid and the SR is connected to the NEW grid synchronously. Each zone has a load dispatch center that monitors the transmission of power from the generation companies to the states according to their scheduled quota.

The power supply needs to be monitored and balanced to maintain the stability of 14

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

a shortfall of 70.7% from the expected average. It is also 39.5% and 14.4% below the levels of 2010 and 2011, respectively.

The rainfall recorded during 2010–2012 has

alleged to have over-drawn power every year.

However, the power demand on both days of the July blackout was much higher than what could be imported by the northern grid.

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The SEBs are aware of the limit for power withdrawal imposed by the national regulatory authorities, but did not take the necessary steps to stop the excess electricity withdrawal. This finally led to the failure of the grid and widespread blackouts.

2.2 Inaction by State Electricity Boards Compounded the Situation The inability of the SEBs to take proper action in time to prevent the unusual surge in demand from affecting the grid led to the first blackout on July 30. The blackout of July 30 was contained by the evening of the same day, but the outage on July 31 was more a result of technical failure than inaction. The power failure in the NR, ER and NER grids was also due to the inaction of the utilities and statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; load dispatch centers in the NR despite directions from regional dispatch centers to reduce power overdraw. A news article has reported that the executives of the SEBs of the affected states have admitted before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) that political compulsions rendered them helpless (Bhaskar, 2012). The veracity of the admission is yet to be established, and one of the states, Uttar Pradesh, involved in the allegation has denied drawing excess power from the grid (Department of Infrastructure and Industrial Development, 2012) The chairman of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is reported to have mentioned that 20 transmission lines in the NR were under planned shutdown for maintenance and upgrade during the monsoon (Mathew and Bhaskar, 2012). The 765kV (kilovolts) AgraGwalior-Bina transmission line has been shut down for upgrades since July 24. Similarly, the 400kV double circuit between Kankorli in Rajasthan and Zerda in Gujarat were switched off on July 29. Two transmission lines operating between Badood in Madhya Pradesh and Modak and Kota in Rajasthan were also closed. The 400kV Bina-Gwalior-Agra (one circuit) was the only main AC transmission line available at the WR and NR interface. The utilities in the NR have overdrawn power through the Bina-Gwalior-Agra, utilizing an Unscheduled Interchange (UI), leading to the overload and tripping of the line. The Power System Operation Corporation Limited has released documents indicating that the flow of excess electricity in the power grid resulted in the blackout situation (Power System Operation Corporation Limited, 2012). During both days of the blackout, the power flow in the 400kV Bina-Gwalior-Agra transmission line, which was the worst-affected line, crossed 1,000 Megawatts (MW) that is significantly higher than the permissible Surge Impedance Loading (SIL) of 691 MW (Power System Operation Corporation Limited, 2012). The SIL is the capacity of a transmission line at which power balance occurs and power flows through the line without disturbance. The NR was separated by the protective relay installed in the system from the WR once

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it detected the tripping of the Bina-GwaliorAgra line and the entire load of NR was met through the WR-ER-NR lines. However, due to power fluctuations or swing in the ERNR route, the transmission lines started to collapse and the NR grid was completely separated from the NEW grid, resulting in a blackout across the entire NR grid on July 30. On July 31, power fluctuations were again observed in the WR-ER interface, which led to the tripping of lines in the ER. The ER was then isolated from the NEW and WR, resulting in a blackout in the ER. The

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited for the grid failure are: •

Mis-operation of protective relays due to incorrect settings, load encroachment or use of distance relays for power swing blocking.

•

The continued increase of high loads in the transmission lines for more than 10 minutes in an environment where the temperature was high leading to an increase in sag that causes grid failure

•

Dips in voltage due to the consumption

Tab 3: Power Market, India, Annual Peak Demand of Electricity (MW), 2007–2012 Period

Peak Demand (MW)

2007–2008

108,866

2008–2009

109,809

2009–2010

119,166

2010–2011

122,287

2011–2012*

127,724

Source: GlobalData; Central Electricity Authority, 2012 (*) 2011–2012 data is from April to December 2011 only

NR, ER and NER grid were thus devoid of power during these two days due to a cascading effect caused by fluctuations in power frequency, an UI and overloads on the transmission lines.

2.3 Aged Power Grid Technologies Fail to Meet the Challenges of Rising Demand The July blackout showed that the existing power grid technologies in India are no longer adequate in the current scenario of rising demand. The power demand in India has risen sharply in recent years.

The peak demand rose from 108,866 MW during 2007–2008 to 127,724 MW during 2011–2012 (April to December), as shown in the table below.

of high reactive power by transmission lines due to heavy loads in the system (National Load Despatch Center, 2012c) T&D and AT&C losses affect a significant portion of India’s power generation. According to the annual report on national power utilities (2011–2012) by the country’s planning commission, the average T&D losses in India were around 25.7% of the total energy generated during 2009–2010 (Planning Commission, 2011).

On the other hand, the AT&C losses that occur due to overloading of the existing lines and substation equipment, the use of old lines and equipment, and a lack of maintenance and electricity theft were as high as 72% in states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir during the same period.

The government of India has introduced many prestigious programs such the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) to restructure the T&D grid. The APDRP was introduced in 2003 with a target to upgrade the T&D infrastructure and reduce the T&D losses to 15% by 2007. However, the program could not yield substantial results due to a lack of finance, and was later modified to the Restructured – Accelerated Power Development & Reform Program (R–APDRP) in 2008. The delay in replacing outdated and inefficient equipment in the grid compounded the losses and increased stress on the existing system. The inability of the CEB and SEB to schedule modernization projects and ensure their timely completion continues to result in significant losses of generated power. The inability to supply the necessary electricity to consumers is resulting in a growing gap between demand and supply, and ultimately leading to outages and power cuts over the past few years. A lack of supporting infrastructure to transmit the generated power to consumers with minimal losses could also be one of the major reasons for power outages during July 2012.

The enquiry committee investigating the power outage also noted the significant

In such a scenario it becomes necessary to install technologies that will be able to handle the rise in power demand. The blackout on July 31 was a result of a cascading power grid collapse and technological failure. Though it is still unclear as to what was the exact cause of the failure of the Bina-Gwalior transmission line, the failure marked the starting point of a chain of failures that ultimately crippled the entire northern grid and two other grids.

The role of protective relays used in the line is also being investigated as they are a key technology in preventing such incidents. The possible scenarios being explored by the 16

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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malfunctioning of critical equipment. RTUs and UFRs installed across the transmission system were found to be malfunctioning. The improper functioning of RTUs has either resulted in loss of data or the generation of erroneous data. UFRs have been installed by the Regional Load Dispatch Centers (RLDCs) to disconnect the power supply in case of the power frequency exceeding the permissible limit. However, during the power overdraw and fluctuation in power frequency, the UFRs did not report any deviation as the RLDCs have not verified the setting on a continuous basis. The electricity grid also lacks the presence of an automated event recording system that monitors and records the switching operations at substations.

The above scenarios could be avoided if proper monitoring and control technologies with automated functioning were put in place, as in a smart grid. The utilization of synchrophasors in combination with an Advanced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) and substation automation system would have helped in avoiding the blackout by isolating the faults in the system and preventing the cascading effect, limiting the extent of the incident.

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2.4 Role of Cyber Security in the Power Outage A cyber attack on the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure of the power grid has also been considered as a possible cause of the massive power outages in July.

The Indian government’s enquiry committee on the grid disturbance in NR, NER and ER referred to this in its recently released report (Ministry of Power, 2012). Cyber-security vulnerabilities have been a key concern for power grids across the globe trying to interconnect their critical assets through an IT network. The threat of cyber attacks can be critical for centralized systems such as a SCADA system. The lack of fully-automated and IT-enabled infrastructure has not yet increased the perception of this as a threat in India, but vulnerabilities have already been detected in the country’s existing infrastructure which, unless addressed, could lead to a major collapse of the system in future.

power frequency at the permissible limit.

Inspections conducted at the North Region Load Dispatch Center (NRLDC) and a few high-voltage substations of PGCIL to identify the factors contributing to the blackout indicated that NRLDC and the substations do not have dedicated telecommunications infrastructure between their control centers and generation stations. Any disturbance in the grid operation is reported to the concerned state load dispatch centers or generation stations through public telephone or leased lines, which are not secure. The committee noted that under the present circumstances, it is possible to carry out cyber attacks both from within as well as from outside the system. Cyber attacks on power generation plants which are not connected to other systems may not have a large impact, but any attack on the regional grid’s SCADA systems and other automated infrastructure in the distribution network could bring down the entire system.

The electricity grid in India at present does not have Automatic Generation Control (AGC), a system that automatically monitors and restricts the flow of power within scheduled limits and maintains

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2.5 Similar Incidents in the Future Cannot be Averted Unless Generation Capacity is Increased and SEBs are Reformed A similarly large blackout in the future

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to date. India failed to achieve the capacity addition target in the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992–1997) by 46.2%, the Ninth Five Year Plan (1998–2002) by 52.8%, the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002–2007) by 48%, and the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007–2012) by 56.2%.

The generation capacity of India will grow at a rate of 6.5% during 2011–2020 whereas the peak demand is expected to increase at a CAGR of 7.3% during the same period. The inability to achieve these set capacity targets can be attributed to factors such as the poor financial condition of the SEBs, the inability of the private sector to achieve financing for a project within a stipulated time-frame, insufficient payment security mechanisms and poor allocation of resources by the central government for power generation. The unachieved targets being accompanied by an increase in peak demand indicate a high possibility of power cuts of higher magnitude in the future, if the gap is not filled.

cannot be ruled out unless India increases its power generation capacity significantly, not just to meet its rising peak demand but also to meet any contingencies that could arise. A sharp rise in power demand was the key reason behind the grid failure on July 30 and 31, and the inability of the central grid to meet the excess demand led to the sequence of failures and the blackout.

The peak demand is expected to increase further in the coming years due to a rise in economic activities and increasing population.

According to estimates provided during the meeting of the 18th Electric Power Survey Committee the peak demand in India during 2011–2012 is around 128,477 MW and is expected to increase over the years and reach 238,865 MW by 2019–2020. The peak demand in the NR, which was the most affected area during the recent outages, is expected to increase considerably from

18

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

39,101 MW during 2011–2012 to 82,784 MW during 2021–2022 (Central Electricity Authority, 2011). Unless a serious effort is undertaken to ramp up the power generation capacity in this region, the gradual surge in power demand will result in similar incidents, possibly of higher magnitude, occurring in the future.

The government of India, through its five-year plans over the past two decades, has tried to set ambitious targets for increasing the installed capacity of the country and meeting the growing demand for power.

However, data provided by the planning commission in its 2011–2012 annual report, “The Working of State Power Utilities and Electricity Departments”, shows that India’s installed capacity has consistently failed to reach its set targets. India has on average missed its installed capacity targets by 35.5% over the 11 Five Year Plans released

In addition to increasing the generation capacity of the power grid in India, various structural and regulatory measures are required to avoid the occurrence of such situations in the future. The utilities are supposed to be penalized for UIs by the imposition of fines. It has been observed that utilities are more inclined towards UI than purchasing electricity in the spot market as the penalty imposed on them is much lower than the cost of buying electricity in these markets. In order to prevent UI and maintain the grid balance, the CEA and the central government needs to increase the penalties for these transgressions. The report of the enquiry committee on the grid disturbance in the NR, NER and ER has recommended new planning criteria and new transmission lines along with regular monitoring of UFR settings. It has also recommended developing a coordinated outage plan of the transmission system to avoid the overload and tripping of operating transmission lines.

There is a need to emphasize the islanding of power grids as interdependence and synchronous interfaces between the grids also contributed to the collapse on July 30 and 31st (Mathew and Bhaskar, 2012). Islanding would avoid grid disturbances affecting the national power grid and neighboring grids and could also allow grids to isolate themselves if

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there is a grid failure. A lack of grid discipline among SEBs in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana was one of the key reasons behind the power failure. The state load dispatch centers did not follow the directives of the RLDC to abort the UIs that resulted in grid failure. Unless specifically prevented by new regulations, the same chain of events could reoccur and lead to similar incidents in the future.

The government should focus on not just increasing the generation capacity of the central power plants but also that of the distributed generation resources such as microgrids and other small generation systems that will support local power demand in case of grid failures or excess demand.

The focus should also be on increasing the contribution of renewable resources as availability of coal will become scarce incoming years. India has set an ambitious target to increase its power generation capacity by another 76,000 MW from both renewable and conventional sources in its 12th Five Year Plan for the 2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2017 period (Indian Ministry of Power, 2012).

However, the addition of new capacities will bear fruit only when supported by the implementation of advanced technologies to enable the smooth functioning of the system.

2.6 Disclaimer All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, GlobalData.

The facts of this report are believed to be correct at the time of publication but cannot be guaranteed. Please note that the findings, conclusions and recommendations that GlobalData delivers will be based on information gathered in good faith from both primary and secondary sources, whose accuracy we are not always in a position to guarantee. As such, GlobalData can accept no liability whatsoever for actions taken based on any information that may subsequently prove to be incorrect.

Siddhartha is an expert in writing analytical reports and view points on various market trends and issues in the Power sector.

Siddhartha has worked with GlobalData for more than 2 years covering the power sector Siddhartha has authored various view points, deal analysis and market analysis reports while tracking and analyzing the global Power industry.

Siddhartha is a Post Graduate in Management with specialization in Marketing.

He also holds a graduate degree in Arts from Allahabad University with Economics as major.

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Superior Firing Stability Resulting In Cell Performance Improvement In High Volume Production Daniel Ruf, Andrew Xi - Despatch Industries

This paper demonstrates the thermal stability of a newly developed firing furnace. The effect of furnace stability on cell performance is investigated over a three month period at a high volume cell manufacturer. The benefits of advanced firing features are shown.

1 INTRODUCTION

Co-firing is the last process step in making a solar cell. It is also one of the most critical, as it is the step that determines the final cell-metrics. The most significant parameter of co-firing is the wafer peak temperature. Peak temperature determines, to a large degree, how good the contact is between metallization and silicon is.The last couple years have seen a steady increase in emitter sheet resistance. While this increase enabled higher efficiencies, it also made firing more challenging. Higher sheet resistance means a smaller the process window of cofiring.The small process window makes it even more important to have a well-controlled peak temperature.

In order to ensure the highest possible efficiencies,Despatch has developed a new firing platform (Model: Safire). Peak temperature repeatability was the single most important design criteria for building the new firing furnace. This paper shows the peak temperature repeatability results of Safire 20

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

under various conditions, and the impact of this repeatability on cell performance was investigated.

2 FURNACE STABILITY Temperature stability was tested extensively as it is one of the most important design criteria for Safire. For all peak temperature measurements, a Datapaq data logger (Model: Q18) was used. Fundamentally there are two different conditions under which the peak temperature stability can be measured: •

Unloaded  furnace is empty and only

the Datapaq plus measuring cell is run through the furnace •

Loaded  furnace is running high volume production and Datapaq is inserted into the flow of cells.

It is important to point out that if the loaded condition is measured over multiple hours, it includes frequent breaks in the flow of cells. These breaks arise from the fact that printers have to be stopped on a regular basis to perform screen maintenance and/or add paste. It is these breaks in cell flow that can present a challenge to peak temperature repeatability.Every time there is a change in

Figure 1: Peak temperature repeatability in an unloaded furnace

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loading condition, firing furnaces are most prone to instability.

2.1 Stability of Unloaded Furnace Peak temperature was measured every ten minutes in an empty furnace. As can be seen in Figure 1, the range of measured peak temperatures is just 2°C. Taking into account that the peak temperature is ~800°C the relative temperature range is 0.25%.

2.2 Stability of Loaded Furnace

Peak temperature was measured every 20 min for approximately 8h while the furnace was running high volume production.

Despite the usual gaps in production that occur throughout a shift, the range in peak

Figure 4: Efficiency comparison of baseline furnace and Safire. Safire outperformed baseline every day. Manufacturer ran a variety of products and cell architectures.

was performed at a high volume cell manufacturer. In order to be able to judge

Figure 2: Peak temperature repeatabiliy in a loaded furnace that is running high volume production

temperature measured in the furnace was less than 7°C, as can be seen in Figure 2. A range of 7°C is well within the firing window of all metallization pastes which means that a firing furnace with this level of stability ensures that all cells are firing within their process window.

the impact of temperature stability on cell performance and to block as many other

be as close to each other as possible. Figure 3 shows the thermal profile of baseline and Safire.

After analyzing more than 500,000 cells which were processed over the course of three months Safire was able to achieve an average efficiency gain of 0.1% absolute (see Figure 4). During the three month period the cell manufacturer ran a variety of products and cell architectures. Safire was not only able to demonstrate an efficiency gain on all cell structures but it did so without exception every single day.

In order to gain a better understanding

3 EFFECT OF STABILITY ON CELL EFFICIENCY In the previous section the unparalleled peak temperature stability of the Safire firing furnace was presented. However, temperature stability is only of value for a cell manufacturer if it translates into an improvement in cell metrics. The impact on the cell metrics was investigated during a three month long comparison between a baseline furnace and Safire. The comparison

Figure 5: Efficiency distribution comparison of baseline furnace and Safire.

variables as possible the thermal profile on baseline furnace and Safire were chosen to

about where the observed efficiency improvement arises, a subset of the dataset is analyzed in more detail. This subset consists of close to 70,000 cells and shows an Safire efficiency advantage of 0.11% absolute.

As can be seen in Figure 5, Safire causes a shift to higher efficiencies of the entire population.

This shift impacts all efficiency bins:

Figure 3: Thermal profile of baseline furnace (blue line) and Safire (red line) were chosen to be as close as possible to make it possible to investigate the impact of temperature stability on cell metrics

22

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

•

Increase of high efficiency cells by 21% abs.

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SOLUTIONS FOR THE PHOTOVOLTAIC INDUSTRY Modules + Key equipment: + Turnkey Production Lines - Cell Tester&Sorter - Tabber &Stringer - Automatic Busing - Sun simulator and EL - Framing

•

Decrease in low efficiency cells by 3.8% abs.

•

Decrease in scrap cells by 0.57% abs.

The data shows that a furnace that delivers a consistent thermal profile with a tight peak temperature window results in a large impact on cell efficiency. Having a stable furnace environment means that fewer cells are over-/underfired and thus the important yield metric is improved.

Besides looking at what affects the shift in efficiency has on wafer distribution, it is important to determine what specifically among the cell parametrics changes. In general one can say it is series resistance and thus fill factor that are most affected by the co-firing step. Calculating the relative change of the three cell parameters that directly impact efficiency (open circuit voltage, short circuit current and fill factor) is a reliable way of determining which parameter contributes the most to the cell efficiency difference.

Figure 6 shows the relative change of the cell parameters. The difference in efficiency of 0.1% absolute that is shown in Figure 5 represents a relative difference of 0.6%.

Short circuit current and open circuit voltage change only slightly. Plus they move into different directions so that they cancel each other out. That leaves only fill factor as a

contributor and indeed, the change in fill factor of 0.6% equals the change in cell efficiency.The increase in fill factor can be explained by a decrease in series resistance.

This confirms the theory that a stable furnace enables better contacting of high ohmic cells.

4 A D V A N C E D FEATURES

FIRING

Building upon the peak temperature stability of Safire, its many advanced firing features can be utilized to enhance the cell efficiency further. The advanced features include:

•

Solectfire

By being able to bias lamp output to the bottom or top side of the cell, the two sides can be exposed to different temperatures.

•

Fast Firing

Due to the flexibility of the peak firing zone layout high ramp rates and short times above 660°C (<2.5s) can be achieved.

•

Tunable Cooling Rate

Without changing peak temperature or belt speed the cooling rate can be changed by up to 50°C/s. This can be especially advantageous to control the bow of cells

The advanced firing features are very beneficial not only for firing standard cell architectures but especially for next generation high efficiency cells such as PERC and bi-facial cells. New aluminum pastes and rear passivation layers are implemented into PERC cells; both of which require a unqiue firing profile and thermal treatment [1,2]. A conventional firing process cannot expose the top and bottom side of the cell to the diverging temperatures that Safire can. Safire has the capability to fire cells with only the top or bottom lamps turned on. Fast firing and a very flexible thermal budget control enableoptimized firing of new Al pastes,while at the same time annealing the rear passivation layer. The same benefits also apply to bi-facial cells to fire Ag and AgAl pastes for peak performance.[3]

Within this work the impact of these firing features on selective emitter cells was investigated. With a standard profile selective emitter cells showed an efficiency improvement of 0.1% abs. on Safire compared to the baseline furnace.

After adding additional features to the profile, especially Solectfire, the efficiency gain increased to 0.14% abs. This shows that by having an extremely stable baseline process it is possible to utilize sophisticated profiles to maximize efficiency. Without a repeatable peak temperature benefits that advanced firing features have would get lost in the noise of inconsistent firing.

5 CONCLUSION High-volume production data has shown that the newly developed Safire cofiring furnace exhibits unparalleled peak temperature stability under real-world, highvolume production conditions. This stability leads to an efficiency improvement of 0.1% abs. when averaged over three months and 500,00 cells. Advanced firing features such as Solectfire, Fast Firing and Tunable Cooling Rate have theability to further increase the efficiency gain. High-volume production data has shown a 0.14% abs.efficiency gain by using advanced firing features on selective emitter cells. It is expected that new cell architectures like PERC or MetalWrap-Through will benefit from these firing capabilities.

Figure 6: Analysis of individual cell metrics between baseline and Safire. The efficiency advantage of Safire is primarily due to an increased fill factor which is a result of a reduction in series resistance.

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EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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Making Solar Energy Viable For The Long-Term In India Rajaram Pai, Business Leader, DuPont Electronics & Communications and Photovoltaic Solutions, South Asia

I

ndia is primed and ready for a solar power revolution with an abundance of sunlight needed to make solar energy a widespread, long-term solution to the country’s developing power needs. The question is, are the modules available today up to the task? What many solar system developers, owners, investors and users don’t know is that choosing proven materials will help ensure that modules will perform reliably over time. In addition, the climate in the region presents a unique challenge to solar module performance. This article will explore some of the key considerations in material selection for solar modules including efficiency, lifetime, safety, and cost considerations critical to help ensure the success of solar in India.

One of the most important issues facing India’s solar energy movement right now is ensuring that the right materials are used, irrespective of their place of origin, in manufacturing solar cells and modules, if a reliable long-term energy solution is to be found.

Cost-Based Decisions Solar manufacturing today is an extremely competitive industry. With a greater focus on decreasing the costs of photovoltaic (PV) modules, some manufacturers are taking short cuts to substitute unproven or inferior materials to reduce short-term costs, while putting system reliability, their own reputations, and the credibility of the entire solar industry at risk. In fact, the key to becoming more cost-competitive is for the industry to focus 26

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on increasing efficiency, increasing module lifetime, safety, and lowering the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).

Higher Efficiency Maximizes Power Output Every 1% improvement in sunlight conversion efficiency could result in a 6% cut in the cost of the overall solar power generation system. This is because fewer panels/less panel space would be needed to generate the same amount of electricity.

For example, DuPont™ Solamet® photovoltaic metallization pastes boost the efficiency of solar cells to deliver significantly more power output from solar modules. Solamet® has essentially doubled cell efficiency over the past twelve years.

This means that systems require half the panels used twelve years ago to produce the same power output. Fewer panels also lower Balance of System (BoS) costs since there is less racking, mounting, weight to transport, and labor involved in installation.

Extended Lifetime Boosts ROI The longer modules last, the more investment returns improve. Module lifetime depends on three key factors: reliability so there is no early-onset catastrophic failure; durability to assure minimal annual power degradation; and safety to ensure no injury to people or physical assets like buildings.All of these are important in delivering expected rates of return for solar projects, particularly

in India’s hot, humid climate, which can take a higher than average toll on modules. Return on Investment (ROI) from PV installations can be increased significantly when the system can run a longer period of time.

Materials play an important part in the overall lifetime of a solar system. For example, DuPont™ Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film, used in PV module backsheets, has set the standard in the industry because it provides critical, long-life protection to the module, safeguarding the system and enabling long-term PV system returns. Tedlar® is the only product that has been field-proven to deliver high performance in all climates for more than 30 years.

Alternatives to Tedlar® are all relatively new materials for use in PV and are unproven in the field for long term (> 25 years) use.

These backsheet materials are lab-tested in a way that artificially accelerates the effects of aging vs. field-tested over significant periods of time. Unfortunately, lab tests do not accurately predict lifetime performance. To date, Tedlar®-based backsheets remain the only backsheets with more than 30 years of field-proven performance. Backsheet failure can result in safety issues, power loss and investment loss.

Evaluating Overall System Costs LCOE is expressed in cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), and it is used to most accurately measure and compare the costs of solar energy to other energy alternatives. LCOE focuses on the long-term return of photovoltaic

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systems rather than the initial capital cost of building and installing a system. Utilizing the

a short-term focus that overlooks system quality and resulting field failures that can seriously degrade investor returns.

Demonstrated low power loss (0.3%/ year) of modules with TedlarÂŽ based backsheets after 20+ years in field

Investment returns can increase by more than 30 percent if the lifetime of the PV system can be increased from 10 to 25 years. Using proven industry standard materials in the backsheet, for example, will increase initial system cost by less than 0.2 percent vs. unproven materials such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). The lifetime gains and resulting fin ancial benefit greatly outweigh the incremental cost of higher quality materials, reinforcing that materials significantly impact system performance and LCOE through efficiency, increases in system durability, and reductions in total system costs.

Competitive offerings have not been in the field long enough to judge their durability

PV Module Failure Although historically module failure rates have been reasonably low, the trend has more recently been moving in the opposite direction, suggesting that lower cost, lower quality materials are more frequently being substituted for those proven to last the expected 25+ years of module lifetime.

One recent third party study found that between September 2011 and September 2012, 40 percent of audited PV modules showed signs of poor quality control. A preshipment inspection of new-built modules in the third quarter of 2011 showed a 5 percent rate average defect rate; by the second quarter of 2012 that rate had risen to an average of 20 to 22 percent, a steep rise in defects.

This past summer, for example, solar panels on two dozen California school campuses had to be taken down when it was discovered they might cause roof fires due to premature corrosion. The panels were only five years old, and as a result, school officials expect to pay an additional $400,000 for its energy in the coming years. As for chances of repair or replacement, the warranty on the panels is useless since two of the companies

common cost-per-watt calculations creates

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Backsheet Failure Can Result in Power Loss, Investment Loss and Even Bodily Harm

involved, including the module manufacturer, have filed for bankruptcy.

The study found that investment risk is reduced by integrating supplier qualification and quality assurance during procurement.

These findings are of special significance to India, where almost all the installations are less than one year old and given that India expects to add more than 1 GW of capacity every year in the coming decade.

Left unchecked, field issues resulting from poorly constructed modules could start appearing with an increasing frequency in the coming years.

Based on the hot and humid climate, the major problems that Indian installations might face include: •

•

The hot and humid climate in India can result in issues such as degradation/ delamination of backsheet, corrosion of cell metallization contacts, damage to and loss of adhesion in junction box and frames.

In arid regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat, temperature can vary significantly between day and night, thus resulting in defects related to delamination or breakage of electrical connections. This can also lead to cell breakage.

•

As the maximum system voltage in India is 1000 V, the probability of occurrence of Potential Induced Degradation is high.

•

There might be safety issues with backsheet failure, which can be compounded due to higher humidity.

Soiling of front glass resulting in reduced efficiency. Dust content is very high in places like Rajasthan and Gujarat, which are arid regions where the largest number of installations are planned.

A cheaper up-front cost for a PV system may mean significant long-term expenses if the modules installed used inferior 28

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Meetingthe growing demand in India means maintaining quality in solar installations. Materials matter, and working with a partner that has experience and expertise down to the materials level at the time module selections are being made is best practice to help ensure returns are optimized and risk is minimized.

materials that fail within the first few years of installation, and no savings are enough to compensate for creating potential safety issues in the community.

Minimizing Risk The best way to protect a system against these potential failures is to work closely with installers from the start to ensure the quality of the products they are using in the system.

Things to keep in mind when working with the installers include the following: •

As the Indian industry is relatively new, the understanding of installers regarding materials is not high. Leading materials providers such as DuPont are collaborating with installers, system owners, investors and users to help them select the right materials for their modules.

•

Currently global specifications drive the choice of materials, and this needs to be suited for regional climatic conditions.

•

Due to high cost competitiveness among those who engineer, procure and construct systems, these companies are being forced to look at options from Tier-2 module suppliers. Since the performance guarantee in many cases lies with those companies, it becomes essential for them to ensure the materials used in the modules are robust and reliable.

Ask questions in advance about how PV modules have been manufactured. The materials used can be specified to ensure they have been proven to perform reliably for at least the 25-year expected life of the module.

Quality materials ensure a lower LCOE that will bring a safer and more sustained return on the investment. Education on the available photovoltaic materials and their proven benefits is vital.

What Can You Do Today– Four Ways to Mitigate Your Risk -

Think in terms of LCOE

-

Ensure your system utilizes proven bill of materials, system design and manufacturing practices.

-

Know what materials are in your module–because all modules are not created equal.

-

Work with well-established industry leaders—up and down the value chain—who will prevail long-term.

Rajaram Pai, Business Leader, DuPont Electronics & Communications and Photovoltaic Solutions, South Asia Rajaram Pai serves as the Business Leader, Electronics & Communications, South Asia for DuPont India. Prior to joining DuPont, Rajaram worked at Moser Baer Solar in senior management positions across Sales & Marketing, Operations and Projects.

Apart from working in the solar sector, Rajaram has served in various management roles at IBM, Delphi Automotive, AF Ferguson Management Consulting and Titan Industries. He is a Post Graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Mangalore University.

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Reinventing The Metallization Process

Upgrades for Tomorrow’s Cell Technologies Fabian Weber -Technical Manager Solar, ASYS Group

A

SYS Metallization Lines are highly modular and allow multiple configurations. They are available as single, dual or triple lane configurations and in three main expansion levels - ULTRAline light, ULTRAline advanced and Alignus. The name Alignus represents a new generation of high-end equipment and a revolutionary alignment technology with breakage rates of less than 0.1%. The expansion levels and lane versions enable scalable throughput rates of 1200cph up to market leading 4800cph. All lines consist of autonomous modules with their own control panels. For this reason the individual modules can be added or removed

Alignus - High-End Metallization Line with XS2 Screen Printer

easily, allowing customers to configure the line ideally for their needs. Existing lines can be modified or retrofitted quite easily, such 30

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

as when an entry-level screen printer should be replaced by a high-end printer.

Efficiency Enhancing Technologies Efficiency enhancing technologies like Selective Emitter (SE), Metal Wrap Through (MWT), Double Print (DoP) or Dual Print (DuP) have gained importance.

Dual Print, for example, is an industry leading technology for the front-side metallization in mass production, which was introduced

by ASYS at the beginning of 2011. It is an easy approach to reduce the silver paste consumption by more than 25 percent, resulting in cost savings of more than 340,000 euros per line per year. Dual Print applies the print of bus bars and fingers in two separate steps. The height of the busbars is reduced while the fingers-height is increased. The other important benefit of DuP is the reduced finger width. As a result shadowing is reduced by more than 1.66%.

This printing scheme has more advantages as compared to Double Print. It is more tolerant and therefore it makes more cost-efficient screen technologies available. Furthermore the screens for busbar and for fingers printing can be optimized fully independently and the paste can also be optimized for both process steps. Using Dual Print technology an efficiency increase of up to 0.2% can be achieved. In the busbars paste glass frit is no longer required. Solely through the reduction of recombination centers associtate with glass frit, the efficiency of cells could be

increased by more than 0.05% absolute at no costs added. The screens and silver pastes for the fingers can be optimized as well, without affecting the cost of consumables for the busbars. A non-disclosed modification of the squeegee’s geometry can improve the print quality of the narrow fingers even further. It has also been demonstrated that the vecry screens allow higher emulsion thicknesses than the current stencil-like screens while maintaining higher quality. ASYS delivers different solutions for the implementation of high-efficiency cells. For a Dual Print upgrade on Metallization Lines only a fourth print step has to be added. That means only one additional dryer, a printer, and a postprint inspection have to be incorporated in front of the fast firing furnace.

Platform Solutions for Screen Printing Platform

Wafer Pre-structuring In order to achieve highest efficiency for advanced cells. the process matching between screen printing and prestructuring has to be optimized. ASYS has developed a comprehensive metallization concept with inhouse platform solutions for pre-structuring

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that utilizes the same alignment technology as in ASYS screen printers. This allows for “blind printing” in the following metallization process and means that an additional pattern recognition system can be eliminated.

offers the SPT 01 Vacuum Suction Station that is placed after the screen printer. The paste particles which are sucked through the vias are captured with an easily exchangeable filter.

There are many approaches for integrating SE technology into a highvolume manufacturing environment. ASYS provides an SE Print and Dry Platform for the implementation of the Dopant Paste Print or for the Emitter Etch Back technology. It consists of a loader, a screen printer, a dryer and an unloader. For the Emitter Etch Back with Etching Paste process, only an additional wet bench has to be added after the dryer.

The SE Print and Dry Platform can achieve the same high throughput as the subsequent ASYS Metallization Line , and is thus an ideal feature for high-speed production. Other advantages are flexibility and reduced risk of investment. If the platform is no longer needed, screen printers and dryers can be used for metallization, as a 4th print step or as a replacement of the existing step.

ASYS is also an expert in laser technology.

The company offers advanced systems, which have been specifically designed for SE Laser Doping of solar wafers.

A further upgrade for MWT metallization is the XSR1 screen printer. This rotary table printer delivers best results and lowest failure rates for „sensitive materials“ with thicknesses down to 100µm. Integrated inspection systems with high resolution cameras allow detection of fiducials as well as visible structures on the front -side of the cell, which in turn ensures highest precision alignment. An additional alignment module for pre-structured cells is therefore no longer required. The turntable printer has 4 integrated stations providing a wide range of functionality in a machine with a minimum footprint. An inspection system is integrated into the first station which checks the cell before printing. An automatic alignment which utilizes, edge, centring, fiducial as well as pattern recognition ensures that the print is applied with a repeatability of ± 10µm. An optional post-print inspection can be installed on station 3 to verify the print quality. On the last station, it is possible to integrate a print table inspection as well as a cleaning system. Through the integrated paper transport frequent manual cleaning can be avoided.

Light incident on a BSF is normally lost.

At the Local BSF technology a sensitivity loss is compensated by the removal of the doping layer on the back-side of the cell.

At first the rear emitter is removed with wetchemi, then a dielectric layer is applied and finally the layer is opened. ASYS provides a Laser Ablation Platform or a Printing Platform (Etching Paste) for the opening of the dielectric layer. A third option, a Laser Drilling System, creates laser-fired contacts on the back of the cell. For MWT technology platforms, lasers are offered for the drilling of vias and for contact isolation.

Machine Solutions for the Metallization of High-Efficiency Cells During the MWT process electrical contacts are wrapped through the silicon wafer from the front -side grid to the backside contact pads through the use of vias. This results in a back-side-only interconnection of the cells in modules. To achieve a good electrical contact it is necessary, in some variants of the process, to suck the paste through the vias depending on via diameter and print paste selected. Therefore ASYS

Throughput rates of up to 1600 cells per hour and simple maintenance means that the screen printer is the ideal solution for high speed applications in the metallization of innovative wafer materials.

A useful ad-on module for pattern recognition and for the detection of optically visible marks or surface structures is the SAS 01. It facilitates the integration of SE, MWT, Double Print or Dual Print applications in the Metallization Line. The SAS 01 is the ideal solution for combining pattern recognition with XS2 screen printers. The machine configuration provides three 1.3 megapixel cameras and red or white illumination as

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standard. The high flexibility of predefined camera positions allows the easy adoption of each process. Special and customized vision systems, high-resolution cameras and illumination systems for low contrast are also optionally available. Thus it offers highest repeatability for pattern alignment of up to ± 17.5μm at 6 Sigma and reliable pattern recognition.

In order to achieve different production components and a comprehensive solution from one source, the STH cell tester with Botest I/V was developed. The company Botest is a member of the ASYS Group, that’s why the STH is offered with direct support from ASYS. The tester was introduced to the market in June 2012 and comes with a A+A+A+ measurement performance. A+ for uniformity of illumination, spectral match and pulse stability. The test system includes a set of machine features like 4,000 measurement points for highest precision. The system includes a flash unit for cell illumination and a charge control unit (FCU and CCU), which controls the flash lamp and comes with configurable pulses. Furthermore the SCMU synchronizes the measurement of the monitor cell.

The system also offers a PC-based measurement and control software, a database with up to 48 classes and a communication interface with configurable levels for operators, engineers and advanced users.

The solar cell measurement unit (SCMU) provides electrical parameters of the solar cell, the measurement cell temperature and the ambient temperature. Furthermore the SCMU synchronizes the measurement of the monitor cell. (duplicate of above)

XSR1 Rotary Table Printer

STH 01 Cell Tester

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High-Performance Manufacturing Equipment raises Efficiencies and saves Cost in Thin-Film Production

Dirk Beisenherz, Director Sales and Marketing Middle East & Africa, Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications Worldwide, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG

Due to reduced material and energy input thin-film provides still advantages compared to crystalline silicon-based PV technologies. In terms of cost per watt and efficiency CIGS is considered to be the most promising thin-film PV technology. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES (SINGULUS), a German PV equipment manufacturer develops and supplies advanced wet-chemical treatment, selenization, sulfurization and divers coating processes, machine concepts and R&D tools to improve the efficiency of CIGS solar cells, reduce production costs and accelerate the transfer “from lab to fab”.

CIGS: The most efficient Thin-Film Technology The high growth rates of the PV industry over the previous years lead to a temporary shortage in silicon feedstock. As a result, new technologies such as thin-film solar cells were introduced into the market and entered the stage of mass production faster than expected. Even though solar cell technologies based on conductive layers made of copper (Cu), indium (In), gallium (Ga) and selenium (Se)/sulphur (S; CIGS or CIS) are still comparatively young, the efficiencies achieved are impressive: CIGS has already attained record efficiency levels of around 20 % in the lab, with stable module commercial efficiencies in the range of 12 to 13 % – still to be continued: A group of European thinfilm PV experts estimates cell efficiencies to rise up to 24 % by 2040 (Figure 1).

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Figure 1: Comparison of expected efficiency evolutions for all thin-film materials in lab record devices (dashed lines) and relevant modules in manufacturing (full lines) (estimation by a group of European thin-film PV experts for the SRA, “DSC refers to dye solar cells, Source: A Strategic Research Agenda for Photovoltaic Solar Energy Technology Edition 2, 2011)

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of CIGS modules in low light conditions, thanks to the fact that CIGS has the highest spectral response of all PV technologies. The CIGS semiconductor layer uses the broadest light spectrum of all solar technologies. This enables high yields even under diffused light conditions and cloudy skies.

Amongst the thin-film technologies, CIGS is regarded as the most promising PV technology with respect to efficiency and cost reductions.

According to Solarbuzz, the production capacity of CIGS rises by 63 % from 655 MW in Figure 2: CIGS panel cross section (Source: Nature Finance, CIGS Thin-film Solar – Go Thin to Win, March 2012) 2012 up to 1,772 These figures are comparable to multiMW in 2016 (Figure crystalline silicon cells and even more efficient 3). Compared to the CdTe and a-Si thinthan amorphous silicon (a-Si) and cadmium film technologies, which are expected to telluride (CdTe) while using a minimum increase by around 50 %, CIGS shows the of materials to produce. While up-to-date highest capacity growth rates after to this crystalline cells are around 200 µm thick, the estimation.

CIGS absorber is less than 2 µm thick (Figure 2). And more than half of this layer is made A Look at the Indian of low-priced copper. In terms of production Solar PV Market the most significant advantage is the ability to directly deposit the thin semiconductor layer EPIAS’s Global Market Outlook for and the contacts on the glass. This means, Photovoltaics until 2016 announced that that the entire solar panel can be produced India’s (Jawaharlal Nehru) National Solar on fully automated, integrated production Mission (JJNSM) was launched in January lines without manual intervention and, as a 2010 in order to achieve the government’s result lower labor costs. Another significant target of generating 22 GW (20 GW onadvantage is the outstanding performance grid; 2 GW off-grid) of solar power by 2022.

The JJNSM program

Figure 3: Estimated capacity growth rates for thin-film PV technologies (Source: NPD Solarbuzz, 9/2012)

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plans between 1 and 2 GW of utility-size, grid-connected applications until 2013, followed by a second phase targeting to reach between 4 and 10 GW until 2017, and finally reaching 20 GW from 2017 to 2022.

Optimizing existing Processes and developing new Processes The efficiency evolution of CIGS during the last two years has been the most impressive within the thin-film materials.

The current challenges include reducing the manufacturing costs and faster transfer of development results to industrial production.

Due to the fact that the CIGS manufacturing process is more complex and less standardized than for other types of cells, it is necessary to maintain the manufacturing equipment as flexible as possible. Instead of supplying turnkey systems, manufacturers must be able to choose components with a positive impact on the cell performance. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES pursues this CIGS strategy with three different pathways: by improving existing manufacturing processes, by developing new technologies and by participating in research for the development the next-generation CIGS cells.

With a dedicated CIGS R&D Platform economic research of new manufacturing processes for CIS-CIGS semiconductor films can be realized. This way, the highest level of efficiency of thin-film solar modules compared to existing concepts can be achieved. With the process results on the basis of the findings from the demonstration plant, industrial manufacturing processes can be developed and optimized, enabling higher cell performances as well as a significant reduction of manufacturing costs for thin-film photovoltaic modules per watt peak.

Figure 4: New processing systems for vacuum-coating CIGS/CIS thin-film solar cells EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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sulfurization as well as wet-chemical processes from SINGULUS to commission a semi-commercial line for CIGS modules in the original size of 1200 x 600 mm.

Based on its Experimental System, SINGULUS presents a promising development on the way to the efficient wet-chemical coating for CdS/ZnS Buffer layer for CIGS solar modules: a production line on a modular cluster-built basis enabling both significant savings in terms of required floor space and the simultaneous one-side coating of two substrates. The systems allow the transfer of process know-how from R&D over pilot use to full production Figure 5: Experimental wet process equipment TENUIS for CdS/alternative buffer layers for CIS/ range 60, 120, 180 and more MW. CIGS/CIGSSe solar cells Due to new and unique concepts in In summer 2012, SINGULUS terms of dosing and temperature TECHNOLOGIES delivered to the control, the developers were successful in International Advanced Research Centre for reducing the process time by up to 20 %, Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), which has a positive effect and a considerably Balapur, Hyderabad a new sputtering system higher output in production. The new TENUIS for vacuum-coating CIGS/CIS thin-film solar generation offers substantial cost advantages cells (Figure 4). The new system responds to in the production of high performance CIS/ current demands in the photovoltaic industry CIGS thin film solar cells. for development tools that enhance the For an optimized CIGS absorber efficiency of thin-film solar cells while cutting formation an Inline Rapid Thermal Processing production costs. The ARCI Institute also equipment was designed and has proven its received a TENUIS Manual Experimental Setup for wet processing evaluation and performance with installations in Europe R&D (Figure 5). ARCI will start R&D work and Asia in CIGS module manufacturing. on CIGS processing developing competitive The system with the brand name CISARIS (Figures 6) consists of a handling station, a production methods. vacuum tight process section and a return conveyor and is optimized for mass production.

Developer and Supplier The main features of CISARIS include a high

for the PV Market

SINGULUS establishes itself as development partner for major PV manufacturers and international research institutes, e.g. the Photovoltaic Technology Intellectual Property (Pty) Limited (PTIP).

PTIP, a spin-off from the University of Johannesburg, already successfully operates research machines for the development of CIGS thin-film cells in its newly established research and development facility in Techno Park close to Stellenbosch in South Africa.

SINGULUS has cooperated successfully with the scientists of the University of Johannesburg for some years and already has delivered R&D equipment for glass sizes of 30 x 30 cm in 2011. PTIP intends to further expand the research facilities in Stellenbosch with vacuum coating, selenization and 34

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uptime and mechanical yield, as well as a fast cycle time, which, in combination with the robust selenisation and sulfurization process, lead to a production capacity of over 25 MWp per year. CISARIS can safely handle the thermal processing of large glass substrates of over 1 sqm at temperatures up to 600 °C under a toxic and corrosive gas atmosphere.

High heating and cooling rates, combined with an excellent temperature homogeneity during all process stages are the key factors, which allow the formation of an optimal CIGSSe absorber, required for the production of high efficiency solar modules.

Conclusion: Costefficient Process Technologies and fast Transfer “from Lab to Fab” It’s a given fact that CIGS can close the gap to crystalline silicon solar cells in terms of efficiency. CIGS cells already show impressive performance figures in the lab as well as in industrial mass production and are expected to boost these records within the coming years. In order to make this technology competitive to crystalline silicon methods in the long term it is necessary to optimize existing manufacturing processes, develop new cost-efficient concepts and achieve a fast transfer into industrial production.

SINGULUS is pursuing a clear futureoriented strategy in all of these directions and positions itself as development partner and supplier of production systems for the next-generation more efficient CIGS solar cells.

Figure 6: Selenisation furnace CISARIS with optimized CIGS absorber formation process

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High-Speed Laser Processing in Thin-Film Module Manufacturing

More Efficient And Cost-Effective Thin Film Solar Modules Ravinder Bhardwaj - Nmtronics India Pvt Ltd

The key in thin-film module production is reduced costs per Wattpeak (Wp). This can be achieved by cost-effective production steps, shorter cycle times and enhanced module efficiency. Module efficiency depends on the weakest cell and active module area. That is the reason why high precision scribing is gaining in importance. Reducing cycle time is feasible by process parallelization and increasing process speed. This paper presents a summary of current laser processes in thin-film module production.

T

he production of thin film solar panels involves sequential processes in which lasers now play a crucial

role. Thin film panels currently established on the market are based on semi-conductor materials cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper-indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), amorphous (aSi) or micromorphous (aSi/ µSi) silicon. Recently, the growing market share of thin film technologies has been driven forward largely by supply bottlenecks for polycrystalline silicon which first appeared in 2005. This has helped thin film technologies to expand quickly – they are now an established alternative to waferbased modules. The EPIA forecasts that by 2013 thin film technologies will have advanced to a market share of 25 percent.

This is equivalent to an installed capacity of 9 GW. 36

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Thin film solar panels offer a number of advantages compared with crystalline, wafer-based technology – this is true both in production as well as in the actual deployment of panels to generate electricity.

This development has been boosted by the transfer of experience gained in reducing costs in the mass production of large TFT screens into the production of thin film solar panels. The reduced film thickness, in the micrometer range, generates significant material savings. In daily use, thin film modules provide persuasive arguments in direct comparison with crystalline modules despite their lower efficiency: they achieve this by generating higher electrical output due to their excellent performance under poor light conditions and the lower temperature coefficients influencing efficiency. The goal of manufacturing is to pare production costs to a figure well below 1 US$/Wp while continuing

to increase panel efficiency and ultimately reach grid-parity. Grid parity is given when the power generated from a photovoltaic plant can be offered to consumers at the same price as electricity from other sources.

Two key factors are boosting the use of laser technology. The first is the objective of achieving maximum scribing precision in order to maximise the effective area of the panel, the second being to avoid mechanical stresses on the glass substrate so as to deliver functionality under diverse and extreme weather and environmental conditions over a deployment period of more than 20 years.

Lasers have already established themselves in the scribing of solar panels in production stages P1 through P3. Recent process advances, such as laser edge deletion, are rapidly gaining in importance.

Production process of a thin film panel

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and opportunities for laser deployment Figure 1 below presents a typical process chain. The details highlight the importance of laser machining for module quality.

 Laser edge deletion: the removal of the coating along the outer edge of the active cell zone ready for downstream encapsulation processes.

Fig. 1: Importance of precision laser machining in the process chain.

 Laser marking describes the process of marking the substrate with either a bar or a data matrix code, achieved by ablating the TCO or molybdenum coating or the glass surface.  Laser scribing P1, this refers to the scribing of the molybdenum or TCO coating. The front contact of the module is subdivided into thin stripes to electrically insulate them from one another. In CIGS processing, the process is reversed, starting with rear contact coating.  Laser scribing P2: selective ablation of the absorber without damaging the TCO or molybdenum coating; after coating the rear or front contact, after the next coating step this creates a series connection between neighbouring cells.

The laser scribing and edge deletion processes, are currently based on a technique involving laser-induced vaporisation and sublimation of the thin film materials.

Sublimation is achieved using laser pulses with a pulse length in the lower nano-second range < 100 ns.

Selecting the laser wavelengths or laser beam source best suited to the ablation process presumes that the absorption characteristics and the damage thresholds of the materials in question are known. It is particularly crucial to avoid damage to the glass carrier material. In terms of laser scribing, production currently makes use of the wavelengths 532 nm and 1064 nm, which have proven to be best adapted to the glass absorption characteristics and the coating systems.

Laser scribing In thin film technology, each coating i.e. front contact, absorber, rear contact, is subdivided into individual cells. Between the coating phases, the laser is employed as a scribing tool. The sequential coating and scribing eventually creates monolithic series connections between all cells on the module (Fig. 2). The use of laser processing satisfies a broad range of requirements. When processing front or rear contacts (CIGS), the ideal is for the track edges without any edge over-height. In particular when processing very thin semi-conductor layers, high edge over-height can cause a short circuit between front and rear contacts.

Damaging the substrate is to be avoided for reasons already described (see section 1).

In the case of P2 and P3 stages, the stack comprising the semi-conductor and the rear contact must be removed without leaving any residues but also without damaging the underlying front/rear contact. Damage would raise series resistance between neighbouring cells; this would in turn result in loss of voltage and an overall reduction in total panel performance.

In the case of the superstrate structure of CdTe and aSi technologies, it is vital that the TCO front contact is transparent in the green laser wavelength. The laser pulse passes through the glass and the TCO and is absorbed in the semi-conductor. The plasma created results in the above lying coating stack being explosively lifted off the surface.

If the pulse energy and the focus position are correctly adjusted, damage to the TCO coating can be avoided. In CIGS substrate structures, the molybdenum is opaque for all standard laser wavelengths, and it is therefore necessary to process stages P2 and P3 from the coating side. The normal high thermal penetration depth of nanosecond

 Laser scribing P3: selective ablation of the semi-conductor coating and rear contact without damaging the TCO or molybdenum coating; the last step to opening the short circuit path between neighbouring cells.  Laser scribing P4: generation of an insulation channel around the active cell zone. This process step may also be undertaken on a separate machine in order to avoid unnecessary slowing of the scribing cycle time.

Figure 2: Monolithic series connections in the superstrate structure

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pulses is able to avoid – in particular in P3 structuring – the selective ablation of the coating stack without damaging the Molayer. In addition, the semi-conductor layer is converted into a conducting phase along track edge, preventing electrical insulation. Only ultra-short femto or pico-second pulses are capable, assuming suitable levels of precision and avoiding relevant thermal interactions, of selectively ablating the absorber and the front contact coating. These processes continue to be the subject of research and development. The first all-laser scribed CIGS thin film modules have been successfully manufactured on a laboratory scale [1].

factors to achieve cost-effective production in the P1 through P4 laser scribing processing steps and subsequent edge deletion. The demands on laser scribing machines have grown significantly over the last years and mainly target at a throughput increase and improvement of the module efficiency by better area utilization of existing module sizes. The latter is determined by the so called dead zone, the distance between the outer edges of the P1 and P3 tracks. The aim is to achieve a dead zone between 200 µm and 250 µm, which is only possible by realizing a defined laser spot diameter and an extremely precise positioning.

Edge deletion

High precision and high speed laser scribing

Edge deletion is the process which takes place between scribing and encapsulation.

The objective here is to remove any coating residues outside of the active modular zone.

This is necessary in order to achieve optimal encapsulation of the module to protect and prevent penetration of dampness and avoid voltage jumps between the cells and their peripherals. It is therefore necessary that the glass surface is of high ohmic resistance and free of microcracks in order to ensure longterm stability and long module life times.

The relatively large size of the layer to be removed, for example 500 cm2 (PVGEN 5 module with 1 cm edge) has to be machined within the normal line cycle time of e.g. below 60 seconds including substrate transportation. This is achieved by way of an extremely rapid scanner-based movement of the square laser spot, of size approx. 1 mm x 1 mm, in combination with the continuous advance of the scan head or the substrate.

The average laser output necessary in this case is of the order of several hundred Watts.

The effect of sublimation cannot of itself explain the actual removal rates achieved.

The decisive factor here again is the large active area of the laser spot, which uses plasma pressure to lift off the coating stack.

System technology for scribing and edge deletion Thin film panel factories are continuous 24/7 operations demanding technical availabilities (as per VDI 3423) of up to 97 %. Low operating costs, low maintenance and service friendliness are additional vital 38

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Today’s laser scribing equipment is capable of handling substrates of size up to 2,200 x 2,600 mm. The systems are designed for process phases P1 through P4. The most effective and reliable way to scribe the cell

lines. This effectively minimises the risk of breakage and avoids substrate vibrations affecting results. The substrate is only moved perpendicular to the cell lines over the length of the glass side when creating insulation lines. Dynamic glass transport drives deliver similar high speeds to those of the processing head.

This level of machining speed and precision is only possible using air-bearings instead of linear guides. These components are built to offer a high track precision of +/3 µm/m. Guidance accuracy also depends on the granite surface giving long-term stability to the system overall. The main advantage of air-bearings is the avoidance of wear; this guarantees low maintenance operations over many years. Today’s systems already offer the kind of structure precision in practice which keep inactive zones per track in the range of < 220 µm.

In the case of extremely curved/wavy substrates, the processing field of focus is

Figure 3: LPKF’s Allegro laser scribing system for processing aSi/µSi GEN 5-substrates

lines is by moving those components which represent the best dynamics. Instead of moving a large and heavy as well as brittle glass substrate a compact laser processing head with several parallel processing beams is moved. Today’s state of the art systems achieve accelerations of up to 2 G and maximum speeds of 2 m/s. The glass substrate is held still during processing and is only moved when required for the next

not always sufficient to achieve homogenous machining results over the entire surface of the glass. In such cases, the processing head can be equipped with a dynamic focusing system in which the glass surface is itself scanned during the processing phase. The focus can be actively optimised for all processing beams at the same time in the processing head according to the space/ distance changes identified. A further

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challenge in practise is to maintain high machining accuracies even on substrates with different absolute temperatures and/or non-homogenous temperature distribution.

Different substrate temperatures make themselves apparent by altering the size of glass panes (window pane 9 x 10-6/K). This can be automatically compensated by linear adjustment of the structured layout size.

Non-homogenous temperature distribution can results in deviations of structured lines from the ideal line or a varying cell widths over the panel. Achieving the ideal narrow non-active zone between P3/P2 lines and the P1 line is not possible if the P2/P3 lines follow a “skew” P1 line during machining. A one processing head design offers a low-cost, but very effective solution in which an optical monitoring system determines the lateral position of a P1 line during machining and simultaneously laterally adjusts all beams in the machining head. Since all beams are positioned at the spacing of the cell width, the error caused by monitoring an individual line of a bundle is actually negligibly small. This adjustment/correction takes place without influencing the cycle time and enables an inactive zone of max 200 µm to be realised on the substrate even with non-homogenous temperature distribution. This dynamic path tracking is already implemented and running in a thin film production line.

CIS molybdenum (P1), ultra-short pulse machining: no high edges or cracking.

aSi/µSi P3: no TCO damage, no flaking

Machining examples The following figures present a number of machining results from various thin film technologies in the P1 through P3 stages.

Laser scribing TCO (P1), sharp track edges without any edge over-height

Literature [1] P-O. Westin et. al.: INFLUENCE OF SPACIAL AND TEMPORAL LASER BEAM CHARACTERISTICS ON THINFILM ABLATION. 24th EUPVSEC, Hamburg, September 2009. proceedings to be published.

Dr.-Ing. Marc Hueske LPKF Laser & Electronics AG - Osteriede 7 - 30827 Garbsen - Germany Dr. Marc Hueske finished his studies of electrical engineering at the University of Hanover in 1995. In 2001 he received his PhD at the Institute of Materials Science at the same university. His industrial career began in 2000 at LPKF Laser & Electronics

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AG. After being the technical manager of LaserMicronics GmbH he was appointed as the Innovation Manager of LPKF in 2005.

He joined LPKF SolarQuipment GmbH as the Product Manager and Vice President for the laser scribing equipment in 2007.

About LPKF SolarQuipment As a solutions provider for photovoltaic systems LPKF SolarQuipment develops systems for structuring thin film solar cells with a laser or mechanical means. The LPKF laser structurers contribute with innovative methods to enhance the efficiency of solar modules.

Starting materials for structuring are transparent conductive oxides (TCO), cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium diselenide (CIS), amorphous silicon (aSi), microcrystalline silicon (aSi / μSi) and metals such as molybdenum (Mo).

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Meyer Burger Achieves Record 303 Watt Solar Module In Production Conditions Meyer Burger Technology AG - Ingrid Carstensen

At 303 watts, Meyer Burger has set a new photovoltaic record using a standard 60-cell solar module. A high level of process integration between the wafer, cell and module technologies made this developmental leap possible which will result significant reductions in production costs. The increased energy yield was achieved through the combination of innovative heterojunction cells with 21% efficiency and a very low temperature coefficient and with the revolutionary “SmartWire Connection” technology. The SGS Fresenius Institute has already IEC certified heterojunction modules with this new connection technology.

T

he record performance of the heterojunction (HJT) technology on 156x156mm pseudo square

cells is the result of the close cooperation between the Meyer Burger Technology Ltd (SIX Swiss Exchange: MBTN) research centres in Germany and Switzerland. The high efficiency heterojunction solar cells were manufactured on the industrial facilities at the Roth & Rau solar technology centre under production conditions. They were then electrically connected using innovative soldering techniques at the Somont technology and competence centre.

The high-efficiency modules were laminated with the durable and proven encapsulation technology from 3S Modultec. Roth & Rau, Somont and 3S Modultec are leaders in cell and module technology and are all members of the Meyer Burger Technology Group.

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Lower temperature coefficient reaches thin film standards Heterojunction

cells

have

an

extraordinarily good temperature coefficient with a value of just -0.18%/°C. This is another excellent record figure. Compared to standard cells which have a value of -0.43%/°C, a solar module with HJT cells from the Meyer Burger

is using a newly developed cutting process for the manufacture of the wafers which is opening new perspectives and expanding the potential to further reduce costs in all processes from wafers to cells to modules.

Complemented by new measuring and material management technologies, process and fab control software is providing new and progressive manufacturing workflows which will change the market.

Group can achieve 10% more energy yield on average than regular cells. This results in a significant competitive advantage both for cell and module manufacturers and for end customers.

Diamond wire cut wafers as base substrate For its HJT technology Meyer Burger

HJT measurement technology High electrical cell capacity is a characteristic of high efficiency cells. As a result, conventional sun simulators cannot be used to measure the performance of the new generation of cells. Pasan’s DragonBack technology represents a completely new measurement method which can perform the

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extremely precise measurements required at the speed of line production to measure the performance of high efficiency and high capacity cells such as those produced using heterojunction technology. This new method of performance measurement puts Meyer Burger in possession of a further leading edge technology.

New connecting technologies Innovative soldering technologies such as the trend-setting 5 busbar connection technology from Somont increase the performance of solar cells compared to those cells with only 3 busbars and offer a further advancement of Somont’s proven, mature Certus platform. Meyer Burger is also the only company in the world which offers the “SmartWire Connection” electrification technology for solar cells; a technology which has been proven in PV installations. The soldering process for this technology is carried

out within the laminator. On traditional cells, the “SmartWire Connection” technology, with its lower series resistance, can increase performance by more than 1% absolute or by 7% relative. The revolutionary contact technology also considerably decreases the silver quantity required which can further significantly reduce the cost of production.

The SGS Fresenius IEC Institute has certified heterojunction modules using this new connection technology and Meyer Burger’s laboratories have carried out multiple successful climate tests which comply with the certification.

High potential for cost reduction.

The record setting module is made up of 60 Cz-Si pseudo square 156mm2 cells with a performance efficiency of 21%. The Meyer Burger roadmap plans further increases in performance efficiency of up to 24% as well as a reduction in manufacturing costs for

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cells to under 0.10$/Wp by 2014. Further cost reductions can be achieved through the use of thinner wafers which heterojunction technology, in comparison to conventional technologies, can process without any loss of efficiency. Meyer Burger’s diamond wire saws can cut these thin wafers while achieving savings in materials and costs.

With its future oriented innovative technology, Meyer Burger provides the only correct response to the current situation in the photovoltaic market. As a system integrator from wafer to PV module, Meyer Burger is able to select and implement the optimal configuration for its customers from its product portfolio. Only in this way is it possible to combine the advantages of the individual production steps, to increase the overall performance of cells and modules and to achieve a sustainable reduction in the cost of solar energy.

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Meyer Burger Heterojunction Technology HELiA Coating Systems For Highest Efficiency Solar Cells Roth & Rau AG - A Member of Meyer Burger Group

The future of solar cells l

Heterojunction technology combines advantages of amorphous silicon (thin film) with advantages of monocrystalline silicon wafers

l

Highest cell efficiencies of ≥21% with further growth potential

l

Simple production process with less production steps compared to conventional cell technologies

HELiA - One platform, two coating processes l

Key equipment for processing of heterojunction solar cells

l

Lower production costs due to low temperature processing (compatible with thin wafers)

l

HELiAPECVD for intrinsic and doped amorphous silicon deposition

l

HELiAPVD for front and back side TCO and metal deposition without flipping the wafers

l

Roth & Rau AUTOMATiON solutions for loading and unloading

The Silicon heterojunction technology is an appealing concept that combines thin amorphous silicon layers with monocrystalline silicon wafers to realize cell efficiencies above 21%. The simple structure of the HJT cells needs less processing steps compared to conventional cell designs. The excellent surface passivation of the a-Si:H layer results in a high cell efficiency potential.

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The superior temperature coefficient of TC = -0.27%/K results in a higher energy yield at operating conditions. Low temperature processing (<300°C) is compatible with the use of thin wafers in the future. The

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key product for HJT is the HELiAPECVD. Layers are deposited with a PECVD process, powered by a direct RF-plasma. Roth & Rau has developed and patented the S-Cube, a sophisticated plasma reactor. It is based on a box-inbox arrangement providing very low contamination and homogeneous deposition.

The key parameter for the efficiency of the passivation with the a-Si:H layer is the charge carrier lifetime. Roth & Rau has achieved values of more than 10 ms effective lifetime on Fz-wafers and more than 2 ms on Cz production wafers with thin a-Si layers as used in the heterojunction solar cells. The Roth & Rau HELiAPVD system has been developed for deposition of TCO and metal layers by sputter deposition.

Rotary magnetrons are used for high target utilization, high throughput and low production costs. The HELiAPVD tool perfectly matches the HELiAPECVD system in terms of capacity and layer quality.

rear emitter in combination with a diffused front surface on n- and p-type silicon.

HELiAPVD - Large area high throughput sputtering at lowest costs

Applications Heterojunction technology applying intrinsic, p- and n-doped a-Si:H layers using PECVD techniques. TCO and metal layers are sputtered in a PVD process.

Platform The Roth & Rau HELiA platforms (PECVD and PVD) are key devices for processing of heterojunction solar cells.

The PECVD system is capable of depositing uniform, well controlled, thin layers of intrinsic and doped a-Si:H onto textured Si-wafer surfaces. The PVD system provides for front- and backside deposition without flipping the wafer. Both systems are designed for a throughput of 2,400 w/h (4,800 w/h optional for HELiAPECVD) The HELiA system platform is based on a modular design, similar to the well known SiNA® and MAiA® systems by Roth & Rau.

HELiAPECVD - High quality a-Si:H and p/n-Si:H deposition This system is based on a modular design and, therefore, it can be configured to specific customer needs. The layers are deposited with a PECVD process, powered by a direct RF-plasma. The high quality of the amorphous silicon layers enables the tool to be used for processing advanced high efficiency cells such as with a heterojunction

This system has been developed for deposition of TCO and metal layers by sputter deposition. The tool design provides for faceup and face-down deposition – both the front and back side can be coated without flipping the wafer. Rotary magnetrons are used for high target utilization, good uniformity and high throughput at simultaneously low production costs. Due to its modular concept various TCO layers, metal layers and layer stacks can be deposited and therefore make the tool applicable for the production of different solar cell concepts.

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Trends In Wafer Production Diamond Wire Technology MB WAFER TEC - A Member of Meyer Burger Group

Systemic wafering

As shown in Figure 3, high wafer quality are already present in the wafer material itself and have no cracks or discontinuities. results in high cell efficiencies. This in turn Figure 2 illustrates the influencing factors Finally the material properties of the silicon results in low kWh prices, since the BOS costs and challenges affecting modern wafer change as a result of the sawing process, (balance of system costs include costs for the production. since it brings about inverter, cabling, support, installation, etc.) different cutting and thus the costs per kWh produced (see Fig. systems. These have 3) account for an ever-increasing proportion the effect that metal of the cost in comparison with the module ions are formed due costs. Or expressed more simply, they are to temperature the actual fi xed costs of a PV system. Today increases at the point the BOS costs are already in the same order of the cutting process, of magnitude as those for the solar module. due to compressive Less effi cient solar modules therefore result forces arising from in disproportionately high system costs. In the advance of the order to reduce the overall system cost, the cutting wire, due to cell effi ciency must therefore be as high the use of alkaline as possible. Cell effi ciencies of this order Figure 2: Wafer quality and wafer characterisation or acidic cooling are only achieved if the right wafers are systems and due produced with the right cell process. In In principle, the wafer quality and the wafer to the duration of exposure to the sawing the following, we will be focussing on the requirements as depicted in Figure 2 can process, and these metal ions may lead to wafer but always from the perspective of be described with three umbrella terms: impurities in three different ways: in the cell production requirements. All the factors mechanical properties, material properties simplest case, particles are deposited on the together determine whether a given cell surface (80%). Temperature and pressure process will yield a good result with this and surface properties. may lead to metal ions forming a chemical wafer. From an economic standpoint, it makes Mechanical properties include geometry, bond with the silicon surface that can only perfect sense to reconcile the wafer quality thickness, TTV (total thickness variation), be removed with etc. Material properties include the purity an alkaline or of the bulk material, the inclusion of foreign acidic texturing matter such as oxygen, carbon, silicon agent. However, carbide (SiC) and silicon nitrides (SiNx). the cleaning The presence of trace elements such as iron, chemicals trigger gold or titanium may also have a negative the formation of effect on the purity of a silicon wafer. Finally, other metal ions on working life and conductivity re important the wafer surface. material properties that exert a major infl Thirdly, met al uence on cell performance. ions may diffuse The surface properties also contribute into the silicon Figure 3: Relationship between cell effi ciency, wafer signifi - cantly to cell effi ciency. Basically, material depending quality and LCOE costs (LCOE = lifetime cost of produced surface defects can be divided up into two on the length of the energy) types: on the one hand, geometrical defects temperature and such as microcracks, subsurface damage pressure factors and their intensity. These requirements with the target cell efficiency. and surface irregularities such as chips and characteristics depend strongly on the cutting If an optimum factory performance is to saw damage (saw marks 1 and 2), and on parameters. The production of an optimum be achieved, costs, yield, uptime and cell the other hand, surface impurities such as wafer is a multidimensional process. effi ciency must be viewed as an integrated foreign particles or machining residues. This whole. For some years, research has been surface should therefore be clean, that is to conducted on various production processes Multidimensional say it should contain no more impurities than for the manufacture of solar wafers. Among

optimisation

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the areas of research are kerf-free wafering and epitaxial layer build-up on wafer material.

Up to now, however, it has not been possible to prove that processes of this type will be economically viable in the near future. The diverse demands placed on wafer quality against a backdrop of rapid development in sawing technologies and the accompanying cell processes suggest that the gap is gradually opening.

Wafer thicknesses are constantly reduced on high-

Figure 4: Wafer fl ow as an integrated process for increased yield as well as optimised processes and reduced handling

effi ciency solar cells Physically, silicon is a semiconductor and therefore offers a resistance to an electric current. The path that the charge carrier in the wafer has to cover to the two contacts (top and bottom or minus and plus) can be shortened by means of thinner wafers. This reduces the resistance. The downside of this is that thinner wafers mean less silicon for the light path and lower light absorption. As a result, fewer load carriers are generated. In order to compensate for this effect, ingenious textured surface structures are created that increase the light path through refl ection on the mirrored back. Silicon solar cells can be manufactured to a thickness of just 80 microns with no loss of effi ciency. As a prerequisite for this, the surfaces must be perfectly passivated. The HJT (HELiAS heterojunction technology) and iPERC (Lo-BaCo) from Roth&Rau make passivation properties of this type a reality. Meyer Burger Technology AG has recently managed to saw 85 micron silicon wafers in the laboratory.

The next challenge is to get such thin wafers safely through the production processes in one piece. To this end, Meyer Burger Technology Ltd has developed a special carrier with which to transport the wafers from the machine saw through the precleaning, separation and cleaning stages. In the Meyer Burger Technology Ltd wafer fl ow, the process steps wafer separation, precleaning, degluing and fi nal cleaning of the wafers are integral components of the wafer system in which processes are simplifi ed and the handling is reduced to a minimum, resulting in a high yield and simultaneous increase in throughput.

Diamond wire wafering increases productivity and protects the environment Productivity can be enhanced by reduced material usage, greater cell effi ciency and increased throughput. The thinner the wafer, the greater the saving in material used. A higher throughput can be achieved by reducing the process time. Diamond wire wafering (DW) enhances productivity by doubling the process speed. Further benefi ts are also apparent. If the DW process is correctly performed, smaller and less surface damage and subsurface damage is incurred than with the slurry process. The advantage of this is less sawing damage to make good. The most minute cracks are extremely detrimental on highly passivated cells, causing a measurable reduction in effi ciency, for which reason the wafers have to be heavily etched with these cell processes to guarantee a perfect surface quality.

Less sawing damage thus reduces consequential costs. Another major advantage of the diamond wire process is the option to employ water-based processes. Here a distinction can be made between two different technologies: a 50/50 glycol/water mixture and water-based technologies with a water/additive mixing ratio of 95/5. The latter technology in particular is especially advantageous in terms of environmental protection and recycling. Although the diamond wire process exhibits a higher cutting productivity than the slurry process, the kerf produced is no greater than with the slurry process.

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Pasan Solar Simulators Stand Alone To Receive A Class A+A+A+ Certification By TÜV Rheinland Pasan - A Member of Meyer Burger Group

Pasan SA, a member of the Meyer Burger Technology Group, is the only producer worldwide whose solar simulators have been awarded the TÜV Rheinland class A+A+A+ quality certificate(double as good as IEC class AAA). This allows module producers and institutes to rely on the most precise performance measurement in the industry.

A

ccuracy is of greatest importance for module producers. When assessing the production output, a manufacturer n eeds to rely on accurate measurements. For over 30 years, Pasan SA has been providing the most accurate solar simulators worldwide.

Today’s greatest challenge in the PV community is to reach grid parity.

The evolution on the PV market is thus driven by the need to reduce Fig. A: Contributions to the inaccuracy of PV power measurement PV electricity costs. To achieve that goal, all efforts are made to enhancethe cell/module efficiency and to reduce the production TCO (total cost of ownership).

This leads to the d ev e l o p m e n t o f PV materials with increased conversion efficiency on one hand and the need to implement them into industr y-oriented Fig. B: Pasan A+A+A+ performance compared to IEC standard

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solutions for mass production at a low cost on the other hand.It is the duty of an equipment provider to supply reliable and cost-effective solutions to module manufacturers, taking into account cycle time, low TCO as well as accuracy and reliability.

This particularly applies to solar simulator suppliers whose task it is to propose solutions that help to accurately determine the electrical performance of PV modules in production environments.

At production level, the assessment of PV devices is of key impor t ance. The commercial value of a PV module is directly linked to its pulse modulated peak power(Pmpp) according Standard Test Conditions STC (light irradiance of 1kW/m2, spectrum according to AM1.5, module temperature

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of 25°C). The accuracy of this measurement has a direct impact on the price at which a module can be sold and thus on the profit of the manufacturer.

To determine the Pmppin Watt (WattpeakWp) measured at STC, a solar simulator is used at the end of each production line to test every single module. The high measurement accuracy of such equipment is thus a key parameter for the sale of modules at their best price and consequently for the maximisation of the manufacturer’s profits. Today, great efforts flow into R&D and production processes in order to gain the additional tenth of a percent in the efficiency of complete PV modules. This benefit should not be lost through of poor-quality power measurement.

Indeed, to yield a profit from these technological feats, a detailed evaluation of the result is essential. This is why the PV industry absolutely needs highly accurate solar simulators and deserves to benefit from them.

The inaccuracies linked to any power measurement can be divided into three main groups (Fig. A): the inaccuracy of the reference module used for the calibration of the solar simulator, the inaccuracy of the solar simulator itself and the inaccuracies arising during the measurement process (relating to module temperature and connection/cabling controls). Uncertainties in budget calculation show that the optical contribution stillis of utmost importance,together with the reference device. For an accurate power measurement of PV modules, it is therefore essential to use the equipment with a high-quality light source. With that in mind, the IEC 60904-9 international standard defines the performance requirements for solar simulators and classifies them with letters ranging from A (best) to C (worst). Each solar simulator is rated by three letters (one each for spectral match, irradiance non-uniformity on the test plane and temporal instability of irradiance) (Fig. B). Class AAA simulators require a spectral match of 0.75 to 1.25 (± 25%) within the AM1.5 reference spectral distribution for six defined 100 or 200nm-wide intervals (total range between 400 and 1,100nm), a non-uniformity of 2%, and long and short-term instabilities of 2% and 0.5%, respectively.

The PV module manufacturers are well entitled to require higher precision instruments, as the standards were already defined years ago and the technology and knowhow in the application of these instruments have improved.

Today’s demanding applications call for a refinement of the ‘basic’ class AAA categorisation. And it is not only qualityconscious producers that are seeking measuring systems of highest accuracy but also the various reference institutes dealing with PV technologies.

Pasan solar simulators demonstrate the best spectral match and uniformity available on the market today, together with a long service life and a limited light incidence angle.

The technology provides testing equipment with Class A+A+A+ performance. This advanced classification, not yet integrated into the current IEC standard, has been defined by TÜV Rheinland as having double as good a performance than IEC Class AAA for each of the three

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IEC parameters (spectral match, uniformity and stability). This unsurpassed performance has a direct impact on the reliability of the manufacturer’s output.

The Pasan module testers SunSim 3c and 3b, as a result, were certified as early as two years ago already as being in a class of their own. TÜV Rheinland has now confirmed and extended Pasan’s certification to its new HighLIGHT LMT and VLMT generation. The extension covers irradiance ranges between 100 and 1,200 W/m2, which are needed to evaluate the performance of PV modules at reduced light intensities.

The benefits forPV producers are manifold when using Pasan measurement solutions: l Accuracy: The widely-recognised and unequalled Pasancertified A+A+A+ module exhibits power measurement inaccuracies 1% below that of class AAA solar simulators. For its user in a 1 MW production plant, this results in 1 million euro savings a year, since it is the plant supplier who has to label a PV panel correctly and every deviation or tolerance will be covered by the panel supplier, not by the client! l Cycle time: Pasan module testers have a cycle time of 30 seconds - a time-efficient solution for module manufacturers. l Cost-effective: Pasan module testers have a low TCO, thanks to low down-time and limited maintenance. l Widely recognised:Pasan reference customers include worldwide module producers as well as renowned certification institutions.

Pasan module tester A+A+A+ light source

l For any PV module: Pasan module testers can be used for any PV technology, including standard c-Si, thin-films, as well as new materials like hetero junction modules with dedicated solutions.

Based in Switzerland, Pasanh as been active in the PV testing equipment business for more than 30 years and the brand is renowned as being a quality reference worldwide. Since its integration into the Meyer Burger Group, Pasan has been developing systems as a solution provider for its customers, while at the same time keeping and developing its expertise in PV measurement, by constantly setting the pace in this field. Besides being sought by reference institutes and laboratories, Pasan’s accuracy pays off as added value for PV producers.

The forthcoming award winning innovations in the Pasan portfolio include the DragonBackTM measurement solution for HiCap (high capacitance) modules and the new cell tester series SpotLIGHT engineered for grid parity.

The DragonBack™ measurement method provides an alternative for module producers searching for a reliable, accurate and costeffective solution for the measurement of advanced PV technologies, because it combines very accurate and highly repeatable measurement processes for HiCap modules with important industry requirements, such ascycle time, low TCO and easiness of use.

The DragonBack™ measurement method is a solution to assess the performance of PV modules in a production environment, using a 10 ms single pulse solar simulator. It allows an accurate determination of the electrical performance of HiCap materials with one flash delivered by a standard Pasan tester.

The superiority of the Pasan DragonBackTM solution lies in the fast and cost-effective measurement solution, its useability with the widely recognized Pasan light source quality standard, ensuring a highly accurate measurement of HiCap modules while keeping a high cycle time.

The SpotLIGHT cell testers combine a very high throughput with an accurate rating of cells at reduced costs, thanks to a light source design taken over from the module testers and a long-lasting contact system (patent pending) enabling outstanding repeatability and reliable measurements. A long pulse version,based on a unique method, will be available for HiCap cells soon as well.

Pasan solutions for measuring the power of PV devices are industry-oriented and cost-effective, because they takeinto consideration production cycle time, low cost and particularly low TCO, at the same time retaining outstanding measurement accuracy and repeatability.

Pasan A+A+A+ spectrum measured by TÜV Rheinland and its evaluation according to IEC 60904-9

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Mondragon Assembly Has Introduced The Fastest Tabber & Stringer “Ts 1200 Plus” •

Mondragon Assembly, international market leader in the development and manufacture of production equipment for photovoltaic modules, has presented a new generation system: TS 1200 PLUS!

•

It welds 1300 solar cells per hour.

•

The world´ s-fastest Tabber&Stringer

•

State of the art technology for a fast configurable machine.

TS 1200 PLUS Mondragon Assembly has launched the new Tabber & Stringer TS 1200 Plus, with

a NET capacity of 1300 solar cells soldered per hour. With over 35 years´s experience, Mondragon Assembly has presented one of the fastest and most versatile Combined Tabber and Stringer, worldwide.

“We have considerably reduced cell breakage ratio and uptime exceeds 95%.

With the high quality IR light technology soldering process, we provide high quality standards machines.” says Iñaki Gruzeta, member of the Solar R&D Team involved in the development.

and diagnosis. In addition, the company has the best cell loading autonomy as well as having considerably reduced installed power and air consumption.

Thanks to ongoing innovation, Mondragon Assembly has focused on process optimization, reduced downtime thus making the machine easier and safer to operate.

TS 1200 PLUS is a simple modular, robust, ergonomic machine with easy maintenance, likewise fast easy model change

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Module Testing In India – A New Challenge On Performance Tests

Mohamed Hidayathulla, B.E., Manager- Photovltaics

P

ower is an urgent need in India along with all major developing countries in the world. While all recognize this need, it is important to make this power safe and usable for the community at large. The emphasis on Solar Photovoltaic Power generation to meet the requirements has lead to more and more module manufacturers coming-up across the Globe. The PV modules form the back bone of PV power industry.

Hence the need for testing and certifying Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) modules as per:

IEC 61215-2 - Design Qualification and Type approval for Crystalline Photovoltaic Modules IEC 61730-1 – Safety requirements for Crystalline Photovoltaic Modules in terms of Construction

for performance during long term exposure like 20 to 25 years and most of the module manufacturers are providing warranty of 25 years, first 10 years for 90% and next 15 years for 85% of power output.

In order to evaluate the modules for its durability and performance we can subject test samples for repeated long term exposures like Thermal Cycling, Dampheat and Humidity Freeze for multiple cycles to bench mark the durability and Long Term Outdoor Exposure for its performance. And also with long term exposure the modules can be tested for soiling effect which will affect the module performance.

Modules which are used in Saline Atmosphere need to qualify for Salt Mist Corrosion test and the same can be

conducted on test samples to evaluate how the components like Junction box, Bypass diodes and Aluminum frames used reacts with corrosive atmosphere. Most of the failures occurred due to not functioning of Bypass diodes after salt mist exposures, corroded aluminium extrusions and hard wares.

Over the past decade, degradation and power loss have been observed in PV modules resulting from the stress exerted by system voltage bias. This is due in part to qualification tests and standards that do not adequately evaluate for the durability of modules to the long-term effects of high voltage bias experienced in fielded arrays.

High voltage can lead to module degradation by multiple mechanisms. The extent of the voltage bias degradation is linked to the

IEC 61730-2 – Safety requirements for Crystalline Photovoltaic Modules in term of testing ANSI/UL1703 – Safety for FlatPlate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels IEC 61701:2011, edition-2 – Salt Mist Corrosion test All above listed standards are for design qualification, type approval and safety requirements.

Long term test sequences like Thermal cycling, Dampheat, Humidity Freeze according to above listed standards are equivalent to 4-4.5 years of exposure and this is not sufficient to qualify the modules 50

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leakage current or coulombs passed from the silicon active layer through the encapsulant and glass to the grounded module frame, which can be experimentally determined.

Appropriate testing methods and stress levels are described that demonstrate module durability to system voltage potential-induced degradation (PID) mechanisms. The test can be conducted by using chambers (damp heat) or at ambient by wrapping modules

with copper or aluminium foils.

TUV Rheinland Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s test facility in Bangalore is one of its state of art test facility for testing and certifying solar Photovoltaic modules for all the above needs.

TĂ&#x153;V Rheinland has developed a new test method for testing high levels of Ammonia pollution in photovoltaic modules. The

Hetero Junction Technology *KIJ GHĆ&#x201A;EKGPE[ EGNNU CV NQY EQUV QH QYPGTUJKR

new TĂ&#x153;V Rheinland â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ammonia Resistance Testedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; test mark is particularly relevant for modules to be installed on agricultural buildings. The method was developed by the experts at TĂ&#x153;V Rheinland LGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Surface Technology Competence Centre in Nuremberg in conjunction with the solar module testing specialists at TĂ&#x153;V Rheinland in Cologne.

8KUKV WU CV VJG /G[GT $WTIGT DQQVJ 4GPGYCDNG 'PGTI[ +PFKC 'ZRQ 0QXGODGT &GNJK *CNN $QQVJ

Â&#x201E; 'HĆ&#x192;EKGPE[ QH YKVJ HWTVJGT ITQYVJ RQVGPVKCN Â&#x201E; %QUV GHĆ&#x192;EKGPV RTQFWEVKQP FWG VQ NQY VGORGTCVWTG RTQEGUUGU CPF C NGUU EQORNGZ RTQFWEVKQP Ć&#x201E;QY Â&#x201E; (WTVJGT CFXCPVCIGU QP OQFWNG CPF U[UVGO NGXGN FWG VQ VJG UWRGTKQT NQY VGORGTCVWTG EQGHĆ&#x192;EKGPV Â&#x201E; +PPQXCVKXG EQPPGEVKPI VGEJPQNQIKGU $WUDCT EQPPGEVKQP 5OCTV9KTG EQPPGEVKQP Â&#x201E; YCVV TGEQTF OQFWNGU RTQFWEGF YKVJ *GVGTQLWPEVKQP 6GEJPQNQI[ GHĆ&#x192;EKGPE[ EGNNU

4QVJ 4CW #) #P FGT $CWOUEJWNG *QJGPUVGKP 'TPUVVJCN )GTOCP[ 2JQPG YYY TQVJ TCW EQO UCNGU"TQVJ TCW EQO

and Government agencies like MNRE and IREDA.

Levels of ammonia contamination can be high on the roofs of agricultural buildings if the photovoltaic modules are located close to ventilation equipment or are integrated into the roof itself. This contamination becomes a problem if condensation forms as a result of high levels of humidity. It is precisely this situation that we simulate in our laboratory.

As per Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission announced by Govt. Of India, individual modules should carry RFID tags for traceability and this is a mandatory requirement and the manufacturers can place this tags inside laminates or on backsheets.

If they are going to place this on Backsheets there will not be any issues and problems may occur only if they put this tag inside laminate.

Technical experts are of the opinion that, RFIDs are mostly metallic and may reduce creepage and clearance distances. If they are inside the laminate, Dampheat and UV/ TC50/ HF sequences should be performed to check for influences on the lamination quality (possibility of delamination due to contact of new materials).

Value added to customers With qualification of all the standards above will increase the confidence level of manufacturer’s / Project Developers/ Financial institutions about durability of their product for design as well as performance during long term exposure.

Value Proposition TÜVR has fully fledged test laboratory to conduct tests as per the standards listed above and BTI can target Manufacturer’s /project developers, Bankers/Financiers 52

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

At present m i n i m u m qualification requirement for modules is as per IEC 61215-2, IEC 61730-1, IEC 61730-2 and IEC 61701 and most of the modules are qualified for these standards. But this is not enough as stated above we need to target Manufacturer’s / project developers, Bankers/Financiers and Government agencies like MNRE and IREDA to implement the tests listed other than these standards to evaluate modules for its long term usage .

Effects of Standards Photovoltaic modules are designed to meet the reliability and safety requirements of national and international test standards.

Qualification testing is a short-duration (typically, 60-90 days) accelerated testing protocol, and it may be considered as a minimum requirement to undertake reliability testing. The goal of qualification testing is to identify the initial short-term reliability issues in the field, while the qualification testing/certification is primarily driven by Market place requirements. Safety testing, however, is a regulatory requirement where the modules are assessed for the prevention of electrical shock, fire hazards, and personal injury due to electrical, mechanical, and environmental stresses in the field .

it does identify the major/catastrophic design quality issues that would initially occur in the field. The type, extent, limits, and sequence of the accelerated stress tests of the qualification standards have been stipulated with two goals in mind: one, accelerate the same failure mechanisms as observed in the field but without introducing other unknown failures that do not occur in the actual field; and two, induce these failure mechanisms in a reasonably short period of time (60-90 days) to reduce testing time and cost.

As an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, TÜV Rheinland has tested photovoltaic modules from nearly 20 different countries and issued several hundred Qualification certificates “About 3% of the crystalline silicon modules failed in the initial wet resistance test right out of the box” In the 1997-2005, 2005-2007, and 2007-2009 periods, about 87% c-Si, 93% c-Si and 83% c-Si modules, respectively, were tested for the qualification certification. In the latter two periods, about 52% and 39% of them respectively, were manufactured that were new to the test laboratory.

The comparative failure analysis showed that the fraction of new manufacturers in the 2005-2007 periods was about 52%, and the failure rate dramatically increased in the 2005-2007 period as compared to the 1997-2005 periods. The fraction of new manufacturers in 2007-2009 periods was about 39% but, encouragingly, the failure rates for most of the major stress tests have dramatically decreased for the 2007-2009 period compared to the previous period of 2005-2007. As for the temperature testing method of the safety test standards, the lab’s findings reveal that it closely simulates the temperatures of real-world rooftop modules.

Module Reliability Failure Rates in Qualification testing Qualification testing is a set of well defined accelerated stress tests-irradiation, environmental, mechanical and electrical – with strict pass-fail criteria based on Functionality/performance, safety/insulation, and visual requirements. The qualification testing does not, as anticipated, identify all the possible lifetime/reliability issues that would be encountered in the field; however,

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SCHMID Presents Multi Busbar Connector Prototype at PVSEC  Innovative cell structure promises 0.6%abs gain of efficiency compared to 3-busbar cells

resistance of the cells and thus increase the fill factor by up to 0.3%.

 Lower series resistance provides higher fill factor of up to 0.3%  Reduction of silver consumption on the front and back side of approx. 75% compared to a 3-busbar screen printed cell  Finish of the last project phase with production-ready machine in 2013 SCHMID presents the prototype of its Multi Busbar Connector and a Multi Busbar Module at EUPVSEC. The sales launch of the production-ready machine is planned for 2013.

Figure 1: multi busbar cell under the scanning electron microscope

The result is a high efficiency multi busbar module. It combines all resourcesaving and efficiency increasing technologies SCHMID has developed for the front side in the last years. Therefore the technology leader is providing urgently needed solutions for reducing the costs in photovoltaic production.

manufacturing technology are the contactfree inkjet printing as well as wet bench etching processes and plating technology.

The cell back side is 100 percent silver-free

The multi busbar technology is based on an innovative cell structure which completely manages without the well-known wide silver busbars. The consumption of the expensive material on the front and back side compared to a conventional cell is thereby reduced by 75%. Less shadowing promises an efficiency increase of 0.6%abs.

The multi busbar technology obtains the best results with SCHMID processes and equipment for the production of a cell with a selective emitter (inline selective emitter technology InSecT) and approx. 40 μm wide plated contact fingers (contactfree high-efficiency metallization technology HiMeT). The key processes for this cell

thanks to SCHMID’s TinPad technology.

The Multi Busbar Conn ector subsequently attaches 15 wire busbars to the front side of these basic cells using contactfree infrared soldering and at the same time joins multiple cells into a string. The smaller distances between the wires reduce the series

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ERIC ZHANG

Ms YUAN MEI TANG

Make The Right Choice Of Silicone Sealant For Solar Modules

S

olar cell,which converts solar energy into electricity,is the core of a solar power system. But due to its defects of being thin, brittle, easily oxidized and exposed in the outdoor environments like in the air and rain, it is vulnerable to permanent damages and thus makes large scale solar power generation difficult. Protective sealing and encapsulation to the cell can solve this problem. Solar module accordingly forms.

Poor sealing or poor aging resistance of sealing materials can cause the cell damp or contaminated and going un-functional and wasted. Unqualified or improper sealant would damage the solar module and shorten its service life. So it is very important to choose the right sealant.

Analysis 1.

Cure system

Silicone sealant,as a material with excellent UV resistance, high and low temperature tolerance, anti mechanical shocks and chemical mediators, is widely

54Â

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Fig 1.Cure depth as a function of cure time

used as the solar module sealing material by most manufacturers.

Clear silicone sealant is a kind of dealcoholized sealant,and the curing agent in it is apt to turn the EVA film on the solar cell yellow guibaoTM855 silicone sealant for solar modules is a one-part neutral cure silicone sealant. When curing, it releases a kind of gas called 2-butanone oximewhich will neither corrode substrates and cells nor be harmful to health. And also, a cure rate of 3.0 mm deep in 24 hours can be expected at standard environment-- that could enormously shorten production cycle time which is very valuable to the manufacturer.

Figure 1 shows the cure depth as a

Some module manufactures use acetoxysilicone sealant to sealing and bonding solar modules and potting junction boxes.

Acetoxy silicone sealant releases acetic acid during curing, which is not only corrosive to cells and substrates, but also irritates human respiratory system and causes damage to human health, because skins of people are alkaline, if in chronical acid circumstance, it will be impaired.

Some manufactures use clear silicone sealant to sealing and bonding solar modules.

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function of cure time at 250C and 50%RH. We can see that it cure 3.1mm in the first 24 hours, faster than the common 2mm or less , and the depth becomes thicker and thicker with the increasing of cure time, but the rate becomes slower and slower, as silicone sealant cures once exposed to moisture in the airfrom surface to inward. The deeper

modules has excellent adhesion strength respectively as follows: 1.26MPa, 1.25MPa, 1.15MPa and 1.05MPa. Although its strength decreases a little bit in wet-thermal condition with high humidity for 200 times, having a value of 1.05MPa, it still meets the needs of solar modules.

These results clearly indicate thatguibao sealants perform very well whether in room temperature or in harsh environment, attributing to the excellent formulation.

In addition, guibao 855 silicone sealant for solar modules has a low water absorption value of 0.6%.On account of good adhesion and low water absorption, guibao sealant can protect solar cells against corrosive substance, water, so as to the PV system.

TM

Fig 2.adhesion strength at different application environment

3. the depth, the more difficult for sealant to expose to atmospheric moisture.

2.

Adhesion

At present, material for solar frame is mainly anodized aluminum which has high surface energy, in favor of producing adhesion between silicone and aluminum without primer or plasma.

Some sealant manufacturers add a lot of mineral oil into silicone sealant to lower the cost. The sealant would shrink as the mineral oil oozes out, leading to adhesion damage or sealant crack. The sealing and electrical performances of the sealant are largely deducted and no longer meet the requirements of longtime outdoor application.

Or lower the cost by replacing some silicone material with cheaper fillers. This will do the same to the performance of the sealant and fails to protect solar module. guibaoTM 855 silicone sealant for solar modules is made with excellent formulation.

After applying, the sealant will infiltrate substrates like aluminum completely. With the increasing of curing time, the chemical reaction happens in the form of chemical bond by surface molecule. Thus makes it has excellent adhesion to PV substrates, including PPO, anodizedaluminum, glass,fluoropolymer laminates.

Figure 2 shows the adhesion strength at different application environment. It shows that guibaoTM855 silicone sealant for solar

Weathering

Picture 1 shows the main chemical chain of silicone. It shows that Siliciumatoms (Si) and oxygenatoms (O) catenated by chemical bond (Si-O) with high bond energy up to 445kJ/mol.

And picture 2 presents the energy comparison between different chemical

Pic 1.

Pic 2

bonds and ultraviolet radiation (UV). As far as we know, the longer wavelength, the lower energy. Ultraviolet radiation b (UVB), of which wavelength is 275～320nm, has a very high energy. Fortunately, only 2% UVB will radiate onto earth surface, the typical wavelength is 300nm whose bond energy is 398kJ/mol, lower than 445kJ/mol. It can’t

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Fig3. Tensile strength and elongation as a function of environment simulation test

destroy the Si-O bond, that’s why silicone rubber has excellent weathering properties.

But on the other hand, UVB will damage other sealants such as polyurethane, thiokol or adhesive tape because of their lower bond energy as shown in picture 2.

Secondly, guibaoTM 855 silicone sealant for solar modules has outstanding high and low temperature resistance property .After cure, it is stable and flexible from -400C to 2000C. Figure 3 shows the tensile strength (abbreviate as TS) and elongation as a function of environment simulation test. We can get the point clearly that the retention of mechanical properties of guibao sealant are stable in room temperature, UV radiation, thermal or wet-thermal conditions, respectively 99%, 98% and 87%. They also give us properties of elongation as follows: 315%, 300% and 345%.

Conclusion With the rapid development of solar power in many countries in the world, the sealing and sealing materials of solar modules, one of the key process in module production,is attracting more and more attention. We have to choose the right sealant for modules to prevent them from weather aging, water, mechanical shocks, corrosion to ensure their optimal performance and service life in outside applications. guibao has been committed to the R&D of silicone sealant since foundation in 1998, can provide a full-range sealing solution for solar modules. guibaoTM 855 silicone sealant for solar modules has fast cure rate, excellent adhesion strength and excellent long-term weathering resistance, protecting modules against adverse factors, can bring you quality assurance and good benefits.

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A Solar PV Manufacturing Ecosystem for India – Why & How! Debasish Paul Choudhury, Former President, SEMI India

A solar PV manufacturing ecosystem is a must for India if the country has to become a solar powerhouse over the next decade.

U

nlike many countries in the world, India is a uniquely positioned naturalized market with multi segment growth opportunities in the solar industry. Propelled, mainly, by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and the Gujarat State Policy; India’s solar PV power project installations have grown significantly from less than 5 MW at the end of 2009 to an impressive installed base of over 1,040 MW by the end of September 2012. On the other hand, states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu have announced their own state solar policies which would significantly push the solar installations across the country. The falling PV system prices are also enabling the widespread adoption of solar PV especially into the off-grid market as well. No doubt, India’s solar PV industry is off to a promising start!

India’s PV manufacturing sector While PV installations are growing at a breakneck speed, the same can’t be said about the solar PV manufacturing industry in the country. The precipitous fall in module prices, across the globe, was caused primarily by declining polysilicon costs and huge production overcapacity in China has had a crippling effect on the profitability of many Indian PV systems manufacturers.

According to 2011 industry reports, India’s PV manufacturing industry had an overall production capacity of about 1,400 MW for modules and 800 MW for cells.

Today, most of the Indian cell manufacturers are struggling to survive in the current market conditions. As per industry sources, a solar PV module plant costs about $150,000 per MW, 56

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

while the costs for setting up manufacturing facilities for solar cells works out to $1.25 million per MW and solar wafers $0.6 million per MW. So, the cumulative investment by the Indian solar PV industry would work out to over INR 62 billion ($ 1.2 billion) in the last decade.

Most of the PV manufacturing in India happens at the module assembly level with close to a dozen companies are engaged in cell manufacturing only. There are a significant number of challenges that Indian manufacturers face in order to reduce their costs and improve their competitiveness.

These challenges include: i. ii. iii. iv.

Lack of scale Lack of vertical integration Lack of local supplier network Duty on import of manufacturing equipment, raw materials and accessories v. Relatively lower domestic R&D expenditures The cumulative impact of these factors is that Indian PV manufacturers have a higher cost structure than some of the larger, more vertically integrated global players. These issues could be addressed if enough policy support is provided to the domestic PV manufacturing industry to innovate, scale up quickly, and thereby reduce costs. This will also help to stimulate the PV eco-system growth that is required in order to reduce the dependency on imports of PV systems for achieving the country’s solar mission goals.

Economic & Social impact of a robust solar PV manufacturing ecosystem The question of how to encourage growth

and competitiveness in PV manufacturing has attracted the attention of higher echelons of the government in India. Earlier this year, the ministry of new and renewable energy has constituted “Solar Energy Industry Advisory Council” (SEIAC) to advice the ministry on various technology related matters, attract investment across the value chain, suggest steps required to encourage R&D and drive down costs and make the Indian solar industry globally competitive. The council will also review the status of Indian solar industry from time to time and suggest measures required and a road map to accelerate the growth to achieve manufacturing level of about 4-5 GW per year by 2017-2020.

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) document acknowledges that the majority of India’s solar PV industry is dependent on imports of critical raw materials and components (including silicon wafers). It clearly states that transforming India into a solar energy hub will require that India take a leadership role in low-cost, high-quality solar manufacturing (including balance of systems). One of the manufacturing front, JNNSM targets to create a solar PV production capacity of 4-5 GW by 2022. I feel, the local industry need to strive for a bigger share of the market, at least 6-8 GW manufacturing capacity over the next decade.

One of the most important benefits of developing a solar manufacturing ecosystem is the creation of high quality jobs. Many analysts have claimed that solar energy is the most effective and efficient job creator amongst all traditional and renewable energy sources. As many as 33 jobs are sup¬ported per megawatt (MW) of solar power, in comparison to less than 10 jobs supported for every MW in coal, natural, nuclear and

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wind power generation. A study by M. Wei et al. also confirms solar PV creates more jobs per unit of electricity output than other alternatives (Source: SEMI White Paper, “Manufacturing Solar Photovoltaic Products in the U.S.”).

PV manufacturing remains important because of the multiplier effect in creating downstream jobs. At about 25%, PV manufacturing creates about 8 jobs per MW of solar PV installed (total of approximately 33 jobs) and considering the fact that the installed power generation capacity targets for solar PV is estimated at 10 GW by 2022, assuming 50:50 mix of PV and solar thermal installations, the absolute job creation potential for solar manufacturing is very significant. Most importantly, the long-term sustainability of the solar PV industry in India is dependent on the establishment of the solar PV manufacturing system and the associated jobs created.

According to CII-MNRE June 2010 report, it is estimated that the Solar PV on-grid power sector would employ 39,000 people by the year 2017 and 1,52,000 by the year 2022 to achieve the JNNSM mission targets. On the other hand, solar off-grid applications in the country would continue to grow and it is expected to grow at about 10% for the next ten years. The sector would employ about 1,40,000 people by the year 2017 and 2,25,000 by the year 2022. It augurs well for the country in enhancing the installed solar energy capabilities and at the same time meets the social objective of creating new job opportunities.

The long-term sustainability of this market and the resultant benefits in terms of sustainability and job creation is now in serious jeopardy. Unless some dramatic policy and regulatory stimulus is provided by the government, the objective of creating a viable solar PV manufacturing ecosystem in the country would remain elusive.

The following five factors would be the key supply-side drivers of competitiveness and thus of growth in PV manufacturing:

i.

Access to National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)

The government had set up the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) in 2010 by imposing a cess on coal at an effective rate of Rs 50 a tonne for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technology, which is applicable on imported coal as well.

The funds from NCEF could be invested in energy infrastructure, in areas such as Polysilicon feedstock production. A total of about Rs. 3,300 Crores was estimated to be collected by the end of the financial year 2011-2012 and it is expected that a

corpus of about Rs. 10,000 Crores would be collected by 2015. However, only about Rs. 400 Crores had been allocated out of this massive corpus and none of it was towards solar PV manufacturing.

Proposed: Given the urgent need for developing a local PV manufacturing ecosystem, it is proposed that a significant part of the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is earmarked for fast-tracking PV manufacturing at various stages of the value chain (polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules).

Of the Rs. 10,000 Crores expected to be collected by 2015, if a modest 5% were to be allocated for solar manufacturing, it could lead to significant investment assistance to the tune of Rs. 500 Crores (US$ 100 million) in the next 3/4 years.

ii. I m po r t c o n c e s s i o n s materials

fo r

Capital equipment for solar power production (including modules) is granted a concessional import duty (customs and excise) for any solar power project. However, the same does not apply for many raw materials that go into cell and module production.

Therefore, it is cheaper to import modules rather than using domestically produced modules.

Proposed: India could lift import concessions for solar PV cells and modules or should provide import concessions to all raw materials and eliminate inverted taxes for the solar industry by way of full exemption from basic customs duty, additional duty of customs presently available on parts, components used for PV manufacturing. If one of the above is done, it will help Indian PV manufacturers remain competitive and will be a step towards making a level playing field for Indian PV manufacturers. This has to be done selectively. India needs to be seen as a viable manufacturing base. Cost competitive exports are very critical for Indian PV manufacturers.

iii. Import concessions for Capital Equipment Currently certain low value equipment (cell testers, solar simulators, etc.) that are necessary in order to set up a manufacturing facility receive concessional import duties.

This leads to higher production cost for the Indian PV manufacturers.

Proposed: Policymakers should extend import concessions to all PV production equipment and parts to make it cheaper for manufacturers to produce in India. Such a stimulus will help Indian manufacturers to both scale up their capacities as well as vertically integrate. Capital equipment should be fully exempted from import duties in order

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to be competitive with countries such as China who subsidizes the capex cost. The current system de-incentivizes Indian manufacturers by having to pay higher interest rates.

iv. Technology Neutral Local Content requirement The local content requirement (LCR) hasn’t affected the power generation targets.

However, the LCR in its current form has led to a majority of project developers opting for imported thin films, thereby skewing the market in favour of Thin Film technology. This is unique to India because world over thin film commands a small market share (close to 10%). In a way, the LCR has had limited impact in catalysing the growth of the Indian solar PV manufacturing industry.

Proposed: JNNSM should not distinguish between thin film and c-Si at this stage and should focus on inviting all manufacturers to set up their manufacturing base in India.

Policy should be uniform. The solar industry in India should compete with different technologies on their own merit the same as anywhere in the world. At any point of time, the policy should be technology neutral – if LCR is mandated to the level of modules for c-Si, it should be mandated to that level for TF. If LCR is mandated to the cell level for c-Si, it should be mandated to the corresponding level for TF.

v. Priority sector lending to the solar sector I suggest, the priority sector lending status be accorded to the solar industry before the launch of JNNSM Phase-II. The priority sector lending should be for both power generation projects and PV manufacturing units. Also, mandate banks to offer lower cost financing to the module manufacturers.

vi. Infrastructure Status for the solar sector The government should grant infrastructure status to the solar industry, a move that is likely to bring multiple benefits to the solar sector as well as boost investments. The infrastructure status will make solar companies eligible for viability gap funding, higher limit on external commercial borrowing, softer lending rates at 3-4% on loan terms of 10-15 years, 10 year tax holiday under section 80-IA of the Income Tax Act and accelerated depreciation.

The listed company’s can raise funds as well through issue of infrastructure bonds or manufacturing support bonds.

The road to India’s solar energy success will be a great journey and some of the proposals put forth in this article might be more suitable than certain others.

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CO V ER ST O RY

Exclusive Interview with Mr. Vineet Mittal, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Welspun Energy Ltd. EQ : Please enlighten us about the Welspun Group VM : Welspun Energy is at the forefront of renewable energy based power generation in India. Under the leadership of Mr. Vineet Mittal the organization is developing 250 MW of solar and wind power projects nationally.

Welspun Energy aims to commission 1.7 GW of solar and wind power projects over the next few years. Focusing on green technologies and triple bottom-line, Welspun Energy is interweaving inclusive growth, social, economic and environmental sustenance in its projects, for providing sustainable energy for all by year 2030.

EQ : What are the plants under operation in India, Asia and Africa Region?

VM : In India we have a broad portfolio of solar and wind power projects at various stages of construction / commissioning and operations.

In solar energy – •

The company is successfully operating 30 MW of projects across Gujarat, Rajasthan and AP.

•

Another 30 MW solar project is under construction in Gujarat, soon to be commissioned

•

Welspun’s flagship 50 MW Solar PV Project in Rajasthan which is under construction is the largest PV capacity to be awarded to a single company under Phase-1 of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.

•

Further, it has recently been awarded 130 MW solar power project in Madhya Pradesh; which will be the largest project in Asia.

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•

Welspun is also constructing a 7 MW Solar PV Project in Chitradurga District, Karnataka, which it won through the recent round of bidding conducted

by Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited, and the entire power from this Project will be sold to Mangalore Electric Supply Company Limited (MESCOM) for a period of 25 years.

In Wind Energy -

•

A 373.5 MW wind capacity is already registered with the government of Rajasthan.

•

The company has signed an MOU with Govt. of Andhra Pradesh for 500 MW wind capacity. Project development underway for 150 MW capacity.

•

The company has registered 250 MW wind capacity with Govt. of Karnataka.

Allotment received for 100 MW.

EQ : What were the challenges in securing the finance for your project and who are the bankers & investors behind it.

What are the rates and tenure given by Indian banks and foreign banks (example: EXIM, IFC etc.)

VM : The challenges faced in securing financing are uniform across the industry.

Issues like land acquisition, interconnection etc. require foresight, innovation and a willingness to create value based solution for all stakeholders. Welspun Energy Ltd. (WEL) has dealt with these challenges in a timely manner to ensure no project has ever gone beyond timelines. Further, given our project execution skills and commissioning track record, WEL has built a credible standing in

the industry. This has resulted in the financial institutions showing an inclination to partner with us. In terms of funding, we have worked with several banks including IDFC, ICICI, Central Bank of India and Union Bank among others.

EQ : RPO enforcement is one of the major hindrances in growth of Solar Market in India. Kindly comment.

VM : Whilst RPO remains a prominent factor driving the growth of solar in India, it is not the only proponent. The cost of solar energy is moving closer to grid parity and in order to meet the energy security of the nation, India had come out with the JNNSM, which envisages setting up 20 GW of solar energy plants by 2022.

The states are coming out with their own policies over and above this goal, for e.g. Gujarat has come out with 1 GW of solar energy plants since 2010, which is higher than their RPO. We do believe RPO needs to be enforced and strict penalties to be set against not meeting these targets.

EQ : Discoms running into losses and fact that some private obligated entities (Captive power plants, Open access consumers) getting stay orders from their respective high courts on RPO enforcement. Is this a major roadblock? What’s the solution to this?

VM : As answered above, RPO is not a hindrance or a negative policy. It is necessary in a nascent and growing market. Court orders have to be looked at in specific context to every location and this is not something being

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witness at a national level. The solution would be to educate the consumers, distributors and large scale bulk customers to the benefits of having RPO in place and creating awareness around the necessity of renewable energy into the grid.

EQ : What is your view on the REC Mechanism? Kindly explain from the point of view of an obligated entity who wants to meet its RPO requirement, is it beneficial to buy Solar REC’s or build its own plant or Private PPA or buy power under JNNSM or state policies.

Kindly also explain the REC mechanism projects form the point of view of a developer.

How can it be made bankable?

What are the missing policies & regulations?

VM : REC is a good move. The REC mechanism was first seen in the US – it reduces the uncertainty for renewable energy power producers and also promotes this sector. Additionally it gives them an option to trade the certificate and also promote renewable energy and facilitates the renewable purchase obligations (RPO).

For an obligated entity, it is more beneficial to enter into PPAs with solar power developers and buy renewable power rather than buy RECs. From a developer standpoint, RECs are not yet bankable as there is still considerable uncertainty in cash flows. For example, banks look at a steady monthly cash flow coming out of an asset whereas REC sales are quite volatile and prices on the exchange vary. REC trading is quite erratic, as some witness significant trading, while in some it decreases. This is because the RPO obligation is for the financial year ending March; hence most deals take place in the last quarter. Policy needs to be amended to ensure less volatility in the sector. A renewable fund should be established at the state levels, as it is at the Central level for providing further comfort to banks.

EQ : Recent hike in Diesel Prices and its impact on the Solar Market? What’s the cost comparison of Diesel kWhr vs.

Solar Kwhr. Where do you see opportunity in this (Regions in India, Class of Consumer)?

VM : The cost of power generated from

Diesel prior to the price hike was around Rs. 10 to 11 per kWh whereas the solar was already at Rs.8 to 9 per kWh. With current round of hike in Diesel prices the spread between solar and diesel based power generation would go up further. Thus, making solar more and more affordable. Apart from the cost, availability and reliability are also major advantages of Solar vis-à-vis Diesel or conventional consumption.

In rural areas availability and reliability are even bigger issues. Solar offgrid and mini grid applications will start to become more and more attractive and reliable options for consumers going forward and we believe there is slow but steady momentum picking up in this direction now.

EQ : What is the current state of Solar Rooftop market and what are the major challenges in development of this market in India. What are the missing policies, regulations and required infrastructure?

VM : The rooftop solar market is in a nascent stage with low penetration in urban and rural areas for rooftop due to various reasons including lack of a clear policy and architecture to support it. However, MNRE has recently come out with draft guidelines for the rooftop segment.

Diesel power generation and inverters are being used instead in homes where solar rooftop solutions can be installed. Local state governments and municipalities can do more to promote such applications and thereby reducing the stress on the grid. Subsidies like those provided by the southern states in the past, can also be implemented.

EQ : Should rooftop grid connected projects be allowed to inject power in Grid and claim REC’s…What’s your view on this?

VM : Only surplus power from such rooftop projects should be connected to the grid and not the actual power generated. The concept of net metering should be introduced with smart energy systems, which permit two-way transfer of energy, such that home owners can be benefitted.

EQ :What’s your view on the Indian Policy Framework and one piece of advice you would like to give to the government and regulators?

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VM : I believe India has got its policy framework right and the JNNSM has set examples for the rest of the world to follow.

We are seeing healthy growth in both wind and solar energy generation, more so in solar.

The industry is moving towards grid parity at a fairly quick pace.

However, the local content restrictions that have been imposed by the Government restrict the solar sector from achieving grid parity faster, defeating India’s goal of driving down costs and hindering its move toward a clean energy future. Furthermore, if a project has local content restrictions, Indian manufacturers have no incentive to reduce their costs and are not competitive.

Furthermore, India has only crystalline silicon manufacturers and the thin film manufacturers that exist only have amorphous silicon technology, which is a failed technology globally. Advanced thin film technologies such as Cd-Te and CIGS have gained wide acceptance in India for their better performance and cost advantages and taken over Crystalline-silicon in market share. Polysilicon and in most cases, even wafers are not made in India, so module and cell manufacturers in india are anyway importing the raw material and machinery, which account for over 50% of the manufacturing cost.

Finally, Indians SEBs are already reeling under heavy financial losses and cannot afford to pay for high cost of energy.

The higher the tariffs go, the more this will become unfeasible for SEBs to pay. We need to keep in mind the health of SEBs as well as the financial institutions during the decision making process for local content restrictions.

EQ :What’s the ideal way to finance both utility scale farms and roof top projects? Kindly explain in detail.

VM : The ideal way to finance utility scale farms is to tie up project finance from banks and infrastructure finance companies.

Roof top projects are too nascent at this stage to achieve financing from banks and may need to be tied up through micro finance/ other financing mechanisms.

EQ :What are the future plans in India and other countries?

VM : Welspun Energy has plans of installing 700 MW of solar and 1 GW of wind over the next few years in India.

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Grid Parity Gets Closer And Rooftop Solar Could Be A Game Changer For India – ‘The Rising Sun’ Report By KPMG Santosh Kamath, Partner, Management Consulting and Lead Renewables, KPMG

A

ccording to “The Rising Sun” report

by KPMG, India, the rapid fall in solar prices and increase in cost of conventional power may increase the usage of Rooftop solar power at a broad scale by 2017.

“Solar power technology may help India leapfrog in the energy sector as we are in a position when our energy requirement growing at a rapid speed.” said Santosh Kamath, Partner, KPMG in India. For example, a high-end residential consumer can install a 1 KW solar PV system - to reduce marginal power consumption - with a monthly EMI payment of around Rs 2000 for five (5) years and avoid an average discounted monthly payment of around Rs 1200 over the lifetime (25 years) to the grid. Similarly, a ten (10) year EMI would result in an outgo of only 1200 per month equal to the average discounted power cost savings over the 25 year lifetime of the asset.

“Given the issues of fuel shortages and import dependence of our energy sector, solar power should be given a significant thrust by the Government. The National Solar Mission (NSM) has made a good beginning”, said Arvind Mahajan, Partner, HOD, Energy and Natural Resources, KPMG. He further adds that the government, utilities and regulators should encourage solar power by providing

net metering infrastructure, energy banking facility and also developing an ecosystem for rooftop market installation.

The challenges in the power sector continue. India is facing a power deficit of percent1 and this is likely to continue over the next few years. In many states, industries are facing upto 502 percent power cuts. The gap between the power purchase costs and the power tariffs has severely constrained the finances of state power utilities with net losses estimated at around INR 88,170 crores3 in 2012-13. India faced massive power black-outs in July, 2012 due to overdrawing and grid indiscipline. The National Solar Mission (NSM) has triggered the development of solar ecosystem capacity in India in the last two years. India’s solar capacity has grown from less than 20 MW to more than 1,000 MW in the last two years.

On the other hand, solar power costs have reduced rapidly in the last few years.

Globally, the solar photovoltaics (PV) market has grown from around 9.5 GW in 2007 to 69 GW of cumulative installations by 20114.

Accordingly, the solar PV industry has grown from USD 17 Bn in 2007 to USD 93 Bn in revenue by 2011.

The Indian solar market has seen significant growth with the installed solar PV capacity rising from under 20 MW to more than 1000 MW within the last two years. In fact, the tariffs discovered in the highly competitive bidding in the recent rounds of auction under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and State level programs are already comparable to the marginal power tariffs applicable for industrial and commercial power consumers in some states in India.

We had estimated in our analysis last year that grid parity could happen in the period 2017-19. The recent trends in the solar power prices indicate that utility scale grid parity could happen at the earlier end of this range8.

The point at which grid parity occurs is a function of two variables – the rate of increase in conventional power prices and the rate of decrease in solar power prices. We believe the following could be the key trends:

Table 1: National Solar Mission - Tariffs Discovered6

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• We expect the landed cost of conventional electricity to consumers to increase at the rate of 4 percent per annum in the base case and 5.5 percent per annum in an aggressive case. This factors the increasing proportion of raw material imports, cost of greenfield generation, and higher investments in network assets to improve operational efficiencies of the utilities.

• We expect solar power prices to decline at the rate of 5-7 percent per annum. This is after factoring the increasing economies of scale in equipment manufacturing and advancements in product technology which improves solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency. Emergence of low cost

could happen earlier for certain market segments – especially the industrial and commercial category of power consumers.

The retail tariffs of these segments are already upwards of INR 7-8 per unit at the margin and would be even higher if one were to take a levelised view (long-term cost).

An innovative lease model can further improve the market attractiveness for consumers by avoiding high upfront costs and reducing monthly power bills. For example, a high-end residential consumer10 can install a 1 KW solar PV system11 - to reduce marginal power consumption - with a monthly EMI payment of around INR 200012 for five (5) years and avoid an average discounted monthly payment of around INR 1200 over the lifetime (25 years) to the grid. With rising power tariffs, the lease model can make it attractive for power consumers at the bottom of the pyramid - the less affluent residential power consumers - to adopt solar PV systems within this decade.

Further, even at the wholesale procurement level for utilities, the marginal cost of power procurement is in Fig.1: Grid Parity for Solar Power – Utility Level the range of INR 4.00-5.50 per unit13 in many states, which after adding the costs of transmission manufacturing locations are expected to and distribution and associated losses comes aid this trend. to INR 5.50 -7.50 per unit14 as delivered It is also worthwhile to look at parity to the consumer. As a result, when utilities in respect of cost of power delivered to the supply power during the power deficit consumer i.e. consumer level conventional situation and in peak periods, the state landed cost of power vis-à-vis the cost of power utilities are often not in a position to power from solar PV installation on the recover their power purchase costs through rooftop. consumer tariffs. Hence, there is a case for The prevailing power tariffs for some the utilities to encourage rooftop solar power cross-subsidizing consumer categories are for captive consumption that can displace the higher than the landed cost of power. Helping need for power procurement on the utilities the case or consumer end parity is the recent part. Looking at the economic analysis, we rise in power tariffs for consumers across believe that over the next five years around multiple states. We believe that grid parity 4000-5000 MW of rooftop solar power market potential can be economically viable.

To realize this however, utilities and regulators should create an enabling environment recognizing the specific characteristics of solar power.

Fig.2 Grid Parity for Solar Power - Consumer Level

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Solar power can already economically

reduce diesel power consumption. The cost of diesel based power production is upwards of INR14/kWh, much higher than that of solar power; however, diesel power is available on demand. In states which have power deficits, if utilities agree to regulate load shedding to consumers according to sunshine hours, then solar power can effectively mitigate diesel consumption, thus saving the economy precious resources and foreign exchange.

By extending the ‘banking facility’, which allows the consumer to get an offset for solar power generation against his monthly energy consumption, and by providing the required metering infrastructure, utilities can play an important role in developing solar power market for captive consumption. The ‘banking facility’ would enable a captive solar power producer to inject power into the grid and draw it back as and when required - subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement with distribution utilities.

While the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) market for solar power is still in a nascent stage, the enforcement of renewable purchase obligations on utilities and captive consumers along with the energy efficiency scheme Perform Achieve Trade (PAT) of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) can give a push to the solar market. PAT scheme, under the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) is aimed at improving energy efficiency in the industry thereby reducing energy consumption. In the first phase, 478 designated consumers have been given around 5-6 percent energy reduction targets to be met over a period of three years. Use of renewable energy in place of conventional power allows these consumers to get an offset against their energy consumption.

Being intermittent in nature, it is argued that solar power could pose grid integration issues. Several studies15 on distributed generation suggest that penetration levels of upto 15 percent are permissible without requiring any additional investments. While grid integration issues may not be an area of concern in the next five years even if the rooftop market penetration accelerates, yet a detailed interconnection study needs to be conducted taking into account the immense potential that rooftop market provides. Such studies have been conducted in countries where a high proportion of energy comes from renewable sources and have resulted in transmission related investments as well as specification of standards for renewable energy production equipment.

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Another segment of solar energy that is witnessing increased level of interest recently is the solar thermal market for process heating. We believe that the economics for this market should drive usage of solar community cooking, industrial process heating and solar enabled cooling given the favorable payback with fuels such as furnace oil, diesel, and commercial LPG. We believe that the market potential of the solar thermal process heating industry comprising – community cooking segment, cooling segment and industrial process heat for priority industries - to be about 5.25 Mn sqm of solar collector area.

Based on our analysis of various market segments, we believe that the cumulative solar PV power market potential is likely to be around 12.5 GW by 2016-17. The table below summarizes our estimates of potential for solar PV across key market segments: Central and State governments have an important role to play in harnessing solar power. Supporting solar industry over the next five years is crucial to realize the immense potential solar power offers for an energy starved country like India. Some of the enabling measures include: • Provide market certainty and stability in the near term – The worst thing to happen to the sector is a sudden withdrawal or reduction of the market support that has been provided in the last two years. Ecosystem

This financial assistance can help States support solar power and mitigate payment security concerns.

• Promote retail participation in Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) trade – The REC market provides an alternate market option today for renewable energy producers. By enabling access for retail and off-grid consumers - the adoption of solar power can be increased substantially.

Moreover, increase in participation in the REC trade will lead to higher liquidity and promote transparency in the market.

• Promote ‘private contracts’ solar power market – Solar power is likely to reach parity for retail power consumers earlier than at the gridlevel. Rooftop and small scale solar power projects at consumer-end have several advantages over grid connected solar power plants. State governments and regulators can encourage deployment by providing the necessary infrastructural support, appropriate regulations such as ‘banking facility’ or ‘net metering’ facility that allow commercial viability for power.

• Consider providing a partial risk guarantee mechanism – We have seen use of foreign currency financing in many solar projects which have enabled the cost of power to be reduced substantially. Financing related costs can contribute as much as 45 percent of the total cost of solar power. It is encouraging to see dollar denominated

Forecast of the solar power market in India

capacities have been built on the back of this support program, and a stable gradual program needs to be sustained. This means that the next round of the central program needs to be announced quickly.

• Share National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) with State Governments – The NCEF has been created through levy of a cess on coal which is ultimately borne by states/consumers. A direct subsidy from this fund can be provided to states that meet certain targets in encouraging solar power.

funding flowing into the sector. However, the recent volatility in the currency movements will raise the cost of such financing. A partial risk guarantee fund can be created by the Central Government to mitigate this risk.

The economic rationale can be developed based on the long term mitigation of forex exposures due to enhanced energy security and lower dependence on energy imports that solar power will enable.

solar market is critical for the success of solar program in India. A separate solar/ renewable energy sector specific exposure/ cap can go a long way in increasing the pool of financial resources for solar sector.

Given the importance of energy security and carbon mitigation potential, lending to solar/renewable sectors should be classified as ‘priority sector’. Furthermore, debt mobilization through say - long tenure tax free solar bonds - can go a long way in providing access of low cost long term debt for developers. This can address the inherent asset liability mismatch of the banking system and lend stability to the interest rates charges on developers.

• Creation of Solar Sector Focused Manufacturing & Investment Zones – Government of India has proposed the creation of a number of National Manufacturing & Investment Zones (NMIZ) to boost growth of manufacturing sector in India. The concept of NMIZ proposes a framework for more business friendly policy, procedures and approval ecosystem, combined with superior physical infrastructure16. Government should consider developing solar industry focused manufacturing and investment zones to encourage investments in this clean source of energy. This will enable development of scale economies and equip India with the required supply chain manufacturing infrastructure to harness its immense solar potential. In addition, the State Governments could identify potential sites for developing solar parks with all the basic infrastructure in-place. In sum, supporting solar power in the next five years is important to nurture the ‘green shoots’ that have emerged in the ecosystem and set the platform for solar power to play an important role in meeting the energy security and clean energy considerations of India. As mentioned in our earlier report of May 2011, we believe that solar power can make a substantive contribution by the end of the thirteenth plan, potentially meeting as much as 7 percent of our power requirement and mitigating 30 percent of our imports of coal and 2.6 percent of our carbon emissions in that year.

The forex savings due to coal and diesel mitigation can be as high as USD 8 billion per annum17 by then. The promise of this great source of energy has grown stronger over the last one year. In this respect, the sun has truly risen.

• Support lending community – Increasing the availability of credit to

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Picking Up Pennies: What Incumbents will do to keep Module Costs Competitive Edward Cahill, Research Associate, Lux Research

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he U.S. Department of Energy’s Sunshot Initiative claims that by reducing system prices to $1/W and module prices to $0.50/W by 2020, solar could generate 14% of the U.S.’s electricity by 2030 and 27% by 2050. With severe module oversupply and crashing polysilicon prices, module prices have dropped precipitously – typically between $0.80/W and $0.90/W, but reportedly reaching as low as $0.70/W today from top players. However, the cost of goods sold (COGS) for modules have not fallen in lock step. The largest crystalline silicon (x-Si) manufacturers are bleeding money – the net loss for Yingli was $90 million, Trina $92 million, LDK $250 million, JA Solar $70 million in the second quarter of 2012 alone – resulting in growing debt levels financed in large part by China’s state-run banks. Crystalline silicon manufacturers such as the German company Q-Cells, and start-up thin-film manufacturers such as Abound Solar, Konarka, and UniSolar, with less access to capital, have filed for bankruptcy or insolvency. This uncertain supplier landscape, along with volatile government incentives and trade wars between supply- and demand-heavy regions are making the solar industry as uncertain and difficult to navigate as it has ever been. Some companies are choosing to take shelter and weather the storm, just hoping they have enough food in the basement to survive. However, companies that can dramatically lower their modules’ cost of goods sold and return to profitability despite the harsh market climate will be best positioned when the clouds clear.

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From 2009 to 2012, multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) manufacturing capacity – and especially raw polysilicon capacity – skyrocketed, sending polysilicon prices from over $400/kg in 2008 to as low as $20/kg in 2012. While numerous factors lowered module COGS over the years, crashing polysilicon prices were the primary reason mc-Si module COGS dropped by more than 40% between 2009 and 2012 (see Fig. 1).

Meanwhile, Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) outpaced its competition in terms of year-on-year cost reductions and efficiency improvements, but CIGS has a ways to go to reach its full potential in terms of yield and efficiency. Thin-film silicon (TF-Si) is the least competitive technology due to poor yield, capacity utilization, and module efficiency. Cadmium telluride (CdTe), had an enormous cost advantage in 2009, but x-Si has narrowed the gap in four short years

(see Fig. 2).

Between 2012 and 2017, module COGS will fall between 15% and 35%.

Mc-Si module COGS will decrease 24% between 2012 and 2017, driven primarily by manufacturers increasing capacity utilization and module efficiency. CIGS modules will reduce costs the most as surviving suppliers dial down complex deposition methods and increase scale, making the technology competitive with x-Si in 2015. TF-Si is at the other end of the spectrum as cost reductions will be difficult to come by with the primary equipment providers, Applied Materials and Oerlikon, discontinuing TF-Si equipment production. CdTe will maintain its diminished cost advantage, as the only manufacturer producing significant capacity, First Solar, doubles down on increasing module efficiency.

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Assuming 2012 module costs, Lux Research examined how moving manufacturing to low-cost countries and improvements in efficiency, capacity utilization, and yield can affect COGS and we analyzed which technologies have the most to gain. X-Si, the oldest and most developed technology, has already moved a majority of production to low-cost countries, has the highest module efficiency, and the highest yield. While these factors create a significant advantage for x-Si manufacturers, it also means it has less room to reduce costs moving forward.

Meanwhile, CIGS, TF-Si, and CdTe have relatively low efficiency and yield, and many manufacturers, especially in CIGS, are still located in high-cost countries. As a result, these technologies hold high potential for future cost reduction – which they will need to achieve to compete with well-established incumbents.

Of the traditional cost-reduction levers described above, x-Si will depend on increasing capacity utilization, at an average of 55% today, and increasing efficiency, which still has room for improvement before hitting the theoretical maximum. Additionally, some x-Si manufacturers rely heavily on manual labor; switching to more automated processes will hedge increasing labor costs in countries like China. However, in order for x-Si to reach the Sunshot Initiative price of $0.50/W, translating to $0.40/W costs, x-Si manufacturers will need to seek

SANTERNO CARRARO GROUP

alternative levers to pull, i.e. revolutionary technologies.

Kerfless wafers, silver metallization replacements, selective emitters, passivated emitters, and back contact modules all have potential to reduce x-Si costs through lower material costs or increased efficiency. If x-Si manufacturers choose to double down on innovation by perfecting processes and scaling up next generation technologies such as these, x-Si modules will be able to accelerate cost reductions and potentially meet the Sunshot Innitiative’s goal.

Of the thin-film technologies, TF-Si is the most likely to fade away as other technologies reduce COGS at a faster rate. The exit of TFSi equipment suppliers, Advanced Materials and Oerlikon, sealed the technology’s fate; current TF-Si manufacturers simply don’t have what it takes to revolutionize TFSi, which is what is needed to bring the technology back to the foreground.

Giving energy more value

Santerno Is Part Of Carraro Group Established: 1970

Alfonsine and S. Alberto | Ravenna - Italy 124 MW

Kutch Project | Gujarat - India 20 MW

• 42 years in industrial automation, 27 years in the photovoltaic inverter sector, 14 years in the hybrid vehicles field, 6 years in the wind inverter sector.

• Ist PV Installation 1985 Operative in North Africa.

• Largest PV plant of 3 MW installed during 1994 SERRE, South Italy.

• 2.6 GW world wide 300 MW under installation.

• Technologically advanced products ranging from 2 KW-2.1 MW AC. • Consolidated know-how.

• Part of a solid international group (Carraro India Established in 1998).

• Customer-oriented.

• Global network of business partners and service centres.

Panchkula Project | Chandigarh India 1MW

Santerno India Pvt Ltd A Carraro Group Company Mr Venu Uppuluri Beta 1, Third Floor, Gigaspace, Viman Nagar, Pune - 411014 Tel. : +91 20-66216701 Mob. : +91 9881102187 E-mail : Uppuluri_Venu@santerno.com

SO L A R ENERGY

Interview with Arturo Herrero CMO-Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. EQ : What’s the current production capacity of your company AR : Current Capacity is 1200 MW for the whole Vertically Integrated Chain: Ingots, Wafers, Cells and Modules. We are over 90% utilization. Last year 2011 we sold 950 MW and we expect this year to reach 1 GW.

EQ : What is the unique advantage in being a vertically integrated manufacturer AR : Being Vertically Integrated has been a good strategically decision that few companies can build as it requires huge capital investment. The best advantage is the Cost control. It helps Jinko to be Top Competitive PV Company, be very competitive in price and keep over 8% gross margin. Besides, by controlling the whole production process, we can assure, along the different steps, the highest Quality levels. Wekeep a constant level of quality, as we don’t depend on third party suppliers. Finally, as Jinko production depends only on Silicon procurement, we can also control much more reliable the delivery times to our customers and

EQ : How much has been the sale to India and what does the future look like AR : We sold around 40 MW but it’s just the beginning. We are in advanced negotiations for several projects for more than 250 MW with several reliable partners.

We strongly believe on the good potential of Indian market in 2013 and specially 2014.

EQ : Please enlighten us on the thin film vs. c-si debate (explain with market share, performance etc…..in detail). Market share of thin film makers such as CDTE, CIGS, CIS, a-Si have been steadily increasing and their performance in hotter climates such as India is reportedly better than c-Si…please comment and clarify on this.

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AR : This is very good question but a false statement.

By the way, we announced that Jinko was the first company succeeding PID Tests (Power Induced Degradation) at 85C of Temperature.Thin film has good performance under shadows where Silicon modules cannot perform so well. There are good applications for Thin Film in this field, such as roofs facing north. However, under the good sunny conditions in India, Silicon modules have demonstrated good performance and higher power output, as Efficiency for Silicon Cells is around 17-18%, while for Thin Film is not more than 10-11% maximum.

In the past, when Silicon cost were over 150-200 USD/Kg, Thin Film technology was much more competitive and this is the reason for such big increase in market share. Right now, Silicon at highest quality in the spot market can be bought at bellow 23 USD/ kg. Silicon modules can be more competitive than Thin Film. We at Jinko have a cost of bellow 0.14 USD/Watt in Silicon and bellow 0.52 USD/Watt for Process cost, according to our Public Information in our Earnings for Q2. It represents no more than 0.66 USD/ Watt of module cost.

EQ : What changes have your experienced in selling PV in last 5 years AR : As you know I have been in PV for over 12 years now. Initially, during 6 years as Procurement Manager in BP Solar and later as Director and VP in Trina Solar for almost 5 years and now in JinkoSolar for almost 3 years.

During all these years I have seen lots of up and downs. Periods of Oversupply, such as 2003, 2006, 2009 or 2012 but also very stressed years of restrictions in supply and stronger demand, such as 2004, 2007-2008, and 2010.

These good times for demand will come again, and we’ll see more balance in the next coming years between supply and demand.

EQ : Which are the top 10 markets for your co and approx shipment to these markets AR : We are selling in over 20 countries and we have local teams and 13 offices in 10 PV Major Countries. Last year 2011, our major markets were Germany and Italy that together received around 50% of our Sales, then Eastern Europe, France, Spain, China, India, UK, Belgium and USA. We sold over 900 MW in these markets in 2011. This year we are managing to get much more diversification and big Sales in China.

EQ : What s the roadmap for production ramp-up for your co and further growth in terms of technology, output of your products AR : In Jinko, we have one of the highest efficient modules, if you compare to our peers. Right now, for 60 polycrystaline cell modules, we can reach over 255 W, and for 72 polycrystaline cell modules we can reach 300 W. We are aiming 18.8% efficiency for Monocristaline cells and 17.6% for Polycristaline cells.

We are also launching Wing Series, our new module that combines a high efficiency, with lower weight, JBox that dissipates heat better, and round corners in the frame for Safety reasons.

EQ : 2011 had witnessed a huge surge in installations in Germany, Italy and Europe, despite of which German companies have gone bankrupt like solon, Q.Cells S.E., closing down of REC operations in Norway, selling of cell line by Schott…..what are your views on this.

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AR : Right now, due to the cut on subsidies in Europe and restrictions on Bank Loans, we are immersed in a very competitive market, probably reaching now the bottom of a big downturn, that we’ll be probably finalized in the next 2-3 quarters.

Companies that were not doing their homework in terms of a competitive cost structure, in terms of diversification of their risk outside European PV markets and in terms of building their Brand and bankability, will surely suffer a lot, unless they are artificially sustained.

Until market rebounds with new policies in some countries and reaching Grid-Parity in other countries, we’ll beseeing lots of bankruptcies and consolidations either from USA or European manufacturers or from Chinese suppliers that financially are struggling and in terms of competitiveness cannot survive.

EQ : What is your view on the allegations posed by SolarWorld and the US trade petition…. please describe in detail AR : On behalf of JinkoSolar we have made public our clear position and statements. We have collaborated with the investigation body to provide all our information and documents required. We are a Listed company in New York Stock Exchange and all our Financials are audited and public on quarterly bases. We have nothing to hide.

We consider these allegations unfair, very disruptive and inappropriate for the whole industry. It brings much more difficulties to reach our goal to provide Solar energy solutions at competitive conditions similar to other conventional source of energy. At the end it represents an increase of price for the end customer.

EQ : Do you forsee a further drop in the prices of PV and to what extent AR : I don’t think there is so much room for big further reductions. We are seeing really low prices that practically are just covering cost without providing any profit.

This situation is no sustainable in the midterm.

This is why I consider price will be stable and probably slightly up after winter.

Also Silicon suppliers have seen important reduction on their margins and there is not so much possibilities for improvement.

EQ : Many Chinese companies are rapidly ramping up production capacities, while many like LDK are laying off workmen and many are closing down… what is the reason for this phenomena…where does your co stand in this AR : We don’t think is the right time for expanding capacity until we don’t have better visibility in the next coming quarters. LDK, Trina, Suntech,..have publicly announced huge employee reductions, Trina laid off over 3000 employees recently.

In JinkoSolar we are now at over 95% utilization and we don’t think the need to reduce our workforce, but we’ll keep at 1200 MW capacity until next year.

EQ : Solarworld accusations against the Chinese manufacturers that billions of dollars of subsidies are given by Chinese govt to Chinese PV companies is harming the westerncompetitors…why do they make such accusations, what is the real situation… please enlighten our readers in detail on this.

AR : Subsidies in certain provinces in China are usual mainly to attract industry and create labor force, nothing different in this regard, from some European or US regions.

Also there are some tax advantages but again, similar to supports to certain companies in USA or in Europe in developing zones to attract business investment.

I know Solarworld for many years and I know they have being growing thanks to their procurement in China for Cells and Wafers.

Right now, due to their internal difficulties to reduce costs they are struggling to compete in the free market without protection.

EQ : How much responsibility your co has for a fair trade AR : If you check our financials, published on quarterly bases, you will see that JinkoSolar was the only company among the 11 Listed Chinese PV companies, that had Positive NET PROFIT, therefore not only we were selling over our cost but also making some tiny profit, not dumping.

Our secret is to have one of the most high tech, brand new equipments, and a very efficient and lean structure in this sector.

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EQ :What is the annual expenditure on R&D and how much is it as a % of total sales AR : It is 3-5% depends on the quarter, and thanks to that we count on the new innovation products including Quantum Modules or Wing Series, our new generation.

Also this is the reason we can provide 12 years Warranty for 90% efficiency and 25 years for 80%.

EQ : Present and explain the recent trends in your sales, shipments, share prices etc…

AR : We have been increasing Sales in terms of MW shipped, rapidly, especially since we were listed in Wall Street and we got enough cash to increase capacity.

We have been almost doubling revenues, reaching 1200 million USD and MW shipmentsfrom 2010 to 2011.

EQ : With European demand falling and given the fact of huge manufacturing base in china…

Chinese government has lot of pressure to accelerate deployment of PV within china and china is expected to install 8GW in 2012….Whats your opinion on this statement.

AR : The support from Chinese government to Renewable Energy and specifically to Solar PV was long time expected and now is a reality. It is very important for the development of the local industry too. We expect 5 GW installations in 2012, both thanks to Golden Sun Program and the FIT for large scale projects. For sure 2013 will be growing to higher levels as you mention 8 GW could be possible.

EQ : Japan has recently announces a very good FIT for PV….what is the expected size of the market in Japan.

AR : Since the Nuclear disaster of Fukuoshima, Japanese government showed their support to renewable energies and a clear decision to reduce their Nuclear program.

Since the approval of the FIT for Solar, the PV market in Japan is very attractive with a very interesting subsidy and huge potential, However, it is not an easy market as Japanese Brands such as Sharp, Kyocera, Mitsubishi, Sanyo... have good brand recognition and long history in their local market.

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Predictability of PV Power Generation And Realization Of The Same At Site In India.

Rajesh Bhat - Managing Director, juwi India Renewable Energies Pvt Ltd

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ear it from a company, a team of Experts in PV who are part of German Technology Leader in Engineering , Procurement, Construction, Operation & Maintenance of large gridconnected that has installed 20 MWp of Power Plants in 2011 and is currently constructing projects aggregating 50 in Rajasthan, India on The need for any power plant is to generate what it’s expected to. The usual blame a solar PV plant has to live with is that the plant is not predictable due to the varying nature of the power source. The fact of the matter is that the so-called “unpredictability” of the input power source alone is not the sole contributor to a PV plant’s performance or the lack of it. One of the keys is to minimize unpredictability due to design-related uncertainties and the way it is operated and maintained.

The contributors to predictability of a Solar PV plant from design perspective are: 1. Simulation of a Solar PV plant.

2. System Design.

3. Quality Component 4. Operation and Maintenance

Simulation: 68

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There are several factors to a quality simulation of PV plant performance. These include true representation of the PV Module and inverter models, appropriate forecast / estimation for system losses and of course, reliable weather data. Today in India source weather data is mostly satellite based, namely NASA, Meteonorm, 3Tier, Solar GIS or others. With limited access to data from ground sources its best to run a simulation using at least two sources of satellite data. If there is wide divergence in the results it would be good to use a local ground station close to the planned site and compare the results of the same with satellite data. Appropriate corrections can then be applied to earlier results using a pure satellite-based data in order to get a more confident yield prediction.

The next important input parameter as regards simulation is the module model itself. PVSyst uses the one diode model and module manufacturers update the same at regular intervals. It is important that one uses the matching PAN files of the modules to be supplied, and also have the correct inverter data, to get the best results from simulation.

Depending on the site geography and terrain it is also important to consider suitable horizon shading to compensate for

any shadow losses. Horizon shading is caused typically by mountains when the modules are installed in a valley or by some large buildings in the vicinity like a fort. This is an often-ignored phenomenon in PVSyst simulation. Horizon shading can result in lower yields during the earlier or later parts of the day depending on the shading location and can have notable impact on the yield of the plant .

The next important input for simulation is the module related losses – mismatch and quality. The values to the mismatch and quality has to be based on proper comparison of past performances from the module supplier as well as module data sheet. Pure reliance on data sheet can mean a very conservative estimation and hence result in lower prediction of the yield. Of course, delivery of binned modules mean a very low mismatch loss and if practiced also during installation can yield higher outputs from the plant .

Another important input parameter for accurate prediction is the cell (or back-ofmodule) temperature, to estimate the yieldloss due to temperature rise. It is a common practice to arrive at the cell temperature based on the NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell Temperature) values from module data sheet.

It should be appreciated that the cell (or

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back-of-module) temperature is also a function of the level of cooling and air circulation around the modules, as well as the radiation received on the module surface. A very low cooling means very high cell temperature. Various formulaeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are available to derive the backof-module temperature from a given set of ambient conditions and wind parameters. Either these or past experience has to be relied upon to ensure that proper operating-condition temperature data is keyed in. One quick fix way would be to use the check box provided in PVSyst and let the tool auto calculate the NOCT. The above will ensure that we had a fairly accurate PVSyst model that is built and simulated.

The Highest Reliability and Uptime for the Lifetime of the Plant

The next step is to ensure that the plant performs as simulated.

The important factor here is the availability parameter. While simulation assumes the plant availability at 100% we got to understand that this definitely would be idealistic. There are several points of failure in the solar PV plant, including grid, switchgear, cable damages, transformer failures. See the chart below representing in percentage of total failure the failure attributed to individual components of a solar PV plant.

The availability function for an integrated system A = a1Xa2Xa3 Where a1, a2, a3 etc. are availability of individual components that make up a system. Hence even assuming each component as a 99% availability the net availability will be

Avenal, California 57 MWp

A=0.99X0.99X0.99 = 97%.

Hence a drop in availability of any single component in the plant can mean a very low overall plant availability.

The components that has the most frequent failures are the cables per se. While details of these failures are difficult to go through at this point, some of the key considerations to ensure the cables do not fail depends on the cable type and the application.

Grid Ready, Utility Photovoltaic Central Inverters from 145kVAp - 1590kVAp

The cables used to string modules together has the highest levels of exposure to atmosphere. These include Sun and all other weather parameters. It is absolutely necessary that cables with the right kind of insulation is used to prevent damage due to the harshness of nature. It is generally seen that double insulated UV resistant cables are best suited for this application. These can withstand UV exposure and also withstand minute damages caused to insulation during installation or any other activities.

The next point of failure of component in a solar PV plant is the interconnection. Interconnection of these cables using proper cable harnesses reduces the chances of any overheating at joints and leakages due to water entry. It is necessary that the cable harness use properly rated connectors with right levels of insulation as well as contact resistance to avoid heating or water entry. The connectors with lowest contact resistance should be preferred for a good connection, as a typical 10 MWp plant could have as many as 100,000 connections. Interconnection failures are caused by use the wrong type of interconnection and wrong method. The later can be minimized by use of proper interconnects. We recommend use of preassembled cables systems or spring-cage connectors. This ensures that proper, secure connections are made and installation errors are minimized.

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Transformers: Transformers has to be properly rated and installed to ensure that it does not fail in field. While transformers are among the most commonly used and reliable electrical component it is important that they are designed for the application.

Transformers used with inverters should be rated for inverter duty and have the right impedance levels specified by the inverter supplier.

there is no damage to modules due to wind or other external loads. It is also important to give enough clearance from ground in order to reduce soiling losses as well as ease of access. The structure design apart from considering the fact of wind load and corrosion should ensure sufficient air flow to prevent modules from heating up.

AC Cables: The AC cables and Switchgear has to be rated and designed by use of appropriate standards to ensure any premature failure. IS codes are the best starting point. We recommend use of armored cable to prevent external mechanical damages . Also bundling of single phase cables where used in trefoil configuration will reduce reactance of the group and also minimize mutual inductance.

The next big issue is construction of the plant to ensure desired results. Managing subcontractors to live up the desired designed quality levels, integrating them, managing local issues, laborers within a short span of time can be the biggest challenge.

Grounding: The need for proper grounding of plant and equipment need not be stated. We recommend that the grounding practice includes grounding of each structure and interconnection of the ground pits in order to minimize the ground resistance and avoid differential voltages between the grounds. This will ensure that during a lighting strike the potential raise between components are minimal.

Structures: While most commonly used structures in India are of steel, It is important that they be properly treated and installed for providing a rigid foundation for the modules.

Structural rigidity is important to ensure that 70Â

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These above factors will ensure that we have done a proper simulation and design.

Today, predictability of the plant performance (excluding the weather uncertainties) appear to be the roughest challenge for the industry. We need a coordinated approach form all stake-holders, namely the developers, consultants, EPC constructors and finance institutes. For a solar power project to succeed, a consistent high generation is the key, and this can only be achieved with a stringent focus on quality of implementation. We have witnessed that plants designed and executed along these lines have lived up to the expectations.

The variance observed were mostly on the positive side of the expectation and that brings in smiles on the investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; face..

Operation and maintenance

The chart below gives you the comparison for a typical 10 Mwp Plant built, operated , maintained by Juwi Operation and maintenance requires following parameters to be diligently followed for optimum plant performance: a) Routine Maintenance: Daily Routine check-up of Major equipment b) Monitoring services for PV plant c) Preventive Maintenance of plant d) Trouble shooting, faulty equipment/ component replacement, documentation, coordination e) Daily /Monthly / Yearly reporting of plant performance f)

Ensuring Availability Guarantee for the plant

g) Maintaining / Ensuring PR Guarantee for plants built by juwi h) Coordinating with utility personnel for compliance to the required policies i)

Module cleaning of the plant and vegetation

In conclusion Solar PV plants deliver on Choice of components for particular geography, application, Design, Engineering, Execution in Quality We at Juwi have achieved this with support from experts in Germany and solar PV experts trained on Grid connect systems in India who are currently part of the excellent team that we have built up as Green energy contributors in the organization

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SO L A R ENERGY

SUNGEN Delivered 26MWp Of Silicon Thin Film Panel To India SUNGEn International Ltd

S

UNGEN is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin film solar panel. It employs ANWELL’s proprietary solar panel production technologies with a current production capacity of 150MW and will be increased to 1GW by 2014.

In 2011, SUNGEN received orders to supply its a-Si thin film panel for two solar farm projects in India, with total capacity of 26MWp. The two solar farms are located in Gujarat. The total 26MWp panels were a llinstalled and the solar farms were in operation since Q1 of 2012.

Mount® pre-mounted solution. With this the installation cost for roof top application can be further reduced as the mounting is built in to the module hence no need for separate mounting system.

By 2013, SUNGEN will offer tandem modules with a-Si as a top cell and µc-Si as a bottom cell which can produce up to 160W per module. The a-Si top cell converts the visible lights into electricity while the bottom cell converts the infra red component of the solar spectrum into electricity.

Sungen Plans to Introduce in 2013 its Super High Efficient (>=18%) Modules

series MonoMax®in the market. The 18% conversion efficiency will allow higher installation capacity in a limited area.

All SUNGEN solar panels are produced under strictly-controlled procedures to ensure the highest level of quality, and full compliance with the international standards.

SUNGEN solar panels are certified according to the EN/IEC61646, EN/IEC61215, EN/IEC61730 and UL 1703 standards through TÜV Rheinland, TÜV InterCert and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. This guarantees the safety, performance and durability of each SUNGEN panel.

In February 2012, SUNGEN made its first foray into the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) niche. It signed a deal for the construction of an 11MW solar power plant in Thailand. The construction is completed in Oct 2012 as informed by Mr Stanley So, VP of Sales from SUNGEN. Mr Mukul Verdia, Country Head of India from SUNGEN Informed that In Q3 2012, SUNGEN launched its low voltage a-Si module which has open-circuit voltage dropped to 38V. It allows >20 modules to be connected in 1 string and reduces the cost of system components. He also informed that Sungen has launched the new designed EC-

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Impact Of Viability Gap Funding For Projects Under Phase Two Of The National Solar Mission Jasmeet Khurana Market Intelligence Consultant, BRIDGE TO INDIA

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or phase one of the NSM, the concept of bundling was used to provide a preferential tariff based off-take to the participating solar power project developers. Under this concept, the government would buy high cost solar power from the generators through the state-owned power trading company, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) and bundle it with unallocated, low cost conventional power available with the state-owned power generator NTPC at a ratio of 1:4.

There is only a limited amount of unallocated power in India and most state governments seek a part of this for their respective states. This leaves little or no room for the NSM to continue with the concept of bundling solar power. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has requested the Ministry of Power for the continued availability of unallocated power for the first batch of 1GW allocation (to be allocated in 2013) under phase two of the NSM (20132017). Due to the limited availability, the 72

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Ministry of Power is unwilling to provide this. Even if unallocated power is made available for the first batch of allocations under the upcoming phase two of the NSM, there is just not enough unallocated power in India for the NSM to meet its long term objectives through the bundling of power. As a result, the MNRE is currently discussing two alternatives: A generation-based incentive (GBI) and viability gap funding (VGF).

GBI, as a mechanism, has been implemented earlier for allocations under the Rooftop PV & Small Solar Power Generation Programme (RPSSGP) with a total capacity of 98.05MW. Under the scheme, a project enters into a PPA with the distribution utility of the state in which it is located. This PPA provides a standard tariff as determined by the concerned SERC. In addition, the project receives a generation based incentive (GBI) for 25 years from the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). The GBI is the difference between the solar tariff decided by the

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) at the time of the project allocation and the tariff offered by the distribution utility. However, according to Dr. Ashvini Kumar, Director, MNRE, “various discussions have been held at the MNRE pertaining to the selection of a mechanism for allocations and the GBI mechanism has not come out as a viable option for projects under phase two of the NSM“. The GBI would require monthly disbursements and payment security to all projects for the entirety of a PPA, usually 25 years. The NSM aims to avoid such a static, long-term arrangement and prefers for a more market-driven process.

The VGF, on the other hand, has not yet been used for solar projects in India. It has however been used for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects like roads, large conventional power plants, ports, railways and airports. Projects that have high economic value for the country but where the returns may not be adequate for a financial investor, qualify for VGF. On a stand-alone basis,

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these projects are unlikely to get private investment. In such cases, the government can pitch in and meet a portion of the cost, making the project viable for a financial investor. In India, VGF is typically provided in competitively bid projects. The MNRE plans to bring in VGF for solar projects under the NSM. VGF for these projects will be provided by utilizing the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF). The newly incorporated Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is likely to be appointed to oversee the process and carry out the disbursements.

Impact on allocation procedure So far, the bidding mechanism was based on a discount on an initial tariff set by the CERC. Now, under the new mechanism, developers would be asked to submit their bid for minimum capital funding required per MW for them to make their project viable.

Under the new bidding process, developers would have to account for two key variables: the maximum price at which power can be sold in the market and based on that, the minimum capital funding required for the developer to sell the power at that price.

Power produced by the projects under the NSM could now be bought directly by any obligated entity to meet its RPO requirements. The most obvious option for developers would be to sell power to state distribution companies (DISCOMS) that have to fulfill their RPO requirements. Project developers can also sell to other obligated entities like the thermal captive power consumers and Open Access consumers.

Another interesting avenue for sale of power from these projects would be to commercial and industrial consumers that already pay high tariffs in many parts of the country.

Commercial tariffs for consumers in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are either as high as or higher than INR 7.00/kWh. Developers like Kiran Energy are already looking to sell solar power to industrial and commercial consumers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

To set up the new bidding process, the MNRE will assume a capital cost of setting up the projects. A nominal price will also be assumed at which developers will be able to sell power to obligated entities or other consumers. Based on this, a maximum figure for VGF will be determined and project developers will be asked to give a discount on the funding they require to make their project 74Â

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financially viable. As an example, the MNRE may determine that the capital cost to set up a solar power plant is INR 87m per MWp. It may assume that a developer would be able to sell power to an obligated entity or any other power consumer at INR 5/kWh. Based on other parameters like Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) and the applicable taxation rules, the MNRE may determine that the maximum VGF that can be provided is INR 25m per MWp. To be able to be competitive at this bidding process, project developers will need to first find an obligated entity or power consumer that will buy power at the highest price possible and then bid for the minimum required VGF needed.

Impact on the performance of plants Under the tariff-based reverse bidding mechanism, the revenue from the project has been directly linked to power production and to some extent accelerated depreciation.

With the VGF, a large part of the incoming cash flow for the project will be through the initial funds provided by the government. In addition, developers will still be able to avail accelerated depreciation. Both these cash inflows will be accrued at the beginning of the project. This will cause the ratio of the share of revenue that is directly linked to plant performance to fall. In such a scenario, project developers might look to set up the project, avail the benefits and then try to sell the project to another investor. It will open the room for project developers to be less concerned about the plant life. This may lead to project developers using substandard equipment without bothering about the equipmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance in the long run. If long term performance of the plants is dis-incentivized, it will lead to setting up of sub-standard projects and set a bad precedent for solar in India. This will lead to lower levels of adoption of solar power outside of policy based allocations. To avoid such a scenario, the MNRE may place a limit on the minimum number of years for which the developers have to maintain a majority equity stake and may include a multi-stage disbursement process of the VGF amount. As an example, the MNRE may disburse half the amount of the VGF at the beginning and the remaining half a year after the commissioning of the plant. It may introduce some checks for execution and performance standards to disburse the second half of the payment.

At the moment it is unclear how the MNRE intends to address this issue.

Impact on bankability The NVVN will no longer be the offtaker for the projects and payment security will be a key concern for project developers as well as the financing institution. All project developers will have different off-takers and banks will need to perform a credit due diligence for each kind of off-taker. Most of the power distribution companies in India make losses. This will be a major source of concern for banks that will often prefer to stay away from such exposure. It will also be difficult to assess the bankability of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a private power consumer. One way to reduce these risks is to create a portfolio of off-takers that a plant sells to. Just as the banks were getting accustomed to reverse bidding for tariff determination of solar projects and the bankability of NVVN as a PPA signatory, assessment of different types of PPAs and off-takes will be a significant challenge for the financing of projects.

Impact on timelines Developers are expected to face a time crunch if the VGF were implemented in batch one of phase two of the NSM. The announcement of the guidelines has been postponed by a few months (refer to the policy section to read more). To do things right, developers will also need to find an off-take for the sale of power before they go into bidding. If the bids have to take place before April 2013, developers may want to start planning for the VGF even before the guidelines are out.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jasmeet Khurana - Market Intelligence Consultant, BRIDGE TO INDIA Jasmeet Khurana is part of the Market Intelligence team at BRIDGE TO INDIA. He is responsible for research and analysis on projects in the Indian solar market.

His expertise lies in project performance benchmarking, analysis of success factors for module sales, financing and bankability of projects in India. Jasmeet is from an engineering background and has obtained a certification in photovoltaics from the Stanford University. For further questions, Jasmeet can be reached at jasmeet.khurana@ bridgetoindia.com or +91 11 4608 1579

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Interview With Sridhar Murthy S. L. Managing Director AEG Power Solutions India (Private) Ltd EQ : How many MW’s of Solar Inverters have been supplied by your co in India and how does the future look like.

SM : We have already installed and commissioned about 42 MW in India since we began our manufacturing operations in Bangalore, in Oct 2011. In the long run, the future for the solar Industry in India looks very bright.

EQ : Please enlighten our readers on the debate of “Central vs.

String Inverters Design” Which concept is best suited for India and why?

SM : While the string inverters can be used in both KW & MW applications, the central inverters suited for MW scale.

However, each of these have their own merits and demerits in MW applications. Depending on the customer requirements, the location, budget, a suitable decision can be taken at the time of the project.

EQ : Please tell us in detail about your company (Company structure, Sales, Employees, Products & Solutions etc…)

SM : AEG (AllgemeineElektricitätzGesellschaft) was founded in 1887 by Prof Emil Rathenau, a German Physicist as a direct competitor of the US based General Electric Company but soon diversified into pioneering work on AC transmission systems.

AEG expanded rapidly always leading the world in innovation and delivering solutions to the particular technological challenges of the time. In 1947, AEG Power Solutions established itself a new as a leader in the technological fields of power interfaces to the electrical grid, where it continues to excel 76

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to this day.

From the introduction of the world’s first single-phase and three-phase thyristor AC converters during the 1960s through the launch of the revolutionary Protect family of modular, redundant and scalable rectifier systems for industrial applications, AEG Power Solutions engineers have consistently brought innovative power solutions to market.

AEG Power Solutions activities consist of two complementary operating segments: Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) and Energy Efficiency Solutions. (EES), bridging both AC and DC power technologies and spanning the worlds of both conventional and renewable energy.

With 20 field service centres and over 50 qualified expert partners, AEG Power Solutions provides a full range of service and support options to customers worldwide.

The company’s vaunted experience and engineering expertise enable customers to benefit from a complete service portfolio covering all project phases - from consulting and system design to applications and support. Strategically positioned across the globe, AEG Power Solutions Field Service Engineers provide installation, commissioning and maintenance services, ensuring lifetime support of the entire system solution for the customer - directly from the manufacturer.

In the Indian market, AEG PS presents its 250, 500 & 630 kW central inverters for the MW power plants.

EQ : What are the other products and solutions for Solar pv plant provided by your co and what are its technological features.

SM : AEG Power Solutions is capable of

providing a turnkey solution for solar power plant in converting the power generated by the solar panels to energy that can be fed to the grid and also measuring and monitoring the power plant at various stages such as string level, inverter level and at the output level. It also has a remote monitoring feature which is very useful for the developer to monitor the plant performance from a distance.

EQ :Kindly enlighten us on the ongoing R&D within the company and the way forward for its technology, products and services.

SM : We have a targeted R&D process, focused on product development, where the risk of failure has to be virtually zero.”This carefully targeted, highly efficient R&D approach helps explain how the company has managed to introduce so many new products and product families in recent years with comparatively modest R&D spending. Today, R&D teams are working on a large amount of projects, ranging from straightforward product transfers and modifications to cost reduction efforts, platform enhancements and finally new product developments.

The biggest R&D challenge facing the company is optimizing the time to market of new products in a very competitive environment especially in Solar& Data / IT. AEG Power Solutions has successfully met such challenges in the recent past. The fruits of our R&D efforts will become even more visible later this year, with releases of our

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new central inverters. In general, our R&D strategy is focused on building up multiple used, best in class technology platforms allowing a quick development of products in the vertical markets AEG Power Solutions has and further increasing the application spectrum in new areas like smart grid and renewable integration. This continuous growth support is only possible with a strong technical team using streamlined processes aimed at a targeted design process with short development times, competitive product costs and 100 % specification compliance.

EQ: Whats your view on the Indian Policy Framework and one piece of advice you would like to give to the government SM : In general, India’s policy framework is encouraging in terms of the development of renewable sources of energy by the use fincentrives by the Federal & State governments. The Government of India has set some ambitious targets for development of solar energy in India.

However, the subsidies needs to be enforced for all the local manufacturers so that the products manufactured locallyare competitive. The companies such as ourselves which are trying to bring the state-of-theart technology on par with global players need to be supported and incentivized by the Government.

Mr. Murthy, is responsible for the overall planning and operations of the company in India.

Mr. Murthy’s varied experience in the field of Power Electronics, has endowed him with deep insights and expertise on the sector.

Mr. Murthy’s AEG association dates back to 1983 when he was employed as a Senior Engineer (R&D) with NGEF limited, an

EQ :What is your advice to a Project Developer in India while choosing the your products for its Solar PV Plant

established semi government company based

SM : The developers should be aware of the longevity of these infrastructure projects and ensure that they don’t ignore the quality of the products that are selected as they should last long/reliable.Saving initial costs by compromising on quality work will be a cost them more later. The developer should be convinced that he is going with a reliable partner who, with his proven products is going to support him in the long run.

Since then he has held a number of leadership

at Bangalore, India collaborating with AEG Germany in manufacturing & marketing of electrical drives, transformer, motors, etc. roles with several companies such as TVS Electronics Ltd, Tata BP Solar India Pvt. Ltd, Tyco Electronics Power Systems (Singapore) to name a few.

Mr. Sridhar Murthy S.L. holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Australia and a Bachelors degree in Electronics form Bangalore University, India.

SO L A R ENERGY

Solar Mw Power PlantsPerformance Expectations K Subramanya - Solar expert and independent consultant Formerly CEO Tata BP Solar Joint Venture

I

ndia is facing acute power deficit and particularly at the 11KV side.

The deficit estimated to be 9% is likely to continue.The accumulated losses of state discoms amounted to Rs 88,000 crores in 2012-13and the PM has recently announced slew of measures to restructure the loans,introduce performance incentives etc which has widely been welcomed.Grid indiscipline resulted in massive blackouts in August in North india.

KPMG has forecasted,in its recent report that solar will achieve conventional grid parity by 2017.This is a very welcome development.Of-course,solar prices can only go down and conventional electricity prices can only go up given the current coal and oil market dynamics.During 2012 alone,distribution companies across India have raised tariffs from 5 to 15%.

Solar scenario Sentiments across the solar industry are not indicative of solar’s BRIGHT FUTURE. Solar is in the midst of a shake out and the industry is vibrant and fast evolving.

Uncompetitive and non serious players are fading out of the market.Over supply is here to stay through 2013.It is time to capitalize on growth,pursue cost competitive high efficiency technologies and adopt right business models.We need massve new investments for scaling up and taking on 78

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

global competition.

Lux Research says,solar demand is moving from few high volume markets(like Germany) to many small-volume markets(As ia,Africa,ME,NAmerica).and that VC backed start-ups are faring well in India.

KPMG rightly opines in its report,India can leapfrog the energy technology space.

The solar opportunity presents potential disruptive change in our energy scenario.

Solar can make meaningful and substantive contribution to ourenergy scene by end of the decade.Policy makers definitely need to take serious note.

JNNSM The JNNSM(plus Gujarat intiative) have ,in the words of KPMG,sown the seeds and investments in capacity building,the ‘green shoots’ need nurturing.Else opportunities will be lost and natural resources wasted.

GOI and MNRE should keep momentum going by providing policy clarity,market clarity,announce Phase2 quickly,address regulatory issues and open private markets.

Rooftop solar is expected to be a game changer with right policies and support

URGENT FOCUS We must remind ourselves that Bharat

Nirman promised one unit of electricity to every household by 2012! It has remained a promise.We need a mindset change which looks upon development and wealth from a broader perspective than GDP alone.We have always chased Big projects and Big budgets.

Solar provides an alternative to be pursued for the good of India.

We need proactive steps towards meeting emerging compliance requirements like PAT and RPO. Focussed attention required on building knowledge and technology base,innovative finance mechanism providing risk cover to entrepreneurs against FE vagaries,strengthening institutional and policy framework,setting up exclusive solar manufacturing and investment zones.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS Having said as above,it is time to critically evaluate performance of solar power plants commissioned in recent months.Because we are building energy infrastructure claiming the arrival of solar into the centre stage displacing carbon mitigating energy supply gaps, it is important and absolutely essential that these solar power plants perform well as promised.For the lending community to provide unequivocal support,seamless flow of solar electricity to the grid is vital.public support can enhance investors confidence.

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More success stories will attract more investments,a win-win situation.

The objective of a solar developer is:most energy production at the lowest cost with least risk.

The LCOE is the key.Product and project bankability is taken for granted.

Given that most solar projects in India are so far financed on recourse basis and that we want this to changeperformance of the plants in Gujarat,rajasthan and across India have to demonstrate CUF as committed to banks,no second opinion on this.

-

-

Inverter choices suboptimally made to save costs and thereby subjecting the equipment to operational limits often.

The semiconductors used are likely to develop fatigue with frequent stretch.

Cabling quality and laying suspect raising integrity and safety spectre

-

Undetected and undocumented downtimes.No analysis and learning

-

Installation and design problems resulting in shadowing of solar strings.

-

Inefficient service response

-

Poor documentation of performance data for PV plant valuation of banks

WORRYING FACTORS

-

What are the worrying factors that are staring at the face?

Insufficient investment in performance monitoring mechanism

-

Frugal Engineering stretched to absurd limits.Novices handling sophisticated equipments without training.

These could be one or many of the following: -

Faulty radiation data adoption while designing

-

Dubious Insurance coverage

MNRE has now installed nearly 50nos radiation monitoring stations and has plans to set up 60nos more.This should address the issue of reliable radiation data.

Why should we monitor the powerplant performance,because; -

to minimise downtime

-

to maximise energy yields

-

to protect investment

Lost power production can never be recovered.

CONCLUSIONS Very soon we will discover the performers and non-performers.The future policy framework should encourage and support performers and induct more performers into the Bandwagon.

Solar should succeed.that alone will bring prosperity to the solar investors.solar will enable inclusive growth and herald new life and freshness in homes and villages that have so far missed the energy revolution!

SO L A R ENERGY

Interview With Thomas Wittek Managing Director, Refu Solar Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

EQ : Please enlighten us on the history of your group and Indian company.

TW : REFUsol India is a subsidiary of REFUsol GmbH and a part of PRETTL group. We have been producing high-quality inverters in Germany for more than 47 years.

Since 1997 we have focused our attention on the development, manufacturing and distribution of efficient photovoltaic inverters.

We started the Indian operations in 2010.

REFUsol operates around the globe: with staff in Germany and Europe, subsidiaries in the U.S., India, China and South Korea and many national sales and service partners, with the goal to support our customers with our expertise and our products in all major PV markets around the world.

We belong to well diversified PRETTL group operating in business areas such as Automotive, Electronics, Home Appliances and Energy. The group has employed more than 7000 employees with strong presence worldwide in 20 plus countries.

EQ: What is your focus in India as leading global PV inverter manufacturer?

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TW : Reliability is what it pays you back. Our core intention is to provide highest quality PV inverters in economic prices in India and the other cost sensitive markets.

We are innovative and creative company in the field of PV technology. Since last five years we have been recognized as global innovation leader in the field of PV inverter sector, we would certainly like to enhance our reputation further in India.

are contributing to our part in the market development with necessary efforts.

EQ: How do you perceive Indian PV market future?

TW : I think grid parity is important milestone of the Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PV market development strategy. After attainment of grid parity,installation for multi-megawatt plants would shoot-up in multifold. It shall also build a confidence to reduce the cost of other PV systems such as off-grid and hybrid technologies further.

TW : Well, as far as we are talking about PV market transformation in India, efforts from Indian regulatory authorities and other key industry stakeholders are quite visible.

I personally believe that India is a sound market for solar PV and other clean-tech energy segments; however more timely efforts from regulatory authorities are essential to stimulate the PV market development beyond the targeted projections as acknowledged in the National Solar Mission.Similarly; the whole administrative procedure should be made simpler and faster so as to follow the plant commissioning deadlines.

Of course as equipment manufacturer we

EQ: What are your thoughts on grid parity and its implications on the further development of PV sectors?Do you perceive any risk in the free-fall in Feed in tariff seen in the last bidding process of National solar mission?

It is quite clear that maximum domestic content in the project configuration supported by manufacturing scale-up is a key to reduce the project CapEx for the PV power projects; eventually lowering levelised cost of energy.

Yes, India is very close to achieving the grid parity for solar projects; however it was

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intended to be achieved by year 2022 as per the mission document. Yet it is difficult to forecast exactly how far we are from the grid parity for solar projects. It all depends on how regulatory forces keeps this market place attractive for investments and create huge demand through tools such as development incentives and purchase obligations. On the other hand; reverse bidding process in project allocations should also push the market towards achieving lower project CapEx and early attainment of grid parity.

Yes we have seen aggressive bidding for project allocations in last season. But in principle it is not all about just winning the project, one must ensure the lenders perception from financial closure of the project which is very much associated with the project completion risk.

EQ: How at micro level you think your efforts would help PV market growth in India? Please brief us on your key strategies in balancing quality and affordability for the product?

TW : There are several strategies we are working upon; we have now a fully functional R & D facility inplace, which is working on new and cost-effective product development for the customers whereas quality and innovation remains our main focus.

Additionally; we are in a process of setting up our first string inverter manufacturing facility in India. Local manufacturing,economy of scale and volume production shall support us significantly to reduce the overall cost of the product in nearer future.

very same market environment. Now after establishing R&D facility we are better placed to understand the specific requirement of the Indian and similar markets. We are experiencing our efforts are showing up positive results for us and thus in turn provided us a competitive edge over the other player of the industry.

Currently we are setting up a state of the art manufacturing facility in Pune India. Our target is to set a manufacturing capacity up to 400MW / annum. This is all in one string inverter facility which shall manufacture inverters in different individual capacities;starting from 8K to 23K.This manufacturing unit shall also facilitate final testing of the product enabling product ready for the dispatch to our customer. Our string inverter facility will be fully functional by January 2013.

REFUsol will invest up to INR 40 Cr in these areas as an initial investment portfolio.

EQ: What are the resources in terms of manpower for sales, O&M and other aspects developed and present in the Indian market?

TW : REFUsol India’s present strength is of 30 plus employees who are working on sales, service applications, operations and others. We are projecting to employ around 80 employees in total by end of the next year.

We are operating from HQ in Pune and have sales offices in Delhi, Mumbai,

EQ: Please provide us more details about REFUsol’s existing R&D facility and manufacturing setup.

Also enlighten us from the R&D budget and other investments done in India?

TW : R&D India is one of the ‘Global R&D center’ of REFUsol. It works with core focus on “promoting the energy transformation and make solar energy economical and affordable worldwide”.

We at REFUsol believe that the right product for a particular market can only be developed in a

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Hyderabad and Pune with projected sales and service centers in Gujarat (Ahmedabad) and Karnataka (Bangalore). We also offer extensive pre-sales technical support to our clients with well-placed application team.

Fully functional aftersales service team offers commissioning,repair and maintenance support along with required O&M training to client staff.

EQ : Please comment on changing trends in PV sector worldwide?

TW : Following changes have been observed so far which will create significantly impact on the future standard practices in the field of PV installation and operations.

•

Focus on balance optimization

of

system

•

Acceptance of string inverters in large PV plants

•

Utilization of outdoor central inverters in the plant

•

Integration of grid code compliance and high-tech communication options for plant monitoring and remote control of the plant operations

These trends signs changing market dynamics for PV segment. Almost all the REFU products complement the positive perception of the PV market.

EQ: Please comment on the REFUsol product line and what are your views about your existing product line?

TW : REFUsol is supplier of high-end technology products in the field of solar PV sector, especially supply of grid-tie inverters along with the other balance of system components. Our product range comprises string and central inverters with power outputs ranging from 3.6 kW to 1.3 MW. All our inverters are complied with the requirements of German grid codes and also adaptable to the requirements of other grid codes as well.

Our string inverters are one of the best inverters in the world; with highest efficiency of 98.7% we are offering sting inverters in different power capacities.

We also provide innovative products in central inverters; we have developed world’s first 1500V DC outdoor central inverter REFUsol 333K. Because of our innovative talent and innovation EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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embracing attitude in a product development REFUsol is named one of the top 100 most innovative medium-sized companies for the second time in a row. Moreover, we are sure thatthe concepts we have developed are revolutionary and will certainly change the PV market trend sooner or the later.

EQ: Please tell us about REFUsol’s immense popularity in such short period of time span since inception of the company globally and of course in India.

TW : We believe in delivering quality, performance and value to the customer through our products. Our focus in product development has always tied up with cost reduction of the product with innovation. We ensure our development efforts are always directed towards keeping high benefit to cost ratio for entire system; we see our product as the integral part of the system. Balance of system optimization approach is one of the method we do target while product development besides other technical aspects.

I am sure the rest remains to persuading the customer on the real overall benefits that can be gained through utilization REFUsol products.

Our customers are satisfied with the performance and reliability of the product.

Users of REFUsol products have witness immediate benefits in terms of reduced overall system cost and increased energy harvest per KW installed.

EQ: Please provide us the details of award winning products and other achievements?

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TW : Our products have won several awards for their excellence in performance.

•

Recently our new product REFUsol 20K-SCI product based on the silicon carbide technology has won the ‘Plus X Award’. This innovation prize is awarded for the products from the fields of technology, sports, and lifestyle honors for the quality advantage.

It should be ensured that the proven technologies also fulfills the all these expectations.

We have also been awarded the seal of quality “Top 100” for its inventive talent and innovation fostering culture for year 2011/12. It is awarded to the companies whose structure ensures that they can constantly deliver innovation.

Not to mention our sting inverter REFUsol 17K and REFUsol 13K has is always been in top three products assessed

by Photon lab since 2010.

EQ: Piece of advice to the developers while Inverter technology selection?

TW : I believe developers irrespective of their experience in the field of PV assignments should focus on following points before selecting the required technology.

•

Selected technology should best fit the plant requirements;

•

Should be reliable and easy to handle, install, operate and maintain;

•

Should have longest life and deliver highest performance levels;

•

Utilization of the technology should prove profitable in terms of reduction in balance of system required for the plant;

Should have lower overall cost, however it should not pose performance risk over the long run;

EQ: What are your views about competitive scenario and increasing number of competitors worldwide?

TW : Solar is emerging as a promising business sector worldwide. It is naturally attracting competition in all the sectors of solar value chain. At present the solar PV market is dominated by very few players; however things might change slightly since many big players form versatile industries are entering into the PV inverter sector.

We cannot deny the possibilities of some consolidations in the field of PV inverter manufacturing sector and some players may go out. We all have witnessed this happening with PV module manufacturers in last couple of years worldwide.

We have significant presence in all the important markets in the world; as far as long term completive scenario is concerned we are well placed to cater the right product to the market just in right time.

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SO L A R ENERGY

ARRAY YARD OF 100kWp SPV POWER PLANT AT ONE OF THE LOCATIONS IN MZU CAMPUS

ARRAY YARD OF 100kWp SPV POWER PLANT ON AN ENCLINED SURFACE AT ONE OF THE LOCATIONS IN MZU CAMPUS

Case Study of Installation of 7 Nos. Solar Power Plants at Mizoram University Campus in Aizwal, Mizoram Dr. Kanak Mukhopadhyay - Managing Director Agni Power and Electronics Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata

This article shares the experience of installation of a chain of 100kWp Solar PV Plants in a NorthEastern state for providing power to various faculty buildings & a girls’ hostel in a University Campus.

The execution of a project of this magnitude in such location threw various types of challenges in terms of terrain topography, logistical constraints like transportation, availability of local skilled manpower during construction along with weather unpredictability.

L

aunching of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in Jan 2010 by Govt. of India alongwith MNRE’s pragmatic policy measures for enlarging the scope for implementation in various areas of Renewable Energy through larger participation of various stake holders, including Channel Partners etc has gone a long way in enhancing better & wider usage of solar energy. The Channel partners were selected by evaluation through independent rating agencies like CRISIL, EKRA etc.

For speedier implementation of Solar PV Systems, the Channel Partners were empowered to receive SUBSIDY directly from MNRE by following the guidelines set

by MNRE, Govt. of India for grant of subsidy and implementation criterion for Projects.

Agni Power & Electronics Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata is one of the first few companies who were accredited as MNRE Chanel Partner for design, supply, installation and commissioning of Solar PV power plants in Off-Grid mode anywhere India. Our company approached the customers in different region of India, including the authorities of the University of Mizoram (MZU) for

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powering their entire University with Solar PV Power Plants. MZU, being a young and modern University established to cater higher education demand of entire North East took a very pragmatic approach towards our proposal and allowed us to study the energy needs, load patterns and status of the available power scenario in the campus. The campus is situated on Hill top and different departments and buildings are scattered on a total area of about 1000 acres. We studied the power requirement and load profiles and accordingly submitted a DPR covering initial design of SPV power plants and their possible locations for Installation. After thorough examination of our proposal and series of technical meeting between Agni and MZU , it was decided by MZU that in the first phase, about 7x 100 kWp projects are to be undertaken to power six university departments and one girls’ hostel. The remaining buildings and hostels may be taken up in later stage.

Accordingly, we submitted the final techno-commercial proposal to MNRE along with the request of subsidy grant for the MZU on 20 Nov. 2011 and the project was

sanctioned on 16 Dec. 2011. The completion of the entire project was envisaged by July, 2012.

Scope: Design, Supply, Installation, Commissioning of 7 Nos. 100kWp SPV Power Plants in the following buildings in MZU Campus in Aizawl.

1. Central Library 2. Girls’ Hostel - 2 Blocks 3. Administrative Building 4. Information Technology Block 5. Department of Earth Science 6. School of Life Sciences 7. School of Physical Science Latitude : 23°43’38” (N) Longitude: 92°43’3.5’’(E)

Project Implementation: • After receiving the sanction on 19 Dec., 2012, we finalized the layout a n d design of all seven plants. In all the seven sites, special attention was

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given to array design to fit the topography of the site as the terrain is hilly and full of uneven slopes and shadows. Accordingly, separate special structural design were adopted to fit the topography of each place of installation, in addition to cutting & trimming of minimum vegetation/small bushes etc and leveling of ground, construction of special civil foundations with variable dimensions to suit module installation on structures, keeping the aesthetics of the Array field intact. In one site i.e. in Administrative building, we have used the parking lot and have made the array structure in such a way that the modules are acting as roof of the car parking space.

•

•

Supply of Materials & transport logistics - As the project envisaged stage wise I&C activities, it was a huge task to arrange sequential supply of materials to match the progress of site installation schedule.

The transportation of materials to site from Kolkata involved its passage through three NE states. Some of these states are facing periodic civil disturbances, which often dislocates the supply chain mid way. Moreover, the worst road condition often delays the transportation so the planning/ schedule gets upset. We are pleased to inform that in spite of facing the above onerous conditions we have completed six nos. 100 kWp SPV Power plants out of seven nos. 100 kWp Power plant between April, 2012 to July, 2012. The transportation of materials for the last Power plants were held up due to washing away of the roads in some of NE highways on account of heavy rain/flood during June, 2012. However, the materials are now being transported to the site and I&C work is in progress and expected to be completed by middle of Oct., 2012.

The necessary Project extension has been obtained from MNRE.

The project completion was slightly delayed due to excessive rains and flooding in the region during the rainy season. After overcoming all types of obstacles, the project completion was successfully achieved in September, 2012. This marked a milestone for successful implementation of a solar PV project of this magnitude in North-Eastern Region for the first time.

Mizoram for reposing their confidence for successfully implementing their dreams into reality by awarding the contract to us. We also place on records our deep appreciation to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Govt. of India for approving our technical proposal and in for granting of subsidy under JNNSM programme for the above project.

For each 100 kWp SPV Power plant, Bill of Material included following items:

Item

Quantity

Units

Make

Solar PV Module ( 295Wp Each)

340

Nos.

HHV, Bangalore/WEBSOL

Hot Dip Galvanized 10 Module

34

sets

AGNI

Series junction Box

34

Nos.

AGNI

Array Juction Box

6

Nos.

AGNI

AC & DC Distribution Box

1

No.

AGNI

100 KVA Three Phase Power

1

No.

Optimal/DB

2V, 800 Ah Tubular Battery

240

No.

AGNI

Lighting Arrestor

5

Nos.

Reputed

Pipe earthing

20

Nos.

Reputed

Other BOS like Cable, Harware etc.

1

set

Reputed

Mounting Structure

Conditioning Unit

• Acknowledgments:Agni Power and Electronics would like to thank Mizoram University, Aizawl,

CONTROL ROOM HOUSING POWER CONDITIONING UNIT, CONTROL PANELS AND BATTERY BANK OF A 100kWp SPV POWER PLANT IN MZU CAMPUS

Technical Design & Schematics Diagram :

The schematic of the electrical configuration of the Array Field is as under:

• Conclusion:-

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SO L A R ENERGY

Interview with Pashupathy Gopalan

Managing Director, SunEdison South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa Operations EQ: Please enlighten us about the SunEdison Group globally and in India PG : SunEdison is a division of MEMC

•

53MW+ commissioned in India in various states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, UP, TN, etc.

•

1MW power plant on Narmada Canal, Gujarat, India – First of its kind in the world

Electronic Materials Inc., a 50 year old company which is a leader in polysilicon and silicon manufacturing, and is considered

•

as one of the top 3 global leaders in the solar energy space. SunEdison is a pioneer and global leader in solar power systems innovation.

•

Key highlights about SunEdison: •

820 solar power plants under management worldwide

•

•

Over 880 MW of solar energy capacity commissioned in more than 21 countries

•

Built one of the world’s largest solar

•

power plant of 72 MW in Italy in 9 months •

Raised over US$3.5 bn in project finance; stellar reputation among global lenders

•

Leaders in remote monitoring solutions and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) for solar power plants In a short span of 2.5 years in India, we

have become the largest solar developer in the country with most no. of MWs deployed on ground. Below are our select achievements in India: 86

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

•

2.5MW (spread over 80 roofs) under construction in Gandhinagar, Gujarat as part of the first rooftop Feed-in Tariff program in India Pioneered the first commercial rooftop PPA in the country – 100kW roof-top power plant commissioned at Standard Chartered Bank, Chennai Deployed 100 kW roof-top power plants at education institutes – Shivalik Public School (Chandigarh) and Punjab Agricultural University (Ludhiana) Implemented a fully isolated microgrid based rural electrification project in Meerwada bringing light to the lives of 400 villagers Installed Solar Pumps in Pollachi and Anaimalai district of Tamil Nadu

EQ: What are the plants under operation in India, Asia and Africa Region PG : In India, we have installed more than 53 MW across 16 Solar PV plants.

We design, develop, finance and operate both large scale utility projects as well as smaller commercial rooftop plants. In the

region, we have built over 35 MW in Thailand, distributed over 4 grid connected utility scale power plants. We are also developing a 60 MW project in South Africa.

EQ: Which are the other markets in Asia, Africa interesting for SunEdison PG : SunEdison is a global leader in providing solar energy services and we operate in over twenty one countries.

In Asia and Africa, we already have operations and projects in India, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Japan, Philippines and South Africa.

EQ: What were the challenges in securing the finance for your project and who are the bankers & investors behind it.

PG : SunEdison has a stellar reputation among PV lenders worldwide. Globally, we have the experience of raising $3.5 billion finance for solar energy projects.

In India, we are grateful for the support extended by IFC, OPIC, IDFC, L&T Infrastructure Finance, Reliance Capital and State Bank of Mysore for financing our projects.

Compared to other industries, risks in this industry are well defined and there are not many variable factors. Indian developers face the off-taker risk as lenders are hesitant

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to fund projects due to the risk of payment security.

EQ: RPO enforcement is one of the major hindrances in growth of Solar Market in India…Kindly comment PG : Yes. Without RPO enforcement, size of REC market cannot be estimated.

This in turn makes REC based investments very uncertain and hinders business model development.

EQ : DISCOMS running into losses and fact that some private obligated entities (Captive power plants, Open access consumers) getting stay orders from their respective high courts on RPO enforcement…..

Is this a major roadblock…

What’s the solution to this?

PG : It is a tough situation for both DISCOMS and private obligated entities.

Solutions could be: a. DISCOMS enforcing a green Cess on the end consumer for it to be able to meet its RPO. It might hurt the end-consumer in the short term, but over the long term, moving to green energy actually reduces growing electricity costs. b.

Private obligated entities should refrain from obtaining stay orders on solar.

Solar is a technology that’s accessible today! No reason to postpone the investment.

EQ : What is your view on the REC Mechanism?

PG : REC mechanism is a great method to meet RPO requirements and boost the renewable energy industry. Enabling forward contracts on RECs can help make the REC based projects bankable. Ability to see guarantees on cash flows on REC sales is what makes it bankable.

EQ : Recent hike in Diesel Prices and its impact on the Solar Market? What’s the cost comparison of Disesl kWh vs.

Solar Kwh. Where do you see opportunity in this (Regions in India, Class of Consumer) PG : Diesel price hikes are a big challenge for industrial and commercial customers who

rely heavily on diesel based generators to augment grid supplied electricity to battle outages. At the current diesel prices, cost of per unit electricity generated by diesel is around INR 16-17/ kWh, depending on the generator efficiency. Add to this are the procurement, transportation and storage costs, not to mention the added regular hassle.

Solar power is a great alternative for all industries which heavily depend on diesel today. At INR 7-8/ kWh, solar power is available at almost half the price of diesel based power today. We see great opportunity in commercial and industrial markets across India as solar is not only a clean source with almost negligible maintenance requirements from the owner; it is also affordable and leads to cost savings.

Hospitals, schools, petrol bunks in remote areas and diesel based IPPs in villages also will hugely benefit from this. In fact, our pilot diesel abatement project at a petrol bunk for Indian Oil Corporation Limited is running successfully for over a year now and is a testament to the reliability and affordability of this solution.

EQ : Recent Coal Scam, rising Coal costs….How will it impact the Solar Market. When do you Grid parity in India and then what will be the state of solar in India PG : Coal quality is not good in India and we do not want to import it from outside, even the coal coming in from mines that are owned by Indian companies are being taxed – the rates are very expensive here. India also has limited resources for oil. Nuclear plants are being built but that is not enough. So renewable is going to be a significant piece of the pie in India. But the cost has to come down – when I say that I mean it has to be in the INR 4.50 to INR 6.00/kwh. When that happens in the next few years, solar solutions will be installed in more ways than we can imagine. The amount of inbound that we are getting right now is overwhelming, for solar is cheaper than before.

EQ : What is the current state of Solar Rooftop market and what are the major challenges in development of this market in India. What are the missing

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policies, regulations and required infrastructure?

PG : Commercial consumer market definitely has a vast potential for solar rooftop installations in India. As pioneers in making commercial rooftop Solar PV viable, affordable and easily available in other countries in the world, we are very excited by the opportunities to tap this potential in Indian market. With over 300 sunny days in most areas, India is a great market for solar deployment.

We offer rooftop solutions in two models – system sale and energy sale. The common challenges in both models are lack of clear decision making from customers in multitenant buildings, absence of net-metering to avail energy savings and non-availability of REC benefits for captive solar solutions or for evacuation at LT level.

Rooftop Solar PV has a potential to grow up to 10 GW in India if the supporting ecosystem is developed well. Introduction of initiatives like RECs for off-grid markets and net metering can greatly help in developing affordable offerings which would result in substantial savings for the customers. It’ll also ensure energy security and help in effectively battling the energy outage issues.

Time-of-day pricing is another reform that will help make solar a lucrative option for meeting the peak demands. Tax reforms which would enable leasing of roof-top space will also help the market. RPOs for commercial rooftops, reforms like mandatory roof-top area harvesting for solar power for 1 – 2% of building’s consumption will be beneficial in solar power market development.

EQ : Should rooftop grid connected projects be allowed to inject power in Grid and claim REC’s…What’s your view on this?

PG : Large enough roof-top or ground mount projects co-located at the consumption points should definitely be encouraged to inject power in Grid and claim RECs. This will result in lesser losses, effective land use and fewer evacuation problems. One concern could be around ways to ensure that the solar generation meter is not tampered with. This is what needs to be investigated thoroughly.

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SO L A R ENERGY

Superior Performance Of Solar Modules Based On Elkem Solar Silicon (ESS™) Under High Solar Irradiance Conditions J.O.Odden*, T.S. Surendra**, A.V. Sarma***, M. Ramanjaneyulu***, R. Nirudi**, S. Braathen*, T. Ulset* * Elkem Solar, Kristiansand, Norway ** Padmasri DR. B.V. Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT), Hyderabad, India *** Titan Energy Systems Ltd., Hyderabad, India

Superior performance of solar modules based on Elkem Solar Silicon (ESS™) at high solar irradiances has been shown at a test site in Hyderabad, India. Similar results are confirmed at other independent test sites. Lower electrical losses and better temperature coefficients for ESS™-based solar modules are suggested reasons to explain this phenomenon coming from the characteristics of ESS™ cells normally showing lower current (Isc), but higher voltage (Voc), Fill Factor (FF) and improved series resistance (Rs).

T

he Elkem Solar Silicon (ESS™) from Elkem Solar’s metallurgical route is a viable low cost alternative [1] to the conventional polysilicon as a feedstock in the solar industry. The ESS™ process starts by producing the initial raw, or metallurgical grade, silicon from quartz.

This step is the same for all solar silicon production methods. In the ESS™ process this generated metallurgical grade silicon is purified by processes like slag treatment, leaching, and directional solidification. This is different from the Siemens related processes where the metallurgical grade silicon is being transformed to a silicon containing gas before this gas is being decomposed under highly elevated temperatures to deposit polysilicon in so-called bell jar reactors. ESS™ has clear advantages on the environmental side since the energy use needed to produce ESS™ is 75% lower than the same for conventional polysilicon from a state-of-theart Siemens route. Besides the emissions of 88

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

green house gases are also reduced by 75% compared to the best Siemens process case [2]. The rated capacity of Elkem Solar is 7500 MT ESS™ per year.

The ESS™ has been in the market since 2009, and being quite a new alternative to the conventional polysilicon, results obtained at the very end of the value chain (from installed solar PV modules) would be of interest to the prospective customers.

Elkem Solar has therefore put up several test stations around the world containing solar modules based on ESS™ side by side with conventional reference modules based on polysilicon. This article will focus on some results obtained so far from a test station located at the Padmasri Dr. B.V. Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT) near Hyderabad, India.

Detailed background for the Hyderabad test

station project The feedstock delivered by Elkem Solar to this project was cast using 100% ESS™ in a G4-sized ingot by the Japanese producer Silicon Plus. Wafers were taken out from 4 bricks – two side bricks, one centre brick and one corner brick to represent the distribution in a full ingot. For the reference polysilicon material, the exact same ingot grower and furnace was used generating wafers from the exact same bricks as in the ESS™ case.

All bricks are sliced to wafers by the same slicing company before being processed into cells by Q-Cells in one of their industrial cell lines. The average cell efficiencies obtained for the ESS™ cells were 17.05%, and for the polysilicon reference batches 17.12%.

These cells were used to make solar modules at Titan Energy Systems Ltd. in Hyderabad, India. A total of 14 solar modules containing 100% ESS™ cells and the same number of modules containing polysilicon reference

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EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

89

Figure 1. Pictures from the recent opening of the solar module test station at the BVRIT, Hyderabad, India.

cells were generated. The 14 ESS™ modules had a WattPeak (Wp) of 3367 Wp after LID, while the polysilicon reference modules gave 3388 Wp. After production and initial measurements, the solar modules were mounted as a grid connected installation at the BVRIT. Figure 1 show pictures of the installed modules on the rooftop of the University on the opening day of the test station. The performance of the solar modules is closely followed by representatives from both the BVRIT, Titan Energy Systems Ltd. as well as PhD students at the University of Agder near the location of Elkem Solar in Kristiansand, Norway. This research cooperation has been funded by the Research Council of Norway through the INDNOR program.

The modules are monitored continuously generating results on DC production and AC production, solar irradiance (in-plane and horizontal), temperatures (ambient and behind some of the modules) and more.

Additionally, IV-curves are taken on the modules at regular intervals (monthly) together with thermal images to detect eventual hot spots. Some results obtained so far from the test station are presented below.

Similar trends are also seen at other locations containing ESS™ modules side by side with polysilicon reference modules.

Additionally, there are open results on the

Table 1. Cell characteristics (at STC) from the cell processing of 100% ESS™, 60% ESS™, and 100% Polysilicon based silicon wafers .Results based on

Figure 2. Relative differences (watts DC from ESS™ modules/ watts DC from Polysilicon reference) seen as a function of inplane global solar irradiance ranges in Hyderabad, India.

web [3] from a test station in Alice Springs, Australia. This is a project Elkem Solar has no part in, but one set of the Q-Cells modules installed are based on ESS™ feedstock.

Figure 3 shows a similar dependence on solar irradiation for the ESS™ vs polysilicon performance as shown in Fig. 2.

approximately 700-800 wafers from each class. (60% ESS™ means the ingot charge consisted of a blend of 60% ESS™ and 40% polysilicon.)

From Table 1 one can see that ESS™ containing cells have lower current (Isc), higher voltage (Voc), and improved FF

Preliminary results from the solar module test station at BVRIT Figure 2 shows how the relative power generation (hence the Watts ESS™/Watts polysilicon) vary as a function of solar irradiation (in Watts/m2) for the present data from mainly September 2012. Please keep in mind that September is normally part of the rainy season at the location.

The ESS™ solar modules have performed increasingly better than polysilicon modules as a function of solar irradiance for the period studied. In total ESS™ modules have produced 242.38 kWh over the period studied vs the polysilicon modules generating 238.36 kWh. 90

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

Figure 3. Difference (ESS™ - Polysilicon) in relative yields (kWh AC/kWp DC) for solar modules part of the Desert Knowledge Centre installation in Alice Springs, Australia (July 6th to August 12th).

Possible explanations for the results seen In order to explain the results seen, we go back to the cell level and highlight the differences often seen between ESS™ and polysilicon based solar cells. Table 1 shows such a comparison.

compared to the polysilicon. The cell efficiencies are the same, so the lower current for the ESS™ cells is being counterbalanced by the higher voltage and the better FF. This is according to what is often seen when comparing ESS™ cells to polysilicon. The higher fill factor in the ESS™ cells coincides

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Efficiency (%)

Isc

Voc

Fill Factor, FF (%)

100% ESS™

17.35

8.51

0.627

79.15

60% ESS™

17.51

8.57

0.629

78.99

100% Polysilicon

17.43

8.63

0.625

78.46

with a lower (read better) series resistance (Rs). This is important when considering the internal electrical losses in a solar cell. The series resistance dependence on the blend-in ratio of ESS™ is shown in Fig. 4.

A clear linear correlation is seen

Losses in a solar cell can be broadly divided into optical and electrical losses.

The internal losses in power of the solar cell due to electrical (ohmic) resistance can be stated as: Ploss = I2 × Rs

(1)

Calculating relative losses between 100% ESS™ cells and 100% Polysilicon cells using formula (1) shows expected lower losses by more than 8% for ESS™ due to lower current and series resistance.

Figure 4. Series resistance (Rs) as a function of ESS™ content in the cells processed. The ESS™ content in the cells corresponds to This aspect is the blend-in ratio of ESS™ feedstock in the initial ingot casts. increasingly important at high between the series resistance and the content irradiances. Additionally ohmic losses in all of ESS™ in the cell.

the tabs within a module will be lower for ESS™ modules. Yet another benefit is related to a better temperature coefficient often seen on compensated material like ESS™ [4]. These aspects all sum up to prove itself important when considering the exciting better relative performance of ESS™ modules over polysilicon at locations with high solar irradiances, but the research to find out even more about this effect continues.

Acknowledgement We convey our gratitude to the Research Council of Norway for vital funding of the project through the INDNOR program.

The Norwegian partners Elkem Solar and University of Agder thank the Indian dignitaries, CSYS Rao, MD, Titan Energy Systems Ltd. and Mr. K.V. Vishnu Raju, Chairman, SVES for all the efforts and goodwill in putting up the facilities at the BVRIT. Special thanks to Y. Harshavardhana Rao of Titan Energy Systems Ltd. for his highly appreciated and crucial contribution to lead the team for the initialization and commissioning of the project.

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SO L A R ENERGY

Interview with Venu Uppuluri, Managing Director, Santerno India Pvt Ltd A Carraro Group Company EQ : How many MW’s of Solar Inverters have been supplied by your co in India and how does the future look like.

VU : Santerno provided the country 25 MW of solar inverters in the last 12 months, this is a great result and a great premise for the future, our customers are 100% satisfied. Thanks to the increasing number of projects Santerno is negotiating hundreds of MW in India and participating in numerous bids alongside great international players, as it is doing in the major PV markets in the world.

India currently ranks in the international photovoltaic market as one of the most promising, thanks also to the growing demand for energy.

EQ : Please enlighten our readers on the unique technology aspect of these inverters installed in India and its performance.

VU : Santerno applies strong industrial power converters, designed to work 24h/24h and 7 day a week to PV inverters just changing the application software layer and few electro mechanics components in the inverter cabinet. This components are from top Tier-1 suppliers with dealers all over the world because Santerno PV inverter is designed for reliability and for manteinance.

This is the reason why Santerno PV inverters are well known for uptime, we have data from PV plants in spain where we are providing an availability contract with more than 1500 inverters-year we record 99,8% inverter uptime.

Santerno developed its best technologies in partnership with its best customers directly on large PV fields, this is why we are one of the first and unique proprietary webbased remote control and data loggers able 92

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

to store a huge amount of inverter and PV plant data this allows remote diagnostic and easier maintenance operations.

Santerno PV inverters performance are among to the top in the market with respect to efficiency and hard environmental conditions like 50° ambient temperature, deserts dust, high altitude, ice and snow, high humidity or saline soil.

EQ : Please englihten our readers on the debate of “Central vs.

String Inverters Design” Which concept is best suited for India and why VU : Like all emerging markets India is also lead by utility-scale plants, Santerno was one of the first company in the world to propose central inverters for medium and large utility-scale plants. Now all the best EPC just ask for central inverters for large solar parks.

Central inverters give the best inverters and BOS costs as well as the lowest O&M cost during years.

The advantages of multiple MPPT is negligible with respect to the higher number of components subject to possible failures. This means higher failure rates for kW installed and much higher maintenance costs.

Most mature markets like Europe already experienced this, North America , China, Australia and South Africa are following European approach.

Choosing string inverters for medium and large plants India risk to run again the experience curve with 8 years delay instead of leveraging the best design and O&M practices.

EQ : Please tell us in detail about your company VU : Santerno was Founded in Casalfiumanese (near Bologna, Italy) in 1970 as a research lab of a close team of engineers specialising in designing and developing solutions exploiting the most advanced technology in power electronics and industrial automation.

Santerno today designs and manufactures products in a number of fields: static conversion of renewable energies, hybride veihicles drives, mining, energy production, storage, saving and monitoring Headquartered in Italy, it has 2 manufactory plants in Imola and Castel Guelfo (in the surroundings of Bologna), 1 sales office in Milan, 4 manufacturing sites in Italy, USA, and Canada.

Santerno is one of the few inverters manufacturers in Brazil were the company is present since 1998.

In order to offer an excellent and comprehensive service to its customers (in line with the philosophy “local for local”) Santerno has broaden its global presence which can count now on 6 branches (Spain, Russia, USA, Brazil India and China), 2 sales offices in Germany and Canada and a worldwide commercial network of over 40 distributors, who work also as service centres.

The establishment of foreign offices first in Brazil (1998), then in Russia (2004) was crucial to the international growth of Santerno. The real turning point came when

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Santerno joined the Carraro Group, that made Santerno more and more competitive on the global market. The foreign branches have been strengthened, as well as the sales networks in China and India, also through Carraro’s direct branches in those areas.

The first Santerno photovoltaic inverters was installed in North Africa in 1985. Back in 1994, the company has established itself as a leader in utility-scale inverter installing its inverters in a 3MW plant in Serre, southern Italy , which was for four years the largest photovoltaic plant in the world.

Growth was continued year after year and Santerno inverters have been established in most of the largest photovoltaic plant in Spain and Italy as Fuente Alamo 26 MW in 2008 and Ravenna 124 MW in 2011, up to the plant of Shigatse in Tibet: 10 MW m 3895 meters above sea level, the largest photovoltaic system installed at that height.

Between 2011 and 2012 Santerno has once again confirmed its international leadership installing 25 MW in India, winning the supply of inverters for the largest and first of its kind facility in South Africa, Kathu 82 MW and 155 MW plant in ‘Imperial Valley in California.

EQ: What are the other products and solutions for Solar pv plant provided by your co and what are its technological features.

VU : Santerno provides smart string boxes with DC switch and current monitoring, Santerno has patented anti-theft system that is in operation also during the night.

The best Santerno products are complete plug and play stations or skids, with a complete range of solutions up to 2MW. These stations have all built-in: DC input parallel cabinet with fuses, inverters, power meters, medium voltage transformer and medium voltage switch gears.

The complete station is all preassembled, wired and tested.

This solution allows the EPC to install the station in the plant, simply connect DC cables on PV side and medium voltage ac cables on grid side, and start the plant in 1 working day.

EQ: What are the resources in terms of manpower for sales,

O&M and other aspects developed and present in the Indian market.

VU : The history of the Carraro Group in India began in 1998 with the first plant in Pune, Carraro India Ltd., which officially begins production in 1999. In 2005 there was the inauguration of the second manufacturing site in Pune (Turbo Gears Ltd.), which specializes in the production of gears and components. As confirmation of the centrality of the Indian market in 2006 Carraro develops important projects for the expansion of activities in the country, with the creation of a new R&D Carraro Technologies India, dedicated to research and design where 44 qualified engineers develop new products and support software development for Santerno inverters and remote control.

Santerno opened in 2011 its branch in India where now work skilled technicians in an advanced headquarters following plants already on the ground providing presales and post-sales support to its customers.

EQ: Please tell us about the unique technological features of your products which are also distinguishing factors.

VU : Santerno uses latest generation technology 2400Apk IGBT stacks, that allows high efficiency power conversion and strong reliability. The power converters uses both thin-film and electrolytic capacitors that allows more than 20 years life cycle with reduced manteinance.

The mechanics is design for maintenance, with all the components in front of the operator when the door are open, Santerno uses inox or galvanized stell for the cabinet in order to proctect the electronics parts against aggressive environments with dust, salt or humidity.

Santerno develops it software using automatic code generation together with in-the-loop code and system simulations, this strongly reduces bugs and defect in prototypes, improves control algorithms precision and reduce time to market as well the ability to be fast to compliant with the more severe and strict grid codes in emerging market in the world.

EQ: Kindly enlighten us on the ongoing R&D within the company and the way forward for its technology, products and services.

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Whats your annual R&D budget

VU : Santerno R/D outstanding team and technology is a key strategic asset of Santerno since its foundation in 1970, the company works as a full liner in many different markets: renewables, mining, industry automation, storage and smart grid, hybrid vehicles, leveranging the best practices and proprietary technology in different market. The annual R/D budget always was between 4% and 8% of the sales revenue.

EQ: Kindly highlight the recent trends in your company sales, profitability and other key financial figures.

VU : The Santerno’s turnover in 2011 was 124 million €, in the European market we have had very good results thanks to the projects developed in partnership with major Spanish EPCs. It focuses mainly on the 55 MW in France on Renault’s plants and 124 MW made in Ravenna (Italy).

In 2011, Santerno successfully launched its own sales activities on the Indian market, receiving orders for some important projects and penetration on the Chinese market continued successfully, with Santerno confirming its position as one of the three leading foreign operators in the country, thanks also to some installations at high-value sites which are of worldwide importance as regards environmental and operating conditions (mountainous deserts, installations in sites over 4000 metres above sea level, etc.).

EQ: Development of MicroInverters and its implication towards development of solar Pv market, its applications and usage…Kindly describe in detail regarding micro inverters.

VU : During last 27 years in PV market and technology we have seen many times the micro-inverters approach proposed by small companies as well as strong brands, but they always failed to strength their market position.

In the last 2 years this products seems to have a new success on emerging markets, we will see if this technology in operation will be strong enough.

Santerno believes that the DC/ DC optimizer approach can be a better solution.

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P O L I CY & REGUL A T I O N

Captive Power Plants vs.

Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission on RPO imposition.

Decision by the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench

Facts of the case (dispute) Petitioners in the case were companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956 engaged in the manufacture of various commodities have established their own captive generation power plants. The ‘Captive Generating Plant’ has been defined in Section 2(8) of the Act of 2003, which means a power plant set up by any person to generate electricity primarily for his own use and includes a power plant set up by any cooperative society or association of persons for generating electricity primarily for use of members of such cooperative society or association.Electricity supply in India was governed by three enactments namely, the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, the Electricity(Supply) Act, 1948 and the Electricity (RegulatoryCommissions) Act, 1998; with a view to encourage private sector participation in generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and in order to distancing the regulatory responsibility from the Government to Regulatory Commissions, the Parliament enacted the Electricity Act of 2003, which is a self-contained comprehensive legislation in the matter of electricity.

When the Regulatory Commission prescribed that the distribution licensees and captive/open access users shall purchase some percentage of their total consumption 94

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

from renewable sources of energy out of their total consumption of electricity it was contended by the petitioners thatthe captive power plants consumers are generating power and not buying power and thus, directions to them to purchase renewable energy cannot be sustained as no authority can compel a generator of energy to become a purchaser of electricity. The Regulatory Commission cannot force the petitioners who are generators of power to switch over to the business of purchasing electricity and such action is violation of Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.It was also contended by the petitioners that the Regulatory Commission had acted beyond its jurisdiction and powers and their move to impose an obligation on captive power plants and open access consumers to buy a certain percentage of their energy consumption from renewable energy sources runs contrary to the objectives of the National Electricity Policy, 2005 and Tariff Policy, 2006. They also submitted that the Regulatory Commission does not have a power to impose a surcharge in case of shortfall in the buying obligation because penalty is not an authority of the regulatory commission. They said that penalty in the form of surcharge cannot be imposed unless there is a direct provision enabling the Regulatory Commission to do so. The petition was resisted by the Regulatory Commission on all grounds. One of the submissions of the defendants was that 21 State Commissions

had already implemented such Regulations and the same are being complied with by the captive power plant and open access consumers

Issues The contentions of the petitioners gave rise to the following questions of law to be decided by the Honorable Jaipur High Court: 1. Whether the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission is empowered to frame the RajasthanElectricity Regulatory Commission (Renewable EnergyObligation) Regulations, 2007and Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (Renewable Energy Certificate and Renewable Purchase Obligation Compliance Framework) Regulations, 2010in exercise of the powersconferred under sections 61, 66, 86(1)(e) and 181 of theAct of 2003 in respect of captive power plants and openaccess consumers imposing RE obligation upon them topurchase minimum energy from renewable source and topay surcharge in case of short fall in fulfillment of such REobligation; 2. Whether the regulations framed by the Rajasthan Electricity Commission run contrary to the National Electricity Policy, 2005 and Tariff Policy, 2006.

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EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

95Â

3. Whether the Regulatory Commission has the powers to impose surcharge in case of non-fulfillment of the minimum buying obligation of the captive power plants and open access consumers.

Judgment The court said that Section 61(h) of the 2003 Act clearly empowers the Regulatory Commission to promote cogeneration and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy while specifying terms and conditions for determination of tariff.

It says that while laying down policies the Regulatory Commission shall aim to promote “co-generation and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy”. One of the functions of the State Commission is to “promote cogeneration and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy by providing suitable measures for connectivity with the grid and sale of electricity to any person, and also specify, for purchase of electricity from such sources, a percentage of the total consumption of electricity in the area of a distribution licensee”. Thus it became very clear that it is one of the duties of the State Commission to take necessary steps to promote renewable energy sources. Sub-section (1) of Section 181 provides that the State Commission may by notification make regulations consistent with the Act of 2003 and rules generally to carry out the provisions of the Act. In the case of PTC India Limited V/s Central Electricity Regulatory Commission ((2010) 4 SCC 603), the court held that the Central Government and the State Commissions have the requisite power to frame rules as long as they are in consonance with the general purpose of the Act of 2003. In the present case, the impugned Regulations framed by the Regulatory Commission imposing RE obligation on the captive power plant and open access consumers to purchase minimum energy from renewable sources and to pay surcharge in case of shortfall in meeting out the RE obligation, are consistent with the Act of 2003, National Electricity Policy and Tariff Policy and they are made for carrying out the provisions of the Act of 2003, National Electricity Policy and Tariff Policy.

Para 5.12.1 of the National Electricity Policy says “Non-conventional sources of energy being the most environment friendly there is an urgent need to promote generation of electricity based on such sources of energy.

96

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

For this purpose, efforts need to be made to reduce the capital cost of projects based on nonconventional and renewable sources of energy. Cost of energy can also be reduced by promoting competition within such projects.

At the same time, adequate promotional measures would also have to be taken for development of technologies and a sustained growth of these sources.” Para 6.4 of the Tariff Policy is quoted as,” Pursuant to provisions of section 86(1)(e) of the Act, the Appropriate Commission shall fix a minimum percentage for purchase of energy from such sources taking into account availability of such resources in the region and its impact on retail tariffs.” By quoting the following provisions the High Court clearly indicated that one of the basic purposes of the tariff policy as wellas National Electric Policy is to promote renewable energy sources and hence any policy made by the Regulatory Commission to promote them cannot be said to run contrary to the spirit of those acts.

The word ‘total consumption’ has been used by the legislature in Section 86(1)(e) and total consumption in an area of a distribution licensee can be by three ways either supply through distribution licensee or supply from captive power plants by using lines and transmission lines of distribution licensee or from any other source by using transmission lines of distribution licensee. The total consumption has to be seen by consumers of distribution licensee, captive power plants and on supply through distribution licensee.

It cannot be inferred by mention of area of distribution licensee that only consumers of the distribution licensee are included. The total consumption has the reference to the various modes of consumption which are possible in the area of distribution licensee.

The court said that renewable energy has less consumers because of its high cost merely because petitioners are having independent captive power plants and they are not licensees, still they can be asked to promote and purchase energy from renewable sources and they concluded that the RE obligation imposed upon captive power plants and open access consumers through impugned Regulations cannot in any manner be said to be restrictive of any of the rights conferred on the petitioners under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. Tariff Policy also provides that non-conventional sources of energy generation including cogeneration cannot compete at present with conventional sources in terms of cost of electricity, therefore,

preferential tariff can be determined by the Regulatory Commission. The move is a promotional measure taken by the Regulatory Commission and the restriction on Article 19(1)(g) was found to be reasonable.

By imposing RE obligation upon captive power plants and open access consumers, it cannot be said that any of the objectives of the National Electricity Policy or Tariff Policy or Act of 2003 have been defeated because there is no embargo put under the impugned Regulations on their functioning; at the same time, promotion of energy from renewable sources has to be made so as to protect environment and global warming.

Conclusion Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission is empowered to frame the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission(Renewable Energy Obligation) Regulations, 2007 in exercise of power conferred under section 86(1)(e) read with section 181 of the Act of 2003 and the Rajasthan ElectricityRegulatory Commission (Renewable Energy Certificate andRenewable Purchase Obligation Compliance Framework)Regulations, 2010 in exercise of the powers conferred under sections 61, 66, 86(1)(e) and 181 of the Act of 2003 in respect of captive power plants and open access consumers imposing RE obligation upon them to purchase minimum energy from renewable sources and to pay surcharge in case of short fall in fulfilment of such RE obligation and the same cannot be said to be ultra vires the provisions of the Act of 2003 nor they can be said to be repugnant to Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India or National Electricity Policy, 2005 or Tariff Policy, 2006 framed under section 3 of the Act of 2003. The High Court said that the Regulatory Commission is also empowered to impose surcharge on the captive power plants and open access consumers in the event of their failure to fulfil the RE obligation.

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Schüco: Innovative and efficient Solar solutions for the Indian market

50 KW Grid Connect System, India Schüco, with its corporate headquarter in Germany, is the leading provider of energy efficient envelopes and solar system solutions. With its innovative and high quality solar products, Schüco enables cost effective solutions for off grid and on grid installations. Thin-film or crystalline – Schüco has the right answer. Schüco delivers much more than a module – a complete system solution where all vital parts work seamlessly toge ther. Over the decades Schüco has developed its core expertise in transforming any type of roof into an en ergy generation system. In this respect, Schüco makes use of humanity’s biggest energy source: the sun. In short: Green Technology for the Blue Planet.

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For more details, please contact Schueco India Solar & Windows Pvt. Ltd. Telephone: 011-43515666, 40509217, 9873722806 www.schueco.in

Green Technology for the Blue Planet www.EQMagLive.com Clean Energy from Solar and Windows

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SO L A R ENERGY

Himamsu Popuri CEO, Nuevosol Energy Pvt. Ltd.

Nikhil Babu P CTO, Nuevosol Energy Pvt. Ltd.

Mount Your Investments On Intelligent Pv Racking Systems Cost, strength and time equations can be optimized through an Integrated Design Process.

In a cybernetic model all stages of the design process are interlinked to each other giving and receiving inputs from one another. This is in stark contrast to a highly

other leading to what can be called an OffThe Shelf system not in synergy with other parameters of the whole plant. At Nuevosol we make the Mounting Structure Design

compartmentalised model of design process where each stage of design is alienated from

the pivot of the design process. This process encapsulates all the constraints of risk, cost,

Solar power plants are multi-variable equations. Increasing demand for cost competitiveness without compromising on quality, calls for large scale optimization on all fronts. Most prevalent notion of an efficient structure design and cost reduction is with material selection and leaner designs.

What is missed by many is that there is not much scope to optimize any further in these limited variables. What should be realised is that there is a huge scope for optimization via a Cybernetic Model of system design process, which takes inputs from site selction, land area usage, foundation design and onsite installation process. At Nuevosol, we pioneered this approach in design, and installation of the mounting systems. This is the process which converts a Structure into a System, which is a dynamically modelled intelligent structure.

HOW CAN THIS BE ACHIEVED 98Â

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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efficiency and time as inputs from other relatively unchangeable variables of plant efficiency like Site, Load and Irradiation. The working of this process can be understood through illustrations from Nuevosols’ experiences as show below.

COST AND STRENGTH DYNAMICS A dynamic design process addresses often neglected parameters of optimization. In Cost Reduction mostly considered variables are material usages, leaner design, encroaching into maximum available error margins of load bearing capacities. Tonnage of steel used varies from 30 to 100 tonnes depending on type of technology used. Tonnage at most times is associated with the efficiency of the structure design, which we at Nuevosol feel is a misconception. A leaner structure shouldn’t be a bar for an efficient design but a much more hollistic approach which encompasses a broader set of variables such as foundation design and area usage should be used.

Sometimes, to achieve required strength increasing costs seems to be inevitable for developers. For example conventionally a two poled structure is practiced for all soils.

But in collapsing soils a two poled structure which leads to higher costs can be replaced by a much price competitive single poled structure. At Nuevosol we understood this with inputs from our geotechnical team and designed a single poled structure which goes much beneath the weak soil, retaining the strength still costing lesser.

In rock foundations a double poled structure has been in practise for long but a single poled structure has also been arrived at after much optimization. Still a single poled structure is time and energy intensive process considering the diameter that needs to be drilled into a rock. We at Nuevosol tried many newer technologies like rock anchors to reduce time and costs involved in rock foundation based mounting structures.

ELECTRICAL AND STRUCTURE DESIGN INTEGRATION Electrical team gives key inputs to design teams which should be used to optimize for higher energy outputs. At Nuevosol we developed a Tilt vs Area of site vs Energy output correlation which has been very beneficial to decide on optimal tilt angle 100 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

to avoid shading loses and at the same time ensure maximum utilization of the land.

Cable lengths, Operations and Maintenance costs can be reduced by prior incorporation of many inputs from site and electrical teams. Structures are designed in a way which makes it unviable to maintain it manually. Or unnecessary cable length increase installation costs. Much can be done to reduce redundant costs and unexpected costs through proper inputs from electrical team.

Most of the times import ant considerations are pre-determined due to prior selection of panel layouts. But if the site layout, panel layout and structure design are all considered in a continuum a better informed decision of going for a landscape or a portrait mode of structure can be determined.

TIME SAVING DESIGNS A structure apart from its strength and reliability is truly tested on its ease of installation. An installation process should incorporate several key considerations of cost and time, which directly translates into time and money saved. Every small feedback from the site plays a key role in making incremental improvements in structure.

At Nuevosol this was experienced many times as when a small input on increasing clearance which eased fastening of bolts reduced time of installation by 20%, which was phenomenal.

Saving time starts at the very stage of quoting which can be done in every stage unto installation. Standardization of design is key to conservation of time. Most times, giving a quote would take more than a week if design is not standardised, similarly during manufacturing and installation a requisite amount of prior standardization helps conserve a lot of time.

Welding and Galvanization are the most time consuming processes. If your overall requirement is 200 tonnes per week, there is always a bottleneck of 100 tonnes per week of welding excluding power holidays which are recently witnessed widely in India.

Considering lead times in solar industry these bottlenecks prove to be dysfunctional.

Therefore we at Nuevosol with an active procurement team giving inputs to R&D team and design team incorporated the usage of

newer materials. Maximizing Usage of Coldform Steel and Pre Galvanized Steel is key to reduce operational risks involved with Galvanization and Welding. Also designs with lesser welding length saves a lot of time. Many newer materials can be used in design making it possible to eliminate time and resource intensive processes demanded by using stainless steel.

RESEARCH AND DESIGN INTEGRATION Key to cost reduction, time and ease of installation is customization through standardization of a structure. With an ambition to innovate many try to develop unique structures without paying heed to the availability of standard tools and implements.

Tooling costs form core of overheads in a new design. R&D at NuevoSol achieved a right balance between customization and standardization. Minimizing the number of components translated into saving time and cost involved in Prototypes play a crucial role in optimizing. Prototyping not just for structural viability but also for testing operational feasibility is important. Research team should be active and well integrated to incorporate inputs from field, client, suppliers and service providers.

HOW TO CREATE A CYBERNETIC DESIGN PROCESS Increasingly organizations are moving towards specialization tending towards compartmentalization or differentiation, which is key for innovation and excellence.

But without proper integration, specialization does not lead to desired results. A cybernetic design process achieves the right level of integration in all fronts of research, personnel, communication, and procurement leading to the design of an intelligent structure.

This is possible through an organically linked organizational structure where every team has a link to another. Importing this model to a mounting systems design and installation firm has been achieved at Nuevosol. The design team has a resource person who is a coordinator, liaison to other teams gathering inputs from and giving outputs to other teams. This ensures a live design team creating dynamic mounting systems which are a class apart from the routine off the shelf mounting structures.

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SO L A R ENERGY

Tau – Montfoort, the Netherlands – output 85 kWp

The Question Of Material For PV Mounting Systems In India: Steel Or Aluminium?

Mr. Sandy Schnitzer

Mrs. Lydia Hannemann

The Indian solar market is one of the fastest growing in the world. Over the coming years, politicians in India are planning to develop the Asian country into one of the most important “solar states” on the planet. In order to install a durable photovoltaic system that will last for over 20 years and generate high earnings, selecting the most suitable components is crucial. Although it represents only a small proportion of the overall construction, the mounting system carries a heavy responsibility, providing the necessary support for the most important and expensive part of the system – the solar modules. So the question arises: What material is suitable for the mounting system?

O

n-roof systems function according to the principle of parallel assembly to the roof. They can be installed on almost all types of roofs, whether of metal like trapezoidal sheet or standing seam profiles as well as coverings of saddle stones. In rooftop installations, the PV-system is mounted onto the roof by means of a rail system. On flat roofs, PV mounting systems like the Lambda Light offered by Mounting Systems GmbH can be installed with a certain inclination. Openterrain systems as the Sigma I system are anchored parallel in the ground and secured with ramming posts without soil sealing.

The range of fastening systems is wide, since every system has its own benefits and characteristics: from standard solutions to individual developments that engineers design especially for a certain location.

Fastening systems for PV-systems are made from Aluminium or steel, but how do these two materials differ and what benefits do they provide?

The life cycle of Aluminium – from manufacture to recycling 102 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

Looking at the life cycle costs, i.e. from production and use to recycling, the initial cost of Aluminium production is actually higher compared to steel due to the larger amount of energy required. Over the service life of the lightweight metal component, however, Aluminium offers significant savings and benefits: lower weight combined with high stability, high resistance to corrosion, a simple recycling process, and good mouldability and manageability in the extrusion process.

Extrusion means being able to select the exact shape that is favoured for a product.

Differences in weight Aluminium is an extremely light metal: Its weight is only a third of that of steel equivalents. Steel systems are many times heavier, which makes it unsuitable for on-roof mounting systems and more expensive for open-terrain systems. Due to its lightweight at 2.7 gram per cubic centimetre, cost savings are realised primarily in the transport sector and during the handling on construction sites, as it takes fewer people to move the components of a solar mounting system into place on the site and the system can be installed more quickly.

Stability and weight Furthermore, Aluminium sets itself apart as it combines high stability and light weight.

Low dead load results in significant material savings in solar mounting systems, while it also enables the use of higher payloads.

Unlike most types of steel, Aluminium does not become brittle at low temperatures, as may be of high importance for the northern plains of India. In contrast, its stability increases. With the Alpha system, framed and unframed photovoltaic modules can be easily installed on slanted roofs on old and new buildings. The same properties apply to the Tau system, which is designed for corrugated metal roofs. The Mounting Systems’ engineers in Rangsdorf, near Berlin, have especially designed it with quick and simple installation. The use of Aluminium also enables a high degree of prefabrication. Steel profiles, in comparison, are manufactured with relatively simple cross-sections. This often requires additional welding and mechanical connections, which proves to be very time-consuming on site.

Durability thanks to a natural resistance to corrosion

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The use of Aluminium as a core material guarantees maximum service life thanks to its naturally-occurring oxide layer that protects the metal from corrosion.

Aluminium components are very resilient in their operation, which can be attributed to the metal’s natural corrosion resistance: Oxygen in the air reacts with aluminium, forming a thin oxide layer. Its thickness of between 15 and 25 micrometres offers outstanding protection against corrosion and forms a complete seal. Even if the frame is damaged by external influences, for instance extreme weather conditions such as heat or sand storms, or if components have to be cut to size on site, this oxide layer renews itself in a short space of time. This results in negligible costs for maintenance and repair as the protection derives from nature. In order to reinforce the natural corrosion protection, a special treatment can also be applied to the surface of the mounting system and the module frame. The process is known as anodisation and can be carried out using any colour imaginable, although customers overwhelmingly choose black. The cost of adequate corrosion protection for steel alone, on the other hand, amounts from 30 to 45 per cent of the price of construction.

This mounting system protection must be regularly replaced, which reduces the costeffectiveness considerably. When installing open-terrain systems in a very humid climate and close to the sea, the steel corrodes much more rapidly and shortens the lifespan of the system. The drawbacks of using steel in areas where it is very hot and windy, such as in the south of the country, are unavoidable.

As a result of these climatic conditions, artificially-applied corrosion protection layers are worn away more quickly. The use of steel in fastening systems therefore fundamentally incurs higher costs as far as maintenance outlay is concerned.

Maintenance outlay under the microscope Aluminium generally comes out on top when it comes to maintenance costs.

Under normal conditions and with correct design and construction, customers benefit from greater efficiency. In most cases, the composite components must first be replaced Alpha – Buschvitz, Germany – output 19,76 kWp

before maintenance is required, which is limited to a minimum, such as basic cleaning and regular inspections.

Green thinking – the environmental aspect After 25 or more years, a photovoltaic system may have come to the end of its service life or may no longer generate enough output. The benefits of good recyclability in open-terrain systems, such as the Sigma I by Mounting Systems, are evident. The Sigma I system is ideally suited to the use of laminates, as well as framed modules. Additionally, it is capable of accommodating any unevenness in the ground during installation. Its design and spacing of the modules in relation to the ground ensures that the ground remains unsealed and does not become degraded. Furthermore, the ramming post system in particular can be easily removed and is fully recyclable.

The use of steel in this regard, however, is indispensable as the posts must be driven into the ground to ensure stability and in this case Aluminium would be inappropriate. Disused Aluminium structures can be dismantled with ease. Only five per cent of the energy required to process original Aluminium is needed to recycle it. So, recycling aluminium saves nearly 95 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary aluminum production. The recycling process can be repeated indefinitely without the material losing its properties, whereas this leads to decreased quality in steel. It also achieves significantly higher scrappage values, about seven to ten times that of scrap steel. After remelting, steel profiles gain only about 63 per cent of the market value compared to primary steel. It is thus an issue of a loss of value and material in steel. This is why open-terrain systems such as the Sigma I are considered to be environmentally friendly and economic.

All costs under control In regard to cost efficiency, not only initial costs come into play, but also the socalled “total cost of ownership” also plays a

significant role. This approach takes account to all aspects of subsequent use, as well as maintenance and repair services and energy costs. It also includes shipping, storage, staff and dismantling costs. All sorts of “hidden” costs can therefore be identified in advance.

The development of the solar market is based on declining system prices in the long term and moving away from a purely investmentdriven market towards a true energy market.

Additionally, the purchase price and expected return are of secondary importance. The availability of energy, seamless operation, the freedom of maintenance and the quality and durability of components will then become increasingly significant - also and especially as far as fastening systems are concerned. The more durable and high-quality the fastening system, the lower the maintenance and repair costs and the higher the availability of electricity will be. The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) also states that when taking into account the total costs of ownership, aluminum is a more economical and environmental friendly alternative to steel in PV mounting structures, across as all segments of residential and commercial.

The outlook With 250 to 300 days of sun per year, India receives considerably more insolation than Germany – approximately twice as much. Particularly in regard to open terrain systems, there is potential that can still be harnessed, as in India there is no shortage of unobstructed areas. India is one of the largest emerging economies. Therefore, the expanding national economy results in a high energy demand and has also the necessary finances to fund it. The global auditing and consultancy company KPMG estimates the Indian solar market to have a promising potential of up to 12.5 gigawatts by 2016/2017. If the output of on-roof and open-terrain systems is considered as one, the gigawatt barrier was exceeded in August 2012, according to information from the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). Moreover, demand for PV systems is increasing.

Sigma I – Laudenbach, Germany – output 11,15 MWp

104 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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“From Sand to Light”

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Bergen Solar Power & Energy Ltd. 311 I 3rd Floor I Time Tower I M.G RoadI Sector - 28 I Gurgaon - 122 002 I Tel: + 91-124-4986400-419 I Fax: +91-124-4986405 E-mail : pv@bergengroupindia.com

SO L A R ENERGY

Interview with Arun Mehta, Director, Refex Energy Ltd. EQ : Please enlighten us on the history of your Group, Group Strengths, Vision, Strategy for India etc…

AM : Refex Energy Limited was incorporated in year 2008 with focus on Solar Energy. Prior to this the group was involved in refrigerant gases. The foray into solar was made looking at the wide scope this sector had and the need for dedicated solar EPC’s in India.

We have positioned ourselves to address this growing sector, offering optimal Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) solutions, quality products and high efficiencies, every year. In addition to the core business segment of EPC of grid connected and off-grid power plants, we also maximize revenue for our clients by offering O&M services, technical audit of existing solar PV power plants.

As an EPC, we have been an early mover in the solar domain. We started at the inception of solar policy in Rajasthan and have grown from strength to strength from there onwards. Starting from zero, today having more than 50 MW installed and under installation, we have had a steady growth which has been supported by the plant performances.

Our mission is to be an Innovative Engineering Enterprise committed for Cleaner World. We aim to provide the world Cleaner Infrastructure by tapping solar energy through strong technology research, better designing skills and higher delivery performances. We have a strong and dedicated team of individuals who come from diverse backgrounds. Using teamwork and our several partnerships, we aim to keep offering ground breaking solutions to our clients.

106 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

EQ : Your Group has made significant footstep by winning several EPC contracts in India. What is the role of your group in India and the roadmap, challenges in executing this project? What was the differentiating factor which led the your co win this project.

AM : Committed and qualified man-power has been our biggest strength. This has helped us achieve execution of six projects during 2011-12 totaling 21 MWp. These projects are located in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. We are one of the few companies that has experience in varied terrains. All our projects came with significant challenges in the civil and execution department and they were overcome with proper planning and coordinated execution. We aim to use this experience of the last few years to help guide our current projects and clients. The sector needs companies that can work in any kind of terrain and this has been a major challenge for most EPC companies. Our past experience helps build confidence in our prospective clients and makes it easier for them to decide. Apart from this we have always used the best components in our projects. Be it modules, inverters, cables or even the AC system. This investment in quality products has now started reaping rewards for our customers through very high generation numbers. This has also been one of the major factors in pulling new customers and helping us grow. Our aim this year is to install 50 MW and then keep growing at 100% YoY. The country already has set its target for 20 GW by 2022 and we aim to be one of the top few companies helping reach this target.

EQ : How India has to evolve in terms on financing of grid connected solar projects and the lessons India must learn from Germany & Europe and other advanced & matured PV Markets.

AM : The success of Solar mission entirely depends on self sustainability over the long period of 25 years. The Developers are signing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with the State Utilities, which are in bad financial health. The Lenders are concerned over the continuous flow of revenue and withdrawal of government support before long. The government must enforce strict discipline on meeting the Renewable energy Obligations (RPO) by utilities, for success of projects, which are coming up under the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) scheme. Unless this is enforced there will always be a risk factor to these projects and will find it difficult to attract financing.

The Indian solar market is evolving and the path to growth is unlike what we have seen in the European market. The European market grew from rooftops.

A few countries had sporadic growths of ground based grid connected systems but most of these countries could not sustain the huge subsidy for solar PV and faltered with focus coming back to rooftops. India has started with a different view and has focused more on ground-mounted systems.

Our market is different and so our financing has to be adjusted accordingly. The RPO and REC mechanisms are perfect for our model

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of growth. But implementation is the key factor here.

EQ : Please enlighten us on the experience of working with different technologies (c-si vs.

Thin Film, Fixed vs. Tracking, String v/s Central Inverter etc…) What’s the ideal solution for India and why.

AM : Today, a variety of solar modules of good quality are available in the market.

The price levels are technology neutral and source neutral and are not much different.

While the C-Si cells and modules have proven track records of over three decades, the thin film modules of Cd-Te, CIGS, MicroMorph technologies have logged in barely 2-5 years. The hot climate in most parts of India is theoretically suitable for TF products because of its lower temperature coefficient compared to c-Si modules. But we have seen a lot of thin film products having various issues on the ground. Comparatively all our plants set up with C-Si have been performing very well and very consistently. Another issue is with frameless modules and we have seen a lot of breakage in thin film modules due to transportation, road conditions, unloading on remote sites and even poor handling by lower skilled installation teams available. As for us being an EPC we are technology neutral, and give suggestions to our clients based on our experience. Whichever the technology, we offer only the best and highest quality products.

The single axis manual and automated trackers are supposed to provide up to 5-15% better yield respectively, compared to the fixed structure with a certain cost increase.

However, it is necessary that the Developers choose trackers with good operational history and the ones that are able to survive in dusty Indian conditions. There are very few such trackers available in the market and with the reduction in cost of panels most customers look for a higher DC capacity than trackers.

We personally do not have a lot of positive data for trackers that have so far been installed in India.

With respect to Inverters, we have installed both string and central inverters in our operating plants. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and it’s really a cost/ benefit that our clients look at before selection. String inverters tend to be a bit costly compared to centrals and with stifling

low tariffs they are usually overlooked.

There is no ideal solution for Indian conditions. The solution has to be tailor made using the highest quality equipment and best engineering practices.

EQ : What’s your view on the Indian Policy Framework and one piece of advise you would like to give to the government and regulators AM : There is positive policy frame work for growth of solar power projects in India.

However, more is needed towards i) funding at competitive rates and ii) growth of quality indigenous manufacturing base and the related R&D. We believe the government is aware of this fact and is already working with a positive mindset. They only need to keep in mind that their policies need to pave the way to make this industry self sustainable.

EQ : How has falling modules prices affected the EPC Business in positive and negative manner.

As Industry is expecting further drop in module prices…what impact is it likely to have on the solar industry and your business.

AM : There has been steep fall in international prices of modules during 2011, on a/c of i) fall in prices of the poly silicon and supply exceeding the demand. We do not expect similar correction in near future.

However, 3-5% reduction may not be ruled out in next year 2013.

The Developers have secured the projects at competitive tariff. So, the Indian Solar market is highly price-sensitive.

Our Company has always offered optimal engineering solutions to our customers with quality products/services and maintained best price levels. We do not believe in cutting price levels at the cost of quality.

The gradual reduction in prices will push the solar towards grid parity and when that happens the industry will grow at a very high rate. Our growth will also be linked to the industry and we will look to achieve higher quality installations.

EQ : Module Prices have been significantly dropping while the BOS of a solar project has not seen much change….What change or breakthrough do you

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foresee in the BOS in terms of price and technology in the BOS. AM : The BOS prices in India are at maturity level. The AC side equipment, steel fabrication, AC cables, civil works prices will be linked to new developments and the volume of the business. The only way to lower the pricing of BOS will be through innovations at equipment and ground level.

We have introduced several such measures in our projects, which have been able to bring the overall project costs lower without compromising on the quality and thus making the projects viable for our customers as well.

EQ : Can you please enlighten us on the way you implement a project and what specific or unique things are followed which makes you different from other EPC Players. What are the unique parameters which differentiates projects executed by your company?

AM : I think the foremost is project engineering efforts which are essential to maintain the minimum energy loss and higher output throughout the life of the plant. The time available for the execution work is getting compressed in each project. So, the focus is on the shortlisting of the suppliers during the pre-award stage and avoids losing time. The work force with us is qualified and highly committed for the cause. We are always working with the highest quality equipment and that is definitely one of the main distinguishing factor.

EQ : Please tell us about the team strengths and resources developed in order to offer your EPC Services.

AM : We have a smart ground installation team that has now experience in varied locations and have worked on all sizes on projects. Along with that we have mix of in house engineering talent and association of consultants and advisors who contribute to the overall working. We prefer to remain lean looking at the seasonal nature of the industry.

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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SO L A R ENERGY

Balance Of Power Simon T Bircham. - Cooper Bussmann

Maximising PV system efficiencies and productivity are key drivers for operators and owners alike.

Simon T Bircham, product manager, Cooper Bussmann, looks at advances made in combiner box technology that are helping achieve this.

W

hile power companies might not be able to control the sun, it is in their interest to ensure that their PV installations are built, operated and maintained in such a way that every available photon is converted into revenue.

System productivity is much more than the sum of its constituent parts. It is as much about how those parts interact to achieve sustainable, efficient and reliable power production. As systems increase in size and complexity this interaction becomes even more critical. Much of this interaction occurs in what is called the Balance of System components (BoS) ie. everything that is used to convey the electricity generated by the solar panel.

parts of the subsystem can be safely isolated in the event of a malfunction or for maintenance; and monitoring the condition of the system.

To that end we began a rethink for the design, manufacture and supply of combiner boxes for the Indian market. We started by listening to what local companies wanted and the view expressed was that they didn’t want just another commodity product shipped from Europe that somehow could be reconfigured for the market.

An integral component within the BoS hierarchy is the string combiner box.

Traditionally it would be true to say that this item has been overlooked. For many it has a low interest factor simply being a means to amalgamate current to produce higher output current and to protect PV modules.

Starting with a blank sheet of paper we arrived at a fully customisable package that reflected the needs and requirements of system builders and operators. No two PV systems are alike so the ability to configure the necessary components to match the application is fundamental. To that end we began by creating a front end process that allows specification and build in real time, so no matter what the topography of the system a solution can be reached quickly and efficiently.

However, at Cooper Bussmann we have taken a radically different view, that far from being a ‘dumb’ component, the combiner box can add appreciable value to the BoS hierarchy. If system productivity is to be maximised and efficiencies maintained then the combiner box needs to fulfil three important roles; protection from overcurrent and overvoltage events; switching so that

Flexibility is built in so that up to 24 input strings can be accommodated. Depending on the PV panel type and system topology the combiner box can accommodate a wide range of input currents. Built around a range of gPV fuses, we can offer combiner boxes using 1-20A ratings in 10x38mm fuses and 25-32A ratings in 14x51mm fuses. Each fuse is housed in a gPV rated fuse holder

108 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

with the 10x38mm modular fuse holders benefiting from additional fuse indication.

Mindful of the high ambient temperatures experienced by PV installations the fuse holders are spaced to allow good airflow, a very important factor in dissipating excess heat.

The type of PV installation design will influence the fuse protection configuration.

We recommend both positive and negative fusing for maximum system protection, and our combiner boxes come as floating ground as standard. However, negative or positive only fusing can be accommodated if required.

Depending on the type of PV system voltages from 600V DC to 1,000V DC can be catered for.

The DC disconnect switch plays an important role in ensuring the safe operation and maintenance of the combiner box. The Cooper Bussmann combiner box only uses true DC rated disconnect switches, rather than mcb-type switches which are not as reliable.

The switch can be operated repeatedly without the risk of fire or injury. By locating the switch handle on the outside the combiner box can be safely disconnected from the downstream load before maintenance work is carried out. The lockout feature of the switch handle also ensures safe PV system isolation for maintenance of downstream components.

In the event the combiner box is used in configurations with downstream disconnect, it

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can be supplied without a switch.

The location and nature of PV installations can make them vulnerable to overvoltages and surges from lightning strikes and static discharges. As standard we recommend fitting the minimum of a Class II PV surge protection device (SPD); however, in some instances the fitting of a Class I device may be necessary. The Class II device includes patented, fast acting Short Circuit Interrupting (SCI) technology, which adds an additional level of protection in the event of a voltage surge.

Where PV system monitoring is selected additional protection of the 240V AC mains supply and Modbus wired communication lines may be required to safeguard the monitoring electronics from voltage surges.

Checking the status of the PV and 240V SPDsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health is also made simple with the inclusion of remote indication communication that integrates seamlessly with the combiner box monitoring system. The replacement of activated surge devices is made easy thanks to the easyID visual indication and colour-coded plug and play modular design.

As alluded to earlier monitoring the health of a PV installation is a critical requirement in managing the system uptime, maximising productivity and efficiency.

Monitoring the current of each input string and system voltage enables the system operator to identify areas of concern and to take appropriate maintenance action. The Cooper Bussmann monitoring system has a number of options depending on the system requirements; either Hall Effect or Shunt- based monitoring units, and power supply options such as self-powered or externally powered.

Conscious of the need for fast deployment and ease of system inspection, our design includes an external Modbus RS485 service port, allowing service engineers to programme or interrogate each unit without the need to disconnect from the grid.

Integration with the PV installation supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system is made seamless with the use of industry standard Modbus communication protocols and the choice of standard 2-wire RS485 connection, wireless Zigbee or Cooper Bussmannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrial wireless system.

Finally the enclosure plays a critical part in securely housing and protecting the internal components. All our combiner boxes are rated to IP65 and include breather drains making them suitable for tropical and sub-tropical environments. Depending on the geographic location and application we are able to offer UV stabilised Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) with or without transparent polycarbonate window, painted steel and stainless-steel enclosures.

All in all the new range offers protection, monitoring and switching of PV arrays all wrapped up in one neat custom-built solution that ensures that system uptime and productivity can be maximised.

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SO L A R ENERGY

DC Surge Protectors For Photovoltaic Systems Following With The European Standards Christian Macanda, Sanjay Chandra, Managing Director - Citel India

T

he most complete standards to define and select Surge Protective Devices (SPD) to protect DC side of PV installations are 2 documents coming from the European standard organization (CENELEC): •

•

prEN50539-11 : Requirements and Tests to apply on DC surge protection for PV systems CLC/TS50539-12 : this installation guide defines the selection criteria for surge protective devices (SPD) for photovoltaic systems. The surge protectors used must be tested and declared according to the prEN5053911 testing standard.

Note: these 2 standards will be the reference for the next IEC international standards

•

Type of SPD (Type 1 or Type 2)

•

Ucpv : Maximum DC voltage on the surge protectors (V)

•

Iscwpv : Short-circuit withstand (A)

•

Up : Voltage protection level (V)

•

In : Nominal discharge current (kA)

The prEN60539-11 standard requires the printing of the above parameters on the front side of the protector housing.

Type of SPD selection •

110 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

•

« Ucpv» selection It is the Maximum DC voltage acceptable by the surge protector.

According to CLC/TS50539-12 installation guide, the Ucpv voltage applied to the surge protector must be chosen greater or equal to 1.2 x Uocstc (maximum open voltage) of the PV generator.

“Iscwpv“ selection

2 types are defined :

Characteristics for DC surge protectors for photovoltaic The prEN50539-11 testing standard is the official document defining the series of

required on PV installation equipped with lightning rod and connected to metal frame of the panels. This Type 1 SPD is tested with 10/350µs lightning current (Iimp parameter).

tests to carry over on the surge protective device to be set on the DC side of a grid-tied PV inverter. 5 essentials criteria are defined and tested:

Type 2 SPD : the most common. This surge protector is required on PV installation not equipped with lightning rod (or with “isolated” rod”). This Type 2 SPD is tested with 8/20µs impulse current (In parameter).

Type 1 SPD : This surge protector is

•

Iscwpv : Short-circuit withstand of the SPD.

•

Iscstc: Prospective short circuit current for the whole PV system.

The Iscwpv current of the surge protector must be chosen in function of the Iscstc current that can be provided by the PV systems when short-circuited. This current is

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the sum of all the short-circuit currents that can be delivered by the parallel PV strings located upstream of the surge protector.

The Iscwpv must be greater or equal to 1.25 x Iscstc of the PV generator.

A overload test is performed in the test standard to guarantee the safety (disconnection) of the SPD in case of failure.

ÂŤ Up Âť selection â&#x20AC;˘

The CLC/TS50539-12 installation guide recommends, in compliance with the usual protection rules, that the protection level Up must be lesser than 80% of the impulse voltage withstand (Uw) of the equipment to protect, as the PV modules and the inverters.

As data about Uw parameter are rarely given by the inverters manufacturers, some tables proposes an average value for each part of the installation depending on the system voltage.

guide requires a discharge current In > 5 kA. This means that the surge protector has to withstand 15 impulses with an 8/20Âľs waveform.

Conclusion By following these requirements, a safe and efficient surge protection of the PV installation will be achieved for the DC side.

Surge protection on the AC side and datalines (if any) are also needed to obtain the total protection of the PV installation.

Up : Voltage protection level (V)

â&#x20AC;˘ Uw : impulse voltage withstand of the modules and inverter (V)

Uocstc

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2800 V

5100 V

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Required Up voltage (Uw x 0.8)

Up voltage of the corresponding Citel surge protector

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SO L A R ENERGY

A Short History Of The Pv Connector Chandan SINGH - Business Unit Manager STÄUBLI TEC SYSTEMS INDIA PVT LTD

W

hile the first connectors for photovoltaic (PV) installations were primarily designed for functionality, today they meet a variety of application-specific requirements. By now, there are complete connection solutions, including junction boxes, connectors and cables. In any case, safe and efficient electrical contacts are the beginning and end of the story.

as efficient, with low contact resistance – all this throughout the entire lifecycle of the installation, at least 20 years. Based on these requirements, Multi-Contact developed the MC3, one of the world’s first PV connectors, in 1996. The connector with MC Multilam became widely accepted by the rapidly evolving market, defining the international standard for PV connectors.

In the early 1990s, photovoltaic cables were connected using screw terminals or splice connectors. With the increasing number of installed systems, the need arose for a fast, safe, and easy-to-handle connection solution – a plug-in connector.

Efficiency is the key in a growing market

Political conditions stimulated the growth of both number and size of installed photovoltaic systems. In addition to small, building-integrated installations and rooftop arrays, off-grid and rural installations were From splice to plug set up throughout Europe. Module technology connectors was continuously refined, increasing the The specific requirements of PV performance of the modules. Photovoltaics installations did not allow the use of standard went from a niche to a mass market. industrial connectors. Exposed to wind, sun, Experience gained in the early years and and rain as well as often extreme temperature the expanding range of applications lead to variations, the connectors have to be suitable new requirements and regulatory changes. for harsh environments. They should not only Today, eco-friendliness alone is by far not be watertight and resistant to temperature, enough for investing into PV installations – UV and ozone, but also touch-protected, they are expected to pay off as well. In fact, with high current carrying capacity as well the economic pressure can be tremendous, in particular with large installations but small investors also want to m aximize their profit. The efficiency of a photovoltaic inst allation not only depends on the modules used, but on the overall perform ance of components such as Figure 1. The original first-generation PV connector (MC3) is followed by the more inverters, cables and complex second generation (MC4). The third connectors as well as generation is differentiated according to the respective filed of application.

112 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

Figure 2. Cost-effective PV connector for automated assembly

on professional handling.

Safety aspects become more important As photovoltaics gained importance, the industry was facing new demands. With large-scale installations, cable cross sections increase as well as the required ampacity.

At the same time, the globalization of the PV market asks for international standards.

Safety aspects in particular have come into focus over the past few years.

After all, disconnection under load may cause fatal electric arcs. Therefore, only lockable connectors with standardized retention force may currently obtain TÜV approval. According to the National Electric Code (NEC) 2008, connectors for the North American market even require a special tool for disconnection.

Second-generation PV connectors such as the MC4, which Multi-Contact introduced to the market in 2002, meet these requirements and are protected against polarity reversal. The installer is given acoustic feedback by the integrated locking system. This is particularly important for correct installation under difficult conditions.

Just like the MC3 did before, the MC4 quickly set a new standard for PV connectors. Many manufacturers started copying the MC4’s mating face; however, these third-party connectors are not compatible with the MC4 system despite their similar design. Thanks to the MC Multilam Technology, the MC3 and MC4 connectors ensure efficient power

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transmission. Low contact resistance provides for little power loss and high efficiency. Due to the constant high contact force, these connectors are reliable and long-lasting. In contrast, lower-quality connectors with high contact resistance can heat up considerably, increasing the risk of smouldering fires and premature deterioration of the material.

The right balance between price and quality As a consequence of the dynamic market development, the number of providers, and thus the price pressure, has been increasing. However, the high demand placed on quality and safety remains unchanged. Accordingly, the industry requires solutions which allow lower costs without affecting the quality.

In order to fulfil this task, numerous approaches have been developed along the entire production chain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from the raw materials to the installation of the facility.

For instance, the automated production of solar panels helps reduce manufacturing costs while increasing p r o c e s s r e l i a b i l i t y.

Component Figure 3. The TwinBox has been designed for automated production processes manufacturers support this development by providing automatable components, e.g. junction boxes. Another attempt is the production of the components themselves. Multi-Contact, for example, has started the automated assembly of MC4 connectors, providing a costeffective solution particularly for module manufacturers, while maintaining the high quality standard of the product.

Application-specific designs may also help accelerate the on-site installation process. Connectors for tool-free assembly such as the MC-4QUICK can quickly and easily be connected to the inverter or to extension cables. Pre-assembled branch cable leads with defined branches, specifically designed for a certain PV installation, simplify the process as well. All this makes production and installation more efficient, particularly in large installations.

The trend continues Today many manufacturers offer complete connection solutions with connectors, junction boxes and solar cables.

Considering the continued growth of the PV market, the increasing price pressure as well as safety requirements, the coming years are likely to see increasingly diversified solutions. Installations will be optimized for their specific operating location. It is estimated that approximately 40% of new installations could be equipped with moduleintegrated electronics. In addition to safety features such as system shutdown in case of failure, possible functions include MPP tracking for optimized energy output as well as system monitoring. The great potential of building.integrated photovoltaics points towards another innovation boost. All these projects will require efficient, safe and reliable electrical contacts.

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SO L A R ENERGY

Ingeteam Presents Its PV Inverters For India Ingeteam Power Technology S.A.

A

s a proof of interest and commitment

Ingeteam is also presenting the new

towards India, Ingeteam is to present

INGECON

its new INGECON

EMS Plants (500 – 1,000 kW),

SUN inverters

the energy management solution for large PV

in Delhi, at Renewable Energy India 2012

plants. Featuring a battery bank management

Expo. As a main feature, Ingeteam is going

system, this brand new development enables

to showcase its technological solutions for

to stabilize the grid by charging or discharging

central inverters, single and three phase

the storage equipment associated to the PV

inverters, off-grid and micro-grids inverters,

installation.

battery inverters, communications and monitoring software.

Central inverters The INGECON

SUN PowerMaxter

Single and three phase inverters With regard to its single phase inverter line, Ingeteam is to present in Delhi its

inverter family, ranging from 250 to 917

INGECON

SUN 1Play inverter family,

kW, with its new AC/DC integrated cabinet,

with or without transformer, ranging from

enables to maximize efficiency in low

2.5 to 6 kW. Suitable for outdoor installation,

irradiance conditions. This inverter family

these inverters are able to withstand high

is characterised by its reliability and its

temperatures, offering renewed features

optimum cost/power ratio, with particular

and higher efficiency levels than ever. Also,

mention of the INGECON

SUN 600 X345,

visitors will be able to see the new INGECON

offering a peak efficiency of 98.8%, one of

SUN 3Play inverter, a three-phase inverter

the highest on today’s global market. This

family with an output power ranging from 10

equipment will be exhibited at the show

to 40 kW and an excellent performance for

in Delhi.

indoor rather than outdoor installations.

114 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

Off-grid and micro-grid inverters One of Ingeteam’s greatest developments is the INGECON HYBRID inverter line.

These equipments have been designed for stand-alone systems and they have the possibility of creating and managing microgrids that can be eventually connected and disconnected from the main public grid.

Electric vehicle charging stations Another key Ingeteam’s development is the IngeREV charging stations for electric vehicles. Visitors at Delhi will have the great opportunity of watching the electric charger that is already installed in many European countries, such as France or Spain.

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PRODUCTS Semikron And Finnish Drive Manufacturer Visedo Sponsor E-Car Project ‘Electric Raceabout’ Of The Helsinki Metropolia University Of Applied Sciences Sports car ‘Electric Raceabout’ is based on Visedo’s technology and Semikron’s power electronics / The e-car ranked 12th in the Silvretta car race, competing with Mercedes and VW Nuremberg, Lappeenranta (Finland), 12 September, 2012 – Semikron, one of the world-leading manufacturers of power semiconductors, and Visedo, the Finnish startup for production and development of engine components, cooperate with the Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in the e-car project ‘Electric Raceabout’ (http://www.raceabout.fi/).

The e-car ‘Electric Raceabout’, developed by the Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, is an electric sports car which has already broken speed records of electric cars. With a speed of 252 km/h (156 mph) on a frozen lake in Finland, the ‘Electric Raceabout’ now is the fastest electric vehicle in the world on ice. It ranked 12th in the last Silvretta car race over a distance of 330 km, which is quite a success being the only e-car among the 28 participating vehicles which has been developed by a university. Mercedes with seven models and Volkswagen with four

e-Golfs were among the participants.

Sami Ruotsalainen, project manager of the ‘Electric Raceabout’ at the University Helsinki: “The electric drive, that is the inverter and motor, along with the battery are the key components of every electric vehicle. It is crucially important for us as a system integrator that the drive reacts quickly and reliably to our control system. The Visedo-Semikron inverter and the support provided by Visedo enabled us to implement new engines in our 4-motor electric sports car in only two months, and to set a new speed record shortly after.”

“As the leader in technology of power electronics, Semikron fosters research and development in the field of e-mobility,” states Harald Jäger, Business-Line-Manager Systems at Semikron. The Semikron SKAI2® product platform serves markets in the automotive sector. The systems are operated

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with battery voltages between 24 and 800V and a power output of 10 to 250kVA. They comply with the latest standards in automotive and qualification.

Tomi Ristimäki, Manager Sales and Marketing at Visedo Oy: “The applied PowerMASTER™ high-performance inverters are equipped with electronics and control software developed by Visedo and power electronics by Semikron. The new inverter by Semikron and Visedo improves the structure of the ‘Electric Raceabout’ by reducing weight and simplifying electric connectors. This way, the reliability of the genuine design and engine control are increased.” picture: e-car project „Electric Raceabout“ sponsored by Semikron and Visedo

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115

PRODUCTS REFUsol Receives Plus X Award For Inverters With Silicon Carbide Technology

REFUsol 020K-SCI with 98.7 percent efficiency - distinguished for innovation, high quality, functionality, and ecology.

REFUsol, the cutting edge solar inverter manufacturer, hasbeen awarded the Plus X Award for the REFUsol 020K-SCI Inverter.

The innovation prize for productsfrom the fields of technology, sports, and lifestyle honors manufacturers for the quality advantage oftheir products. REFUsol received the seal of approval in the four categories of innovation, high quality,functionality, and ecology for its inverter with silicon carbide technology, which has achieved amaximum efficiency factor of 98.7 and a European efficiency factor of 98.5 percent.

With this high-end inverter with silicon carbide (SCI) technology, REFUsol is offering one of the mostefficient devices of its class. The REFUsol 020K-SCI owes its excellent efficiency factor across thewhole output power and input voltage range in part to the transistors based on the silicon carbidesemiconductor, which has circuit losses that are lower than in silicon transistors commonly used inpower electronics.

REFUsol also increased the power of the

transformerless device to 20kW AC. Additional advantages include that the premium solar inverter works extra quietly and can be operatedin high temperature environments.

“The REFUsol 020K-SCI REFUsol 020K-SCI combines modern state-of-the-art technology with abroad field of application.

Its broad input voltage range of 490 to 800 volts, its precise and promptMPP tracking, and its light weight of just about 80 lbs (about 40 kg) set this inverter apart. It is considered oneof the best in its class, and offers superior performance,” confirmed JochenHantschel, Head ofTechnology Development at REFUsol.

About the Plus X Award The jury of the Plus X Award consists of 134 industry neutral and impartial jurors with expertise in the widest variety of fields, and awards the prize to the most innovative products from the fields of technology, sports,

lifestyle, and the automotive fieldeach year.

It works together with the ‘hansecontrol cert’ and ‘TÜV SüdProduktservice’ testing institutes to be able to make a high quality assessment for the award. The Plus X Award’s seals of approval were awarded in the categories of innovation, highquality, design, ease of use, functionality, ergonomics, and ecology.

About REFUsol With over 45 years of experience in power electronics, REFUsol is one of the top five providers of solar inverters globally andone of the fastest growing companies in this field.

REFUsol‘s efficient and award-winning solar inverters help customersmaximize the yield of their photovoltaic plants, whether for small roof-top installations or large-scale solar plants. REFUsol isheadquartered in Metzingen, Germany and has further international offices in Europe, Korea, China, India and the U.S. as wellas sales and service partners in key strategic photovoltaic markets around the world.

AURORA PVI-400.0-TL The AURORA PVI-400.0-TL is an evolution of Power-One’s previous central inverters which offers maximum power on a minimum footprint. Based on extractable 67kW modules, the inverter system is extremely scalable and makes maintenance activities easy. Each inverter module can be configured in multi-master for up to six independent MPPT or in master slave with a single MPPT. This improves the energy harvest in case of module failure and reduces losses due to mismatching phenomena. The new AURORA PVI-400.0TL reaches 98 percent of peak efficiency.

116 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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PRODUCTS Protect PV 630 Central Inverter: Power Electronics specialist AEGPS recently announced the expansion of its product portfolio with a new central inverter with 630 kW. The new inverter is the next step in AEGPS’ offering of high-end utilityclass inverter. The first central inverter launched in 2009 already set new standards due to its excellent efficiency levels of 98.7% . Following on from the success of Protect PV 250 and Protect PV 500, the Protect PV 630 now represents the next milestone in the range of the industrial inverters for multi-megawatt PV plants.

With its Protect PV series AEG Power Solutions offers professional solutions for utility-scale solar installations or even installations on large roofs. The Protect PV 630 is immediately available in indoor version , the outdoor will be following soon. PV 630 has received numerous certifications and is compliant with the national grid regulations of several countries. Protect PV 630 is

also available as turnkey container solution, TKS-C 1250, equipped with 2 inverters and related equipment.

The technical highlight f the new inverter is its power pack stack PV core, designed in-house with a special control system, enabling an input DC voltage system of up to 1000 V and providing the high efficiency levels due to its optimized pulse patterns. The total concept is flexible

and adjustable to many requirements and is applicable for almost all grid codes worldwide.

AURORA TRIO-27.6 and TRIO-20.0 With its two new string inverter products for large roof top applications, PowerOne fills the gap between its previous 10.0kW and 12.5kW three-phase products and its smallest 50kW and 55kW central inverters. The new AURORA TRIO-27.6 and TRIO-20.0 benefit from the technology perfected in the PVI-10.0 and 12.5, probably the world’s most commonly used three-phased inverter, which has led the way in best-in-class efficiency. The size, larger than its smaller predecessors, allows the new devices to offer more flexibility and lower wiring cost to installers who have large installations with varying aspects or orientations. Both inverters offer a number of differentiating features, including two independent MPPTs, a special built-in heat sink compartment and an efficiency rating of up to 98.3 percent. The unit is free of electrolytic capacitors to further increase the life expectancy and long term reliability.

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117

PRODUCTS Central Inverters From Fronius Make Transport, Installation And Maintenance Easier The Fronius Agilo series will be available in global markets1 from the start of October.

It is the only central inverter in the 75 kW and 100 kW power categories that is fully installed and commissioned by the installer, and can be fully serviced and repaired by a Fronius Service Partner2.

Agilo inverters are available in both indoor and outdoor3 versions. “Despite its high performance, the Fronius Agilo is one of the most compact inverters in its power category and can be transported on an industrial pallet. This means that even the delivery stage incurs only the lowest possible costs”, explains head of division Martin Hackl.

The device can be used with all module technologies and is designed to feed power directly into the low-voltage grid. However, it can also be connected to the medium-voltage grid via a separate transformer. With an efficiency rating of 97.2%, it is one of the most efficient central inverters in its class.

“In the Fronius Agilo we have succeeded in delivering to the market an inverter that brings major benefits to both the installer and the end customer. It stands testament to

The installer can save time and money using the new V-type terminal technology, which does away with the need for cable lugs and special tools. A spacious connection compartment ensures the most straightforward installation process.

Easy maintenance saves time and money our continuing role as a quality leader even as we celebrate our 20th anniversary year,” enthuses Martin Hackl.

Easy transport thanks to heavy-duty castors and compact design The special heavy-duty castors and compact design of the indoor version make it very manoeuvrable and easy for the installer to work with. The inverter can easily be manoeuvred through a standard door, and the feet allow the device to be securely placed in position. The Fronius Agilo also has lifting eyes and recesses in the base, making it much easier to transport using a forklift or lift truck.

Easy installation using new V-type terminal technology

RenewSys Energy Ren ewable en ergy is gaining importancein our society. RenewSys is the renewable energy division of polymer expert PositivePackaging Industries Ltd. Strategically located at Bengaluru, India;itmanufactures the CONSERV™ range of EVA Encapsulantsused for making PhotovoltaicModules.

CONSERV™ is a quality product with fast cure formulation and ultra-lowthermal 118 EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

shrinkage.It allows exceptionally high light transmittance and its unique surface structure eliminates the requirement of masking film.

The product has beensuccessfully tested by TUV Rheinland and isUL & RoHS certified.

The Encapsulant is produced using the latest German technology and distributed through marketing offices worldwide. RenewSysplans to launch Backsheet range in Q1, 2013.

The unique option of having a trained installer (Fronius Service Partner) to replace components on site ensures that servicing is simple, fast and cheap, and provides a dependable yield. The Fronius Solar.

Service makes maintenance even easier - a diagnostic, configuration and analysis tool for PV systems.

Using Fronius Solar.Service as a professional maintenance tool Fronius Solar.Service is new, free software that provides the installer with even more detailed information about the PV system than before. This makes system maintenance and fault analysis easier than ever. An optimum overview of the status of the PV system is shown at all times and, if a fault has occurred, this is immediately visible.

Committed to provide innovative, technology driven solutions in this field, RenewSys has significantly invested in an R&D centre at its facility in Bengaluru. This R&D facility enables RenewSys to partner with its clients and create customized solutions, which largely benefit the mutual development of products and contribute to take this industry forward.

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PRODUCTS Lohmann: Efficient Bonding Solutions For The Photovoltaic Solar Energy Industry Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG

Head of PR & CC- Christina BargBecker M.A.

With a long history stretching back over 160 years, Lohmann is one of the pioneering forces in adhesive tape technology. The Lohmann Adhesive Tape Group now offers the most advanced adhesive solutions to all corners of the globe to almost every industry.

The company´s long years of experience within the area of renewable energies as well as the fulfilled practical tests for adhesive tapes – in the solar branch for 20 years – are reflected in numerous products. As a recognized partner of the solar industry the Lohmann “Bonding Engineers” are known for many innovative adhesive solutions – from product development to automation.

On-site mechanical integration of the adhesive solution supports and optimizes the customer’s production process. These solutions include adhesive tapes, e.g. special tapes for the framing of solar modules, to fix and insulate busbars, high-end die-cut gaskets for fuel cells or adhesive solutions for use in the production of wind turbines, to name just a few.

glass applications back-rail solutions are getting more and more important also for crystalline modules.

In dependency to the module size two to four back-rails are fixed on the back of the frameless modules with the processing machine solution. For the mounting the module is connected through the carrier rack with the bonded back-rail. The highstressable assembling tape consists of a polyethylene foam carrier and a cover made of polyethylene foil. The special properties of the adhesive tape are its ultimate strength as well as its high aging, UV, temperature and weather stability. Its special design provides a direct sealing against outside influences and any negative impact such as dirt and h u m i d i t y.

Moreover, the adhesive

Processing solution for backrail bonding of solar modules As a primary provider Lohmann has been developing adhesive tape solutions for the solar sector since 1992. The products for solar modules have been subjected to the longest practical test ever for pressuresensitive tapes and passed with flying colors, a proper global market share developed correspondingly. Against this background the company developed many innovative solutions for the solar branch. E.g. the DuploCOLL 56xxx series of double-sided adhesive tapes was originally developed for bonding backrails to standard and large scale thin film modules. It was established very successfully and can be found in innumerable installations.

Today, with the increasing number of glass-

tape enables a balance between different expansion coefficients and is specially designed to carry dynamic loads (so called wind suction loads). These properties enable an effective assembly of modules. Further, the machine solution increases automatic processing and reduced cycle times.

High-end adhesive tapes to frame photovoltaic modules DuploCOLL adhesive tapes for the framing of solar modules guarantee highly reliable processing when bonding frame profiles to solar laminates – from manual to fully automatic processes. The first solution

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Lohmann offered for the photovoltaic industry was an application concerning a special system when producing solar laminates. Crystalline solar laminates consist of embedded solar cells in its centre, a glass front and a foil cover at the backside.

To gain a complete solar module, these laminates string together in a frame. By using a pure acrylate adhesive tape the solar laminate is bonded on the frame. When the application is finished, the tape encloses the laminate in an u-bend. Using an adhesive tape during this procedure offers a lot of advantages over other adhesive systems, e.g. like silicone. The tape has a defined thickness and therefore a defined quality of the material between laminate and frame is guaranteed. While the tapes do not pollute the module, there is no cleaning necessary.

Furthermore, the application technology is less complicated and needs less servicing.

As the module can be moved and packed directly after the bonding, the cycle times of the complete process can be reduced. Lately the DuploCOLL 57005 and 57007 adhesive tape series for PV-framing were launched to offer processing and cost optimized solutions for manual and automatic application. The modified acrylic adhesive on the laminate side has a higher initial tack which improves the application speed. The better performance in compression allows higher process safety.

Further, the reduced coating weight provides better static shear strength and therefore results in a higher performance against wind load. Without any compromise in quality the new PV-framing tape range offers the customer a better performance and cost efficiency.

All in all Lohmann offers with an international project team step-by-step customized solutions even for the renewable energy sector.

EQ INTERNATIONAL September/October 12

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Inter Solar India 2012

Date: 6-8 Nov, 2012 Place: Mumbai Organiser: MMI India Pvt Ltd Tel.: 91 22 4255 4707 , 49 7231 58598 Email: info@intersolar.in Web.: www.intersolar.in

Global Solar Forum 2012

PV Japan 2012

Date: 27-20 Nov, 2012 Place: Singapore Organiser: Global Solar Forum Tel.: 44 (0)207 060 6200 Email: info@catalystsbm.com Web.: http://www.globalsolarforum.com/

Date: 5-7 Dec, 2012 Place: Makuhari Meese Organiser: SEMI Tel.: 81.3.3222.5988 Email: pvj@semi.org Web.: http://www.pvjapan.org/en/

4th PV Power Plant Power Gen Africa

Date: 6-8 Nov, 2012 Place: Johannesburg Organiser: PennWell Corporation Tel.: 44 (0) 1992 656 671 Email: leons@pennwell.com Web.: www.powergenafrica.com

Date: 28-29 Nov, 2012 Place: Arizona Organiser: Solar Praxis Tel.: 49 (0)30 72 62 96-373 Email: david.gaden@solarpraxis.de Web.: http://www.solarpraxis.de/en/

AuSES Solar Conference 2012 Date: 06-07 Dec Place: Australia Organiser: Australian Solar Council Tel.: 61 400 102396 Email: bsmith@usyd.nsw.edu.au Web.: http://auses.org.au/

6th Renewable Energy India Expo

Date: 7-09 Nov, 2012 Place: New Delhi Organiser: UBM Tel.: 22 6612 2600 Email: sandhya.dhir@ubm.com Web.: http://www.renewableenergyindiaexpo.com/

Solar Tech 2012

Asia Solar Expo Shenzhen 2012

Date: 01 -04 Dec, 2012 Place: Egypt Organiser: Egytec Tel.: 202 2735 5837 Email: egytec@egytec.com Web.: http://solarenergy-event.com/solar-energy-

Date: 06-08 Dec Place: China Organiser : Shenzhen Dresche Exhibition &

Planning

Tel.: 86 755 8629 3108 Email: Vickie_fan02@yahoo.com.cn

egypt-solar-middle-east-africa.html

Solar Industry Summit

Date: 14-Nov, 2012 Place: Dubai Organiser: Solar Praxis Tel.: 49 (0)30 72 62 96-326 Email: severine.scala@solarpraxis.de Web.: www.solarpraxis.de

RENEXPO @ South East Europe

Date: 21-23 Nov, 2012 Place: Bucharest Organiser: REECO RO EXPOZIŢII S.R.L Tel.: 40 (0) 257 230 999 Email: info@reeco.ro Web.: http://www.renexpo-bucharest.com

Power Gen International Global Future Energy Event Date: 03-04 Dec Place: Saudi Arabia Organiser: Informa Exhibitions Tel.: 971 4 336 5161 Email: info@gfe-event.com Web.: http://www.gfe-event.com/

Solar Canada

Date: 03-04 Dec Place: Canada Organiser: CANSIA Tel.: (613) 736-9077 Email: sharonchester@cansia.ca Web.: www.solarcanadaconference.ca

Date: 11-13 Dec Place: Orlando Organiser: Penn Well Tel.: 1-918-832-9225 Email: blewis@pennwell.com Web.: http://www.power-gen.com/index.html

Inter Solar China 2012

Date: 12-14 Dec, 2012 Place: Beijing Organiser: MMI (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Tel.: 49 7231 58598-218 Email: info@intersolarchina.com Web.: http://www.intersolarchina.com

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BE CONNECTED. BE CURRENT. BE COMPETITIVE.

Surge forward with connections, solutions and professional development designed to help your business grow as fast as the PV industry itself.

PV America 2013 East keeps you on top of rising demand for PV with: technology from 150 exhibitors, 30+ expert-led conference sessions and ample networking with 4,000+ professionals.

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