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April 2020 | Rs. 200
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DCP LICENSING NO. F.2(S-29) PRESS/2016 l VOL 4 l ISSUE 08 l TOTAL PAGES 64 l PUBLISHED ON 1ST OF EVERY MONTH
MARKETING ROOFTOP SOLAR The Missing Element
INSIDE:-
MAXSON LEWIS
Magenta Power
JAIDEEP N. MALAVIYA Solar Thermal Federation of India
THE RISE AND RISE
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From The Editor PRASANNA SINGH Group Editor
prasanna@meilleurmedia.com
W
elcome to another issue of Saur Energy, and we do hope you have been safe and well these past few weeks. Like everyone else, we have felt the full intensity of the lockdown these past few days, but surprisingly enough, not on the newsfront.Thanks to an unusually active MNRE and a government that seems to have been galvanised into action by a crisis. Announcements have been coming thick and fast, not least of which is the draft proposal for amendments to the Electricity Act (2003), which we believe hold potential for massive impact. The lockdown has also given us pause to consider an issue we continually run into, which is the absolute commoditisation of the rooftop solar sector. It's an issue we decided to take up in more detail in this month's cover feature. If you are in the business, we hope it gives you some insights into what you could be doing to improve sales and your customer engagement with your offering. As everyone looks to the end of the lockdown, a semblance of 'normalcy' will probably only return by May end, if we are lucky. But even otherwise, it does look like major changes are afoot, especially with hybrid, storage, and more variations for renewable power coming up. To keep track, don't miss any issue!
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MANU TAYAL manu@meilleurmedia.com Saur Energy International is printed, published, edited and owned by Manas Nandi and published from 303, 2nd floor, Neelkanth Palace, Plot No- 190, Sant Nagar, East of Kailash, New Delhi- 110065 (INDIA), Printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi.
04 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
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Editor, Publisher, Printer and Owner make every effort to ensure high quality and accuracy of the content published. However he cannot accept any responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor and publisher. The information in the content and advertisement published in the magazine are just for reference of the readers. However, readers are cautioned to make inquiries and take their decision on purchase or investment after consulting experts on the subject. Saur Energy International holds no responsibility for any decision taken by readers on the basis of the information provided herein. Any unauthorised reproduction of Saur Energy International magazine content is strictly forbidden. Subject to Delhi Jurisdiction.
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www.saurenergy.com | vol 4 | issue 08
12
POINT OF VIEW
06 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
08 14 20 24 28
POLICY MNRE Grants Blanket Extension for RE Projects amid Lockdown
OPED Importance of Using Storage with Increasing Renewable Energy
PROJECT Vikram Solar Wins 300 MW Solar Project from NTPC
THE CONVERSATION JAIDEEP N. MALAVIYA Solar Thermal Federation of India
THE CONVERSATION MAXSON LEWIS Magenta Power
MARKET European RE Industry Started Recovery from March Low Prices: Report
MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT SOLIS 110KW STRING INVERTER FOR COMMERCIAL ROOFTOP APPLICATIONS
TATA POWER SOLAR The Rise and Rise of Workforce Development
FINANCE NTPC, Employees Contribute Rs 257.5 Cr to Combat COVID-19
OPINION Reinvest 2020, BCD, Mfg. And MoreHighlights from MNRE-USISPF Webinar
16 COVER STORY
31 34 38 44 52
STARTUP FEATURE
27
Residential Solar. Market Yes, But Marketing? Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 07
POLICY UPDATES Ministry in its earlier notification on March 20, 2020, issued directions to renewable energy implementing agencies to treat delay on account of disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country, as Force Majeure and that they may grant a suitable extension of time for projects based on evidences produced by developers in support of their claims. However, the With an aim to provide relief to renewable Ministry now said that all RE implementing energy (RE) stakeholders amid lockdown agencies of MNRE will treat lockdown due due to Covid-19, the Ministry of New and to coronavirus, as Force Majeure. Besides, Renewable Energy (MNRE) has granted an referring to the RE departments (including extension of time for RE projects equivalent to agencies under power/ energy departments the period of lockdown plus 30 days additional of states, but dealing in renewable energy), blanket extension. the Ministry has asked them that they may The Ministry in an order issued on April also treat lockdown due to coronavirus, as 17, 2020, stated that the extension will be Force Majeure and may consider granting for the period of lockdown plus 30 days. appropriate time extension on account of The additional 30 days will be a blanket such lockdown. extension for normalisation after the end Meanwhile, the move came after, RE of such lockdown. Moreover, it also added developers represented to the Ministry that there will be no requirement of a case to that they may be granted a general time case examination and there will be no need extension on account of lockdown, due to to ask for any evidence for an extension due coronavirus, and additional time required for to lockdown. The move is significant as the normalization after such lockdown.
MNRE Grants Blanket Extension for RE Projects amid Lockdown
MNRE Appoints IREDA to Handle its CPSU Scheme – II The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has appointed Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) as the implementing agency for the ministry’s Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Scheme Phase-II. The CPSU Scheme Phase-II is aimed at setting up 12,000-MW grid-connected solar PV power projects under the government producers with VGF support for self-use or by government entities either directly or through discoms. IREDA will be taking over the task of handling all the bidding for the allocation of solar power projects in the Scheme from the Solar Energy Corporation of India, MNRE announced via new amendments. “IREDA will now be entrusted with the task of conducting bidding for allocation of solar power projects in the Scheme with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amount as a bid parameter to select project proponents. The maximum permissible VGF amount will be reviewed time-to-time by MNRE and will be reduced by it if the cost difference comes down,” the ministry issued in its notification. 08 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
“The VGF provided under the Scheme can be used by the government producers as their equity in solar projects being set-up under this. If a government producer sets up a solar PV project under the CPSU scheme in a solar park, both CFA as per solar park scheme and VGF under the CSPU scheme will be eligible,” the ministry said. Under the fresh amendments, the ministry has also lowered the maximum usage charges that need to be paid for securing the power generated by projects under the scheme. The maximum usage charges that can be agreed upon between the two entities has been brought down from Rs 3.50/kWh to Rs 2.80/kWh. Furthermore, the ministry has also amended the timelines for project commissioning. For solar projects up to 500 MW capacity, the commission timeline has been set to two years or 24 months. For projects, more than 500 MW capacity, 500 MW capacity must be commissioned within 24 months while the remainder must be commissioned in the next 6 months.
MNRE Cuts Tariff Ceiling by 70 Paise under CPSU PhII Solar Scheme The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has reduced the tariff ceiling by 70 paise to Rs 2.8 per unit from Rs 3.5 per unit earlier under the phase-II of the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) programme for developing 12 GW of capacity solar projects. Also, the government has increased the time period for the implementation of these projects from the existing 18 months to 24 months. Besides, it has also changed the nodal agency for conducting auctions of these projects from Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). Furthermore, the government notification also stated that the usage charge would not be higher than Rs 2.8 per unit, which shall be exclusive to any other third party charges like wheeling and transmission charges and losses, point of connections charges and losses, cross-subsidy surcharge, state load dispatch centre/regional load dispatch centre charges, etc as may be applicable. Now, the interested bidders would have to bid below Rs 2.8 per unit under the scheme for solar projects. Additionally, now IREDA will be entrusted for conducting bidding amongst government producers for allocation of the solar project under the scheme with viability gap funding (VGF) as a bid parameter to select project proponent. It also added that the VGF of Rs 70 lakh per MW (capacity) can be used by government producers as their equity in solar projects being set up by them under the schemer. The amendments also provide that these producers would be eligible for VGF under this scheme as well as other solar park schemes also. On the time period for implementation of the project, it says that the projects with up to 500 MW capacity would be implemented within 24 months from the date of the letter of award. However, for over 500 MW capacity, the project capacity up to 500 MW would be commissioned within 24 months from the date of the letter of award and balance capacity to be commissioned in the next 6 months.
POLICY UPDATES
Electricity Act Amendments The Big Bang Reforms Solar Sector Needs The amendments proposed in the draft Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill 2020 by the power ministry could be the big bang reforms the power sector, and by extension, the renewable energy sector in India, has been waiting for. If these go through without major changes, then some of the biggest roadblocks holding back the proper growth and expansion of the sector, besides planning for a smoother energy transition to renewable energy, could finally move. For Power Minister R.K. Singh, who also holds charge of the MNRE, passage of the amendments could mark his tenure as one of major reform, and not just the honest effort made to support and generate more private sector investment in the renewable energy sector. Let’s look at the key changes proposed. The biggest area, and highlighted early on by the ministry release, is the issue of power pricing. For years, this has been among the primary reasons blamed for the poor state of discom finances, being a reason, excuse, and a shield behind which losses grew, inefficiencies lay hidden, and perhaps,’ dirty’, thermal power flourished at the expense of renewable energy (sort of ). Discoms, which, at least count owed close to Rs 90,000 crores to generating firms, have become the bottleneck without which, no amount of incentives, exhortations, or efforts seem work in the power sector, including the renewable energy sector. The proposed amendment to the act seeks to have all state regulatory commissions determine tariff for retail sale without any subsidy under Section 65 of the Act. Subsidies thus, will be transferred directly to consumers by the state, even as they pay full price for the power. Much like the move made for cooking gas. The act also proposes removal of the surcharges levied on industrial consumers , an anachronism in India, where we are one of the few large economies with higher industrial rates as compared to residential rates. In theory, these surcharges are meant to subsidise residential consumers. In reality, they have become as much a permanent revenue source, as any such surcharge has a habit of turning into. Beyond the removal of subsidies, the new act could even prevent power departments to defer revenue recovery, a method used
by many state governments to run their discoms into heavy losses by postponing reimbursements for later. The proposal to strengthen the appellate tribunal of electricity with more members, with powers similar to that of a civil court is also welcome, to speed up dispute resolution. Following up on the promise made by Power Minister R.K. Singh to back its office orders with legal teeth, state load dispatch centres will be required to monitor payments by states before supplying electricity. That , if implemented well, can have a massive impact, as states will no longer be able to blame power shortages to paying consumers on central utilities. By giving teeth to the sanctity of PPA’s (power purchase agreements), and a clear definition of conditions for force majeure, the new act will also seek to avoid the kind of damage a new state government in Andhra Pradesh did in the future. The Andhra effect has already been seen in 2019, with much more detailed and standardised PPA’s for all new developments across the country. Some of which took away whatever little flexibility state buying utilities enjoyed in good faith before the AP incidents put paid to trust there. A key provision relates to much heavier penalties for discoms, when it
comes to meeting their RPO’s. (Renewable purchase obligations). Doing this right by raising the price of failure, could remove the biggest roadblocks to faster spread of rooftop solar, for instance, besides better acceptance of utility scale renewable power from the grid. Developer after developer has complained in private about how, despite the so called ‘must run’ status given to renewable energy, discoms regularly curtail power offtake, sometimes through oral instructions even. With deemed generation status for such curtailment, unless it involved grid safety, the future could be that much brighter for existing generators. And keep in mind that the escape route given, namely grid safety, should hardly be called into use at all currently, with share of renewable energy barely into the teens in most states. With a high focus on storage , or peak power and round the clock power from renewables in focus, the passing of the act without any backdown on some of these amendments, could truly mark one of the biggest policy shifts for the sector in India since 2014, when the government of Prime Minister Modi first moved to ramp up its renewable targets from 20 GW to 175 GW by 2022. Truly big bang reforms would have arrived in India’s power sector. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 09
POLICY UPDATES
Govt Provides Relief to Discoms amid Covid-19 Crisis In a next spell of providing relief measures to the country’s ailing power sector amid lockdown due to coronavirus crisis, Power Minister RK Singh has now provided relief to power distribution companies (Discoms), with an aim to ease out their liquidity problems. The Power Ministry has approved financial relief measures for Discoms citing “due to the lockdown, consumers are unable to pay their dues to Discoms. This has affected the liquidity position of the Discoms thereby impairing their ability to pay to the generating and transmission companies (Gencos).” As per the government’s newly issued guidelines, the CPSU generation and transmission companies will continue to supply and transmission of electricity even to Discoms despite large outstanding dues to the generation and transmission companies. It further added that during the present emergency there will be no curtailment of supply to any Discom. Besides, the power ministry has also slashed the requirement of maintaining bank credits to 50 percent by Discoms as a payment security mechanism in lieu of purchasing power from
Gencos till June 30, 2020. Moreover, the ministry has also directed the power regulator Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) to provide 3 months’ moratorium to Discoms for making payments to Gencos and transmission licensees. It also instructed to not to levy penalty rates of late payment surcharge. Additionally, the ministry has also requested state governments to issue similar directions to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission. Notably, the Discoms’ dues to Gencos surged nearly 32 percent to Rs 88,311 crore in the month of January 2020, as against Rs 67,012 crore during the same month in 2019.
MNRE to Issue Uniform Guidelines for Renewable Energy Procurement In a further step to provide relief to the ailing renewable energy sector in the country, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is mulling to issue uniform combined guidelines for the procurement of renewable energy i.e. solar, wind, and hybrid energy including storage. The government’s motive behind issuing uniform guidelines is to boost investment into the renewable energy sector. The Ministry will also continue to issue new bids so that investors can plan their investment. This information was provided by MNRE after Power Minister RK Singh took review meetings via video conferencing with all officers of the Ministry in which it was decided that “MNRE will issue uniform combined guidelines for procurement of Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hybrid) 10 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
including Storage to facilitate investment in the sector and will continue to bring new bids so that investors can plan their investment.” Amid lockdown imposed across the country as a precautionary measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus, MNRE has been working through e-office from home. Besides the movement of files and notings online, review meetings are also taking place through video conferencing. The government has taken various steps in order to ensure smooth functioning of the power sector in such critical times. Recently, the MNRE, Secretary, Anand Kumar also informed that all renewable energy projects under implementation will be given the extension of time considering the period of lockdown and time required for remobilization of the workforce.
India’s RE Generation Capacity Sees 72% Growth in 6 Years: RK Singh The installed capacity of renewable energy generation in the country has grown 72 percent from 80 gigawatts (GW) to 138.9 GW during the past six years, according to new and renewable energy minister RK Singh. The minister also added that the foreign direct investments of USD 6.1 billion flew into the Indian clean energy sector — including solar, wind, biomass, large hydro and nuclear — in the five year period 2014-19. “Globally, India stands third in terms of renewable power, fourth in terms of wind power and fifth in terms of solar power installed capacity. For the period 2014-2019, clean energy investments in India were about USD 75 billion,” Singh said in a written reply in Parliament last week. Of the renewable energy sources, excluding large hydro above 25 MW, the installed capacity of solar energy capacity registered the highest growth. It grew from 2.6 GW in March 2014 to 34.4 GW in February this year. As part of its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, as per the Paris Climate Agreement, India has committed to install around 40 percent of its power generation capacity based on non-fossil fuel resources by 2030. Singh also said an additional 62.4 GW clean energy capacity is currently under various stages of implementation and 34.07 GW is under various stages of bidding. Most of the clean energy projects, except nuclear power and some large hydro, are set-up in the country by the private sector. Recently, the minister also said that as on February 29, 2020, a cumulative gridconnected solar power capacity of 35.07 GW had been installed in the country. And an additional capacity 21.35 GW was at various stages of implementation with 31.27 GW at various stages of tendering. This apart, tender s for installing 20 GW have been planned till June 2021 so as to achieve the target of 100 GW.
POLICY UPDATES
MNRE Asks States to not Halt Payments for RE Generators The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has asked states to continue to buy power from renewable energy producers and clear their dues “on a regular basis as was being done prior to the lockdown”. The MNRE on April 1, 2020, wrote to all states and electricity distribution companies (Discoms) after renewable energy producers complained that some states were curtailing purchase and payment for electricity generated from sources such as solar energy. In the letter, the ministry said the power ministry has recently issued instructions providing for a moratorium to Discoms for making payments to electricity generating companies in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak and the following nationwide lockdown. Some state Discoms, however, used that order to start curtailing renewable energy power terming the prevailing situation a ‘force majeure’ condition. The ministry, according to the letter, has directed the discoms to accept invoices and billing through emails and make payments to renewable energy generators as per their power purchasing agreements (PPAs). “Renewable energy generating stations have been granted ‘mustrun’ status and this status of ‘must-run’ remains unchanged during the period of lockdown,” it said. Solar and wind electricity generating stations have been granted a place in the “essentials” list
exempted from the lockdown, and they will be allowed to continue to function during the lockdown period. “Since Discoms have already been given sufficient relief and as electricity from renewable energy (RE) comprises only a minor portion of the total electricity generation in the country, the payments to RE generators be done on a regular basis as was being done prior to the lockdown,” it said.
MNRE Extends ALMM Deadline to 6 Months amid Disruptions from COVID-19 In a series of providing relief to the renewable energy firms which are facing a new range of challenges presented by coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has extended the deadlines for the approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM) i.e. both List-I for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and List-II for solar PV cells by next 6 months. Earlier, the last date for enlistment for both ALMM List-I and ALMM List-II was March 31, 2020, which has been now extended to September 30, 2020. In a letter announcing the extension, MNRE stated that “due to temporary disruptions due to COVID-19 epidemic and the current lockdown and the prevailing situation due to such epidemic, it has been decided with the approval of MNRE & Power Minister to extend the effective dates for ALMM List-I (solar PV modules) and ALMM List-II (solar PV cells) by six months.”
Earlier in January 2019, MNRE had issued an order aimed at ensuring the reliability of solar PV manufacturers and protect the consumers’ interests The order provides for the enlistment of eligible models and manufacturers of solar PV cells and modules complying with the BIS Standards and publishes the same in a list called the ALMM. As per the order, List I includes models and manufacturers of solar PV modules and List II specifies models and manufacturers of solar PV cells and the effective dates for operationalizing both the lists was scheduled as of March 31, 2020. The order further stipulated that all government projects or projects which are under government programs installed across the country including projects set up to sale power to the government will have to source their modules from models and manufacturers included in ALMM List I (for modules). For the deployment
of solar modules after the effective date (i.e. March 31, 2020), the solar PV module manufacturers will have to mandatorily source solar cells from the manufacturers enlisted in ALMM List-II (for cells). Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 11
POINT OF VIEW
Will India have greater success with manufacturing when it comes to energy storage? The ongoing global economic crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic has raised concerns about India’s dependence on imports and strongly put the case for encouraging domestic manufacturing in the country. Though, the government also aimed to support the industry but the road towards this is filled with lot of challenges, which needs to be sorted out on a rapid pace. Here’re some views and voices from the industry on the success of manufacturing wrt energy storage in India:
Dr Rahul Walawalkar President India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) India has recently gained stature as one of the fastest-growing markets for advanced energy storage technology supporting the exponential growth expected in its electric vehicle (EV) market over the next 5 years. With IESA, estimating the India market to account for over 300GWh (2019-25) considering ESS & EV opportunities, around USD 5 billion investments are expected to be attracted supporting 50+GWh capacities for multiple li-ion battery GIGA factories. India is expected to attract investment in two-to-four Giga factories for advanced Liion batteries, attracting over USD 3 billion in investments in the next 3 years. The battery pack manufacturers in India are currently assembling high capacity packs with the goal to target electric vehicles and stationary storage market. Assembling of Li-ion battery packs is a dynamic industry in India and is growing at a healthy pace. At IESA, we, however, believe that it is high time for the Indian industry to take up R&D and advanced cell manufacturing so that we reduce our dependence on other countries. The recent pandemic related to COVID19 has highlighted the importance of domestic manufacturing considering the risk of global supply chain disruptions. Energy storage and EVs have importance for national energy security and we should learn from the recent events and accelerate our efforts for building domestic capabilities.
Akshay Kashyap Founder and Managing Director GreenFuel Energy Solutions I believe in the short to medium term, India will not have greater success when it comes to manufacturing of Energy Storage. The core reasons are: • There is just not enough demand – while the government wants to have 50 GWh of factories making cells for Energy storage the demand between the EV sector and Energy storage is not enough at the moment to encourage any International companies of repute to set-up base with huge investments in India. China as an example mandated New Energy vehicles and with ample Lithium resources companies were encouraged to invest and cater to this new demand. • Price Expectations are too low in India – The expectations of customers with regards to prices are too low. New setups without economies of scale cannot compete. • We can’t compete with China Today – India does not have the raw materials and we have a highly fragmented market.. We will therefore need to look at alternative chemistries which require huge investments in R&D and this most companies are not prepared to do. We will therefore end up as net importers for short and medium term.
Sunil Badesra Business Head Sungrow India Pvt. Ltd. Since the battery energy storage manufacturing set up are highly capital intensive, the necessary support of fiscal incentives will make it attractive and more financially viable. Similarly, any suitable framework by Government (either by PPP mode or any other mechanism) to ensure supply of critical raw materials from respective regions of the globe will boost the confidence of investors. There is demand for energy storage and it is going to hugely increase in coming times in India. Hence, Government needs to focus more on supply side benefits to achieve the success in battery energy storage manufacturing in India. -MANU@MEILLEURMEDIA.COM
12 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
MODULE UPDATES
Solaria Sues Canadian Solar for Patent Infringement The Solaria Corporation, a US-based global provider of advanced solar energy products, has announced that it has filed a suit against Canadian Solar Inc., the leading Chinese solar panel manufacturer, in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California. The suit alleges that Canadian Solar, with operations primarily in China and elsewhere in Asia, infringes Solaria’s US patent that covers a process for separating photovoltaic (PV) strips from solar cells for use in tiled or so-called “shingled” solar modules. Shingled modules have higher power and are more efficient than conventional solar modules. Solaria asserts in the lawsuit that it first introduced Canadian Solar to its highefficiency, high-density module (HDM) technology in 2014 when representatives of Canadian Solar evaluated Solaria’s next-generation shingling technology for a potential licensing deal. After further collaborations between the companies over the ensuing year, in which Solaria disclosed its proprietary technology and business strategies to Canadian Solar under an NDA, no deal was reached. The company stated that in an apparent reference to Solaria’s proprietary HDM technology, Canadian Solar launched its
“HiDM” shingled modules last year and began advertising and selling them in the United States. Solaria maintains that Canadian Solar’s HiDM shingled modules infringe Solaria’s patent, for which it seeks damages and injunctive relief. “Solaria has invested over USD 200 million in developing its technology over the last
decade to create the most advanced solar panels in the world,” said Solaria CEO Suvi Sharma. “When foreign companies such as Canadian Solar ignore American patents and violate our core IP, we will take action to enforce and protect the technology that took so much effort and investment to develop.”
Tongei Solar To Invest CNY 20 Bn to Expand capacity With an aim to target exports to European markets, Chinese solar cell manufacturer Tongwei Solar has recently organized a groundbreaking ceremony of its photovoltaic (PV) industrial base project in Jintang County of Chengdu city in China. With a total investment of about CNY 20 billion, Tongwei Solar photovoltaic industrial base project will build the annual 30 GW high-performance solar cell and supporting project in Chengdu City. The project is expected an lead to an estimated output value increase of about CNY 70 billion and create more than 10,000 new jobs. Further, phase-I of the project is likely to be completed by the end of 2020 and will begin production at the beginning of 2021. With this Jintang Project as a pilot, the company is mulling to actively carry out the application of 5G in the field of industrial internet and making the Jintang Project a model of 5G+ advanced manufacturing industry. It will also promote the construction of PV green smart town based on the industrial manufacturing scenario of the company. Chengdu that radiates to western China. Thus, the construction of this industrial base project will make Through production in this base, the company is targeting the full use of local advantages to building a major production base in export of its PV products to the European markets. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 13
OPED
Importance of Using Storage with Increasing Renewable Energy NAMRATA MUKHERJEE Senior Vice President and Head Policy Advocacy Sterlite Power
Background and Context The Government of India has announced ambitious targets for Renewable Energy (RE) capacity addition, and the Country is rapidly adding Wind and Solar generation in the energy mix. However, there are some well accepted issues associated with RE power – such as intermittency, fluctuations owing to weather changes, and limited forecasting/ scheduling capability – which will always throw challenges that need redressal to ensure widespread and optimal adoption. While the traditional ways to counterbalance the grid with high penetration of RE is through use of hydro and gas based generating stations coupled with new & flexible coal-based plants, it may not prove to be practically sufficient for balancing the variability. It should be kept in mind that the electric grid is a complex system that is constantly being balanced to account for varying demand and supply. Inability to balance the requirements can lead to low power quality, grid instability, brown-outs or even black-outs in extreme situations.
Options for Managing the Grid Some industry estimates indicate that large scale addition of the targeted quantum of RE Power will likely result in substantial backing down of Thermal Generation during forenoon and afternoon. Thereafter, the load would be taken up by Thermal Generators. However, since the Thermal stations have low ramp rate, they cannot adequately compensate for the reduction in Solar Generation. Hydro Generators are conventionally considered the best suited to affect balancing of variations of RE generation – due to their ability to start and stop quickly. However, all Hydro stations do not have the requisite pondage to take up this role. Besides that, effective communication between Hydro station and RE Generators to force immediate change in schedule may also need to be looked at. In fact, the Regulatory framework does not permit immediate change in schedules. Also, due to other factors, such as high capital cost, long gestation period, hydrological challenges, R&R issues etc., Hydro Generators cannot be looked at as reliable source of meeting peak demand requirements in future. 14 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
Gas based Generators are considered to be the second-best option to meet the peak demand, but their installed capacity of ~25 GW may prove to be insufficient to meet the demand. Another issue with Gas based Generators is the price and availability of fuel. Due to these issues, combined with the fact that Gas market reforms are still some way away, and the focus for the near future has been changed to City Gas Distribution (CGD), Gas based plants do not appear to be a viable option to meet the peak demand requirements. In order to be prepared for the grid conditions which are likely to come up in a few years, it is necessary to take initiatives in this direction with concrete targets. It is clear that GW scale Storage of RE Power and smoothening of RE Generation through use of fast response Storage Solution seems to be one of the most critical needs to ensure GW scale RE integration in the system. This is captured succinctly in the CERC’s Staff Paper on Energy Storage Systems from Jan-2017, which states: … in the coming decade, the need for modernizing the grid will help the nation to meet the challenge of handling projected energy needs as well as increasing energy from renewable sources while maintaining a robust and resilient electricity delivery system. These challenges warrant a specific energy storage solution to cater to peak demand and to address the variability of intermittent generation. In this context, need is felt for specific Electricity Storage System that would provide economically feasible Electricity Storage Services to address these challenges. Energy storage can play a significant role in meeting these challenges by improving the operating capabilities of the grid, lowering power purchase cost and ensuring high reliability by maintaining unscheduled interchange as well as deferring and reducing infrastructure investments in new projects”. Additionally, Energy Storage Systems also have multiple other applications, all of which contribute to the Power system in different ways: 1. Peak Shaving 2. Optimizing output of renewable power 3. T&D CAPEX deferral 4. Loss reduction & Asset life enhancement 5. Frequency Regulation
OPED 6. Deviational Penalty Minimization 7. Reactive Power Management 8. Support for black start during blackout
Energy Storage Model in the Indian context The storage-as-a-transmission asset model proposed in the CERC staff paper issued in Jan 2017 is a promising model and merits consideration. According to this, a developer enters into a fixed, availability-based annuity contract with the Transco to develop the energy storage system, undertaking development, operations, maintenance and financing risk of the project. The system operator controls the dispatch of Stored Energy to maintain grid stability and maximize system benefit by providing ramping, peak-shifting, DSM (Deviation Settlement Mechanism) management and ancillary services. Discoms, being the sole and the biggest beneficiary of the energy storage asset pay the Transco for availing the services of ramping, peak-shifting, ancillary services and distribution deferral based on locational benefits.
essential element in Country’s Power setup, especially with a view of the upcoming RE capacity addition. • Certain BESS capacity be declared as a Grid Asset – as they enhance grid stability and security. In such a scenario, the responsibility of operating such assets should lie with the Grid Operator. • CEA should come out with standards of Power Quality, in keeping with Power Quality report issued by Forum of Regulators. • In view of the commercialization of Battery Technology, Policy and Regulatory guidelines should be in place to govern disposal and recycling procedure for Batteries to mitigate the threat to environment.
At State Level • Create demand for BESS – mandate System Operators to seek dedicated storage capacity. • State Regulators to approve power procurement plans of Discoms or Capital investment plans of Transco only after appropriate assessment of BESS as key energy source/ capex Additionally, a DSM management fee is charged by the system target. The procurement of such a BESS should be technology operator to conventional & renewable generators, Discoms and agnostic and “All Source RFP” documents should be developed Open Access customers for reducing deviational penalties. The need to encourage inclusivity and competition. of meeting with the seasonal and regional increment in demands and to address the crisis of unavailability of energy at any given point of time, demands implementation and usage of energy storage 2. Development of Energy Storage Market Creation of a real time Energy Market can be a game changer for in the power sector. Energy Storage will also relieve the burden of Storage. The following forms the initial steps towards creation of a the state in fulfilling the peak load demand by purchasing costly market: power at peak time. • Estimation of Grid Energy storage requirement for Renewable energy integration for 2022, 2030 & 2040. This shall attract long Lastly, all the three requirements, Daily balancing (peaking), term investors to prepare themselves for such investment. Ramping and DSM management, needs grid-level intervention in • A tighter disciplinary environment such as tighter Frequency the interest of grid stability and cost of electricity to the consumers. Band and move to 5-min scheduling from 15-min scheduling In the above context, storage can yield significant benefits for each are key to realise value offered by energy storage systems. application.
Planning and enabling framework for widespread implementation of Battery Energy Storage System Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are a prime candidate for system flexibility given their versatility and short deployment period. Although price has been a concern in the past, BESS today enjoy the benefits of rapidly falling costs, short gestation period, small footprint and scalability, which is leading to rapid adoption around the world. At this point, it is worth mentioning that Central Board for Irrigation and Power (CBIP) organised an International Conference on Energy Storage last year, where some key points emerged as a way-forward for adoption of BESS in a comprehensive and meaningful way –
1. Policy and Regulatory Framework
Owing to its placement in the value chain, Transmission offers the best scenario to accommodate BESS as part of its asset to reap maximum benefits. BESS as a grid element addresses concerns of Generation, Transmission and Distribution. Also, award of such a project through competitive bidding can add to the cost benefits as has been seen in Transmission projects across the country.
3. Capability Building • A testing ground for all technologies to compete becomes all the more necessary. Here, Pilot Projects can play a major role, as these are an effective method of testing technologies, costs, and benefits. Pilots should be set up across the value chain – Generation, Transmission, Distribution – to find out maximum value potential of Energy Storage. • Government to expedite the planned Battery manufacturing in India to cater to the estimated Battery Requirement in the country. • Government of India to fund Research Institutions for R&D to localize product progressively for energy security.
At Central Level • A 10-year roadmap for integration of Energy Storage as an Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 15
COVER STORY
Residential Solar. Market Yes, But Marketing? Ashish Anand, a Chandigarh-based businessman reached out to us four months back. He was keen to explore the idea of a solar rooftop for his house. As always, we put him in touch with relevant state sources, besides a couple of vendors who install solar rooftops. Two weeks ago, we decided to check with Ashish on his experience. The response was a revelation. Ashish had postponed his decision, not because of the Covid-19 outbreak, but because of the process. What stuck out was his observation that he just didn’t feel comfortable about the process, the refusal to be pinned down to specific promises, and limited choice available when it came to equipment. His line, ‘ it’s just too much of take it or leave it for me to be comfortable with’ stuck with us. It is no secret that solar rooftop in India has lagged massively vis a vis the target of 40GW by 2022. Depending on source, total installations are in the range of 4.5 to 5 GW today, way below where they should be to get to 40 GW. But the problems seem to go well beyond the well reported issues of discom apathy, 16 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
extended paperwork, lack of enough financing options, quality of vendors in some states and the rest. Perhaps, it was always staring us in the face, but in a struggling category, didn’t get the attention it deserved. Marketing has clearly been a let down for residential rooftop solar.Virtually every element of marketing, from communication of benefits , to brand building, to building trust and loyalty, has been largely ignored so far in the residential rooftop segment. Reflecting its role as a service ingrained as a utility rooftop solar has fallen into the trap of commoditisation. Thousands of sellers, selling only after protracted negotiations, with a limited offering of options. Sreekant Khandekar , Founder Director at afaqs!, the leader in Advertising and Marketing Insights has this to say. “Installing a solar rooftop system is not only a matter of expense but also one of perceived nuisance. So, the last thing a houseowner would want is to deal with an unknown commodity supplier. Consumer-facing categories involving cost and inconvenience
COVER STORY
Anirban Chaudhuri
Gaurav Mathur
Ashish Anand
are more likely to grow if the seller is a well-known brand whom the buyer trusts. Also, a buyer would be more comfortable if he knew someone would look after the panels in future if the need arises. The fact that panels are installed in an inaccessible place is another reason for wanting long-term support. Basically, he will want a number where he can call if he has an issue.” Anirban Chaudhuri, an advertising industry veteran teaching at the Great Lakes institute of management, concurs. “Currently In my view, this is a case for relooking at the way the category is currently marketed. SRT (solar rooftop) promises to deliver tangible benefits for the residential owners in terms of savings in electricity bills and scope for additional earning through net metering. But even for an aware rooftop owner, the entire installation is managed by predominantly unorganized contractors. There could be larger contractors but their approach to selling SRT is no different than selling commodities. The consumer too does not have much understanding of evaluating the offerings beyond the promise of service available locally.” Textbook elements of a good marketing plan, that is the seven P’s, of product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning and people are missing or inadequately represented in most marketing efforts for rooftop solar today. We look at why that is, what is being done about it, and finally, what should be done . Let’s start with the big one in India, price.
The Price Conundrum. To Tell Or Not Upfront? If you have spent time going through the websites of most solar rooftop operators who have actually got a web presence of some sorts, you will struggle to find this all important element on their site. While Tata Solar will happily inform you about savings of “Rs 50,000 per annum”, but how that figure was arrived at will remain
Sreekant Khandekar
Ritu Lal
a mystery. And the same story is repeated across the spectrum, all over the country. A refusal to share actual price per KW. In each case, you need to prepare for a full selling pitch to get the price. Speaking to multiple vendors got us a variety of answers, from the need to assess sites first, to variations depending on the kind of equipment used, and finally of course, the assertion that as a high involvement decision, sellers are apprehensive of losing prospects who donot truly understand the price workings of a solar system. The notable exception is of course the installers registered with state agencies to offer and install solar rooftop systems. They are usually happy to share state operating rates, and most will even work at those rates if you insist. Though not without a quite word absolving themselves from any ‘quality issues’, as state discovered prices are based on the lowest bids. Of course , the pricing issues have their origins in the high government involvement. With state owned discoms the most important players in approving and even ‘buying’ the power generated, the impact of their methods is all too visible. So you have each state declaring its own ‘discovered’ price, something that has lately started diverging at an alarming rate. Rates per KW of solar today vary between Rs 37,000 to Rs 55,000 across states in India. An almost 50 percent difference that can be very difficult to explain to consumer in say, Karnataka. Consumers also ‘discover’ the conditions for state subsidy, like domestic content requirements (DCR), where again, they are typically discouraged from shopping around too much with limited choices available.
Segmentation Subsidies, the bedrock on which solar movements have grown elsewhere in the world, especially Europe (especially Germany), the US, Australia and even China in the past few years, have failed to Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 17
COVER STORY deliver in India. February 2019. The phase 2 of the grid connected rooftop solar programme programme was started in February 2019 with a total central financial support of Rs 11,814 crore through DISCOMs. As of December 2019, an amount of Rs.6.67 crore has been released under this. Still need convincing? Officially, total installed rooftop solar capacity (subsidydriven) in India now stands at 1922 MW, and over Rs 1,874 crore has been released as CFA, Power Minister RK Singh had informed the Parliament in March this year. With most of these disbursals happening since 2012. Sreekant also believes it is not subsidies, but familiarity and comfort with the brands that will matter. “I am not sure what premium a branded marketer could charge but I have no doubt that if a couple of big names entered the market, it would excite thousands of home buyers to consider solar rooftop panels.”. It’s a condition that has been met , with big names like Tata Power, Adani Green, Amplus(Through its HomeScape Solar offering) moving in. Although one could argue that at a consumer level, only the Tata brand has consumer level recognition. Existing players also agree somewhat. Small smart installers have gone for a video led strategy, putting out Youtube videos showcasing their work, and generating queries from there. The fact that it works for them, points to a market that exists there. Ritu Lal, Amplus Solar, also views branding and marketing as an important aspect, especially for residential solar. “A branding and marketing strategy will certainly help in tapping the residential rooftop segment. The market today is completely fragmented and as the SPAAS (SolarPower As a Service, where Amplus usually bears the capital cot of equiment) model is not really viable here, the quality issue becomes even more important for the rooftop owner. The most common concern that we find among the customers is the ability to trust a partner, especially since homeowners do not understand all details or technicalities of solar.” The very fact that larger players are lumbering in points to the reality of rooftop solar in India. The requirement for a rooftop or free area in itself defines the market in some ways. With interest rates at record lows, rooftop solar is finally an option that could pass muster purely as an investment option for those with the space. Add to that a far higher level of environmental awareness, and a small but growing segment of users keen to signal it, and you would imagine the marketing could be much more sophisticated than what we see right now. Even distribution presence is invisible, for this consumer. With barely any ‘display’ stores, consumers have even less to judge the credibility and strength of their suppliers. And this, on a product that is typically sold with an assurance of lasting for 25 years, with actual warranties of 5 to 10 years for rooftop solar too. Anirban Chaudhruri adds that “If we look at the percentage growth figures over the last few years, in the recent past one will be impressed by the growth of Solar Rooftops (SRT) in India. But then percentages at times look impressive because of the low base. The potential versus actual installation of SRT shows a large gap. And of the SRT growth, a large part of the installation are commercial in nature and not truely consumer led. So to grow the market, one has to invest in brand building Invest in consumer literacy about solar energy and SRT and offer clarity in terms of making the right choice by spelling out the criteria that one should look at while considering a rooftop installation. Also the servicescape keeps differing from vendor to vendor. Entry of established power distribution players 18 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
makes one hope that the category will gradually get the due marketing investments to move beyond its current commoditised status.” “The growth of residential SRT can surely be accentuated by a phygital model where the top and middle of the funnel are digitally driven while the bottom of the funnel is delivered through a service oriented physical infrastructure. The younger consumer, globally is becoming more environmentally conscientious and SRT promises the added benefit of a tangible ROI, almost here and now. A structured marketing leveraging on the behaviour change communications learning is the need of the hour for SRT.”
Reaching Solar Customers When it comes to advertising, clearly the industry players have neither the money, or the inclination, to spend big on advertising. Which is just as well, as digital seems to offer a viable enough solution. Many players today have the beginnings of a digital strategy, going with that mostly for lead generation and conversions. Amol Anand, Co-founder at Loom Solar, a firm focussed on the bottom of the pyramid market for sun 1 KW systems, has had surpsising success with the tactic. “ We generate a majority of our leads through digital, and later, word of mouth”. The firm has a clear ambition to become the ‘Indiamart’ of the category with its own ecom site . Anirban is also gung ho on digital for solar rooftop selling. “I would certainly go with the importance of leveraging this medium. Irrespective of the motivation behind a consumer's intent to explore installing SRT, the most likely start of the journey is through an information search. So, if the brand management piece is in order for the players who want to develop this market, optimizing the digital journey of a prospect is going to be highly rewarding. Even today, a simple search query brings up a list of hyperlocal vendors for SRT but as a prospect, one is not aware of most of them. Here is where the brand building part comes to play. Secondly, the digital medium can play a big role in facilitating information and making it easy for any prospect to consider and later connect with multiple stakeholders in the SRT value chain, including the discom authorities.” Amplus too has taken care to have a website up and running for Homescapes, with information on the offering, though no pricing. Firms like REC Group, which has a module offering, even though dealing mostly with large developers, have also become more aware of the possibilities in rooftop solar, and are increasingly pushing to build awareness of their top offerings using the digital medium. It is not an easy shift though, as the industry has traditionally used print a lot, and at the smallest level of vendors empanelled with state agencies, most will not have a website or a functional one at least. . At the heart of the marketing debate might be the issue of just a what a solar rooftop delivers. For the thousands of installers or even EPC firms, residential solar is a usually a product. Especially in case of subsidy powered deals, vendors have been known to walk away for good after the installation is completed and handover happens. The high mortality rate of firms in the business explains the situation perfectly. Sridhar Thiagarajan, a Chennai resident with a house in Bengaluru too, had gone for a solar water heater, way back in 2014. “I went with a known brand
COVER STORY
Atrium, by HomeScape Solar
player, Tata BP Solar, as that gave me assurance. However, when I faced an issue recently and tried to look them up, I realise the firm is no longer around. That put me off plans for a larger solar system for good” (Tata BP Solar is actually Tata Power Renewables Now). Having said that, Sridhar would still look for a trusted brand firm to consider rooftop solar, as he simply doesn’t trust smaller players. However, Gaurav Mathur, Sales head, SAARC, Trina Solar, cautions against jumping to conclusions about small players. “No, in fact we should appreciate the smaller and first time entrepreneurs, they are reaching to the ground level to educate the consumer on the benefits roof top solar. They are dealing with all discom for the NOC, in some states it is a long process and time consuming In my opinion, you cannot do away with small system integrators even when you establish a brand, they would in fact will help to increase the reach of the brand” Trina Solar has its own retail rooftop offering, called Trina Home. Ritu Lal, Senior VP & Head - Institutional Relations at Amplus Solar which has launched a Residential solar division- Homescapes recently, agrees that the customer needs to be understood, and treated better. “Today, customers are aware that they have enough options. Customers don’t just focus on price, but on value for money. They do their research and are willing to pay a premium for brands like HomeScape Solar that they can trust for quality and reliability. Customers also choose HomeScape Solar for the added services that we provide, including data monitoring App, financing aid and net-metering. HomeScape Solar aims to provide differentiated and aesthetic rooftop solar solutions to homeowners. In addition to saving on energy costs, reducing their carbon footprint and beautifying their homes, customers also benefit from our long-term product warranty, process transparency and end to end project delivery.” Thus, issues like after sales service, quality of warranty, turnaround time for repairs, will need to assume centrestage to differentiate and get consumer traction. Amplus itself is counting on reaching really discerning customers, with its premium product ‘Atrium’ . It is an elevated steel reinforced structure with a luxe wooden exterior finish. The price for Atrium, along with the added services starts at Rs. 2 Lacs for every 2 KW
but is entirely dependent on the size and customisations that the customers go for. More importantly, it has gone the whole hog with selling exclusivity with the product, with installations by ‘invitation’ on the site. Trina Solar’s TrinaHome product tries the same approach. Mathur adds, “ Yes, this what we are doing with our Trinahome product. We kept the service in our brand scope, however the brand marketing shall be through our distributors, dealers.
What Can be Done by the Government? At the very outset, there is a crying need for the government to do the most basic job right. Which is to provide the right information. It can do a lot to clear the fog around the costs, subsidies, suppliers and multiple policies in play across the country. Ideally through a single, quality website where all the information is available, by state. Plans to create a national single window clearance for rooftop solar applications upto 10KW will also be welcome. A big issue is solar subsidies. Or the need for them, rather than a simplified and transparent approval system. Players like Loom Solar, who service primarily the sub 1KW market for 1-3 panels with a strong presence in rural areas, have demonstrated that for the customer, the use case is the key. “ We see the spread of smart meters as having a far bigger impact than any subsidy. Prepaid smart meters will do more to make people consider solar in rural areas than any subsidy, adds Anand. He is referring to the risk of power being cut off far quicker once smart meters spread out, instead of the long period between failure to pay bills and actual action now. That will drive adoption in his chosen segment, believes Anand, as people try to ensure their basic power needs are in their control. Mathur of Trina Solar also believes the model needs to move away from subsidies . “On one side the price of solar PV system going down, on the other side the technology improvement is regularly going on, instead of subsidies, some kind of tax benefits for few years would help many independent middle class households to consider this option seriously.”
Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 19
PROJECT UPDATES
Vikram Solar Wins 300 MW Solar Project from NTPC Vikram Solar, country’s one of the leading module manufacturers and an EPC & rooftop solar solutions provider, has bagged a 300 MW solar project from National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) under CPSU-II scheme. Kolkata-headquartered Vikram Solar has won this solar photovoltaic (PV) project under the reverse bidding auction at a price of Rs 1,750 crore. Commenting on the project win, Saibaba Vutukuri, Chief Executive Officer of Vikram Solar, said that “Vikram Solar is proud to have secured this order. The project is a motivation for our teams to continue focusing on delivering the best to our customers. NTPC has always focused towards supporting the green energy transition in India and we are proud to be a part of NTPC’s recent effort towards solar growth. I am certain that this 300 MW plant will see successful execution within the agreed time frame and our partnership will continue to support India in providing ‘Power for All’.” Further, this solar plant will be spread in an area of across 1,500 acres of land in the state of Rajasthan. “Vikram Solar has had a long-standing business relation with NTPC. Previously, we have executed 50 MW solar plant project in
Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh and 130 MW solar project in Bhadla, Rajasthan for NTPC. It is projects like these which demonstrate the trust in Vikram Solar’s project management and execution skills,” commented Venkat Muvvala, Head of EPC and O&M, Vikram Solar. The project, which was tendered under the domestic content requirement (DCR) category of the CPSU scheme, is expected to be completed by the company in 18 months.
Sterlite Power Commissions Rs 1,027 Cr worth of Gurgaon Palwal Transmission Project Adding another feather in its cap, Sterlite Power, one of the leading global developers in power transmission space, has commissioned the Gurgaon Palwal Transmission Project (GPTL) worth Rs 1,027 crore. This project is expected to enhance the power capacity of the Gurugram and Palwal areas in the state of Haryana by ~2000 MW. Further, the Gurgaon Palwal Transmission Project (GPTL), part of the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) project, will meet the peak energy requirements of Haryana, which is likely to reach over 12,000 MW in FY 20-21 from 9,000 MW in 2014-15. Significantly, this project has implemented one-of-its-kind innovation with India’s first vertical GIS substations being built at Prithla, Kadarpur and Sohna. Also, this project will evacuate ~2,000 MW to Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd (HVPNL) ensuring access to reliable power for over 3 million households in the state. Speaking on this significant milestone achieved, Pratik Agarwal, Managing Director of Sterlite Power, said that “we are proud to have completed the GPTL project which will 20 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
help bring 24x7 power to Gurugram area. This project will not only benefit the people of Haryana by providing reliable power supply but will also bring cleaner air to NCR by reducing the use of diesel-fired generator sets.” The company claimed that with over 10,000 high capacity diesel generation (DG) sets installed in Gurugram, the project will play a pivotal role in minimizing their usage and subsequent reduction in pollution levels brought on by combustion of diesel. Besides, this ISTS project is consist of, four 400kV double circuit transmission lines
with an aggregate length of 143 km, 3 Gas Insulated Substations (GIS) at Prithla, Kadarpur and Sohna Road, 2 bay extensions at Dhanonda and a LILO connecting the 400kVDC Gurgaon-Manesar transmission line. Sterlite Power had won this project through the tariff-based competitive bidding process and executed it under the build, own, operate and maintain (BOOM) model. These 400/220kV GIS substations are multistoried substations with a rooftop 220kV open switchyard. A conventional GIS substation of similar capacity generally requires 12 acres of land, but this innovative solution is built only on 3.8 acres resulting in 75 percent reduction in land size. Apart from the vertical substations, Multi Circuit Monopole towers have been built to optimize the space challenges related to the project. Apart from saving land, all these innovations have resulted in offsetting over 18,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year, against a conventional layout for a similar GIS substation.
PROJECT UPDATES
MNRE Invites EoI for Evaluating Components of PM KUSUM Scheme The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from reputed consultants and experts to undertake an evaluation of Component-A and Component-C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme. This scheme was launched during the month of March last year and has three components: • Component-A: Installation of 10 GW 48 of renewable energy power plants of ' individual plant capacity up to 2 MW on barren and fallow land. • Component-B: Installation of 17.5 lakh standalone solar pumps of capacity up to 7.5 HP. • Component-C: Solarization of 10 lakh existing grid-connected agricultural pumps of pump capacity up to 7.5 HP. Both, components A and C have been implemented in pilot mode during 201920 with target of 1 GW capacity and 1 lakh solarizations respectively. Now, as per approval of the scheme, an evaluation of Component A and C has to be conducted before scale-up of the
BHEL Tenders for BOS Works for 100 MW Floating Solar Project Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has issued a tender, seeking bids from eligible firms for the Balance of System (BOS) works (Package-2) for 100 MW (AC) floating solar PV grid-connected power plant (excluding the installation of floating SPV module array with SCB, ESE LA’s and associated earthing) for NTPC at the Ramagundam Thermal Power plant, Telangana. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 17.55 crore and all selected bidders will
scheme for targeted capacities of 10 GW of grid-connected renewable power and 10 lakh solarizations of existing pumps, the Ministry said in a statement. The motive behind the study is to evaluate the implementation of both Components A and C of the scheme via collecting information from state implementing agencies, beneficiaries, Discoms and other stakeholders, assess the performance of these components for different stakeholders and recommend for further scale-up along with required modifications in the implementation process of these components of the scheme. For the eligibility criterion, reputed consultants or consulting organizations having an experience of at least 5 years in conducting similar assignments and an annual turnover of at least Rs 1.50 crore per year during the last 3 years will be eligible. Also, those having sector-specific experience and in-house capability to manage the assignment will be an added advantage. After shortlisting eligible EoI, the shortlisted consultancy firms will be invited to submit a detailed proposal which contains technical bid, financial bid and earnest money deposited (EMD).
be required to submit an earnest money deposit of Rs 27.55 lakh which is also mandatory for MSME’s. The last date for bid submission is April 27, 2020, and the techno-commercial bids will be opened on the same date. The contractor will be responsible for the maintenance of works during the period of commissioning until the various items are taken over, and for a further period of six months, from the date of taking over. Bidder should have work experience in the field of reservoir/ lake/ river water activity or any waterworks such as dredging /silt removal/construction/cable or pipe laying works or works in the water reservoirs of thermal plants. Furthermore, the average annual financial turn over during the last 3 years, ending March 31, of the previous financial year, should be Rs 5.265 crore.
SECI Extends Deadline for 3 Solar PV Project Tenders
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a notification, extending the bid submission deadline for three of its active solar PV project tenders. These tenders include the 34 MW (AC) groundbased plant for different packages at SCCL, 32 MW (AC) OB Dump based plant for different packages at SCCL, and the tender for 15 MW (AC) floating solar plant for different packages also at SCCL in Telangana. The tender for the design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing, commissioning and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of 34 MW (AC) ground-based solar PV power plant for different packages at SCCL has been extended from April 20, 2020, to May 13, 2020. The deadline for the tender for the design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing, commissioning and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of 32 MW (AC) OB Dump based solar PV power plant for different packages at SCCL has been extended from April 22, 2020, to May 15, 2020. Finally, the tender for design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing, commissioning and O&M of a 15 MW (AC) floating solar PV power plant for different packages at SCCL have been extended from May 4, 2020, to May 18, 2020. The bids will now be opened on the new deadline. The reason behind the extension of the three tender deadlines is believed to be due to the economic slowdown caused due to the global COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent nationwide lockdown which has been in place since March 25, 2020. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 21
PROJECT UPDATES
NTPC Tenders for SCADA and WMS at Solapur Solar Project NTPC has issued tender inviting bids from eligible firms for providing SCADA and Weather Monitoring System (WMS) package at the Solapur Solar PV Project in Maharashtra. The scope of work for the selected bidders will include the supply of the following equipment including applicable tests as per specifications. 1. Supply, installation, and commissioning of redundant RTU/DDC/ PLC Based SCADA with Software, 1 OWS cum EWS, 1 OWS,1 B&W Printer at main control room with RTU/ Remote I/O at Inverter Location and Ring network with all accessories, Panel, LIU, Power supplies, etc. 2. Supply and laying of communication and instrumentation cable. 3. Supply and installation of Weather Monitoring System consisting as per the specification. 4. Supply & installation of Microprocessor-based Fire Alarm Panel with 5 Nos. multisensor smoke detector in the rooms buildings defined in the specification. 5. Providing licenses for Remote Monitoring of SCADA. 6. One year Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC). The last date for bid submission is May 28, 2020, and the technocommercial bids will be opened on the same date. The date and time of the start of the reverse auction will be intimated separately to the technically cleared bidders later by the NTPC. All bids must be accompanied by Bid Security for an amount of Rs 1 lakh. To be eligible for participating in the bidding process, the bidders should have supplied and commissioned RTU\PLC\DCS based SCADA to solar PV plants of 18 MW or above capacity, which must
have been in successful operation for at least one year prior to the date of techno-commercial bid opening. Financially, the average annual turnover of the bidder, should not be less than Rs 67 lakh during the preceding 3 completed financial years as on date of techno-commercial bid opening. The Net Worth of the Bidder as on the last day of the preceding financial year should not be less than 100 percent of bidder’s paid-up share capital.
Five Winners in NHPC’s 2 GW Solar Power Projects Tender Five firms have been declared as winners in the recently concluded auctions for the 2 GW interstate transmission system (ISTS) connected solar projects tender by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). SoftBank-backed SB Energy, Axis Energy Ventures India, O2 Power, EDEN Renewables, and Avaada Energy are the five winners. SB Energy, Axis Energy EDEN and O2 Power all quoted the identical L1 tariff of Rs 2.55/kWh in the auction, with each being awarded the full quoted capacities they had submitted proposals for under the tender. SB Energy won rights to develop 600 MW solar projects, Axis Energy won 400 MW capacity, 22 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
EDEN Renewables won 300 MW and O2 Power won 380 MW capacity. Avaada Energy which quoted a tariff of Rs 2.56/kWh was awarded 320 MW capacity. The firm had submitted a proposal for 600 MW capacity, however, based on the bucket
filling method, it was only awarded 320 MW capacity. The tender had received technical bid submission worth 3.78 GW after nine developers including ReNew Power, Tata Power and AMP Solar, had submitted bids.
THE CONVERSATION
JAIDEEP N. MALAVIYA Secretary General Solar Thermal Federation of India
Govt Needs to Extend Incentives for Domestic Manufacturing, Exploit Skilled Manpower The glass components like vacuum tubes or curved mirrors are largely imported being specialised. India’s solar thermal market is steady hence gives confidence for “Make in India”. However, government needs to extend incentives for manufacturing and exploit the domestic skilled human resources. In short “Opportunities Infinite but Challenges Many Ahead”, believes Jaideep N. Malaviya, Secretary General, Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI), a not-for-profit organisation providing a voice and platform for the Indian solar thermal industry. In conversation with Manu Tayal, Associate Editor, Saur Energy International, Malaviya shared his views on various topics including scope for solar heat in industrial processes under Make in India, industries having maximum potential, new opportunities for clean energy etc. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview.
24 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
THE CONVERSATION How do you see the scope for solar heat in industrial processes?
maintenance, lack of proper Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) data.
Energy demand of the industrial sector accounts for close to 42 percent of the imported crude oil (nearly 200 million tonnes), out of which around 30 million tonnes provided thermal energy at temperatures below 250 degree Celsius. Our completed study under the Solar Payback identifies Solar Heat for Industrial Process (SHIP) in India presently best suits up to 150 degree Celsius.
As government is focusing to double the capacity for milk processing in the country by 2025? Will it open new opportunities for clean energy as well?
In your view, what is the scope for solar thermal w.r.t. ‘Make in India’? Industry challenges? That is a very good question. The glass components like vacuum tubes or curved mirrors are largely imported being specialised. India’s solar thermal market is steady hence gives confidence for “Make in India”. However, government needs to extend incentives for manufacturing and exploit the domestic skilled human resources. In short “Opportunities Infinite but Challenges Many Ahead”.
What are your suggestions for the key policy makers to boost the use of solar heat in industrial processes?
DAIRY PROCESSING INDUSTRY CAN BE THE FOCUSED SECTOR IN UTILISING SOLAR HEAT IN
We have been strongly pushing for a Heat Obligation in large scale industries requiring heat up to 250 degree Celsius similar to what is mandated for solar power. To begin with 5 percent can be using renewable heating and gradually increasing the target. For every 3 million m2 of installed area the annual diesel saved will be 20 million litres of diesel on continuous basis and abate worth 55,000 tons of CO2 annually. If government is really serious to avoid import of fuel then such a drive is required. The dairy processing industry itself can absorb this target and can be the focussed sector. Secondly, performance based incentive instead of upfront subsidy like a tradeable certificate can be offered after every 5 years if successfully performs. Finally, SHIP systems being capital intensive Viability Gap Funding (VGF) may be extended for financial attractiveness.
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES.”
What are the challenges faced for concentrated solar thermal systems? The concentrated solar thermal programme in India is now almost 10 years. There are many takeaways major being honouring warranty of 5 years, quality of installations, providing operation and
The Solarpayback study identified dairy processing having maximum potential as most of the processes requiring heat is under 150 degree celsius. India is already a global leader in milk processing. The recent announcement to double the milk production from 53 million metric ton (MMT) to 108 MMT will lead to virtually doubling of processing. I also foresee air based Heat pumps to appear in the picture.
How do you think Covid-19 crisis is impacting the solar industry in India? Time required to recover from it? The overall industry is impacted. If crude prices drop considerably then it will defy solar heating since payback will not be so attractive. Similarly, if industrial activity remains partial then a surplus power situation may arise and utilities may not be able to honour renewable power purchase. There may be instances of job losses as well. But even in such tough times I feel the spirit of renewable energy industry is “business as usual” as climate change is much more serious issue.
What do you think amid coronavirus crisis, is this the time to put more focus on domestic manufacturing of components like solar cell and wafers?
As already mentioned domestic manufacturing provides a kind of insurance in domestic supply chain and keeps the momentum going. I would further go a step further if domestic industries can as well add export in their menu as the time is ripe to take advantage of the situation. This will lead to jobs creation.
What would corona pandemic shape the future of renewable energy? Owing to lockdown the industrial and transport activity is virtually halted, which has made the air clean. The masses are practically experiencing how beneficial clean air is and renewable can provide the necessary answer when life restores to normalcy. Irrespective of any pandemic renewable energy will continue to be on growth path in order to meet the sustainability goals. (The views expressed are individual and do not necessarily reflect of industry)
Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 25
STORAGE UPDATES
COVID-19 Could Derail Storage Growth, but 2020 to be Record Year According to a new analysis, even as coronavirus (COVID-19) containment measures continue to curtail the movement of goods and people through Q2 this year, alongside an economic downturn, the market impact could trim Wood Mackenzie’s 2020 global energy storage deployments forecast by 19 percent. This equates to a 3 GWh reduction over the year. However, this would still make 2020 a record-breaking year with 12.6 GWh deployed. Wood Mackenzie’s early estimates indicated a 10 percent lithiumion battery supply reduction, mainly due to China’s work restriction measures. The analysis further added that a recession for 2020 is looking imminent and outside of installation restrictions there will be additional downward pressure on demand as consumers spend less on luxury high-cost items, such as residential energy storage. “For large scale projects, particularly in markets where energy storage is
predominantly a merchant play, financiers’ appetite for this type of asset is already being reduced. Final project investment decisions will be pushed further out to when market conditions make the risk-return-ratio for this asset class more palatable. “On the other hand, interest rates are being slashed to record low levels. This may be a silver lining for financially borderline projects, with lower costs of capital available to help to tip them into the investable category. This will be of particular interest to merchant projects currently seeking finance that typically rely on high-cost equity capital” said Rory McCarthy, Wood Mackenzie Principal Analyst. The global energy storage
market contracted for the first time last year, falling from 6.2 GWh in 2018 to 5.3 GWh in 2019. This contraction was primarily due to market declines in South Korea, China, the UK, and Canada. Despite slowdowns in key markets and this year’s coronavirus crisis, the industry should return to growth in 2020. Looking ahead to the next five years, the global energy storage industry is set to thrive due to opportunities presented by the energy transition. The research agency expects the global market to grow 13-fold to 230 GWh by 2025. Additionally, the total energy storage investment pot is projected to increase from USD 18 billion in 2019 to USD 100 billion by 2025.
Nissan Licenses Lithium-ion Battery Technology to APB Corporation Nissan has licensed an advanced technology to APB Corporation that will allow mass production of lower-cost, safer lithium-ion batteries with increased charging capacity. Backed by investment from major companies, Tokyo-based APB plans to build a factory in Japan that will use Nissan’s technology to make all-polymer batteries for storage use. All-polymer batteries are said to be the next generation of lithium-ion batteries. Nissan’s technology, known as bipolar structure all-polymer battery technology, will help consumers and communities to more effectively using low-cost or renewable energy at a lower initial cost. “We believe the widespread adoption of this technology will contribute to fulfilling the UN’s sustainable development goals and help realize a sustainable, low-carbon society,” said Hideki Kimata, vice president of the corporate strategy and business development division 26 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
at Nissan. Nissan began researching and developing lithium-ion batteries in the early 1990s. In 1997, the firm launched the Prairie Joy EV and became a pioneer in installing lithium-ion batteries in commercial electric cars. Since then, it has continued to research core technologies and pursue innovation in the field of EV batteries. In an all-polymer battery with a bipolar structure, the liquid electrolyte and metal electrodes used in conventional batteries are replaced with polymers. The front and back of the battery cell are made of a polymer current collector. The front and back each have a negative or positive polarity and forms part of the battery case. By stacking a number of these cells together, an assembled battery with a bipolar structure is created. The technology increases charging capacity relative to battery volume, while also enhancing safety by replacing liquid electrolytes with polymers.
The simplified structure also lowers cost. Mainstream use of stationary batteries with this technology will help individual customers make effective use of low-cost electricity, such as renewable energy from solar panels or electricity purchased from the grid during off-peak hours, with a smaller initial investment. As a result, local communities can limit electricity use during peak hours and use power in a more stable and efficient manner. This reduces the risk of blackouts due to disasters or technical failures and can contribute to a safer, cleaner energy supply.
STARTUP FEATURE
E-Chargeup Solutions VARUN GOENKA Founder and CEO, E-ChargeUp Solutions
Total employees: 5 Turnover: Rs 24.11 Lakh Key operational areas (Products, Regions, Clients) E-ChargeUp is a platform for battery swapping especially for the electric three wheelers. It has been operational since June 2019 and catered to 100 vehicles in Delhi, Noida and Gwalior. Founding Members detail E-ChargeUp was founded in 2019 by Varun Goenka. He has 10 years of experience in the solar industry in his previous organisations. Currently, he is taking care of all the operations of the company including building company operations, team and marketing strategy etc. Turning Point for the firm The major turning point was when he started his Battery Swapping station in spite of lot of negative reviews and resistance from the industry people on the successful working of battery swapping model for B2C market. For Varun the biggest turning point was the acceptability of his business model and its impact on the lives of the
e-rickshaw drivers with a 150 percent jump in their daily earnings. Plans in next 3 to 5 years Right now with four operating stations and 100 vehicles, he aim to cater and impact 100,000 vehicles in next three years and will evolve new cross selling opportunities to increase the return on investment (ROI) of his franchise partners. Biggest Attraction in the sector The founder believes that your success is multiplied when you create more success stories. This sector has given us an opportunity to impact one of the fastest growing communities of E-rickshaw drivers, creating new micro entrepreneurs and impacting the environment at large. Present State of Mind I am very much happy with the way company has progressed to the given number of drivers, dealer model and the understanding of marketing and operational nuances to further scale it up. My learning’s and conviction in my vision has helped me to reach at this stage and I don’t see doing any activity differently. -MANU@MEILLEURMEDIA.COM
Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 27
THE CONVERSATION
MAXSON LEWIS Managing Director, Magenta Power
Time for India to Set up Manufacturing Facilities including EVs These days, the entire world is looking for an option to China. Today, there is a mindset that if someone were to say I am getting a same product from China against from somewhere else, I will go for somewhere else. It is the most fantastic time for India to set up manufacturing facilities in India, especially around EV. This is an opportunity which comes to us, it’s a matter of how we react to it and take it from there, believes Maxson Lewis, Managing Director, Magenta Power, a pioneer in the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure space in India. In a candid chat with Manu Tayal, Associate Editor, Saur Energy International, Lewis shared his views on various topics including how his company handle Covid-19 situation, possible ways to remain positive in such situations, scope for EV and energy storage in India, expectations from the government, new orders, future strategy etc. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview. 28 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
THE CONVERSATION For magenta Power, how are the things going on amid Covid-19 crisis? How do you prepare yourself?
reflection today, for the entire auto industry. Also, there should be a clarion call from the automotive giants towards it, and everyone will follow that like Tata already did.
Actually, we planned for this quite in advance. In February itself we were prepared for a lockdown after analyzing the situation globally. In fact, we had started something called as a Covid-19 preparedness program and by midFebruary, we had mandated all our team members, to carry all the laptops and other work elements back home irrespective of whether we are going to work from home or not. So that preparedness, be it in the people’s working system, be it the technology to make that possible. So, when the government announced lockdown, it did not come as a surprise for us. I will be lying if I say no impact, there has been an impact. Right now 70 percent of the operations continued, however, 30 percent which is the onsite work is totally shut down. So yes we have an impact, but at the same time we have good news as well, that we have recently signed our business’ biggest contract.
India’s renewable energy, as well as EV market, is quiet importdependent from countries like China. Is localisation the need of the hour? How much time it will take?
Suggest some measures, how this shut down period can be utilized in a positive way?
“SUPPLY CHAIN IMPACT IS LESSER IN EV IF I WANT TO RESTART THE BUSINESS ALL OVER AS COMPARED TO
No doubt! There is a global negativity in the market. We all know that we have to pay some cost due to this pandemic for example – people have lost money, manufacturing stopped etc. But this is the time to think what next positively. And this is where comes my pitch for the same traditional automobile industry, let’s say the pandemic hasn’t happened. It would continue and focus only on petrol, diesel engines, and try to come out with just better parts in the segment and gone ahead, despite the downfall, etc. Now in this scenario, the entire system has crashed. So the same auto industry, which never thought about electric vehicles (EVs) can today think that whether I can choose to go back to the same petrol and diesel vehicles, or I can transition to a newer technology, because anyway my money is lost. So, I have to start afresh. Now, this is a call that all of the auto industries will have to take. Today is a great time to rebuild the entire supply chain, add more petrol and diesel vehicles, is lot more difficult because there are 20,000 parts. But in EVs there are 2,000 parts. So, the supply chain impact is a lot lesser in EV if I want to restart the business all over as compared to the traditional auto business. So, I call it a point of
TRADITIONAL AUTO
BUSINESS.”
These days, the entire world is looking for an option to China. Today, there is a mindset that if someone were to say I am getting a same product from China against from somewhere else, I will go for somewhere else. It is the most fantastic time for India to set up manufacturing facilities in India, especially around EV. This is an opportunity which comes to us, it’s a matter of how we react to it and take it from there. We can continue to be seen crying about the past and about the money which has been collapsed, or we can be seen as seeing this as an opportunity for a technology transition from ICE to EVs and a functional transition is going from a consumer base to a manufacturing hub. I won’t say it’s the need of the hour, I’d say it’s a choice that we have; we can decide to make positive output from it.
How much time will it take to think about localisation? Coming up with an EV is much faster as compared to a normal ICE engine. There’s an example of start-ups with very limited measures, they are able to build an entire EV. So it will be easier for the automotive giants also to do it. Today, if we use out this call and if everyone starts to work towards it, so within 6 months or lesser, we can actually position ourselves very strongly in this. And this is a position we should not lose.
Will there be a need for some capital infusion also to make this change happen? Yes it will, but the same capital infusion will also be required to be restarting the supply chain on petrol and diesel as well. I can’t say that from tomorrow onwards to start manufacturing because the entire production line has shut down, the ports are closed, whatever components had to come they have shut down, so even from a shutdown to restart there is a need of capital infusion. So to infuse that capital in a different position, that’s all the feeling that I have. And that’s an opportunity. If the automotive large giants, like Tata Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 29
THE CONVERSATION has already done, don’t do it today, the same thing will happen what’s happened in China, you will have a lot of new companies who will come and do it.
As government is already promoting to make India as global energy storage hub, despite missed the bus for solar. How is the road ahead? Earlier the government’s focus was on the Energy Storage based Systems (ESS) for solar or even for any normal power generation. But if we talk about EVs there’s lot of opportunity for ESS, as in EVs, 50 percent of it is battery. More focus on EVs, will solve another big problem of battery storage for power. This is where we need a consolidated view, and a focus towards EVs allows us to also move the same batteries to ESS which is storage systems for power. The only difficulty is that we are dependent on China for our batteries or for our cells. If we can focus on developing an opportunity in the energy storage space, we need not to focus on lithium ion systems only. We have other storage systems as well like other chemical based storage systems, or other potential energy based storage systems etc. There’s a scope for lot of development in that space. One of the challenges i.e. cost of our storages have already started to taper down, so cost parity is coming through. Now it’s more about how we look at it from a technology perspective. The challenge mainly is we have to change our typical conservative approach of - go to China, pick up storage, place it in the ecosystem, and develop a solution around it.
In your view what steps should the government take post lockdown to boost manufacturing?
What are your plans to overcome the situation and to bring back the business on track again? During lockdown, the idea is not to pick up money, rather to pick up business, with no compromise but on the same terms. Currently, we are investing in our processes and training, and increasing team size. Once lockdown is over, we plan to invest in awareness programs for people about investing in EVs not just because of cost but for environmental perspective as well. Right now we are investing in both building capability and capacity. Our priority will be going to execute our process and we don’t want to invest even one minute in defining the process, etc. We want to be out in the market. Secondly, our product development and capacity building is happening right now. We are planning accordingly that if the lockdown is out from the same date, how we can be the most efficient player in the market.
THERE’S SCOPE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN OTHER POTENTIAL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS AS WELL OTHER THAN LI-ION BASED.
This is a bigger question. At this time, we are going through something called as supply shock, not a demand shock. Means there will be a demand for everything and as soon as the lockdown is over, people’s consumption will suddenly spike, and then will taper off, come back to normal. But supply won’t be there including manufacturing as part of it. So, at that time government need to infuse capital into the ecosystem; make paperwork simpler; and ease business norms which allow people to take a little bit more risk and help in ‘Ease of doing Business’. Most importantly, various government agencies shouldn’t come and say “You all missed these compliances in April or May” because everyone has missed the compliances for whatever reasons – be it GST compliance, this and that. Though, government has announced that there is going to be an offset, but it has to be followed in spirit. Otherwise, the entire industry will have to work backward for the last 2 months and then 30 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
look forward. Also, at this point in time our focus should be on driving economy ahead. And I totally agree with the government, it has done a fantastic job in putting all the processes, banking and others in operation. Leverage that, so now push people towards moving ahead on picking up new business ideas.
Are there any new orders inline or in hand which are waiting for lockdown over? What is the plan? Yes, we received recently our business’ biggest contract from Airport Authority of India (AAI) – Mumbai, plus we have a backlog of orders right now which we need to fulfil from an installations services perspective, so we are planning for that. More importantly, our investor discussions have suddenly become a lot more engaging because they also have time right now. So, for future perspective there are 3 things which are focus areas right now i.e. backlog of business, new businesses and investors.
How do you see the market will react after the lockdown ends? How much time the industry will require to recover from it? It will require minimum 6 months to recover because 100 percent lifting of the lockdown will not happen immediately it will be partial. I believe it will go slowly in phases. So, minimum recovery will take next couple of months from an economic perspective, for it to get down to the normal way of work. It also depends on how the government is reacting or how it will allow private companies to react on it.
MARKET UPDATES
European RE Industry Started Recovery from March Low Prices: Report The worse hit prices of renewable energy across Europe in March amid coronavirus have shown the signs of recovery in April, says software and advisory services provider firm. Renewable energy prices across Europe took a substantial hit at the beginning of March, falling between 15-30 percent across key markets compared to average prices in February. However, according to price indices and analysis from Pexapark prices have largely recovered from March lows. While this is good news, the episode has pointed to the importance of risk management for the renewable energy sector, it added. The Switzerland-based company’s price indices show that the severity of price shock from Covid-19 exceeds what was experienced during previous crises, such as that around the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Significantly, the renewable energy prices have recovered from €32.88 per MWh on March 23, 2020, to €36.36 per MWh as of April 9, 2020, however they remain below
levels seen late last year, added Pexapark. As such, many developers and investors are placing power purchase agreements (PPAs) on hold, as the market conditions make any deal financially unviable. In addition to this short-term fall in price, Covid-19 has also led to very high levels of volatility in the market. As per the company’s analysis, market-traded volatility for monthly contracts is near 90 percent, substantially above historically observed levels, reflecting uncertainty over the end of lockdowns and the associated power demand increase. However, the disruption in the market is unlikely to persist for long. Implied volatility for the 2021 calendar year contract stands at around 30 percent, whereas the 2022 contract trades at a more moderate 25 percent. Despite this, the advisory firm does not expect that the pipeline of PPAs are abandoned until prices and volatility return to normal, as this would do more harm than good in the long term. Commenting on the development, Luca Pedretti, COO of Pexapark, said that
“sourcing, structuring, pricing, negotiating and finally closing (long-term) PPAs are complex processes that require time. When prices recover, the industry cannot afford to restart these deals from scratch. For this reason, most investors continue to advance and prepare, albeit at a slower pace than when prices are higher.” “PPAs can act as a strategic prerequisite to be successful in non-subsidy renewable investment and especially in times of price volatility. To successfully navigate turmoil as we experience it currently, renewable energy players will need to adopt more robust risk management techniques used by trading companies, such as maintaining the ability to quickly sell large energy positions and act flexibly upon price movements,” Pedretti added.
Technology-led Solns Help Turbine Makers Tap Addl Revenue Opportunities: Report The new onshore wind energy installation capacity rose by 17 percent to touch 54.2 GW in 2019, as against previous year, mainly on account of decline in wind turbines’ overall costs, as well as ambitious both national & regional level renewable energy targets, says the business consulting firm. As per Frost & Sullivan, the global market is forecasted to add an average onshore wind capacity of 54.28 GW annually through 2025, with cumulative installations expected to reach 954.47 GW in 2025. Commenting on the report, Frost & Sullivan’s Research Manager, Energy & Environment, said that “emerging technologies such as 5G, edge computing, augmented and virtual reality (AR, VR), and advanced lightweight composite materials, are creating additional revenue opportunities for wind industry participants.” “Innovations like LiDAR, digital twin, additive manufacturing, radar, and drones are expected to phase out manual inspections of wind turbines and ultimately help participants deliver greater process and cost efficiencies to utilities, independent power producers (IPPs) and wind farm owners,” Research Manager added.
“The repowering of wind farms by replacing old wind turbines with new and technologically superior models, especially in the US and Europe, is expected to bolster the global market,” noted the analyst. “Meanwhile, the shift in financing mechanisms from subsidies to competitive auctions across regions like Europe, Asia, and Latin America is expected to make the market sustainable and subsidy-free,” suggested the analyst. The Frost & Sullivan highlighted that the wind turbine manufacturers are expected to find new growth opportunities through - developing IoTenabled smart wind turbines to ensure product differentiation; implementing AI and analytics solutions to improve operational efficiency by obtaining operational data; focusing on data monetization and collaborations and partnerships with technology companies and startups to expand their smart product offerings; creating attractive business solutions and offerings, especially for repowering ageing wind farms; gaining competence in managing costs, execution time, and project development as the market moves toward an auction model; and strategizing to expand in high-growth regions such as China, India, South-East Asia, and Latin America. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 31
MARKET UPDATES
Renewables Account for Almost Three Quarters of New Capacity in 2019 The renewable energy sector added 176 GW of generating capacity globally in 2019, which is marginally lower than 179 GW added in the previous year. According to data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), new renewable power accounted for 72 per cent of all power expansion last year. IRENA’s Renewable Capacity Statistics 2020 shows that renewable energy capacity expanded by 7.6 percent last year with Asia dominating growth and accounting for 54 percent of total additions. However, renewables accounted for at least 70 percent of the total capacity expansion in almost all regions in 2019, other than in Africa and the Middle East, where they
represented 52 percent and 26 percent of net additions, respectively, the report added. Thus, the additions took the renewable share of all global power capacity to 34.7 percent, up from 33.3 percent at the end of 2018.At the end of 2019, global renewable generation capacity amounted to 2 537 GW. Out of which, wind and solar energy accounted for 623 GW and 586 GW of capacity respectively, as per the report. In 2019, solar and wind energy continued to dominate renewable capacity expansion, jointly accounting for 90 percent of all net renewable additions, said IRENA. However, this unusually high share may reflect the very low expansion of hydropower last year, it added.
Stolen by Covid. Woodmac Projects 3 GW Hit on Solar, Wind Due to Lockdown Wood Mackenzie, the global industry tracker, in its latest report today has projected that India could face over 21.6% or 3 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind installations delays as a result of the country’s lockdown. Wood Mackenzie principal analyst Robert Liew said: “The timing of the lockdown is unfortunate as Q1 is typically one of the busiest periods for wind project installations. The lockdown will delay some projects until summer, and if the lockdown is extended past April, wind farm construction could be further delayed into the monsoon season, where wind installations are typically at their lowest.” With over 3 GW of wind projects under construction scheduled for 2020 completion, supply and labour disruptions from the current lockdown could delay 400 megawatts (MW) into 2021, equating to a downgrade of 11% for 2020. Similar to the wind sector, India’s solar PV installations is expected to be hit hard as the industry is heavily dependent on Chinese PV module imports (80% of total volume) which has been disrupted due to the coronavirus. 32 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
Senior analyst Rishab Shrestha said: “Current supply and labour disruptions will have an outsized negative impact on 2020 installations. Q1 is expected to be strongly impacted with a potential 60% year-on-year quarterly downgrade, or 1.2 GW, down from about 3 GW in Q1 2019. “We remain cautious on the outlook for the second half of the year as supply and logistics bottlenecks linger. Consequently, our full year downgrade stands at 2.9 GW, a 24.8% reduction resulting in a revised 2020 outlook of 8.9 GW of solar PV installations.”
Covid Impact: 5 GW Solar Projects in US at Risk
Energy Research and Analysis firm Wood Mackenzie has come out with its projections for the impact of Coronavirus on the US solar market. And it makes for grim reading. The worst-case scenario in the report projects that 5 gigawatts (GW) of big US solar energy projects could suffer delays this year if construction is halted for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. This comes even as the US utility solar pipeline was at a record 40 GW by the end of 2019. This 5 GW hit would be out of the 15 GW of installations that were expected for the US this year. Interestingly, none of the scenarios assumed by the firm consider the risk of outright cancellations, sticking to delays in all cases. That is the silver lining in an otherwise tough prognosis for the sector, that solar today has achieved enough credibility to be considered critical infrastructure in most US states. The numbers come even as pressure is growing across the world on solar developers to keep business going. In the US case, developers were already pleading for an extension of the deadline for availing of federal tax credits for rooftop projects. The massive stimulus program in the US has not really addressed these issues for the sector. Even Wood Mackenzie’s best-case scenario with up to four weeks of disruption will push 2 GW of projects into delays. Projects that still have to secure financing and place equipment orders are at the highest risk, says the firm. Disruptions to the supply chain and logistics have been cited as the biggest factors behind delays. Developers expect delays in physical site visits for interconnection and commissioning, and workers have had difficulty reaching remote construction sites.
MARKET UPDATES
Western Turbine OEMs Challenged to Gain Market Share in China: WoodMac Western turbine OEMs are struggling to compete amidst intense turbine pricing competition as China moves towards wind grid parity targets by 2020. It has been reported that in the 6 GW auction for wind power in Ulanqab, Inner Monongalia held last month, the three western wind turbine manufacturers, namely GE, Siemens Gamesa, and Vestas, failed to take a single bite of the total. China is the world’s largest single market with 20.1GW of newly installed capacity last year. The project, which is the world’s largest in wind capacity, is being developed by SPIC, one of China’s top state-owned power producers. Chinese companies SEWPG (SEwind), Goldwind, CSIC Haizhuang, Mingyang and DEC all won wind turbine orders from the auction. Commenting on the bidding results, Xiaoyang Li, Senior Analyst at Wood Mackenzie was not surprised. “The
terminal decline. Western turbine OEMs in the Chinese market are faced with growing challenges, according to new research from Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables. Vestas, GE, and Siemens Gamesa are now the only three non-Chinese manufacturers vying for market share, while several others have exited for various reasons. The combined market share in China for these three majors fell to just 5 percent in 2018. Vestas gained 2.9 percent market share, the highest of the foreign OEMs. The Chinese wind market is expected to install 237 GW of new capacity by 2028, making it the largest market globally with preference for local Chinese manufacturers many opportunities ahead. The whole value and premiums of up to 40 percent in bidding chain, from project development to turbine pricing prevented them [western OEMs] supply, from EPC to O&M, will mature in from winning,” Li said. the long term. Given the existing policy The absence of western OEMs in the world’s conditions and competitive landscape, largest wind farm brings up many questions western players will be increasingly on how they could grow presence in China’s challenged to gain market share against wind power market, or whether they are in local competitors.
Global Wind Energy Capacity to Grow by 112% by 2029: Report
Wind Project Installations in India Deflating: GWEC Report
Global wind energy capacity additions are expected to sit at an annual average of 77 GW from 2020 to 2029, according to Wood Mackenzie. This represents a growth of 112 percent in global installed capacity from the end of 2019 to the end of 2029. As noted in the research agency’s report, ‘Global Wind Power Market Outlook Update: Q1 2020’, 62 GW of wind capacity was added globally in 2019, which was a 23 percent increase from 2018 and the second-highest annual total after 2015 (63 GW). “A policy-induced build frenzy in China and the US largely drove an 11.5 GW uptick in 2019 global net capacity additions when compared with 2018. Significant contributions also came from Argentina (+676MW YoY), Mexico (+883 MW YoY), Sweden (+720 MW YoY) and Spain (+1.9 GW YoY),” said Luke Lewandowski, Wood Mackenzie Research Director. While the story for 2019 was a positive one, 2020 will not be so lucky. The coronavirus outbreak is likely to impact the 150 GW bulge in global wind capacity additions expected from 2020 to 2021, the analysis added. Further adding that compliance with the EU’s energy and climate targets for 2030 will drive the addition of 225 GW within Europe across the outlook period. “Land constraints in mature countries will push a quarter of Europe’s growth offshore, where the sector will comprise 32 percent of additions in Western Europe and 43 percent of additions in Northern Europe from 2020 to 2029,” said Lewandowski.
Wind project installations in India are deflating with only 2.4 gigawatts (GW) of wind capacity installed in 2019 – nearly half of the 4.1 GW installed in 2017, according to the latest report by Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). “While more than 17 GW of capacity has been auctioned across the country by various power purchasing agencies in the last three years, nearly one-third went unsubscribed or was cancelled postaward due to various factors… more than 80 percent of awarded projects have been delayed by 6 to 12 months,” said the report titled ‘Global Wind Report 2019’, the 15th edition of the global report published by GWEC. It added that an influx of capital and technology initiated a downward slide in prices, with the levelised cost of wind energy declining by 40 percent from 2015 to 2019. At present, wind is the second-cheapest power source on the grid after solar at Rs 2.81 per kilowatt-hour, and nearly 35 percent cheaper than conventional fuels. It, however, added that for India the two fundamental drivers which can sustain market growth are rising energy demand and political ambition. According to the council, over the next 10 years, India’s electricity demand is set to double. India is the world’s fourth-largest onshore wind market by installations, with 37.5 GW of wind capacity as of 2019. It has set an ambitious target of 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, of which 60 GW will come from wind energy, and a whopping 450 GW by 2030, of which 140 GW will be wind-based generation. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 33
MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT
SOLIS 110KW STRING INVERTER
FOR COMMERCIAL ROOFTOP APPLICATIONS 1. PRODUCT PROFILE: Solis 110kW is designed to achieve low LCOE in commercial installations, increasing system returns through a more intelligent, reliable, efficient and secure string inverter technology solution. Solis is making full use of its fifth-generation technology platform in its new 110kW string inverter designed for commercial rooftop applications. The fifth-generation platform incorporates industryleading electronic components resulting in the highest efficiency on the market. At 98.7%, this maximum efficiency rating is at the top of its class. As part of its fifth generation, Solis also provides onboard diagnostic tools that can be used on-site or remotely, greatly reducing O&M time and cost. Further setting Solis apart from its competition, our conservative engineering design margin ensures reliable operation in the most challenging grid conditions. The Solis cost and energy yield advantages are unique in the industry. In combining our high cost-performance ratio, low installation and O&M costs with market-leading conversion efficiency and energy harvest advantages, the Solis 110kW technology boosts energy yield and ROI for PV power plants.
2. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT Industry-Leading Efficiency Delivers Lower LCOE Over The Life of The Project Solis 110kW boasts a staggering efficiency of 98.7%, making it one of the most efficient on the market. thanks to the Solis 110kW uses advanced insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), and new technologies such as adaptive parallel technology and wave-by-wave current limiting protection, Making it achieves low “on resistance”, resulting in the highest efficiency and the lowest minimal losses. Moreover, Solis 110kW also combines 90 MPPTs / MW, resulting in high power tracking density. With a 150% DC/AC ratio, Solis 110kW boosts energy density to ensure higher earnings and lower LCOE design. The system can produce more stable power output under irradiation, these characteristics bring nearly 3.5% power generation increase during the whole life cycle of the project. Superior Reliability with Top-of-Range Lifespan Results Mean Better Bankability 34 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
Solis string inverter technologies have achieved top-of-range lifespan that have been validated by independent labs. This means solid returns you can bank on: – End-to-end manufacturing since 2008 with 4GW capacity in the field – World-class R&D facility with state-of-the-art automation verified through rigorous testing – Industry-first in-house SMT circuit board production selfinspection process line ensures guarantees quality and seamless product innovation. – Superior QC with end-to-end control across the entire value chain – MTBF component performance equates to long life – Under 2% failure rate worldwide(compared to others as high as 10%) – Full in-house production ensures quality along with 100% burnin (full power @45C) for higher confidence of field performance Designed for Flexibility & Higher Energy Yield The Solis 110kW has a flexible design that allows for shorter strings where needed and multiorientation designs. Our multiple MPPTs are 100% fully independent, offering a wide DC operating voltage range. This means we have a higher production yield for greater roof utility and energy density. Furthermore, the operating mode of Solis 110kW allows the inverter to ride through grid disturbances to increase the overall system yield. Its operation-through-voltage fluctuations provide grid stability and reliability. Higher System Returns At 13 amps per string, the Solis 110kW offers one of the highest input current ratings on the market. This design allows the use of higher current bi-facial modules and can be combined with a whole column of tracking motors, which delivers more yield than current inverter designs based on lower input current. Reduced O&M - Running Advanced Diagnostics On or Offsite Inverters are becoming increasingly more intelligent to better respond to system performance issues. As such, Solis 110kW offers advanced I-V curve diagnostic technology and string-level monitoring capabilities to improve O&M efficiency and lower O&M costs. Solis 110kW incorporates on-board diagnostic tools to decrease O&M
MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT time and available web-based, remote data monitoring to respond and resolve issues more quickly. Our string-level monitoring and intelligent IV curve diagnosis functions are integrated into Ginong’s intelligent cloud monitoring platform, allowing O&M diagnostics to be completed within just 5 minutes. This allows plant managers to quickly monitor, locate and report on system faults, making O&M more digital, more efficient, and less costly. Because our DC connectors are integrated into the inverter, Solis 110kW substantially reduces installation time. Furthermore, our fuseless design means less maintenance, while our high current inputs allow the combination of two strings using Y connectors. Solis 110kW gives contractors more for less: less manpower; less hassle; less cost. Our swap-out replacement process is fast and efficient for simple better O&M.
3. TECHNOLOGICAL CREATIVITY AND QUALITY How does your product demonstrate particular technological creativity? Powerline Communications Capabilities The 110kW inverter communication supports optional PLC. This means an additional communication cable is not required, which saves both time and money for installers. Reduced Self-Generated Errors Large PV systems are built with numerous panels, and each panel has its own set of unique characteristics. As a result, working with different panel manufacturers increases the risks of errors. Solis created a unique leakage current suppression technology through long-term PV power station data collection and technology development. This technology not only suppresses the impact of the PV system leakage current, it also reduces the number of erroneous errors, or “false alarms”, and significantly improves the stability of PV systems. Reduced Effects of Inverter Output Resonance Solis uses the “intelligent reconstruction” algorithm technology, which reduces the effect of high capacitive or inductive hardware to achieve a large-capacity square matrix resonance suppression function. Our advanced anti-resonance technology helps to increase more accurate readings and reduce inter-plant inverter interface, reducing downtime and increasing yield.
4. SINGULARITY IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER SOLUTIONS What makes your product unique compared with existing state-ofthe-art technologies and with your competitors’ solutions? – Solis leads the market with its independently-developed MPPT algorithm. During the testing phases, the MPPT consistently maintained the optimal tracking direction and decreased tracking time, regardless of environmental changes. The Solis 110kW MPPT efficiency reached 99.9%.
increasing detection accuracy and reducing false leakage current alarms. Reduced false alarms reduces O&M costs and increases system uptime. – Solis’s new 5G technology platform moves the AFCI function into the CPU for more precise digital control, which eliminates the need for a separate hardware module and improves AFCI detection and reliability. – Solis 110kW’s built-in anti-PID technology is another differentiating factor: Placed inside each inverter, this built-in feature can realize increased yields form precise string PID repair. – Solis 110kW provides reactive power compensation at night contributing to solving problems with substandard power factors. Applying this reactive power compensation, combined with technologies like over-voltage load reduction, reduces grid over-voltage problems. Because our new leakage current suppression method reduces inverter disconnects due to capacitive leakage, Solis 110kW allows the PV system power station to provide a more stable supply energy to the grid. This unique system improves grid stability.
5. TECHNOLOGICAL BENEFITS In addition to Ginlong’s efficiency and reliability leadership, and the technological advantages described in previous sections, Solis 110kW offers these benefits: Safety - In the PV industry, fire is one of the most considerable - yet least discussed risks, particularly for rooftop applications. The Solis 110kW can identify faults in the arc current while monitoring the PV model to inverse a fire at the input of the transformer. In the event of an arc fire, Solis 110kW will cut off the circuit immediately to avoid nearly 99% of the fire risk. Solis110kW has a “Class I” AC lightning protection rating, which means it discharges current when it reaches 100 ~ 200k. This allows Solis to provide superior protection to C&I roofs, large wastelands, coastal and mountainous regions, and others environments that experience with frequent lightning. Reliability - Solis’ fifth generation technology platform has a replaceable AC/DC Type II surge protection device. This design provides a Level-1 lightning protection feature for surge-prone areas to protect the inverter from force majeure incidents, increasing system reliability in areas prone to thunderstorms and other climatic events. Reliability and Efficiency - the Solis 110kW adopts intelligent redundant air cooling, which not only improves the inverter’s cooling efficiency, but also greatly extends the life of the cooling fan, lowering O&M costs.
6. BENEFITS FOR ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
As a company, Ginlong Solis is committed to sustainability. We dedicate our efforts to helping countries and communities achieve grid parity and to empowering our global transition to a carbon-free – The leakage current suppression technology used in our Solis 110kW is unique. While other manufacturers use a unidirectional society. It’s not just our beliefs but our actions too. We endorse conservation algorithm, Solis 110kW uses a bi-directional algorithm, Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 35
MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT practices in our factory and have installed PV at our headquarters. Our environmental stewardship was recently recognized by the regional Economic and Information Bureau in Xiangshan County. – Ginlong ranked first on the country’s Green Manufacturing List and took home the “Green Factory” award for the company with the highest level of green manufacturing systems. – The selection criteria resulting in this award included our implementation of environmental protection concepts such as our staff green training program and our energy-efficient manufacturing processes.
allows system owners to get more solar generation out of their PV arrays. With the widest DC voltage range (180-1000V DC) on the market, Solis 100 kW is first up in the morning - last down at night for higher generation in low irradiance conditions. With up to 10 MPPTs -- more than competing string inverters -- our scalable technology delivers peak performance all day. Higher Quality. As part of the new Fifth Generation Platform, Solis 110kW supports a 150% input ratio as well as a 110% overload operation for prolonged periods, which puts higher requirements on the device quality and overall design of the inverter.
9. PRICING We have set ourselves the task of not only providing our customers solar electricity but also of supporting their efforts of building a more sustainable world. We believe it is our responsibility to protect our planet, and as an organization we work every day towards this goal with conviction. With over 15GW of installations worldwide, Solis inverters contribute to offsetting nearly 22 million metric tons of CO2 every year. Our commitment to these principles goes far back. Established in 2005, Ginlong Technologies is one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of PV string inverters. By delivering very cost- effective inverters for residential, commercial, and utility-scale users, we offer value at every level: homeowners, businesses and utilities.
7. SAFETY CERTIFICATES Compliance with international safety standards Solis inverters have earned validation from trusted third-party safety certification bodies such UL, IEC, IEEE and performance testing from labs like DNV GL. – Three-phase Solis inverters -- 25-40K and 50-66K -- achieved estimated lifespan of 16 and 18 years respectively. Solis 110kW has not yet gone through DNV GL testing. – Industry-leading product certifications set Solis apart, including designation as 1st Asian manufacturer to achieve UL 1741 (U.S.) in 2009 and 2nd to receive G83 certification (UK). – We have extensive field installation history since 2008. – Our incorporated arc fault circuit interruption (AFCI) identify faults in the arc current while monitoring the PV model, reducing fire risks by 99%. Solis 110kW complies with major international standards: – EN 61000-6-2 and EN 61000-6-4 – IEEE 1547 – UL 1741 – C22.2 – IEC 61727, IEC 62116, IEC 61683, IEC 60068, and EN 50530
8. ECONOMIC BENEFITS Our dedication to improving customer revenue and providing optimal power cost solutions puts us on course to become the world’s leading green, smart energy service provider. Through its emphasis on efficiency, reliability and low capital, installation and operational costs, Solis 110kW delivers leading project returns for our customers. Better Performance. The strong performance of the Solis 110kW 36 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
What is the selling price of the product/component today for the end user and what is the expected selling price in the next two years? (In € or $)
10. MARKET AND MARKETING There has been a continuous expansion of the global market for solar inverters across 2018 and 2019, and the industry has also seen increases in shipments. In 2020, the PV market will gradually enter the era of grid parity. Based on data analysis from GTM Research, the price of inverters will be unchanged from 2020 to 2024. Solis will, as always, continue to be customer-centric and committed to creating products and solutions which are both reliable and highly intelligent to provide strong returns. How Solis Creates Value? 1. Vertically-integrated Ginlong is the first and only public company that is focused solely on string inverter technology. 2. As the third largest exporter of string inverters out of China Ginlong has earned a 300% year-over-year revenue growth since 2016. This results in greater leverage of our global supply chain and quality components sourcing to equip our world-class R&D and manufacturing capabilities. 3. We optimize our inverters for each regional market and service and support our customers with teams of local experts. 4. Our proven bankability has attracted support from leading financial institutions in North America, Europe and Asia, ensuring solid long-term returns on investment. 5. Above all, we emphasize a real commitment to our customers through proactive and dependable communications through all levels of our organizations. According to our customers: – Our customer service is quick to resolve any technical and quality issues; – Our sales teams lead in customer management across each one of our market segments, operating with the same level of responsiveness. – We take pride in quick response, which is seen through our customer loyalty – We are about personal relationships, direct communication and deep client engagement. In today’s hyper-competitive environment, we believe it is these characteristics that sets Ginlong and Solis apart.
TATA POWER SOLAR
The Rise and Rise of Workforce Development ASHISH KHANNA MD, Tata Power Solar and President Tata Power – Renewables
A skilled workforce is a crucial element that contributes to a vibrant industry, something that is true for the renewable energy industry in the country too. Lack of skilled manpower has been identified as one of the most prominent challenges for the sector. So workforce development is an essential and ongoing process for any organization to thrive. Before we dig deeper into issue we must first understand what the term ‘workforce’ means. 38 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
A workforce can be defined as the people engaged in or available for work, either in a country, area or in a particular organization or industry. It includes not only the total number of people employed in the armed forces as well as the civilian jobs but, also the unemployed people who are seeking a paying job. In short, everyone eligible for, and keen to work. Workforce development is considered to be an interconnected set of plans and strategies
that an organization internally formulates to meet employment needs. It may include the following: • Changes to culture • Changes to behavior • Changes to attitude • Changes to potential; etc. All these above mentioned factors act as a force in driving the organization towards a positive influence that enables the achievement of business’ future success.
TATA POWER SOLAR availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. If an organization is planning to adopt digitization, cloud technology is a must. It makes data storage much more affordable, practical, and hassle-free, and perhaps even more secure.
India, Germany and Japan in the lead. It has been proved that every form of renewable energy is healthier for the environment and for people. Gratifyingly, even employees in the sector encounter healthier workplaces. Studies have shown that employees involved in the solar industry have healthier workplaces simply because they are not exposed to the toxic 3. Mobility in Workplace compounds that coal mines or gas plants Workplace mobility might just be the biggest release on a daily basis (not to mention the positive revolution impacting workforce workers in the nuclear energy sector). development of businesses of all sizes. China alone accounts for 43% of all Although it is highly dependent on the renewable energy jobs. Its share is economic standing of the company, mobility particularly high in solar heating and enables employees to work productively in cooling (83%) and in the solar power sector a way that goes well with their lifestyle and (66%). While expansion took place in saves more time. China and India, the United States, Japan and the European Union lost jobs. This 4. Production Studio Technology concentration of jobs can be attributed Production Studio Technology enables to the fact that the bulk of manufacturing employees to package and deliver takes place in relatively few countries and content such as sales collateral or internal domestic markets vary enormously in size. presentations in new and innovative For India, where annual Solar Power plant ways, with tools such as videos, podcasts, installations have fluctuated in recent years, infographics and nextgen presentation the employment-factor calculation suggests software. This empowers employees to be that the country may have seen an impactful more creative in their efforts to lead, sell and growth in the renewable energy sector. influence by breaking out of the PowerPoint Workplaces are changing rapidly. Due to jail. Introducing these technology tools can this dynamic nature, the experts are driven also result in achieving behavioral changes to develop innovative ways to educate and among the employees by making the work prepare the populace to meet the demands Workforce is also often interlinked with process more interesting and eliminating of an increasingly global economy. A large employee development and is a vital pillar in mundane monotony. portion of the population remains yet business growth. unemployed, while the gap between the 5. Virtual Personal Assistants (VPA’s) technical skills acquired by the workers and Workforce development is achieved by VPAs will gradually and affirmatively first and foremost, preparing workers with those needed by the industries continues to become more common as technology the specific types of skills necessary for a grow. improves, and employees grow more specific type of job. However, engagement is also a hurdle that comfortable with them outside of work. At Some of the major emerging technologies many managers have yet to figure out and/ the moment, assistants such as Cortana, that can be taken into consideration while or address. It is impacted by the tools the working towards development of workforce Siri, Google Now and Echo are being used employees are using (mobility), how they are mostly for data retrieval and basic tasks, but trained, whether they feel acknowledged, are: within a couple years VPAs will proactively and most importantly, are they content with 1. Business Intelligence initiate and conclude complex business the current position they hold. Business intelligence (BI) is a technologyprocesses on the behalf of the employee Thus, it is safe to state that workforce driven process for analyzing data and with negligible oversight required. This will development deserves the priority for presenting actionable information to help result in a great deal of time saving and cost the government and society as a whole. executives, managers and other corporate cutting with minimal efforts. It deserves the best tools, i.e., modern end users make informed business technology and equipment to enable the decisions. In retail industries, this is a Global renewable energy employment organizations to achieve their goals with type of forecast that is essential when it reached 10.3 million jobs in the recent ease. comes to making decisions regarding the time, an increase of 5.3% compared with Every employee in Tata Power Renewables appointment of the right people during the number reported in the previous year. is feeling a sense of optimism at the seasonal hiring. Even as many more countries derive socio opportunities that have now become economic benefits of RE, employment available to us. The quality of the work we 2. Cloud Technology remains highly concentrated in a handful of do today will be our legacy to the nation and Cloud technology is the on-demand countries, with China, Brazil, United States, epitomize the values of Tata Group. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 39
EV UPDATES
Lockdown Extension to Have Adverse Impact on EV Sector: SMEV The Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) has said that the extension of the lockdown is the right move in the circumstances, however, there will be certainly an adverse impact on the operations of its members for the next 1-2 months. Describing the situation as a testing time for the EV industry, SMEV Director General Sohinder Gill said it is also time for its members to conserve cash, take care of workmen and utilise this time to plan ahead. "Looking at the current situation in the country, the extension of the lockdown is the
right move. Though there will be certainly an adverse impact on the operations for the next 1-2 months, I believe that we will be able to save lives of thousands and emerge as a healthier nation," Gill said in a statement. He further said, "this is the testing time for the EV industry which is at nascent stage and I appeal to all the stakeholders to conserve cash, take care of our workmen and utilise this time to plan ahead.” Gill expressed confidence that "the industry will be able to spring back into action to recover the losses due to this shutdown.”
Study Confirms Lower Emissions of EVs Electric vehicles (EVs) produce less carbon dioxide (CO2) than petrol cars across the globe, even if electricity generation involves substantial amounts of fossil fuel, according to a study which projects that in 2050 every second car on the streets could be electric. Researchers from Radboud University in the Netherlands found that under current conditions, driving an electric vehicle is better for the climate than conventional petrol cars in 95 percent of the world. The only exceptions are places like Poland, where electricity generation is still mostly based on coal, the researchers said. Average lifetime emissions from electric vehicles are up to 70 percent lower than petrol cars in countries like Sweden and France — which get most of their electricity from renewables and nuclear — and around 30 percent lower in the UK, they said. The researchers said in a few years, even inefficient EVs will be less emissionintensive than most new petrol cars in most countries, as electricity generation is expected to be less carbon-intensive than today. The study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, projects that in 2050, every second car on the streets could be electric. This would reduce global CO2 emissions by up to 1.5 gigatonnes per year, which is equivalent to the total current CO2 emissions of Russia. The study also looked at electric household heat pumps and found they too produce lower emissions than 40 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
fossil-fuel alternatives in 95 percent of the world. Heat pumps could reduce global CO2 emissions in 2050 by up to 0.8 gigatonnes per year, according to the researchers. “We started this work a few years ago, and policy-makers in the UK and abroad have shown a lot of interest in the results,” said lead study author Florian Knobloch from Radboud University. “The answer is clear: to reduce carbon emissions, we should choose electric cars and household heat pumps over fossil-fuel alternatives.” The researchers said the idea that electric vehicles or electric heat pumps could increase emissions is essentially a myth from another era. There has been a lot of discussion about this recently, with lots of misinformation going around, they said.
BYD Launches Blade Battery, set to Redefine EV Safety Standards
BYD has officially announced the launch of the Blade Battery, a development set to mitigate concerns about battery safety in electric (EV). At an online launch event themed “The Blade Battery – Unsheathed to Safeguard the World”, Wang Chuanfu, BYD Chairman and President, said that the Blade Battery reflects the firms’ determination to resolve issues in battery safety while also redefining safety standards for the entire industry. The firm also highlighted a video of the Blade Battery successfully passing a nail penetration test, which is seen as the most rigorous way to test the thermal runaway of batteries due to its sheer difficulty. “In terms of battery safety and energy density, BYD‘s Blade Battery has obvious advantages,” said Professor Ouyang Minggao, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at Tsinghua University. The Blade Battery has been developed by BYD over the past several years. The singular cells are arranged together in an array and then inserted into a battery pack. Due to its optimised battery pack structure, the space utilisation of the battery pack is increased by over 50 percent compared to conventional lithium iron phosphate block batteries. The Blade Battery also passed other extreme test conditions, such as being crushed, bent, being heated in a furnace to 300°C and overcharged by 260 percent. None of these resulted in a fire or explosion. He Long, Vice President of BYD and Chairman of FinDreams Battery, covered four distinct advantages of the Blade Battery including a high starting temperature for exothermic reactions, slow heat release, and low heat generation, as well as its ability to not release oxygen during breakdowns or easily catch fire.
EV UPDATES
EESL Tenders for PCS and Fast Combo Chargers for EVs Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), which comes under the MNRE, has issued a tender, inviting bids from eligible bidders for the supply and installation of power conversion systems (PCS) and fast combo chargers for electric vehicles (EVs). The scope of work for the selected bidders will include the location survey, planning, supply, installation, and commissioning of1020 PCS of all types (DC-001 15 kW CCS2 50 kW Type 2 AC 22 kW) and fast combo chargers (122-150 kW CCS2+ CHAdeMO+ AC Type 2) for EVs. The bidders will also be required to provide three years of comprehensive on-site warranty and AMC which may be extended to 10 years. The last date for bid submission is April 28, 2020, and the techno-commercial bids will be opened on the same date. The date and time of opening of the price bids will be
informed to the technically cleared bidders later. A pre-bid meeting has been scheduled for March 31, 2020, to address the concerns raised by the prospective bidders. To be eligible for participating in the bidding process, the bidders should be in the business of manufacturing electrical equipment related to battery chargers, storage batteries, electrical switch gears, transformers, converters, cables, and meters for the past three years. And they will be required to submit details of in-house facilities for manufacturing electrical equipment related to battery chargers, storage batteries, electrical switch gears, transformers, converters, cables, and meters, which should include a testing facility for mechanical, electrical, electronic, and other related technical standards.
BYD, Toyota Launch Joint Venture to Conduct Battery EV R&D BYD Company Ltd and Toyota Motor Corporation have announced that preparations have proceeded since they signed an agreement for the establishment of a joint venture (JV) company to conduct research and development (R&D) of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on November 7, 2019, and registration of the new company has been completed. Operations are scheduled to commence in May 2020. The name of the new company is BYD Toyota EV Technology(BTET). Hirohisa Kishi from Toyota will serve as chairman, and Zhao Binggen from BYD will be the chief executive officer (CEO). New chairman Hirohisa Kishi said with regard to the establishment of the company, “with the engineers from BYD and Toyota working together under the same roof, we aim to develop BEVs that are superior in performance and meet the needs of customers in China by merging the two companies’ strengths and also through friendly rivalry.” Newly appointed CEO Zhao Binggen commented, “This JV company will focus on the research and development of battery
electric vehicles with technology and know-how from both China and Japan. The company is committed to promoting and populating high-quality technologies that make battery electric vehicles more environmentally friendly, safe, comfortable, and intelligent. Our vision is to create a future customer-first mobility style, and harmonious society for humans and nature.” BYD and Toyota will work together to meet the diverse needs of customers by researching and developing BEVs that appeal to customers and promoting their widespread adoption and also hope to contribute to improving the environment in China.
Pandemic to Hit Global EV Growth by 43% in 2020
Research firm Wood Mackenzie has released a report where it predicts a 43 percent contraction in the global EV industry by the end of 2020. For a sector that was just building up some serious momentum, the crisis couldn’t have come at a worse time. The big hope now is that government stimulus plans will continue to push for more electrification of the transportation sector. Global electric vehicle (EV) sales closed at 2.2 million in 2019. This number is expected to drop by 43% to 1.3 million by the end of 2020. The coronavirus outbreak, potential delays to fleet purchasing due to lower oil price and a wait-and-see approach to buying new models have all contributed to this decrease in projected sales. Wood Mackenzie’s analysis notes that China will catch up to 2019 demand by November 2020, while Europe will do so by December. Year-over-year demand in the US is projected to lag 2019 demand by 30% by the close of 2020. “At the end of January, sales of all cars in China were down by 21% compared to 2019. By February, they had plunged by 80%. EV sales were hit harder, with January numbers down 54% and February projected to be down more than 90%. EVs have constituted approximately 5% of all vehicles sales in China for the past two years. “Most new EV buyers are still first-time owners of the technology. The uncertainty and fear created by the outbreak has made consumers less inclined to adopt a new technology. Once the epidemic is contained in China, we suspect consumers will flock back to car dealers and reaffirm their confidence in EVs. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 41
OPED
Carbon Neutrality in Mobility: Is it possible? MOHANDAS MEKANAPURATH Business Head, Bosch Energy and Building Solutions India Global context Countries across the world have displayed strong leadership in the growing worldwide environmental movement. The German government has promoted electric cars by boosting the number of public charging stations across the country to 50,000 within two years. Automakers are expected to help fund 15,000 of these charging stations by 2022. Germany has also done a pilot project with overhead electric cables that help hybrid trucks run on electricity on highways. According to the University of Duisburg-Essen’s Center for Automotive Research, out of 47 million vehicles surveyed, there were about 420,000 electric and hybrid-electric vehicles at the beginning of the year. Tiny Bhutan has become the world’s first country to become carbon negative. Measures undertaken by the Bhutan government include placing a ban on waterlogging, making constitutional changes to preserve forest cover, going paperless, and shifting to renewable sources of power such as hydro energy instead of using fossil fuels. The Indian Journey The government also supplies free electricity to rural farmers to India has started its journey to reduce carbon footprint by shifting to reduce their reliance on wood stoves. On mobility, the Bhutan has cleaner fuels. Implementation of BSVI norms in from April 2020 and partnered with Nissan to shift to EV’s and eventually aims to convert increased adoption of electric vehicles will help us fast track carbon all vehicles to electric with lowered purchase costs. neutrality. French tyre maker Michelin has recently announced its plans to The BSVI norms will reduce the NOx emissions by approximately achieve carbon neutrality across all its plants worldwide by 2050. 25 percent and 68 percent for petrol and diesel engines. The PM Michelin has successfully reduced carbon emissions by 22 percent emissions for diesel engines are expected to go down by 80 percent. over the last eight years while tapping into renewable sources of India has pledged to reduce its GHG emissions intensity by 33-35 energy to eliminate the usage of coal fired energy. percent by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. By using electric A sustainable energy transition is paramount for every industry vehicles, we can effectively reduce urban air pollution, improve air to protect resources, control emissions, and reduce expenses. quality, and achieve 100 percent carbon neutrality. Renewable sources of energy can help manufacturing facilities India is currently ranked fifth among the largest automobile markets function independently without a central power supply and generate in the world, even overtaking Germany. carbon-neutral power. This helps production facilities, R&D centers, The Indian government has undertaken numerous initiatives to and executive facilities become carbon neutral. It covers the entirety promote the uptake of electric vehicles which includes the National of carbon emissions generated by the combustion of industrial gases, Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 (NEMMP), Scheme for Faster gasoline, diesel, heating oil, natural gas, and coal. Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India(FAME), National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Conclusion Battery Storage, income-tax deduction on the interest paid on loans Swift action implementing deep cuts in our emissions is a smart taken for the purchase of EVs, etc. choice for India. By transitioning towards a clean energy economy, Under the FAME II scheme, the government has allocated an outlay we can address global warming concerns effectively and thus of ₹10,000 crores for three years, till 2022. EV manufacturers are maintain ecological balance. A competitive clean energy economy incentivized to make electric vehicles and their components more can increase the savings of consumers and businesses, stimulate affordable. Electric vehicles accounted for nearly 2.9 percent of all job creation and innovation, and give future generations a secure automobile sales for FY19 in India. and healthier future. By implementing constitutional changes, Over the last six years, around eight thousand EVs have been locally using innovative and connected technology in all types of public sold in India. It also has about 1.5m electric rickshaws, although and private transport, from rail to road (metro, train, tramway, these are typically used only for short journeys. With half of India’s suburban, bus, HCV, LCV, CV, two-wheelers), increasing forest cover conventional rail tracks being electrified, it is safe to say that the and adopting clean and sustainable mobility we can achieve carbon Indian surface transport is nearly carbon neutral. neutrality. India is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the world after China and the US. To move towards carbon neutrality, being energy efficient is crucial. Economic growth is propelled by rapid urbanization and industrialization and manufacturing accounts for around onethird of global carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon emissions have increased threefold since the ‘70s. On a per-capita basis, India is one of the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, and yet it is threatened by the impact of global warming and climate change. The European continent intends to become carbon neutral by 2050 and India aims to achieve the same goal. The mobility industry is responsible for more than half of India’s petroleum consumption and a quarter of the overall energy needs. As more people move to cities, public transit has become critical in regulating low carbon mobility systems to curb air pollution road traffic congestion.
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FINANCE UPDATES
NTPC, Employees Contribute Rs 257.5 Cr to Combat COVID-19 NTPC has announced a contribution of Rs 257.5 crore to the PM-CARES Fund to support the fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). State-run power giant NTPC has announced a contribution of Rs 257.5 crore to the PMCARES Fund to support the fight against COVID-19. While Rs 250 crore has been given by the company, NTPC employees have contributed their one day’s salary amounting to Rs 7.5 crore towards the PMCARES Fund, a company statement said. The company said that Rs 11 crore is being spent additionally for undertaking protective measures at various locations. The PSU has also committed Rs 25 lakhs to the district administration of Kawas (Gujrat), Solapur (Maharashtra), Anta (Rajasthan), Mauda (Maharashtra) and Jhanor (Gujarat) to fight the pandemic. Moreover, it is also working towards creating awareness through hoardings, banners and announcements on loudspeakers in its operational areas. Further, one Wing of the Sundargarh (Odisha) Medical College & Hospital, consisting of 200 bed has been handed over to the district administration. At various plant locations, the firm has made arrangements for food and medical facilities
along with the distribution of sanitisers and soaps for contract labourers, workers and to locals. Food packets, daily essentials groceries, milk and vegetables are regularly being supplied at many locations for the family members of workers, it added. Further, NTPC has set up dedicated COVID-19 units at its hospitals. Along
with it, a total of 8 ventilators are being procured at Hazaribagh (Jharkhand) for district administration. At present, there are 7 ventilators in the project hospitals. Additionally, there are 18 advanced level ambulances with ventilators. Another 10 ventilators are in the process of procurement for different hospitals.
GoodWe, GE Ink Global Licensing Deal GoodWe Power Supply Technology Co Ltd (Goodwe), a prominent inverter and storage firm, based in Suzhou, China, has been selected as the exclusive licensing partner of solar inverters for GE’s global sales. For the technology-focused Goodwe, the pact serves as a vindication of the quality and reliability of its product offerings in the space, besides its technology. The firm will hope that the combination of products and the GE brand will help it replicate its success story in European markets in the US and other markets where the GE brand has heft. For GoodWe, the selection by GE is considered a critical win, especially because of the rigid selection criteria used. The firm claims that a large number of solar inverter manufacturers were carefully studied, examined, analyzed, scrutinized in every minute detail and assessed against a rigid and thorough list of carefully drafted selection criteria put together by a group of elite researchers and scientist Approximately 32 manufacturers were then shortlisted and went through an even more comprehensive assessment that included everything from technical capabilities of key components, to firm’s financial stability and extent of global service coverage, as well as aesthetic design, brand awareness and overall reputation, among
countless other criteria. Asked about their choice, Mr. Thomas Buccellato, Senior Managing Director – GE Licensing stated: “Our analysts knew we needed world-class products, as we will be targeting the high end of the market where end-user loyalty to the brand also comes with high expectations. GoodWe is the right choice.” Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 43
FINANCE UPDATES
BlackRock Raises USD 5.1 Bn for Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Fund III
BlackRock through its Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Fund (GEPIF) has achieved a USD 5.1 billion final close of Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Fund III (GEPIF III), making it the largest alternative investment fundraise in the firms’ history. The final close value also exceeded both the original Fund target of USD 3.5 billion and the original hard cap of USD 4.5 billion. Building on the investment strategy of its predecessor funds, GEPIF III aims to generate strong uncorrelated returns from investments in high-quality and essential energy infrastructure businesses and assets. These companies will generally have long-term contracts and visible revenue streams from strong counter-parties and seek to provide robust dividend yields to investors. The investments are diversified geographically and by energy sub-sectors, which primarily consist of 1) the power sector, including electric power generated from renewable sources (solar, wind, hydro and waste-to-energy) and from natural gas, while excluding coal-generated power, 2) the midstream sector, including energytransportation and storage, and 3) the utility sector. “This milestone is a testament to BlackRock’s focus on helping clients achieve better investment outcomes,” said Edwin Conway, Global Head of BlackRock Alternative Investors. “Investors are looking to build resilience into their portfolios and ballast against equity market shocks by increasing their allocations to less correlated exposures in private markets. The current market volatility has underscored the 44 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
value of our commitment to delivering solutions that can help our clients match their long-term liabilities and support their beneficiaries. Investor demand for this fundraise reinforces our belief that infrastructure will play an increasingly important role in portfolio construction moving forward.” The Fund’s commitments include investment mandates from over 50 institutional investors, including public and private pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, foundations, insurance companies and non-profit organizations across the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Over 70 percent of the commitments are from investors in the prior fund, which reflects investors’ high-level of confidence and trust in the GEPIF team and its expertise in the space. Mark Florian, Head of the Global Energy & Power Infrastructure team within BlackRock Real Assets, said “the success of the fundraising reflects the search for diversified returns in a yield-starved environment, which continues to be front of mind for investors. Our strong off-market sourcing capabilities are differentiated by a disciplined investment approach focused on creating an optimised risk-adjusted return for our investors and a tailored solution for our partners and their customers. This philosophy has led to strong investment deployment and origination that includes multiple repeat partnerships with great companies, and we believe this strategy will continue to create many investment opportunities for our Funds.”
NTPC to Raise Rs 4374.10 Crore via Bonds State-run power giant NTPC has said it will raise Rs 4,374.10 crore on Thursday i,e. April 16, 2020, through the issuance of unsecured non-convertible bonds on private placement basis. As per the PSU, the funds raised will be utilised for funding of capital expenditure, refinancing of existing loans and other general corporate purposes, the company said in a regulatory filing. The bonds are proposed to be listed on both National Stock Exchange and BSE. Bond Trust Deed for these bonds will be duly executed as per the requirements of and within the period of time prescribed under, the Companies Act and rules specified therein, it noted. "NTPC has decided to raise Rs 4,374.10 crore on 16 April 2020 through a private placement of unsecured non-convertible bonds in the nature of debentures at a coupon of 6.55 percent per annum with a door to door maturity after 3 years 1 day," it said. These bonds are issued under the approval obtained through shareholders' resolution on 21 August 2019, it added. Recently, we had reported that Tata Power Solar, the renewable arm of utility giant Tata Power, had received a Letter of Award (LoA) from NTPC to develop 300 MW grid-connected solar projects under CPSU Scheme Phase-II. Tata Power Solar has won this solar photovoltaic (PV) project under the reverse bidding auction held in February at an all-inclusive price of Rs 1,730.16 crore. Furthermore, the said project expected is expected to be commissioned in the time frame of 18 months by September 2021. Prior to that, the firm had announced that it will contribute Rs 257.5 crore to the PMCARES Fund to support the fight against COVID-19. While Rs 250 crore has been given by the company, NTPC employees have contributed their one day’s salary amounting to Rs 7.5 crore towards the PM-CARES Fund, a company statement said. The company said that Rs 11 crore is being spent additionally for undertaking protective measures at various locations.
FINANCE UPDATES
Sale of Green Certificates Surges 79% by 8.38 Lakh Units in March The sale of renewable energy certificates (RECs) increased more than 79 percent to 8.38 lakh units during March 2020 mainly on account of good supply. During the month of March in 2019, 4.68 lakh units of renewable energy certificates were sold, as per the official data. RECs are market-based instruments, and a REC is created when per MW-hour of power is generated from an eligible renewable energy source. According to official data, quoted PTI, an aggregate of 5.2 lakh RECs were traded on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) during March 2020, from 2.25 lakh during the same period the previous year. During the month under review, Power Exchange of India (PXIL) has recorded sale of 3.18 lakh RECs, as compared to 2.43 lakh during March last year. Both IEX and PXIL exchanges are dealing
26.84 lakh renewable energy certificates in the same month. During the month at PXIL, the supply was high and there were buy bids for more than 3.73 lakh renewable energy certificates and sell bids for more than 5.59 lakh units. Furthermore, the overall supply for the renewable energy certificates was high as an aggregate sell bid at both PXIL and IEX was more than 10.66 lakh units, as compared to sell bids of over 32.43 lakh units. with trading of RECs and electricity. The While, under the renewable purchase trading of renewable energy certificates is obligation (RPO), bulk purchasers like scheduled to be conducted on the every last Discoms, open access consumers and Wednesday of the month. capacitive users are required to buy a certain As per the IEX data, both solar and non-solar proportion of RECs. renewable energy certificates saw supply, Such parties can buy RECs from the with sell bids, exceeds buy bids. renewable energy producers in order to However, there were buy bids for more than meet the RPO norms. The proportion of 6.93 lakh renewable energy certificates in renewable energy for utilities is fixed by both March 2020, from sell bids of more than the central and state electricity regulators.
We Received Force Majeure Notices from Various Discoms, Despite Govt Directive: Azure Power Despite government directive to power distribution companies (Discoms) to pay dues on time, the country’s one of the leading independent solar power producer (IPP), Azure Power said that it has received Force Majeure notices from various Discoms citing an inability to perform their obligations as per the PPA due to Covid-19. There has been a significant reduction in electricity demand in the country and Discoms are reporting they are seeing delays in payments from their customers, the company said. On the other hand, some of the Discoms like Tata Power-DDL has urged its customers to pay their bills on time through using digital mediums amid lockdown across the country. However, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has sent a directive to all state Discoms to reiterate that all renewable energy facilities in India have been granted ‘must-run status’ and this status of 'must run' remain unchanged during the period of lockdown. The ministry further clarified that any curtailment but for grid safety reasons would amount to deemed generation. In this respect, the power ministry has also
clarified to all State Governments that “the obligation to pay for the power within 45 days of the presentation of the bill (or the period of given in the PPA) remains the same.” Based on both power ministry and MNRE issued guidelines, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has denied force majeure claims from various Discoms which have cited low demand and delayed payments from their customers due to Covid-19. In line with this, SECI in one of its responses to the state Discom of Haryana (HPPC) directed that “in view of the above, so long, there is a demand in Haryana, covering the renewable power capacity contracted under the PSA(s) and the corresponding PPA(s), it is incumbent on HPPC to schedule the power. HPPC is not entitled to plead Covid-19 or consequent load demand reduction as a reason for not availing the solar and wind power.” Notably, the Discoms’ dues to Gencos surged nearly 32 percent to Rs 88,311 crore in the month of January 2020, as against Rs 67,012 crore during the same month in 2019. An aggregate overdue amount to Discoms in January this year, which was not cleared
even after a grace period of sixty days offered by power generation companies (Gencos), stood at Rs 76,192 crore as compared to Rs 51,453 crore during the same period last year. Meanwhile, Azure Power said that its operating projects have not been materially impacted related to the Covid-19 outbreak as of April 10, 2020, and it will remain comfortable with its revenue and operating MW guidance for FY 2020 and 2021. The company also stated that “our plants remain fully operational during the recent lockdown in India as electricity generation is designated as an essential service in the country”. It further added that “we have been receiving payments towards electricity supplied from all our customers in normal course and there has only been minor curtailment of our plants, as of date.” However, the company assured that its liquidity position remains sufficient to continue normal operations through at least the end of FY 2021, even if only some of the highest debt-rated counterparties, such as government-owned SECI, continue to make payments for electricity received. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 45
FINANCE UPDATES
PSU’s of MoP, MNRE Contribute Rs 925 Cr to COVID-19 Effort The Public Sector Undertakings of the Ministry of Power (MoP) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have pledged to contribute Rs 925 crore to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PMCARES Fund) in support to all on-going relief efforts to combat the Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19). The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh via his twitter handle. Taking to social media the minister announced that the PSU’s have come together to contribute a total of Rs 925 crore to the fund. And that Rs 445 Crore will be deposited on March 31, 2020, with the remainder of the commitment (Rs 480 Crore) to be deposited in the first week of April.
Recently, it was reported that power producers’ total outstanding dues owed by distribution firms (Discoms) rose nearly 32 percent to Rs 88,311 crore in January over the same month previous year, reflecting stress in the sector. Discoms owed a total of Rs 67,012 crore to power generation companies in January 2019, according to portal PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators). As per the data made available, the proportion of PSU Gencos in the overdue was 39 percent. Among the central public sector power generators, the NTPC alone has an overdue amount of Rs 11,007.50 crore on discoms, followed by NLC India at Rs 4,731.13 crore, Damodar Valley Corporation at Rs 4,614.49 crore, NHPC at Rs 2,548.85 crore and THDC India at Rs 2,129.53 crore. The central government has given three months moratorium to discoms for paying dues to Gencos in view of lockdown till April 14 to contain COVID-19 across the country. The government has also waived off the penal charges for late payment of dues in the directive issued earlier this week.
JSW Group, Adani, Add Rs 100 Cr Each to The Cause The JSW Group and the Adani Foundation, both key firms’ in India’s energy and specifically renewable energy sector have pledged to contribute Rs 100 crore each to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) in support to all on-going relief efforts to combat the Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19). The Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group has announced that it will extend financial assistance of Rs 100 crore to combat the deadly coronavirus. Besides, the firm will also provide equipment to healthcare workers to deal with the situation, and its employees will donate one day’s salary to prevent the spread of the virus. “In light of the current COVID-19 crisis, the JSW Group has committed Rs 100 crores to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) in support to all on-going relief efforts,” JSW Group said in a statement. Each employee of the JSW Group has also committed a minimum of a single day’s 46 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
salary as a donation to the fund, it added. Separate funds have been earmarked by the group to import ventilators to be supplied to healthcare facilities across the country, besides COVID-19 testing kits, personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, among others, for health care workers. The statement further said that communities in and around the JSW Group facilities will be provided with staples and other essential dietary requirements. Earlier, Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group had taken to Twitter to announce that the Adani Foundation will be contributing Rs 100 crore to the PM-CARES Fund.
Discoms’ Outstanding Dues to Gencos Rises 32% in January to Rs 88,311 Cr
Power producers’ total outstanding dues owed by distribution firms (Discoms) rose nearly 32 percent to Rs 88,311 crore in January over the same month previous year, reflecting continuing stress in the sector. Discoms owed a total of Rs 67,012 crore to power generation companies in January 2019, according to portal PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators). The portal was launched in May 2018 to bring in transparency in power purchase transactions between the generators and discoms. In January 2020, the total overdue amount, which was not cleared even after 60 days of a grace period offered by generators, stood at Rs 76,192 crore as against Rs 51,453 crore in the same month of the preceding year. According to the latest data on the portal, outstanding dues in January has decreased over the preceding month. In December 2019, the total dues of Discoms stood at Rs 86,948 crore. However, the overdue amount in January increased over the preceding month, from Rs 75,930 crore in December 2019. Power producers give 60 days to Discoms for paying bills for the supply of electricity. After that, outstanding dues become overdue and generators charge penal interest on that in most cases. In order to give relief to power generation companies (Gencos), the Centre enforced a payment security mechanism from August 1, 2019. Under this mechanism, discoms are required to open letters of credit for getting power supply. The central government has given three months moratorium to discoms for paying dues to power generating companies (gencos) in view of lockdown till April 14 to contain COVID-19 across the country.
MILESTONE UPDATES
Growatt Leads in Nordex Group Reports Order India’s 2.2 GW Rooftop Intake of 1.6 GW in Q1 2020 Solar Addition in The Nordex Group has announced that it Group has once again shown very good has closed the first quarter of 2020 with an and stable order intake; this is the result 2019: Report order intake of 1.644 GW, increasing the of our successful product strategy. With
India has installed more than 2.2 GW of rooftop solar capacity in 2019, as per the recently released report by the research and advisory services firm JMK Research & Analytics. However, the research firm in its annual India Solar Report Card has lowered its expectation of rooftop solar installation capacity in India for the year 2020 to 2 GW amid the lockdown situation in India due to coronavirus pandemic. Among inverter suppliers in India for the rooftop solar sector, the research firm has ranked a leading Chinese inverter manufacturer, Growatt, on top with 18 percent of the market share. Commenting on the development, Rucas Wang, Regional Director of Growatt said that “we’d like to thank our clients and customers for trusting Growatt. Looking ahead this year, we’ll continue to work closely with them to overcome the difficulties caused by COVID19 pandemic. In the long run, we have unwavering confidence in the potential of Indian solar market.” In the twelve-month period ending Sep2019, India added a record 1,853 MW rooftop solar capacity, which is 17 percent higher than the same period last year according to a report released by Bridge to India. PV inverter suppliers from China are the top players in the solar rooftop sector. Growatt, one of the TOP 3 rooftop solar inverter brands in China, has become the No.1 solar rooftop inverter supplier in India according to the report. The Chinese inverter supplier entered the Indian market 8 years ago and since then it has maintained its strong growth momentum. 48 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
volume of firm orders in a year-on-year comparison by almost 59 percent (Q1 2019: 1.035 GW). At around 1,292 MW, demand in Europe was particularly high, accounting for almost 79 percent of total order volume. The strongest individual markets were Norway, Great Britain, Turkey and Finland. In Norway alone, the Nordex Group secured a large order for the new N149/5.X turbine with a total volume of 400 MW. Orders from South America were also positive, amounting to 269 MW in Chile, and 83 MW in Brazil. “With more than 1.6 gigawatts of order intake in the first quarter, the Nordex
1.4 gigawatts, the Delta4000 series alone accounted for 85 percent of the turbines sold. The high proportion of our new 5MW+ class turbines introduced in 2019, with 93 turbines alone sought in this category, is particularly pleasing,” explains José Luis Blanco, CEO of the Nordex Group. The Group has installed more than 28 GW of wind power capacity in over 40 markets and generated sales of around EUR 3.3 billion in 2019. In January, the group had announced that in December 2019 it had received orders totaling 480 MW from diverse countries in Europe.
Solar Tariffs Down to a Record Low of Rs 4.03/kWh in Greece The latest round of renewable energy tenders was recently held in Greece, with awards for 502.94 MW wind and solar projects in total and solar tariffs dropping to a record low of EUR 0.04911/kWh or Rs 4.03/ kWh. The lowest tariff ever awarded to a renewable energy project in the country. The second-ever joint renewable energy tender with a single pot for both technologies was concluded in Athens last week. Of the 502.94 MW capacity awarded in total, 350 MW was for solar projects. The record-breaking tariff of Rs 4.03/kWh was recorded for a 200 MW solar project that will be built in Ptolemaida, a mining region in Greece’s Macedonia region. State-owned utility Public Power Corporation (PPC) is backing the projects and the installation will serve as the starting point of a broader plan to develop an additional 3 GW of solar capacity in the country’s mining regions. Results from the tender were announced by the country’s Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE). The tender was conducted online and attracted proposals ranging between EUR 49.11/MWh and EUR 54.82/
MWh. The weighted average of the winning projects amounted to EUR 51.59/MWh, which is a reduction from the EUR 57.03/ MWh in last year’s auction. The tender was capped at EUR 0.06132 per kWh. A total of 44 bidders took part in the competition that targeted 500 MW of capacity. EMV (70 MW Solar) which is backed by France’s EDF, Heliothema Energy (42 MW) and Spes Solaris Solar Concept (75.88 MW) are among the names of the selected bidders.
MILESTONE UPDATES
NREL Six-Junction Solar Cell Sets Two World Records for Efficiency Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have fabricated a solar cell with an efficiency of nearly 50 percent. The six-junction solar cell now holds the world record for the highest solar conversion efficiency at 47.1 percent, which was measured under concentrated illumination. A variation of the same cell also set the efficiency record under one-sun illumination at 39.2 percent. “This device really demonstrates the extraordinary potential of multijunction solar cells,” said John Geisz, principal scientist in the High-Efficiency Crystalline Photovoltaics Group at NREL and lead author of a new paper on the record-setting cell. The paper, “Six-junction III-V solar cells with 47.1 percent conversion efficiency under 143 suns concentration,” appears in the journal Nature Energy. To construct the device, NREL researchers relied on III-V materials—so-called because of their position on the periodic table— that have a wide range of light absorption properties. Each of the cell’s six junctions (the photoactive layers) is specially designed
to capture light from a specific part of the solar spectrum. The device contains about 140 total layers of various III-V materials to support the performance of these junctions, and yet is three times narrower than a human hair. Due to their highly efficient nature and the cost associated with making them, III-V solar cells are most often used to power satellites, which prize III-V’s unmatched performance. On Earth, however, the six-junction solar cell is well-suited for use in concentrator photovoltaics, said Ryan France, co-author and a scientist in the III-V Multijunction Group at NREL. “One way to reduce cost is to reduce the required area,” he said, “and you can do that by using a mirror to capture the light and focus the light down to a point. Then you can get away with a hundredth or even a thousandth of the material, compared to a flat-plate silicon cell. You use a lot less semiconductor material by concentrating the light. An additional advantage is that the efficiency goes up as you concentrate the light.”
Adani Green Energy Generation Capacity Rises to 2.5 GW in FY20 Clean energy firm Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has announced that its power generation capacity saw a 30 percent rise, climbing up to 2,545 MW in FY 2019-20, while total electricity supplies jumped 14.5 percent to 4,310 million units (MU) during the fiscal. “AGEL has added 587 MW capacity in FY20 and net export (power supply to consumer) of 4,310 million units, up by 14.5 percent Y-o-Y,” a company statement said. Its power generation capacity rose to 2,545 MW in 2019-20 from 1,958 MW in 2018-19. Its solar power generation capacity rose by 250 MW from 1,898 in 2018-19 to 2,148 MW in 201920. Similarly, its wind energy capacity rose by 337 MW to 397 MW in the last fiscal from 60 MW a year ago. On the impact of lockdown to contain COVID-19, the company said, “Electricity
generation has been specified as an essential service amid lockdown.” Besides, the company recognised that the must-run status of all renewable energy (RE) projects in India remains unchanged even during the lockdown period. It also noted that there is no moratorium applicable to payments for RE generation. The Ministry of Power had clarified to all state governments that obligation to pay for power supplied by IPPs (independent power producers) remains unchanged and bills need to be settled within 45 days of presentation of a bill or as provided in the PPA (power purchase agreement). It also said, “All solar and wind plants are in operation as per the normal business course. Electricity generated from all plants is being off-taken on a continuous basis in normal course. It is receiving regular payments from all the Discoms.”
Tata Power Wins 2020 Edison Award in the field of Innovation
Utility giant Tata Power has won the Edison Award for its Club Enerji #Switchoff2SwitchOn campaign under Social innovation category and Social Energy Solutions subcategory. The Edison Awards, named after Thomas Alva Edison, recognizes and honours the world’s best innovations and innovators. The company has won the award after all nominations were reviewed by the Edison Awards Steering Committee and the final ballot sent to an independent judging panel, comprising over 3,000 professionals from a wide variety of industries and disciplines. The company’s ‘Club Enerji’ is a 12-year old sustainability initiative which targets school children. It has emerged as a successful model year ahead of it becoming a global movement. Under this initiative, 533 participating schools across the country saved 29.8 million units of power since it started in 2007. Apart from India, Tata Power Club Enerji also has followers in at least 3 continents including Asia, Europe, North America in countries such as France, Germany, United States, Ireland, Philippines, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Nepal. Commenting on the award win, Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD of Tata Power, said that “the role of any business is not just about giving back to society but also ensuring that its practices are socially responsible and environmentally sound. We continue to be guided by Jamsetji Tata’s philosophy of meaningfully impacting lives. We are extremely glad and thankful to Edison Awards for this recognition. This award is a testament of our efforts to constantly introduce business innovations and inspire future generations.” Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 49
GRID UPDATES to lower demand from industry and state power distribution companies (Discoms) across the country due to the lockdown to fight against COVID-19. According to the NLDC data, the peak demand met was 163.72 GW on March 20, which came down to 161.74 GW on March 21. This dropped Peak power demand in the country dipped sharply to 135.20 GW on March 22 due to a over 28 percent to 117.76 gigawatts (GW) on call for ‘Janata Curfew’ by Prime Minister Saturday – March 28, 2020, as compared to Narendra Modi. 163.72 GW on March 20, showing the impact The data also showed that the peak of nationwide lockdown amid COVID-19 demand met improved slightly to 145.49 outbreak. National Load Dispatch Centre GW on Monday (March 23) but fell again data showed that in actual terms, the peak to 135.93 GW on Tuesday (March 24) and power demand met has come down by subsequently to 127.96 GW on Wednesday about 46 GW since March 20, 2020, which (March 25). The power demand met further would further aggravate the ailing electricity fell sharply to 120.31 GW on Thursday generators whose outstanding dues stand Rs (March 26) and to 115.23 GW on Friday 88,311 crore as of January this year. (March 27), indicating a continuous slump The peak power demand met is the actual in demand. highest energy supply during the day across However, there was little improvement on the country. Saturday (March 28) as the peak demand The peak demand met was down mainly due met rose slightly to 117.76 GW.
Peak Power Demand Continues Fall, Down 28% Since March 20
India among Top 10 Power Consuming Countries Globally With electricity consumption reached to 1,164 TWh in the country till November 2019, India ranked third among the top ten electricity consuming countries across the globe, as per the key statistics data of IEA. Power consumption is undoubtedly one of the major parameters which define the speed of growth and development of any country. Asian powerhouse China grabbed the top position with its power consumption reached at 5,537 TWh, followed by IT giant the United States of America with 3,738 TWh of electricity consumption, the report stated. Following China, US and India, countries which secured the fourth, fifth and sixth positions were Japan, Russia and Korea with 964 TWh, 761 TWh and 523 TWh of power consumption respectively. Additionally, Germany stood at number seven with 519 TWh of electricity consumption, followed by Canada who was consuming 509 TWh of electricity, according to the IEA 2019 report. Meanwhile, Brazil and France remained on the ninth and tenth places with 499 TWh and 437 TWh of electricity consumption, added the report. 50 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
Besides global electricity consumption, India also remained in the top four nonOECD consumers of electricity in 2017 were China, India, Russia and Brazil, together represent 37.2 percent of global consumption, said IEA. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation working towards building better policies for better lives. In non-OECD consumers also, China remained the largest consumer with 46.7 percent share of total non-OECD consumption due to higher demand in its industrial hub.
IndiGrid Completes Acquisition of 9th Transmission Asset from Sterlite Power India Grid Trust (IndiGrid), one of India’s leading infrastructure investment trust, has announced the acquisition of another transmission asset, East North Interconnection Company Limited Transmission Company Limited (ENICL), from Sterlite Power at a value of USD 134 million. With this acquisition, IndiGrid’s AUM will increase by 10 percent to ~USD 1.6 billion. IndiGrid’s asset portfolio will increase to nine power transmission projects, with a total network of 20 power transmission lines spanning across more than 5,800 circuit kilometres across 13 Indian states. ENICL is a part of the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) network developed by Sterlite Power. It consists of two 400 KV transmission lines with a total of ~ 900 circuit kilometers across Assam, Bihar and West Bengal. It is a strategic asset, which is crucial for power exchange across the northeastern and eastern regions of India. IndiGrid had signed an extension of the Right of First Offer Agreement with Sterlite Power for ENICL in May 2019. Harsh Shah, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGrid, said “this acquisition is in line with our strategy to acquire accretive assets with long term certainty of cash flows. Our focus is to not only ensure stable distribution to unit holders by owning assets with long term contracts but also grow it with accretive acquisitions. I am also happy to state that we have a robust investor base which beliefs in our strategy which is evident from the fact that this acquisition was approved unanimously in Extra-Ordinary General meeting held in February 2020. IndiGrid has another ~USD 855 Million (~ Rs 65 Billion) pipeline of transmission projects under the framework agreement with Sterlite Power providing visibility of ~USD 2.4 Billion (Rs 180 Billion) of AUM over next two years.”
GRID UPDATES
Ministry of Power Answers Queries on Grid Stability During 9PM9Minutes Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 9 AM on April 3, 2020, had urged all countrymen to switch off their lights for 9 minutes at 9 pm on Sunday (April 5, 2020) and asked them to light diyas, candles or use the flashlight of their mobile phones as a sign of solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister had made the appeal in a video address. However, a short while after the PM’s announcement there were growing concerns about the national grid being able to bear the strain go huge power demand loss at once and then a massive surge 9 minutes later. With Maharashtra Power Minister Nitin Raut being the first to warn of a power grid failure if all lights switched off at the same time. Following which the Power Grid Corporation had asked all regions to take extra precautions to ensure no break in supply. Amid growing concerns in the public, the Ministry of Power has issued FAQs answering the most important questions
raised by the public and key stakeholders. Question: The load of home-lightings alone is around 20 percent of the total load. Would a sudden disconnect of 20 percent load not destabilise the grid? What measures will the Ministry take? Answer: Domestic lighting load is much less than 20 percent. Such kind of reduction in demand can be easily managed for which standard technical operating protocols are in place. Question: Whether adequate arrangements and protocols are in place to handle grid stability during light out event on 5th April at 9:00 PM to 9.09 pm? Answer: Yes, all adequate arrangements and standard operating protocols are in place to maintain grid stability. Question: Some apprehensions have been expressed that this may cause instability in the grid and fluctuation in voltage which may harm the electrical appliances. Answer: These apprehensions are totally misplaced. These are a normal phenomenon and the Indian Electricity Grid is well
designed to handle such load variation and frequency changes as per standard operating protocols. Question: Whether our grid management and technology deployed will withstand the fluctuation that lights out may cause? Answer: The Indian electricity grid is robust and stable and employs state-of-art technology. It has in place necessary control and protective elements capable of handling such kind of fluctuations in demand at any instant of time. Question: Whether Street Lights will go off. Answer: No. In fact, all States/UTs/ Local bodies have been advised to keep the street lights on for public safety. Questions: Whether Hospitals or other emergency and important installations will face light out. Answer: No, the lights in Hospitals and all other essential services like Public Utilities, Municipal Services, Offices, Police Stations, Manufacturing Facilities, etc will remain on. The call given by Hon’ble PM is to just switch off lights in residences.
PSPCL Signals Financial stress With 12 Percent Promise on Deposits A visit to the website of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), the state's primary discom, reveals an interesting offer that has just been released. Promoted as a 'Golden opportunity to earn lucrative returns by advance payment' the offer promises a return of 1 percent per month, or 12 percent per annum, for power consumers who place a deposit with the corporation, to be adjusted against their future bills. The offer is not just a shocker because of the massive premium it offers over current bank rates. PSPCL seems to be the only discom in the country with such a generous offer. Coming from a discom that has slipped into losses for some time now, the amazing interest rate for its consumers, seems to be a case of desperation for much needed liquidity. After all, the firm has also gone on record with worries about its abiility to pay regular 'subsistence' expenses, and has
already made a plea for support from the state government. While it waits for that, making 'lucrative' offers seems to have been a last resort to keep the funds flowing. In fact, reports quote PSCL functionary's saying that for April, only 60 percent of the salaries have been paid to staff, other than those in category C and D, due to funds crunch arising out of reduced demand and poor collections caused by the lockdown. It's not like other discoms donot have advance payment offers with some returns for customers. In Delhi itself, TATA-DDL, the discom for NDMC areas offers a return on deposit that is 0.5 percent over the rate offered by the State Bank of India to its savings bank account holders. That makes it barely 3.5 percent,going by the current SBI rate of a flat 3 percent. Looking at CESC in Kolkata, another privately owned discom and generator, an interest rate
of 6 percent seems to be the rule for now, on a reducing balance basis. Other discoms in Maharashra and other states typically offer a discount ranging from 0.5 percent to 1 percent on total bill for advance payment. PSPCL's offer is also a worry because the liquidity issues clearly place the ability of the corporation to clear subsidy amounts for activities like rooftop solar in doubt. Readers will recall that PSPCL had 'discovered' a price of Rs 37,000 per Kw for solar recently, which, after MNRE powered subsidies, was coming to just Rs 22,200 for the first Kw. Many vendors we spoke to that time had indicated apprehensions over the low rate, AND the possibility of delays in receipt of subsidies. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 51
OPINION
Reinvest 2020, BCD, Mfg. And More- Highlights from MNRE-USISPF Webinar At a Webinar organised recently by the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), participants got dollops of reassurance, and an insight into the future for renewable energy in India, including manufacturing, as India’s MNRE sees it, with inputs from key industry leaders. Moderated by Nolty Theriot, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy, the discussion started with Sumant Sinha, Founder and CMD, ReNew Power, placing the industry perspective on record. Sinha highlighted the tremendous gains the sector had made in the past few years, and the key challenges it had faced. His view on the post lockdown period vis a vis fresh industry challenges, was also shared. He acknowledged the role the MNRE had played in enabling the industry to grow, particularly some of the ‘proactive, quick’ moves made in past months when it comes to issues around payments and other areas. Sinha raised some key queries with respect to steps being taken to support not just RE producers and investors, but also their key customers, Discoms. Distress at the former end was always going to impact the developers, and it was key to see a solution for stressed Discom finances too. Sinha also hoped that with the increased volume of bids, momentum on which had not been lost even during the Covid-19 pandemic currently, manufacturers in India would also have the volumes to build viable, quality businesses. Following him was Georges Antoun, Chief Commercial Officer, FirstSolar. Georges highlighted his firm’s presence across multiple geographies, and what they would look for to consider fresh investments. From the right incentives to a level playing ground for domestic manufacturers. He stressed how their plants in the US, Malaysia and Vietnam continue to work even in the present times, thanks to the high degree of automation as well as the relative ease of following the new social distancing norms and other conditions. On India specifically, Georges made a specific reference to the “need to balance the cost with quality and reliability in India”, as a key feedback. Holding forth from the government viewpoint, Anand Kumar made a strong pitch for the state, future, and support for renewable energy in India. On a query from Nolty, he went on to share his view on the future of renewable energy in India, where he saw storage playing a particularly critical role. “The age of vanilla solar or vanilla wind is almost over. Solar energy alone will be produced to such an extent that you will have to give it away dying the day time. Thus, we are moving away from vanilla solar and wind. We are moving towards hybrids, and hybrid with storage. Our effort is to create more and more demand for storage, as seen with our push for capacity to deliver peaking power and round the clock power. We are also looking to create storage facilities which can be given on rent or hire to discoms for balancing, as has been done elsewhere in the world.” He highlighted Tata Power’s 20MW storage ‘battery’ in Delhi that was started in 2019 for load balancing support. Kumar cited the current pipeline to make his point and invite investor interest from US. “We have 2000 MW of solar bids up, 1200 MW of hybrid, bids for 400 MW of round the clock power, 2000 MW 52 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
of wind, 5000 MW of solar combined with thermal that is open, waiting for closure. We have closed the world’s largest single bid for 1200MW of storage recently, and a fresh one will be out soon now.” On manufacturing in India, Kumar stressed that considering China’s dominance in renewable equipment manufacturing, it was critical for India to ensure that its energy security was in its own hands. ” We would like to develop India as a manufacturing hub, with US support. We are trying to set up manufacturing hubs. Land for these hubs has been requested in various states. Suggestions are welcome on incentives and policy decisions to facilitate manufacturing in RE sector in India. Basic Customs Duty (BCD) was a tool he mentioned that would be used to support domestic manufacturing, besides support for building hubs for exports, including services in the sector. These would include consulting as well as remote management of RE sites from India, from a hub in Gujarat. On Georges point about quality, Kumar highlighted the removal of price caps on new bids now, and made it clear that the government was aware of the need to upgrade quality, as the sector transitioned to a more critical supplier role on the back of hybrid, storage and other innovations. “Discoms value dispatchable power, and that requires quality”. He highlighted the government’s openness to look specifically at Solar-wind-storage, hydro, storage in battery or pump hydro as storage options for round the clock power supply. “Discoms want despatchable power today, and that’s the product we are pushing for, for the industry to stay relevant”. Kumar signed off by informing all the attendees that the REINVEST event, which has served as the flagship MNRE event for showcasing the opportunities in India, would be going virtual this year. REINVEST 2020 will be completely digital, (virtual), and we invite US investors to take the opportunity to participate in a big way.
OPINION
Large, Attractive And Safe. MNRE Secy’s Spirited Pitch for RE in India At the MNRE, momentum for India’s ambitious renewable push will never be allowed to flag. Even at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. That was the message from Anand Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), at a webinar held recently involving Sumant Sinha, Founder and CMD, ReNew Power, Nolty Theriot, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy at the USIndia Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Georges Antoun, Chief Commercial Officer, FirstSolar. The webinar saw strong industry participation, including Avaada Energy’s Vineet Mittal among others. Kumar started off by highlighting how, contrary to reports, India’s renewable energy target was within reach today. With 87GW commissioned as of March 31, 2020, 34 GW under construction, and a further 30 GW in the bidding pipeline. The total of 151 GW, he said, placed the country close enough to the 175 GW target of 2022, to give everyone optimism that it would be reached. Considering the audience, and the involvement of the USISPF, Kumar went on to highlight the steps taken by the MNRE to ensure the market remained vibrant and viable for renewable energy developers and investors, and eventually, manufacturing too in India. Starting with PPA’s or Power Purchase Agreement’s Kumar stressed that PPA’s today are the strongest they have ever been, after changes made in 2019 with industry feedback. From payment mechanisms to a clear definition of force majeure conditions, be they political or non-political, have been clearly specified. Payment security came in for special highlighting. From the move in August 2019 to ensure that discoms purchase power only after opening Letter of Credits (LC’s), to plans to create an Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) with IREDA (Indian Renewable Development Agency), which has been involved with financing RE projects for a long time, to ensure discoms could also be supported financially, and by extension, generators. Kumar stressed that steps were being taken across the payment chain to ensure financial security. He highlighted how the MNRE, which has been particularly
active on this front, stood with developers against the Andhra government in court to enforce their PPA’s or issued instructions to make RE projects ‘must run’ for discoms, besides forbidding curtailment for reasons other than grid safety. Where curtailment is still done, payment would still have to be made on a deemed generation basis, he said. On the COVID-19 lockdown impact, he referred to the ministry’s decision to proactively allow force majeure on projects under development for the period of the lockdown, and a month after that. He took pains to highlight how SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India), which has been a primary nodal agency for most large projects, has never defaulted on a payment to a developer. Touching on an issue that has caused significant legal troubles and delays for RE projects, namely GST and Safeguard Duty (SGD), Kumar had some more good news. “There was a standing concern of generators regarding a payment due to enhancement
of GST and SGD. We resolved the GST issue earlier on, by paying the GST enhancement on annuity basis till commissioning date. Today we have taken a decision that SGD will also be paid on the same basis by SECI, within this week.” Importantly, the MNRE secretary stressed that for some of the biggest changes, be it PPA’s, LC’s or even Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO’s), all of which while critical, have still faced pockets of resistance, a big change is coming. Amendments to the 2003 Electricity Act have been promised very soon, through an ordinance even if required, to give strong legal backing to each of these moves that seek to make an investment in the renewable sector a ‘risk-free’ and a massive opportunity for investors, he said. Sticking to his promise of tight deadlines, he signed off with a promise to ensure pending discom payments to RE generators up until the COVID-19 lockdown were resolved as early as the end of this month. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 53
OPINION
Fresh Covid Guidelines: RE Projects Allowed From April 20 The renewable energy industry, especially utility-scale solar and wind energy projects, received a small relief, in the form of permission to restart construction work on ongoing projects, as well as fresh projects possibly, from April 20 onwards. In an order dated April 15, signed by the Union Home Secretary, the order laid down the new rules of engagement for managing under the lockdown in force. The lockdown had been extended to May 3 earlier by the Prime Minister in his speech to the nation on April 14. The big ray of hope had been the promise to re-look conditions from April 20, based on a strict evaluation of district wise status and compliance with instructions issued by the government earlier. However, it remains to be seen how many firms can actually take advantage of this opening up, and restart operations. Multiple issues are involved, from mustering workforce for projects, to moving equipment or fresh supplies to project sites. In that respect, the allowance of movement for all cargo goods now, as compared to essential goods as defined by the government earlier will come as a relief too. Rooftop solar, of course, remains in limbo, as even the fresh allowances make it virtually impossible to meet all conditions for work inside cities and establishments. EPC Firms might also struggle with cash flow issues, as they have gone almost a month without any work progressing, and many firms are paid on reaching project milestones. Other operating conditions laid down for working under the new lockdown regime could also add to costs, and become a bone of contention between developers and EPC's, according to industry sources. These range from a one hour break between shifts, to staggering lunch hours, to regular disinfectant use on-site and on equipment used, besides mandatory thermal scanning of workers, mandatory health insurance of all workers involved, easy access to sanitisers, and if possible, even gatherings of groups of people over 10. Even where allowed, social distancing norms have to be followed at all times. Strict compliance with all these conditions, while not impossible obviously, will definitely add a little to costs which someone has to bear or approve, as the case might be. On a quick response on the government’s move, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Amplus Solar, Asia’s one of the leading distributed energy company providing low carbon energy solutions to industrial and commercial (C&I) customers, has broadly welcomed the government’s move by saying that “the government’s step to allow resuming the construction of renewable energy projects is a welcoming move in favour of the renewable industry. We will be utilising the opportunity well while being extremely cautious at the same time. It is our duty to take necessary precautions at the site, maintain a safe working environment, keeping social distancing and sanitation a priority.” While on asking about how the actual operation will work? or will there any challenges the companies going to face? K.R. Harinarayan, Founder and CEO, U-Solar Clean Energy, a solar EPC and developer company, clearly said “definitely challenges are expected once operations begin on 20th April, including the availability of manpower and material transport & delivery for project engineering activities. In order to address these challenges U-Solar is preparing by training our staff both on-site as well as the corporate HQ with our Health & Safety Handbook based on WHO's health guidelines. 54 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
There will be additional measures that will be implemented to all of the site operations, namely social distancing and health checks at the site, U-Solar will be providing masks and sanitizers for all site personnel. Logistic implications of Covid-19 will have to be navigated such as the issuance of passes for movement, local permissions for labor and inter-state travel guidelines/restrictions. It will take a bit of time for the wheels to start moving and there will be a gradual ramp-up of the project operations as these new measures come into place in the next couple of months. It is a good move to reiterate guidelines to facilitate solar projects as an essential service, moving forward clean energy will play an essential role in the energy power mix and India's sustainable energy goals need to be met as well.” In line with other stakeholders, Pinaki Bhattacharyya, CEO, Amp Energy India, commented that “Start of construction activity is a respite for the RE industry because stalled RE projects were adversely affecting project developers and also hampering new capacity additions. However, the developers need to exercise utmost caution if they resume work during the national lockdown and it may be prudent to start once the situation is controlled and transportation services resume. Although, it is yet to be seen if all the states implement these guidelines and in what manner. The casual labour class involved in construction activities that have been left unemployed due to the lockdown will no longer lose wages and that is a positive development. As a company we are ensuring that any daily wage labour stranded at the sites are provided resources like food, supplies and wages during this period.” While exploring more on the effects of guidelines, we talked to Pawan Pandey, Director, Radite Energy, an EPC player having almost 700 MW of utility-scale build-ups, besides 12 MW of rooftop solar, initially he also welcomed the move. However, on asking about the ground-reality he said that “there are challenges in the road ahead because right now export and import has not started yet and also we are currently struggling with the manpower as well.” “Manpower is the biggest challenge right now in the construction sector because they are not available at all as they have mostly gone to their home towns due to lockdown. So we are not getting personnel at all,” he reiterated.
OPINION On the availability of local manpower, Pandey added that “it is having its own challenges. Even if we offer double remuneration then also the required number of people is not available for example – if we need 10 people we are able to get only 2.” While asking about what can be done right now, optimistically Pandey suggested “So right now we can start with the operations & maintenance (O&M) activities only. Also, we can bring our material at a single location which was segregated earlier at different plants when they were working. Next, we can do planning for the upcoming time but it is not as such good enough until on ground we have manpower, even if we have material also without manpower there’s no use of it.” On the flip side, he added that “but for starting the work on an under-construction plant or any new plant construction we are currently facing lot of challenges because in the construction field
most of the labour belongs from states like UP, Bihar, Kolkata and Maharashtra and for these people the lockdown is up to April 30, 2020, atleast!” “Government has allowed but with a lot of limitations, so it is very difficult to operate for the next 3 to 4 months,” Pandey concluded. Some of the developers are already anxious to check if the state agencies appointed to oversee these projects will take April 20 as the end date for the disruption caused due to the coronavirus pandemic. Based on the limited feedback we could get, for now, it is very clear that the industry will be pushing for a date as June 1 to be considered as the fresh date for considering a return to some kind of normalcy in operations. With an active MNRE intervening regularly for the sector in the past few weeks and 2020 in fact, hopes are high that the ministry will continue to take a pro-industry view on resolving issues preemptively.
The Next Big Push. MNRE Unveils Moves to Push Manufacturing The Renewable energy sector, where private sector involvement has been considered critical to its growth and building further capacities, has got a new push, as far as manufacturing in India goes. This comes on the heels of the many efforts made last year to provide support for domestic manufacturing, the DCR (domestic content requirements) in specific PSU linked projects, to all subsidies being linked to domestically sourced components. Months into the Covid-19 epidemic and its impact globally, the MNRE sees a fresh opportunity in building up 'energy security' for the country as well as fillip to domestic manufacturing. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has formally announced its steps to give a fillip to make in India, when it comes to manufacturing equipment for the renewable energy sector. The focus is on setting up new hubs for manufacturing renewable energy equipments in the country to meet both domestic demand and exports. With this objective in view, the ministry had written to various State Governments and various Port Authorities to identify land parcels of 50-500 acres for setting up such Parks. Tuticorin Port Trust, States of Madhya Pradesh and Odisha have already expressed their keen interest in setting up RE Manufacturing Parks. Secretary, MNRE Anand Kumar has already held meetings with RE manufacturing companies last week. Ministry has also got in touch with Trade Commissioners / Representatives of various countries inviting them to invest in this promising opportunity
in India. Further Secretary, MNRE addressed the US India Strategic Partnership Forum earlier this week through Webinar and sought collaboration and investment by US Firms. These facilities will manufacture equipments like silicon ingots & wafers, solar cells & modules, wind equipments and anciliary items like back sheet, glass, steel frames, inverters, batteries etc. The hubs will also export equipments and services in the RE sector. At present around 10 GW of Wind equipment manufacturing capacity exists in the country. In case of Solar Cells and Modules India imports about 85 % from abroad. The Government of India has already levied Basic Customs Duty for protecting solar manufacturing industry in India. It is a duty that looks set to continue for the foreseeable future. The MNRE hopes to take advantage of the move by some firms to shift some manufacturing away from China. To ensure
easier processing, the MNRE has already set up RE Industry Facilitation & Promotion Board under the Joint Secretary in the ministry to facilitate investment in the sector. This board is meant to be a sort of single window clearance and facilitation point for potential investors. The Ministry has strengthened the clauses in Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to boost investor confidence. The three Power and RE Sector NBFCs namely PFC, REC and IREDA has reduced their repayment charges to 2% for enhancing the funds available for new projects in the sector. More over, IREDA has brought out a new Scheme for project specific funding to promote new RE projects in India. Amendments to the Electricity Act (2003) are also on the cards through an ordinance of need be, to give teeth to many of the moves made by MNRE through formal notifications and orders. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 55
OPINION
Solar Subsidies. Is It Time To End Them?
Solar subsidies, like every other subsidy before them, had a noble purpose. To encourage, and enable the adoption of solar power, a cleaner power. It also joined a relatively select group of subsidies, by being open to almost every category of consumers for a while, before being restricted lately to the rooftop solar category. However, like too many subsidies, subsidies to encourage solar adoption have delivered questionable results. Not only has rooftop solar struggled to spread in India, one of the biggest issues cited for the troubles has been the difficulties with claiming subsidy amounts, and general discom resistance through complicated paperwork or delays. Consider how PSPCL, the Punjab state discom asked for empanelment of vendors for its rooftop solar scheme, while charging a fee of Rs 50,000 from the bidders. By the end of the exercise, the new discovered price of Rs 37,000 per Kw was so low, that after the government subsidy (40 percent), the effective consumer price was barely Rs 22,200. So has it led to a boom in solar rooftop installs? Not even close to it. While the lockdown has put a halt on installations for now, vendors we spoke to made it clear that while consumer interest was high, the interest at vendor level was very low, mainly due to the low prices, and the killer, uncertainty on receiving the subsidies due on time. This week, another industry association in another state, Uttar Pradesh, has circulated a letter addressed to the state 56 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
Chief minister and state power minister, asking them to 'donate' the subsidies due to be paid to solar vendors in the state for fighting the Covid epidemic. The interesting part here is not the generosity of the association, but their indication that as the state has paid no subsidies till date this year, and has given no indication for the same too, it might as well use the money for a 'good ' cause now, and consider it a 'donation' from the state association. Hill states, where subsidies are even higher than 'normal' states, going upto 70 percent, have a similar tale of poor responses, although it i interesting to note that the discovered price in states like Uttarakhand is almost Rs 50,000, leaving a lot more for the installer by way of margins, as compared to Punjab, UP and many other states. Increasingly, in state after state, the feedback is similar. Subsidies are distorting the market in ways never imagined. For one, consumers are put off by the paperwork of getting subsidies, sometimes deferring the decision to go solar altogether. Or vendors have suffered heavy losses, or even gone belly up, thanks to delays in receiving subsidies. From a few voices, today, we believe a majority of installers believe that more than subsidy, the cost of compliances and regulation is a bigger deterrent for rooftop solar. It's a story that is true of almost every business sector in India. Subsidies have also distorted the market in other ways. There is a cohort of firms
whose competency lies in getting subsidies released, and not the quality of the work they do. The case for doing away with subsidies, or saving them for those who truly need them, like off grid areas and mini-grids, and even distributed solar products like solar cookers, lamps, heaters and the lot, is strong. It is time the government gave serious thought to it. It is already sitting on the data on subsidy distribution, and the performance of those projects. In the rooftop segment at least, anecdotal evidence suggests that neither the numbers, nor the performance, will pass muster with any fair evaluation. Perhaps that explains the sharp shift towards rooftop solar through the PSU adoption route now, besides the railways and other large bodies. One hopes the government has not given up on residential rooftop solar as a possibility. The MNRE, which has moved fast and furiously to protect and ensure the survival of the utility solar and renewable sector broadly, needs to seriously consider giving the same attention and focus on deregulating and simplifying the residential rooftop segment. Low prices, tougher and must achieve RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligations) norms for discoms, and a much more aware consumer segment indicates the time for rooftop solar to rise is here. Can we really afford too miss it, considering the potential it offers in terms of jobs, energy transition and even support for domestic manufacturing?
PRODUCTS GoSun Chill: Solar Cooler PRODUCT BRIEF: A portable cooler designed by GoSun to keep food cold or frozen, dry, and organised. The Chill is an off-grid refrigerator without the noisy generator and doesn’t need any ice which provides more space while reducing the overall weight. PRODUCT FEATURES: The primary source of power for the cooler are the solar panels that the firm sells in a bundle along with the cooler, the product also has a backup of 12 Volt and AC power supply. The chill is capable of keeping food and drinks chilled and frozen for hours. APPLICATION: Off-Grid Chiller/ Refrigerator PRODUCT BENEFITS: The Chiller besides keeping food and drinks cold for up to 24 hours, is also capable of charging electronic devices. The refrigerator also has enough cooling to make ice if needed. AVAILABILITY: The product has raised over Rs 5.3 crore on Indiegogo, and is available for purchase on the firms’ website.
Gaard One: Solar Backpack PRODUCT BRIEF: The Power of One is the ultimate daypack for the 21st Century Outdoor Enthusiast, keeping you charged up, comfortable, rested and ready for anything. The 35L, water resistant pack also features a fold-out stool with lightweight, aluminium base frame. PRODUCT FEATURES: The backpack also houses a 11-watt solar panel with female USB to charge electronic gear to do everything from take a photo to finding directions to starting a fire. APPLICATION: Adventure Backpack PRODUCT BENEFITS: At the culmination of the firms’ fund raising campaign the amount of funds raised through Gaard One will be taken by The Gaardians and matched to the most relevant, current projects in need and the organizations that are working to protect that land. The product also features electronic lighter, emergency escape tool, 4 USB ports and much more. AVAILABILITY: The product is available for purchase on the firms’ website for USD 149.
SOUL Solar Scroll: Solar Charger PRODUCT BRIEF: The Solar Scroll as the firm defines it is a powerful & compact solution for limitless outdoor adventures. To use it simply unroll the panel and let it soak up the energy from the sun and power up your electronic devices. PRODUCT FEATURES: The Scroll is equipped with the most advanced, reliable, durable and flexible solar panel, and built to last. It is both lightweight weighing only 300 grams and efficient. The battery backup on the device is 5200 max. APPLICATION: Solar Charger PRODUCT BENEFITS: The scroll features 5W CIGS solar panel that rolls up and a DC input of 800 mAh and output of 5V 2.0 quick charger. The battery in the scroll can be completely charged up in 4-6 hours in the sun. AVAILABILITY: The product is available for pre-order on the firms’ website. 58 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
PRODUCTS MiTo - Solar Powered Smart Water Bottle PRODUCT BRIEF: Mito’s solar-powered smart bottle provides a smarter and greener way to hydrate. Mito reminders supplement our natural thirst function to ensure you are always hydrated, the audio-visual reminders prompt users to drink so that you can achieve your hydration goals. PRODUCT FEATURES: The bottle features monocrystalline solar cells which are capable of charging the bottle under sunlight and even ambient lighting anytime and anywhere. And is available in three variants - Remind, Kelvin and Cloud to suit all users needs. APPLICATION: Smart Water Bottle PRODUCT BENEFITS: The bottle has a double wall insulation for up to 12 hours of hot or 24 hours for cold water. A supplementary application to track daily hydration and in-built sensors to display temperatures on the bottle. AVAILABILITY: The product is currently in the prototype phase of development.
Hiluckey 25000mAh Outdoor Portable Power Bank PRODUCT BRIEF: The Hiluckey 25000mAh power bank is a portable outdoor power unit with 4 solar panels. The battery bank is capable of fast charging mobile phones and tablets using only solar power. PRODUCT FEATURES: The product features four foldable solar panels, with upto 1A input current under sunlight, which the firm claims to be considerably faster than other similar products. The 25000mAh battery backup can charge phones on an average 8-10 times per cycle of charge. APPLICATION: Power Bank PRODUCT BENEFITS: The product is built for rugged outdoor use with a design and build which is dust proof, shock proof and water proof. The system also features a built in led flashlight. The device which is capable of 2.5A output for charging can also automatically detect a devices’ current to pair the optimal output. AVAILABILITY: The product is available for purchase on the company’s website and select e-commerce websites and retails for USD 43 (~Rs 3,000).
MacroBoom: Rugged Solar Speakers PRODUCT BRIEF: The MacroBoom is the combination of life-saving durability and power, solar charging and highest audio quality in a portable speaker. The product has been proven to survive helicopter drops from 10,000 ft and fast moving rivers. PRODUCT FEATURES: These highly portable, solar charging, IP67 water and dust proof, shockproof, daisychaining, bike/surf/sky-mountable bluetooth speakers take rugged sound to a whole new level: one that will impress adventurers & audiophiles alike. APPLICATION: Portable Speakers PRODUCT BENEFITS: The firm claims that the speakers of comparable audio quality cost upwards of $200-$300; while others sacrifice audio quality in the pursuit of solar power/ durability, but the MacroBoom starts at only $125. The product also features 140-180 mAh High Sensitivity Solar Charging - 35 Hour Full Solar Charge, and a 5600 mAh battery. AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase on the firms’ website. Saur Energy International n April 2020 n 59
OPPORTUNITIES Director for Climate Change & RE Programme – CSE Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is India’s leading public interest research institution known for its rigorous scientific policy research and advocacy on environmental issues. The organization is looking for a Programme Director to head its Climate Change and Renewable Energy unit.
• • • •
Location of job: Delhi, India. • Type of job: The position is full-time.
supervisors, product management, business development, and regional business units. Develops content plans and brainstorms creative tactics to support strategies. Sets goals for campaigns, as well as tracks, measures, and summarizes their effectiveness. Applies knowledge of customer challenges and S&C’s unique differentiators to develop content. Executes content for various channels (e.g., web, print, social) to pique customers’ interest and guide them through complex B2B buying (e.g., webpages, infographics, blogs). Works with subject-matter experts to create copy and visuals that simply explain complex ideas.
Eligibility Criterion: Eligibility Criterion: • 12 to 15 years of experience in research and writing is essential • 1-3 years of proven marketing experience. • Candidates with both technical and social sciences qualifications • Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, business, journalism, can apply. communications, English, public relations, or related field is • A mix of technical and policy background will be preferred. required. • B2B marketing experience with S&C, the power industry, or a Job Description: technical subject matter. • The candidate is expected to take the lead role in overall research, • Proven experience as a key contributor to team, especially advocacy and campaign for an effective, ambitious and equitable pertaining to marketing campaign successes. climate change agreement. • Demonstrated ability developing content to convey technical or • The candidate will lead the organizations effort to advocate for complex ideas. increased share of renewable energy, particularly in the context of energy access for the poorest. Apply here: https://bit.ly/2K6JlIo • A candidate with leadership skills so that he/she can work with colleagues and build alliances. Solar Site Surveyor I • A candidate who will work independently, but also SunPower Corporation collaboratively. • A candidate who wants to be part of the change the organization SunPower Corporation designs, manufactures need in the world. and delivers high-performance solar electric • A committed person having high order of skills to research, write systems worldwide for residential, commercial and utility-scale and persuade. power plant customers. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, and has offices in North America, Europe, Australia Apply here: https://bit.ly/2VslI2h and Asia. It is looking for talented, committed people to help the company drive its growth and achieve its goals.
Strategic Communications Associate - S&C Electric Company
The company is a leading provider of switching, protection, and control solutions for electric power systems. Chicagoheadquartered S&C is applying its heritage of innovation to address challenges facing the world’s power grids and thus shaping the future of reliable electricity delivery. The company is looking for a suitable candidate for the position of Strategic Communications Associate. Location of job: Chicago. Type of job: The position is full-time.
Location of job: United States. Type of job: The position is full-time. Job Description: • Supports problem identification and resolution. • Ensures the accuracy of data and information provided to staff. • Prepare and present the results of research and analysis. • Displays an understanding of departmental operations and procedures required to complete daily work activities. • Assists with the delivery of quality and timely work. • Demonstrates willingness to learn and enthusiasm for work. • Contributes to team initiatives. • Supports peers on a learning and collaborative basis. • Applies basic knowledge of functional work area, systems, software, and associated processes and tools.
Job Description: • Develops marketing communications plans in collaboration with Apply here: https://bit.ly/3aXZJaf 60 n April 2020 n Saur Energy International
EVENTS MIDDLE EAST ELECTRICITY 2020
THE SOLAR SHOW MENA 2020
website : https://www.middleeastelectricity.com START DATE : 24-APR-2020 END DATE : 25-APR-2020
Location : Dubai, UAE Phone : +971 4 4072470
website:https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/solar-show-mena START DATE : 13-APR-2020 END DATE : 14-APR-2020
Location : Cairo, Egypt Phone : +971 4 4402535
E-mail : Info@middleeastelectricity.com
E-mail : Abdelbasset.hfd@terrapinn.com
POWERGEN INDIA 2020
6TH SMART CITIES INDIA 2020 EXPO
website : www.powergen-india.com START DATE : 05-MAY-2020 END DATE : 07-MAY-2020
Location : New Delhi, India Phone : +91 97114 33860
E-mail : pr@itenmedia.in
START DATE : 20-MAY-2020 END DATE : 22-MAY-2020
Location : New Delhi, India Phone : +91 11 4279 5000
E-mail : ravim@eigroup.in
SNEC 14TH (2020) INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER GENERATION AND SMART ENERGY website : www.snec.org.cn
START DATE : 25-MAY-2020 END DATE : 27-MAY-2020
website : www.solarindiaexpo.com
Location : Shanghai, China Phone : +86 21 33685117
E-mail : info@snec.org.cn
THE 16TH SOUTH EAST ASIA'S RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE
website : www.asew-expo.com/Home.aspx Location : Bangkok, Thailand START DATE : 11-JUN- 2020 Phone : +86 10 65262861 END DATE : 13-JUN- 2020 E-mail : info@annexhibition.com
THE 9TH (CHINA) SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND BIOMASS POWER
website : www.distributed-energy.cn Location : Shanghai, China START DATE : 16-JUN- 2020 Phone : +86 21 50185270 END DATE : 18-JUN- 2020
RENEWX 2020 website : www.renewx.in START DATE : 16-JUN-2020 END DATE : 17-JUN-2020
Location : Hyderabad, India Phone : +91 98707 46073
E-mail : power@ronco.com.cn
E-mail : sheetal.rathod@ubm.com
THE 15TH ASIASOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INNOVATION EXHIBITION & COOPERATION FORUM
RENEWABLE ENERGY INDIA 2020
website : www.asiasolar.net START DATE : 03-SEP- 2020 END DATE : 04-SEP- 2020
Location : Hangzhou, China Phone : +86 512 53986898
website : www.renewableenergyindiaexpo.com Location : Greater Noida, India START DATE : 23-SEP- 2020 Phone : +91 93792 29397 END DATE : 25-SEP- 2020
E-mail : intl@pgo-china.com
E-mail : Pankaj.sharma@ubm.com
THE 12TH CHINESE RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
INTERSOLAR INDIA 2020
website : www.crecexpo.com START DATE : 03-NOV- 2020 END DATE : 05-NOV- 2020
E-mail : liuyang@crecexpo.com
Location : Wuxi, China Phone : +86 510 81827276
website : www.intersolar.in START DATE : 15-DEC- 2020 END DATE : 17-DEC- 2020 E-mail : feth@solarpromotion.com
Location : Mumbai, India Phone : +49 7231 58598206
SAUR ENERGY www.saurenergy.com
MARCH 2020 | Rs. 200
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
DCP LICENSING NO. F.2(S-29) PRESS/2016 l VOL 4 l ISSUE 07 l TOTAL PAGES 64 l PUBLISHED ON 1ST OF EVERY MONTH
RESIDENTIAL SOLAR'S FINAL PUSH The 2022 Deadline, RPO's and Key States Promise Better Times Finally. INSIDE:JAMES HOU GOODWE YASH JAIN MICROSUN SOLAR NIMISH TRIVEDI PRAKRITI E-MOBILITY SUKHWINDER PAL SINGH INGETEAM