EQ Magazine September 2018 Part A by EQ Int'l Solar Media Group

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

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CONT EN T

VOLUME 10 Issue # 9

PV MANUFACTURING 2018 PV MODULE RELIABILITY SCORECARD Defining Quality Guiding Industry.

40 PV MANUFACTURING

Waaree Energies triples capacity with Vapi solar panel plant

34 ELECTRIC VEHICLES

SolarEdge unveiled Electric Vehicle Charging Station...

35 ELECTRIC VEHICLES

BP Buys Chargemaster, Britain’s Largest EV Charging Company

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.

September -Part A 2018

SOLAR PROJECTS

Crossing yet another milestone – 100 MWp of solar projects...

Punjab to have 20000 solar pumps installed ...

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46 INTERVIEW

WITH Mr. Heng (Eric) Zhang Sales Director Asia Ningbo Ginlong TECHNOLOGY

Intersolar 2018: LONGi Solar showcased suite of leading-edge mono module technology

INTERVIEW

WITH Mr. Manish Gupta President North India Module Manufacturer Association INDIA

DNV GL partners with the EU and Government of India to bring offshore wind...

TECHNOLOGY

Growatt Max Inverter Running Steadily In Harsh Grid

TECHNOLOGY

LONGi Solar proves bankability of PERC modules

TECHNOLOGY

Oxford PV sets world record for perovskite solar cell

30 SOLAR PROJECTS Janatha Fish Meal & Oil Products selects Orb Energy for the third time...

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TECHNOLOGY Hanwha Q CELLS’ Q.PEAK DUO-G5 half-cell module wins Intersolar Award 2018

EQ NEWS Pg. 07-29

TECHNOLOGY Sungrow PresentED 1500V PV Inverters and ESS at Intersolar Europe 2018

September -Part A 2018

JA SOLAR was founded in 2005 and listed on the US NASDAQ Exchange in 2007. Its impressive supply chain includes photovoltaic products that design, manufacture and sell to over 100 countries and regions. Products range from silicon wafers, cells and modules to complete photovoltaic (PV) power systems. On the strength of its continued technological innovations, solid financials, global sales and customer service networks, JA SOLAR has received worldwide recognition from authoritative agencies, as a leading global manufacturer of highperformance PV products.

8Â

September -Part A 2018

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INDIA

Bengal Govt aims 200 MW annual solar power generation

The Bengal Government wants to achieve a target of 200MW with respect to annual generation of solar power. Currently, the generation capacity is 70MW.

he State Power Minister, while giving out these facts at a recent conference, also said that the Government is taking a lot of steps to reduce the loss of power during transmission. He said by 2025, the Government would be able to complete the laying of underground cable for transmission of power in 75 cities and towns across the State. Underground cable would also help in improving on the quality of power being transmitted. Another important fact mentioned by the Power Minister was that in the next few years, the State Government plans to spend Rs 15,000 crore on various power projects. In a stride towards reducing its electricity bill and curbing pollution, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is also aiming for usage of maximum solar power. It is aiming for using solar power for its 46 markets, beginning with the setting up of two 200kW grids at Lake Market and Gariahat Market. The civic body is already using solar power for lighting up a number of parks like Deshapriya Park, College Square, Maddox Square, Jatin Das Park, Deshbandhu Park, etc., because of which it saves around Rs 8,000 a month on electricity. Source: UNI

Union government proposes to build a national DISCOM consulting the state DISCOMs In recent news, the Union Government has planned to set up a national power distribution company that will have a grip on the state discoms in electricity distribution activities and ensure timely implementation of central schemes.

roposed company is said to compete with the private firms and contractors to bag contracts for appointing franchises or engineer tenders. Currently, there is no national-level distribution company, only small level distribution consultancy wings like Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), Power Grid Corporation and NTPC. The new company will act as a consultancy firm without acquiring a distribution license. This announcements also gives support to the Prime Minister’s wish to of giving power to all till the 2019 elections. Similar to the National Tariff Policy (NTP) 2016 amendments, the draft Electricity Act is also in the process of being circulated for comments. The proposed amendments suggest separation of distribution infrastructure ownership from power supply licenses and also penalties in income for unexpected load shedding. According to Deutsche Bank Market Research report, the annual losses of discoms have reduced by 70% to approximately INR 17,350 crore in the past two years. We feel that with various amendments being proposed in the policies if the implementation is carried out strategically, the state of country’s electrification will see a new sun in the coming years. Source: reconnectenergy

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September -Part A 2018

INDIA

Renewable Energy ministry sets 30 Gw offshore wind energy target by 2030

Gujarat govt announces wind-solar hybrid power policy

MNRE recently invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the first 1 Gw offshore wind project in India, which has evoked a keen response from the industry, both global and Indian

In a bid to ensure optimal use of land and transmission infrastructure, the Gujarat government announced a policy to promote setting up of wind as well as solar power projects at one location.

inistry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently announced medium and long-term offshore wind energy target of 5 Gw by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030, respectively, to provide confidence to the industry.

The MNRE recently invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the first 1 Gw offshore wind project in India, which has evoked a keen response from the industry, both global and Indian, the ministry said in a statement. In order to give confidence to the wind industry, the ministry has declared medium and long-term target for off-shore wind power capacity additions, which are 5 GW by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030, the statement said. While this may look moderate in comparison to India’s on-shore wind target of 60 GW and its achievement of 34 GW, and solar target of 100 Gw by 2022, this would still be challenging considering the difficulties in installing large wind power turbines in open seas, it added. It may be mentioned that offshore wind turbines are of much larger dimensions and capacities than onshore turbines. The offshore wind power will add a new element to the already existing basket of renewable energy for the country. The MNRE had notified National Off-Shore Wind Policy in October 2015 to realise the offshore wind power potential in the country. Preliminary studies have indicated good wind potential for off-shore wind power both in the southern tip of Indian peninsula and west coast. Two regions where preliminary studies have been conducted are off the coast of Gujarat and that of Tamil Nadu. For precise wind quality measurements, one LiDAR has been installed near Gujarat coast, which is generating data about the quality of off-shore wind since November 2017. Encouraged by the quality of off-shore wind, a private sector player has also installed LiDAR in Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat for offshore wind resource measurements. Plans are afoot to install more of such equipment in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Surveys to understand the oceanographic and sea bed condition within identified zones off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have been planned. Globally there has been an installation of about 17 to 18 GW of off-shore wind power led by countries such as UK, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands & China. Recent years have witnessed fall in off-shore wind tariff in some of these markets, the statement said. Source: PTI

September -Part A 2018

The ‘Wind-Solar Hybrid Power Policy-2018’ will remain in force for five years.

rojects approved under this policy can avail various benefits and rebates as mentioned in the policy document for a period of 25 years or till the life of the project, as per an official release. Under the policy, developers can set up wind energy units on the land currently in use for solar power units. Similarly, a solar power project can be set up on the land being used for wind farms, it said. The transmission lines meant for the existing power projects can be utilised for the proposed renewable energy project, as per the release.

“The policy also allows setting up of new wind-solar hybrid power producing unit. The objective of the new policy is the optimum utilisation of land and grid lines. This renewable energy sources will reduce pollution and help us cope up with the future energy demands,” the release quoted state Energy Minister Saurabh Patel as saying. Electricity produced from such hybrid wind and solar units will be exempted from power duty. The new policy has a provision for 50 per cent exemption from electricity duty for selling the power to a third party, the release said. For hybrid captive plants, it entails total exemption from cross subsidy surcharge and additional surcharge, and 50 per cent relief in wheeling charges and distribution loss. Under this policy, new developers can decide the capacity of wind-solar hybrid unit as per the renewable power purchase agreement with the consumer, it said.

At present, Gujarat produces approximately 7,100 MW of non-conventional energy including 5,500 MW of wind power and 1,600 MW of solar power. Source: PTI

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September -Part A 2018

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INDIA

DNV GL partners with the EU and Government of India to bring offshore wind to the Indian market Four-year study demonstrates feasibility and commercial viability of offshore wind in India and sets a global benchmark for offshore wind power.

NV GL, showcased recently the final reports in a study which demonstrates the commercial and technical feasibility of the offshore wind market In India. Cofunded by the European Union (EU), GPCL and ReNew Power the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) project will enable organisations to make future investments in the region. India has made strong commitments under the UN Paris Climate Agreement and announced ambitious renewable energy goals in 2015, targeting 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, including 60 GW from wind energy. To date, offshore wind development has largely been concentrated within Europe, but this is changing and DNV GL is

supporting the Government of India in driving this change. The project, which supports India’s transition towards the use of clean technologies in the power sector, focused on the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu to identify potential zones of development through preliminary resource and feasibility assessments for future offshore wind developments, as well as through techno-commercial analysis and preliminary resource assessment. By providing a concept design for a 150 to 504 MW demonstration project in both Gujarat’s and Tamil Nadu’s most promising offshore wind development areas, identified as “zone A”, companies and government institutions now have a starting point for future

detailed offshore front end engineering design (FEED) studies. Concept designs and outline project costings were performed using DNV GL’s levelised cost of energy (LCOE) design tool, Turbine.Architect. As the technical partner, DNV GL fruitfully leveraged its offshore wind and local market expertise from international teams, including India, UK, Singapore, Canada, USA and Australia. These capabilities facilitated the delivery of several technically rigorous milestone reports to enable the Government of India and its stakeholders to bring this new offshore wind market closer to fruition.

Marking the occasion of the publication of these reports, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India stated, “It is the beginning of India’s journey from Onshore to Offshore – A dream comes true.” Speaking about the project, Ditlev Engel, CEO DNV GL – Energy: “At the start of this project nearly four years ago, offshore wind in India was no more than a distant vision. Today however, India has a specific offshore wind policy, a government actively ’gearing up’ for offshore and local and overseas stakeholders pro-actively considering this new endeavor. These are significant steps to a greener energy future for India.”

September -Part A 2018

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INDIA

Govt to launch single solar power bid of 100,000 Megawatt: R K Singh “The biggest (renewable energy) tender was floated in Spain. We brought out single tender of 10,000 MW which would be opened in July. Now (we) will bring out a bid (tender) of one lakh MW which would also include solar manufacturing and storage (output),” Singh said.

Union Minister R K Singh has said the government will bring single solar bid of 1 lakh MW, which would also include storage and solar equipment manufacturing components. “The biggest (renewable energy) tender was floated in Spain. We brought out single tender of 10,000 MW which would be opened in July. Now (we) will bring out a bid (tender) of one lakh MW which would also include solar manufacturing and storage (output),” He said while addressing at a function recently.

alking about India’s renewable energy programme, he said the country will overachieve the renewable energy target of 175 GW by 2022 and eventually have 225 GW. He said that India has already set up 70 GW of renewable energy capacity and about 12.5 GW is under implementation whereas bids have been received for 25.5 GW of clean energy capacities. “India is making rapid strides in the field of renewable energy and we will overshoot the target of 175 GW renewable energy by 2022.” Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh said. He was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of 1500 kWP capacity solar plant developed by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) at the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib. Lauding this noble initiative by the DSGMC, Singh said that this would inspire other institutions to go green and become environment conscious. He said that 20 cities in India are ranked among the most polluted in the world and there is an urgent need to reduce fossil fuel use so that we leave a better world for our children. The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to bring electricity to every household by December 31, 2018. Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan were among the dignitaries present at the occasion.

PV MODULES

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September -Part A 2018

TECHNOLOGY

LONGi Solar proves bankability of PERC modules Module manufacturer in Tier 1 ranking by Bloomberg and DNV GL

loomberg has once again rated LONGi Solar, one of the leading manufacturers of monocrystalline high-performance modules, as a Tier 1 company. With an annual production capacity of 6,500 megawatts (MW), LONGi Solar ranks sixth among the largest Tier 1 manufacturers and is also listed as “Top Performer” in the PV Module Reliability Scorecard Report 2018 of DNV GL, the world’s largest independent certification body in the energy sector.

CONFIDENCE IN FINANCIAL STABILITY

Certified product quality

Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (BNEF) rating system for PV module manufacturers is based on bankability to enable a quality rating for solar modules. Only manufacturers who have supplied six different projects with their own solar modules financed by six different banks in the last two years are included in the Tier 1 group. Manufacturers in China, India and Turkey are subject to stricter criteria: The project must be nonrecourse, i.e. the banks are responsible for the risk of failure of PV modules in the projects examined.

In its fourth annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard Report 2018, the certification company DNV GL also awarded the monocrystalline PERC modules from LONGi Solar as “Top Performer”. The aim of this evaluation is to make wellfounded statements about the long-term reliability of solar modules. The DNV GL awards are based on a laboratory test for the reliability of PV modules, which includes the following criteria: Performance in thermal cycles, humid heat, dynamic-mechanical load and potentially induced degradation. Thanks to the high efficiency, high reliability and high yield of monocrystalline modules from LONGi Solar, the manufacturer was able to convince in all four categories.

High investments in R&D LONGi Solar wants to further increase the output of solar modules in order to reduce the LCOE. In the medium term, the company aims to sell mono modules at prices that are currently only common for polycrystalline modules. In 2017, the company therefore invested RMB 1.108 billion in research and development, or 6.8 percent of its sales. No other module manufacturer invests more in technology development. LONGi Solar is also focusing on high volumes – more than 12 GW module production capacity is to be achieved by the end of 2018.

September -Part A 2018

“We are very pleased to be rated again as a Tier 1 manufacturer,” says Mr Li Wenxue, president of LONGi Solar. “It proves that our focus on top quality and performance is also appreciated by project planners and banks.” LONGi Solar is the only manufacturer worldwide that specializes completely in monocrystalline high-performance modules, in particular PERC technology.

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September -Part A 2018

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TECHNOLOGY

Intersolar 2018: LONGi Solar showcased suite of leadingedge mono module technology LONGi Solar, a subsidiary of leading monocrystalline wafer producer LONGi Green Energy Technology, showcased its expanding range of high-efficiency P-type monocrystalline modules at Intersolar Europe.

ey highlight will be LONGi Solar’s ‘Hi-MO3’ half-cut P-type mono PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) bifacial module. The innovative half-cut bifacial P-type -mono PERC module follows on the heels of its Hi-MO1 PERC low-LID module in 2016 and Hi-MO2 bifacial PERC module in 2017. Hi-MO3 uses half-cut techniques to reduce the operating current of the cell by half, effectively reducing resistance losses and increasing power by 5-10 watts on average. With bifacial technology, the front-side power of the module reaches 320W (60-cell), and the bifaciality is higher than 75%. The bifaciality factor relates to bifacial cells when tested under standard test conditions (STC), taking into account the front and rear side power rating. The bifaciality refers to the ratio of the front to the rear power that was measured. Under shaded conditions, Hi-MO3 yields more energy than a full-cell module array. The advantages of Hi-MO3 include lower hot spot temperature that reduces LCOE by a factor of 10% or more compared to conventional products at all irradiation levels, according to LONGi. In May 2018, LONGi Solar

September -Part A 2018

announced that it had set a new conversion efficiency record of 20.66% for a P-type monocrystalline bifacial ‘shingled’ cell formatted module. The China General Certification Center (CGC) was said to have validated the record.Based on the high conversion efficiency of single-sided PERC, bifacial PERC cells generate power from both the front and rear sides, adding 10%25% higher yield at a cost similar to single-sided PERC. The shingling of the cells reduces losses between the cells and strings, while connecting ribbons are rear located, adding front side surface area and boosting overall module performance. LONGi announced in January 2018 that the world’s largest (100MW) field testing PV power plant, owned and operated by Qinghai province State Power Investment Corporation’s Huanghe Hydropower Development Co. Ltd., would include 20MW of HiMO2 PERC bifacial modules. In total, 71MW of bifacial modules from a range of manufacturers’ products were being tested , which meant the test plant would also become the world’s largest bifacial solar power project.

“This 3rd generation of Hi-MO with higher power, higher yield and lower hot spot effect further improves product efficiency and performance, which in turn accelerates the reduction of LCOE,” said Zhong Baoshen, Chairman of LONGi. “It’s the result of the R&D team’s relentless focus on technological innovations. We expect that the launch of Hi-MO3 can bring new breakthroughs to the development of the industry.” Source: longi-silicon

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TECHNOLOGY

GoodWe Awarded by EuPD Research “Top Brand PV Seal for the Netherlands” During Intersolar GoodWe has been awarded the 2018 Top Brand PV seal in the Netherlands for the second consecutive year. On 21st June, Markus A. W. Hoehner, CEO of EuPD Research, came down personally to give the award and make a speech at GoodWe’s booth during Intersolar.

inning this seal approval confirms the GoodWe brand is in a leading position of European PV market and is recommended by local professional installers and retailers, able to identify the inverter brand which distinguishes itself from the rest in the perception of their customers.

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Thanks to reliable performance of GoodWe inverters during the past 8 years, GoodWe brand image has been well recognized by customers and business partner worldwide. TÜV Rheinland, the great provider of technical services worldwide, also visited GoodWe to know about our new products and technological innovation. “With the objective and credible evaluation procedures and authoritative and neutral evaluation body, GoodWe is the winner of “All Quality Matters Award” for 3 consecutive years. We expect that GoodWe can still achieve excellent performance and significant contributions to the PV industry,” said Ulrike Therhaag, Vice President of TÜV Rheinland’s solar operations. The benefits of the awards increase credibility and create trust among end customers and business partners. Thanks to the reliable operation and excellent performance, highly approved and certified GoodWe products provide global investors and developers with long-term benefits and a faster ROI. GoodWe’s philosophy is to always create win-win partnerships with customers.

“We’re extremely honoured to present this prestigious seal to GoodWe. Products manufactured by GoodWe are undeniable of high quality according to strict European standards and rules,” stated Markus A. W. Hoehner CEO of EuPD Research. As this prestigious award is given to leading inverter manufacturers in the industry, only a few manufacturers receive the “Top Brand PV” seal every year – the prerequisite for the award is an aboveaverage rating of the brand by the installers compared to their competitors.

September -Part A 2018

TECHNOLOGY

Q.PEAK DUO-G5: PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF HALF-CELL TECHNOLOGY Q.PEAK DUO-G5 is a monocrystalline 120 half-cell solar module. Based on Q.ANTUM DUO Technology, it combines the following innovations to reach the lowest LCOE:

Hanwha Q CELLS’ Q.PEAK DUO-G5 half-cell module wins Intersolar Award 2018 • The Q.PEAK DUO-G5 convinces the Intersolar Award Jury regarding the all-round performance quality of its 120 monocrystalline Q.ANTUM half-cells

• Q.ANTUM DUO Technology with half-cut cells, as well as a six bus bar design and

novel interconnection technology based on round wires delivers a module power increase of around 5.5%, setting the standard in power, energy yield and LCOE

• Hanwha Q CELLS CTO Dr. Daniel JW Jeong stated: “The power increase and im-

proved shading response of the Q.PEAK DUO-G5 ensures the module stands out in an increasingly competitive field. The Q.PEAK DUO-G5 solar module series is now available for customers in Europe and various international markets.”

Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd. (“Hanwha Q CELLS” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: HQCL), has secured another achievement in the Intersolar Award 2018 Photovoltaics category with its Q.PEAK DUO-G5 solar module. Having triumphed in 2017 with Hanwha Q CELLS’ innovative Q.PEAK RSF L-G4.2 steel frame module, the Company saw the 120 half-cell, six bus bar monocrystalline module selected by the independent Intersolar Award Jury as one of the most innovative out of ten entries shortlisted from 51 total applications.

After Hanwha Q CELLS received the award, the company’s Global CTO, Dr. Daniel JW Jeong, said, “We are once again extremely pleased with the decision of the Intersolar Award Jury. Our Q.PEAK DUO-G5 module combines a number of innovations on different levels with our high performance cell technology Q.ANTUM DUO. The durability, power increase and improved shading response performance of the module ensure that the module stands out in an increasingly competitive field. The Q.PEAK DUO-G5 solar module series is now available for customers in Europe and various international markets.”

September -Part A 2018

Six bus bar design • 2 x 6-inch half cells with six bus bars in parallel produce up to 3.5% power gain versus a typical full cell, four bus bar module • Six bus bars in combination with half-cell technology help to lower resistive losses Round wire interconnection • Use of round wires instead of flat ribbons for cell interconnection reduces the effective shading on the solar cells significantly • Benefits result in a power gain of an additional 2.0% Improved performance and durability of half cells • Cell interconnection with independent upper and lower module halves connected in parallel ensures an improved shading response, resulting in higher yields when the module is partially shaded • Half-cut cells are subjected to vastly reduced mechanical stress, resulting in fewer cracks • Halving the cell also halves the current, which lowers resistive losses in each cell and results in a 3.0% power gain against typical full cells’ interconnection Q CELLS‘ proprietary Q.ANTUM cell technology • Rear side passivated monocrystalline solar cells for power classes up to 330 Wp • High power density leads to low BoS costs • Q CELLS Yield Security: Anti LeTID, Anti-LID, Anti-PID, HotSpot Protect, Tra.Q

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September -Part A 2018

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TECHNOLOGY

Researchers Solve Major Challenge in Mass Production of Low-Cost Solar Cells Spray Coating Could Make Perovskite an Inexpensive Alternative to Silicon for Solar Panels, Explains NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s André D. Taylor

n international team of university researchers today reports solving a major fabrication challenge for perovskite cells — the intriguing potential challengers to silicon-based solar cells. These crystalline structures show great promise because they can absorb almost all wavelengths of light. Perovskite solar cells are already commercialized on a small scale, but recent vast improvements in their power conversion efficiency (PCE) are driving interest in using them as low-cost alternatives for solar panels. In the cover article published online today for the June 28, 2018 issue of Nanoscale, a publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the research team reveals a new scalable means of applying a critical component to perovskite cells to solve some major fabrication challenges. The researchers were able to apply the critical electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite photovoltaic cells in a new way — spray

coating — to imbue the ETL with superior conductivity and a strong interface with its neighbor, the perovskite layer.

The research is led by André D. Taylor, an associate professor in the NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, with Yifan Zheng, the first author on the paper and a Peking University researcher. Co-authors are from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Yale University, and Johns Hopkins University. Most solar cells are “sandwiches” of materials layered in such a way that when light hits the cell’s surface, it excites electrons in negatively charged material and sets up an electric current by moving the electrons toward a latticework of positively charged

The researchers chose the compound [6,6]-phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) because of its track record as an ETL material and because PCBM applied in a rough layer offers the possibility of improved conductivity, less-penetrable interface contact, and enhanced light trapping.

“Very little research has been done on ETL options for the planar p-i-n design,” said Taylor. “The key challenge in planar cells is, how do you actually assemble them in a way that doesn’t destroy the adjacent layers?”

September -Part A 2018

“holes.” In perovskite solar cells with a simple planar orientation called p-i-n (or n-i-p when inverted), the perovskite constitutes the light-trapping intrinsic layer (the “i” in p-i-n) between the negatively charged ETL and a positively charged hole transport layer When the positively and negatively charged layers are separated, the architecture behaves like a subatomic game of Pachinko in which photons from a light source dislodge unstable electrons from the ETL, causing them to fall toward the positive HTL side of the sandwich. The perovskite layer expedites this flow. While perovskite makes for an ideal intrinsic layer because of its strong affinity both for holes and electrons and its quick reaction time, commercial-scale fabrication has proved challenging partly because it is difficult to effectively apply a uniform ETL layer over the crystalline surface of the perovskite.

The most common method is spin casting, which involves spinning the cell and allowing centripetal force to disperse the ETL fluid over the perovskite substrate. But this technique is limited to small surfaces and results in an inconsistent layer that lowers the performance of the solar cell. Spin casting is also inimicable to commercial production of large solar panels by such methods as roll-to-roll manufacture, for which the flexible p-i-n planar perovskite architecture is otherwise well suited. The researchers instead turned to spray coating, which applies the ETL uniformly across a large area and is suitable for manufacturing large solar panels. They reported a 30 percent efficiency gain over other ETLs – from a PCE of 13 percent to over 17 percent – and fewer defects.

“Our approach is concise, highly reproducible, and scalable. It suggests that spray coating the PCBM ETL could have broad appeal toward improving the efficiency baseline of perovskite solar cells and providing an ideal platform for record-breaking p-i-n perovskite solar cells in the near future.” André D. Taylor, an associate professor in the NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Chemical Said

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TECHNOLOGY

JA Solar Receives the Top Brand PV Seal from EuPD Research in Australia a world leading manufacturer of high-performance solar power products, announced that it has been awarded the “Top Brand PV Seal 2018” from EuPD Research in Australia.

UPD Research is well recognized in the photovoltaic industry. Based on the comprehensive surveys among photovoltaic installation companies and end users in Australia, EuPD Research awards the seal to excellent companies that performs well in all aspects. The survey results have a strong reference value for customers selecting high-quality photovoltaic products. Since JA Solar entered the Australian market in 2013, it has received numerous recognitions and favorable feedback on its high-performance products and excellent customer service. JA Solar’s shipments have always been in the leading position. In 2017, JA Solar owned 15.3% share of the PV market in Australia. As a PERC patent holder, JA Solar’s high-performance PERC products are well received in the Australian market, especially the bifacial double-glass modules and PERC half-cell modules. Through years of cultivation, JA Solar has established long-term co-operations with many well-known companies in Australia.

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Mr. Cao Bo, Vice President of JA Solar, commented, “JA Solar set up a branch office in Australia in 2013. We also established local sales and a support platform to provide customers with timely, highquality, and localized services. With further expansion of the Australian market, JA Solar will continue to upgrade technologies and enhance service solutions, providing its customers with high-reliability solar modules and superior service.”

September -Part A 2018

TECHNOLOGY

SIMBA Blockchain Platform Wins Federal Grant to Build Blockchain Solution for Solar Energy Market Grant is the second Blockchain SBIR for northern Indiana company SIMBA Chain in conjunction with ITAMCO and the University of Notre Dame has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Department of Energy to develop a potential platform for a blockchain solution for the solar energy market.

he Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) company was first formed with a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies to develop a secure and unhackable messaging and transaction platform for the U.S. military. Elevate Ventures has provided funding and ongoing support. A federal Small Business Innovation Research grant with the Center for Research Computing at University of Notre Dame also helped the company get established.

“Winning this second Blockchain SBIR grant shows that we’re developing competency using this platform,” said CEO Joel Neidig. “We’re excited to demonstrate how blockchain technology could help the solar energy industry.” Because of how the solar energy industry has grown and changed, it’s difficult for utilities to plan for when they will receive or need to distribute power. Because of all the variables, the flow of solar power to the utility from those who create it on small systems isn’t predictable. Blockchain technology can help create a system for those creating power to sell it to the utility and for the utility to better plan. “This is trying to develop more of a marketplace to maximize the potential for all involved,” said Neidig. Blockchain lets all the users keep a distributed ledger in the cloud and preserves anonymity and verification when needed. That transactive grid supports interactions between users, prosumers and energy stations.

Jay Bartlett, CEO of Wabash Valley Power Association, said, “We believe the approach proposed by SIMBA Chain is novel and innovative, specifically in the development and application of a secure blockchain technology for transparency, efficient processing, and the accurate recording of transactions of utility-scale renewable energy.” SIMBA Chain is also working with the Marshall County Rural Electric Membership Corp.

September -Part A 2018

Oxford PV sets world record for perovskite solar cell Perovskite solar technology leader’s solar cell exceeds highest ever performing single-junction silicon solar cell Oxford, 25 June 2018 – Oxford PVTM – The Perovskite Company TM, the leader in the field of perovskite solar cells, announced a new, certified, world record for its perovskite based solar cell.

xford PV’s 1 cm2 perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell has achieved a 27.3% conversion efficiency, certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. This exceeds the 26.7% efficiency world record for a single-junction silicon solar cell.

Frank P. Averdung, Chief Executive Officer at Oxford PV commented, “This result further validates the ability of perovskite to enhance the performance of silicon based photovoltaics. Continuing to improve the performance of photovoltaics is fundamental for sustaining the growth of solar generated electricity.”

Dr Chris Case, Chief Technology Officer at Oxford PV added, “We are continuing to push our perovskite-silicon solar cell technology with a roadmap that extends beyond 30% efficiency, driving the world towards an allelectric future. Oxford PV counts on the support of development partners, suppliers and customers to deliver its perovskite solar technology.” Record demonstrates the considerable progress the company has made in driving its perovskite solar solution closer to commercialisation. Oxford PV is in the process of scaling its perovskite-silicon solar cell technology from the lab to high volume manufacturing. The company is producing commercial sized 156 mm x 156 mm perovskite-silicon solar cells, at its 17,000 m2 industrial pilot line in Germany, for validation by its development partner – a major manufacturer of silicon solar cells and modules. Source: oxfordpv

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September -Part A 2018

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TECHNOLOGY

Sungrow PresentED 1500V PV Inverters and ESS at Intersolar Europe 2018 the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, presentED 1500V solutions with string PV inverters, central PV inverters, and ESS as its hero products for Intersolar Europe 2018 in Munich, Germany.

he 6.8 MW turnkey solution for 1500Vdc systems features block monitoring, auxiliary power supply, and Night Static Var Generator function with SG3400HV. This enables significant savings of initial investment and future operating costs. Developed for largescale utility plants, SG3400HV also features a high DC/AC ratio of 1.5 with maximum inverter efficiency of up to 99%. For up to 5 MW power block design, the 1500Vdc SG125HV received UL 1741-SA certification, is the world’s most powerful 1500Vdc string inverter, features a high capacity of 125kW. Additionally, it is proven to work stably in full power operation without derating at 50 degree celsius, maximizing the return on investment for project owners. Committed towards providing integrated energy storage system solutions for residential, C&I and utility scale applications, Sungrow showcases the 4MW/2.134MWh system which

consists of one PCS container and one ESS battery container. This system can be applied to frequency regulation and peakshaving uses. It complies with TUV standards and its battery is supplied by the Sungrow-Samsung SDI joint venture. Thanks to its containerized design, the ESS is flexibly configured at customers’ requests. Sungrow’s ESS is continuously recognized throughout the European market with over a dozen of projects installed in Europe last year. Earlier this year, Sungrow has announced that it won a deal supplying solutions for a 20MW/10MWh project in Germany. In addition, Sungrow showcases the flagship storage inverter SC50HV which has the maximum efficiency of 98.8%, and commercial PV inverters such as SG80KTL-20. With advanced and complete product lineup, Sungrow demonstrates its strong R&D capability and commitment to the market as a global leading inverter supplier at Intersolar Europe.

“Sungrow is committed to technical innovation which drives our rapid growth. We are delighted to offer better products and services to customers all over the world”, said Professor Renxian Cao, Chairman of Sungrow.

Source: Sungrow Power Supply

September -Part A 2018

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SOLAR PROJECTS

Shri RK Singh inaugurates solar plant at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib; calls for a clean environment for our future generations “India is making rapid strides in the field of renewable energy and we will overshoot the target of 175 GW renewable energy by 2022.” said Shri R.K Singh, Minister of State(IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy here today. He was speaking as the Chief Guest at the inauguration of 1500 kWP capacity solar plant developed by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) at the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib.

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auding this noble initiative by DSGMC, Shri Singh said that this would inspire other institutions to go green and become environment conscious. He said that 20 cities in India are ranked among the most polluted in the world and there is an urgent need to reduce fossil fuel use so that we leave a better world for our children. The Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment to bring electricity to every household by 31st December, 2018. The solar plant was inaugurated by Sant Balbir Singh Ji Seechewal and Baba Sewa Singh Ji. Shri Hardeep Puri,Minister of State (I/C) for Housing & Urban Affairs and Dr Harsh Vardhan,Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change were among the dignitaries present at the occasion.

September -Part A 2018

SOLAR PROJECTS

Madhya Pradesh implements innovative Rooftop Solar Prog Rooftop solar instalram (26 MWp) through RESCO route lation startup ZunAfter the success of the 750MW Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project in Rewa, the Government Roof bags Rs 1.6 Cr of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) is now aiming to create a new model for success in Rooftop Solar energy generation. This is in line with India’s ambitious target to achieve 40 GW of from clutch of angels solar rooftop installation by 2022.

he MP Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVNL), under a recently unveiled tender intends to develop 26 MWp of Rooftop Solar projects through Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) mode. The projects are being implemented largely in the government buildings using the subsidy of GoI and GoMP. Second pre-bid meeting for this tender was held in New Delhi on June 22 at the Madhya Pradesh Bhawan. RESCOs from across the country participated in this pre-bid meeting. Under the RESCO model, the project developer will invest, build and operate the Rooftop Solar project by using the mix of ‘its own funds’ and ‘taking debt’, to generate electricity and sell it to the beneficiary (generally the owner of the premise) and thereby earn revenues. To facilitate efficient and hurdle free implementation of projects, MPUVN has put in place a number of measures. More than 250 project sites across the state have been identified where Rooftop Solar technology projects can be implemented. In the first phase, these sites are predominantly public buildings, with all clearances and approvals for setting up projects at these sites already obtained. Due to challenges for bidders to visit these sites across the state, as part of its preliminary diligence, MPUVN has created an innovative Data-room in partnership with the World Bank. The Data-room is a comprehensive repository of information on site specific technical assessment and electricity consumption history. This provides detailed information of each site including that of shadow on the building, expected requirement of panels, cable etc. and electricity bills of the building. This will reduce the risk profile of the projects and enable more informed participation by the bidders. Furthermore, beneficiary consumers have pre-cleared the terms of PPA. Since such market is already created, the project developer need not worry for the demand creation and can focus on faster and efficient implementation of their projects.

Speaking on the up-coming pre-bid meeting and RESCO model, Shri Manu Srivastava (I.A.S.), Principle Secretary, New and Renewable Energy Department said, “There is a lot of information asymmetry in the solar sector, especially in RESCO projects. We have tried to address this problem by providing detailed information about each project site to the bidder. Without having to travel across the state the bidder can ’visit’ each building at the click of a button. The bidder can even find out if there is any shadow on any part of the building. The risks in the tender have been correctly apportioned between the building owner, the developer and MPUVN.”

Rooftop solar installation startup ZunRoof has raised Rs 1.66 crore in its angel round of funding from i3N, Paipal Ventures’ Ajith Pai, Gaurav Gupta, Asia Director, Dalbergr and a bunch of IIT Kharagpur alumni based in the US.

his is the second round of investment for the Gurugrambased startup after an undisclosed first round from executives from Facebook, Morgan Stanley and FICO in December 2016. The development comes at the time when Indian government is looking for a huge investment in the green energy sector with partnerships with other countries such as China. Besides, India is a hotbed of attraction for global investors such as SoftBank who is planning to infuse a whopping capital in the segment. The solar (rooftop installation) marketplace will use the funds to ramp up its technology in IoT and monitoring segments. Meanwhile, it also aims to triple its sales run rate in next one year, which is currently hovers around $6 million, reports ET.

Launched in April 2016 by Pranesh Chaudhary and Sushant Sachan, ZunRoof is a hometech company, powered by a mix of image processing, VR, IoT and data analytics. It has developed proprietary tools that predict accurate size and design of the system as well as all techno-economic feasibility metrics through its backend processes. The company also provides the best prices and the right quality options to its customers through multiple installer partners. For instance, a 6kw of solar system costs around Rs 4 lakh. However, after subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh the total bill cuts to Rs 2.5 lakh. Based on the current unit-economics, the whole solar panel system becomes free in three years, claims the company. With more than 2500 paying clients, ZunRoof says that it has a lead in rooftop installations in ten of the largest cities in North India. With an interview with Entrackr, ZunRoof claimed to become unit-economics profitable in Delhi-NCR and now aims to expand to other regions such as Agra, Faizabad, Chandigarh, Haridwar, and Jaipur. A host of startups in India such as Oorjan, CleanMax Solar, Nuevosol, Ultimate Sun Systems, and Ezysolare, among others have been offering solar solutions and raised decent fundings from investors. Source: entrackr

September -Part A 2018

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September -Part A 2018

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SOLAR PROJECTS

Crossing yet another milestone – 100 MWp of solar projects for Commercial & Industrial customers

leantech Solar recently increased its signed portfolio to more than 100 MWp of solar projects across South East Asia and India, spread over more than 100 sites in 8 different countries. This makes it an undisputed leader in a region that is both diverse and challenging, but also holds great potential for further growth as Cleantech Solar continues to help companies achieve their renewable energy commitments. The ability to safely and consistently deliver quality that will last the test of time, regardless of market or local construction partner is a critical enabler in rooftop projects with sites ranging from 200 kWp all the way to 20 MWp. Combined with top-of-range monitoring solutions, this enables the company and its customers to have a fully integrated view on the performance of their portfolio of solar systems. This is proving increasingly important given the rapid increase in the number of sites under Cleantech Solar management but also the rising trend for “portfolio” projects with larger customers.

Mr. Geoffrey Yeo, Director, Urban Solutions, Enterprise Singapore said: “Singapore is a hub for clean energy in the region, with a vibrant ecosystem comprising companies with innovative clean energy solutions, and supporting network of multilateral and commercial banks, research institutes and professional services firms. As ASEAN countries move towards renewable energy for their energy needs, Enterprise Singapore is keen to support companies such as Cleantech Solar to capture regional opportunities by developing their manpower, technical capabilities and connecting them to potential partners.”

September -Part A 2018

Mr. Raju Shukla, Executive Chairman of Cleantech Solar said: “It is a great satisfaction for me to see that the team at Cleantech Solar crossed this significant milestone. Securing 100 MWp of capacity exclusively for Commercial & Industrial (C&I) customers in the region is no small achievement. I think our specialized focus on that segment is paying off as we now have an exceptional set of experience, infrastructure and capabilities. This puts us in a unique position to serve key customers and accelerate our explosive growth. Having a strong balance sheet, a robust funding pipeline combined with in-house technical expertise has made a huge difference to our customers. I think we offer today quite a special combination of the capabilities of a global player without having sacrificed any of our trademark responsiveness. However, none of this would have been possible without the repeated support from our customers and we look forward to further expanding those key relationships.”

Mr. David Wigglesworth, Chief Executive Officer, Cambodia Beverage Company said: “At Coca-Cola we are committed to making ongoing changes to our operations that reduce our carbon impact on the world, therefore the building of our new Greenfields plant in Phnom Penh was the perfect opportunity for us to rethink our power solutions in Cambodia. We are proud of our decision to partner with Cleantech Solar and delighted to be part of their journey in enabling enterprises throughout the region to reach higher levels of clean power usage via rooftop Solar Power Farms, like our 2.5ha solar farm in PPSEZ that to date has generated more than 30% of our power usage.”

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September -Part A 2018

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SOLAR PROJECTS

The CEO of PEDA, NPS Randhawa added that the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is pushing for the usage of solar energy for the irrigational purposes in the agricultural sector since 20002001 and is planning to establish 10 lakh solar pumps in the country by 2020-2021 and the Punjab Government is pushing up the unique project with vigour.

Punjab to have 20000 solar pumps installed by 2022: Kangar CALLS SOLAR HYDRO PUMPING PROJECT A GAME CHANGER IN IRRIGATION SECTOR. GOVERNMENT PLANS TO INSTALL 2800 SOLAR PUMPS DURING 2018-19.

“The Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) is engaged actively in harnessing the immense potential of energy through establishing solar energy reactors, solar street lights, solar hydro thermal system, biomass power plants and mini hydel projects and utilizing the new and renewable sources i.e. sun, air, biomass and water. Apart from this, many projects are in full swing with regard to fulfilling the energy needs of the State. As part of this, solar hydro pumping project would be given impetus which would act as a game changer in the irrigation sector and within a few years span, solar pumps would be installed in large number throughout the state under the solar hydro pumping project.”

The Power and Renewable Energy Minister, Punjab, Mr. Gurpreet Singh Kangar said that the present Government has decided to implement solar pumping project big time by providing subsidy upto 80 percent as agreed in the first Cabinet meeting on 18th March, 2017.

He further said that a comprehensive plan has been chalked out for installing 20,000 solar pumps in Punjab during the 13th Five Year Plan (2017-2022). During the financial year 2018-19, 2800 solar pumps having a capacity of 2, 3 and 5 HP would be installed under the funding pattern in which the ratio of the Centrally sponsored, State sponsored and beneficiaries has been fixed with Rs. 50 crore being sanctioned by the state. He further said that the solar hydro pumping project is very beneficial for the state government as well as the farming sector and would lead to conservation of the diesel, fuel, environment. He also divulged that the process to invite applications from the farmers for establishing solar pumps is on.

Mr. Kangar also said that awareness is being spread throughout the state concerning the renewable energy and people are exhibiting keen interest in the novel projects. Calling renewable energy a powerful medium, the minister said that it is environmental friendly as well as easily available to the people. Giving more details, he said that the Union Ministry is giving 30 percent subsidy on 1 HP (Horse Power) pumps, 25 percent on 2 & 3 HP pumps and 20 percent on 5 HP pumps. The plan is being implemented by the several states and uptill now, 1.50 lakh solar pumps have been installed across the country. The Punjab Government launched this plan in the year 2000-2001 and till the financial year 2003-2004, 1850 solar pumps were installed. During these years, the Union Ministry and the Punjab Government provided subsidy to the tune of 80 percent and 10 percent respectively on the execution of the plan with the rest 10 percent being contributed by the farmers themselves. During the financial year 2010-2011, the Union Government increased subsidy upto 30 percent and by the year 2013-2014 installed 105 pumps of the 2 HP capacity. He further said that from 2001 till 2014, a total of 1955 pumps have been installed in the state and the project is expected to go full throttle from 2017-2022. Source: UNI

September -Part A 2018

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September -Part A 2018

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SOLAR PROJECTS

Janatha Fish Meal & Oil Products selects Orb Energy for the third time in a row to install a cumulative 1 megawatt rooftop solar system Orb’s collateral-free solar loan accelerated Janatha’s solar adoption and the projected savings for them will be approximately more than INR 1 crore per annum.

rb Energy (“Orb”) today announced that it has been selected for the third installation of a cumulative 1 megawatt (MW) rooftop solar system at Janatha Fish Meal & Oil Products in Udupi, Karnataka. Orb had previously commissioned a 100 KW rooftop system in 2015 and followed it with an installation of 400 KW in 2016, prior to the most recently awarded 500 KW installation.

“Power generated from our rooftop solar system costs just a third of grid power, and has also reduced our spending on diesel backup. The cost effectiveness of the system has ensured that the projected savings will be approximately INR 8,40,000 every month. The service from Orb’s team has been exceptional” said Rakshith Kunder, Partner, Janatha Fish Meal & Oil Products.

Rooftop solar provides commercial and industrial customers a three- to four-year payback without any subsidy – an unheard-of return on investment on an unsubsidized solar power system. Despite this many SMEs in India can only afford rooftop solar with finance. To tackle this, Orb offers a collateral-free solar loan to SMEs that matches their payback period, after which all their power is effectively free.

“We are extremely pleased that Janatha has benefited from owning their rooftop solar system using Orb’s collateral-free solar loan facility. They have realized significant reduction in their electricity costs and this fulfills 50% of their total power needs. Their decision to work with Orb for a third successive time is a testimony to the quality of our installations and after-sales service.” said Damian Miller, Orb’s Chief Executive Officer. Orb sells, finances, installs and services solar energy systems across India. Orb is also vertically integrated and manufactures its own range of solar PV modules from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bangalore.

September -Part A 2018

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September -Part A 2018

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SOLAR PROJECTS

Lightsource BP finishes 60MWp solar project in India UK-based solar company Lightsource BP said it has commissioned its first utility-scale solar project in India, a 60-MWp solar farm located in Wagdari in the state of Maharashtra.

he project was financed jointly with UK Climate Investments (UKCI). The Indian solar partnership between Lightsource and UKCI, a joint venture between the Green Investment Group and the UK government’s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), was announced in October last year and the 60-MWp project in Maharashtra is its seed asset. UKCI provided 49% of the equity for the initial project. Lightsource was rebranded Lightsource BP after a deal at the end of 2017 for UK oil and gas giant BP Plc (LON:BP) to acquire a 43% stake in the solar developer. Lightsource BP secured the 60-MWp project in a 450-MW tender by the Indian government, managed by Solar Energy Corporation India (SECI). The solar farm uses 200,000 Longi Solar panels and was completed in line with the power purchase agreement (PPA) time schedule, Lightsource BP said. India’s Sterling and Wilson and Longi Solar, a unit of Chinese solar products maker Longi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd (SHA:601012), were responsible for the provision of construction, photovoltaic (PV) modules and technical expertise, while Rabobank of the Netherlands provided project finance.

“The UK has a track record of exporting our home-grown expertise to the rest of the world and this partnership is a perfect example of the public and private sectors working together to deliver our respective climate, development and growth objectives that will benefit the entire planet,” said UK energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry.

Source: renewablesnow

September -Part A 2018

Over 43% of electricity needs met through renewable energy: Infosys As per Infosys’ 11th Annual Sustainability Report, 43.7 percent of the company’s electricity requirements — equating to more than 100 million units — is sourced from renewable sources. Infosys, India’s second largest software services firm, saw over 43 percent of its electricity requirements being met through renewable energy sources during 2017-18, a report said.

s per Infosys’ 11th Annual Sustainability Report, 43.7 percent of the company’s electricity requirements equating to more than 100 million units is sourced from renewable sources. The Bengaluru-based company has an installed capacity of 46.1 megawatt (MW) of solar energy across the country, it added. “During fiscal 2018, 109.7 million units of our overall energy requirement came from green power… Out of this, 22.8 million units of electricity was produced from solar photovoltaic (PV) in our campuses,” the report said. The company said that it is in the process of adding another 12 MW offsite solar power plant in Karnataka and around 7 MW of on-site solar plants in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Thiruvananthapuram and Chandigarh campuses. “In 2017-18, we have installed 1 MW capacity of rooftop solar in Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad, and a 30 MW solar farm in Sira in Karnataka,” the report noted. 2015, the Bengalurubased firm had joined RE100, a global platform for major companies like IKEA, Swiss Re, BT, Formula E, H&M, Mars, Nestle and Philips, that are committed to 100 percent renewable power.

“We are committed to a strategy to use renewable energy on our campuses. We are also a signatory to the global RE100 initiative. Our efforts included aggressive targets to reduce consumption and switch to renewable energy resources for our business operations,” the report said. Source: PTI

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SOLAR PROJECTS

4.2 MW Project Commissioned in the USA with Vikram Solar Modules Vikram Solar, one of India’s leading module manufacturers and a prominent rooftop solar & EPC solutions provider, announced the commissioning of a 4.2 MW solar plant using Vikram Solar modules. This ground mounted project marks the entry for Vikram Solar Limited (module supplier for the project) and Greencells USA Inc (EPC handler for the project) into large-scale solar farms in the US.

he project, named Cottonwood, is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The installation was handled by Greencells USA Inc., and the project was successfully completed within the agreed upon time-frame, owing to the meticulous planning and capable execution by Greencells USA. Vikram Solar was chosen as the module supplier due to its high quality products and reliable track record with clients around the world. Vikram Solar’s Eldora 72 cell 315 and 320 wp polycrystalline modules were used in commissioning the 4.2 MW ground mounted solar project. 13,072 (6,536×2) are the total number of modules used for the project. These are high output modules having reduced ‘cell to module’ power loss, excellent low light response, and are accompanied by a 27 year linear power output warranty. The solar plant is expected to generate 6.72 GWh green energy per year. The installation process faced many challenges like: hurricanes which delayed the execution process and the perfect accuracy required to efficiently utilize the single axis tracker systems installed alongside the panels etc., however, Greencells USA Inc. and Vikram Solar Limited worked very well together to bring the 4.2 MW solar plant online.

Davide Marro, Head of Sales (Europe), Modules, Vikram Solar commented, “It is a privilege to be chosen from today’s crowd of module manufacturers. We enjoyed working extremely closely with the entire project team at Greencells in order to maintain and fulfill their high standards. I congratulate them on their first solar plant in the USA and look forward to our next joint project.“ Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Andreas Hoffmann, CEO Greencells Group said, “There is no second chance for a first impression. Hence, in our first large solar project in the US, we were very particular about proven high quality standards, extended linear performance guarantees combined with an affordable technology. Our clients have a clear expectation and so do we. Vikram Solar’s global track record and their astonishing commitment from Day 1, left us no doubt as to have found a trustworthy partner.”

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Fortum won the right to build 250 MW solar power plant in India Fortum won the right from Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. to build a 250 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Pavagada solar park in Tumkur district, Karnataka, India.

ommissioning of the plant is expected in the third quarter of 2019. The capital expenditure is estimated to be approximately EUR 120 million and the solar park will be entitled to a fixed tariff of 2.85 INR/kWh for 25 years. Fortum already has a 100 MW operating plant in Pavagada solar park.

“We are pleased to launch a new solar development project in India. We have gained good experience in India where we have successfully developed solar power for several years. As continuation to the previous transaction in which we sold a stake in our existing plants in India and partnered up with UK Climate Investments and Elite Alfred Berg, Fortum now continues to grow its solar portfolio”, says Kari Kautinen, SVP, Solar & Wind Development and M&A. Fortum's ambition is to increase its solar and wind portfolio to gigawatt scale in its home markets. Fortum's business model in renewables consists of development, construction and asset management of solar and wind assets, and selective partnering with financial investors once the plants have been commissioned. The company currently operates solar capacity of 185 MW in India and 35 MW in Russia. Fortum's total operating wind capacity amounts to 142 MW with three additional projects currently under construction and sizeable future pipeline in the Nordics and Russia.

September -Part A 2018

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Joint Research and Development Agreement on NextGeneration Lithium-ion Battery Material SolarEdge unveiled Electric Vehicle Charging Station at Intersolar Europe SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (“SolarEdge”) (NASDAQ: SEDG), a global leader in smart energy, is unveiling its residential electric vehicle charging station at Intersolar Europe.

ollowing the recent debut of its EV-charging single-phase inverter, SolarEdge will now also provide a standalone EV charger that offers greater system design flexibility, specifically for sites where the inverter and EV charger cannot be installed at the same location. The new EV charger will be integrated into SolarEdge’s smart energy suite to support increased energy independence. With the EV charger offering management in SolarEdge’s monitoring platform, EV charging can be easily controlled and programmed.

“This EV charger reflects our ongoing commitment to develop smart energy solutions to improve the ways we produce and consume energy,” stated Lior Handelsman, VP of Marketing and Product Strategy of SolarEdge, Founder. “With the EV and PV markets having significant overlap, SolarEdge believes that combining the two solutions will accelerate the adoption of both technologies and give individuals more control over their energy usage, thus reducing their carbon footprint.” Source: solaredge

September -Part A 2018

Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation (Representative Director: Shinichiro Akiba; Head Office: Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa; hereinafter”TISS”), an operating company of Toshiba Corporation, Sojitz Corporation (Representative Director: Masayoshi Fujimoto; Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter”Sojitz”), and Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (Representative Director: Eduardo Ribeiro; São Paulo, Brazil; hereinafter”CBMM”), have concluded a joint agreement on the development of anode material for lithium-ion batteries using Niobium Titanium Oxide (NTO)

he three companies will cooperate in the development of a next generation lithium-ion battery material characterized by its highenergy density and ultra-rapid recharging capability required for automotive applications. TISS launched the SCiB™ in 2008 as a safe, long-life, fast-charging lithium-ion battery employing a lithium titanium oxide anode (LTO), and since then, the company has continued to improve energy density of the battery. In 2017, TISS succeeded in developing a next-generation SCiB™ using NTO anode instead of the LTO. The new anode material, NTO, achieves double lithium storage capacity volume compared to the graphite-based anode generally used in lithium-ion batteries. Niobium (Nb) is an important alloy element used as an additive in the production of highgrade steel products, such as high-tensile and stainless steel. It is an indispensable metal especially for its ability to enhance strength yet able to reduce weight namely for automotive applications. CBMM is the top worldwide producer of niobium with a strong technology and product development program. Through the development and evaluation process, TISS aims to establish a cost competitive and stable specification of the new battery electrode, using niobium oxide provided by CBMM and Sojitz. TISS also aims to establish a material supply chain and commercialize production of the next generation SCiB™ starting in FY2020. As applications for electric vehicle-use rechargeable batteries continue to expand and diversify, there is a growing need for batteries with higher energy density and ultra-rapid recharging. TISS, CBMM, and Sojitz will accelerate the development of the rechargeable battery business to meet this demand. Source: toshiba.co.jp

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES

BP Buys Chargemaster, Britain’s Largest EV Charging Company The British oil and gas giant announced on Thursday its $170 million acquisition of the largest charging company in its home country. Chargemaster owns and maintains 6,500 chargers located at homes, businesses, and in public spaces. BP already owns 1,200 chargers in the U.K.

he purchase is another vote of confidence from European majors in grid edge technologies, and particularly the transition to electric vehicles. BP expects 12 million EVs on U.K. roads by 2040. Last year there were just 135,000.

In announcing the sale, chief executive of BP Downstream, Tufan Erginbilgic, said the union between a major charging company and major fuel retailer marks “an important step toward offering fast and ultra-fast charging at BP sites across the U.K.” BP added that developing convenient and fast charging formed a keystone of its approach to the energy transition.

Oil and gas majors are increasingly putting money into grid edge investments that might offer a competitive edge in a future where their main products are no longer at the center of global generation. That’s especially true of European giants, who last year set out on a “grid edge shopping spree” that’s bled into 2018, according to GTM Grid Edge Research Manager Elta Kolo. Several of those purchases and investments have centered around e-mobility. In Q1 2017 Engie acquired charging developer EV-Box. In the fall of last year Shell bought charging company NewMotion and Enel purchased charging station company eMotorWerks, and in the winter EDF invested in vehicle-to-grid startup Nuuve.

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According to GTM Research, Chargemaster is the fifth EV charging infrastructure acquisition in 2018 and the third in June alone. The surge in activity this month includes telematics company GeoTab’s acquisition of FleetCarma and Webasto Group’s acquisition of AeroVironment’s Efficient Energy Solutions division. Earlier in the year, Swedish battery maker CTEK acquired ChargeStorm and Danish utility SEAS-NVE acquired Clever. But the Chargemaster acquisition is the first EV purchase from a major this year. BP also invested $5 million in mobile charging company Freewire in January of this year and $20 million in fast-charging company StoreDot in May. As battery costs continue on their precipitous decline, electrification experts have cited a lack of charging infrastructure as the next barrier to large-scale EV uptake by consumers. Many suggest oil and gas companies, as well as utilities, are the best equipped to provide that service because of their contact with customers and fuel supply.

Brook Porter at G2VP told Greentech Media in November that the rise of EVs and clean energy has oil and gas majors reconsidering their strategies. “They have stated that their current business of extracting oil from the ground is a short-term business,” she said. BP is attempting to position itself as a leader in fast charging — a technology that aims to ease the transition between gas and electricity and reduce range anxiety. As part of the acquisition, BP said it plans to roll out 150-kilowatt rapid chargers that can charge a vehicle in 10 minutes to travel 100 miles. Chargemaster currently has 300 fast chargers, and its current charging network, called Polar, has over 40,000 customers. An increasing number are choosing to use its chargers as part of a monthly subscription that costs £7.85 ($10.28). Projections of EV growth place the number of vehicles on the road above 100 million by 2030, according to Wood Mackenzie, and up to 530 million by 2040, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. BP said it will roll out Chargemaster chargers at its U.K. stations over the next year. Source: greentechmedia

September -Part A 2018

PV MANUFACTURING

Solar manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in Q1 2018, reached 24.8GW PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in the first quarter of 2018 continued to follow the strong trend set in the fourth quarter of 2017. The quarter also represented a revival in thin-film expansion plans as well as the return of PV module assembly outpacing solar cell announcements. Also notable was the return of India and the US as major destinations for new capacity plans.

January review

otal expansion announcements were 11,450MW, down from 16,100MW in December, 2017 and down from 20,800MW in November, 2017. However, January, 2018 was responsible for setting a new ‘mini’ record for capacity expansion announcements, compared to other January months, since the beginning of 2014. The majority of expansion plans came from the PV module assembly segment, which topped 8,600MW. Only one month (November 2015) had exceeded this figure when 11,180MW of module assembly plans were announced. Solar cell expansion plans in January 2018 were 2,850MW, down significantly from 7,350MW in the previous month and down substantially from 20,000MW announced in November, 2017, which set a new record for monthly solar cell expansion announcements. Therefore it should be a surprise that after just two months when a total of 27,000MW of new cell capacity plans had been announced, January would experience further declines. In fact, 2017 stands out for breaking the trend since 2014 that solar cell expansion plans closely tracked those of module assembly. However, solar cell expansion in 2017 accounted for more than 65% of the total. Notable announcements included LONGi Green Energy Technology and newly created UREC, a joint venture consolidation of Taiawan-based PV manufacturers Gintech Energy, Solartech Energy, Neo Solar Power. As a ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member, we will cover LONGi later in the SMSL review but the company accounted for 5,000MW of module assembly expansion plans in January in China and a further 1,000MW of cell and module plans in India. Soon after its formation, UREC was cited in media reports that it was interested in establishing cell and module manufacturing operations in the US, post the Section 201 trade case as high tariffs were imposed. Some reports indicated a 500MW to 1,000MW nameplate capacity that could be implemented in phases. Other notable plans included the possible expansion at Photowatt, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles in France to meet the growing French Government tenders and in-house projects with effectively a 450MW module assembly expansion using mono-cast wafers and possibly a JV involvement from SMSL member, Canadian Solar. Leading SMSL JinkoSolar also confirmed plans to build a highly automated module assembly plant in Jacksonville, Florida, USA post Section 201 trade case.

February review

he month of February was in total contrast to the previous month as only a combined total of 850MW of new expansion plans were announced. Only 500MW of solar cell expansions were announced coupled to only 350MW of module assembly. Notable was a proposed 150MW module assembly expansion at RecomSillia in France and plans by Mission Solar in San Antonio, Texas, USA to double module assembly capacity to 400MW, which was after the Section 201 trade case tariff decision. Although February announcements did not top 1,000MW, 2017 was notable for having two months (August and September) when announcements did not reach 1,000MW.

March review

fter the collapse in announcements in February, March bounced back stronger than January, accounting for a combined total of 12,570MW of new cell, module assembly and thin-film expansion plans. Indeed, March 2018 was the second highest for announcements since 2014, the highest March so far record was in 2016 (13,325MW). Once again module assembly announcements led the way, totalling 6,620MW, compared to 3,810MW of solar cell expansion plans. However, thin film module expansions, primarily CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenide) from Hanergy Thin film Power Group, totalled 2,140MW. Hanergy would seem to have created a completely new business model in 2017 that provides new industrial parks a selection of portfolio of a-Si, CIGS, GaAs and c-Si heterojunction (HJ) turnkey production lines to provide local government bodies access to solar technology and attract other hi-tech companies to new industrial parks.

BY : PVTECH 38

September -Part A 2018

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PV MANUFACTURING The company announced for the first time in its 2017 annual report, issued at the end of March that it had already secured contracts from three newly formed industrial park project companies in Mianyang Sichuan, Datong Shanxi and Zibo Shandong had purchased thin-film production lines from the company valued at approximately RMB 11.3 billion (US$1.79 billion). Unrelated to the industrial park business model, Hanergy also highlighted a contract signed in October 2017 with Huafengyuan (Chengdu) New Energy Technology Co.,Ltd., for the purchase of 600MW of nameplate capacity of automated and integrated ‘High Efficiency Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell’ production lines and technology transfer, valued at RMB 1,39 billion (US$222.5 million) and RMB 175.9 million (US$27.9 million), respectively. Hanergy TF noted that it had delivered the equipment for the first 120MW production line during 2017, with an advance from the customer of US$4.05 million. Total equipment orders outlined in its annual reported reached 2,740MW. India was also notable for around 28 dedicated PV module assembly firms planning small-scale expansions that reached around 4,000MW, while several cell and module producers planned a total of over 200MW of cell expansions. Leading SMSL JinkoSolar also provided expansion plan updates totalling 2,500MW in March on top of the 400MW module assembly plans for the US, which were announced in January, 2018.

Geographical review

owever, Q1 2018 saw the re-emergence of India as the second largest destination for planned expansions. India accounted for 6,210MW in the quarter, or 27% of the combined segment total. As already noted, plans from domestic module assembly companies totalling around 4,000MW were a key driver, while China-based LONGi announced 1,000MW of both solar cell and module assembly plants to be built in the country. The resurgence of India is believed to be driven by threats of anti-dumping duties in India as well as momentum building, despite challenges in the downstream utility-scale sector. Indeed, with the US imposing further anti-dumping duties in early 2018, India becomes even more important to PV manufacturers located in China. As previously noted in these reports, PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in India have proved significantly difficult to translate into ‘effective’ capacity. In 2014, expansion plans totalling over 1,400MW were announced for India, which increased significantly in 2015 to 7,850MW, peaking at just over 17,000MW in 2016. Planned expansions in India collapsed to only 2,790MW in 2017. In total, planned expansions in India since 2014 to the end of 2017 had reached over 29,000MW.

Quarterly review

he first quarter of 2018 is almost identical to the first quarter of 2017. Combined capacity expansion announcements reached 24,879MW, compared to 24,745MW in the first quarter of 2017. However, the Q1 2018 breakout by segment is more biased to module assembly expansion plans, while the Q1 2017 bias was towards solar cell expansions. A key trend consistent from the beginning of 2014 has been that the first quarter of each year has been strong for expansion plans and in the last three years exceeded or came close to reaching total combined announcements of 25,000MW. In Q1 2018, module assembly capacity expansion plans topped 15,570MW, the second highest on record, only exceeded in the first quarter of 2016 when plans announced topped 16,000MW. Thin film activity increased quarter-on-quarter, due solely to Hanergy and totalled 2,140MW in the quarter, up from 1,200MW in Q4 2017.

In contrast, the total of planned expansions in India that have translated to effective new capacity since the beginning of 2014 of around 4,500MW, which includes around 1,700MW of new effective cell capacity and around 2,750MW of new effective module assembly capacity. However, adding to the challenges in developing effective new capacity in India are the low utilisation rates of existing manufacturing facilities.

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September -Part A 2018

PV MANUFACTURING

SMSL update

Canadian Solar

ypically, in the first quarter the majority of SMSL members (JinkoSolar, Trina Solar, Canadian Solar, JA Solar, Hanwha Q CELLS, LONGi Group, GCL Group), provide capacity expansion updates when releasing fourth quarter and full-year financial results. However, at the time of this report only JinkoSolar, Canadian Solar, Hanwha Q CELLS and LONGi Group have provided updates. Since going private, Trina Solar has not provided updated information on capacity expansion plans.

hird ranked SMSL, Canadian Solar surprised by announcing a slowdown in capacity expansions and lower nameplate capacity plans than given in late 2017. Having adjusted manufacturing capacity expansions throughout 2017, Canadian Solar continued to tweak plans for 2018. The SMSL noted that its wafer manufacturing capacity at the end of 2017 stood at 5.0GW, a 3GW increase from 2016. However, the company has not announced new wafer capacity expansions for 2018, keeping capacity as 5GW. Solar cell manufacturing capacity stood at 5.45 GW at the end of 2017, up from 2.44GW in 2016, in-line with previous upwardly revised guidance.

JinkoSolar

eading SMSL member JinkoSolar is planning further capacity expansions across wafer, cell and module assembly in 2018, including a module assembly plant in the US, after strong capital expenditures in 2017 that totalled US$480 million. The SMSL reported that in-house wafer capacity went from 5GW in 2016 to 8GW in 2017, a 3GW increase, year-on-year, while solar cell capacity increased by 1GW in 2017, reaching 5GW. Module assembly capacity was said to have increased from 6.5GW in 2016 to 8GW in 2017, a 1.5GW increase, year-on-year. In 2018, JinkoSolar has set plans to add 1GW of in-house wafer capacity in the first quarter, bringing total nameplate capacity to 9GW. By the end of the year a further 500MW expansion of wafer capacity is expected. The company is also adding a further 1GW of solar cell capacity through the year, bringing in-house nameplate capacity to 6GW by year-end, while in-house module assembly capacity is being expanded by a further 1.5GW in 2018. This includes a 500MW increase in the first quarter of 2018 and therefore a further 1GW by year-end. Total module capacity is therefore expected to reach 10GW in 2018.

The difference between 2017 and 2018 expansions, apart from a slowdown in wafer capacity expansion plans, is the establishment of a 400MW module assembly plant in Florida.

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September -Part A 2018

owever, Canadian Solar has revised its cell capacity expansion plans again, noting that it expected nameplate cell capacity to reach 5.6GW by mid2018, compared to 6.20GW in its previous update. The SMSL also noted that cell capacity at the end of 2018 was expected to reach 6.35GW, compared to previous guidance of reaching 6.95GW. A similar adjustment has been made to in-house module assembly capacity expansion plans. The SMSL noted module capacity reached 8.11GW by the end of 2017, up from 6.17GW in 2016. The company said that module nameplate capacity was expected to reach 8.31GW by mid-2018, compared to its last update of reaching 9.06GW in that time frame. Total module assembly capacity by the end of 2018 is targeted at 9.81GW, compared to 10.31GW guidance, previously given. Canadian Solar has not issued its annual report and therefore has yet to disclose capex figures for 2017. Canadian Solarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management noted that it had recently experienced under-utilization rates at its module assembly plant in Canada and its manufacturing plant in South East Asia, due to the Section 201 tariff decisions by the US government.

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Hanwha Q CELLS

LONGi Group

he fifth ranked SMSL, Hanwha Q CELLS had already restricted capital expenditure throughout 2017, all except for a the JV manufacturing plant in Turkey planned in response to building a 1.3GW (DC) PV power plant in the country which is expected to be operational in 2021. The company had previously guided capital expenditures in 2017 to be around US$50 million, which would be allocated to manufacturing technology upgrades and certain R&D related expenditures. However, the SMSLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S capex in 2017 was US$66.1 million, while R&D expenditure was down 51.2% to US$24 million, compared to US$49.2 million in 2016. The SMSL had had an in-house name plate capacity of 4,300MW for solar cells and modules at the end of 2017, unchanged from the previous year. In 2018, Hanwha Q CELLS expects a slight increase in capex, due to initial spending on its new integrated manufacturing operations in Turkey. The company guided capex of US$90 million in 2018 and an allocation of around US$37 million to the new plant in Turkey. In early April, so technically outside the scope of this report, the SMSL reported a fourth quarter loss of US$50.5 million, primarily attributed to the asset write down of its entire wafering operations, which were based at dedicated facilities in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China. The company had multicrystalline ingot nameplate capacity of 1,550MW and 950MW of multicrystalline wafer capacity. The SMSL cited that the wafering operations were unprofitable as well being impacted by a downward trend in wafer prices. However, the JV in Turkey requires Hanwha Q CELLS to establish wafering operations not just solar cell and module assembly to comply with the downstream project tender win.

eading integrated high-efficiency monocrystalline module manufacturer and seventh ranked SMSL member LONGi Green Energy Technology via is subsidiary LONGi Solar (cell/module) manufacturer had executed on an aggressive capacity expansion strategy in 2017. Mono wafer capacity went from 7,500MW in 2016 to 12,000MW by the end of 2017, a 60% increase, year-on-year. Mono solar cell capacity went from 2,500MW in 2016 to 5,000MW by the end of 2017, a 100% increase, compared to the prior year. However, module assembly capacity increased at a relatively lower pace, going from 5,000MW to 6,500MW by the end of 2017, a 30% increase, year-on-year. The company announced in Q1 2018 that mono wafer capacity would be expanded to 28,000MW by the end of 2018, more than a 133% increase over the previous year. Although solar cell capacity is expected to remain at 5,000MW, LONGi will expand mono module assembly to 8,000MW by the end of 2018, a 60% increase, year-on-year.

However, separate to the expansion cited, LONGi Group announced in the first quarter of 2018 that it would invest US$309 million, including around US$240 million in constructing a new facility in Andhra Pradesh, India, with an initial nameplate capacity of 1,000MW of monocrystalline solar cells and expand its mothballed 500MW module assembly plant (previously announced) to 1GW. The new solar cell facility is expected to be operational in January 2020, while the expanded module assembly plant plans are expected to be completed and production ramp occur by the end of August 2019. Source: pv-tech.org

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September -Part A 2018

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Waaree Energies triples capacity with Vapi solar panel plant The 1 GW Vapi solar panel plant is in addition to the 500 MW Surat plant, says Sunil Rathi of Waaree Energies, and the plan is to increase to 2 GW capacity. Waaree Energies Ltd has tripled its solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing capacity with a new 1 gigawatt (GW) facility in Vapi.

This is in addition to the existing 500 megawatts (MW) plant in Surat, said Sunil Rathi, director of sales and marketing at Mumbai-based Waaree Energies. “The plan is to increase this to 2GW soon,” he added. “Right now, we are building panels of more than 4MW every day.”

aaree’s focus is on rooftop solar installations. It has already built a network of 250 franchises across India and plans to reach a franchisee count of 1,000 by end-2018. It also has 200MW of engineering, procurement and construction projects in the pipeline. Last December, the firm had raised Rs 100 crore in structured finance from Centrum Financial Services Ltd and a southeast Asian private equity fund. It reported net profit of Rs 24.22 crore in FY18, marginally lower than the Rs 24.88 crore in FY17. Though the centre’s decision to increase India’s renewable energy production target to 227GW by 2022, from the earlier 175GW, is good news for the sector, Waaree has been struggling to compete with cheap imports from China. With Beijing scaling down its solar energy targets and subsidies, India has become an easy market for Chinese solar panel producers to sell their excess stock.

“Dumping by China and the volatility in the rupee are two of major issues that local PV manufacturers are facing,” said Rathi. “It is nearly impossible to compete with China’s distress selling. Their products sell at a 5-15% discount to locally made products.” The government increased India’s renewable energy production target to 227 GW by 2022 instead of the earlier figure of 175 GW. However, about 86% of solar photo voltaic modules used in India today are imported from China, Rathi said. While that is good news for power producers, who have access to cheaper inputs, it doesn’t augur well for local module manufacturers. “You can’t drive an industry’s growth through imported inputs,” Rathi said. “Nobody expected solar tariffs would fall to Rs 2.44/unit so quickly. I think if there’s even a small increment in price, it will help the local industry.” Waaree has also tied up with third party equipment suppliers to manufacture batteries. “We shall provide energy storage solutions for utility scale (grid-connected) storage products globally as well as for retail solutions in lead acid as well as lithium ion batteries,” Rathi added. The company’s entry into being an independent power producer (IPP) has, for the time being, been shelved. “Being an IPP has requires massive equity investments; for now, we would rather focus on manufacturing,” Rathi added. Waaree has 200 MW of solar assets that it owns and that it has been attempting to sell for over six months. The company was in talks with ReNew Power Ventures, one of the biggest IPPs in the country, but talks fell through earlier this year. “We’re in talks with a few other players, including ReNew again, to sell these assets. It would be premature to say anything more now,” Rathi explained.

Source: livemint

September -Part A 2018

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PV MANUFACTURING

Jinko Introduces Latest 410w Cheetah Module Technology in Mumbai PV Tech Seminar

Breakthrough high efficiency amorphous silicon/ crystalline silicon thin film tandem solar cell patent by Solar-Tectic allowed by the US Patent Office (USPTO) Solar-Tectic LLC (“ST”) announced that a breakthrough patent application for an amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon thin film tandem solar cell patent was allowed by the US Patent Office (USPTO).

JinkoSolar Trading Private Limited – a JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd subsidiary (“JinkoSolar” or the “Company”), a global leader in the photovoltaic industry (PV), announced that it successfully held another round of the PV Tech seminar at JW Marriott Sahar in Mumbai.

he seminar aimed to raise discussions on upcoming module technologies and solar manufacturing excellence for enhanced efficiency and generation. JinkoSolar partnered with DuPont to host the PV Tech seminar in India’s financial centre – Mumbai. The event was co-marketed with Du-Pont. The technology seminar was opened with a solar market overview. This was followed by technical presentation session by JinkoSolar Technical Manager, India. During the presentation, Jinko product offerings were elaborated for India market with special focus on Half-Cut Mono PERC technology.

The event had presence of the who’s who of Indian solar industry with senior representation from solar IPPs, Developers and EPCs. The highlight of the event was the panel discussion on the topic of ‘Towards a brighter solar energy future in India, opportunities, challenges for the sector’ with panellists including top management from Hinduja Group, Atha Group, Chemtrols, and Cleamax. Product focus was the all new 400w Cheetah Module and half-cell technology in addition to monocrystalline and polycrystalline products wherein advantages of using half-cell technology were mentioned for utility, commercial and rooftop projects for greater efficiency and productivity. This time Jinko Solar also had two of its stellar products on display including Half-Cell Mono PERC and N-Type Bi-Facial. This was to give clients a look and feel of Jinko’s high quality products. The Tech seminar was concluded with an entertainment evening for clients with special sand art show & up-close magic, followed by cocktail and dinner.

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he patent, Ser. No. 15/266,720 titled “Amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon thin film tandem solar cell” is part of a “Tandem Series” of high efficiency and cost effective solar cell technologies by Solar-Tectic LLC with the potential to surpass the efficiencies of current thin-film solar cell technologies such as CdTe, CIGS, and a-Si, as well as the silicon technology which dominates the global market today based on poly and monocrystalline wafers. Wafer sized bottom poly- and monocrystalline silicon layers in PERC, PERL, HIT, HJ cells are typically 200-280 microns thick, whereas ST’s thin-film crystalline silicon (“CSiTF”) bottom layers can be as thin as 20-30 microns, or even less, and with comparable efficiency and without “kerf-loss”; moreover, they can be processed at much lower temperatures thereby further lowering costs of production significantly. The top amorphous silicon layer in the tandem configuration is less than only 1 micron – an ultra-thin film. The CSiTF bottom layer is not microcrystalline or nanocrystalline as is the case with other commercially available tandem or heterojunction solar panels on the market today. Rather, it is highly crystalline, oriented, c-axis aligned, and has large crystals or grains, which is why higher efficiency is possible. Tandem silicon solar cells are capable in theory of 45% efficiency, though ST has set a more realistic 30% efficiency goal for now, much higher than the best silicon wafer technologies such as PERC, PERL, HIT, HJ cells. The efficiencies of today’s solar cells on the market in general range from 14% – 25% and are almost always lower than reported lab efficiencies. A cost effective 30% efficient solar cell on the market with a simple design would revolutionize the solar energy industry by dramatically reducing the balance of system (BoS) costs and the number of solar panels needed. Fewer solar panels means lower costs. The silicon wafer technology based on polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon, which is 90% of today’s market, would become obsolete. The patent covers semiconductor devices in general, and the technology can be used for the backplane of thin-film transistors (TFTs) which today are usually made of thin-film silicon (both amorphous and polycrystalline). TFTS are essential to LCD and OLED production. It is important to emphasize that the manufacturing process used in this breakthrough technology is remarkably simple due to the uncomplicated design. Only processing techniques commonly found in today’s solar and display industries are needed, such as sputtering and PECVD. Source: Solar-Tectic LLC

September -Part A 2018

PV MANUFACTURING

Endeas launches all-in-one tool to drive down testing cost in PV module manufacturing By launching a novel all-in-one tool for the final testing of photovoltaic modules, innovative PV testing technology company Endeas has provided an answer for companies wishing to drive down module manufacturing costs.

he QuickSun 600 is the first product to include, in a single machine, class A+A+A+ solar simulator; electroluminescence and visual inspection; and insulation resistance, ground bond and bypass diode tests. Despite this impressive collection of tests, a single tool can process 150 modules per hour, allowing it to meet the everincreasing throughput requirements of new production lines.

In addition to precisely measuring the power output of PV modules, the QuickSun 600 enables PV module manufacturers to inspect modules for a comprehensive set of defects automatically. “Combining all tests into a single tool makes the QuickSun 600 competitively priced compared to the cost of many separate machines, while ensuring the reliability of test results. The QuickSun 600 enables our customers to make significant savings on operation and maintenance costs of testing equipment and dramatically decrease the factory footprint required for final testing,” says Jaakko Hyvärinen, managing director of Endeas. Endeas has supplied 550 solar simulators to the PV industry during its 17 years of experience. This has enabled the company to develop extremely precise and robust solar simulator and I-V measurement technology. For the past five years, Endeas has provided fully automatic tools with electroluminescence inspection, insulation resistance and ground bond tests integrated into solar simulators. The QuickSun 600 tool was developed based on this expertise. Its inclusion of visual inspection and bypass diode testing has made it a fully comprehensive tool for final inspection of modules. “We believe that this tool has finally enabled even the most quality-conscious manufacturers to completely automate the final inspection of modules. This will not only allow our customers to save costs but also to improve module quality by removing the possibility of human error and inconsistency when inspecting modules,” comments Antti Tolvanen, Endeas’ technology manager. Source: endeas.fi

September -Part A 2018

SCHMID stands for innovative and sustainable PV production solutions and energy storage systems From June 20th to 22nd, 2018, SCHMID presents itself at the Intersolar Europe in Munich at booth A2-160.

t Intersolar Europe, the SCHMID Group proves that its production systems and energy storages do not only rank among the best in the photovoltaics and energy storage industry, but also convince with their environmentally friendly properties. As early as 2011, SCHMID founded the Energy Systems business unit in perfect synergy with the PV division and supplies the entire solar value chain up to turnkey production solutions.

“What counts to us are especially two things: that our high-tech systems can apply the most innovative processes and that the manufacturing processes are also environmentally friendly in terms of their consumption values,” says Dr. Christian Buchner, Vice President of the business unit Photovoltaics at SCHMID, regarding the challenge between high-tech and sustainable engineering. SCHMID masters these requirements and presents itself at this year’s Intersolar Europe as a strong partner and premium supplier in the field of renewable energy. With the Alkaline Edge Isolation, SCHMID offers the world’s only alkaline process for edge isolation and rear side polishing of high-efficiency cells which does not require any hard-to-handle nitric acid. The elimination of HNO3 significantly reduces production costs and is also environmentally friendly because no harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) are generated. Furthermore, SCHMID is opening up new potential for gainings with its pro -ven APCVD technology (Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition). The APCVD systems are ideally suited for the ass production of high-efficiency cells and, for example, for the doping of n-type solar cells with boron or the passivation of rear side contacts. Due to their minimized consumption, these two production systems are also environmentally friendly.With the product family EverFlow® SCHMID offers energy storages based on the powerful and environmentally friendly Vanadium Redox Flow technology. Since the vanadium is dissolved in a water-based electrolyte, the storage is neither flammable nor explosive. EverFlow® Storage Containers can be configured to match the power and capacity requirements of your application. They can be used, for example, as neighborhood power stations in public buildings, with network operators, as off-grid applications or back-up storage.

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SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES receives contract for development of new CIGS production system from CNBM Impose 95% safeguard duty on solar cells import: ISMA Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has demanded imposition of 95 per cent safeguard duty on imports of solar cells and modules to protect domestic players from cheap inbound shipments.

he association put its demand during a public hearing called by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the commerce ministry, on the issue. The directorate heard different sections of solar energy sector on safeguard duty investigation of solar cells.

“According to the ISMA data submitted to the DGTR, the injury from solar imports is to the tune of 95 per cent and therefore ISMA sought the proportionate safeguard duty on the solar equipment imports,” ISMA Coordinator Dhruv Sharma told However, according to Solar Power Developer Association, the imposition of safeguard duty can jeopardise India’s ambitious target of having 100 GW by 2022 as it would directly impact 25 GW capacity which either tendered or being tendered. The ISMA in its submission has stated that India is missing out on a multi-billion opportunity for the country by allowing import of inputs from countries such as China, Taiwan and Malaysia.

“India is estimated to add capacity of 9,000 MW solar power in 2018. This means India will give away market opportunity worth Rs 21,500 crore to China, Taiwan or Malaysia at the cost of interests and employment of national capital and labour,” it said.

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES) has signed a new contract for the development of the next generation of manufacturing equipment with its long-standing customer Avancis, Germany, a wholly owned subsidiary of China National Building Materials (CNBM).

INGULUS TECHNOLOGIES has been working with Avancis since 2008 on the development and optimization of the CISARIS selenization equipment. The common goal is to further reduce production costs in cooperation with the customer and to increase both cell performance and production performance. Therefore this technology will be even more powerful and competitive in the future.

Dr. Ing. Stefan Rinck, Chairman Of The Management Board Of Singulus Technologies Ag: “Our CISARIS selenization plants are an important step in the entire production process. CNBM’s CIGS thin-film technology will meet even greater demands in the future through the use of new equipment.” The production capacity for CIGS cells in China is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES participates in all major investments in China with machines for the different CIGS processes.

Source: PTI

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September -Part A 2018

RESEARCH & ANALYSIS

BATTERIES BOOM ENABLES WORLD TO GET HALF OF ELECTRICITY FROM WIND AND SOLAR BY 2050 Coal to shrink to just 11% of global electricity generation by midcentury, from 38% now, as comparative costs shift heavily in favor of wind, solar and batteries

ind and solar are set to surge to almost “50 by 50” – 50% of world generation by 2050 – on the back of precipitous reductions in cost, and the advent of cheaper and cheaper batteries that will enable electricity to be stored and discharged to meet shifts in demand and supply. Bloomberg NEF (BNEF) published its annual long-term analysis of the future of the global electricity system – New Energy Outlook (NEO) 2018. The 150-page report draws on detailed research by a team of more than 65 analysts around the world, including sophisticated modeling of power systems country-by-country, and of the evolving cost dynamics of different technologies.

Seb Henbest, head of Europe, Middle East and Africa for BNEF and lead author of NEO 2018, said: “We see $548 billion being invested in battery capacity by 2050, two thirds of that at the grid level and one third installed behindthe-meter by households and businesses. NEO 2018 sees $11.5 trillion being invested globally in new power generation capacity between 2018 and 2050, with $8.4 trillion of that going to wind and solar and a further $1.5 trillion to other zero-carbon technologies such as hydro and nuclear. This investment will produce a 17-fold increase in solar photovoltaic capacity worldwide, and a sixfold increase in wind power capacity. The levelized cost of electricity, or LCOE[1], from new PV plants is forecast to fall a further 71% by 2050, while that for onshore wind drops by a further 58%. These two technologies have already seen LCOE reductions of 77% and 41% respectively between 2009 and 2018. BNEF’s New Energy Outlook is underpinned by the evolving economics of different power technologies, and on projections for electricity demand fundamentals such as population and GDP. It assumes that existing energy policy settings around the world remain in place until their scheduled expiry, and that there are no additional government measures.

September -Part A 2018

Elena Giannakopoulou, head of energy economics at BNEF, said: “Coal emerges as the biggest loser in the long run. Beaten on cost by wind and PV for bulk electricity generation, and batteries and gas for flexibility, the future electricity system will reorganize around cheap renewables – coal gets squeezed out.” The role of gas in the generation mix will evolve, with gasfired power stations increasingly built and used to provide back-up for renewables rather than to produce so-called base-load, or round-the-clock, electricity. BNEF sees $1.3 trillion being invested in new capacity to 2050, nearly half of it in ‘gas peaker’ plants rather than combined-cycle turbines. Gas-fired generation is seen rising 15% between 2017 and 2050, although its share of global electricity declines from 21% to 15%. Fuel burn trends globally are forecast to be dire in the long run for the coal industry, but moderately encouraging for the gas extraction sector. NEO 2018 sees coal burn in power stations falling 56% between 2017 and 2050, while that for gas rises 14%. The bearish outlook for coal means that NEO 2018 offers a more upbeat projection for carbon emissions than the equivalent report a year ago. BNEF now sees global electricity sector emissions rising 2% from 2017 to a peak in 2027, and then falling 38% to 2050. However, this would still mean electricity failing to fulfill its part of the effort to keep global CO₂ levels below 450 parts per million – the level considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to be consistent with limiting the rise in temperatures to less than two degrees Celsius.

Matthias Kimmel, energy economics analyst at BNEF, commented: “Even if we decommissioned all the world’s coal plants by 2035, the power sector would still be tracking above a climate-safe trajectory, burning too much unabated gas. Getting to two degrees requires a zero-carbon solution to the seasonal extremes, one that doesn’t involve unabated gas.” Among the other highlights of NEO 2018 are high penetration rates for renewables in many markets (87% of total electricity supply in Europe by 2050, and 55% for the U.S., 62% for China and 75% for India). It also highlights a shift to more ‘decentralization’ in some countries such as Australia, where by mid-century consumer PV and batteries account for 43% of all capacity. NEO 2018 also analyzes the impact of the electrification of transport on electricity consumption. It estimates that electric cars and buses will be using 3,461TWh of electricity globally in 2050, equivalent to 9% of total demand. About half of the necessary charging is forecast to be done on a ‘dynamic’ basis, taking advantage of times when electricity prices are low because of high renewables output. This analysis draws on BNEF’s latest Electric Vehicle Outlook, published on May 21, which predicted that EVs would account for 28% of global new car sales by 2030, and 55% by 2040. Electric buses are expected to dominate their market even more decisively, reaching 84% global share by 2030.

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RESEARCH & ANALYSIS

Chinese move may pull down solar bid tariffs further Chinese decision to slap deployment caps and reduce feed-in-tariffs for solar projects may lead to a further plunge in module prices, which in turn is likely to result in a further reduction in solar bid tariffs, says experts.

The recent amendment in competitive bidding guidelines for solar projects, which extended the timelines for project execution, is further likely to support the fall in tariffs as developers place orders for modules about six months later to take advantage of the expected drop in module prices, he said.

hinese module price is expected to decline to 28-29 cents from the current average of is 33 cents a watt, following this announcement. China, which added over 50 gw of solar capacity last year, and is expected to largely continue the momentum in 2018 as well. However, its recent move to slash subsidies for renewable energy may shave off significant capacity additions this year and expand the net module oversupply position.

“With China accounting for close to 90 per cent of the country’s solar module imports in 2017, fall in module prices is expected to benefit those seeking to expand their renewable energy portfolio,” Crisil NSE 0.83 % infrastructure advisory director Pranav Master told .

He also said solar bid tariffs in the forthcoming tenders are likely to drop as developers will factor in the potential fall in module prices following the Chinese action.

Echoing similar views, solar advisory firm Gensol co- founder Anmol Jaggi said solar bids will become more competitive going forward. “The tariffs, which will be discovered in the next rounds of inter-state transmission system bidding, could hit a new low. It may even breach the Rs 2.44 a unit pricing that was discovered during the Bhadla phase-IV bidding,” he said. Jaggi further said the Chinese module price, which s averaging at 33 cents a watt now, is likely to decline to 28- 29 cents after this announcement. He said the upcoming 5,000-mw tenders from the Solar Energy Corporation of India will see the bids further falling significantly following China slashing prices.

However, the cash-strapped distribution companies, in turn, will benefit from lower tariffs as it will reduce their power purchase costs and help achieve their RPO obligations, Master said. On the flip-side, there would be an adverse impact on the domestic module manufacturers given that the price differential between Chinese and domestic modules would widen further from the current 10-15 per cent.

“Considering China’s recent plan to restrain its renewable energy targets, the rate of imported modules may fall further, hitting the domestic cell and module manufacturers,” Vikram Solar chief financial officer Rajendra Parakh said. He also warned that the Chinese move will make the situation worse for the domestic industry as it comes at a time when the industry is already struggling due to falling margins, especially after the imposition of safeguard duty. Currently, the country has 3,100 mw of installed capacity of solar cell manufacturing, of which 2,000 mw are in special economic zones (SEZs). Similarly, of the 8,300 mw of module manufacturing capacity, 3,800 mw are also in SEZs. “If the safeguard duty is applied to all, the SEZ- based domestic manufacturers will also be liable to pay it whenever they sell modules domestically, defeating the very purpose having a safeguard duty in place. Source: PTI

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September -Part A 2018

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW WITH

Mr. Heng (Eric) Zhang the current is u o y to g cordin in EQ: What ac challenges, t s e g ig b , s l situation ? opportunitie ia c n a n fi t e Mark ation needs Indian Solar y transform

or energ investment HZ: India's t, n e tm s e v s: in ncial three thing the poor fina , e s a c y n a In investment. distribution companies ian rtainty health of Ind reating unce c , e g n e ll nt a h der-investme remains a c n u f o le c y c rs, a y in for generato service qualit r o o p d n a re in infrastructu . many areas

Sales Director-Asia Ningbo Ginlong

48Â

September -Part A 2018

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INTERVIEW

EQ: Please Share About Your New Product EQ: Currently 10GW + Solar Projects are in the offing, what’s your plan to capture this opportunity.

HZ: Established in 2005, Ginlong Solis is one of the oldest and largest global string inverter specialists that manufactures string inverters for converting DC to AC power and interacting with utility grid, which help reduce the carbon footprint of human society. Residential, commercial and utility scale solar market include home owners, business owners, utilities, solar developers and investors benefit from a complete product line of ultra-reliable, bankable, cost effective and innovative string inverter techno-logies, selling under Ginlong Solis brands. These products are installed globally, optimized for local markets and serviced by local experienced teams, to deliver significant long-term return on investment for stakeholders and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future. Ginlong Solis inverter is listed on Approved Vendor Lists of leading banks and financing institutes. Third party inverter qualification testing was completed by DNV GL. Ginlong Solis inverter products have an outstanding field record in the India, since introducing the product line to the India in 2016. Ginlong Solis India is headquartered in Mumbai, warehoused in Mumbai, offers SOLIS training programs and live, local technical support nationwide. Ginlong won the prestige EUPD Top Brand PV Inverter Brand award in 2016 & 2017 & 2018. and also Rank 5 at Global single-phase string inverter market shares (MWac) in 2016 & 2017 -GTM Research and Rank 4 at Global Three-phase string inverter market shares (MWac) in 2017 -GTM Research; Ginlong Solis inverters are installed at Eiffel Tower in Paris.

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HZ: The new 4G string inverters have unique advantages compared to those conventional inverters in the market. The first strength is its performance improvement. 4G represents the 4th generation. The 4G inverter uses brand new 4G inverter technology platform the new product can have a maximum of 2 MPPT tracking; and can be extended to 4 MPPT. Multi-channel MPPT technology is one of the key factors in increasing electricity output. The common single-phase inverters generally can only achieve a maximum of 2 MPPT. The new product uses the latest 5th generation of German Infineon IGBT chip technology, whereas others generally use the 3rd generation product. The 5th generation of IGBT can increase the efficiency by 0.5-0.8% compared with the former generation. The new US TI2806 series DSP chip technology was adopted, and its CPU processing speed and PWM resolution have increased 50% over the generally-adopted 2803 series. The switching frequency of the inverter exceeds 30kHZ, whereas the common inverters are usually at 20kHZ or below, and this in turn, will greatly reduce the inductance loss and at the same time results in lower temperature increase. As all know, with the ambient temperature lower for every 10 degrees, the electronic components’ lifespan can be doubled each time. The noise frequency range that can be captured by human being is below 20 kHz, and the 4G product breakthrough the switching frequency of 30 kHz, and hence brings the users a real pure mute mode. The innovated main circuit board design greatly improves EMC+EMS performances of the inverter as well. The second strength is its safety improvement. The product applies hardware dead zone technology and achieves double safety guarantee. Customers can choice to use AFCI antiarc device. Previously there was almost no method to automatically prevent the fire in case the PV system caught a fire. With this technical application, Solis 4G inverter can promptly detect the fire on the rooftop. Even if the components and wire terminals produce arc ignition due to poor contact, the inverter can automatically cut off the circuit within the shortest period of time to put off arc ignition. It can escape the fire by 99%. The third strength is its grid-friendliness improvement. Solis uses a built-in EPM module to realize the intelligent scheduling of the grid. In other words, the grid can realize the intelligent control of the 4G inverter through EPM protocols, and achieve optimal grid dispatch under large scale distributed system grid access conditions. The new active voltage stabilization technology stabilizes the local grid voltage through no-power compensation. At present, the grids in rural areas are generally not in good condition, and the inverter access will cause voltage fluctuation of the grid. The common method used by a conventional inverter is to loosen up its voltage range to passively adapt to this situation. Solis 4G inverter, on the other hand, sends inductive or capacitive reactive power to proactively compensate for it, in this way, it can flat the grid fluctuations and stabilize the local grid voltage. This technology is currently widely adopted in large-scale power plants in rural areas with weak grid condition, and the improvement is very obvious.

September -Part A 2018

INTERVIEW EQ: Kindly comment of Energy Storage as a game changer, its technology, cost trends etc.?

HZ: HV battery hybrids - a lot of the world want to move towards a hybrid (solar storage) solar world, plenty of hybrid inverters already on the market but we think they are a little expensive and large. Moving the hybrids to a higher battery voltage system would make the converter more efficient, cheaper and smaller.

EQ: Explain various guarantees, warrantees, insurance, and certifications of your inverters?

HZ: One of the earliest manufacturers of grid tie inverters in the world a. Over 13 years of design and supply history b. Second company to achieve UK G83 certification in 2006 c. First Chinese company to achieve UL1741 certification in 2009 d. Second Chinese company to achieve AS4777/AS 3100 certification in 2009 Bankability e. Low Debt Ratio f. VDE and Kiwa third party factory audit reports available g. DNV-GL ,OST bankability report available h. Solar IF warranty insurance, Chubb liability insurance i. Bankable by Bank of America, JP Morgan, etc. j. Major project developer white listed

EQ: What is the Product range and technology offer in Indian market by Solis ? HZ: Product Overview Solis String Inverter range: -0.7kW – 70kW 5 Families SOLIS MINI -0.7kW – 3.6kW (1 MPPT) SOLIS 1P -2.5kW – 6kW (2 MPPT) SOLIS 1P -7kW – 10kW (3 MPPT) SOLIS Three Phase -5kw – 20kW (2 MPPT) SOLIS Three Phase -20kw – 40kW (4 MPPT) SOLIS Three Phase -40kw – 70kW (4 MPPT)

Dual DSP/CPU Transformer-less design • Wide input voltage range, flexible installation of panels in each string –Dual MPPT on the inverters > 4kW –4 MPPT on >20kW • Small, lightweight, aesthetically pleasing cases allowing for easy install in domestic environments • Maximum efficiency >99% • IP65 rated for external installation • AFCI Function optional • Comprehensive Solis range from 0.7kW – 70kW meeting most requirements • Wide DC input voltage range make inverters versatile for installers • Varied range of product certification allows for flexible configurations • Market leading cost effective solution supported by LOW warranty rates • As brand grows installers being to request product more • New innovative products will help growth • Bankable and long history company behind the products • Local India Based Support • Training and support session available

September -Part A 2018

EQ: Please describe in brief about your company, directors, its vision & mission ?

HZ: Yiming (Jimmy) Wang was born in Shanghai in 1981. General Manager of Ginlong-Solis Technologies Co. Ltd. He earned his Bachelor (BA) degree from Shanghai Jiao tong University and then went abroad to continue his studies. He established himself in England and earned his Masters of Science (MSc) degree from University of Edinburgh,when studying abroad, Mr. Wang published many papers in international academic journals and presented these papers at international conferences. Mr. Wang was selected to be a member of “The Program of 100 Global Experts” during the first Zhejiang province high-level overseas talent election in 2009. In 2010, he was elected as an expert in high technologies as part of China’s “Recruitment Program of 1000 Global Experts”. Mr. Wang is the youngest person to be awarded this honor at that time. Additionally, Mr. Wang is recognized as a distinguished expert in the Zhejiang Provincial government. He was elected as a CPPCC member in Ningbo in 2012. In 2014, Mr. Wang was recognized as a global “outstanding new energy leader” under the age of 44. , Yiming Wang is the only Chinese committee member of IEC61400-2 Standards Committee and he continues to serve as a distinguished professor and group leader at Shanghai University of Electric Power. Ginlong Solis takes product reliability as the brand foundation and put customer service and market demand as the first strategic policy of the company’s development,6 overseas companies and technical support for more than 60 countries with a highly qualified and professional sales and service, will continue to provide excellent environmental system solutions for our customers.

EQ: What will be the cost, technology trends in solar inverters?

HZ: Due to the increasing cost pressure, increased the demand for a new generation of PV inverter, new product needs to have not only technical innovation and reliability, but also play a key role in cost optimization and intelligent operation. MPPT efficiency: The introduction of the latest semiconductor technology has greatly increased MPPT efficiency, especially in the field of photovoltaic inverters. The introduction of silicon carbide semiconductors has resulted in a higher exchange rate, greatly reducing the use of passive components such as inductors. Reliability and intelligence: As more and more inverters feed into the interconnected grid and reduce the use of synchronous generators, the need to control the voltage and frequency of the grid through the inverter is increasing. This type of inverter operating mode in an interconnected or isolated grid is called grid-sustaining. This operation mode requires complex and universal control algorithms, which are currently under development and are still only used for research purposes. In the future, this function should be as a standard feature in the multi-function equipment, batteries, inverter and photovoltaic inverter, thus making photovoltaic even under the condition of limited power, can also corresponding contribution for all renewable energy supply, in order to maintain power grid operation.

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INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW WITH MR.Manish Gupta After MNRE Notification of "Quality Control Order of Solar Photo Voltaic Systems, Devices and Components Goodsâ&#x20AC;? Dated 13.07.2018. EQ: What was the reason for the Consultation with MNRE?

MG: NIMMA (North India Module Manufacturer Association) is a non- profit organization set up under the Societies Registration Act. The members of the Association are covered under the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Act. The Association has been vigorously taking up the issue of BIS certification of modules with MNRE as well as BIS agencies. Till date MNRE was prescribing IEC 61215 quality standards for Crystalline Silicon Modules .These were tested and approved by accredited laboratories after stringent checks . The certificates are valid for 5 years as per the MNRE guidelines. Now Government of India had issued the Solar Photovoltaic, Systems, Devices and Component Goods Order, 2017 dated 30.08.2017. This order requires compulsory application and registration with BIS for use of standard mark as per the schedule. As per the order, for Photovoltaic Silicon Modules IS 14286 is prescribed thereby making IEC 61215 obsolete. This had left the Module Manufacturers in lurch even though they were having valid IEC 61215 Certificate. NIMMA had been approaching various Government bodies in the last nine months to take up this cause of module manufacturers.

EQ: Why do you think MNRE Agreed for your request and proposal.

President North India Module Manufacturer Association

EQ: What solution do you propose to Government now as way forward and your suggestion to the industry

MG: NIMMA has requested the concerned authorities that IEC 61215 test certificates which has been obtained by members by spending huge amount of money at the behest of MNRE be accepted under the Solar Photovoltaic, Systems, Devices and Component Goods Order, 2017 as it is equivalent to IS 14286. Further the members of the association are ready to comply with the additional quality standards which may be proposed by the MNRE in future .The association is of the view that if required the tests should be carried out at Government laboratories at no cost to the members.

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MG: The module manufacturers are fully committed to the quality standards and have been complying to the MNRE guidelines in the past also. They had put forward their valid concerns to the authorities and assured them of full cooperation in the matter. Based on the merits of the case and the expected difficulties to be faced by the manufacturers the MNRE agreed to our request and proposal.

EQ: What are the challenges for BIS Certification , why the extension was required and what are the problems specially for SME's

MG: As per MNRE these two standards are equivalent to each other and the laboratories for testing are also same. Members of the association are in possession of IEC standard certificate from these laboratories as per the guidelines of MNRE itself. The certificates are valid for five years and have been obtained by spending huge amount of money. Now forcing the manufacturers to go for the same tests from the same laboratories where they shall be charging huge money is not justified at all. This proposed decision of MNRE will increase the cost of manufacturing in India and is directly in conflict with Make in India initiative of Government of India.

September -Part A 2018

51Â

FEATURED

Experimental Investigations On

A Single Slope Solar Still T

he objective of this study is exploring the use of solar energy as a source for producing usable water from water of local source. The conversion of raw water to purify water has been done by a double slope solar still system. This system is designed with the aspects of cost, handling, maintenance and its effectiveness. The purpose of solar still system designing and its fabrication is very simple to avail water free from impurities .In India impure water resources are available everywhere ,to make it useful a high energy potential is required. Potable water is the biggest problem in the coastal areas where salty water is abundant. To remove impurities and making water usable for drinking, this can be done by natural phenomenon of evaporation and condensation. The continuous evaporation and condensation process is distillation which is very common process for water purifications. Any water purification plant is operated with energy input. The present study is based on single slope solar still construction and its operating under tropical zone of continent as India. Geographical allocation of setup in Agra U.P. defined as 27.1767o N latitude and 78.0081o E longitude and summer weather season May-June.

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n India Contaminated water is a major problem, generally contamination typically categories as air, water, sound etc. When we consider a good human life impure water is a big challenge for our society. The water may be contaminated by different agents like chemical, biological, some other things like garbageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The present study is focused on this aspect of water purification or removal of contaminants. This way technological involvement may be move for production of water which is well suited to human health and environmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s far as industries based on potable water , their need of suitable water as a raw material can be meet out by conversion of pollutant water to usable water.

AUTHOR: Shyam Verma

Student,Mechanical Engineering,AKTU

Devendra Singh

Asst. Prof.Mechanical Engineering

Dr.Ajay Kumar Sharma Asst. Prof.Mechanical Engineering

WORKING PRINCIPLE

he operation of the still is very simple. The incident solar radiation is passes through the sloped transparent and reaches to base of still basin which is filled with water, that is heated with the solar heat incident on it, so water get evaporate and reaches to glass surface but due to temperature difference it condense on this surface of glass layer and flows down along the sloped glass cover to the channels, where it can be storage in a distillation vessel or tank. Solar working principle is based on regular evaporation and condensation, a constant level of water is maintained and radiation is trapped in a insulated box, these radiation has form of heat energy. The heat energy is responsible for evaporation phenomenon. The rate of evaporation can be accelerated by increasing the absorption of solar heat .Solar absorption can by employing more absorptive capacities material as in this study black coated aluminium sheet, Coal powder, joot cloth and concrete material are used.

Alternates For Water Purification There are mainly four types of considerable way for water purification:1. Distillation of contaminated water 2. Mechanical Filtration by cotton or mesh 3. Chemical Treatment by bacteria killing agents 4. Irradiative Treatment

Figure-1 Basic Principle of Solar Still

Still has different absorptive materials to check absorption of solar radiation, including this a constant head , level of brackish water is maintained so that effective convection can be obtained for this separate arrangement has also is incorporated to supply water inside the still, The slope is fixed in our setup which is 32o in this case and it is most suitable for capturing incident radiation. A schematics of basic principle is shown in Fig this will illustrate various aspects of solar still at a glimpse.

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FEATURED EXPERIMENTAL

n the present study design and construction has done, a pictorial view of still dimension are shown as in figure. Wood as a material is used to construct main body of system, at the bottom water proof material is incorporated in order to prevent its leakage. The top of the wooden box is open at a slope to collect condensed water at the inner surface of Glass top ,at the lower side a pipe is fitted to collect the distil water. Aluminium is placed at the bottom of the still, Glass of 5 mm thickness is used for roof top of wooden box, thermacol is used as insulator material as well aluminium foil are taken in use as reflector inside the still . The slope is fixed in our setup which is 32o in this case and it is most suitable for capturing incident radiation.

RESULT

Bottom Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials

Figure-2- Schematic of Single Slope Solar Still

Pipes are used for collecting the distil water and supplying brackish water, most important thermocouples to measure temp -erature at top of glass and bottom of still and temperature of water inside the still, apart from this volume measuring units.

OPERATION

he still was installed on the top floor of building and tested at Agra Uttar Pradesh (27.1767o N latitude and 78.0081o E longitude) India with long axis of the still facing south-north direction with the aim to obtain maximum solar radiation. The setup has been under observation since morning at 6.00 a.m. to 5.00 a.m. within 24 hours with respect to local time during the month of May -June. The experimental procedure started with cleaning the glass sheet of the still. An arrangement has been done for proving brackish local water and a constant head 1.8 cm is maintained for whole day 1.8 by keeping supply of raw water continuously. Under the operation various parameters like solar intensities, water temperature inside the still, temperature of still bottom and temperature of glass have been examined regularly at the interval of one hour throughout the duration of operation. The observations have been done in two phases, in phase one top of glass is kept dry and one by one material as black coated aluminium, coal, joot cloth and concrete were placed for each set of reading. In the second phase of observation, same material was used but glass top is covered with thin film of water flower over it, again a set of reading has been noted. The absorptive materials were used , tabulated as above with their properties ,and reading have been noted per hour basis as well 24 hours outcomes of distil water volume were recorded .This reading of data and yield of water have been recorded with and without water film over glass top

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Bottom Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials

Bottom Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials with water film on Glass Top

September -Part A 2018

53Â

FEATURED

54Â

Bottom Temperature variations versus time hour for different materials with water film on Glass Top

Glass Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials with water film at Glass Top

Glass Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials

Glass Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials with water film at Glass Top

Glass Temperature variation versus time hour for different materials

Still water Yield with respect to different materials

September -Part A 2018

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India‘s Most Pioneering Solar Exhibition and Conference Twice a Year Serving Two Key Markets! NEW IN BENGALURU, KARNATAKA, INDIA! BANGALORE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE

Exhibit in Bengaluru – the capital city of India’s Silicon Valley, technology hub and one of the top solar markets! Secure your best booth position to connect with more than 17,000 business professionals from more than 55 countries! PV meets energy storage and electric mobility – Benefit from cross-sector opportunities! Establish new powerful b2b partnerships and get in touch with investors at Intersolar’s Buyer Seller Forum!

with special exhibitions

GET THE BEST OF THE WEST – SAVE THE DATE FOR: Intersolar India in Mumbai, April 4–5, 2019

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September -Part A 2018

Defining Quality. Guiding Industry.

RELIABILITY SCORECARD

2018 PV MODULE

PV MANUFACTURING

mr. Ditlev Engel chief executive officer DNV GL - Energy

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September -Part A 2018

nergy Technologies that have been developed over recent years, including bifacial modules and PERC cells, are now available from many of the top module suppliers. India, China, Brazil, Mexico and Egypt are examples of some of the fastest growing PV markets that are themselves experiencing an emergence of new manufacturers. We no longer think about production in terms of megawatts per year, but in gigawatts. Excitement can be equally joined with uncertainty. In the case of the solar industry, risk is often associated with new technologies and rapid development. New technologies mean uncharted territory in terms of module performance and long term reliability.

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PV MANUFACTURING

The speed and volume at which these developments are introduced result in new risks associated with poor quality module construction, increasingly complicated logistics and limited field history. In these exciting and sometimes challenging times, the industry moves forward by leaps and bounds. With 98 GW installed globally, up 29 percent from 2016, 2017 was another record year for new solar capacity. We expect 2018 to continue this record-setting growth, easily eclipsing the 100 GW milestone. At DNV GLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Energy Labs, our experts have experienced the shift in the industry just as you have, and we remain one step ahead. We have tested everything from proven technologies to prototypes, with results ranging from reliable to risky, sometimes counter to conventional wisdom and expectations. DNV GL first published this Scorecard in 2014 to show you, the market, what we found and learned through our testing. We are proud to present our fourth annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard.

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Tara Doyle

Head of Business Development & Project Management

Tristan Erion-Lorico Head of PV Module Business

Ryan Desharnais

Head of Engineering Dnv Gl - Energy

September -Part A 2018

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PV MANUFACTURING

SOLAR TIMELINE

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September -Part A 2018

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PV MANUFACTURING

PV MODULE AGING MECHANISMS P

V module aging and failure mechanisms have been documented over a wide range of power plant locations and material sets. Field failures of PV equipment can stem from component issues, design flaws, or failures in quality control during the manufacturing process. The graphic below indicates leading PV module aging and failure mechanisms occurring as infant, midlife and wear-out failures.

Is long-term performance data available?

he solar industry generally lacks comprehensive public datasets of PV equipment field performance. However, in 2016 Dirk Jordan and Sarah Kurtz from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) collaborated with DNV GL to perform a comprehensive literature survey on published PV degradation. This study identified more than 11,000 module degradation rates from nearly 200 studies worldwide. Of significant interest is the long tail with degradation exceeding 1% annually.

he results from a Heliolytics study support this trend. Heliolytics has inspected over 8 GW of operating systems using aerial infrared technology. Focusing on ground-mounted modules with submodule defects, they found that more than 7% of sites have sub-module defect rates greater than 0.5%. Sub-module defects include failed diodes, cell damage or poor soldering where at least 1/3 of the module becomes inactive.

The long tails in both histograms are indicative of module underperformance caused by poor quality manufacturing, materials or product design. In another large study, from 2012 to 2018 DuPont performed extensive field inspections on over one GW (approximately four million modules) from systems ranging in age from zero to 30 years. DuPont conducted visual inspection, thermal imaging and IR spectroscopy, identifying issues in approximately 22% of the modules surveyed. Their findings are outlined below.

1 Source: IEA PVPS 2014 2 Source: “Compendium of Photovoltaic Degradation Rates”, D.C. Jordan, et al, NREL, 2016 3 Source: Sub-module failures on ground-mount sites courtesy of Heliolytics, 2018 4 Source: Courtesy of DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, “Degra dation of Fielded PV Modules from Across the Globe”, K.R. Choudhury, et al., 2018

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September -Part A 2018

PV MANUFACTURING

PV MODULE RELIABILITY & TESTING How was module testing developed?

The U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) Block Buy program started in the mid-1970s with the goal of developing environmental tests for crystalline silicon modules. This program established many of the tests that are still used for reliability assessment today. The European Solar Test Installation (ESTI) project was initiated in the late 1970s and focused on both testing modules and creating standard performance metrics for solar cells. These two programs formed a foundation for today’s basic module certification tests: ■ International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61215 “Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type approval” ■ Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1703 “Standard for FlatPlate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels”

Are there limitations to the standards?

Though most PV projects require UL and/or IEC certification to ensure a minimum level of module robustness and safety, it is widely accepted that these certification standards are not sufficient to demonstrate long-term PV module reliability for the following reasons: 1. UL 1703 (and the similar IEC 61730) are purely safety tests, to ensure that modules do not pose a hazard during operation. These tests do not address long-term reliability or performance. 2. The IEC 61215 tests are suitable only for identifying module defects that manifest within the first few operational years (i.e., defect screening). 3. Certification testing is performed on PV module samples selected by each manufacturer. This may result in sampling bias if manufacturers select only their best modules for certification testing.

How does degradation relate to module failure?

Long-term module power degradation is built into project expectations and is warranted by manufacturers. Typical warranty terms provide a guarantee of 97% of the nameplate rating during the first year, reduced by 0.6-0.7% annually during the following 24 years. Measuring power degradation in the field when the levels are small is extraordinarily difficult due to the uncertainty of measurement tools nd sensors. Practically, this results in most PV module warranty claims being limited to excessive underperformance or complete failure. DNV GL notes that an allowance for uncertainty, typically according to EN 50380, is applied for warranty enforcement which effectivelylowers the guaranteed level by a further amount (on the order of 3%). Based on DNV GL’s experience and data, at least 7% of commercial PV modules do not pass the IEC 61215 humidity freeze test. This 7% figure pulls from the historical dataset that has grown from tens to thousands of modules.

Prior to PV module purchase, it is essential that a trustworthy source tests the selected product’s resilience to the most common degradation mechanisms.

THE PV MODULE PRODUCT QUALIFICATION PROGRAM The scope of the PQP aligns with In 2012, DNV GL developed the PV Module Product Qualification Program (PQP) to support the solar requirements from DNV GL’s downstream partners, including developers, community with two aims:

Provide PV equipment buyers and power plant investors with independent and consistent reliability and performance data to support implementation of an effective supplier management process (such as an Approved Product or Vendor List).

contractors, asset owners and financiers. The PQP has evolved to consider new insights in understanding field failure and degradation mechanisms, requests from DNV GL’s downstream partners, as well as feedback from PV module manufacturers. For example, beginning in 2018, an extended light soak test sequence was added to better quantify LID stabilization.

Provide independent recognition to module manufacturers who outpace their competitors in product quality and durability.

This PV Module Reliability Scorecard is a distillation of the past 18 months of PQP results. Each set of results is backed by a complete report on each

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product tested; these individual PV module reports are available to DNV GLdownstream partners. All Bill of Materials (BOM) of modules submitted to PQP testing are witnessed in production and tested in the same way and in the same environment to enable a levelled comparison. In the past five years, DNV GL has tested over 300 BOMs for more than 50 module manufacturers. Nine of the top ten global module manufacturers and more than 70% of the latest Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) “Tier 1” manufacturers have participated in the PQP.

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DNV GL’s Product Qualification Program provides great comparative insights into different manufacturers’ performance and product reliability; the results serve as a valuable tool to inform Sunrun’s procurement strategy.

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Dirk Morbitzer, Director of Strategic Sourcing, Sunrun Inc. (currently the largest dedicated residential solar company in the U.S., with 323 MW in 2017).

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THE RESULTS OVERVIEW Spectrum of Performance

As vigilant readers of past Scorecards will note, the results of DNV GLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2018 Scorecard show strong performance and fewer failures than in past years. However, underscored by the results presented in the following pages, there is still a spectrum of performance. PQP and Scorecard participants tend to place a higher value on the reliability of their products than nonparticipants. As such, the median results presented in the following pages may be better than the median results of the broader industry.

Methodology

Results presented in the bar charts on the subsequent pages show average values of different BOM(s) for a single module model. The majority of Scorecard participants are 60- or 72-cell mono- or multi-crystalline silicon modules. Each test sequence had a different number of manufacturers and model types participating. The Top Performers in each test category are identified in each table, in alphabetical order. Top Performers are model types that degraded less than 2% for the entirety of the test sequence.

Reading the Results

Each test sequence is detailed over two pages. First, we provide an overview of the stress testing and real-world context of the specific failure mechanism. A representative degradation profile illuminates how the particular stress affects a module visually via electroluminescence and electrically with parameters of the IV curve. In the second page, the 2018 results are graphically presented showing an average power loss by model type along with Top Performers. DNV GL cautions that not all products are represented in every test. For example, some products are not subjected to all tests, or some results may not be available at the time of publication.

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THERMAL CYCLING OVERVIEW & RESULTS PV modules are constructed from several materials with varying coefficients of thermal expansion. As temperature and irradiance fluctuate, materials expand or contract at different rates, introducing interface stress. An example is solder joint fatigue, which can manifest electrically as an increase in series resistance and decreased performance at high irradiance. DNV GL’s Thermal Cycling (TC) test sequence is an extrapolation of IEC 61215, which specifies 200 cycles. DNV GL’s PQP sequence included 600 cycles in 2016-17, and has been extended to 800 cycles in 2018 (for inclusion in the 2019 Scorecard). TC includes interval characterization to profile the progression of degradation. A single thermal cycle completes in an environmental chamber when the temperature is lowered to -40°C, dwelled, and then increased to 85°C to dwell again. During the temperature ramps, maximum power current is applied to the modules. One cycle duration typically ranges from three to five hours. Whether in arid environments with large daily temperature ranges or more temperate environments with many smaller range cycles, extended thermal cycling delivers insight into the reliability of PV module construction, manufacturing processes and expected field performance.

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PV MANUFACTURING

Thermal Cycling Results Summary Compared to previous Scorecard releases, the results in the 2018 Scorecard show an improvement in TC 600 performance. The median for TC is -1.6% degradation, with the worst performer measuring -8.8%. In the 2017 Scorecard, the median was -1.9%, with the worst performer having complete failure, measuring no power output.

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DAMP HEAT OVERVIEW & RESULTS

he Damp Heat (DH) test sequence uses high temperature and high humidity to evaluate module construction, such as lamination and material quality. While high temperature/high humidity occur regularly in many parts of the world, the damp heat testing sequence is effective at uncovering degradation and failure modes associated with long term exposure even in moderate climates. The various layers in a typical crystalline-Si PV module are shown to the right. These layers need to stay securely adhered for decades in the field. In an IEC 61215 Damp Heat test, modules are held at a constant temperature of 85°C and a relative humidity of 85% for 1,000 hours (approximately 42 days). This moisture ingress stresses the module’s adhered interfaces. DNV GL has performed hundreds of Damp Heat tests at various durations, assessing module resilience as a function of these durations. DNV GL has found that 2,000 hours, as used in the PQP, are effective at differentiating top performance versus average performance.

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Damp Heat Results Summary Results for DH 2,000 in the 2018 Scorecard showed higher degradation than what was presented in previous editions. The median is -2.5% this year compared to -0.9% in both 2014 and 2017. The maximum degradation was -8.8% in 2018, compared to -5.5% in 2017.

MECHANICAL LOAD +THERMAL CYCLING + HUMIDITY FREEZE OVERVIEW & RESULTS

he Dynamic Mechanical Load (DML) test sequence evaluates a module’s ability to withstand cyclic mechanical deflection as an accelerated proxy for wind and snow loads. The sequential mechanical loading, thermal stress and moisture ingress can cause performance loss due to solder joint fatigue, microcrack development and propagation,and cell corrosion. For the DML test sequence, the module is installed according to the manufacturer’s recommended moun -ting configuration and is subjected to 1,000 cycles of alternating loading at 1,000 Pa. During the test, DNV GL monitors continuity of the module’s electrical circuit and leakage current to the module frame. After an interim characterization, the module is stressed in chamber for 50 thermal cycles to cause microcrack propagation before undergoing 10 humidity freeze cycles to fully realize the potential power loss. The 2018 PQP extends the humidity freeze cycles from one set of 10 cycles to three sets of 10 cycles. The DML test scrutinizes various aspects of the PV module, including design features such as frame size, material selection such as edge seal, and manufacturing controls of cell interconnection and etching.

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Dynamic Mechanical Load Results Summary DML results in the 2018 Scorecard improved over what was reported in prior Scorecards. The median and bottom result from 2018 were -1.2% and -3.1% respectively, compared to -1.2% and -11% in 2017, -1.6% and -7.3% in 2016, and -0.5% and -6.3% in 2014.

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POTENTIAL INDUCED DEGRADATION (PID) OVERVIEW & RESULTS

otential Induced Degradation (PID) emerged as a reliability concern as higher system voltages and ungrounded systems were deployed with increasing regularity. PID, while having varied failure mechanisms, is driven by the internal PV circuit being biased either negatively or positively in relation to ground. C-Si is predominately affected by shunting from ionic motion within the cell.¹ During the test, a voltage bias equal to the system voltage rating of the module (either -1 kV or -1.5 kV) is applied under 85°C and 85% relative humidity conditions for two sessions of 96 hours. This accelerated environment provides the temperature, moisture and voltage bias conditions necessary to evaluate degradation related to increased leakage current.

September -Part A 2018

It should be noted that there are reversible and non-reversible PID mechanisms. Electrochemical corrosion and some sodium ion damage to the PN junction are widely considered irreversible, while PID due to the accumulation of static charge on the surface of cells, also known as polarization, can be reversed. PID can be managed at many levels within a system. Certain system grounding configurations or distributed electronics may not require PID-resistant modules. For this reason, DNV GL recommends evaluating intended applications of the PV modules before selecting PID-resistant or non-PID-resistant modules.

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Potential Induced Degradation Results Summary The PID test results in the 2018 Scorecard present a significant improvement compared to previous years. The 2018 median was -1.4%, compared to -0.4%, -2.7%, and -18.4% in 2017, 2016 and 2014 respectively. More indicative of the improved PID performance is the comparison of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worst performer at -7.4% versus -92.2%, -58.3% and -100% in 2017, 2016 and 2014 respectively. It is worth noting that some module types do not claim to be PID-resistant.

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CASE STUDY: PID PERFORMANCE BOM Matters.

As manufacturers diversify their supply chains and developers enter emerging markets, educated BOM selections and decisions become the cornerstone of PV plant reliability.

How BOM Matters.

This PID case study underscores BOM criticality with a deeper look at how DNV GL’s extended PID test sequence could prevent a BOM selection with significant adverse consequences.

One Material Change, Big Impact.

Both PV samples here are manufactured by the same company, are identified by the same model number and are exactly the same except for one component: the encapsulant.

Same Manufacturer. Same Model Number. Different Performance. Findings.

Encapsulant choice is one of the PID mitigation methods available, with high volumetric resistivity isolating the internal circuit. Not all solutions are created equal, with some merely designed to pass a qualification test. Comparison of BOM 1 and BOM 2 underscores this; both BOMs performed similarly for the standard duration test, with BOM 2 only differentiated as a worse performer when tested to the longer durations required in DNV GL’s PQP.

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CASE STUDY: PAN & IAM PERFORMANCE What is a PAN file and how is it made?

Incidence Angle Modifier: Reflection Quantified

When compared to default simulations, optimized PAN files can provide more accurate performance predictions for the measured modules.

How does this affect modeled production?

Energy predictions are a key contributor to project development for procurement decisions, cost of capital and risk mitigation. For PVsyst software, a file with a ‘.PAN’ extension is used to specify the performance characteristics of a PV module including the module’s response to temperature and irradiance. DNV GL’s optimized PAN files start with labbased power measurement per IEC 61853-1, which determines a module’s power across a range of irradiance and temperature. This dataset is the feedstock for optimizing five coefficients in a modified one-diode model em loyed by PVsyst. These results are reconciled with the manufacturer’s datasheet, which governs product warranty compliance.

As the earth rotates throughout the day, the angle at which sunlight strikes the solar module changes. As this angle becomes more oblique, losses from reflection increase. Manufacturers have focused on mitigating these losses through the use of anti-reflective coatings or texturing. To model these losses, an Incidence Angle Modifier (IAM) profile is quantified and employed. These results can be used to inform or validate a manufacturer’s guidance to its customers. In PVsyst, the default IAM profile is modeled using the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) model. This model, using default parameters, can over-estimate the losses from non-normal incidence angles. Lab-based characterization of the IAM profile can result in more accurate yield predictions that provide more clarity in the energy assessment.

Similar to PAN files, DNV GL provides two simulations to demonstrate the expected yield with an optimized IAM profile. By not changing any system design parameters except for IAM curve, these energy production simulations showcase the implications of IAM. The IAM profile of the module can represent a 1-2% difference in predicted production. As with the difference in production from PAN files, this difference in IAM can significantly impact the valuation of a PV project.

Why does this matter?

To better illustrate performance from optimized PAN files, DNV GL provides two simulation results with each report that use identical system configurations to compare performance between a default PAN file and an optimized PAN file. As illustrated in the figure above, module selection can result in a 4-5% production difference when all other parameters are fixed. This difference can have significant impacts on the value assigned to a PV project.

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Improvements in Results

2018 Scorecard Failure Analysis

During each test sequence, modules are characterized (i.e. evaluated) before and after each test interval. During each characterization, module safety and performance are assessed under several criteria before continuing in the test sequence. Characterization criteria includes no greater than 5% power loss, visual inspection failure, lowered insulation resistance (safety failure) and component defects.

1. BOM

A single module type can have multiple BOM variants, as each critical component change can have different performance and durability implications. 2018 results indicate that 9% of tested BOMs failed at least one of the evaluation criteria.

2. Model Type

When viewed at a model-type level, the failure rate increased due to the overarching model type affected by a single BOM failure. For 2018, this was 12% of the PQP population.

3. Manufacturer

Lastly, the highest level of review is on the manufacturing level, where 22% of all manufacturers who tested in the PQP in the past 18 months had at least one failure.

As indicated in the previous pages, overall test results have improved since 2017. Continual attention to quality and robust ongoing evaluation appears to be driving PQP participants to new levels of performance. However, new technology and materials continually demand ongoing assessments with a test program that evolves with nuances and innovation. Therefore, it is important for buyers to be cognizant of BOM specification when sourcing PV modules, and to continually verify their durability. DNV GLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PQP offers this adaptivity by actively evolving according to the needs of the downstream while also staying ahead of technological advances in manufacturing process and materials.

Obtain the Detailed Reports

Most PV modules on the market today utilize several different BOMs. This supply chain flexibility is necessary for PV module suppliers to remain competitive and to remove reliance on single source components. The use of many component suppliers is not a significant concern if the arious combinations are equally tested and/or a buyer has full transparency of the proposed BOM and its associated test results. The same product label can be applied to a module with different materials and cells, made in different countries, and even produced by a different manufacturer (in the case of contract manufacturing) To mitigate this risk, DNV GL recommends acquiring knowledge of the BOM and factory details (e.g., location, production line, etc.) for the specific modules being shipped to a project, and obtaining accelerated test results on that specific factory and BOM being procured. This nowledge provides more confidence than relying solely on manufacturing capacity and reputation of the supplier as measures of product quality.

Compare Results

The chart above depicts the types of failures noted in the 2018 Scorecard. These can occur at interval or final characterization events.

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The power degradation from the PQP results is based on accelerated testing, and as such the degradation results should not be used as a direct forecast of yearly degradation for fielded modules. The results should be used as a mechanism to evaluate PV modules and their associated BOMs and factory locations, and as a tool to compare expected module reliability and long-term performance qualitatively.

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FACTORY LOCATIONS

odule quality is affected by the equipment, process and quality control used when manufacturing the product. The DNV GL PQP includes a factory witness to verify the BOM and factory processes for the modules that are submitted to the PQP for testing. The factory witness results are documented in a comprehensive report. in addition to other reliability and performance reports, DNV GL downstream partners can have access to the witness reports to gain visibility into the BOM and factory. The table below shows the 2018 Top Performer manufacturers in alphabetical order, followed by the factory location(s) for the models that underwent PQP testing for the 2018 Scorecard. The graphic below depicts manufacturer factory regions.

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PV MANUFACTURING

THE HISTORICAL SCORECARD While product lines and models may change, retire or be introduced anew, one measure of quality can be assessed by a manufacturer's consistency as a Top Performer in DNV GL's PV Module Reliability Scorecard. The Scorecard presented here shows the 2018 Top Performers and their history of Top Performance in previous editions. The Scorecard is presented by the number of years as a Top Performer, in alphabetical order.

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DNV GL BEST PRACTICES

V plants experience many conditions that cannot be fully replicated by accelerated testing. Modules experience concurrent stresses in the field to varying degrees which may not be represented by the test sequences described in this Scorecard. Laboratory testing is well controlled and typically limited to a single stress type at a time. Laboratory observations should be utilized to assess how a specific set of aging mechanisms impact module output over the duration of the test.

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Additionally, accelerated testing should be used to screen for PV module defects in large procurements. The schematics below show a recommended flow of laboratory testing, which can minimize risks in PV plant module sourcing, development and construction, and operation. The qualification portion (the PQP scope) should occur when a product is initially being evaluated for the module buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Approved Vendor List. The Statistical Batch Testing portion, or serial defect screening (typically IEC scope), should be performed on a sample of modules from the specific batches produced and shipped to the project site. Field exposure testing should occur long term to inform buyers and suppliers about real-world performance.

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TECHNOLOGY

Growatt Max Inverter Running Steadily In Harsh Grid

s the saying goes:” A person of integrity can stand tests”. A high quality inverter also needs to pass the harsh grid environment test. The harsher the environment, the more it can reflect the performance of a device. Let’s take a look at a real case of our latest MAX series inverter working in a small industrial and commercial solar plant today: The power plant is installed on the roof of a steel factory in Jiangsu, China. Installed capacity of the project is 60kWp, with a total of 200 pieces of 300W high-efficiency MONO modules. 20 pieces in series and total of 10 strings to connect a Growatt MAX 60KTL3 LV inverter, this inverter has up to 6 MPPTs, with string monitoring function, intelligent IV curve diagnosis capabilities and excellent grid environment adaptability.

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TECHNOLOGY

After onsite investigation, the actual load is mainly crane and welding machines and other steel processing equipment, as shown in the following pictures: The characteristics of the load caused very poor power quality of grid, power factor has even dropped to 0.657. In order to improve the power factor, the steel factory puts reactive power compensation device into operation, as shown below:

Actual field test showed that during load switching on/off, especially when the reactive power compensation capacitor cabinet is switched on, power grid voltage fluctuates violently far beyond the rated amplitude value during normal operation, as shown in the following figure.

Such a harsh grid environment will cause great surge voltage and current impact on the inverter semiconductor device, if inverter protection function does not respond quickly enough, or protection measures are improper, the inverter will disconnect frequently from grid or be damaged, while the MAX series inverter is still operating steadily with outstanding yields. The daily energy of the 60KW inverter is up to 367kWh. See picture 7 for power generation data monitoring.

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September -Part A 2018

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TECHNOLOGY PV inverters deliver electrical energy to the grid, meanwhile the quality of the grid affects the inverter. In some metal processing factories, there is high-power equipment such as travelling crane, welding machines, gantry milling machines and electric arc furnaces, etc. During switch on/off of the equipment, electric energy changes drastically, grid canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t adjust in time, and the voltage changes between 320-480V in a very short time, accompanied by a large number of harmonics and severe electromagnetic interference. The grid-tied inverter is a current source, due to the impedance of the circuit, the BUS voltage of the inverter is usually slightly higher than grid voltage. When large inductive equipment starts on the load side, grid voltage is pulled to very low level, then the inverter output current rises to a high level in a very short duration, the operating current of the IGBT will also rise accordingly, which leads to a high risk of over-current damage of the IGBT.

Fig_8 MAX 50-80KTL3 LV/MV

When the large inductive load stops, the grid voltage will then suddenly rise, even exceed the BUS voltage of the inverter, resulting in grid current feedback to inverter and risk of IGBT overvoltage damage. Electromagnetic interference will affect the IGBT driver circuit of the inverter, and may cause the fault of IGBT switching sequence and the pass-through in the bridge arm, resulting in a risk of shortcircuit damage to the IGBT. Growatt R&D engineers have made many innovations in the hardware and software design of the MAX 60-100K TL3-LV/MV series inverters for harsh grid environments:

A dedicated high-speed CPLD for signal processing, coupled with high-precision floatingpoint arithmetic and fast analysis algorithms, ensures that the response speed of the inverter control is much greater than the speed of the current and voltage changes on the grid side, the inverter has enough time to handle the emergency. Faster response measures are added to the IGBT driver active clamp scheme, enabling the IGBT driver to operate as quickly as possible. When a short circuit occurs, it gently turn off the IGBT to ensure that the current ramp rate is within a certain range to avoid IGBT over-current.

Adopt multiple measures such as high-frequency non-inductive capacitor and absorption loop to prevent IGBT overvoltage.

A reliable magnetic-coupled driver isolation solution ensures a very strong anti-interference capability.

Operating in a harsh grid environment, the inverter protects itself from off-grid as well as from damage by means of software and hardware coordinated control, and the maximum power point can be tracked in a few seconds when the grid voltage returns to normal. Inverter safety and power generation are guaranteed at the same time.

Source: ginverter

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ABB launches optimized two-pole 1500V DC switch for UL and IEC solar industry ABB is launching the solar industry’s first fully optimized two-pole DC switch-disconnector for 1500V utility-scale photovoltaic power plants covering 315-630A current range. The new design offers both a size reduction and an increase in efficiency and performance to help manufacturers adapt to the industry’s rapid adoption of 1500V DC solutions.

he two-pole 1500V DC concept helps manufacturers improve system efficiency, reducing switch losses by up to 35 percent. Measuring just 150mm wide and 122mm high, the OTDC range of 1500V DC switches is also up to 30 percent smaller than conventional solutions. The compact size of the new OTDC range makes it possible for manufacturers to reduce the size of combiner boxes and inverters.

Riku Pelttari, Head of Global Product Management for ABB’s Switches ＆ Fusegear business, said: “The new OTDC 1500V DC switch-disconnector is another example of ABB producing innovative, further improved solutions that drive the market and help manufacturers make solar power more competitive and efficient. This solution brings together years of research and experience of making and breaking DC current and voltage. We expect it to quickly become the preferred solution.”

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The shift from 1000V to 1500V systems is helping reduce the cost of utility-scale photovoltaic systems. Higher-voltage systems enable longer strings, which mean fewer combiner boxes and less wiring, making installations less labor-intensive and reducing the cost per watt of installed power. By 2019, virtually all new utility-scale solar plants are expected to be 1500V DC. ABB’s unique design makes it possible to operate up to two 1500V DC strings with just one switch. In addition to the standard connections, the OTDC’s modular design also makes it possible for ABB to fulfil the non-standard requests that come from the fast-changing solar market. The OTDC range is a family of robust switch-disconnectors, designed for photovoltaic and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) applications. The range is tested according to the UL, IEC and CCC standards to withstand the extreme outdoor conditions and sudden temperature changes that are usual in a solar farm. ABB provides the most comprehensive portfolio of products, systems and solutions along the solar PV value chain that enable the generation, transmission and distribution of solar power for both on-grid and off-grid applications. New OTDC will be the next product to improve ABB’s solar offering even further.

September -Part A 2018

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