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Volume # 4 | Issue # 8 | Sept. - Octo 2014 |

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EDITORIAL Government sees $250 billion investment in energy sector: Goyal Solar Generation Capacity Expected to Reach 100,000 MW by 2022 PTI : The government hopes to attract USD 250 billion (Rs 15 lakh crore) investment within 4-5 years to give a boost to the energy sector and provide electricity to all, power minister Piyush Goyal said The investments, totalling USD 250 billion for power generation, coal mining as well as electricity distribution and transmission sectors, would help the government increase power generation and ensure electricity supplies to all households in the country by 2019, Goyal said. Speaking at the India Economic Summit, organised here by Geneva-based World Economic Forum and Indian industry chamber CII, Goyal said that India’s total power consumption would double to 2 trillion units by 2019 and the majority of investments would come from the private sector although the government would also invest more. The government is also pushing ahead with ambitious plans for the renewable sector, especially solar energy, where the generation capacity is to be increased to 1,00,000 MW by 2022, he added. “We are expecting around USD 250 billion investments in the next four to five years. About USD 100 billion will be in the renewable energy,” Goyal said. PTC India See Business Opportunity Of Rs 7 Lacs Crore In Solar Power. RM Malla, MD & CEO of PTC India says solar power poses a big business opportunity for the company to the tune of Rs 7 lakh crore and adds that they can produce 1,50,000 megawatts (MW) of energy in 10 years only from solar energy. Today wind energy India produces only about 25000 megawatt and as far as solar is concerned it is less than 3000 megawatt. So, we can go 50 times. To put it in the financial terms if 1,50,000 megawatt of solar, the project cost have gone down is now about Rs 8 crore. So, this is a business of Rs 10 lakh crore and if we take a debt equity ratio of 70:30, 7 lakh crore of potential business is available only in solar. Mercom Capital Group Reports Solar Q3 2014 Funding: $9.8 Billion In Total Corporate Funding compared to $6.3 billion in Q2 2014, $326 Million In VC Funding Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group, commented, “Financing activity was strong all around this quarter whether you look at VC, debt or public markets, and it was the best fundraising quarter since Q1 2011. VC funding in solar has now crossed $1 billion in the first three quarters this year.”Global VC/PE funding, in Q3 2014 totaled $326 million in 21 deals, down from $452 million in 22 deals in Q2 2014. Like the previous quarter, solar downstream companies attracted most of the VC funding in Q3, with $205 million in 11 deals.

Anand Gupta Editor & CEO

EMAMI BIODIESEL: PERFECT FOR YOUR POCKET. PERFECT FOR THE PLANET. The rising costs of traditional fuels like petro-diesel have created an urgent requirement for an affordable, eco-friendly alternative. Emami Biotech Ltd. has fulfilled this need with the ideal replacement – Biodiesel. It extends machine life, reduces maintenance and is easier to handle and store. Emami’s biodiesel is backed by superior technology and production capabilities. Highlights of Emami’s biodiesel • Produced at state-of-the art multi-feed stock facility commissioned by Desmet Ballestra, a Belgian technology company. • The plant is capable of manufacturing biodiesel conforming to EU (EN14214) and BIS standards. • Low sulphur content; out-performs industry standards*. • Betters industry benchmarks in ash & moisture content, total contaminations and carbon residue indicators. • Regular exporter to many European countries. • ISCC Certification - It is the pre-requisite for export of biodiesel to Europe. ISCC is one of the leading certification systems for sustainability & greenhouse emmissions. USES OF BIODIESEL Vehicles: Can be used in every diesel engine powered vehicle. (Millions of miles were logged on biodiesel in EU nations). Farming and Industrial Equipments: Can be used for construction, mining, and farm machinery. Marine Vessels: Can be used in marine engines safely. Marine use is especially attractive due to the elimination of any possibility for contamination of waterways. Stationary Power Generation: With new power generation capacity coming online, biodiesel makes an attractive choice to meet the regulations. Many stationary applications require exhaust emission control system, which will work well with biodiesel. Boiler Fuel: Can be substituted easily for gas or fuel fired boilers. Hybrid Vehicles: With many states now mandating hybrid electric vehicles (including the fuel cell hybrid), biodiesel will make excellent reforming fuel. Agriculture Adjuvants: Biodiesel is used as a carrier for pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture sprays due to it being nontoxic and biodegradable. Solvents: Can be used as industrial solvents and as a replacement of high VOC containing petroleum solvents. With regulations driving the VOC contents lower for solvents used in industries, biodiesel offers an attractive solution. Lubricity Agent/Additive: Our biodiesel can also be used as a lubricity agent/enhancer in many applications. It is especially useful in marine applications where water contamination with petroleum lubricity agents can create problems. With the low-sulphur fuel regulation of the future, biodiesel can be used as a lubricity additive. 1-2% biodiesel added to diesel fuel can increase diesel lubricity by 65%. Textile Coning Oil: It is a suitable replacement of coning oil. Bio Jute Oil: It is used for processing of raw jute fibre. It is completely free from aromatic hydrocarbons. Metal Working Fluids: Used for metal-cutting oil to reduce environmental pollution and also used as coolant. Paint Industry: It can be used as drying oil for the paint industry. Fuel Oil: It can be used in gen set with the blend of diesel oil. It can also be used in boiler and road making equipment.

FEATURES

ADVANTAGES OF BIODIESEL

Environment Friendly

It is an environment-friendly fuel, the best alternative to common petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is 11% Oxygen by weight and contains no Sulphur. It produces approximately 80% lesser CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and almost 100% lesser SO2 (Sulphur Dioxide) emission.

Credibility

It is a proven fuel with over 30 million successful US road miles and over 20 years of usage in Europe.

No Modification of Engine Required

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine.

How to Use

It can be used alone or mixed in any ratio with petroleum diesel fuel. The most common blend of mixing is 20% biodiesel with 80% petroleum diesel, commonly known as B20 for transport vehicle. However, for a Static Engine, 100% biodiesel commonly known as B100 can be used.

Same Power Output

Biodiesel offers the same power output as petro-diesel fuel.

Extended Life of Engine

The use of biodiesel can extend the life of diesel engines because lubricates better than petroleum diesel fuel, while fuel consumption, auto ignition, power output, and engine torque remain unaffected. Biodiesel also has a cleansing effect on engine walls.

Safe to Handle & Store

Biodiesel is safe to handle and transport because it is as biodegradable as sugar, 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a high flashpoint of about 1250C as compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 550C.

Cost Advantage

Price of biodiesel is the same as that of petroleum diesel, but due to its properties, it increases the life of the engine and reduces the maintenance cost over the period of time.

COMPARISON OF CALORIFIC VALUE OF HIGH SPEED DIESEL AND BIODIESEL PRODUCT

UNIT

GROSS

CV % OF PURITY

NET CV

SPECIFIC GRAVITY

EFFECTIVE CV

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5) = (3)X(4)

(6)

(7) = (5)x(6)

HSD

Kcal/Kg

10700

95%

10165

0.820

8335

Bio-Diesel

Kcal/Kg

9600

99.5%

9552

0.875

8358

• To know more about reduction in biodiesel emissions compared to conventional diesel, according to EPA, visit www.emamibiotech.com • Comparison of specification of petro-diesel, biodiesel & Emami biodiesel, visit www.emamibiotech.com Thus, as the best choice for your budget & the planet, Emami’s biodiesel is perfect for your requirements. For more information, visit: www.emamibiotech.com Anand Gupta anand.gupta@emamigroup.com

BIO DIESEL

+91 98262 44496

*http://www.commodityonline.com/news/emamis-biodiesel-rated-best-by-sgs-singapore-14712-3-14713.html

Owner :

FirstSource Energy

SOLAR ENERGY

CONTENTS INTERVIEW

VOLUME 4 Issue # 8

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José Mª Llopis 30 Senior Vice President Project Business

Kuldeep Indeevar 34 Insuring Against Cloudy Days In A Solar Project

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plant report

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Rakesh Khanna 44 Integration Of Solar Into Diesel Power Supply

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Chetan Trivedi 50 Single Axis Tracking Technology for Utility PV Projects

Cover Vikram Solar is an internationally acclaimed enterprise which specializes in manufacturing of solar PV modules and EPC contracts for solar power plants. It is part of the Vikram Group of companies, which is a 40 year company specialising in engineering and manufacturing activities. Vikram Solar owns an ISO 9001-2008 accredited manufacturing plant with 150 MW installed production capacity of solar PV modules, located in the SEZ of Falta, West Bengal. Based In Kolkata, Vikram Solar have a global presence in more than 32 countries.

F O L L O W U S AT

42 Vikram Solar- Lighting up life with Solar Energy in the Interiors of West Bengal

SOLAR PV MANUF.

Gyanesh Chaudhary

40 Assistant Vice President, JA SOLAR

BALANCE OF SYSTEMS

Narayanan Srinivasamohan

36 Are 30+ Year Records for Solar Assessment Possible? Suitability of Second Generation Reanalysis ...

BALANCE OF SYSTEMS

Nikhilesh Singh

plant report

INTERVIEW

SOLAR ENERGY

CONTENTS

Manish Sharma 56 Ensto Clampo Pro series – Small Item, Great Significance!

Eq Business & Financial News 8-29

SOLAR ENERGY 38 Leveraging Big Data Analytics To Increase Wind And Solar Project Profitability

plant report 46 ACVA Solar Installs Smart Solar Power System With Micro Inverters And Smart Trimmer 48 IBC SOLAR hands over turnkey photovoltaic plant of 5.5 MWp to Indian investor

MOUNTING SYSTEMES 54 Optimize And Not Compromise; Key Precautions For Mounting Structure Design Evaluation.

Vikas Almadi

Krishnan Rajagopalan

58 DEHN Advantage - Lightning & Earthing Protection System for Solar PV Installations

66 Emerging Crystalline Solar Cell Technologies

BALANCE OF SYSTEMS

RENEWABLE ENERGY

60 DC Cables: An Important Factor In Performance Of Solar PV Installations

PV INVERTERS 61 Schneider Electric unveils two new inverters at REI Expo 2014

SOLAR PV MANUFACTURING 62 PID effect of c-Si modules: Study on Degradation and Recovery to more closely mimic field behavio

SOLAR OFF GRID 68 Solar Remote Telecom Projects Powered by Trojan Battery

70 Hybrid Cooling System– Solar Amalgamated With Biogas

POST SHOW REPORT 72 UBM India concluded Renewable Energy India 2014 (REI 2014)

product REPORT 73-75

& EQBusiness Financial Refex Energy Ltd. successfully commissioned a 10 MWp solar plant in Kolayat region in Rajasthan. Refex Energy Ltd., the country’s fourth largest EPC company in terms of market share, (Source: Bridge to India Solar Map 2014) has successfully commissioned a 10 MWp solar plant in Kolayat region in Rajasthan. The Solar PV project deploys Canadian Solar poly-crystalline modules and Schneider Central Inverter and is owned by Trimex Sands Pvt. Ltd, India’s top specialty

value chain provider for industrial minerals. The Mining - Minerals - Real Estate conglomerate is based out of Chennai and has recently forayed into the renewable energy sector. The plant was commissioned on 30th September 2014 enabling the Group to avail of full accelerated depreciation benefit. Speaking during the event, Mr. Anil Jain, Managing Director,

Refex Energy Ltd. said, “We are extremely happy on commissioning Trimex Group’s third Solar Project. We have also commissioned two other plants for Trimex Group’s captive requirement and are extremely happy to have been entrusted with the job for the third time.”Mr. Pradeep Koneru, Managing Director, Trimex Sands Pvt. Ltd. spoke at length

on the occasion, “Refex has been chosen by the Trimex Group as its preferred EPC partner. We have executed 2 projects with them and are happy with their capability and on-time execution of the projects. We look forward to partner with them in all our future Renewable endeavors and wish them all the luck and success.

REIL proposes solar panel manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Ltd (REIL), a public sector undertaking, has agreed in principle to set up a solar panel manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh.Disclosing this, Andhra Pradesh Energy Secretary Ajay Jain said that a high-level delegation, consisting of REILBSE -4.98 % Chairman Veenu Gupta and Managing Director A K Jain, is expected to meet Chief Minister

N Chandrababu Naidu soon to discuss modalities of setting up the plant. During a tele-conference with Naidu, Jain who recently visited Rajasthan to study solar projects including solar agriculture pumps, said that the proposed unit would also help the state generate additional employment. Meanwhile, Naidu, who recently launched a LED lighting

programme in Vijayawada, is slated to inaugurate tomorrow distribution of LED lamps at Vinukonda and Nagaram in Guntur district.Under this scheme, around 22 lakh LED bulbs are proposed to be distributed for 11 lakh domestic consumers in the district.Energy Department officials said that Andhra Pradesh is planning to enter into agreement for procurement of additional power

of 1040 MW from June, 2015 to May, 2016. The state also has plans for procurement of 1,000 MW of power (with imported coal) since southern transmission corridor works are getting delayed due to various reasons.According to them, around 16,000 acres of land is ready for setting up of solar parks of 2,500 MW in the state.

Rajasthan government launches Solar Energy Policy-2014 The Government of Rajasthan recently launched a new “ Solar Energy Policy-2014” to pave the way for establishment of 25000 MW solar capacity in the state.The main objectives of the policy are creation of conducive environment for the investors in the state and ensuring power supply to urban and rural areas along with remove or less

populated areas where there is no power supply, according to an official statement here. Policy also aimed at having energy security at the national level and to overcome the challenges of climate change. Its main provisions is to establish solar parks in state sector, private sector and through Public

Private Partnership. Besides, there would be a fast process of approval of Mega Solar Plants (500 MW) by placing them directly before State Level Empowered Committee headed by Chief Secretary. The state government has announced the policy in compliance to Chief Minister’s budget speech made in the Assembly. A provision of

Rs 100 crore has been made in the state budget of 2014-15 for promotion of power supply to remote villages through local solar grid, stand alone solar system and smart grid system. Permission, sanctions on projects and fee regime were also simplified in the new policy.

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd dedicates 2-MW solar power plant to nation Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd recently dedicated to the nation its first Solar Power Plant of 2MW capacity set up at a cost of Rs 13.54 crore at its headquarters complex here in Odisha. The project was 10

formally commissioned by S K Srivastava, secretary the in Ministry of Coal, in the presence of A N Sahay, Chairman-cumManaging Director of MCL. The solar power project has been set up over eight acres of

September - October 2014

barren land in the Anand Vihar complex of MCL Headquarters. This plant is expected to reduce electricity bills of the company

Power generated by the MCL solar plant would feed the existing 11 KV grid of Odisha’s power distribution company WESCO, it added.

by Rs 1.11 crore per year, a company release said.

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September - October 2014

& EQBusiness Financial Mercom Capital Group Reports Solar Q3 2014 Funding: $9.8 Billion in Total Corporate Funding, $326 Million in VC Funding Mercom C a pit al Grou p, llc, a global clean energy communications and consulting firm, released its report today on third quarter funding and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity for the solar sector in 2014. Total global corporate funding in the solar sector, including venture capital (VC), private equity (PE), debt financing, and public market financing raised by public companies, jumped to $9.8 billion, compared to $6.3 billion in Q2 2014. This quarter also saw the third yieldco Initial Public Offering (IPO) so far this year, the $577 million IPO of TerraForm Power, a yieldco subsidiary of SunEdison.Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group, commented, “Financing

activity was strong all around this quarter whether you look at VC,

Global VC/PE funding, in Q3 2014 totaled $326 million

debt or public markets, and it was the best fundraising quarter since Q1 2011. VC funding in solar has now crossed $1 billion in the first three quarters this year.”

in 21 deals, down from $452 million in 22 deals in Q2 2014. Like the previous quarter, solar downstream companies attracted most of the VC funding in Q3, with $205 million in 11 deals. The largest VC/PE deal in Q3 2014 was the $110 million raise

VC/PE

by Sunnova Energy, a provider of residential solar service to homeowners through its network of local installation partners offering leases and PPAs. Glasspoint Solar, a provider of solar steam generators to the oil and gas industry for applications such as Enhanced Oil Recovery, raised $53 million. Other Top 5 deals included the $40 million raised by PosiGen, a US-based provider of solar lease, purchasing and energy efficiency upgrades, followed by Solexel, a developer of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, which raised $31 million. Ygrene Energy Fund, a provider of residential and commercial property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing, raised $30 million.

SECI signs MoU with Coal India for Development of 1000 MW of Solar Projects In a massive thrust to the scaling up of Solar Power capacity in the country, Coal India Ltd. (CIL) and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 1st October, 2014.The MoU was signed by Shri R N Biswas (Chief GM (Environment), CIL) and Shri Remesh Kumar K

(GM (Solar), SECI). About 1000 MW of Solar Projects is targeted to be set up in a phased manner, with 250 MW planned in the first phase. These projects would preferably be set up in Solar parks located in coal bearing states.CIL would be owning the Solar Projects and SECI would be executing them on

turnkey basis. In addition, SECI would undertake the Operation & Maintenance of these projects on behalf of CIL. This development is in line with the Government of India’s plan to set up Solar Projects with active involvement of profit-making Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Large Solar Plants

have the ability to bring down the cost of Solar power through economies of scale.Being environment-friendly, these projects would enable states to meet their Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) mandates as well as provide local employment opportunities.

SECI signs MoU with IREDA for Development of 30-50 MW Solar Project In a significant development for the development of Solar sector for achieving the ambitious target set by the Government of India for Solar Power development in the country, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 20th September, 2014.The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Upendra Tripathy (Secy, MNRE) by Shri K S Popli (CMD, IREDA)

and Shri Ashvini Kumar (Director (Solar), SECI) on the occasion of SECI’s third foundation day. A Solar Project of about 50 MW of is initially targeted to be installed, followed by more Solar and Solar –wind Hybrid projects that would be executed by SECI on turnkey basis.The MoU envisages collaboration and cooperation for project implement ation. Whereas IREDA would be the project owner, SECI would execute them on turnkey basis. The

September - October 2014

project(s) are envisaged to come up in the proposed Solar Park in Anantpur, Andhra Pradesh. This development is in line with the Government of India’s plan to set up more Solar Projects by Public Sector Units (PSUs) throughout India.

on taxes. Being environmentfriendly, these projects would enable states meet their Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) mandates as well as provide local employment opportunities.

Su c h p r oj e c t s a r e envisaged to give more confidence to financial institutions for extending long term finance to Solar sector, as well as enable the companies to save

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& EQBusiness Financial NHPC to develop 50 MW PV project in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh Indian hydropower generation company NHPC Ltd. is set to build its first solar power plant in Uttar Pradesh, India through a joint venture with

state’s nodal agency, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA). The two companies have signed an agreement to

develop a 50 MW PV power plant on 275 acres of land in Parason provided by UPNEDA. The plant is expected to come online in mid-2016 and will

require an investment of 400 crore INR ($65.5 million).

Acme Group Achieves 160 Mw Projects Emerges As Largest Developer For 500 Mw Ap Solar Tender ACME Group, India’s leading solar power player in India recently announced that it has emerged as the largest successful Bidder for 160 MW solar PV power projects at the 500 MW tender opening ceremony event at Hyderabad under RFP floated by Southern Power Distribution Company Limited of Andhra Pradesh (APSPDCL).As per the terms and conditions of the bidding document, the selected developer would sign 25 year long PPA with AP Discom on bided tariff. Commenting on this momentous occasion, Mr. Manoj Kumar Upadhyay, Founder & Chairman, ACME Group said, “This win is the country’s largest win by any private solar developer. It is a testimony to the prowess of ACME Group and further strengthens our emergence as the leading solar power producer

in the country. With this addition, our solar power portfolio has reached 422.5 MW and we are on way to generate 1000 MW by year 2017. We thank the Andhra Pradesh Authorities for their initiatives and look forward for support from all stakeholders to help us in achieving the dream of bring power to every house by 2019.” This project would entail an estimated investment of $ 210 mm/ Rs. 1250 crores. The 160 MW projects would be set-up in the three districts of Anantpur, Karnool and Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. Earlier this month ACME Group received final approval for credit facility of $100 mn loan from Asian Development Bank.US$ 50 mn shall be utilized in developing 100 MW projects in Rajasthan and the remaining amount of loan

shall be used for its upcoming projects.Last month, ACME also sourced an investment from IFC in the form of an ‘A’ Loan of up to $34 million (Rs. 201.9 crores) for the 100 MW project in Rajasthan under the ambit of JNNSM. Earlier, IFC also funded Rs.73.10 crores for the 25 MW solar power project of the company in Madhya Pradesh which was commissioned early this year. The company had an existing portfolio of 262.5 MW including 100 MW JNNSM Phase II Projects, in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The company aims to generate 1000 MW by the year 2017. The portfolio consists of 100 MW plants in Rajasthan, 25 MW plant in Madhya Pradesh, 25 MW plant in Odisha, 30 MW plant in Chhattisgarh, a 15 MW

in Gujarat, 10 MW in Assam, 25 MW in Bihar, 30 MW in Uttar Pradesh and a 2.5 MW CSP plant in Rajasthan. Out of these, the 25 MW plant in Madhya Pradesh, 15 MW plant in Gujarat and 2.5 MW CSP in Rajasthan are fully operational, making its operational capacity at 42.5 MW. While other projects are at various stages of commissioning, the 100 MW Rajasthan projects are expected to be commissioned by April 2015. ACME Group showcased its prowess in solar PV technology through its 25 MW plant at Khilchipur, Madhya Pradesh that achieved a record output of 25 GWh in six months of installation, a record in maximum power output by any solar power plant of that scale.

Raj House passes bill allowing lease of land for power units The Rajasthan A ssembly recently passed an amendment bill enabling land owner to lease land for to power (solar

and wind energy) producers for thirty years. The Rajasthan Land Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014, to

amend the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955, and the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act 1956, was passed by a voice vote after

rejecting ruling BJP MLAs and Independent member’s important suggestions.

Solar power plant at Katra station In keeping with its objective to use eco-friendly sources of energy and strengthen mechanisms to cater to energy demands, Northern Railway recently launched a project to provide a solar power plant at Shri Mata Vaishno Katra Railway Station

September - October 2014

in Jammu.Work on setting up the Rs 8.52 crore plant commenced in the presence of Chairman Railway Board Arunendra Kumar, according to a Northern Railway official.

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& EQBusiness Financial See biz opportunity of Rs 7 lk cr in solar power: PTC India RM Malla, managing director and chief executive officer, PTC India says renewable energy has a lot of potential in India as we receive atleast 330 days of sunlight. Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Malla says solar power poses a big business opportunity for the company to the tune of Rs 7 lakh crore and adds that they can produce 1,50,000 megawatts (MW) of energy in 10 years only from solar energy. “Hence we have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to focus on solar power,” he adds. Below is the transcript of RM Malla’s interview with Anuj Singhal and Ekta Batra on CNBC-TV. Ekta: There was some news recently with regards to PTC India Financial Services which has signed an agreement with PFC Green Energy for joint financing of renewable energy projects. Can you just tell us how much of an opportunity that segment is for you? A: As you indicated our organisation PTC India Financial Services (PFS) is for last 1.5 year or so put its focus on renewable. We believe that renewable in India has a great

potential. Just to put things in perspective, I believe in India which probably is one of the very few countries which is sunshine for almost 330 days in a year has a potential of making almost 1,50,000 megawatt through solar energy in maybe a period 10 years. Similarly as far as wind is concerned I believe that we can have as much as 1,00,000 megawatt. Today wind energy India produces only about 25000 megawatt and as far as solar is concerned it is less than 3000 megawatt. So, we can go 50 times. To put it in the financial terms if 1,50,000 megawatt of solar, the project cost have gone down is now about Rs 8 crore. So, this is a business of Rs 10 lakh crore and if we take a debt equity ratio of 70:30, 7 lakh crore of potential business is available only in solar. As I was saying that we have focused in this area and in order to broaden and ensure that we are able to quickly appraise and finance these projects, we have decided to have memorandum of understanding (MoU) with similar organisation. PFC which is the largest power financing in this country has setup a special subsidiary only for renewal energy. So, couple of days back we have entered into an

MoU and soon we will be also entering similar MoUs with other organisations. The system will be that we will appraise the projects and similarly if they get some proposal they will appraise the project and we will meet periodically and we will jointly finance. Ekta: How much of your loan book is towards renewable energy already and how much of these projects have seen 90 percent of completion or entire completion? A: As we are speaking today our 35 percent of loan outstanding is for renewable. I believe that gradually it may become 50 percent in maybe next 12-15 months. The beauty of renewable especially solar and wind is, it has a very low gestations period. Solar can be setup anything between 9-12 months and similarly wind also can be put in less then one year. The main issue is only the acquisition of land and that is the only thing which takes time. However, having acquired the land these things can be put modularly. Solar, suppose there is a project of 50 megawatt, you don’t have to complete the entire 50 megawatt to start supplying power. You can do 5 megawatt and if your acquisition is in place you can start dong it.

So, the beauty of such projects is as against the conventional thermal which takes anything between three to five years, here the project completion can be anything between 9-12 months and they start making money and then they start repaying to us. Ekta: Can you give us a sense in terms of how Q2 is panning out; Q1 was very strong for you’ll, you had an net interest income (NII) growth of over 80 percent, your profit growth was over 100 percent and your net non-performing assets (NPAs) continued to be nil. Can you tell us whether that could be a repeat performance for you’ll in Q2? A: What I can share with you is that we have a very strong risk assessment process and that is why we have nil NPA. Even today we have nil NPA status. We believe that having given total veto power to our risk department, going forward we will continue to have a healthy book position. Out of six or seven proposals which come for our consideration, only one passes the muster. I believe we will continue to grow and as a result we see good position in future as well.

ReneSola to Supply 10MW Solar Modules to Utility-Scale Project in India ReneSola, a leading brand and technology provider of solar photovoltaic products, on Thursday announced it will provide 10MW of solar modules to Juwi India Renewable Energies Pvt. Ltd., a Bangalorebased engineering, procurement and construction firm specializing in solar and wind energy plants. The modules will power a utilityscale project in Rajasthan to be developed by Atha Group, 16

an India-based conglomerate with operations in mining, steel manufacturing, power and renewable energy.

which call for certain solar projects in the country to incorporate locally manufactured components.

Under the terms of the agreement, in September and November of this year, ReneSola will deliver a total of 10MW of its Virtus modules manufactured at the company’s India-based OEM facilities, in accordance with India’s applicable domestic content requirements (DCR),

“India continues to be a strong performer for us, in fact this is our second major contract win announcement for this market in as many weeks,” said ReneSola CEO Xianshou Li. “With the increasing demand for DCR modules in the India market, our network of OEM manufacturing

September - October 2014

and on-the-ground teams enable us to satisfy domestic content requirements while responding to market needs in real time.”

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& EQBusiness Financial ‘USD 100 bn investment likely in renewable energy in 4 years’ The government is expecting USD 100 billion investment in the renewable energy sector in the next four years as it firms up a new policy framework for the same. “We expect USD 100 billion in the renewable energy sector in the next four years,” Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said today at Economist India summit. He also said the government expects USD 50-60 billion investment in power transmission and distribution in the next four years. The government is working on a renewable energy policy to attract investments in the space by providing tax breaks and cheaper loans.

The Power Ministry is focused on providing 24x7 electricity to households in the next five years.

scaled up to a level wherein it could provide the required number for solar mission, he said.

Commenting on demand for imposing anti-dumping duty on solar panels at another event, he said: “We had ambitious plans in the solar power sector. Imposition of anti-dumping duty will kill the solar mission.

“We ensured within the framework of WTO to provide adequate support to not only fulfil the current manufacturing potential but also plan for a five year significant ramp up from what they (domestic manufactures) have now, “ Goyal added.

“Imposition of any such duty would have led to escalation in the tariff from solar plants,” Goyal said at another event today. He said domestic solar panel manufacturers have ‘suo-moto’ withdrawn their plea for such a duty. Imports were necessary as the domestic manufacturing had not

The Minister had earlier said domestic solar equipment manufacturing capacity of 700800 MW is not sufficient to meet the government’s ambitious plans of adding more power generation capacity through renewable energy sources.

solar capacity exceeds 2,600 MW. Earlier in May, the Ministry of Commerce under the UPA regime had recommended imposing a restrictive duty in the range of USD 0.11-0.81 per watt on solar cells imported from the US, China, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei in a move to protect the struggling domestic industry. The recommendations were against the backdrop of US dragging India to the WTO (World Trade Organisation) with respect to domestic sourcing norms for the national solar mission.

The country’s current installed

Mahindra EPC successfully installs its first Diesel Solar PV hybrid system Mahindra EPC, the Engineering Procurement and Construction arm of the Mahindra Group, has successfully installed its first diesel generator and solar photovoltaic (DG-PV) hybrid solution at Mahindra’s engine factory at Igatpuri. This system has India’s highest solar to diesel capacity ratio of over 80%. The DG-PV hybrid installation comprises of a 66kW solar plant connected to an 82.5 kVA diesel generator using MACXTM, Mahindra EPC’s proprietary advanced controller unit. MACXTM maximizes solar utilization while ensuring complete power system stability and substantial reduction in diesel consumption. This intelligent solution efficiently integrates

a PV system with existing and new diesel generator sets. The plant is remotely monitored and controlled, using the proprietary Mahindra Machine Pulse solar PV monitoring and control solution that ensures highest plant uptime and precise reporting. Mahindra EPC’s DG-PV hybrid provides significant benefit to power intensive industries and commercial establishments like textiles, pharmaceuticals, automotive industries, malls, hospitals and resorts. This solution can also be used as a remote mini-grid to provide a consistent and clean supply of power while lowering operating costs. On an average, electricity cost is reduced by 50% and

diesel consumption is reduced by 40%. Mahindra EPC offers the DG-PV hybrid solution in sizes ranging from 5 kilowatt to 1 megawatt. “At the Igatpuri plant, we aim to promote the use of renewable energy and thereby lower our carbon footprint and this installation by Mahindra EPC is a step towards achieving this goal. Solar power is not only environment friendly, it also replaces fossil fuels, lowering our operating costs. The plant has been running successfully since it was commissioned on January 1 of this year,” said Mr. Laxmiprasad Jahagirdar – General Manager, Manufacturing, Igatpuri.

“We are delighted to partner with the Mahindra Engine Factory at Igatpuri for this pilot project. Their continuous support has ensured that our installation successfully passed rigorous tests and was completed in record time. Through the commissioning of our DG-PV hybrid solution, we have reaffirmed our position as a company that accepts no limits in the true spirit of Rise,” said Mr. Basant Jain, CEO, Mahindra EPC.

Indosolar enters into solar cell supply contract Indosolar Ltd has informed BSE that the Company has entered into solar cell supply contract of 18

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September - October 2014

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& EQBusiness Financial L&T Construction Commissions World’s Largest Single Rooftop Solar PV Plant in Punjab L&T Construction, India’s largest solar EPC company, has recently commissioned the world’s largest Solar Photovoltaic Plant of 7.52 MWp capacity on a single roof at Amritsar in Punjab. The energy generated from this plant is being fed to the local grid through a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with the state distribution company under the New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE) Policy.For this project, L&T employed multicrystalline module technology and central inverters to optimize efficiency. More than 30,000 panels were erected on the

rooftop of the shed spread over 94,000 sq.m area. Since for this project, the rooftop modules had to be erected on fragile asbestos roof sheets, L&T’s project engineers designed and implemented an appropriate and customized Balance of System. Without stressing the existing roof sheets, the entire load of the PV modules and BoS were transferred to the roof of the space frame members of the top and middle chords. Lightweight aluminium structures were used for mounting the modules and

water proofing techniques were used to avoid leakages.L&T along with the customer came up with an innovative idea of erecting a permanent network of aluminium walkways on top of the roof sheets to create a safe working environment for execution, operation and maintenance purposes. Commenting on the achievement, S. N. Subrahmanyan, S e n i o r E xe c u t i v e V i c e President (Infrastructure and Construction), L&T said, “This is for us, at L&T Construction, a significant step towards

establishing our credentials as the country’s largest and leading Solar EPC Company. It is also extremely creditable that this state-of-the-art solar power plant has already exceeded the estimated performance.”L&T is India’s largest Solar EPC Company with over 400 MW (including commissioned and under-construction) solar PV and concentrated solar thermal power projects.

PFS, PFC Green to jointly finance renewable energy projects In order to cut down on time needed for financial closure of renewable energy projects, PTC India Financial Services and PFC Green Energy recently signed an initial agreement for facilitating joint financing of those plants. PTC India Financial Services (PFS) is promoted by PTC India and PFC Green Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation. As per the initial pact, both the companies

have agreed to provide a single window to borrowers developing renewable energy projects under consortium financing to achieve speedy financial closure and avoid duplication of work, PFS said in a statement. The agreement aims to boost the implementation and act as a catalyst to fast track renewable energy projects in the country, it added.According to official

estimates, the total installed capacity of renewable energy resources in the country is 32,424 MW as of July 2014 or 13 per cent of the total potential of 2,45,000 MW.”We are confident that given our expertise and robust appraisal systems, we will be able to quickly provide funding to quality projects backed by credible promoters,” R M Malla, Managing Director & CEO, PFS said

The initial pact between the two firms is in line with the targets set by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, which is aiming for a capacity addition of 30,000 MW during the 12th Plan period (20122017) from various renewable energy sources.This comprises 15,000 MW from wind, 10,000 MW from solar, 2,100 MW from small hydro and the balance from biomass.

NTPC signs MoU with Govt. of Andhra Pradesh for 1000 MW Solar Power Projects NTPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) recently in Hyderabad for developing 1000 MW solar power project(s) in Andhra Pradesh. The MoU was signed by Dr. Arup Roy Choudhury, Chairman & Managing Director, NTPC and Shri Ajay Jain, Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Energy in the presence of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister of State for Power (Independent Charge) 20

Coal and New& Renewable Energy Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Ashok Gajapati Raju, and other esteemed dignitaries. Shri R. Venkateswaran, Regional Executive Director, NTPC and Shri Janardan Kar, Executive Director (Business Development), NTPC were also present during the occasion.

land for 4000 MW Pudipadaka Thermal Power Project were also handed over to NTPC on the occasion.

As per the MoU, NTPC shall develop 1000 MW solar power Project(s) at sites identified by GoAP on Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis, in a phased manner. The documents for transfer of

September - October 2014

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& EQBusiness Financial SunEdison and Rajasthan Government Sign Memorandum of Understanding for 5 Gigawatts of Solar PV SunEdison, Inc.,a leading global solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services,recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Rajasthan Government aimed at developing Rajasthan as the global hub for solar energy. SunEdison intends to establish 5 GWs of capacity in the form of multiple Mega Solar Projects, with the expected capacity of each Mega Solar project 500 MW or more. The MOU comes at an opportune time following the new Solar Policy announced by the Government of Rajasthan, which aspires to create 25 GW of solar capacity in the state in the next few years. The MOU was signed by the honorable Chief Minister Smt. VasundharaRajeScindia. “Under the dynamic leadership and vision of the honorable Chief Minister, Smt. VasundharaRajeScindia, this MOU paves the way for socially and environmentally responsible economic growth and prosperity in the State of Rajasthan,” said Pashupathy Gopalan, president, Asia Pacific Operations. “SunEdison is honored to be able to contribute its world leading technology and deployment capabilities to

support the emergence of India as a global solar energy leader

solar facilities to generate and supply solar energy to various

under the vision and leadership of the honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and the honorable Energy Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal.

organizations inside and outside the State of Rajasthan. Those who will receive renewable energy from the solar projects include nodal entities of the Central Government of the Union of India viz. Solar Energy Corporation of India, NTPC VidyutVyaparan Nigam Limited and Power Trading Corporation. SunEdison or SunEdison affiliates, including Yieldcos, are envisioned as the ultimate owner(s) of the solar projects.

Mr. Gopalan reiterated Sun Edison’s commitment to India by saying: “SunEdison is committed to the long term development of India’s solar program and supports its quest for energy security. In support of this initiative we are building local and global partnerships to ensure India is at the cutting edge of solar technology and can provide its citizens with clean, reliable, affordable energy solutions.”SunEdison intends to create state-of-the-art

The Government of Rajasthan will facilitate the identification of government land suitable for the development of solar PV projects as well as allot land on

a long-term lease in accordance with the applicable policies of the state government. Additionally, Government of Rajasthan will create and provide the necessary electricity interconnection infrastructure. In order to complete these requirements, the government has tasked the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation with expediting and facilitating the allotment of land and all other requisite permits and approvals for establishment of the solar PV projects.As a thought leader in the solar industry, SunEdison will also assist in the development of strategies and policies to facilitate the large scale replacement of existing electric and diesel water pumps with solar powered water pumps via innovative financing and business models. In doing so, farmers will be able to increase their incomes by harvesting crops using the sun’s energy instead of falling victim to ground water depletion and electricity subsidy issues. SunEdison already has a strong presence in Rajasthan, with over 50 MW’s of large solar generation capacity and more than 1000 solar water pump installations.

Enrich Energy to set up 60 MW solar power project in Telangana Enrich Energy, a Pune-based renewable energy firm, has announced setting up a 60 MW solar power plant in Telangana.”The company has got the approval for setting up 60 MW solar power project under ‘Solar Park Concept’ in the newly formed state of Telangana,” Enrich Energy said in a statement. The solar park will be set up under open 22

offer to supply power to meet the state’s renewable power obligations.”APTR ANSCO (Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh) has issued a ‘Letter of Intent’ for setting up a 60 MW capacity solar park to Enrich Energy under the power purchase agreement at preferential tariff of Rs 6.49 per kWh (kilo-watt hour) as per the open offer,” the company said.

September - October 2014

“We at Enrich Energy are committed towards developing the renewable energy sector in India and are happy to partner with the government of Telangana in their clean energy initiative,” Kanchal, Director, Enrich Energy said in the statement.Enrich Energy has developed and commissioned the first turnkey private solar park of India in Maharashtra at a

single location with an installed capacity of 40 MW.The company has two ongoing projects of 25 MW and 50 MW in Maharashtra and Gujarat.The company also provides innovative solutions for small retail investors for setting up private projects with the smallest 1 MW capacity.

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& EQBusiness Financial Waaree modules are bankable says Fichtner bankability audit Waaree Energies Limited, India’s leading solar photovoltaic module manufacturer has announced that Waaree modules have been certified as bankable by Fichtner independent technical assessment. Independent bankability audits gives assurance to the investors and installers about the quality and longevity of modules. These audits are conducted by technical advisors who review technical characteristics, track record and operational data of pv modules. They review the certification status of the module series. The plant visit appraises the manufacturing

facility and its track record. They also appraise the manufacturing process and review all the raw materials which have been used and the quality management procedures which are followed. They also take into account the key supply contracts and purchasing strategy followed by the company to give a detailed analysis. “Waaree Energies is the only solar PV module manufacturer in India to be appraised by Fichtner Italy for bankability of PV modules. The technical auditors have lauded the exhaustive QC structure which we have in place and have noted

that our in-house laboratorytests exceed IEC stress conditions” states Mr. Jignesh Rathod, Assistant Vice President (Solar Panels).The Fichtner Group is a leading, independent engineering and consultancy firm active in energy, environment,water and Infrastructure sector. They have consulted for banks like Landesbank SchleswigHolstein, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Deutsche Bank AG, London. They have been engaged as technical consultants by countries like Germany, Italy, USA, Ireland,

Croatia, Kuwait, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia and many more for large power projects. “We at Waaree Energies Limited have always been committed towards quality. We value the trust that our partners have placed in us and we honour our commitments. We have put best practices in production, planning and procurement to ensure that we are a step ahead of our competitor. Fichtner’s independent technical assessment has certified that for us.” states Mr. Hitesh Doshi, CMD of Waaree Energies Limited.

Tata undertakes investment in Swiss solar firm The Tata group has invested in a Swiss start-up solar company as several companies from the European country vie for a share in the Indian solar energy market, which is seen as having a huge potential due to its growing energy needs. “Tata is an investor in Flisom and has a significant investment in the company,” Chief Operating

Officer of Flisom Sudheer Kumar said speaking at the company’s research office in Dubendorf here. Asked about the Tata share of investment in the Swiss start up that deals with Solar energy generation equipment, Chief Executive Officer of Flisom Ulfert Ruhle merely said there were no majority stakeholders in the company.

Mr. Kumar said the copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells developed by his company were suited for a country like India. “We have developed these cells on a thin film which can be folded and stored inside the house at night. While the cost of manufacturing and installation is lower than other solar cells, the

efficiency is good and processing takes place at high speed,” he added. Meyer Burger, another company dealing with Photovoltaic materials which is setting up two Solar power plants in Gujarat and Kerala, is also hoping to do more business with Indian companies and is ready to pass on the technology as well.

SunEdison Wins 150 Megawatts Of Solar Photovoltaic Projects In Karnataka India SunEdison, Inc. a leading global solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, recently announced that it has won 5 solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling 150 m e g aw a t t s (MW ) f r o m Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) as announced by the Government of Karnataka. SunEdison or SunEdison affiliates, including Yieldcos, are envisioned as the ultimate owner(s) of these solar projects, and will sell the electricity generated to various entities via Power Purchase

Agreements (PPA’s). “This is yet another milestone in the journey of SunEdison in India to build a strong pipeline of projects that will be developed and commissioned in the coming years,” s aid Pa shupathy Gopalan, president Asia Pacific Operations, adding that the PPA’s are likely to be signed in the next two to three months.

awarded to any single company. Following SunEdison’s recent announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 5 gigawatts (GW) with the Rajasthan Government, this award solidifies SunEdison’s

position as the clear leader in India’s rapidly growing solar market.

While 44 developers responded to KREDL’s tender for 500 MW of grid-connected solar power plants, SunEdison’s 150 MW represents the largest share

September - October 2014

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& EQBusiness Financial Proprietary technology will contribute to 400 watt / $0.40 per watt peak solar panel by 2016 SunEdison, Inc. a leading global solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services,recently announced that it s mos t advanced polysilicon technology was now in production and on target to produce solar material at the lowest cost in the world. This achievement represents a stepchange in technology and will enable SunEdison to deliver a 400 watt peak solar panel at a cost of $0.40 per watt peak by 2016. “Solar en er g y is at a transformational moment in time and innovative technology is what

will power that transformation,” said Ahmad Chatila, Chief Executive Officer of SunEdison. “Our latest advance is a leap forward in solar technology and will enable solar power to become the lowest cost energy solution - not just an alternative to other renewables, but the cost-winner over fossil fuels as well.”

HP-FBR technology requires less land, less capital and fewer natural resources, delivering a more economical and sustainable method to produce polysilicon at the lowest overall cost. This breakthrough will reduce the cost of the raw material needed to produce solar panels to less than $0.05 per watt peak by 2016.

technology represent s a significant competitive advantage for our company”, said Shaker Sadasivam, President and CEO of SunEdison Semiconductor Ltd. “With the successful startup of our proprietary HP-FBR technology we’re on target to meet our goal of producing significantly lower cost, semigrade polysilicon.”

The technology, called “high pressure fluidized bed reactor” (HP-FBR), produces high purity polysilicon 10 times more efficiently and with 90% less energy used than non FBR technologies. SunEdison’s new

HP-FBR technology is now in production in an Ulsan, Korea joint venture facility of SunEdison, SunEdison Semiconductor, and Samsung Fine Chemicals (SFC).”This

The capacity of the Korean plant was originally designed for 10,000 metric tons (MT) per year but has been enhanced to 13,500 MT. The plant will be operating at full capacity in the first quarter of 2015.

New SunEdison Polysilicon Technology to Slash Cost of Solar Power SunEdison, Inc. a leading global solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, recently announced that it s mos t advanced polysilicon technology was now in production and on target to produce solar material at the lowest cost in the world. This achievement represents a stepchange in technology and will enable SunEdison to deliver a 400 watt peak solar panel at a cost of $0.40 per watt peak by 2016. “Solar en er g y is at a transformational moment in time and innovative technology is what

will power that transformation,” said Ahmad Chatila, Chief Executive Officer of SunEdison. “Our latest advance is a leap forward in solar technology and will enable solar power to become the lowest cost energy solution – not just an alternative to other renewables, but the cost-winner over fossil fuels as well.”

HP-FBR technology is now in production in an Ulsan, Korea joint venture facility of SunEdison, SunEdison Semiconductor, and Samsung Fine Chemicals (SFC).”This technology represent s a

significant competitive advantage for our company”, said Shaker Sadasivam, President and CEO of SunEdison Semiconductor Ltd. “With the successful startup of our proprietary HP-FBR technology we’re on target to meet our goal of producing significantly lower cost, semigrade polysilicon.”The capacity of the Korean plant was originally designed for 10,000 metric tons (MT) per year but has been enhanced to 13,500 MT. The plant will be operating at full capacity in the first quarter of 2015.

Indosolar produces PID free cells Indosolar cells have been qualified as PID-free under both UL as well as draft IEC 62804 standards. Indosolar is 26

the first solar cell manufacturing company in India which has tested cells for PID under the IEC 62804 (draft) standards

September - October 2014

which is conducted under very harsh environmental conditions. PV modules made with Indosolar cells have shown very small

power degradation during the reliability tests.

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& EQBusiness Financial Tata Power Solar successfully commissions Phase II of solar power project for The Chennai Silks group; takes their total capacity to 7.2 MW Tata Power Solar, India’s largest integrated solar player, has successfully executed five different solar power projects for The Chennai Silks group, constituting a total of 5.2 MW solar power plant. Coupled with the 2 MW solar plant commissioned last year by Tata Power Solar, the total installed solar power capacity of the group comes to 7.2 MW.These five different solar projects, executed for different group companies of The Chennai Silks group, are located in Kangeyam of Tirupur district in Tamil Nadu and achieved power generation in 12 weeks. The five group companies include: Naachas Wind Energy Pvt. Ltd. (1 MW),

Space Textiles Pvt. Ltd. (1 MW), KTM Jewellery (P) Ltd. (1 MW), SCM. International Impex (1.1 MW) and Sathy Silks Pvt. Ltd. (1.1 MW). Power shortage is a major issue in Tamil Nadu, with several manufacturing facilities in the region suffering from power shortage and relying on expensive diesel generators. For The Chennai Silk’s group, venturing into solar power is a step towards making solar a mainstream source of power generation.“We ins t alled these solar plants for captive consumption of power, as well as to avail of the accelerated depreciation benefits. The use

of solar power in our retail showrooms has helped us reduce our energy costs while also enabling us to reduce our carbon emissions by 890 grams/kWh. Tata Power Solar’s experience and capability in swiftly executing solar power plants have been the primary reasons to choose them, time and again.” says Mr. N. K. Nandhagopal, MD, The Chennai Silks group.

project exemplifies our ability to execute complex and simultaneous solar projects, backed by our strong lineage of quality performance and resource optimization. We take pride in our association with The Chennai Silks group to execute seven solar power projects for them in a period of two years.” said Dr. Arul Shanmugasundram, EVP Projects and CTO, Tata Power Solar.These groundmounted solar power plants were commissioned in an area of 25 acres of land. In addition, small tracker systems were installed at some of the plants. The plant is continually managed, with a centralized monitoring system and an onsite operations team.

Tata Power Solar had engaged local contractors for 45 days of field work, creating a range of job opportunities for the region. Tata Power Solar continues to extend job opportunities for the operations and maintenance of these captive power plants.“This

Completed EPC Project sites l l l l l l l l l

2.46 MWp, district Surendranagar, Gujarat. 5.214 MWp, district Jodhpur, Rajasthan. 10 MWp, district Rajkot, Gujarat. 2 MWp, district Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. 2 MWp, district Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh. 21 MWp + 5.44 MWp, district Jodhpur, Rajasthan. 24 MWp, district Jodhpur, Rajasthan. 10 MWp, carport, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia, Commissioned in 2013. 1 MWp, rooftop, Chennai.

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September - October 2014

& EQBusiness Financial Latin America and Caribbean Region to Install 9 Gigawatts of Solar PV within Five Years, According to NPD Solarbuzz Solar photovolt aic (PV) technology is poised to play a substantial role in fulfilling the need for increased power generation capacity across the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. According to the latest NPD Solarbuzz Emerging PV Markets Report: Latin America & Caribbean , the total PV project pipeline is growing throughout the region and now exceeds 22 GW of projects across all phases of development. Over the next five years, approximately 9 gigawatts (GW) of projects will be installed: 1 GW of projects are

already under construction, and 5 GW of projects have received approval to proceed and could begin construction soon. “Solar PV is now starting to emerge as a preferred energy technology for Latin American and Caribbean countries,” said Michael Barker , senior analyst at NPD Solarbuzz. “The region has high electricity prices and it also benefits from strong solar irradiation, which makes it a good candidate for solar PV deployment. As a result, experienced global solar PV developers are seeing the strong

solar PV growth potential in the region.” Previously the LAC region was confined to small - scale and off - grid solar PV applications, including rural electrification; however, today solar PV is being targeted to address large - scale utility power project requirements, primarily in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Many of these projects are being developed by experienced international firms, including leading U.S. - based companies First Solar, SunPower and SunEdison, and European developers Mainstream, Enel,

and Solar ia, which increases the likelihood that these projects will ultimately be executed. “Many countries across the LAC region have the potential to develop into major solar PV markets in the future,” added Barker. “While project pipelines vary by country, there is a strong contribution from early - stage developments that have yet to finalize supply deals or find end users to purchase the generated electricity, which presents both risks and opportunities for industry players.”

Signing of Japanese ODA Loan Agreements with the Government of India On September 1, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed Japanese ODA loan agreements with Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited and Small Industries Development Bank of India, respectively, to provide up to 60 billion yen. Along with rapid economic growth, energy consumption is increasing rapidly in India. With demand growing at an annual rate exceeding 7 percent since 2001, the power supply cannot keep pace, leading to a chronic power insufficiency of about 10 percent that entails frequent urban power outages. Compensating for this shortage, fossil fuel imports have greatly increased in recent years which have been a serious concern for India in terms of financial strain and energy security. To increase the supply of domestically produced power and reduce the dependency on fossil fuel imports, the Government of India is promoting the use of new and renewable energy and

taking measures to make energy use more efficient by enacting the Energy Conservation Act and the Integrated Energy Policy. Through the India-Japan Energy Forum and the Japan-India Energy Dialogue, the Government of Japan announced that it would continue to proactively support India’s environmental and energy policies. In addition, at the Japan-India Summit Meeting held in New Delhi in January 2014, Japan and India agreed to continue working together to further strengthen cooperation in the energy sector, and these loan agreements build on that understanding. The signed Japanese ODA loans have the following characteristics: (1) Promoting Renewable Energy Development Compens ating for power shortage, fossil fuel imports have greatly increased in recent years. Through “New and Renewable Energy Development Project (Phase 2),” mid- to long-term funding required for renewable energy projects will be provided

September - October 2014

to electricity producers through the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). The Government of India has been working to spread the use of solar energy production, which is an important focus of this project. Through this project, stable and diversified sources of power supply will be promoted to meet demand, which is expected to support sustainable economic development in India and mitigate climate change. (2) Supporting Energy Savings at Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

financial intermediaries, “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Energy Saving Project (Phase 3)” primarily provides mediumto long-term financing to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) working towards energy saving initiatives. This project will allocate part of the funds to the health care sector for pilot projects. By improving energy efficiency in the MSME sector, this project is expected to contribute to environmental improvement and sustainable economic development in the country, as well as mitigating climate change.

With increases in energy consumption driven by rapid economic growth, India is now the third largest energy consuming country in the world. However, India’s energy consumption per GDP is more than five times higher than that of Japan, and therefore improving energy efficiency is a significant challenge for the country. Through Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and other

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& EQBusiness Financial Tata Power Solar to supply modules to the L N Bangur Group for 10 MW project Tata Power Solar (TPS) , one of the pioneering solar manufacturers in the world ,recently announced that it has won a significant DCR order under JNNSM phase - 2 batch - 1. The company will supply the entire module requirement for the 10 MW project to be built by Palimarwar Solar Project Private Limited in Rajasthan which belongs to the L N BANGUR Group and is held under under its renewable energy arm , LNB Renewable Energy (P vt ) Ltd . The 45,000 modules needed for the project will be manufactured at T ata P ower S olar ’ state - of - the - art manufacturing facility in Bangalore . Tata Power Solar was jointly selected by Palimarwar Solar Projects , of the L N BANGUR Group

, and IBC Solar after a rigorous evaluation process . Palimarwar Solar Projects is part of the L N Bangur Group - a leading diversified business conglomerate in India , while IBC Solar is a leading global solar EPC company based out of Germany . Speaking on the announcement, Rahul Budhwar , Vice President - Manufacturing and Business Development, Tata Power Solar said, “ We are very happy to be part o f this project and thank LNB Renewable Energy for selecting us. Over the past 25 years , we have built some of the best manufacturing capabilities and offer world class cells and modules at globally competitive prices, thus putting us in a critical position to contribute to the success of JNNSM .

” Commenting on the project, Shreeyash Bangur, Director, L N BANGUR Group , said “ We have already commissio ned our first project in Bhadla in the Rajasthan Solar Park for 5.5 MW this month . We are bullish on the solar industry and aim to play a significant role in India’s solar journey. We therefore look to partner with companies who bring tremendous value in the form of quality and performance. T ata P ower S olar is one of the most trustworthy and experienced suppliers capable of supplying world - class modules . They were therefore our primary choice for procuring domestically manufactured modules. ” T ata P ower S olar had recently announced a 60% increase in module manufacturing capacity,

and t he Bangalore facility now has 200 MW module production capacit y . It has an on - field performance history with less than 0.06% warranty claims, and a 25 year history which gives the developers the confidence that the company will service the 25 years long warranty period. It is also the only company in India whose modules are rated as Tier 1 in Bankability by GTM Research, a globally recognized PV market research firm. Under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) policy of MNRE for the phase - 2 of JNNSM a total of 375MW of solar power plants have to be built using domestically produced cells and modules. The initiative is aimed at promoting manufacturing in the country.

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I NT ERV I EW

José Mª Llopis, Senior Vice President Project Business - IBC SOLAR

EQ : Please enlighten us on the history of your group, strengths, vision, strategy for India. JML : IBC SOLAR is a family-owned and operated company and was founded in 1982 in Bad Staffelstein, Germany, by CEO Udo Möhrstedt. To date, IBC SOLAR is active in over 30 countries and is represented by several subsidiaries around the world. Thanks to continued organic growth, IBC SOLAR can rely on a high level of financial independence and flexibility. IBC SOLAR is among the leading system integrators worldwide, and has already been working successfully in India since 2008. In India our business focus lies on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for large-scale projects. With its subsidiary IBC SOLAR Projects Private Ltd. (founded 2012 in Mumbai), IBC SOLAR is among the top photovoltaic project partners in India and has installed several megawatt solar projects with a combined capacity of 23 MWp.

EQ : IBC SOLAR has made significant footstep by winning several EPC contracts in India. What is the role of your group in India and the roadmap/ challenges in executing these projects? What was the differentiating factor which let you win this project? JML : In India, we have already overcome a steep learning curve, especially as far as the business culture is concerned. It is particularly important to develop a relationship based on mutual trust with partners in this country which allows you to understand their mentality and also 30

September - October 2014

involves having a great deal of patience. India always makes its presence felt upon entering the PV market. We have discovered that the process of exchanging knowledge and expertise also plays an important role in this country, especially when it comes to the part of system construction. As a result of our experience in India since 2008, we know all too well about the special climatic requirements of PV power plants in India. With the foundation of our Indian subsidiary, we achieve high flexibility and control over local content regulations. We guarantee NSM-conform planning and construction following the highest German engineering and product standards

EQ : How India has to evolve in terms on financing of grid-connected solar projects?Which lessons India

must learn from Germany and Europe and other advanced and matured PV markets? JML : The reverse bidding system for NSM projects causes extreme price pressure that is passed on by project developers to the EPC contractors. It is essential to ensure that the significant price pressure does not jeopardize the quality and as a result the longterm performance of the PV power plant. This is where EPC contractors are in demand as they are able to reduce system costs by offering efficient project management – onestop solutions like the ones IBC SOLAR has to offer are ideal here. This means that the entire project management procedure and the process of coordinating all subcontractors are provided from one single source. The focus of the investor should not be only on generating a return on invest (IRR) as quickly as possible, but also on the

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EQ : Please enlighten us on the experience of working with different technologies (c-si vs. thin-film, fixed vs. tracking, string vs. central inverteretc…) What’s the ideal solution for India and why? JML : The thin-film market in India is said to be booming right now: But we didn’t profitability of the PV system over the entire service life of two decades or more. This in turn can only be achieved by offering high quality ensuring the expected performance over the plant lifecycle.

EQ : What are the experiences and learnings from Europe for constructing a solar farm? How do you think India is a different market than Germany and the rest of Europe. What are your experiences in India? JML : We always adapt our business model to the conditions of a particular country – our strategy in India represents an ideal type. Our first step has been to take on the role of a “technology provider”. This means offering a package of engineering, procurement and supervision. This is what we did in India when we initially built four systems as a subcontractor for a local company. Secondly, we set up our own subsidiary in India in 2012 and have completed a 5.5 megawatt project for which we are operating as a full-service EPC general contractor and supplying the customer with a turn-key system including a final TÜV inspection. Another 11 MW project for the same investor is going to follow. Yet, we have decided against developing our own projects for the Indian market. Our business model is to act as EPC-contractor in cooperation with our local subsidiary in Mumbai.

EQ : Please enlighten us on the projects executed and in pipeline worldwide, and especially in India. JML : IBC SOLAR is a German mediumsized enterprise. We therefore have to look closely at where we can expand our business in the long-term using our resources. We have nominated our core markets. In addition to those you have mentioned we are also focusing on Japan, United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, the Middle and Far East and Latin America.

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EQ : What’s your view on the Indian policy framework and one piece of advice you would like to give to the government and regulators? JML : India is a difficult terrain for project developers in many ways. 1. Emissions trading (REC) has a restraining effect on the market. Not many projects are being developed and built up as we would have liked due to the fact that there is no security offered by long-term price building and certificate trading is not being monitored. 2. As said, the reverse bidding process for NSM projects has a negative effect on the quality and the profitability of projects. The introduction of the “viability gap” alone clearly shows the problems caused

share this opinion and have decided against entering this market. There’s not much longterm experience with the relatively new thinfilm technology and the thin-film modules are often recalled even by renowned major manufacturers. IBC SOLAR relies on the tried-and-tested crystalline cell technology and on our long-term experience of over 30 years. We have also discovered that the performance of the module in India can be significantly improved by cleaning it on a regular basis. A study carried out in our company as part of a degree dissertation revealed that washing the modules 2 to 3 times a month is ideal for the local conditions.

Furthermore, with our latest project we have decided using decentralised string inverters. Main reason for preferring string inverters to centralised inverters was the fact, that they can be easily repaired or replaced in case of damages. This makes operation and maintenance services much easier on the one hand and on the other hand minimize the time and costs of downtimes in energy production.

by reverse bidding. 3. Business processes are made more complicated especially for international companies operating across the entire subcontinent because, in addition to the NSM and REC system, each federal state stipulates its own rules and regulations and pursues its own independent energy policy. 4. Practical obstacles: The governments approve PV areas for the construction of power plants. However, the actual ownership structures are often unclear and frequently have to be clarified before the start of construction. This leads to major delays that are often associated with expensive adjustments to the plant layout.

EQ : How has falling modules prices affected the EPC business in positive and negative manner? As the industry is expecting further drop in module prices EQ

September - October 2014

developed in order to offer your EPC services. JML : You generally need to have plenty of patience when it comes to entering a market, the necessary staff resources to make your presence felt in the long-term and the ability to understand the country’s business culture. Relationship management with partners and customers is absolutely essential. That’s why we need flexible employees who are willing to spend a few months or even years at a time in the country concerned.

what impact is it likely to have on the solar industry and your business? JML : We are making progress as far as quality in the premium segment is concerned, but it goes without saying that we need to operate at the price level of the market. We are aware of our responsibility towards our customers with our commitment to quality and substantiate this with relevant guarantees and performance ratios for our systems and with high bankability for the lending banks. IBC SOLAR has stood for quality and trust for over 30 years. We are committed to being active in the markets in the long-term and establishing a solid customer base. It goes without saying that India is a really cost-competitive market and also topographically challenging. Our aim as EPC contractor is keeping system costs low and meets the investors price limits whilst making no compromises in quality and realizing custom-tailored solutions.

EQ : A large chunk of projects with PPA’s signed are going to miss the deadline to complete the projects. Please enlighten our readers the real challenges faced by these projects and the reasons for the same (is it falling prices or finance or land etc…). JML : Major and expensive delays often occur as a result of unsolved ownership structures in the PV areas. This also involves the following: When the government designates PV areas, all project developers become active at the same time and this results in a bottleneck for different components and services. This relates, for example, to the availability of NSM-compliant modules produced in India or the availability of specialist service providers. 32

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EQ : What area the brands with which you generally prefer to work and detailed reasons. JML : Our products and suppliers are certified according to all important quality specifications and are regularly audited by ourselves and by globally-acknowledged institutes such as TÜV and VDE. Thanks to our in-house stringent quality assurance and our excellent EPC competencies, we are able to provide long-term product and plant performance guarantees, making our projects a safe investment. We source our installation components from renowned brand partners or develop them ourselves following strictest quality standards. We perform testing and quality controls ourselves and our engineers inspect all components at the production sites at regular intervals.

EQ : Can you please enlighten us on the way you implement a project and what specific or unique things are followed which makes you different from other EPC players. What are the unique parameters which differentiates projects executed by your company? JML : As IBC SOLAR provides a so called one-step solution, we have complete control regarding the whole value-chain. Our subcontractors have to be certified and have to meet our duty specifications. Therefore IBC SOLAR is able to provide performance guarantees for the overall system and backs this up with respective bank guarantees. For the customer this means the safety of a bankable project that enables him to get favorable credit terms.

EQ : Please tell us about the team strengths and resources

It goes without saying that having a sales office or a subsidiary in a particular country makes it easier to manage operations. A good example: Our subsidiary in Mumbai is responsible for all “on-shore” services. In other words, for the construction work being carried out in that particular place. Important: Our Indian customer receives a turn-key system from IBC SOLAR at the end of the process which has been inspected and approved by TÜV Rheinland and which comes with guarantees for the individual components and the entire PV system.

EQ : What’s an ideal financial model for the solar PV project in India to optimize the IRR? JML : Investors should keep the longterm investment in mind and not only focus on the short-term pay-back period. It is important that the plant design, the components and the building construction are of a high quality. If the quality of the above is right, it is possible for the investor to generate a high IRR in the long-term over the entire service life of the plant of 20 years or longer if possible. Given the extreme climatic conditions, it is absolutely vital to ensure that the PV plant continues to deliver a high performance. This is the only way to ensure that the investor can reliably repay his/her loans. IBC SOLAR makes sure that the investor receives a guarantee about the performance ratio in advance. Our plants are certified by TÜV Rheinland India as an independent body before they are handed over to the investor on a turn-key basis. The independent report offers additional security for both the investor and the EPC contractor.

EQ : Kindly describe your top 5 experiences with solar PV industry in India.

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JML : There were severe delays at the start of construction work on our latest project, a 5.5 MW plant in Bhadla/Rajasthan, as a result of the unsolved ownership structures of the PV area which the government in Rajasthan has approved for development. But against all odds, we have succeeded in adhering to the deadline and price requirements of our customer without compromising on quality. Our 5.5 MW power plant is the second project in the entire area that has been connected to the grid.

EQ : Any other issue/topic/question you would like to raise? JML : Yes, especially the issue of “operation and maintenance” (O&M). We have already talked about the fact that it is advisable for investors to not only focus on short-term profits, but instead to look at generating long-term IRR. This also involves ensuring the long-term performance of the plant under the extreme climatic conditions – only plants that are kept running at all times offer the investor the desired profitability. It is possible to provide some guarantees during the planning and construction phase if you offer high quality standards, but it is just as important to monitor the performance of the plant in the long-term. This can only be guaranteed with O&M agreements. IBC SOLAR, for example, offers continuous plant supervision and evaluations. This enables us to identify problems at any time and to quickly recognise and eliminate errors. We also rely on staff that are directly on-site and are able to repair or replace faulty components quickly. O&M is not yet widespread in India, but should definitely be taken into consideration by investors.

EQ : What are the future plans in India? JML : Hopefully, there will follow more full-service EPC-contracts. Our aim is keeping system costs low and meet the investors price limits whilst making no compromises in quality and realizing custom-tailored solutions!

EQ : The questions were answered by José Mª Llopis, Senior Vice President Project Business at IBC SOLAR. JML : José María Llopis has been responsible for the project business division at IBC SOLAR since the beginning of 2014 in his role as Senior Vice President. The project business also encompasses the departments for EPC services and for the development of the company’s own projects. The native Spaniard was previously the CEO of IBC SOLAR’s Spanish subsidiary in Paterna (near Valencia) which was operating in both the commercial trade and the large-scale plant business across the entire Iberian peninsula. As a qualified industrial engineer, José María Llopis worked for a number of different companies in the telecommunications and energy sector before joining IBC SOLAR.

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SO L A R ENERGY

Insuring Against Cloudy Days In A Solar Project Kuldeep Indeevar - Investment Manager , Global Projects Business; Canadian Solar

reliable revenue stream is what solar PV is known for. It always remains a prime concern for a developer to safeguard this reliable revenue stream. What if the system fails to produce expected output. This is very a common scenario that can occur despite additional protections, best practices and sophisticated equipment. Even a slight problem with equipment can lead to a significant drop in energy yield of the plant and can adversely affect the cashflows. In that case manufacturer sees issues with installations and the EPC claims problems with equipment. And sometimes this neverending cycle goes on between vendor, EPC and developer regarding performance guarantees, warranties and insurance coverage without any resolution. With accelerated improvement in solar technologies,industry is coming up with more effective risk coverage strategies. Conventionally, both equity and debt investors have relied on guarantees, long-term PPAs and equipment warranties to ensure longterm viability and secure their investment. Besides, developers may take recourse to insurance as an additional line of defence to ensure safety of their investment.There are many types of insurance products available that can cover substantial risks associated with solar PV projects.

Property Insurance Property insurance is a first-party insurance covering the investor and project assets against direct damage or loss by defraying the costs of repair and replacement. Usually property insurance is taken at the project-level and covers only the losses and damages of the project that

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it insures. Referred to as “builder’s risk” insurance during the construction phase of the project, property insurance may be purchased by either the developer or the EPC contractor. For greater control over the policy and claims-making process it is advisable for the project owners to insure their projects property risks under their own insurance policy even if the EPC may have a separate policy. At the discretion of the insurer, such a setup may also enable conversion of the policy to business income or business interruption policy during the operational phase once the construction of the project has been completed. Property policies can either be taken on a “named-perils” basis, i.e. covering only a limited set of perils, or on an “all-risks” basis; the latter being at a higher premium and covering all the risks other than those explicitly excluded in the policy document. It is typically seen that all-risks policies are the standard choice of financiers when it comes to solar PV project insurance. While property policies can insure against direct losses incurred as a result of damage to the insured property, the following three policies cover indirect losses as well: •

Business interruption insurance – covers damages due to functionality aspects of the asset base

•

Extra expense insurance – covers extra expenses accrued as a result of continued operations at an alternate facility

•

Delay in start-up insurance – also called delayed completion coverage, it covers the losses incurred as a result of project completion delays arising due to damages incurred during construction

Liability Insurance Unlike property insurance, liability insurance is third-party insurance and is taken as a master policy covering the parent company, i.e. the developer, with the coverage flowing out to individual projects under the parent’s umbrella. It covers bodily injury and damage to propertyare not owned by the project owners themselves. This also covers litigation and settlement costs that may arise out of adverse judgements provided they are within the limits of the policy and the extent of coverage.

Warranties and Warranty Insurance PV manufacturers typically provide a 25-year performance guarantee stipulating that the panel efficiency will be greater than 90% for the first 10 years of its operation and greater than 80% for the remaining 15 years of the guarantee period. The risk with such long-term guarantees stems from the issue of their enforceability in situations where the panel manufacturer may become bankrupt before the warranty period gets over. Also, with the spurt in solar power plants having been a phenomenon of less than 5 years in India, it is difficult to predict the actual field performance of solar PV panels over the next 20 years in the extreme climatic conditions that some of these plants operate in. Warranty insurance is a new but fast growing risk management solution particularly suited for solar PV plant owners and financiers that may help reduce the associated financial uncertainty.

Manufacturer warranty

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insurance

policies

Referred to as “wrap”, this type of insurance pools the risk by wrapping some of the module manufacturer’s warranty clauses and passing them onto the insurer for a premium. The pooled risks include bundling of workmanship risks, performance risks, serial defects,and component failures into a package as per the needs of the insured.

This type of efficacy insurance policy covers the performance of the entire system rather than just the solar PV modules. It not only covers repairs and replacements formodules,racking hardware, inverters, tracking systems, and other BOS equipment but can also cover workmanship and system design aspects.

Consolidations and bankruptcies amongst equipment suppliers in last 5 years has shaken the industry. Investors are no longer confident about long-term warranties for equipment. If a company dissolves it may be impossible to claim warranties. Underwriters now a days also cover fiscal health of industry suppliers. These products transfer the financial responsibility for the warranties from the equipment manufacturer to the insurance company. One would find that almost all Tier 1 and 2 module manufacturers are providing such third party insurances.

System level performance warranty

Insurance Costs for Solar PV Projects Insurance costs of solar PV projects depend on various factors and vary from project to project based on the specific needs and risks involved. Hard factors may include: maturity of the technology; system design and appropriateness of technology; location and invulnerability of the project site to natural calamities; experience of the developer, EPC, OEM, etc; risk profile, mitigation steps, and allocations for managing risks. While other determining factors include: culture and confidence of the development team; perceived appropriateness of the development

plan and milestones; relationship between the various stakeholders. Relatively high variance of these factors for each project make quantification of insurance costs for solar PV projects difficult. In theory, these different types of coverage come together and provide comprehensive protection to solar PV projects from a wide range of risks. The protection available in form of insurance coverage can vary significantly from project to project based on underwriter, size of project and degree of negotiations. As market forces reduce risk appetite of lenders and investors, it is critical to consider such covers for investors and lenders to feel comfortable. Developers and investors are therefore encouraged to consider the worst case scenario and plan for potential risks to minimize uncertainties in cash flows. Insurers are gearing up and offering products that can save investors during cloudy days. However there are many unexplored possibilities and opportunities and with the right regulatory support the industry can take a big leap.

Maybe you can’t pronounce our name... ...but you know you can trust our 4,000MW of Global and over 1,150MW of Indian Solar Energy expertise Owner’s engineering Detailed design services Lender’s independent engineer Technical due diligence Independent plant performance testing Call us: +91 (0) 206 527 9957 Email us: india.info@sgurrenergy.com Sgurr, pronounced Skoor; n.peak, pinnacle, summit

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SO L A R ENERGY

Are 30+ Year Records for Solar Assessment Possible? Suitability of Second Generation Reanalysis Datasets for Solar Analysis Nikhilesh Singh, Managing Director, 3TIER India, a subsidiary of Vaisala Inc. Gwendalyn Bender, Energy Assessment Product Manager, Vaisala Inc. Mark Stoelinga, Ph.D., Sr. Scientist, Vaisala Inc.

The most widely proven and accepted methodology for solar resource assessment in the industry is satellite based irradiance data. The best satellite datasets available only go back about 15 or so years, but developers and investors must make a 20+ year investment in our projects. We have seen some resource assessment providers using alternative data sources, such as reanalysis datasets that go back more than 30 years. This article discusses whether it is possible to use these alternatives to satellite modeled resource data to get a more accurate picture of future performance. What Are Reanalysis Datasets? Reanalysis datasets are global, gridded, 3-dimensional descriptions of all weather variables at sub-daily time resolution over a period of several decades produced by governmental agencies. They are produced by feeding all available observations (both ground and satellite) into a data assimilation (DA) system, which uses a global numerical weather prediction model to â&#x20AC;&#x153;fill in the gapsâ&#x20AC;? where observations are unavailable while retaining fidelity to the recorded observations. The modeling and DA are performed consistently over the entire period of record, to ensure that at least the DA method does not introduce discontinuities in the data. 36Â

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Reanalysis datasets have multiple sources of observation collection, such as tower networks and satellite data, to inform numerical weather prediction simulations. What defines a reanalysis dataset is that the data is consistently and continuously processed providing multiple decades of data for use in other analysis. This means that

the data may have bias, but because it is consistent across the full period of record it can be removed on a site-by-site basis. The solar resource information derived from reanalysis datasets is not widely used because it is generally accepted that early re-analysis models did not properly resolve the cloud layers, which obviously have a large impact on surface irradiance conditions. Due to our work in the wind energy space, we were inspired to look at these datasets and determine their usefulness for solar resource assessment. Our aim was to see if the advances in the production of the second generation datasets would improve their usability in solar as they have in the wind space.

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First Generation vs. Second Generation Datasets The original reanalysis dataset was the NCAR/NCEP Reanalysis Project (also known as NNRP), which still exists today. It was produced in the mid-1990’s with a course resolution underlying model of 2.5 degrees and data from 1948 up to the past few days. Its data assimilation system is older, but there are other follow-up datasets with slight improvements, including ERA-15, ERA-40, JRA-25, and R2. The various second generation datasets are known as the CFSR (NOAA / National Weather Service / NCEP), ERA-Interim (European Centre for Med. Range Weather Forecasts), and MERRA (NASA). These datasets were produced in the mid to late2000’s with a high-resolution underlying modelof ~0.5 degrees anda 34-year record. The data assimilation systems for these datasets have been enhanced and the datasets include more output variables, vertical levels, and temporal frequencies, but the updates lag by a few weeks.

Validation of Datasets for Global Horizontal Irradiance In our comparison study, we evaluated Global Horizontal Irradiance or GHI, the key variable for fixed panel PV installations. We took this value from the 3TIER Services global solar dataset. From the MERRA and ERA-I re-analysis datasets we used the “short wave down welling” fields. While this is not exactly the same, it can be used as a substitute for GHI. We did not use NNRP in our comparison because the first generation data is already known to be insufficient for solar resource assessment. We also didn’t use CFSR because the change in methodology in 2011 reduces its usefulness as a long-term record. For the purposes of the study we interpolated hourly time series values from thereanalysis

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datasets’ approximately 6-hour time intervals. All three datasets were then compared to actual ground station observations of GHI at ~165 globally distributed observation stations. There is some variation in the number of stations based on the number of years available. The results are shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. They show that the 3TIER Services satellite modeled GHI has a much lower mean bias error in W/ m2 (4.19 compared to -24.93 for ERA-I and 18.49 for MERRA). This demonstrates that these datasets are not appropriate for solar assessment purposes because they are much less accurate than the widely accepted industry standard of using satellite derived solar data.

Solar Record Extension Beyond direct use, in our evaluation process we also considered if it would be possible to use a correction to ground observations to adjust for the reanalysis data bias and its inability to resolve clouds properly. If we can confidently bias correct time series from reanalysis data, our energy estimates could be made from a 30+ year record. In addition, satellite algorithms currently in use don’t always resolve all climates equally well, notably desert environments are challenging, and having an alternative could be quite useful. For that portion of the evaluation we considered 5 sample sites with multiple years of high quality publicly available GHI observations. The selected sites represent a variety of climates, some of which the satellite datasets do well in estimating surface irradiance and some that provide challenges.

Model Output Statistics (MOS) was the method used for bias correction and one year of the observational data was used for training. We then compared the results to ~2 years outside the training period, which were not used in the correction process. The corrected satellite data was set as the baseline for what we were trying to achieve in terms of accuracy. Since the MERRA data performed best in our previous work, it was used again in this comparison. All results shown in Figure 4 are for the years outside the training period.While errors and correlation

varied from location to location, we found that compared to ground observations, the results using MERRA consistently gave us inferior correlations and larger RMS (root mean squared) errors than those derived from the satellite data.

Conclusions Clearly using the reanalysis data for a long-term record extension in solar is not an option at this time. It is simply not as accurate as the methods already established in the industry. However, if the market shows interest in a record extension, there is more work that could be done. For example, we could use available satellite data as a training period, use other variables (particularly temperature) to inform the correction, or try custom NWP modeling to see if these efforts could improve the results. Our stance is that much more work by seasoned experts needs to take place before these datasets can be considered for wider use in solar resource assessment beyond experimentation like that discussed in this article. While having a 30+ year solar irradiance record would be extremely useful, making financial decisions based on these figures is not currently practical or recommended.

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SO L A R ENERGY

Leveraging Big Data Analytics To Increase Wind And Solar Project Profitability Satish Kashyap , Director Algo Engines Pvt. Ltd.

ind farm and solar PV installations require large upfront capital cost compared to fossil fuel based generators. Governments around the world have offered tax benefits & subsidies to boost investments in this sector. Policies like Feed-In Tariffs (FiTs) are being adopted that incentivize power producers to maximize their power generation. Operating costs of wind and solar plants are much lower than fossil fuel based generators. Operations & Maintenance is usually the biggest cost element in wind and solar generation. As there are no fuel costs, additional generation from wind and solar plants has direct bottom line impact. So, how can operators maximize generation from wind and solar plants? is often the question. The key challenges in operations & maintenance of wind farms and solar plants are •

Excessive unscheduled maintenance resulting in unnecessary costs

•

Slow diagnosis of problems leading to damage of components

•

Un-optimized inventory management of spares owing to lack of insight

•

Inability to predict maintenance requirements (cleaning/oil change etc.)

Given the amount of data and processing power that we have today, a number of the above problems can be easily resolved through data mining and analytics. Now, imagine a scenario where a renewable asset owner or operators, sitting anywhere in the world, could have a access to the following 1. Access to not only daily or monthly but minute level generation values from wind turbines or PV sections to do real time gap analysis 2. Visualizing energy loss from each turbine based on power curve analysis would result in quick identification of underperforming turbines which can be subjected to further technical 38

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investigation. 3. Real time monitoring of string currents & surface temperatures in each PV section in real time could immediately intimate the operator on sudden soiling, shadowing or panel damage. 4. Condition monitoring of gearbox acceleration & temperatures could help predict failure & also pinpoint reasons for failure. A specific maintenance activity can be initiated to resolve the issue. 5. Accurate forecasting of estimated power generation by farm for subsequent hours can help the grid utility operator manage the electrical load better and increase the portion of renewable in energy supply mix. Most of the points stated above are possible through the use of some of the leading technology buzzwords that we hear - Big data, Cloud & Analytics. A lot has changed since the age in which SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems were the start and end point of plant management and performance. SCADA systems were built to facilitate plant operations and identify problems/incidents that require quick action. They were not built with the intention of using data to identify and learn patterns. SCADA systems were also built with restrictions on data storage durations making them operational systems. Over the last two decades, exponential growth in computing horsepower, growth of Internet bandwidth, adoption of cloud have changed the approach to machine data processing. Embedded systems with sensors and actuators are now leveraging the power of the Internet (wired or wireless), this phenomenon is known as the “Internet of Things” or “IoT”. Wind farms and solar plants are perfect examples of Internet of Things, they can leverage the power of the Internet to transmit this data for analysis. In the past systems maintained 10 minute or 1 hour average values, because of storage limitations. This data prevented the ability

to identify sudden bursts in wind speed, inverter current or other parameters which had damaging impact on the system. With the reduction in storage and processing cost, we have the ability to store sub second data which helps us view challenges at a higher resolution. This large volume, high speed, high resolution data is popularly referred to as “Big Data”. Traditional data processing techniques which worked on smaller subsets of data are less useful or applicable on Big Data. Newer techniques which can help sort, categorize, analyze & predict are being employed today on big data to get major insight into all aspects of the businesses. This is collectively referred to as “Big Data Analytics”. Big Data Analytics has a big impact on wind and solar farms. In fact, a review of the study conducted by Sandia laboratories [part of National Renewable Energy Laboratory, United States] clearly shows significant benefits of using data analytics in analyzing trends and predicting failures using the data generated from the wind farm and solar plants. This report estimates that computerized maintenance can result in a revenue improvement of 5% to 10%. Wind and solar plants have sensors and Supervisory Control and Data Access (SCADA) systems of varying degrees of sophistication. The SCADA system collects data from sensors and stores it locally. The sensors on a wind farm collect information like wind speed, wind direction, temperature, rotations per minute of the rotor, generator information like voltage, currents and frequency. Similarly in solar plants information of in-plane irradiation, surface temperature, string current and inverter output power are collected. To put the amount of data generated by a turbine in perspective - there are over 150 sensors on a single wind turbine and the sensors generate data at the rate of 2000 values per minute resulting in about 1 Terabyte (1,048,576 Kilo Bytes) of data in a week. Similarly, a

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5MW solar plant also has about 800 sensors which generate about 1 Terabyte of data in a week. Wind turbine and solar plants therefore require Big Data solutions. Primary data that is gathered can be utilized to calculate insightful parameters like PLF & power curve in wind turbines & PR (performance ratio) in solar PV plants. These indicators help identify underperforming turbines & PV sections that can be further diagnosed for faults & defects that lead to the performance dip. Small corrections can generally lead to significant improvement in performance & power generation for these assets. Knowing the various downtimes of a wind farm or PV plants helps understand the amount of power generation loss and helps develop a strategy to mitigate the same in the future. Studying the alarms generated by the SCADA system and filtering out the critical ones can give deep insight into the health status of a turbine or PV module. This helps operation teams plan for replacement or repair activity. Real time monitoring of string currents & surface temperatures in a PV section and help immediately identify shadowing events or soiling events in a PV section & can help

maintenance teams schedule a quick focused maintenance activity. Condition monitoring of a turbine gearbox where acceleration & gearbox temperature are monitored for failure trends helps the asset team understand & predict imminent failures. The turbine can be shut down for quick maintenance and save the component from damage & high replacement activity. Drawing from our expertise in the renewable energy space, Algo Engines provides KPIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Key performance indicators) for wind farm and solar plant operators & owners. The KPIs not only help in assessing asset status but also helps in planning maintenance & performance improvement. Algo Engines leverages Big Data and IoT to increase power generation, lower down time and enhance asset life. Algo Engine has interfaces with turbines of leading Wind turbine OEMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like Suzlon, Gamesa, Vestas, GE, Nordex and so on. We also have solutions to support real time data stream using OPC which can work with all leading & prevalent SCADA system & PV monitoring solutions. Our ability to integrate data from different solar plants SCADAs or data systems is due to our flexible adapters which cover leading providers like ABB,

Siemens and National Instruments. We utilize the cloud to effectively store historic, sub-second data & offer insightful reporting. A key element of data analysis is visualization which enables conversion of the information to actionable points without watching table after table of data. Our reports cover a wide range of areas from performance ratios to loss ratios, from asset availability to revenue analysis and so on. These can also be downloaded to your local drive in different formats and shared with remote teams easily. Our real time monitoring solutions is designed to log critical events and raise alarms to the operator with fault identification. We utilize frequency domain methods in order to offer predictive analytics with component healthscore, imminent failure alarm and failure cause analysis. We leverage multiple time series models to give forecasts for power generation with ability to integrate with leading weather data providers. Algo Engines offers a complete suite which leverages big data analytics for the benefit of solar & wind owners and operators to improve project profitability and enhance returns.

I NT ERV I EW

Narayanan Srinivasamohan Assistant Vice President, JA SOLAR EQ : Whats the current production capacity of your company NS : 3GW for cell, 3GW for module, 1GW for silicon

EQ : What is the unique advantage in being a vertically integrated manufacturer NS : We have rich experience in combining R&D with manufacture as well as after-sale services to make us not only one of the top manufacturers in industry whose products well-known for its high reliability, high conversion efficiency and high power output, but also the company who has the soundest financial conditions.

EQ : Please explain/highlight unique aspects about your product, company, management, team etc… NS : JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd is a world leading manufacturer of high-performance solar power products that convert sunlight into electricity, for residential, commercial and utility-scale power generation. The company was founded in May 2005 and publicly listed on the NASDAQ in February 2007. JA Solar the world’s leading cell producer, since 2010 has firmly established itself as a tier 1 module supplier. Capitalizing on its strength in solar cell technology, it is committed to provide modules with unparalleled conversion efficiency, yield efficiency, and reliability to enable customers to maximize the returns of their PV projects. With its leading industry experience, continuous effort on R&D, customer-oriented service and sound financial conditions, JA Solar is your most trustworthy long-term partner.

EQ : How much has been the sale to India and what does the future look like NS : In India we have already installed 350MW projects and it is highly possible that we will install 2-2.5GW in 2015

EQ : Please enlighten our readers with your installations in India and their performance. 40

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NS : We have installed several big plant projects in GUJARAT and by far the performance is good.

EQ : Please enlighten us on the thin film vs. c-si debate (explain with market share, performance etc…..in detail). NS : C-SI occupies 85% global market and the rest is thin film. In India, thin film occupies 30%

EQ : What changes have your experienced in selling PV in last 5 years NS : Fast development, price changes a lot, global policies changes a lot

EQ : Which are the top 10 markets for your co and approx shipment to these markets

share prices etc… NS : 100% capability of production facilities has been taken up, shipment normal, prices undergo an increase

EQ : Please feel free to add more questions and answer them as you feel necessary… NS : No.

NS : China, Japan, UK, German, North America, South America and Tailand

EQ : Looking at prospects of India Market….Do you have any plans to set up manufacturing base in India ?

EQ : What s the roadmap for production rampup for your co and further growth in terms of technology, output of your products

NS : Yes. government is now launching new economic policies in India. Our company is evavauting the policies to explore increased presence in Indian market.

NS : With the introduction of Percim ( Mono ) 290 W and Reicum ( Multi) 270 W moduels based on 60 cell we offer one of the highest efficiency moduels .

EQ : The developers buying JA Modules are also offered any financial solutions such as EXIM or CBD cheaper finance ?

EQ : Do you forsee a further drop in the prices of PV and to what extent

NS : Most projects JA involved in are financially supported. However, since India market is lack of fund, we are considering about introducing suitable financing solutions.

NS : Yes. With the development of technology, the prices of PV products will drop.

EQ : What is the annual expenditure on R&D and how much is it as a % of total sales NS : The annual expenditure occupies 5% of total sales.

EQ : Present and explain the recent trends in your sales, shipments,

EQ : Please enlighten our readers on the warranties, insurances and other assurances important for bankability. NS : All of our products have the 25year product warranty and this guarantee is supported by insurances of USA. All our moduels are made by us in automated factories using JA Solar cells.

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Solutions

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Vikram Solar- Lighting Up Life With Solar Energy In The Interiors Of West Bengal Gyanesh Chaudhary, Managing Director & CEO, Vikram Solar

his is the story of the southern districts of the Indian state of West Bengal which two years ago faced law and order problems caused by Maoist forces. These rural areas are populated by illiterate people from economically disadvantaged sections, so they were often easily manipulated to create terror & disturbance. Electricity supply in the areas was erratic if not absent. Analyzing the scenario, a well-known NGO, Yugacharya Vivekananda Seva Samity came forward to set up a centre (ashram) for the orphans in a maoist dominated interior village named Amdanga , in the district of Bankura, West Bengal. Vikram Solar, a globally recognized solar manufacturer headquartered in Kolkata, contributed with the setting up of a 20 kW Solar plant at YVSS with a philanthropic objective to help in the all round development of the under privileged youth and orphans. Today more children are able to utilize energy around the clock. Solar energy powers the fans, lights, computers, and even mixer grinders in the kitchen. The project supported by Vikram Solar is today encouraging orphan children’s education with green energy and also raising awareness of this source of energy in remote locations of the country. Vikram Solar is using solar energy for offgrid electrification solutions with a special emphasis on increasing the quality of life and stimulation of productivity and education in the interior parts of India. The Vikram Solar team used 90 multicrystalline Solar PV modules of 230 Wp each which were arranged in 9 nos. in series X 10 parallel. Two Inverters STATCON make of 12.5 KVA each were used. 120 numbers

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of tubular lead acid batteries of VIKRAM ANANT model with 240V 500Ah (2V 500Ah each cell) were used. The system has got one 20 kW PCU in working condition and another one in hot standby as the site is situated in a very remote area and in case of the running PCU having fault, the load can be immediately switched to the other. The battery bank has been designed to take care of 2 days uninterrupted power supply. The battery bank selected is of low maintenance tubular lead acid batteries to ensure extended life of more than 7 years. Describing the exemplary effect of the project and the impact of the use of solar energy in this under-developed area, we can say that the life of the ordinary villages of Bankura, an area dominated by the extreme forces taking advantage of the illiteracy & poor socio-economic condition, has been transformed after the solar initiative. When YVSS took the initiative to set up the ashram

school in Amdanga, Vikram Solar took a step forward and constructed the 20 kW solar plant. The area of Bankura gets a lot of sunshine throughout the year. Utilizing this, Vikram Solar set up the roof top solar plant where the modules act as roof of the building to minimize the cost involved. The main objective of Vikram Solar was to support the development of the unprivileged youth of that area. Today, the 50 orphans of the ashram enjoy an uninterrupted power supply round the clock (due to the battery backup), helping them to continue with studies & their daily activities. The uniqueness of the project was that the centralized 20 kW plant was designed on the roof of the ashram where the modules act as a roof of the building. Vikram Solar was part of the building designing team to make best use of the space available– today part of the roof can be utilized by the inhabitants of the ashram for their Yoga practice, Surya pranam or Meditation.

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The solar plant was established with the objective to provide uninterrupted 24x7 power to the ashram. With diesel, the cost comes to about Rs 18-20/unit whereas with solar energy, it is much lower in the long run. Also the maintenance cost is low, importing of diesel, using coal etc. is not required for the 20 kW solar plant. Only annual low maintenance cost is involved and the YVSS need not pay any monthly/yearly charges for consumption of power, which results in saving huge amount of money. Usage of coal and diesel generator sets among the inhabitants of the ashram is reduced which enables YVSS to spend the saved money in some other work for the orphans and the under privileged needy youth of the locality.

Vikram Solar used its technological expertise for the philanthropic effort. Bankura experiences high temperatures during summers which are made unbearable due to frequent power cuts. Now, continuous power supply made available by solar has changed the life of the ordinary people from little children to elderly people. Solar power has also reduced the usage of coal, kerosene and diesel generators, and has therefore led to reduction in air as well as noise pollution. Solar-powered YVSS does not pay regular monthly electricity bills now – and saves a lot of money. Another important aspect of participating in the project was that most of the children were from the extremely backward “Shobor community”, a tribal

community still living in a condition from hand to mouth, lacking in very basic amenities of modern life- like food and shelter, health and hygiene and education. The people of this community are still living a wretched life. Mr Gyanesh Chaudhary, Managing Director & CEO, Vikram Solar stated, “ With this unique initiative to light the ashram with solar power,Vikram Solar has shown its intention to promote the development of the under privileged youth and light up their lives with renewable energy.We hope this will set an example for greater use of solar energy in the region.”

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Integration Of Solar Into Diesel Power Supply Rakesh Khanna, Managing Director - SMA Solar India Industries in remote areas with weak or even no grid infrastructure typically use fossil-fuelled generators to ensure a reliable energy supply For about a year now the spinning mill Alpine Knits in Tirupur District of Tamil Nadu is running its production with a solar diesel hybrid system. It is India’s first MW scale PV diesel hybrid solar power plant and therefore able to continue production despite daily utility grid failures. The spinning mill relies on the Fuel Save Solution developed by SMA Solar Technology AG and is thus saving fuel costs and reducing CO2 emissions considerably.

smart control engineering to maximize the photovoltaic (PV) share that can be incorporated stably into diesel grids”, explains Volker Wachenfeld, title, He continues. “Alongside the PV inverters, the main components are control devices,. The SMA Fuel Save Controller for example manages demand- based PV feed-in at the interface between the diesel and photovoltaic generator and the load, while leaving the genset control unaffected.”

made available and reverse power feed-in to the generators is prevented. If an operator wants to use solar power at night and have additional power smoothing, an optional storage unit can further increase the proportion of solar power fed into the hybrid system. This means additional savings on fuel costs and CO2 emissions. On average, the investment costs pay

Daily power outages lasting several hours are commonplace in India accompanied by rising diesel prices they make more and more companies like Alpine Knits search for ways to minimize their operating costs, and the reduction of their fuel consumption is a logical way to do this. Until the installation of the 1 MW Solar plant on the sloping roof of the spinning mill, the operator used a 1.25 MVA diesel generator to supply power during the power outages. Since the installation the diesel solar hybrid power system is synchronized with the 11 kV utility grid and provides energy for captive consumption during daytime. The SMA Fuel Save Solution further enables the solar plant to synchronize with the diesel generator when the utility grid is not available during frequent power cuts. The PV array can meet up to 60 percent of the energy demand. The SMA Fuel Save Controller intelligentliy controls PV feed-in based on load profiles and PV array power – for a consistent and secure supply of electricity. “The key technological challenge for that kind of fuel saving solutions is the use of

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Spinning reserve is always made available A photovoltaic share of up to 20% of the installed diesel genset power can normally be integrated into local utility grids without any problems. The photovoltaic inverters operate in wide frequency and voltage ranges and they can adapt their output power depending on grid frequency. However, without integrated energy storage systems, a photovoltaic share of up to 60% of the installed diesel genset power requires fast and intelligent control between load and generation to ensure stable operation of the diesel gensets and overall hybrid system. To do this, it is necessary that the generated solar power, the current operational diesel genset power and the current load states are measured and assessed. This ensures that, in the event of large load changes or a sudden collapse in the solar power grid feed-in, sufficient spinning reserve is always

off in three to five years in sunny regions. Certainly this depends on the size of the photovoltaic power plant, local solar irradiation conditions, the load behavior and generator output. Additionally Alpine Knits saves not only Diesel but earns Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) that can be traded at the designated Power Exchanges in Delhi or Mumbai within a price band of Rs 9300 to Rs 13400 per REC, the price band mandated by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) until March 2017.

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ACVA Solar Installs Smart Solar Power System With Micro Inverters And Smart Trimmer Chetan Vyas, Managing Director, ACVA Solar Pvt. Ltd.

CVA Solar Pvt. Ltd., a Vadodara based MNRE Channel Partner from Gujarat has built a innovative and extremely versatile smart solar power system with Micro Inverters and Smart Trimmer. These Micro Inverters, as the name suggests are mounted directly on panel to give AC output, and the Smart Trimmer is configured to stop the reverse flow of power into the grid. This system is fully MNRE specifications compliant thereby becoming eligible for the capital subsidy. ACVA Solar installed 24kW system on a Science College near Vadodara. The Solar Power Plants have become popular in Gujarat to generate electricity for their own consumption and save on electric bills. This solar system was specifically configured to be used for the load patterns as seen in an educational institution. These college had truncated full working hours upto 3.30 PM and the loads thereafter were not stable enough to sustain and consume the generation from this solar power system. Additionally the loads were minimal or zero during the holidays and vacations. ACVA Solar was thrown up a challenge to meet these requirements and maintain the integrity of the solar power system to give maximum output while ensuring the compliance as well as requirement of not feeding currents back to the grid to avoid additional bills. In Gujarat there is no facility of net or gross metering. Hence the biggest issue with such Grid Tied Systems is the reverse flow of current in case of less or no load and the resultant increase in electricity bills. Hence the 24kWp of solar generators were decide in conjunction with Micro

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Inverters. Micro-inverters is a electronic unit rated to handle the output of a single panel. Because they operate at panel level power point, many design issues inherent to larger designs like string configuration and simply go away. More importantly, a microinverter attached to a single panel allows it to isolate and tune the output of that panel. Hence the design of 24 kW system became flexible. These Micro-Inverters have other inherent benefits such as •

No stringing losses: any panel that is under-performing has no effect on panels around it.

•

No shadowing losses or soiling losses effect on the whole string.

•

MPPT control and increased output from each panel.

•

Direct AC power output from each panel

eliminating DC cabling and losses. •

Longer warranties – typically 15 to 25 years.

Scalability of a micro-inverter-based system is significantly greater than a string inverter-based one. Hence the 24 kW system was broken up into 8.1kW generators on each phase. This was further devided in to three AC strings of 2.7kW per phase to enable stepping of the solar generation based on the load. These AC outputs from strings were fed to Smart Trimmer. Solar Smart Trimmer as the name suggests is an intelligent device to stop the reverse flow of power from the solar system to the grid, whenever the load is lesser than the solar generation. This eliminates the reverse billing as well as the adverse effect of Power Factor reduction. Solar Smart Trimmer has been developed by ACVA and is commercially available. It can

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be put to use even in certain existing systems and is fully programmable to accommodate wide range of String / Micro Inverters. Also it has three phase individual control to monitor and control currents on each phase with as many as four channels per phase. That is, it can control four stepped Solar generators/strings per phase based on the solar generation and the load requirements. This is ideal solution for project owners, who can now enjoy full benefits of the solar power system without having to be concerned with legel and financial aspacts of reverse

with minimum changes

flow of power. The Salient Features of this ACVA Solar Smart Trimmer : •

Fully Programmable to accommodate wide range of inputs.

•

Four channel control per phase to maximize the Solar Power Generation with minimum of the Load current.

•

High flexibility in the design for the Solar Power System

•

Installation Possible on existing system

•

Control for configurations from 1 upto 100 kw and higher is possible.

Thus essentially the final output from the Solar System is regulated by the Smart Trimmer to avoid the reversal of power to the grid, and reduce the generation as required by the levels of the load. This has benefitted the client immensely as it extends optimal power utilization given the time boundaries of operation and load variation.

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IBC SOLAR Hands Over Turnkey Photovoltaic Plant Of 5.5 MWp To Indian Investor Tailor-made construction: IBC SOLAR proves excellent project execution skills under topographically demanding conditions

grid-connected successfully. The handingover of the turnkey installation to the Indian investor took place in late October after the official certification by TÜV Rheinland.

Quality certificate by TÜV Rheinland confirms highest German engineering standards

“India is a really cost-competitive market and in case of this project also topographically challenging,” said Rohan Jhawar, Director of LNB Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd (LN Bangur Group). “As one of the few EPC contractors worldwide, IBC SOLAR successfully keeps system costs low and meets price limits whilst making no compromises in quality and realising customtailored solutions. The high performance of the plant is certified by an independent institute and secures my investment over many years.”

Bad Staffelstein / Germany, Bhadla / India, November 5, 2014 – IBC SOLAR AG, a global leader in photovoltaic systems, has completed the construction of a 5.5 MWp photovoltaic (PV) plant in Bhadla, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Bhadla marks the first megawatt plant in India that the company realised as a full-service EPC contractor (engineering, procurement, construction) in cooperation with its Indian subsidiary. Being responsible for the overall project management, IBC SOLAR successfully managed the challenging topographic conditions and ensured continuous quality control. The final certification by TÜV Rheinland guarantees the investor that the PV plant combines highest German quality standards and maximum cost efficiency.

The arid landscape made project execution a logistically and topographically demanding task. The next available connection to public train transportation is more than one hour’s drive away, the next airport almost a four hour’s drive. Due to

bad road conditions and thus a high risk of damages, IBC SOLAR decided to transport the modules in containers from the harbour in Mumbai to the construction site near Bhadla. Another challenge was related to civil works and construction requirements. The soil on the construction site consisted of a 3 meter top layer of loose sand, which at first had to be levelled and freed from vegetation by local farmers. Secondly, IBC SOLAR carried out a detailed analysis of the soil conditions and performed a series of on-site tests with different foundations, such as ramming or piling. In a third step, IBC SOLAR decided to use special so called under-reamed foundations perfectly suited for PV installations on loose soil and thus create more stability against wind loads. To counter the increased costs caused by the special foundations, modules were mounted four-row horizontally so that fewer rows were needed which simplified the necessary foundation. To meet the high quality standards

Rajasthan is one of the federal states with the largest amount of installed solar capacity in India and pursues a dedicated construction policy. The 5.5 MWp plant in Bhadla is part of a huge PV installation area with several PV power plants currently under construction near the Pakistanian border in the middle of the desert. The installation area has its own high-voltage grid substation constituted on behalf of the federal government of Rajasthan. IBC SOLAR successfully completed its project by connecting the plant to the public grid in August – in fact, IBC SOLAR’s PV power plant has been the second project within the whole PV construction area that has been 48

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with regards to the components and the demanding pricing requirements, the investor LNB Renewable Energy opted for branded IBC PolySol modules. Thanks to its stringent in-house quality assurance, IBC SOLAR is able to provide long-term product and therefore plant performance guarantees. In addition to special foundations, the engineering team decided to use decentralised string inverters. The main reason for preferring string inverters to centralised inverters was the fact that they can be easily repaired or replaced in case of damages. This makes operation and maintenance services much easier on the one hand and on the other hand minimise the time and costs of downtimes in energy production. Furthermore, the special design of the string inverters allows them to be installed beneath the modules, which gives them extra protection from sand and heat. “The EPC project in Bhadla was a huge success for IBC SOLAR and its subsidiary,” concludes Reinhard Ling, Business Manager at IBC SOLAR Projects Private Ltd. in Mumbai. “We worked closely together with

local workers and specialists realising a tailormade PV construction and thereby meeting all special requirements. Our goal was not only to deliver high-quality components and German engineering standards, but also to ensure an effective transfer of knowledge, which is especially important in emerging markets like India. In the end, we can guarantee a maximum performance ratio and a quick return on investment for the investor.”

The Bangalore branch of TÜV Rheinland certificated the plant according to the international standard IEC62446. IBC SOLAR also commissioned an independent yield assessment and further evaluations of international norms applying to low voltage, electrical security and the safety of the PV modules. Thereby, the company sustainably ensures that the plant delivers best possible operating results and maximum security of investment.

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Single Axis Tracking Technology for Utility PV Projects

olpower Green Pvt. Ltd. founded in 2010, an ISO 9001:2008 Company is a full turnkey project builder for Utility Scale PV systems as well as Solar Park Developer, equipment supplier with its own technical and construction partners. Solpower Green Pvt. Ltd. is a reputed & quality oriented EPC and has exclusive tie-up with ViaSol Energy for supply of Single Axis Tracking Technology in Asia & Africa. Solpower Green Pvt. Ltd. is presently the exclusive market outlet in India for the G10 Quantum Utility PV Tracker developed by ViaSol Energy Solutions LLC (USA). Solpower Green has partnered with Occidental Energy Equipment LLC (USA), a sister concern of Viasol Energy Solutions LLC. to bring the technology, technical support, engineering and design advancements to India and regional markets. Modern designs of Single Axis PV trackers have been proven to be reliable and cost effective, with less than 0.03% parasitic power consumption. Current market offerings for Single Axis PV trackers are highly competitive least cost option that maximize the output compared with fixed arrays due to substantial increase in capacity utilization (CUF) factor or higher productivity.

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5 MW Single Axis Tracker with Thin Film Technology at Kutch

India & USA for Utility Scale & Rooftop PV Projects. Based in Tempe, Arizona, USA, the company was co-founded by persons who had extensive experience testing various tracker

7.5 MW for Boeing at Brawley, CA, USA

ViaSol Energy Solutions LLC ViaSol Energy Solutions LLC is a designer and supplier of Single Axis Trackers for large commercial and utility applications and has been supplying tracker to this market since 2008. ViaSol has proven track record for supplying Single Axis Tracker of 34 MW in 50Â

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Daniel Tarico COO, ViaSol Energy Solutions LLC CEO, Occidental Energy Equipment LLC

7.5 MW for Boeing at Brawley, CA, USA

designs at Solar Test and Research Center (STAR Center), and engineering research center at Arizona State University, funded by Arizona Public Service - the largest electric utility in the state.

ViaSolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current design approach is unique in that it utilizes a robust fluid-power actuator system based on a common material handling, heavy equipment configuration used worldwide in dozers, dumpers, earth moving and mining machinery. All components are off-the-shelf common industrial parts that are widely available. This low risk design approach is meant to ensure ready availability of spares and technical support in all locations where the equipment may be deployed, and is especially well suited in emerging and frontier markets of Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Single Axis Tracker Overview

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Throughout the many years of the PV industry, a large range of Tracking designs have been developed and brought to market. These have included Dual Axis Trackers & Single Axis Trackers. Though trackers provide a variety of economic benefits to the owner, the primary focus has been on increasing specific energy production or capacity utilization factor, with other benefits being of secondary value. Trackers were thought to be an economic trade-off where complexity and cost in the racking/steel was a substitute for relatively expensive Silicon/PV modules. As PV modules decreased sharply in cost, the economic viability of the costlier tracker types diminished. Though there may be some projects that can support the more complex and costly Dual Axis Trackers, under current market conditions, utility scale PV projects globally will typically deploy either Fixed Racks or Single Axis Trackers. For this reason, our discussion will be limited to Single Axis Trackers All common Tracker designs share a set of essential elements: Module supports and Racks that can be rotated to follow the sun, an electronic control system that determines the correct tilt angle for maximum sun exposure, and an actuator system that moves the modules and mounts. Each of these elements has possible configurations that vary among the designs. These warrant a brief discussion:

Module supports, Racks and Bearings: Modules are mounted similar to methods used in fixed-rack mounting, but a tracker must have a mount that can be rotated. In nearly all designs, this is accomplished by using a round or square tube (“torque tube”) that is mounted to bearings. There are significant differences in the bearing design across the market offerings but wrong design choices affect both Tracker operation as well as power generation and long term reliability as well as maintenance expenses. Most of the current competitive designs make use of large diameter journal bearing in which the bearing is made of molded polymer that encircles the torque tube and rests in a large outer race. These bearings are custom made for the tracker supplier. There are several tracker suppliers in the market (e.g. ATI – USA) that make use of this bearing design. The primary disadvantage of this journal bearing design is that it is top-heavy.

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Wind Tunnel Tested Design. Meets US IBC and IS Standard

Though simple, this makes the tracker prone to oscillation and individual tracker rows will want to crash if freed from the drive system. Maintenance or repair becomes difficult and perhaps dangerous due to the large mass and propensity to fall under gravity. In physics terms it is an “inverted pendulum” design, inherently unstable. One current design, Next Tracker (USA), makes use of a small bearing located above the torque tube i.e. the tube suspended from above. In this configuration, the center of gravity is located at approximately the same elevation as the bearing and the tracker row is relatively stable under gravity, less prone to oscillation, and easier to repair. This is “row-balanced” design. ViaSol’s current G10 design makes use of a small, spherical bearing that is located both above and to the side of the torque. This allow for two possible configurations for managing gravity kinematics. It is possible to set this up as a “row-balanced” design like the Nextracker. But in most cases the array is set with a “biased row” the offsets the mass to the side of the bearing, with mirrored half-arrays. This creates a “array-balanced” design that is not prone to oscillation, has

and central actuation. As with inverters there is discussion and debate about the better method. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Distributed actuation makes use of a slew drive or linear actuator at each tracker row – one motor for each 12kw to 30kw. It is slightly more structurally efficient and is much more adaptable to non-uniform site layout and variable terrain. The primary disadvantages are initial cost and reliability. Each row becomes a stand-alone tracker. Power and control cable must be routed throughout the arrays, and control sensors are required at each row. With 30x to 50x more motors and sensors that must be of low cost, predicted reliability is much lower than for centrally actuated arrays. Each row being independently driven, coordination between different rows can go haywire for more reasons than one. Central or ganged actuated systems will connect the rows via a simple pushpull linkage or, if utilizing a slew drive, a linked prop shaft. Arrays can range from 100kw to as large as 1MW for single motor and sensor. The advantage of the linked systems is that they have far fewer motors, sensors and controls required, so the achieve economies of scale. This reduces equipment and installation cost. And with so few motors and sensors, they can employ rugged, industrial grade components that will endure demanding outdoor service conditions. So they also realize much higher predicted (and actual) reliability. They are also much less susceptible to electronic noise that can cause reliability issues with distributed systems. The primary disadvantage of ganged systems is that they are more difficult to fit into uneven boundaries – push-pull systems typically must be laid out in large rectangles. A secondary disadvantage is that forces feedback to drive point, so the designs require additional structure and a heavy drive foundation.

Actuator mechanisms: 7.5 MW for Boeing at Brawley, CA, USA

low operating forces and is safe and simple to repair.

Actuator configurations: Actuator configurations can be roughly divided into two groups: distributed actuation

Actuator mechanisms commonly make use of three types of machinery: electrically driven slew drives, electric linear actuators/ screw jacks, and fluid power liner drives. Slew drives and high force screw jacks are relatively costly compared to small linear actuators and fluid power drives because they must be made from precision machined, heat treated gears and screws. Electric drive mechanisms are found

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in both types of drive configurations. Heavy duty screw jacks are used in several different push-pull ganged systems currently being deployed e.g. PV Hardware (USA), SunPower T-0. Screw jacks are suitable for the low duty cycles of solar tracking, and though they are “catalog items” they are not widely available and are costly to repair or replace. Small, electric linear actuators are used on distributed actuation tracker systems, most notable the tracker now being deployed by First Solar. Maintenance staff by and large replaces the low cost drives if they fail, instead of repairing. Nextracker (USA) and ATI (USA) each make use of a slew drive at each row. Nextracker mates the slew drive to a small motor and an offset arm to deliver a distributed actuation, balanced row tracker. ATI makes use of a very similar slew drive that is ganged to a single drive motor/reduction gear box via a prop shaft. The prop shaft has a universal joint that allows for offsetting of rows and better matching of terrain and boundary edges. Their tracker, using machinery very similar to Nextracker, is centrally actuated with an inverted-pendulum row. Slew drives have achieved acceptance and have the advantage of structural efficiency because they do not back feed forces into the prop shaft. The disadvantages of slew drive trackers are •

The high initial cost - one drive is required at each row (19kW typical),

•

The long term maintenance risk – each drive is estimated to cost between USD 1000 and USD 2000 and there are between 35 and 55 required per MW DC.

•

The drives are less widely used than screw jacks and not easy to source.

Fluid power drives make use of an electric hydraulic power unit, with hydraulic cylinders that drive a ganged push-pull link (or pullpull link in a balanced array design.) Though solar customers have some misconceived reluctance about reliability and availability, in reality fluid power systems are extensively used in mining, earth-moving, farming and other heavy equipment everywhere and are also used in wind power towers, aircraft and general manufacturing. So they benefit from an established global supply and support base. The advantage of a fluid power drive system is low cost and ease of maintenance, as well as assured spared availability. Fluid power drives are an efficient and durable means to 52

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where durability and maintainability are essential, the initial cost is not very high due to very small numbers required.

7.5 MW for Boeing at Brawley, CA, USA

make large forces, and can move very large arrays that achieve exceptional economies of scale – the ViaSol G10 is currently able to move arrays as large as 1 MW DC from a single drive point. With ongoing development it is expected that this will increase to nearly 1.3MW DC by mid-2015.

Tracker control systems:

7.5 MW for Boeing at Brawley, CA, USA

Excepting the few passive tracker designs that are available, all trackers make use of an electronic control system that measures the position of the tracker – directly or via a proxy, starts and stops the motors that drive the actuation system, and controls the direction and distance of motion. There are two rough categories for control hardware currently being offered: custom control boards and programmable logic controller (PLC) or industrial automation based designs. Custom boards can be very low cost, as tracker control systems are relatively simple. For distributed actuation systems, custom boards are common. PLC based controller designs make use of off-the-shelf industrial automation components. As such, they are much more robust and maintainable. Because components are modular, they can readily exchange in the field by low skilled technicians. Boards can include optional hardware for internet connection and SCADA integration. The primary disadvantage of PLC based controllers is the relatively high initial cost. For central actuation designs,

Control sensors and software also make use of different approaches. Light sensing controls in some designs are intended to point the tracker as directly as possible at the sun. In practice, this control design has proven to be somewhat costly on maintenance. Time and location algorithms have proven to be quite reliable. These control systems will typically make use of a sun model that can compute the position of the sun in the sky at any time for the foreseeable future (as planetary motion is well known.) The controller will periodically calculate the optimum angular position of the modules and will move the modules to that position. The ViaSol M-series Tracker Controllers use a modified - sun position algorithm based on NASA data to calculate correct tilt angle, and the angle is measured using a scientific grade inclinometer. Some linear actuator and slew drive systems use an encoder to measure how far the system has moved since its last set point and the magnitude of the motion is used as a proxy for actual tilt angle. Though they don’t actually measure the positon of the solar modules, these encoder based systems have proven successful. Nearly all commercially successful tracker controllers include a backtracking or “shade avoidance” algorithm that prevents row to row shading by moving modules progressively off-sun during early morning and late evening hours till the output is maximized

Single Axis Tracker Economics: Like all other PV equipment, large commercial and utility PV tracker equipment has seen significant cost reduction and performance improvement during the past few years. The roughly 85% cost decrease (depending on market region) in solar modules and inverters that has been realized in the PV market since 2006 has been nearly replicated with Single Axis Trackers where market installed cost has decreased approximately 70% and tracker equipment is now offered in the US market at less than USD 0.20/W for medium and large scale power plants. As a rough estimate, a utility size PV power plant installed on Single Axis Tracker swill cost 8% - 10% more than a same DC size plant mounted on fixed racks. This appears to hold true across a range

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of markets. In cases where this does hold, the tracking power plant is most likely the superior financial performer. Most solar sites will see a generation increase between 14% and 24% by adding Single Axis Tracker . Though the actual realized output gain is site and weather pattern dependent, a rough look at numbers indicates that the output (cash flow) gain is greater than the project cost (capex) increase and tracker should be a sound financial investment. In the current market scenarios, the project owners and financiers are typically evaluating the financial performance of the tracking array against the performance of a fixed array either of the same DC size, of the same AC size, or of the same land area. Our financial analyses across a range of cost and performance conditions has lead us to the conclusion that in nearly all cases where large scale PV (2 MW and larger) is being constructed on relatively flat land, tracker array will yield better financial performance. It should be noted that it is critical these analyses make a full accounting of all project fixed and variable costs, as is consistent with textbook project financial analysis. In many cases we have encountered, the owner or EPC evaluates the additional cost of the tracker against equipment cost only, and forgets to include very significant fixed project cost e.g. land cost, site civil, security, government permissions, legal expense, construction period interest, allocated overhead, development fees, power evacuation, projected site maintenance, taxes, etc. (In the US, these cost can represent as much as 30% to 50% of total project cost!) Tracking PV projects generate higher cash flows from an entire investment and proper financial analysis mandates they be evaluated accordingly. Concerns about parasitic power consumption and maintenance cost are also often raised regarding tracker economics. Both of these worries are based on industry experience with decades old test equipment and obsolete designs. Modern Single Axis Trackers have a very low power draw and run intermittently. The worst case estimate for power consumed by the ViaSol G10 Utility PV Tracker is approximately 0.03% - this is negligible and is now typical in the industry. Maintenance cost for current Single Axis Tracker designs is also much lower than for previous equipment offerings. Though each tracker system has its own characteristics, our

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sites, tracking power plants are clearly advantageous. In large sections of the Middle East, Africa, South America and South Asia PV power plants will realize very large productivity and economic gains by from single axis tracking.

7.5 MW for Boeing at Brawley, CA, USA

estimates indicate that even with generous allocations for preventive maintenance and repair, the tracker will add less than 10% to the overall cost to maintain a large PV power plant.

Realizing Value from PV Trackers: Though most large PV sites that we have analyzed indicate that Single Axis Tracker is the super economic choice based on increased capacity factor, there are some that are close contest and others where the tracking power plant is far superior. Typical circumstances where the tracking array is almost assured to be better are: allocation with capped DC size or capped AC size, projects with high development cost, off-take contract for fixed number of units per annum, sites with high land cost. The situation where the off taker has contracted for a fixed number of units per annum is not typical, but in these cases there is usually an immediate cost savings due to reduction in total array size and PV equipment required.

Secondary economic benefits from tracking are often completely overlooked during project planning. Trackers move during daily operating and this helps to limit soil accumulation. In dry climates like desert regions of the Southwestern USA, module washing is not required. The power output curve from tracking arrays is much flatter and better matched to power demand in hot climates. In locations where snow accumulation may be a concern, the tracker controller can be modified to include a “snow shake” that will prevent snow and ice from accumulating on the modules. Particularly relevant to costal and tropical regions that might be susceptible to extreme weather, trackers can be stowed in a flat position that will help to ameliorate damage from high wind and flying debris. ViaSol’s trackers include a provision that allows for the arrays to be locked down in advance of extreme weather events. In these circumstances, the tracker may be preferred simply because it reduces the overall project risk profile.

Latitude of site has a large influence on potential value of adding tracking to a solar power project. Inside and near the tropics it is common to see sites where adding Single Axis Tracking will increase specific productivity by as much as 24%. At these

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M O UNT I N G SY STE MES

Optimize And Not Compromise; Key Precautions For Mounting Structure Design Evaluation. Srujan Yeleti - Head, Business Development. Nuevosol Energy Pvt. Ltd.

esigning structures that meet all the design requirements of a power plant, yet optimized to be financially and operationally feasible –should be the objective of any design exercise. The main design tool to achieve low cost yet highly reliable mounting structures has been optimization. But to optimize, one has to think beyond the conventional, which is riddled with an inherent risk to compromise. Therefore we would like to discuss few key precautions that need to be taken while optimizing mounting structure designs to ensure sustainable structures. In the initial years, conservative quarters relied on outdated norms and standards, which made the structural design over-redundant and overtly safe. The main reason behind this conservativeness was the lack of an Indian solar structures-specific design standards and codes. Most European countries possessed solar industry-specific design standards and a majority of the credit for proliferation of the solar sector in Europe can be attributed to this very initiative. Lack of solar-specific design experience in the Indian industry necessitated an excessive dependence on construction codes for buildings with very high factors of safety, which are nonessential for design of mounting structures. Not just the safety factors but the material usage, galvanization coating thickness, foundations used etc. were so redundant that the structures had become economically unviable. By mid 2012, the industry was more welcoming to the usage of the optimized structures and realized that they were the way forward. Newer material like pregalvanized steel were introduced, newer section profiles of C-sections, L Brackets were introduced to ensure the structure cost 54

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goes down considerably while the durability is not compromised. Amidst so many new trends we found that there is a dire necessity to follow basic precautions in verifying the structure designs, as listed below:

Basic precautions of Tilt Angle, and designing for ease of execution. Solar industry is slowly evolving from a latitude based angle determination to finding an optimal angle considering factors of cost of structures, area of installation, ease of maintenance and many more. Still there are prevalent notions of choosing the tilt angles, which are not optimal in a holistic manner. An analysis to determine the optimal tilt angle should incorporate the details of not just the energy output and cost of the structures, but also that of the ease of tilt, ease of manufacturing and installation, stability of the structure at higher angles, appropriate wind loading in lieu with the terrain at different angles including area of installation, internal shading and corresponding loses. This exercise needs a detailed mapping of the output at various angles and the corresponding increase in holistic costs incorporating cost impact of all the parameters. Designing for stability, ease of tilt and lower costs is only one side of the coin. For executing mega power plants with tilting structures successfully ease of manufacturing and installation is of utmost importance which is usually neglected. Many a times, designs, which lead to manual manufacturing operations, becomes a bottleneck in the production.

Installation ease is about being able to install with proper alignment at the fastest possible pace with minimum aides like installation templates and jigs. This requires minimizing the number of components and incorporating self-alignment qualities in the system design. Reducing the time to manufacture and install has direct impact on early completion of mega power plants and hence the revenues.

Prevalent Design Flaws While optimization was widely accepted in the industry, there has been a rise in some consultants and designers, who while assuming they are optimizing the design, tend to compromise unknowingly or knowingly misguide on the durability and quality of structures to reduce the cost. The defective designs cannot be easily identified unless a keenly analyzed in Staad Pro or any design software’s. A manual calculation of loads can bring the faulty designs out. The defects in the design are not visible even in a prototype and can only be realized when a 100kmph above wind speed is experienced. Some of the key flaws are listed below: Wind Speed & Parameters : While everybody design for a specific wind load as per the wind zones mentioned in the IS Codes, other factors such as K1, K2 and K3 have a significant impact on the design loads on the structure. In order one does not have a scope to manipulate these parameters one must specify them and ensure the same have been implemented in the design. These parameters have to be specified strictly following IS: 875 Part 3. Load Combinations:Even though the design wind speeds and other (factors (K1,

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K2, and K3) are categorically stated in the RFQ documents, there is still ample scope to manipulate the design loads and reduce the structure weights and corresponding cost. While using Load Combinations i.e. Dead (Load (DL) +Wind Load (WL) many instead of using 1xDL + 1xWL tend to use 0.75xDL + 0.75xWL which are reducing the loads by 25%. This is manipulation of IS codes which says 0.75xDL + 0.75xWL combination can be used only when wind loads are not the predominant forces acting on the structure. For Module mounting structures wind forces are the predominant forces. Hence one cannot use 0.75xDL + 0.75xWL. Wind Loads on Seasonal Tilt Structures : While designing Seasonal tilt structures design practice is to check the structure for loads, which occur at maximum tilt angle as well as minimum tilt angle. This practice is close to reality and hence adopted. However we have observed that methodology in practice which instead of designing the structure for an average load i.e. average of loads which occur at max tilt angle and Minimum tilt angle), which leads to an unsafe structures. This wrongful practice of averaging the loads for different angles will

lead to structure failure and hence must be discouraged. Foundation Design: While design of foundations is usually done using the results of the soil test conducted by geotechnical agencies, it is very essential to conduct a pull out load test on the site to verify the theoretical design. This is often neglected. Though geotechnical agencies conduct tests related to soil, the pull outs are conducted on standard sections which are not finally incorporated into the structure design and hence the theoretical designs have to be revalidated by conducting pull outs with the final foundation designs. Longitudinal Reinforcement: It is observed in many designs that there exists no side/diagonal bracing within a structure. However, as per the design recommendation at least one/two such bracings within a structure are essential as there is a sheer chance of structure failure due to excessive deflection in column post under seismic loads. The presence of this member helps to transfer the lateral loads on to the foundation directly with the member acting as the via medium.

Standard Designs: Structures drawn out by third party consultants or hired designers are also prevalent in the market, which can be very detrimental to the health of the plant if not verified for the site-specific parameters. Every site is unique and has to be customized for the loading parameters it is subjected to. Adapting standard design for all the locations is something, which is unacceptable. Above listed designs flaws have been widely prevalent in the recent years, with growing demand for lowering costs, there has been a rising trend to compromise in the name of optimizing structures. The industry has witnessed failed structures and huge monetary loses due to faulty structure designs and has started to realize the need for a stringent evaluation of structure designs for 25 year durability. Solar mounting structures undoubtedly form the backbone of solar industry and have to be designed with due diligence. (The opinion and perspectives expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the postings, strategies or opinions of Nuevosol Energy Pvt Ltd.)

BALANCE O F SY STE MS

Ensto Clampo Pro series – Small Item, Great Significance! Manish Sharma, Sales Manager - India, Ensto Industrial Solutions

hen d esigning elec tric al equipment, all possible electrical parameters, environmental conditions, the external environment, and needs resulting from the application of the solution are taken into account. Often some space is left for device expansion; then comes the phase of equipment prefabrication, onsite installation and commissioning. At this stage, appropriate connections between the devices and the power grid are often overlooked. Most are made with cables and wires connected to the terminals, and at higher currents, with busbars. The reliability and safety of the device depend on the type and use of the terminals. Therefore, it is a good idea to use reliable terminals and products of the highest quality so as to ensure correct operation of the devices. Ensto is an expert with over 50 years’ experience in safe and reliable connecting technology. We have long-standing knowledge of solutions made for a wide range of applications in even the most challenging environments, and an excellent design team to support the processes. Innovation and flexibility are two of Ensto’s key pillars and we are constantly seeking new ideas and solutions tailored to customer demands – our innovations are based on ideas from market trends and customers’ individual needs.

Certifications and shortcircuit testing Recognizing a good terminal starts with proper approvals – certified products are easy to use. When a product is certified, it means that an independent third party has tested the product and concluded that it fulfills the requirements of a given standard. The certification of a product guarantees that the components used in your panel are safe and that you will not be liable for any component faults. In industrial control equipment, it is necessary that the terminals

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are verified as having short-circuit ratings, spacings, thermal stability, etc. according to the demands set by the electrical supply and connected equipment. Terminals for industrial applications need to be certified according to the latest industrial standards. Certified products are only manufactured at the factory location mentioned on the certificate. The issuer of the certificate conducts follow-up audits on a regular basis to ensure that the products have remained unchanged and that the safety aspects are maintained. If the terminals are not verified according to the latest standards, it is the sole responsibility of the equipment manufacturer to ensure that its products comply with directives and standards. The equipment manufacturer must in this case prove suitability through test reports, for example, which are added to the technical file. Standards are subject to continuous review, and it is important to always use components that are certified according to the latest standards. The suitability of copper conductors is verified according to the harmonized standard EN 60947-7-1:2009, and the suitability for aluminium conductors is verified according to standard EN 61238-1:2003. In addition to CE marking, international certificates, including UL, and Gost R, are required. This means that there are no formal obstacles to certification of the equipment and export to countries such as the United States and Russia. Terminals that have been tested and certified according to EN 61238-1:2003 are divided into classes A and B. Class A terminals are short-circuit tested. Class B terminals are not short-circuit tested and can only be used in circuits which are protected with fast-acting fuses, not with general use fuses or motor circuit fuses, which are typically used in industrial applications. For this reason, the use of Class B terminals is

limited to equipment terminal use or special circuits protected by fast-acting fuses only. Ensto Clampo Pro terminals are certified to meet the requirements set by standards. They are short-circuit tested Class A terminals suitable for all aluminium connections. By choosing Ensto Clampo Pro terminals for your aluminium connection, you can guarantee that you always have the right terminals in use.

The art of connecting aluminium and copper conductors Because aluminium and copper are dissimilar metals, galvanic corrosion can occur in the presence of an electrolyte and these connections can become unstable over time. If these two metals touch each other – with just a little bit of humidity – the electro-technical process of galvanic corrosion occurs. Galvanic corrosion means that the metals start to react to each other and ions start to move from the weaker metal to the stronger one. The weaker metal, in this case aluminium, becomes corroded. In time, the connection in the terminals deteriorates and in the attempt to keep the current flowing, the terminal becomes hotter and hotter, ultimately resulting in the meltdown of plastic parts, possibly leading to a fire. Because of the dissimilar properties of copper and aluminium, a barrier is needed. Tin does not cause galvanic corrosion with either of the metals and this is why the conductive parts of Ensto Clampo Pro terminals – the body and the screws – are made from tin-coated aluminum. The housing is also manufactured so that there is a partition wall (polyamide) between the conductors, which should not touch under any circumstances. This is a universal solution that eliminates potential problems during installation in existing networks. Often one team takes care of assembling the project,

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and another performs the installation of the finished devices. Then there is no problem with the selection of terminals: one type is applied, regardless of the cables used.

Unique Ensto Clampo Pro technical features • For Al/Cu conductors 2.5 – 240 mm² • Nominal current range: 145 - 425 A • Certified according to the latest standards • Compact in size compared to similar products on the market • Oxidation-inhibiting compound applied at the factory • Simple and reliable construction made of a monoblock • Can be fixed directly onto a DIN rail or, with screws, onto a base • Quickly and easily connected using one screw only • Reliable and strong tightening with hexagonal screws (possible to reuse without damage) • Color-coding for N and PE terminals

For higher supply voltages – perfect terminals for photovoltaic connections A good terminal offers peace of mind in even the most challenging applications areas. The Ensto Clampo Pro universal terminal series is a versatile solution for all installation needs, ranging from low-voltage switchgear and control gears for industry and construction to building automation. Some

Caption: The Ensto Clampo Pro series now has 1000 V terminals suitable for photovoltaic connections

applications where higher supply voltages are used, such as in drives, railway systems, ships and boiler control, require special terminals that provide insulation properties of up to 1000 V. These terminals are also suitable for DC applications, making them a perfect choice for photovoltaic connections. The innovative Ensto Clampo Pro 1000 V terminals’ housing is made of fiberglassreinforced polyamide, which has better mechanical strength than polyamide and better insulating capacity. A maximum operating temperature of 90 °C has also been achieved for the material. Furthermore, the 1000 V terminals are compact in size. The terminals are slimmer thanks to the slots on the cover part, and they can be installed next to each other without partition plates. The color-coding differentiates the AC terminals from DC terminals: grey and blue for AC applications and red and black for DC applications.

Necessity of quality and supplier reliability The quality of the product is proven by its long-term presence on the market. Where device expansion is necessary, additional terminals can be safely bought and mounted next to existing ones. From a technical point of view, attention needs to be paid to the documentation available, such as terminal specification sheets, dimensional drawings and photos, which should ideally be available on the internet. These tools help in the design and assembly of the circuits. An important factor in choosing a terminal is the price. A high-quality terminal is not a cheap solution and therefore clients often choose another brand. As a result, they get a device that is not fit for purpose, generating additional costs both for the customer and the supplier. Only then it is realized how much could have been gained if appropriate terminals had been used, following the principle: small item – great significance.

Caption: Ensto Clampo Pro fulfill the requirements for a good terminal.

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September - October 2014

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DEHN Advantage Lightning & Earthing Protection System for Solar PV Installations Vikas Almadi , Director & CEO DEHN India Pvt. Ltd

primary condition for a lasting and safe functioning of the Solar PV system is a well-considered, structurally aligned adequate planning and design. For protecting the solar power plants against threats of lightning strikes, IEC 62305 and EN 50539 standards are followed. A robust lightning protection system comprises of:(a.) External Lightning Protection (ELP) – For collection of lightning away from panels. (b.) Internal Lightning Protection (ILP) – For protecting inverters and other electronic components (c.) Earthing / Grounding – For human safety &safe dissipation of lightning current. DEHN INDIA, a 100% subsidiary of DEHN Germany, has taken on the task of reliably protecting people, buildings, electrical and electronic devices/systems from the hazards related to lightning and surges. With our expertise, dedication and pioneering spirit, we have been stimulating developments in the field of surge, lightning protection & safety equipment for decades. We are knownfor long-standing experience of over a century in protecting people and assets.

Necessity of a lightning protection system on buildings Energy released by lightning discharge is one of the most frequent causes of fire. An improper selection of lightning and surge protection may result in perforation of cables, burning of data boards/combiner boxes/damages to the monitoring part of the

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equipment etc.Personnel and fire protection is paramount if a direct lightning strike hits the building. A lightning protection system, incorporated in the design stage, helps to avail full expected life of PV system & also prevents substantial lightning interferences into the building through PV system.

Necessity of surge protection for PV systems The PV system is exposed to all types of weather conditions over its lifetime, including lightning strikes and needs proper protection. In order to create equipotential bonding of live conductors with main earth system during lightning strikes, Surge protection devices are used. This helps in reducing the effective potential difference, which appear during a lightning strike, across the live conductors and earth entering electronic/electrical equipment of PV plant, thus protecting these devices during thunderstorms. Surge protective devices (SPDs) have proven very effective in protecting electrical systems from these destructive voltage peaks and are required for protecting the equipment in PV system. Be it roof-mounted or ground-mounted systems, central or string inverter systems, photovoltaic systems are frequently equipped with lightning and surge protection Section 4.5 of the CLC and supplement 5 of EN 62305-3 SPDs define the requirement of type of SPD at their places of installation. The SPDs are like resistors or switches which are normally in high resistance and offer a low resistance path to the ground in case of lightning strike/surge. They recover

automatically to normal high resistance condition after the influence of strike is over to be ready for another strike. With every strike, there is a rise in temperature of the SPD and this leads to its degradation. Any stress of voltage over SPD will cause degradation and there could be times when SPD no longer provides protection or starts leaking high current (Short circuit current of the PV system) which further leads in rise of temperature of the SPD. This end of the life situation has to be safe as per EN 50539 standards. At this time the SPD need to be declared as faulty and replaced. Indications are provided on the SPD to monitor End of life situation. The SPD should have series thermal switch in order to avoid thermal breakdown by isolating. However the thermal Switch in the SPDs used for PV power plants will cause an arc produced depending upon the short circuit current (PV short circuit current at the time of fault) and may cause fire. As per EN 50539 standards, there should be measures in the SPD to extinguish this DC arc safely,which is created by the operation of the thermal switch. It should also be safe to replace this faulty module and it should not pose any risk of burns or fire to working personnel. This arcing SPD can otherwise cause fire in the junction box/inverter. A proper external series back up fuse, which coordinates with SPD over full spectrum of irradiation and also withstand the lightning current, is a challenge in engineering. A fuse particularly developed for PV systems has to be integrated into the short-circuit path within the SPD, which allows de-energized replacement of the faulty protection module without arc formation. Thus the short circuit withstand capability of the SPD (Iscpv), as

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defined in EN 50539is also very important factor apart from just discharge capabilities. Iscpv is like safe breaking capacity of the SPD for the PV short circuit current. The modular surge arresters type DEHN Guard M YPV SCI (FM) was particularly designed for protecting equipment in PV systems considering the human safety. The innovative three-step DC switching device, module locking system, protection modules replaceability have served as an effective feature tofulfill the specific requirements of PV systems.Further, the combined disconnection and short-circuiting device are integrated in a single device for added safety. This synergy reduces the probability of an arrester failure in case of operating and fault states which have to be considered in PV systems. This ensures arrester protection in case of overload without posing a fire risk. Depending upon the vitality of the equipment and risk involved,the SPDs rated for 10/350 µsec (called type 1 SPDs) or SPDs rated for 8/20 µsec (called Type 2 SPDs) needs to be used. System concepts with central inverter technology require extended DC wiring on site. Due to the partial lightning currents, type 1 arresters must be provided to protect the electrical systems of PV powerplants. The Type 1 + Type 2 SPD called DEHNcombo YPV SCI … (FM) combined arrester is installed at the DC input of the inverter. Configurations up to 1000 A DC and without any complication of backup fuse are possible. In addition, Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) are installed in the Array Junction Boxes (AJB) to protect the modules. Thanks to its SCI technology, this combined (Type 1 + Type 2) arrester fulfills personal and system protection requirements. The SCI technology also prevents switching arcs in case of an overload, thus ensuring fire protection.

DEHNcombo YPV SCI (Type 1+2) Approved fault-resistant Y circuit prevents damage to surge protective devices in case of insulation faults in the generator circuit. Unique SCI technology. •

Total discharge current (10/350) I = 12.5 kAType 1.

•

Short-circuit withstand total capability ISCPV = 1000 A(Without backup

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between down conductor and internal conductive parts. This is often a problem at new/existing installations. Without separation distance, high impulse voltages cause flashovers on surfaces of insulating materials. This effect is known as creeping flashover. In order to avoid creepage discharges, the DEHNHVI® conductor has a special external coating with the potential to reset high lightning impulse voltages to a reference potential. fuse). •

Narrow width of only 4 modules.

•

Touch-proof without additional cover.

•

Operating state/fault indication by indicator flag in the inspection window.

•

Optional remote signaling contact (FM) for monitoring(floating changeover contact)

The innovative DEHNHVI® conductor provides an easy solution to creepage flashover problem without any need of maintaining the separation distance.

Unique SCI technology DEHN is the only company that offers surge arresters with innovative Short Circuit Interruption (SCI) technology - providing maximum safety and fire protection for photovoltaic systems. A fuse specifically dimensioned for PV systems in the bypass path ensures safe electrical isolation of the surge protective device at any time. This fuse is combined with a disconnection and short-circuiting device with Thermo Dynamic Control. The interaction of these functions in a single device ensures maximum operational reliability and fail-safe performance.

External Lightning Protection (ELP) Collection of well-designed lightning capturing system, down conductor system and grounding/earthing arrangement constitute a good external lightning protection (ELP) system. As per IEC 62305 standards, in order to avoid dangerous flashovers between ELP system and internal conductive parts

(electrical installation, piping, etc.), a separation distance should be considered

Earthing / Grounding Grounding is designed to keep working personnel protected from coming into contact with electrical current. Any metal or potentially conductive materials that are likely to be energized in the system must be grounded. If it’s metal, it needs to be grounded. A grounding system is only as strong as its weakest link. It is sometimes a challenge to achieve good and sustainable earth impedances in rocky or sandy areas,but same can be achieved using special technologies and interconnection of various earthing components . Summary Solar PV plant is a long term commitment and its sound operation is the ultimate goal to deliver promised returns. If optimum lightning, surge protection and earthing practices are not incorporated in the inception phase of the power plant then it may lead to capital and revenue losses. Lightning protection is a special subject

driven by international standards and experts may be consulted for complied design of protection systems with respect to IEC.

September - October 2014

BALANCE O F SY STE MS

DC Cables: An Important Factor In Performance Of Solar PV Installations LEONI Cable Solution (India)

nergy delivered from a Solar PV system is not only dependent on the efficiency of the module but also on other system components like DC Cables, Connectors and Junction Boxes. While designing the solar farm, engineers have to factor the losses from modules to the inverters to calculate the over-all performance ratio of the farm. Low quality solar cables and connectors will lead to small increases in resistance and result in higher losses of energy (I2Rt). The loss of energy already harvested, when calculated over a twenty five year life represents a substantial loss and would affect the profitability of the project. A high quality Solar DC Cable is expected to perform for the complete lifetime of the installation which is about twenty five years. The cost of replacing a defective installed cable is very high. The replacement costs increase when factoring in manpower used for removal, reinstallation and testing of the system. In addition, there are losses in power output and revenue generation. The cost of these cables and connectors is very small in the total cost. Since the differential cost of the high quality cables is insignificant, it makes sense to invest with higher initial cost and reduce the “total cost of ownership” of a PV plant. Solar cables have to withstand a wide range of environmental conditions – and continue to do so over a long period. High temperatures, UV radiation, rain, humidity, dirt and attack by moss and microbes are all a serious challenge to solar cables. Cables tested in accordance with EN, TÜV and UL requirements (120°C; 20,000 hours) can be used at environmental temperatures of –40°C to +90°C. They should therefore achieve the target service life of 25 years. Apart from temperature, UV radiation is the other significant factor. Trials have shown that untreated material (free of any colour additive) will lose more than 50% of its 60

September - October 2014

performance capacity within less than six months. In order to avoid this deterioration, fine soot particles are added to the plastics (leading to a black colouring in the sheath). These particles absorb the UV radiation and convert it into heat. Optimum UV resistance can therefore only be achieved by using black solar cables with enough black carbon content. There is a new European Standard EN 50618 being published for Solar DC Cable, this standard specifies cables for use in Photovoltaic (PV) Systems, in particular for installation at Direct Current (DC) side, with a nominal DC voltage up to 1.5kV between conductors as well as between conductor and earth. These cables are suitable for permanent outdoor use for many years under variable demanding conditions. Relatively stringent requirements are set for these products in line with the expected harsh usage conditions. EN 50618 requires cables to be low smoke halogen free, flexible tin coated copper conductors, single core power cable with crosslinked insulation and sheath. The testing requirements in EN 50618 are more stringent, the most important change is that all the test are done on material taken from finished cable ensuring that the product to be installed is passing all the testing requirements. Cables are required to be tested at Voltage of 11KV AC 50Hz. An IEC standard for Solar DC Cables based on EN50618 is also in preparation. To meet the stringent requirements insulation and sheath in modern solar cables consist of cross-linked polymers. Two different processes can be used for cross-linking – a choice between electron beam cross-linking and chemical cross-linking. Chemical crosslinking is a process that cannot be stopped once it has started. As a result, chemically cross-linked cables suffer from the same phenomenon as old car tyres. They can harden

and become porous. By contrast, electron beam cross-linked cables are irradiated with beta rays. This improves the synthetic material. Once the cables have passed the electron beam, the cross-linking process is complete. These cables remain soft and elastic throughout their whole service life. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link – which is why LEONI offers high quality electron beam cross-linked BETAflam® solar cables. These quality cables are produced in Switzerland and fulfil all the requirements: long service life, excellent weather resistance and security of investment for the operator of the facility. LEONI started electron beam crosslinking in 1984 and supplied beta beam irradiated cables for solar application in the 90’s. These are still performing in installations in Europe. LEONI produces and develops compounds for insulation and jacket materials in-house. With capacity improvements over a period of time, it today has the world’s largest beta beam cross linking facility contributing to the highest production of solar DC cables. LEONI first launched UL/TUV dual approved cables in 2005 and invented 1,000 VAC UL and 1,500VDC TUV cables which will be used for solar installations in the future. LEONI can supply the complete system from junction boxes for module manufacturing to cable systems and connectors for Solar PV installations from its production facilities all over the world. To support our customers for fast installations of PV power plants LEONI has stocks available in India, Europe and USA. LEONI BETAflam Solar products meet the highest requirements for solar PV system providing the same high expectations that are demanded from the solar modules - which are longevity and high weather resistance. We offer BETAflam Solar DC cables, TRAFOflex UV cable, SOLARpowerAlu-ATA cables, BETAsolar Junction Box and BETAsolar PV connectors.

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P V I NV ERT ERS

Schneider Electric unveils two new inverters at REI Expo 2014 Schneider Electric

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Conext CL three-phase string inverter is the ideal solution for commercial buildings, carports and decentralized power plants

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Conext XW+ next-gen hybrid inverter offers a single solution for grid-tie backup and off-grid solar for homes, businesses and communities

Built for decentralized architecture, with full grid support features, a broad range of Schneider Electric’s low and medium voltage products and industry leading system capabilities, Conext CL is backed by Schneider Electric’s global service infrastructure and expertise in energy management.

Conext XW+

Schneider Electric India launched two products – Conext CL and Conext XW+ – at the Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo 2014, India Expo Centre, Greater Noida in the National Capital Region. Conext CL is a new line of three-phase string inverters, while the new Conext XW+ is the nextgeneration version of the Conext XW hybrid inverter. Both products come from Schneider Electric Solar Business – a global leader in solutions for solar power conversion chain. Speaking at the launch, Mr Anurag Garg, Vice President, Solar BU, Schneider Electric India said, “The Conext CL addresses a wide range of customer needs and is the ideal solution for commercial buildings, carports and decentralized power plants, while the Conext XW+ is a single solution for gridtie backup and off-grid solar for homes, businesses and communities. At Schneider Electric, we are accelerating our investment by transferring global technology to India, increasing our local R&D capabilities and manufacturing locally in our world class facilities. The launch of these new inverters further reinforces our commitment to the Indian market.”

The new Conext XW+ is the nextgeneration version of the Conext XW Hybrid inverter – a hybrid inverter specifically designed for backup power for homes and businesses, residential retrofit of grid-tie solar with backup, residential self-consumption, off-grid homes and businesses, community electrification and micro-grids.

box makes mounting easy and fast); high ROI (98.4% peak efficiency, designed for high uptime providing customers maximum energy harvest from their solar plants); high reliability (electrolyte-free design works in harsh environment too).

With the Conext XW+, one can simplify system installation with the Conext XW+ Power Distribution Panel, integrate Conext MPPT solar charger controllers, AC couple with compatible PV inverters, and monitor battery resources with the New Context Battery Monitor. Moreover, with Schneider Electric’s new Conext ComBox, one can monitor and configure an entire system seamlessly from a PC or tablet device.

Conext CL The Conext CL offers high flexibility (an integrated wiring box with five configuration options gives customers installation flexibility and lowers costs by eliminating the external DC combiner box cost, and 10-to-90-degree tilt angle allows flexible mounting); easy installation and service (lightweight 45kg inverter with detachable 16-kg wiring

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September - October 2014

S O L A R P V M A N UF A CT URI N G

PID Effect Of c-Si Modules: Study On Degradation And Recovery To More Closely Mimic Field Behaviour Bengt Jaeckel and MarijoCosic UL International GmbH

Today’s PV industry is focusing on many concurrent challenges, one critical of them is PID. In the past the focus was mainly on new modules and proving their stability against PID degradation. But there are more than 100 GWp PV installed and a significant percentage will face the problem of PID. Recovery effects become more and more important and therefore test procedures are needed. A cost and time efficient test for cSi modules is proposed in this paper and backed-up with data. This CV-PID test is a quick, reliable and cost effective test procedure to evaluate PV module types in general and to estimate possible effectiveness of PID countermeasures for a specific PV module type.

esearch of recent years demonstrated that several failure modes of PV modules operated under high potentials exist. Most dominant today is the degradation mechanism called “potential induced degradation (PID)” of crystalline PV modules [1]. PID of c-Si solar cells can cause dramatic power losses in installations operated at higher system voltages. What is happening in the field is still not understood. Several mechanisms act parallel with varying rates. The main mechanisms are degradation (ion diffusion and shunting of the c-Si solar cell) and recovery (temperature and potential driven). Until now most studies are focused on finding the best method to degrade modules with a constant set of parameters. Berghold [2] presented findings during round robin testing and gives a good overview of the two methods usually used today: First, a climate chamber test at 60°C and 85% RH and second a test where the front side of the module is covered with a conductive foil and the test runs at 25°C. Both test setups 62

September - October 2014

are designed as a non-stop test for a period of several days to accelerate degradation. But in real installation the modules are not stressed at high voltages over a period of days or weeks constantly– more on a timeframe of hours. In 2012 Nagel et al [3] presented an approach to test PV module stability with varying environments focusing on temperature recovery. Influenced by those findings and to better mimic outdoor stressors and to investigate the potential of PID counter measure applications this new testing procedure was developed. The new test procedure does not only consider the degradation but also the recovery rate. Looking at both rates a new PID stability criterion can be defined. The proposed test sequence can be used to determine general PID sensitivity but furthermore can determinate the appropriateness of a counter measures for a PID affected PV installation. Pingel regularly presents results observed by

application of a simple voltage box on a PID sensitive PV installation [4]. The results clearly show that the installation of such simple countermeasure works. Generally counter measures could be (1) grounding the system, (2) simple devices that apply a certain recovery potential during the night or (3) potential shifting systems which are always keeping the module string at a safe potential. Depending on degradation/recovery modes, one or the other countermeasure is more effective and more sustainable in the long term. The proposed test procedure mimics solution (2) and could be helpful during the decision process on how to solve the problem of PID sensitive modules in a not grounded system.

Experimental setup As briefly described in the Introduction several test methodologies exist to test PV modules against their susceptibility against PID. For this study the room temperature

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all three modes during degradation but actually also during recovery. One example is given in [6]. Depending on shape and rate of the degradation and recovery process different conclusions with respect to PID stability can be drawn. The following three rate scenarios exist: 1) DR < 1 2) DR ≈ 1 and 3) DR >1

Figure 1: Flow-chart of the cyclic voltage stress test. M(0) is optional to determine initial degradation. The yellow box is PID Precondition and the green box illustrates the cyclic voltage (CV) part of the test sequence. At the bottom the voltage-time dependent during the test is schematically shown.

with DR=(|Recovery rate|)/(|Degradation rate|).A module with DR<1 is sensitive to PID and most likely will show a continuous “degrading” behavior also if a voltage application countermeasure is in place. If recovery and degradation have a similar rate the expected average power output will not change (DR≈1). In the case that the module regenerates faster, compared to the degradation rate the module will increase in power output over time (DR>1).

(25°C) method with Aluminum foil was used. This setup is most severe, very reproducible and best simulates warm, humid and rainy climates. Details of the setup can be found in [5]. For the study standard c-Si modules with either 60 or 72 cells were used. The full test flow contains two steps: 1. Standard constant PID test  Yellow box  PID Predegradation 2. Cyclic Voltage PID test  Green box  CV-PID The setup is always the same, except for the applied voltages. In the first step the modules are “Pre-degraded”. After a recovery step the modules undergo a cyclic voltage testing where the modules are exposed for 15 hours to a degrading voltage (Vdeg) and then for 15 hours to a recovery voltage (Vrec). The polarity of both voltages depends on cell technology and system voltage. In this investigation always 1000V were used and 5 cycles were the default for the cyclic part of the test. The test flow and the voltage time dependence are sketched in Figure 1. Before and after each exposure (15h degradation and 15h recovery) power measurements at STC and at 200W/m² and Electro-luminescence imaging at short circuit current Iscand 0.1x Isc were performed.

September - October 2014

Figure 2 shows the results of PV modules that are not stable against a standard PID test and are also not stable with respect to power output during the cyclic voltage stress test. The black and gray lines are representing a line fit through the average of the three modules (degraded and recovered state). Clearly a DR<1 is visible.

Theory

Experimental details

PV modules could show different degradation behavior depending on the applied stressor. The degradation can have 3 principle shapes: (1) linear, (2) progressive and (3) degressive[5]. As shown in [5] PV modules undergoing PID-testing can follow

Several modules types from different manufacturers were investigated. Two examples are shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3. The first recovery was done for 96 hours (long time compared to the cyclic part) but

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has only lead to a ~97% recovery of the modules. This is in agreement with most data from literature. The root cause for that is not fully understood but might be due to micro-shunts that are not possible to recovery once created [7][8].

to some extent.

Conclusions The presented results in Figure 2and Figure 3 clearly show that modules can show a very different PID susceptibility if exposed

extrapolate the data to predict life-time in a certain climate/installation using existing climate data. The CV-PID test sequence can help to make smarter decisions if a simple voltage box with some switches which are relatively cheap could be the solution for a PID affected system or not. The proposed test method could be a powerful reproducible and cheap tool for the decision making.

References: 1. S. Pingel et al, „Potential Induced Degradation of solar cells and panels”, Conference Paper 35th IEEE, 2010 2. D. Carlson, “Corrosion Effects in ThinFilm Photovoltaic Modules”, Progress in J. Berghold et al, “PID test round robins and outdoor correlation”, 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 2013 3. H. Nagel et al, “Lifetime warranty Testing of crystalline silicon modules for Potential induced degradation”, 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 2012 Figure 3 gives an overview of results of PV modules that are not stable against a standard PID test and show a similar overall recovery after the 96hour to ~97% initial power. In contrast to the modules discussed before this module type (M1-M3) shows a very stable power trend during the cyclic voltage stress test. The black and gray lines are representing a line fit through the average, demonstrating a DR~1.

To investigate the influence of the pre-degradation this module type was also exposed to the cyclic voltage stress test without the initial degradation/recovery step. The modules (R1-R3 in Figure 3) were stable at their initial power (100%). In this case the ~3% power loss did not occur. Based on these findings it can be concluded that this module type has a DR≥1. More details can be found in [6]. Figure 2: Experimental data of 3 modules of the same type run through the cyclic voltage stress test. The solid lines are averaged trend lines for the recovered (black) and degraded (gray) state. These modules follow scenario a) with DR<1. Figure 3: Experimental data of 6 modules of the same type. 3 modules went through the full CV stress test (Ms) and 3 modules have undergone only the cyclic part of the test (Rs). The solid and dotted lines are averaged trend lines for the recovered (black) and degraded (gray) state. These modules show a DR=1 or maybe even DR>1

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to varying voltages. For modules following the behavior of Figure 2 the application of a reversing voltage during night for recovery purposes is most likely not sufficient. PV installations consisting of those modules are better served and long term protected by a potential shifting solution. PV installations containing modules with a similar behavior as in Figure 3 most likely will recover with temporarily applied reversing voltages. Whether PID counter measure solutionis a viable option also depends on system design and the PV inverters installed. Independent on the installed solution these are permanent and cannot be removed after a certain period of time. It also has to be insured that they work properly and should be scheduled during normal O&M.

4. S. Pingel et al, „Recovery methods for modules affected by Potential induced Degradation”, 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 2012 5. B. Jaeckel et al,“PV Module degradation under high potentials – A comparative study between test setups”, 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 2013 6. B. Jaeckel et al, “Investigation of c-Si Modules Degradation and Recovery Effect under High Potentials: CV-PID”, Conference Paper 40th IEEE, 2014 7. V. Naumann et al, “Micro Structural Root Cause Analysis of Potential Induced Degradation in c-Si Solar Cells”, Energy Procedia 2012 8. V. Naumann et al, “The role of stacking faults for the formation of shunts during potential-induced degradation of crystalline Si solar cells”, Physic status Solidi, 2013, DOI 10.1002/ pssr.201307090

The proposed CV-PID test is a good step towards an understanding of module type behavior related to potential induced degradation. But much more research is necessary to get the understanding to

September - October 2014

S O L A R P V M A N UF A CT URI N G

Emerging Crystalline Solar Cell Technologies Krishnan Rajagopalan, Head - New Business Development Anchor Electricals Pvt Ltd (A Panasonic Group Company)

Solar-PV Industry is experiencing substantial improvements in crystalline solar cell technologies. The emerging technology trends are focused on the performance of the crystalline solar cells in terms of higher cell efficiency, long term reliability, low light sensitivity and low temperature coefficient. Evolution of Solar Cell Industry The Photovoltaic Cells are principally designed and produced in late 1950s to provide electrical power for orbiting satellites. In 1970s improvements in manufacturing, performance helped to reduce cost. In 1980s the PV solar cells became a popular source of renewable energy and consumed in various applications like calculators, watches, lantern, etc. Significant efforts were put to develop PV power systems for residential and commercial applications. During the same period there was a high demand for solar power system for refrigeration, water pumping, off gird house hold application, telecommunication, etc. The major portfolio of available solar cell technology option at different level of maturity can be divided into two broad categories. a) Wafer based c-Si (Crystalline technology) b) Thin film technology Crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules represent 85-90% of the global annual market today. C-Si modules are subdivided in two main categories: a) Single crystalline (sc-Si) b) Multi-crystalline (mc-Si). Thin films currently account for 10% to 15% of global PV module sales. They are subdivided into three main families: a) Amorphous (a-Si) and micro morph 66Â

September - October 2014

(a-Si/uc-Si) b) Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) c) Copper Indium Deselenide (CIS) and Copper-Indium-Gallium-Deselenide (CIGS) The large variety of PV applications allows for a range of different technologies to be present in the market, Efforts are put to manufacture high performance crystalline solar cell technologies. Emerging technologies in n-type mono crystalline solar cell and Hybrid and comparison In crystalline cell technology, p-Type crystalline silicon wafer technology is most dominant in market. However n-Type crystalline silicon has different material properties which can offer higher cell efficiencies and performance. Because of various benefits offered by n-Type substrate, companies like Panasonic have been offering high efficiency commercialized solar cells using n-Type substrate. The patented solar cell technology is Heterojunction I n t r i n s i c Thin layer of Panasonic has proven benefits over the

conventional p-Type solar cells. The prominent benefits of HIT technology are explained in the following article.

1) Unique cell structure:-

The Panasonic HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) Monocrystalline silicon cell has a very unique structure. The cell structure is shown in below diagram. The n-Type substrate is sandwiched between two thin deposition layers of amorphous silicon. Solar light produces the activated electrons in the cell. In conventional solar cell some activated electrons are lost at the cell surface, resulting in less power output. In HIT Technology the Monocrystalline

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n-Type substrate is surrounded by extremely thin amorphous silicon layers. This unique deposition allows more electrons to pass through the junction there by increasing the output power. Even at high temperatures such as we experience here in India, the HIT solar cell can maintain higher efficiency than a conventional crystalline silicon solar cell.

2) Innovative Surface treatment The conventional solar cell surface structure is rough as shown in above diagram. This type of structure is unable to effectively capture the sunlight. The rough surface reflects the light and the scatter the reflected light there by reducing power generation. The innovative surface treatment is as shown in above diagram. The pyramidal surface

captures very less sunlight. The captured sunlight passes through the cell and no significant power is generated in case of conventional solar cells. Because of unique cell surface structure of HIT cell low wavelength more light passes through the cell. HIT has two p-n junctions compared to one p-n junction in conventional solar cell. Two p-n junctions act as a bifacial cell. The passed low wavelength light falls on bottom p-n junction and power is generated. Hence HIT proves to generate more power than conventional solar cell in morning and evening time. This gives HIT technology an advantage of a wider timeline for generation during a single day. Where a standard crystalline module might generate for 7 hours, HIT could generate by an increased 20% of time,

coefficient:The conventional solar cell power output drops at higher temperatures. HIT solar cell has excellent performance at high temperatures. HIT solar cells are capable of generating more power than conventional cells in robust high temperature conditions. The typical solar cell performance and HIT cell performance can be explained with the help of above diagrams. HIT solar cells exceptionally perform and generate high energy in high temperature conditions. HIT Solar cell has temperature coefficient of -0.29 % per deg C compared to conventional solar cell. Which show that there is less reduction in power generation at higher temperatures resulting in more energy generation than conventional solar cell.

4) High conversion efficiency:-

structure reduces the reflections the light and captures more light than conventional solar cell. This results in higher power output.

i.e. 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8.5 hours in a standard day and also have considerable output under diffused and low light conditions.

Conventional solar cell reflects the low wavelength light in morning and evening and

3) Low temperature

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HIT Solar cells are made up of very high purity Monocrystalline silicon ingot. The purity of ingot is 99.999999999% (11Nine purity same as used in semiconductor industry). Due to unique symmetrical cell structure and bifacial p-n junction property, HIT has very high conversion efficiency. Panasonic HIT solar panels achieve high conversion efficiency ranging from 23% to 25.6% Cell Efficiency.

September - October 2014

67Â

SO L A R O FF GRI D

Solar Remote Telecom Projects Powered by Trojan Battery Trojan Battery Company

eliable wireless communication is something people around the globe demand from their services providers. With many telecom network sites located in remote areas where no grid access is possible, or access to the grid is unreliable, alternative power sources are making inroads. To power remote telecom towers in rural, and often times rugged areas such as on mountain tops, desert regions or other isolated areas, battery-based renewable energy systems are now being established to deliver consistent power to these telecom network systems. Solar, wind and hybrid systems with battery backup for energy storage are the most cost-effective and reliable solutions available for remote communication devices such as microwave, cellular base stations, repeaters, VSATs and two-way radio networks. With Trojan batteries serving as the energy storage component, telecom providers can offer turnkey solar-powered tower solutions, reducing the overall cost of power consumption and enable tower companies to more efficiently utilize their capital for other core business objectives. Trojan’s broad line of deep-cycle flooded and AGM batteries has been selected as the energy storage solution for a variety telecom projects around the globe from some of the world’s top telecom network and equipment providers including American Tower Co., Quanta TowerGen, Claro and Gilat Satellite Networks. With the consistent power and reliability provided by Trojan’s deep-cycle batteries, data and voice communications connectivity is available to customers 24/7.

Trojan Battery customers can achieve: 68

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Lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) due to long cycle life and round-trip efficiency

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Reduced Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) over the life time of the system

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Enhanced battery performance with Smart Carbon™ technology to address Partial State of Charge applications (PSOC)

To address the issue of PSOC, Trojan’s engineering team has done extensive research on types of battery technologies. Based on more than five years of R&D, the team developed various Smart Carbon™, a proprietary formula of carbon additives designed to enhance life and performance of Trojan‘s Industrial and Premium batteries when operating in PSOC. Trojan Battery is the first manufacturer to introduce a carbon additive in a deep-cycle flooded batteries for renewable energy applications.

Trojan Battery Remote Telecom Customer Applications India – American Tower Co. and

Quanta TowerGen Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) Solar Batter y Backup System specifications: Batteries: (24) Trojan L16RE-B deepcycle flooded batteries, Premium Line Battery Bank: 48V 1021 Ah Installed Solar Capacity -- Phase 1: Five sites with 6.6 kWp, and five sites with 5.88 kWp

Charge Controller : OutBack A key component of the project is the use of Trojan’s Smart Carbon™ batteries to address Partial State of Charge (PSOC), a common issue in solar off-grid applications that has not been addressed by battery manufacturers until today. Trojan’s project integrator, Team Sustain, developed a unique climate-controlled cabinet to house the battery bank that allows for passive cooling, decreasing the site temperature for the batteries without drawing power from the system or batteries. The climate-controlled battery enclosure also features a battery water reservoir and tubing with mechanical automatic floats for easy watering; sensors to monitor temperature, voltage and current; and a communication bus incorporated inside the combiner box to transfer the collected data to the remote servers. To ensure reliable transmission of critical system data, Team Sustain developed

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the Green Energy & Energy Management System (GeEMS), a remote monitoring software program which enables customers to quickly and easily monitor the operation and health of the entire telecom site including the batteries which power it. The software connects to the system’s controllers and wireless telemetry to manage the battery bank. The battery bank’s state of charge (SOC) is monitored by the software, with key information transmitted and stored on off-site servers for later data evaluation. “To maintain system up time, these customers previouslyhad to depend on diesel generators for power, which incurred a high OPEX,” said George Matthews, president of TeamSustain. “TeamSustain telecom customers require a reliable solar-based system with a properly sized battery bank to power remote telecom sites. Our solution with Trojan battery backup, has considerably reduced the high OPEX and CO2 emissions previously produced at these locations. These savings are expected to result in the system achieving its ROI in less than four years.”

Nicaragua – Claro Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) Solar Batter y Backup System specifications:

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Batteries: (56) Trojan L16-P, deep-cycle flooded batteries, Signature Line

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Solar modules: Kyocera KD215

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Installed Solar Capacity: 6.5KW

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Inverter: Xantrex XW

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Charge Controller: Xantex XW MPPT

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Racking: Combination of ground and roof mount installation

Trojan distributor ECAMI S.A. installed an off-grid, solar power system with energy storage featuring Trojan flooded batteries to support a base transceiver station also referred as to the radio base station (RBS) used to operate Claro’s telecom towers. Claro is the region’s primary provider of mobile telephone, Internet, and satellite television services to both residential and business customers. The renewable energy system produces between the 70 to 100 percent of the energy needed to operate the telecom towers in order to meet customer demand. Converting the telecom installation to solar power with battery backup enabled Claro to move away from using diesel generators to power these sites. Not only does the new RE system save the company more than $6,700 annually in operating costs by removing the expense of purchasing diesel fuel, it also eliminates noxious emissions previously produced by the generators. Annual training seminars are provided by ECAMI with Claro staff to address updates on maintenance practices for the system’s cables, solar modules, battery bank, and electronic components (i.e. inverters, solar charge controllers, AGS, etc.)

Peru -- Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. Telecom VSAT networks Solar Batter y Backup System specifications:

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Batteries: (2) Trojan deep-cycle 24AGM batteries

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Solar modules: SolarWorld 85W PV modules

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Installed Solar Capacity: 35 sites, 255W

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Inverter: Victron Phoenix 12V inverter

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Charge Controller: Steca charge controller

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Racking: Mounted to tower

Trojan distributor CIME Comercial S.A. is making inroads on bridging the “digital divide” in Peru by providing battery backup systems to local telecom companies. In 2010, the government of Peru launched the initiative “FITEL 10” to establish communications in rural areas and, in turn, encourage social and economic development. The initiative includes building and repairing broadband satellite communications networks featuring Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.’s Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT). By bringing telecom VSAT networks to rural areas of the country, local residents would have access to reliable cell phone coverage. Trojan Battery distributor, CIME Comercial S.A., was brought on board to design a standalone photovoltaic (PV) battery-based, solar-powered solution for the local telecom VSAT network, owned and operated by Gilat. CIME designed a battery-based, solarpowered system for 35 off-grid rural telecom networks for Gilat with each supported by two Trojan deep-cycle 24-AGM batteries connected in parallel. Using a standalone PV energy solution was ideal due to the ease of installation and the reliability of Trojan’s deep-cycle valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) AGM batteries. The energy stored in the Trojan batteries enable the VSATs to operate 24/7, which is critical to telecom operations. Trojan’s AGM batteries were selected based on the project’s required amp-hour capacity, physical size, availability, price and required cycle life. Trojan’s line of deep-cycle AGM batteries are ideal for telecom applications that are powered by renewable energy systems, because they are designed for daily cycling and include robust thick plates that extend the batteries’ life. Trojan’s AGM batteries also are low temperature tolerant and have a low internal resistance for higher discharge current and higher charging efficiency, key factors for operating in Peru’s various climates.

September - October 2014

REN EWA BL E ENERGY

Hybrid Cooling System– Solar Amalgamated With Biogas Ankit Agrawal , Deputy Manager (Solar Thermal), Solar Energy Corporation of India (A Govt. of India Enterprise)

n India one of the major impediments which needs to be addressed is Energy security. It is estimated that HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning) is one of the energy intense application. This leads to drastic increase in the electricity demand on hot summer days which not threatens the grid stability but also impact the global warming. From last few decades, the cooling is done using vapour compression cycle but unreliable electricity, cost, and noise from the compressor, unavailable source of heat and various drawback has made a paradigm shift to vapour absorption cycle. In these the heat source can be from the surplus energy from industry of even from the solar. The basic principle is that the absorptive refrigeration uses a source of heat to provide the energy needed to drive the cooling process. The adjacent image depicts the working of simple vapour absorption system. Most standard vapour absorption chillers are engine driven, deriving their energy inputs mainly from fossil fuel sources. Vapour absorption machine can utilise various heat sources like steam, hot water, gas and exhaust. There are many refrigerant cycles which exists today, the most common being lithium / bromide and ammonia / water. Most chillers fall into 2 categories: single effect or double effect, the single effect chillers can deliver a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of about 0-7-0.9 requiring hot water about 90 - 95 degree C with double effect chillers being the more efficient the COP about 1.2 – 1.3 while requiring a higher grade heat input i.e. up to 150 degree C. The modern chiller also comes up with dual energy input system where the primary heat source can be hot water or steam and secondary source can be gas.

September - October 2014

Figure 1 Comparative trend of various CST Applications

An Odyssey of about four years through the first phase of the Solar Mission from January 2010 to March 2014 has been completed during which the Concentrated Solar Technology ( CST’s ) have made a significant contribution in the sector of medium temperature applications. The industries, institutional, hospitals and

hospitality sectors which require heating, cooking and cooling are taking full advantage of the abundantly found solar energy. CST based solar heating and cooking systems are growing rapidly, gaining ground and are financially attractive options thus reducing dependence on fossil energy consumption in these sectors. Still an impetus is required to

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popularize the use of cooling applications. The graph below depicts the growth of various CST applications in India. Over and over again the persistent question posed to us is, ‘’what happens when the sun goes down or during a non-sunny day, where the temperature high enough for discomfort?” this can be addressed by either providing alternate source of thermal energy or storing of solar thermal energy. Storing of solar thermal for cooling application is not a cost effective option as storage at smaller scale is not efficient. Therefore, provision of alternate efficient source may be viable option. The good news is that recent developments in Vapour absorption machines have enabled to be operated on multiple source of thermal energy. Small scale biomass integration is an attractive option.

OPERATIONAL Philosophy The basic idea of hybrid cooling is to integrate the unique feature of such source of energy which gives a sustainable, round the clock, dispatchable energy for usage. The solar energy from sun and the waste from the kitchen resulting into Bio gas can be a good combination of energy, resulting in higher performance of the system with lower CO2 emissions rate that generate cooling effect at very competitive prices and meet environmental protection objectives. This integration philosophy is such that the waste from the kitchen will be used to produce Bio-Gas and the solar collectors will collect heat energy form the sun and delivers

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to the VAM. In hybrid cooling technology, the VAM is operated on dual source of heat via i) Hot water and ii) Bio Gas. The hot water is supplied from various solar technologies at various temperature depending upon the type of VAM used and the Bio Gas (Methane gas generated from biomethanation process) is supplied from Biodegradable waste generated from the kitchen. In all cases, operation of only solar is analogous to what it would be if it were not hybridized. The machine operates on solar energy when there is availability of good sunshine during the day time and will operate on Bio Gas during non-sunny hours or in case if there is no sunshine. The function of the solar field is to always contribute energy directly to the water cycle. The specific percentage at which said integration is made depends on the particular DNI at site and the availability of Bio degradable and other waste from kitchen and other sources and in each case optimizing the percentage of the solar and Bio gas input is pursued.

CHALLENGES: One of the most significant challenge is the development of system so that the system is driven primary with solar energy and when sun is not available the Bio gas plant will automatically take over the load.

ADVANTAGES: •

peak solar radiation availability. •

Hot water would still be available throughout the year (as with a standard solar thermal system) and the solar thermal energy could further be used to provide space heating during the winter months if surplus heat is available.

•

Such a system could potentially produces a significantly lower carbon emission than a standard air conditioning system.

With the ease of integration and increase in the number of system the payback period can be achieved in about 5-6 years depending upon the type of fuel replaced and the radiation available at site. With rising fuel costs such systems could help to alleviate fuel poverty particularly in social organizations.

AREA OF APPLICATIONS: This Hybrid cooling system is ad rem in areas where there is huge cooling requirement during day time along with large kitchen facility as the waste from the kitchen will be used to produce Bio-Gas and the solar collector will collect and deliver heat. The combination of these 2 energy sources for cooling application will be beneficial helpful in sectors like •

Large residential ashrams

•

Institute

•

Commercial organizations

•

Hotels etc.

The potential benefit of such a system would be that peak cooling demand in summer would exactly coincide with

September - October 2014

P O ST SH O W REP O RT

UBM India concluded Renewable Energy India 2014 (REI 2014)

BM India concluded Renewable Energy India 2014 (REI 2014), the three day expo and conference with a consensus; the need of the hour is to drive the Indian renewable sector, optimizing its potential with support of PublicPrivate interplay. The event witnessed an overwhelming industry response with a 30% increase in attendance over last year. The event witnessed an industry congregation of the renewable energy sector, both, with national and international representation. The initiatives taken by the new government towards expansion and growth in the renewable sector have led to a growing interest in the Indian market, attracting global attention and investment. The increasing international interest in the Indian market was highlighted by the presence of 35 countries at the exhibition. JAPAN, CHINA, CANADA , US , ITALY and the European conglomeration were represented by key industry players like Refex Energy, Borg Energy, Enerparc Energy, Proinso, Zeversolar, Dupont, DNV GL, C Sun, Bonfiglioli, Phocos, Waaree, Emmvee Solar, Juwi India, Inox Wind, LTi REEnergy, Kosol Hiramrut, Sova Power, Harsha Abakus Solar, ABB, SAPA Group, Schneider Electric India, Fronius, Canadian Solar, Delta Energy, Moser Baer, JA Solar, Premier Solar, Yingli Solar Centrotherm. The Government’s participation was represented by presence of Mr Anil K Jain ,IAS, Adviser (Energy), Mr Upendra Tripathy, IAS Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Govt Of India , Mr BN Sharma, Joint Secretary ( Distribution ) Ministry of Power, Mr GM Rao, Director IREDA and Mr SK Bhargava, Director IREDA. The platform proved to be a catalyst of dialogue and action amongst the industry players and policy makers, thus facilitating

September - October 2014

a productive partnership between the private and public sector. The various sessions on one hand, highlighted the potential in the wind sector which is growing exponentially and on the other hand, demonstrated innovative

technologies in energy conservation efficiency along with Geothermal energy as a realistic option for energy security. Up streaming renewable energy, Balance of systems, scaling up of the solar program at the State level, Bioenergy, an unexploited opportunity of India, were some of the key themes discussed and presented by international experts. Mr Joji George, MD, UBM India, on the concluding day of REI 2014 said “The green market in India today has ignited interest in investors globally. The potential of the country to translate technology and innovation in renewable energy sector into viable business opportunities has been the prime area of interest for global investors. The government has acknowledged this very fact and has opened dialogue and investment in the renewable energy sector. The renewable energy sector in India can certainly prove itself to be a viable investment opportunity with Public and Private investments in innovation , technology, research, Regulatory clarity and robust infrastructure. We at UBM India have well met our objective for REI 2014 by providing the platform to the stakeholders of the Industry to successfully meet the challenges and opportunities that are present in India’s Renewable Energy

sector.” Mr R Sivakumar COO, BORG Energy said “We are happy to participate at the 8th edition of REI 2014. Our commitment to the expo is evident with us being the platinum sponsors. Being a participant, year after year, the response at the expo has been tremendous, similar to its past editions. The show has proven to be a great platform for us to showcase our technology and launch our product here.” Ajay Goel, CEO, Tata Power Solar while sharing his experience said, “We are showcasing 25 years of solar modules which are most effective in India at REI 2014. Our off grid solutions i.e. solar & water pump solutions are most effective in India. REI is a great forum for bringing customers and partners together. It’s always good to reconnect with them.” Mr K. N. Suresh Kumar, Director & Country Manager, Bonfiglioli Renewable Power Conversion India Pvt Ltd. said “Things look really nice with India. We foresee 2 GW capacity projections for the coming year. The market for renewable energy is growing more competitive with players venturing into this industry. Speaking of technology, we have new container which has a capacity of 1.54 MW with a direct current controlled cabinet which suits to any geographical condition.” Sarvesh Kumar, Deputy Managing Director, RRB Energy Limited said “Being a manufacturer, we wish for more conducive policies. As we are a wind turbine manufacturer, we want more of government and state electricity boards support. With the recent surge in the market, we believe that it should grow to 5,000 MW from a present size of 2,000 MW in a short period of 1 to 2 years. If the government supports the industry adequately, India will become a major hub of renewable energy.”

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PRODUCTS Bonfiglioli launches Inverter Container solution for India Solar PV Industry

The Solar business division of Bonfiglioli Group launches the turnkey Solar Inverter Station, RPS Station ICON 20-LV, for Indian Subcontinent Region.

KN Suresh Kumar, Country Manager & Director of Bonfiglioli Renewable Power Conversion India Pvt. Ltd. (Bonfiglioli’s Renewable Business Unit).

With the ICON 20-LV series, Bonfiglioli introduces a new design standard for turn-key inverter solutions to the Indian market. These inverter stations contain RPS TL series of Inverters providing high adaptability to power requirements and string configurations in a compact 20 ft ISO-container design.

With the design specific to Indian Market, ICON 20-LV stations and RPS TL inverters are produced in India with the same German engineering that distinguishes all Bonfiglioli inverters, achieving high process quality through a standardized platform design.

“Bonfiglioli Inverter Container solutions have been created as a response to the faster commissioning requirements and harsh environmental conditions for Utility Scale PV Installations in India”, said Mr.

To ensure high lifetime in the most challenging Indian weather conditions, ICON 20-LV container solutions are equipped with an active controlled forced-air ventilation system and marine grade coated anti-

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corrosion steel container. ICON 20-LV stations are delivered ready to connect to an external medium-voltage transformer and switchgear that can be optionally supplied by Bonfiglioli according to local standards. Thanks to the integrated mechanical, electrical and cooling design, RPS Station solutions help to significantly reduce the planning and execution times of your PV projects.

September - October 2014

PRODUCTS Canadian Solar launches MAPLE Home Lighting System Canadian Solar Inc., one of the largest solar manufacturers in the world, has introduced its MAPLEHome Lighting System in the Indian market. It is the latest model of their solar powered Lighting and Charging System that has gained significant popularity in several international markets. The product aims at providing a lighting solution, especially in remote parts of the country. As one among the top three solar panel manufacturers in the world, Canadian Solar is known to ship high performance, cutting edge innovation solar products from their manufacturing facilities in North America and China. They combine scrupulous quality control with in-house testing, and adherence to stringent international quality standards to ensure superior performance and great value. The MAPLE Home Lighting System

September - October 2014

comes in two capacities and each package consists of the following: •

A Solar module (5W/10W Power output)

•

Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh)

•

LED Lamps with adjustable intensity and two power modes

•

Charging Indicator

•

USB Port for charging cell phones and small devices

•

Battery and USB status indicator

The system comes with a 1 year warranty. The major application of the solar lighting system is envisaged in the remote, rural areas with limited or no access to reliable grid power. This product is expected to eliminate some of the major problems with conventional (non-electrical) lighting systems including dependency on kerosene

fuel, fire risk, pollution and health hazards. The facility of charging mobile phones on the go is considered to be yet another benefit for this market. Due to the significant role that it can play in improving the living conditions of women and children in such regions, initiatives are being taken to distribute MAPLE Home Lighting Systems through NGOs and corporations as part of their CSR activities. In the urban market, MAPLE Home Lighting Systems shall be available as solar torch lighting, night lamps and decorative lighting for themed architectural settings by virtue of its unique shape and wireless design. Due to the use of high quality, durable Li-ion battery, the system is expected to last for several years with minimal maintenance efforts.

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PRODUCTS Nuevosol promises 25 year corrosion warranty with latest materials. With ever-increasing demand for higher reliability and warranties, Nuevosol has announced 25 -year design integrity and corrosion warranty for all its upcoming projects. These warranties are being provided for designs made using newer materials being imported from Belgium, Japan and South Korea. While Galvanization, the process of depositing protective layer of Zinc on steel has been a trusted norm followed for years, the global steel manufacturers are introducing newer materials with better corrosion proofing properties. Nuevosol has been in the forefront to conduct material research and establish these newer materials for solar industry.

Nuevosol introduced designs using Galvalume a material with superior corrosive properties available in lower thicknesses enabling better optimization. Galvalume is steel coated with zinc and Aluminium. Aluminium provides the capability to protect the steel for 25 years forming a protective sacrificial layer.Nuevosol has used Galvalume based designs for over 200 MWs in the last 6 months, and has been received well by the industry. Taking a step forward Nuevosol through rigorous optimization research has developed designs using the latest material which has a protective coating of Zinc, Aluminium and Magnesium. This new material is being imported from Belgium for its upcoming

projects and Nuevosol is offering a 25 year corrosion proof warranty for structures manufactured using these materials. Speaking on this Nuevosol CEO and Managing Director Mr Himamsu Popuri said “ Innovation is Nuevosol’s key focus, be it in optimizing for lower costs or for higher durability. In the disguise of optimization we are witnessing a recent trend in the industry to compromise the life of plant. But Nuevosol sticking to its core ethics has been innovating and introducing newer material and designs to deliver for higher life span of the power plant while reducing the prices every year. We are thankful to our esteemed clientele who are always open for innovation and encouraging our research efforts.”.

Jakson Group Rolls out New Range of Solar Powered Products l

Launches Solar Powered Lighting, Indoor RO System, Modules

and business model to provide electricity through solar energy and storage devices.

Attractively priced solar products to light up India’s rural areas

Targets Rs.650 crore revenue from solar business by FY 2017

Jakson will introduce the new range of solar products in a phased manner across the nation. In the first phase, the company is targeting to reach key markets of Bihar, UP, North East and J&K, which will extend to Telangana, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in the second phase. As part of its marketing drive, the company is planning to add many new dealers and distributors in these areas to increase the footprint. With the launch of the new range of solar powered products, Jakson is targeting to reach a revenue of Rs. 650 crore from the solar business by FY 2017 compared to Rs. 127 crore in FY 2014.

Jakson Group, India’s leading power solutions company, today launched a new range of solar powered products like Home Lighting Systems (HLS), Street Lights, Indoor RO Systems and PV Modules to cater to the needs of both urban & rural markets in India. With this launch, the Group is planning to capture a sizeable share of the solar energy market. Through this initiative, the company intends to focus on rural electrification by providing a reliable and affordable range of solar products supported by large after sales service network. The company has also planned to invest in rural micro grid by conducting feasibility studies in un-electrified remote villages to identify the requirement

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Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sameer Gupta, Managing Director, Jakson Group, said “The sub-urban as well as rural India is still deprived of clean drinking water and availability of power. Jakson has developed solutions to address these problems by developing energy efficient and cost effective Solar Water and Solar Home lighting systems.

These are sustainable and clean solutions. We are positive about the potential use of these systems especially in remote and rural areas across India, wherein nearly 320 million people still don’t have access to power. By undertaking this initiative, Jakson is looking forward to make a fruitful contribution towards the cause of the nation. We are having equal focus on Defence segment where solar solutions for various applications is an answer to the ever growing demand in this segment”. Jakson has a st ate-of-the-art manufacturing facility for solar products in Greater Noida (NCR region) spread over an area of 150,000 sq. mtr. Currently, the company is manufacturing solar-based generators and water purifiers. The company has invested around Rs. 75 crore to add additional lines to manufacture the new range of solar powered products.

September - October 2014

Intersolar India 2014 Date: 18-20Nov2014 Place: Mumbai,India Organiser: Intersolar Tel.: +49 7231 585980 Email: steffen@intersolar.in Web.: www.intersolar.in

2014 China International Photovoltaic Exhibition & Conference Date: 20-22Nov2014 Place: Beijing, China Organiser: CPV Expo Tel.: +86 21 33561096-827 Email: weiwei@cpvexpo.org Web.: www.cpvexpo.org

Eco Sure Expo 2014

Date: 21-23Nov2014 Place: Hyderabad, India Organiser: Tel.: +91 888 5590969 Email: spoorthypadham@gmail.com Web.: www.ecosureexpo.com

The 6th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion Date: 23-27Nov2014 Place: Kyoto, Japan Organiser : Tel.: Email: wcpec6@wcpec6.com Web.: wcpec6.com

6th RENEXPO® Austria

Date: 27-29Nov2014 Place: Salzburg, Austria Organiser: REECO Tel.: +43 662 822635 Email: schweizer@reeco.eu Web.: www.renexpo-austria.at

Semicon Japan 2014

Date: 03-05DEC2014 Place: Tokyo, Japan Organiser: Semi Tel.: +81 3 32225988 Email: jcustomer@semi.org Web.: www.semiconjapan.org/en/

The 9th AsiaSolar PV Industry Exhibition Date: 04-06DEC2014 Place: Shanghai, China Organiser: Aiexpo Tel.: +86 21 65929965 Email: info@aiexpo.com.cn Web.: www.AsiaSolar.net

Solar Canada 2014

Date: 08-09DEC2014 Place: Toronto, Canada Organiser: Cansia Tel.: +1 866 5226742-222 Email: schester@cansia.ca Web.: solarcanadaconference.ca

Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America 2014 Date: 09-11DEC2014 Place: Orlando, Florida, USA Organiser: Pennwell Tel.: +1 918 8329298 Email: Lizziec@pennwell.com Web.: www.renewableenergyworld-events.com

POWER-GEN International 2014 Date: 09-11DEC2014 Place: Orlando, Florida, USA Organiser: Pennwell Tel.: +1 918 7708616 Email: lindaf@pennwell.com Web.: www.power-gen.com

PV China 2014

Date: 18-20DEC2014 Place: Shanghai, China Organiser: utmglobal Tel.: +86 21 31007319 Email: alice.qiang@utmglobal.cn Web.: www.pv-china.org

World Future Energy Summit 2015 Date: 19-22Jan2015 Place: Abu Dhabi, UAE Organiser: Reedexpo Tel.: +971 2 4090444 Email: rajveer.singh@reedexpo.ae Web.: www.worldfutureenergysummit.com

The International Exhibition CleanTech 2015 Date: 27-28Jan2015 Place: Air Port City, Israel Organiser: Tel.: +972 8 6273838 Email: info@mashov.net Web.: cleantech.mashovgroup.net

InterSOLUTION 2015

Date: 28-30Jan2015 Place: Ghent, Belgium Organiser: Intersolution Tel.: +32 9 3857719 Email: info@intersolution.be Web.: www.intersolution.be/en

SEMICON Korea 2015

Date: 04-06Feb2015 Place: Seoul, Korea Organiser: SEMI Tel.: +82 2 5317800 Email: semiconkorea@semi.org Web.: www.semiconkorea.org

For Listing of your Event : Conference and events are listed free-of-charge, so please feel free to get in touch to tell us about your event. We would also be happy to provide you with free copies of magazine for distribution at your events.(while stock last). Please send your conference information to : Mr. Gourav Garg at gourav.garg@EQmag.net

September - October 2014

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EQ Solar Leadership Summit south

International Solar Technology & Investment SummitÂ

South India

11-12 March 2015 Hyderabad

& p i h s r e k S pe a n o i t a p i c Parti y t i n u t r o Op p

Saumya Gupta saumya.gupta@eqmag.net +91-95754-99990

Arpita Gupta arpita.gupta@eqmag.net +91-90095-55914

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