Saur Energy Magazine December 2018 by Saur Energy International

www.saurenergy.com

SAUR ENERGY DECEMBER 2018 | 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 3 l ISSUE 4 l TOTAL PAGES 64 l PUBLISHED ON 1ST OF EVERY MONTH

Ramesh Nair Adani Solar Mundra Solar PV Ltd

STATE-OF-THE-ART SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURING PV System Commissioning Perfection is the key!

Sudhir Garg Patanjali Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd

Ramnath Vaidyanath WiSH Energy

Dr. Avishek Kumar

Sunkonnect

National Energy Storage Mission

Vishal Amin Lubi Electronics

WINTERY BREATH CLOUDING SUNNY

SOLAR SKY

CONVERTING SUN POWER TO SOLAR POWER tm

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

SAUR ENERGY I N T E R N A T I O N A L EDITOR MANAS NANDI manas@meilleurmedia.com

DIRECTOR MARKETING PRATEEK KAPOOR prateek@meilleurmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR NILOY BANERJEE niloy@meilleurmedia.com

The renewable energy sector had a grim 2018 with the number of new projects slowing down and investors finding that the sector is generating both lower power and financial returns than they expected. A report recently also SUB EDITOR projected that solar installations in FY19 would fall to 7,400 MANU TAYAL megawatts (MW) from an all-time high of 9,363MW in manu@meilleurmedia.com FY18. The pipeline of projects has weakened as well, with the SECI looking to cancel bids of 2,400MW this year as SUB EDITOR tariffs were above its expectations while aggressive ANKUR BHARDWAJ bidding by some firms to build portfolios has started to squeeze returns. ankur@meilleurmedia.com We spoke at length with industry veterans to understand the situation and you can read their MANAGER- MEDIA SOLUTION views in our perspective sections. GIRISH MISHRA The current situation in India is, the number of girish.mishra@meilleurmedia.com new projects coming up has slowed down considerably, as a result of which too much DESIGN HEAD money is chasing too few projects, leading to excessive competition among investors which SANDEEP KUMAR is not a very healthy sign. Where as in US a coalition of lobby groups WEB DEVELOPMENT MANAGER from the breadth of the US clean energy JITENDER KUMAR industry is pressing Congress to make standalone energy storage project eligible WEB PRODUCTION for investment tax credits (ITC). At the moment, there is ambiguity over BALVINDER SINGH the eligibility of storage equipment when paired with solar, wind or other SUBSCRIPTIONS compatible technologies. It does not KULDEEP qualify in its own right. subscription@meilleurmedia.com Well lots happening in this sector and we will make sure you get all the news Saur Energy International is printed, published, edited and owned by Manas Nandi and and views right here. published from 303, 2nd floor, Neelkanth Palace, Plot No- 190, Sant Nagar,East of Kailash, New Delhi- 110065 Happy Reading!!

ManasNandi manas@meilleurmedia.com

(INDIA),Printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi. 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.

CONTENT PAGE

RAMESH NAIR

CEO Adani Solar – Mundra Solar PV Ltd

SUDHIR GARG

RAMNATH VAIDYANATH

Director Patanjali Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd

CEO WiSH Energy

PV SYSTEM COMMISSIONING – PERFECTION IS THE KEY!

POLICY

DECEMBER 2018

STATE-OF-THE-ART SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS

MARKET

MODULE

Botswana Decides to Join ISA: Venkaiah Naidu

Finance to Close Global Energy Access Gaps Dramatically Off-Track

JinkoSolar Hits Record Shipment in Q3

Cabinet Nods for Resoln to Open ISA Membership

Largest Solar Power Study Discovers Seraphim Solar Gets 80 MW Supply 25% Power Loss Pact in Vietnam

SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

CONTENT PAGE

DR. AVISHEK KUMAR Director Sunkonnect

VISHAL AMIN

Director(Solar Division) Lubi Electronics

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM INDIA’S NATIONAL ENERGY STORAGE MISSION

COVER STORY

WINTERY BREATH CLOUDING THE SUNNY SOLAR SKY! PROJECTS

FINANCE

EDF Renewables Signs Two 20-Yr PPA in California

EESL, ADB Ink Pact for $13Mn Grant to Establish EERF

Fourth Partner Commissions ŠKODA's Rooftop Carport

LONGi Q3 Revenue Rose 35.26% to $2.11 Bn

Ameresco Finishes 3 Solar Facilities in Ashland

SolarEdge Q3 Revenue Up 42% to $236.6 Mn VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

POLICY UPDATES

BOTSWANA DECIDES TO JOIN ISA: VENKAIAH NAIDU The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Botswana announced their decision to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). He was meeting and holding delegation level talks with his Botswana counterpart, the Vice President and the Acting President of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane, at the Office of the President of Botswana, in Gaborone, Botswana. The Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Krishan Pal Gurjar and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. The two Vice Presidents had a oneon-one meeting which was followed by delegation level talks. The Vice President of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane warmly recalled India’s contribution to the freedom struggle

of many Southern African Nations, including Botswana. Both the leaders referred to the close defence cooperation between the two countries particularly between 1978 till 2012 when Indian Army and

Air Force training team were stationed in Botswana. The Vice President conveyed India’s willingness to bear most of the expenditure including salaries in order to continue the support to Botswana’s defence forces. Botswana appreciated the assistance being given by India in capacity building, particularly under ITEC. In the last four years, Botswana has utilized more than 600 slots under ITEC, IAFS and ICCR. The Vice President expressed willingness to enhance the ITEC slots to more than the 140 slots that India is currently extending to Botswana. The Vice President responded positively to the Government of Botswana’s request to impart Diplomatic training to Botswana’s Junior Diplomats.

CABINET NODS FOR RESOLN TO OPEN ISA MEMBERSHIP

INDIA READY TO SHARE RE EXPERTISE: RK SINGH

ISA is an alliance of more than 121 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy so as to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for India moving a resolution for opening up of International Solar Alliance (ISA) membership to all UN countries, an official statement said. ISA is an alliance of more than 121 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy so as to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. India and France co-hosted the first International Solar Alliance summit in March this year. “The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval for moving a resolution in the first assembly of the ISA for amending the Framework Agreement of the ISA for opening up the ISA membership to all countries that are members of the United Nations,” the statement said. Opening the membership of the ISA will put solar energy in global agenda with the universal appeal for developing and deploying solar energy. “It will make ISA inclusive, whereby all member countries that are members of the United Nations could become members. Expanding membership will lead to ISA initiative benefitting the world at large,” it added.

Taking a leadership role in the renewable energy domain, Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh said that India is ready to share its expertise in renewable energy sector with small island nations. The Minister was talking to delegates of various countries including Mauritius, Trinidad, Tobago, South Africa, Fiji, Suriname and Guyana during the seminar of ‘Know India Programme’. Being a flagship programme of the External Affairs Ministry, Know India enhances the awareness of Indian youth between the age of 18-30 about India. The programme also extends to cultural engagements and helps to familiarise the youth about the various aspects of India. During the interaction, the delegates attending the programme were acquainted with different aspects and facets of India’s renewable energy push. “India has already achieve over 33 per cent share of non-fossil fuels in the electric installed capacity and is likely to achieve this target much ahead of the deadline. Focused approach and ambitious aims will make India a world leader in the field of renewable energy”, observed the Minister. The Minister also informed the delegates that India was committed to decrease the share of fossil fuel based power generation systems by 40% by 2030. The Minister during the interaction also informed the participants about a very unique feature about India’s power system, which is having a single grid throughout the country operating at a single frequency. Know India programme of the External Affairs Ministry has been in existence since 2003.

DECEMBER 2018

SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

POLICY UPDATES

MNRE ISSUES INDIAN WIND TURBINE CERTIFICATION SCHEME Consolidating National and International Standards, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a draft scheme on wind turbines in India. Known as the ‘Indian Wind Turbine Certification Scheme’ (IWTCS), the draft has been prepared in consultation with the National Institute of Wind Energy, Chennai. The scheme will not only provide a framework for standards, but also cater to the technical regulations and requirements issued by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), guidelines issued by MNRE and other international guidelines. Internationally, IEC /IECRE Certification schemes for wind turbines are well recognized and widely used and the IWTCS in its formulation has incorporated the rules and procedures of IS/IEC/IECRE. Type Certification of wind turbines will play an active role in ensuring that wind turbines in India meet the requirements of requisite IS/IEC/IECRE standards. The steady growth of the sector has seen different types of wind turbines with diverse performance and safety criteria. The modern wind turbines have higher hub heights, larger rotor diameter, higher capacity and improved Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) along with technological improvements. Under these developments, there is a need for comprehensive document which provides the complete technical requirements which shall have to be complied by the wind turbines for the safe and reliable operation by all the stakeholders. There is also a need for technical regulations which shall facilitate common ground for OEMs, Developers, Investors

and Financial Institution for systematic development. The guideline for the recognition of the certification schemes in India by MNRE was paramount for the success of quality wind turbines installed in India.

HYDERABAD WATER BOARD TO GO SOLAR

HRD INSTITUTE SAVES BIG WITH SOLAR ENERGY

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has decided to use solar energy to power 56 of its reservoirs (10ml and above) in the city. The board has entrusted Telangana State Renewable Energy Corporation to conduct a feasibility study on solar energy utilization and aims to run reservoirs on solar energy by next June, board wants to reduce power consumption. The board is incurring Rs 80 to 100 crore bill every month from Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company to distribute water from the Godavari and the Krishna to city and GHMC periphery. The board has open spaces on reservoir premises to set up solar units and will require 3 MWs to run reservoirs. In Phase-1, solar energy will be used in 56 reservoirs and the remaining would be covered in phase-II. The board will submit a report from the Telangana government to MA&UD to ask TSREC to invite tenders.

The Telangana State-run MCR HRD Institute has opted for renewable energy to meet a part of its power needs. The Institute has completed Phase I of its solar power system, under which it installed a 500 kwp on the roof of the building. The total cost of the project was Rs 219 lakh. The Central subsidy, which the Institute will get is approximately Rs 50 lakh. The electricity generated from the installation will contribute to a saving of Rs 6 lakh a month in power bills, according to a release. Phase II of the rooftop solar power system with a capacity of 500 kwp will be taken up soon. After completion, the savings on electricity bills will be Rs 12 lakh a month. “The installation of the solar power system at the Institute is one of the largest initiatives on public buildings in the State, which will result not only in reducing the overall cost of energy but also in contributing to a greener environment,” said BP Acharya, Special Chief Secretary to the Government and Director General of the Institute. The Institute has also taken up measures to reduce air conditioning, introduce LED lighting, limit use of plastics, and to conserve water. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

POLICY UPDATES

SOLAR POWER CONSUMERS TO BEAR COST OF SOLAR PUMPS The Maharashtra government has imposed an electricity surcharge of 10 paise per unit on industrial and commercial consumers to finance its scheme to provide 25,000 solar pumps to farmers, a senior official said. In view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls next year, state Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had recently announced that farmers would be provided one lakh solar pumps in three phases between 2019 and 2021, of which 25,000 would be given in the first phase. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company has applied a 10 paise per unit surcharge from November 1 to collect funds for the farmers.

Arvind Singh, Principal Secretary in the state Energy department, confirmed the move. “The total expense of the scheme is Rs 825 crore and since the state has no resources to spend on the scheme, we have decided to collect funds by applying a surcharge on consumers,” Singh said. He added that power consumers,

comprising commercial and industrial users and excluding residential users, will have to pay an additional 10 paise per unit to the total consumption of monthly electricity units. “We expect to collect Rs 90 crore per month through this surcharge,” Singh said. In the first phase, the government will provide solar pumps having a capacity of 3-5 horsepower (hp) to farmers. An official from the Power Ministry said the price of a 3 hp pump operating on Alternate Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) supply was Rs 2.40 lakh and Rs 2.55 lakh respectively. The cost of a 5 hp AC pump is Rs 3.25 lakh whereas the price of 5 hp DC pump is Rs 3.85 lakh.

UP CM INAUGURATES 1230KW SOLAR PLANT IN GORAKHPUR

UP ISSUES DRAFT REGULATION FOR NET METERING

Inaugurating a 1230 kW solar power plant in Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it would give impetus to the green energy drive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and would not only help in lighting up many houses but also conserve environment. The solar power plant has been constructed at a cost of Rs 6 crore. The CM said that the state was facing natural calamities because of exploitation of environment. “We have better natural resources and we should use them judiciously,” he said. “For at least 10 months, Uttar Pradesh gets quality sunlight and it should be used for green energy,” he said, adding that solar energy can have dual effect, one, protect environment from pollution caused by diesel and petrol engines and, two, save precious foreign reserve. “By using better technology, the cost of production of solar energy can be reduced to Rs 2.50 per unit. The government has proposed a new solar policy under which industrialist can set up units anywhere in the state and through Open Excess system, sell and purchase power at any place. The days are not far when the state will start using non-conventional energy instead of fossil fuel,” the CM said. Yogi said the government had given a go ahead to set up ethanol plant in Gorakhpur for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Around 50 acres of land had been acquired in Dhuriapaar for the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 1200 crore and will benefit local people, he said. The CM also appealed to the investors to invest in eastern UP as this region was bestowed with natural resources which had so far remained unharnessed.

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has issued a new set of guidelines governing the net metering of surplus power generated by rooftop solar projects in Uttar Pradesh. The draft regulations is called Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Gross / Net Metering Regulations, 2019, or in short known as RSPV Regulations, 2019. The notification hasn’t been published in the official gazette hence has not come into force yet. The current set of regulations supersede the UPERC (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Gross / Net Metering) Regulations, 2015. As per the draft, the regulations shall apply to the distribution licensees (DISCOMs), the eligible consumers of the distribution licensees and third party owners of gross metering arrangement of rooftop solar PV system in the State of Uttar Pradesh. The draft has also mandated that the capacity of the grid connected rooftop system will not exceed 2 MWh and shall not be less than 1 KWh. If the customer/user of the rooftop opts for the gross metering option, the entire power generated from the solar setup will be fed into the grid at the interconnected points. If the customer opts for net metering then only the surplus electricity will be fed into the system, the draft mentions. Taking a progressive view and to provide flexibility to rooftop solar power manufacturer and consumer, the draft has a provision of mutual sale and purchase of electricity through peer-to-peer transaction in a secured and reliable way with proper accounting and billing mechanism implemented with the help Block chain technology.

DECEMBER 2018

SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

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STATE-OF-THE-ART SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS

DECEMBER 2018

Ecoprogetti offers a complete range of technological solutions in the renewable energy field and is involved in the planning & realisation of manufacturing Equipment and Automation. Started as a module manufacturing company in 1994 with a manual production line, Ecoprogetti fabricated machines for personal usage with an aim to increase the production capacity and Quality. The usage of the machines helped us understand the limitations resulting in better quality and reliable machines developed for our customers. Any new machine developed is tested at our facility for the reliability and production capacity & quality before offering it to the customer. With increase in the Photovoltaic industry, Ecoprogetti became an independent company dedicated to the equipment manufacturing for the photovoltaic industry in 1998 under the guidance of our CEO Mr. Domenico Sartore. Ecoprogetti is the only company in the world to Design and Manufacture all the equipments needed for module assembly process under one roof at our factory in Headquarters situated at Carmignano Di Brenta, Venice, Italy. The key criteria for Ecoprogetti equipmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glorious success can be attributed to the 3 factors considered while designing. FLEXIBILITY: Our machines are extremely flexible and can work with different types of cells and raw materials in order to produce all kind of photovoltaic modules including BIPV modules like glass-glass. The complete production line can be changed from one to another module type in less than an hour. SIMPLICITY: The machines are very simple to use and do not require advanced maintenance and particular skilled human SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

resources. All machines are equipped with internet connection for a quick and effective service MODULARITY: Modular concept of Ecoprogetti helps customer update the line in a very easy and cost competitive way. It is possible to transform the line from a 10MW to 300MW or more by only upgrading and working on the existing equipment. With an experience of more than 20 years, 120 Turnkey lines worldwide (more than 9GW) and 5 service offices worldwide, Ecoprogetti offers the customer the best Turnkey solutions with a complete assistance in training, Start-up, Advice and support service of qualified personnel with years of experience as photovoltaic module producers. We guarantee innovative solutions maintaining authenticity, simplicity and cost effectiveness. Ecoprogetti with the vast knowledge of technology and process has 2 patents to its credit 1. Hybrid Soldering Head : Aiming at breakages equal to 0% with solar cells getting thinner and thinner, Ecoprogetti has developed and patented a new innovative hybrid soldering system combining the traditional contact soldering with hot air. The introduction of hot air in the soldering phase heats up the entire cell surface, not only the points where the ribbon is positioned, reducing significantly the thermal stress given to cell 2. L ED based Sun Simulator: This new technology is extremely useful looking at the latest cell technology overcoming the limitations of the traditional Xenon lamp flash simulators.

AUTOMATION

The machine has been accredited Class A+A+A++ by TUV Intercert. Established in 1998, Ecoprogetti has offices in India, UAE, USA and South East Asia. Ecoprogetti is gradually increasing its presence in South-East Asia with Turnkey lines installed at Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia etc. Recently, we have commissioned State-of-the-art Fully Automatic Turnkey Line of 250MW at Morocco for Glass to Glass Module Production. In total, Ecoprogetti has sold more than 120 Turnkey lines worldwide especially in the Europe and Africa market and also has its presence in more than 10 Renowned Laboratories worldwide. Ecoprogetti Production Process (I) Pvt. Ltd. (a 100% fully Owned Subsidiary of M/s. Ecoprogetti, SRL) started the office in 2012 with Mr. Rajen Shah as the Managing Director of the company. Since its Inception, Ecoprogetti India has sold more than 30 Turnkey Lines in India and Individual equipment to almost all the Major Module Manufacturers in India. With Headquarters in Mumbai, we offer After Sales and Service support with trained and experienced Service Engineers located at Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Gujarat. Ecoprogetti has the biggest customer installation base in India and was awarded as “GOLD AWARD WINNER” in the “Solar Module Manufacturing Line Setup” category by one of the Reputed Magazine.

Ecoprogetti has to its credit the maximum number of Turnkey line offered in India and one of the recent State-of-the-art Turnkey line of 100MW was installed at M/s. Kosol Energie Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The line consists of the ergonomically designed Tabber Stringer with the patented Hybrid Soldering technology which ensures less than 0.2% breakage. The machine has the capability to solder very thin PV solar cells such as Mono, Poly, Bifacial, PERC, HJT and high efficiency solar cells without mechanical and thermal stress. Machine is equipped with 2 High Resolution Camera – One to check the alignment and second camera to check the centering and to detect any broken cell before soldering. The equipment is capable of handling 4,5 and 6 bus bar commercially available cell. The high throughput Tabber Stringer is supported by 6 axis ROBOT to pick the strings from the belt and place it on the Glass & EVA pre-loaded on the automatic conveyor belt. The Pre-programmed Robot picks up the string and moves through the camera for better alignment of the strings on the glass. The clockwise / anticlockwise direction of the string is done by the settable recipe on the Robot. The Glass is loaded on the automatic conveyor belt by the Glass handling system. The bussing is carried out on an Motorised conveyor equipped with continuity tester, Soldering station. The bussing station is followed by a visual inspection table for checking any foreign VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

AUTOMATION

particles, alignment etc. The pre-lamination Electroluminescence (EL) Tester supplied with the input roller conveyor and output reject conveyor detects Micro cracks, Contamination, Sintering Defect, Defects of Solar cell material (Debris, Cracked, Broken Gate, pollution), Defects from the Welding Process (Weld, De-Solder, Broken Fingers), Mix

DECEMBER 2018

Different levels Cells sorted wrongly. The equipment performs DARK IV Test and is supplied with two High Resolution camera with acquisition time of less than 20s. The equipment is capable of testing Mono, Poly and Thin Film Modules The Lamination process is supplied with Input and Output buffer to store the modules, in case of any maintenance. The Laminator supplied with the Turnkey line is a Double Step laminator with loading and unloading system. The laminator uses electrical heating with the highest temperature uniformity ensuring good quality modules. Quick change system of the silicone membrane with clamps around the external borders of the laminator. Membrane change in less than 30 minutes and change can be performed with the plates still in working temperatures. The Laminator is supplied with High Efficiency pumping system for fast cycle time and Glass to Glass production. All our laminators are supplied with cooling system at the output conveyor. The excess EVA/Backsheet after the lamination process is at the Automatic trimming station. The sunny-side down framing machine with Automatic Loading & Unloading system is designed specifically for avoiding flipping of the modules. The loading and centering of the module is done automatically and one touch button for automatic framing offers seamless operation. Frame punching on long side and short side is at same time with Auto locking system SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

for corner blocks. The frames are filled with sealant using the automatic silicone dispenser machine. This machine is an Automatic machine to fill the frames with even and correct amount of silicone. The frames are placed to the loading conveyor and a sensor placed at the unload station detects the status of frame at the unloading conveyor to interrupt the cycle automatically when the belt is full. The final power Testing of the module is performed by our Award winning LED based Class A+A+A++ Sun Simulator certified by TUV Intercert. The machine is capable of testing Mono, Poly, PERC, HIT, Bifacial, Back Contact and Thin Film. The pyranometer used in our machine measures the accurate irradiance value and corrects it to the STC condition. The LED advantages of uniform Homogeneity (Non-Uniformity < ±1%), Long term instability (< ±0.125%) and Spectrum (± 8%) provides good repeatability and precise output of the module. The productivity is also increased since there is no recharging time require between 2 flashes and lifetime of LED is more than 50 million pulses. The Hi-pot tester supplied with the line guarantees long-life of the photovoltaic module & safety of the installation. And Lastly, at the end of the line, we have incorporated an EL Tester to determine any micro-cracks, dark spots which may have occurred during the post-lamination process. The final product is sorted automatically with the help of Fully Automatic Module Sorter. All the equipments offered by Ecoprogetti results in World Class

Quality Modules and maximum power (low CTM loss) ensuring quicker ROI for all our customers.

ECOSUN BIFACIAL SUN SIMULATOR FOR BIFACIAL MODULES Ecoprogetti’s LED based sun simulator has paved the way for designing an equipment in the difficult sector – Testing Bifacial Module. Ecoprogetti’s ECOSUN Bifacial, an LED based sun simulator, is capable of testing both the sides of bifacial module simultaneously without the need to flip the module. The double light source system ensures simulates the final installation conditions of the modules as on field/rooftop, where the light is coming and reflected on both sides. Since the light reflected to the rear side varies, it is necessary to offer different test conditions to simulate the output which is provided by our Inverter.

Characteristics:

1. LED based Light source ensures longer lifetime of more than 50 million pulses 2. Class A+A+A++ Certified by TUV Intercert 3. Suitable for Bifacial, Thin film, Mono, Poly, Back-Contact, PERC, HIT 4. Non-Uniformity : < ± 1% 5. Spectrum Mismatch : ± 12.5% 6. STI / LTI : < ± 0.125% 7. Customised Electronic Load 8. Optional Light Soaking Capability

VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

THE CONVERSATION

“ECOTRUCK” SOLAR POWER PLANT MOBILE TESTING LAB

Solar power plants need periodic checking of the PV modules at site which may include different type of testing such as IV curve measurement, Thermal Imaging etc. Understanding the need of such special equipment which could cater the Solar power plant, Ecoprogetti, having experience in Solar industry for more than 20 years, have designed State-of-the-art equipment called “ECOTRUCK” (Solar Power Plant Mobile Testing Lab). ECOTRUCK combines our New, Reliable and powerful LED Sun simulator (certified as class A+A+A++ by TUV Lab) for IV Curve Measurement with high precision EL Tester for detecting Microcracks, Inactive Areas and a Thermal Camera for checking Hotpots. All these critical equipment’s are combined together in ECOTRUCK for testing solar panels to analyse the low output / Inefficient PV Modules affecting the performance of Solar Power Plant. In addition to the above, we could also customise the ECOTRUCK with Hi-Pot and Ground Bound test as per customer’s requirement.

Characteristics:

DECEMBER 2018

1. Field Ready Compact Design 2. Suitable for Mono, Poly, Thin-Film, Back contact, PERC, HJT modules 3. High Performance LED Sun Simulator with Class A+A+A++ certified by TUV 4. High Resolution EL Camera 5. Camera for Thermal Imaging 6. Panel Dimension upto 1200 X 2000mm 7. Automatic Reporting 8. Intuitive Software for the Operator 9. 3KW Power Generator included. Battery Pack also available for In-Field Autonomy. The unique and reliable design of ECOTRUCK has received enquiries from major EPC players and upcoming laboratories in India. SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN 2018 Ecoprogetti Successfully installed 60MW State-of-the-Art Module manufacturing Equipment at “RenewSys India Pvt. Ltd., R.R. District” and “Premier Solar, Medak District” – Renowned name in the Indian Module Manufacturing Sector located in Telangana State. The installation of the equipments have been done by Ecoprogetti India’s Trained and Experienced Service team in a record time The Equipment supplied with Automation can process cell size from smaller size to Full cell.

THE CONVERSATION

RAMESH NAIR CEO, Adani Solar – Mundra Solar PV Ltd

WE NEED A POLICY FOR RECYCLING; IT’S A SIZEABLE RECYCLABLE MARKET

We would need a policy for recycling because lots of metals, elements go into module making from silver to aluminium to copper to polysilicon. It’s a sizeable recyclable market at the end of life and we will have to look it on a policy level that how to do it? There’re lot of countries abroad which do recycling and generate lot of value from it, says Ramesh Nair, CEO, Adani Solar – Mundra Solar PV Ltd, a solar PV manufacturing arm of Adani Group and India’s first company to vertically integrate businesses that offer services across the spectrum of photovoltaics manufacturing. In an exclusive interview with Manas Nandi, Editor, Saur Energy International during the 12th Edition of Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo 2018 at Greater Noida, Nair shared his views on various topics including company’s future expansion plans, exports, specialties of Adani’s manufacturing and R&D infrastructure, its offerings for Indian solar market etc. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview.

To begin with, can you please take us through Adani’s How do you see the implementation of safeguard duty solar installations in India which is one of the biggest on solar industry and how it can benefit manufacturers module & cell manufacturing capacity of 1.2GW or can be like Adani? stretched up to 3GW? Safeguard duty is basically imposed to prevent large Adani is a conglomerate basically in energy scale import into the country that starts hurting the infrastructure along with various other domestic industry. This duty has been imposed after businesses but energy is the focus area for recommended twice by two agencies i.e. DG us. As part of the vision and in conformance Safeguard and DGTR. It is important because we with honorable PM’s vision of putting generally say that domestic players should get a up of 100 GW of solar capacity in the level playing field. So to provide a level playing country, we have ventured out to largest field as is being given in various other industries manufacturing in the country and we as well such as – Steel. This is a very important believe that manufacturing is the backbone move and we welcome it. It will definitely give an of any economy and India needs lot of impetus to manufacturing in the country, though, manufacturing. So, in line with the vision the rates imposed are pretty low as compared of our group chairman we have ventured to what initially recommended at 70%. But still we out on putting up 1.2 GW of manufacturing believe it’s a welcome move. As we go forward it facility for cell & module which is largest in will definitely help to further manufacturing along with the country one of its kind and which the manufacturing policy that is being discussed by is scalable upto 3GW. The most the government and which is almost in the focal point of this facility stage of finalization. A combination is that it is extremely of this would definitely invite lot of futuristic because out investment into the sector. of 1.2GW we got As technology is changing 200MWs of monorapidly, how Adani is coping perc lines which is with this? of high efficiency and bifacial lines Fundamentally, in solar the of 100MW. So 1/3rd technology is on silicon, of the capacity is so on polysilicon-based at high efficiency technologies the only thing levels and the that happens is that the remaining 2/3rd effic ienc y cur ve keeps is on the standard going up. So, in-line with multi lines.

DECEMBER 2018

SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

THE CONVERSATION

what we feel is on efficiency we have already invested in high efficiency technology of monoperc and bifacial. As we expand, we would look at more of monoperc and more of those kinds of technologies. Even on current technology, we are continuously doing our R&D and put our efforts step by step to improve our efficiency curve, our whole efforts are on taking it up and we have a whole set of team in research and development, technology and product development, which would take us through the curve. But we have to be at the right time of the curve that’s the challenge of this industry.

playing fields through various methods, the manufacturing policy that is being rolled out – a combination of all these factors would definitely take the solar manufacturing to atleast double or triple the size of manufacturing that currently seen in the country. For example - In auto sector, manufacturing come to India because it kept a sizable duty component initially which encouraged all the manufacturers to come to India and set up the shops. In solar also, similar strategy should be used, initially, to encourage manufacturers and also incentives should be provided to them. Once it will be done, it will Adani has one of the biggest R&D setup currently in automatically become part of the market, than it will India, what prompted you to go deeper into R&D and generate huge amount of manufacturing jobs across 20-30 why you have invested so much? years which is very important for the country like us where there’s a large population of educated English speaking Because we feel in this industry technology is very important youth that we have. and to be at the right curve of the technology is very On the top of it, if you bring manufacturing to India the forex important and if you do not hit at the right time obviously savings will be huge. For example - if you start importing all you fall behind and than the rest have gone forward. So, the modules for 100GW the import component can be in now, we have an edge because as a manufacturer we are excess of Rs 2 lakh crore in terms of forex. So, you will end up DNV GL accredited, we are among the top 12 performers, saving a sizable portion of that by bringing manufacturing we are tier1, so we want to keep that edge at all times and into India. that edge can be maintained only when we have a sizable Also, control on quality is another factor in manufacturing investment into technology and R&D and we believe in that. because lot of development that is happening in India, I am not being negative on that but obviously we have to As Adani got certified for quality by top tier reputed be conscious of standards of quality on development also, international agencies which require a sizeable they have to be clearly defined because this is the product investment. Does this kind of certifications help you in acquiring which lasts for 25 years. Whatever we manufacture, we markets outside India also? have to guarantee for 25 years and whatever developers are putting up also needs to be guaranteed in terms of We have sold sizeable quantities, like in the first year itself generation for the similar period of time. So, quality becomes we have sold about 50MW into US, we have sold Facebook very important in this field. rooftop projects also last year. In this current year, we have As today we see prices like Rs 2.44 per kWh or below. Is already exported at least about 80-90MW and we are there any pressure on manufacturers from developers expected at least 200MW plus in the various markets abroad. We are looking at various markets with US being the current to attain that kind of price point? focus market, but we are also looking into Europe, Turkey, Africa as a continent etc but as we go forward we would Obviously price of Rs 2.44 per kWh is a very aggressive price look at where ever there is value we would do it. Currently, and it has certain assumptions in module prices. So, there’s we are exporting to even Australia as well. This is the new always a pressure on the manufacturers to match that kind market that we have developed. So, this is the testimony to of pricing. For the industry, it’s always good with the cost our quality the fact that we are able to export and people curve has to go down and overall it’s not a bad thing for the country. But then we should also be conscious about are accepting our product very widely. what quality goes in with this kind of pricing and there has Please give some suggestions to government so that our to be good control on the quality of modules that put as solar industry can boost more on the track on which it part of the development. had already started moving on. Lastly, what happens to these modules once there’s an end of life comes in for these modules? We do not Every economy needs manufacturing and as we all know that India’s manufacturing GDP is just about 15% of its total have a recyclable policy. What is your suggestion on this? GDP while China it’s about 34-35% and at the end of the day long-stay jobs get created through manufacturing. We would need a policy for recycling because lots of metals When you are talking about 100-200GW of solar farms being and elements go into module making like silver, aluminum, developed in the country it can’t happen without sizeable copper and polysilicon. It’s a sizeable recyclable market at manufacturing base being developed in the country. the end of life and we will have to look it on a policy level Government is definitely making certain strides in terms of that how to do it? There’re lot of countries abroad which furthering the manufacturing but can move little more faster if do recycling and generate lot of value from it. So, obviously things like MCIPS, providing the domestic manufacturers level that’s the market that we have to look at.

VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

OPED

FASTER RESPONSE TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSION IS A NECESSITY NOW

Gyanesh Chaudhary MD & CEO Vikram Solar

The Centre for Policy Research and International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis have recently explained that CO2 emissions in India will grow, nearly doubling the emission figures from 2012 around 2030. This growth would represent approximately 91-98% growth in CO2 emissions. However, surprisingly this considerable rise would be completely aligned with what India promised in Paris Agreement. It is a great news that India would make good on its word in not exceeding the emission rate prescribed by the Paris Agreement. However, does 91-98% growth in CO2 emission in next 10-12 years put us at ease? Or do we feel the urge to make a better and faster response to curb the emission rate to protect the climate from on-going degradation.

Is This a Win?

DECEMBER 2018

The Centre for Policy Research and International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis have also highlighted that policy reformation has helped India quite a bit, and the resulting change is supposed to SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

speed up the green energy transition. This change is expected to reduce share of fossil fuels in India’s energy scene by focusing on quick reduction of per capita emissions than today’s global average. The equation will very likely reduce CO2 emissions, and the credit for this transition would go to policy interventions and Government initiatives supporting renewable energy (especially solar). The report also portrayed a positive picture of India’s future CO2 emission levels highlighting that although India’s emission would double by 2030, it would be lower than China's equivalent emissions in 2015. However, we need to ask ourselves that if doubled CO2 emissions in next decade should be considered as success of our climate protection measures. Especially, when we are living in the age of green energy transition, and the opportunity to solarize the country is looking most lucrative than it ever before. In such a scenario, our efforts towards green energy growth need to be considerably increased to reach and frankly surpass the goals. It will help us reduce our carbon emissions faster, which is a necessity.

Climate Change is Not Subtle Anymore

Like other countries, India is also facing serious threat due to changing climate and increasing CO2 in the atmosphere. Weather is getting hotter year after year with change in Monsoon threatening India’s agriculture dependent economy with droughts and flood, leading to significant fall in crop yield. There have been significant fall in crop yield in north-western India, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh in recent years which has dealt a damaging blow to India’s economy and social structure. Also there has been a significant drop in levels of protein in crops like rice and wheat, which are the primary food source for majority of the population in India, due to rising carbon dioxide

levels. Such conditions surfacing issues like malnutrition, low immunity and raising the probability of diseases affecting the population severely. Additionally, heatwaves in summer months have become more and more frequent with their severity rising with each passing year. India recorded its hottest day in the city of Phalodi, Rajasthan, when the temperature reached 51 degree C. And researchers from MIT in the US have given proof that the heatwaves will only intensify in future years.

Way Forward

Above laid examples explain that effects of climate change will only get more dangerous in future, leading to country wide decimation of health and wealth. And we can state that our current climate improvement strategies are not well equipped to handle the change as prediction shows 91-98% increase in CO2 emissions in India in the next decade. Therefore, it is important for us to boost efforts at reducing CO2 emissions now by focusing on solar energy installation. We as a country should understand that lowering our future CO2 emissions in comparison to industrial giant China (its 2015’s emission statistics) is not a win for us now. We need to look at our future and then create strategies that focus on protecting climate in the present, because only then we would have a chance at continuing the climate improvement work in the future. And although, initiatives of the Government should be appreciated, we should not sit idly by at the predictions of a marginal success. Living in the age of solar revolution, provides us the enormous advantage to prioritize solar industry and manufacturing. It will create momentum that will help India solve its socioeconomic issues by building a more flexible, functional structure that works side by side in protecting the climate while satisfying energy needs.

PROJECT UPDATES

1KAPARTMENTS TO GET PANELS ON ROOFTOPS IN 2 YRS Residents of apartments across Bengaluru can now reduce their dependency on Bescom by installing rooftop solar power plant. Bescom Managing Director C Shikha and Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun launched the rooftop solar project mooted by the Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF) at the inaugural of the programme, Bengaluru Apartments Making Bengaluru Operationally Outstanding and Sustainable (BAMBOOS). The aim is to ensure solar rooftop plants on at least 1,000 apartment complexes across the city in two years. “One of the ways to reduce the maintenance charges being collected from apartment residents is by switching

over from electricity supplied by Bescom to generating own power using rooftop solar panels,” a BAF office-bearer said. Urban expert V Ravichander spoke of sustainable living through energy

conservation, waste management and water conservation. He said, “Apartments, instead of complaining and seeking favours from the government, should encourage and adopt citizen-driven best practices. The government must facilitate such work and incentivise it. .. Lauding the initiatives taken by the citizen groups Gangambike said, “Most apartment residents don’t even vote. But things are changing and I want them to cooperate with us in making the city beautiful.” “From rooftop solar panels in two apartments to nearly 100% waste segregation in 350 apartments, we’re doing everything to live sustainably,” BAF Vice-President Muralidhar Rao said.

FOURTH PARTNER COMMISSIONS AMERESCO FINISHES 3 SOLAR ŠKODA'S ROOFTOP CARPORT FACILITIES IN ASHLAND

DECEMBER 2018

Fourth Partner Energy has commissioned a 980-kWp carport for ŠKODA AUTO India at their manufacturing facility in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. This initiative, built in line with the ‘GREEN FUTURE’ strategy of ŠKODA AUTO and commissioned as part of the ‘INDIA 2.0’ project, is expected to reduce 922 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.The carport built by the company, is spread over an area of 8,000 square metres, and is expected to provide covered parking space for almost 300 cars. The unique design has a span of 18 metres, resting on just two columns and can accommodate three cars in a row. The shed is leak proof and can withstand wind speeds up to 150 km/hr. The carport structure of the designated system will cover 30 percent of the plant’s annual energy consumption by generating 1,475 MWh of power per annum. This solar power generation project is expected to substitute 759 tons of coal usage each year and the carbon offset is equivalent to planting almost 72,000 trees. Saif Dhorajiwala, Founder, Fourth Partner Energy said, “We are extremely proud to be associated with ŠKODA AUTO India Private Ltd. for this project. Our past experience, design and engineering capabilities, health & safety norms and robust after-service capabilities went a long way in helping us bag the project. Skoda was particularly impressed by how Fourth Partner Energy leverages technology to not only monitor the plant real time, but also give access to view the plant’s performance through our indigenously developed remote monitoring app.” SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

Ameresco, a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company and the Town of Ashland held a ribbon-cutting at the Town’s capped landfill to celebrate the completion of the three solar facilities. The Town partnered with Ameresco to develop the solar PV projects under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The company will operate and maintain the systems for the term of the contract to ensure optimal energy production. “We were happy to have a comprehensive service partner in Ameresco to help us identify and implement a diverse set of meaningful clean energy projects in our community. These projects not only combat the continuing global impacts of climate change but do so by virtually eliminating the Town’s electric bill.” Michael D. Herbert, Town Manager, Ashland MA. Ashland’s solar projects at the Middle School Roof, the High School Parking Lot, and the Howe Street Landfill are comprised of more than 5,500 photovoltaic panels totaling 1,800 kW DC and designed to generate over 2.2 million kWh of renewable electricity each year.The annual CO2 emissions reduction of 1,632 metric tons is equivalent to taking 350 cars off the road and annual electricity usage of 176 homes. “This project will contribute to the Town of Ashland realizing its goals, under the Green Communities Program, to reduce energy consumption and costs through the implementation of clean energy projects in its municipal buildings, facilities, and schools,” said David J. Anderson, Executive Vice President, Ameresco. “The three solar projects represent a complimentary component to the larger sustainable initiative across the municipality that included a $3.6 million comprehensive energy efficiency program, providing more than $250,000 in annual savings in its building portfolio.”

PROJECT UPDATES

EDF RENEWABLES SIGNS TWO 20-YR PPA IN CALIFORNIA EDF Renewables North America signed two 20-years Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) purchasing 55 percent of the output, and Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) getting the remaining 45 percent. The Project is slated to achieve commercial operation by the end of 2021. The agreement is for generation and storage of solar energy. SVCE and MBCP jointly launched a competitive procurement process in September 2017 to take advantage of economies of scale for the combined four county service territory. This unique collaboration between these two CCAs allowed for more purchasing power to better-source cost-effective, clean electricity for their communities. “We are delivering on our commitment to our customers to provide reliable, renewable energy that will help us reach our decarbonization goals,” said Girish Balachandran, CEO of Silicon Valley Clean Energy. “This long-term agreement with EDF Renewables for solar-plus-storage shows that as a CCA we have the financial stability to make investments in these kinds of innovative

renewable projects.” “EDF Renewables is pleased to be selected by SVCE and MBCP – two forward-thinking CCAs to supply affordable, in-state green energy to their customers. The inclusion of storage provides the agencies with a 100% clean and partially dispatchable product, allowing them to mitigate the ‘duck curve’ risk and monetize price spikes,” said Valerie Barros, director of renewables

and storage product development at EDF Renewables. The electricity generated at full capacity is enough to meet the consumption of up to 64,000 average California homes. This is equivalent to avoiding more than 315,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually which represents the greenhouse gas emissions from 67,000 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year.

SECI AUCTION FOR M’RASHTRA PARK PUT OFF INDEFINITELY

DECEMBER 2018

Developers’ interest in Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) auctions hit a nadir when Tata Power Renewable Energy was the sole bidder for an auction for 50 MW at Dhodhainicha Solar Park in Maharashtra. The auction has been put off indefinitely. Last week SECI postponed a 1200 MW hybrid auction – solar and wind energy projects combined – to mid-November due to tepid response. In mid-October, another auction for a massive 10,000 MW – and the first one linked to solar manufacturing – was also postponed for the fourth time. Developers say the main hurdle is the low ceiling tariff being set by SECI for these auctions. “In the Dhodhainicha Park auction, the maximum price was set at Rs 2.93 per unit, which, given the solar SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

radiation in Maharashtra, is too low for a project to be viable,” said a developer who did not want to be identified. In the hybrid auction too, SECI had set the ceiling tariff from the wind-solar combo projects at Rs 2.60 per unit, which developers said was unrealistic. Earlier, SECI cancelled the results of another auction held in July, except the

lowest bid, because it felt the winning tariffs were too high, irking developers. This was a 3000 MW auction at which the lowest bidder, Acme Solar sought 600 MW at Rs 2.44 per unit, but the rest were all above Rs 2.60 per unit. SECI awarded just the 600 MW and cancelled the remaining 2,400 MW. “The commissioning deadline of the Dhodhainicha Park project was only 12 months from the signing of the power purchase agreement (PPA), which was also felt to be too short,” said the developer. A government source, however, said the auction was postponed because transmission issues at the solar park still had to be sorted out. “We need more clarity from Maharashtra on evacuation,” he said.

PROJECT UPDATES

UNISUN TO KICKOFF 11.6MW SOLAR PLANT CONSTRUCTION China-based Unisun Energy Group was about to commence construction of the first phase of its ground-mounted solar power facility in Tiszaszolos, Hungary with initial installed capacity of 11.6 MW. The project has received approval from KAT, the Hungarian feed-in tariff scheme. Hungary represents another important European solar market that Unisun Energy has entered following its expansion into Germany and Netherlands. KAT, a scheme developed by the Hungarian government to support the development of the renewable energy sector, is empowered to determine feed-in tariffs for renewable power and ensure all power generated from local renewable energy projects is acquired by the country’s national electricity grid. The company’s solar facility in Hungary has an initial installed capacity of 11.6 MW with additional installed capacity of at least 50 MW in plan at later phases of the project located in Tiszaszolos, a village in the Northern Great Plain region of central Hungary that offers unique natural conditions and abundant sunlight, the project, upon completion, is expected to generate power exceeding 750 MWh annually. An increasing number of Chinese solar companies have either already started or have planned in expanding abroad due to the increasing awareness of environmental protection among

the public, the continuous decline of costs associated with solar products, and the rapid growth of demand from the global solar market. “With the recovery of the European solar market, Hungary, one of the key EU solar power markets, undoubtedly has great growth potential,” said by Unisun Energy Group Chairwoman Yisha He. “Looking forward, Unisun Energy plans to aggressively develop renewable energy projects in Europe with a focus on local projects.”

TATA POWER SOLAR LAUNCHES SOLAR POWER PLANT INAUGURESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP SOLN RATED ON PJTSAU CAMPUS

DECEMBER 2018

Tata Power Solar has launched a complete residential rooftop solution in Bhubaneswar providing up to Rs 50,000 worth of saving annually for a period of 25 years. The consumers can avail a chance to earn from their idle rooftop space. To further ease the beneficiaries’ expenses, the proposition comes with government subsidy. The company already has a robust 150+ sales and service channel partners across India which provides its valuable consumers with financing options. Tata Power Solar previously launched this solution in Delhi, Mumbai and Ajmer and has received a great response from residential segment. Commenting on the initiative, Praveer Sinha, MD & CEO, Tata Power, said, “After our successful launch in Delhi, Mumbai and Ajmer, we are happy to offer solar roof top to generate easy and cost effective solutions for the residential consumers in Bhubaneswar now.” The residential rooftop segment will further strengthen the Company’s leadership position in solar rooftop segment, along with being key growth drivers in inspiring environmentfriendly energy solutions. Recently, Tata Power Solar joined hands with Cricket Club of India and installed the World’s largest solar powered Cricket Stadium Mumbai, in a record period of 100 days. Tata Power Solar has also built World’s largest Rooftop at a single location and India’s largest carport at Cochin International Airport. SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) launched a new solar power plant in its campus to augment 717.6 Kilowatts of power. Inaugurating the power plant, University Vice-Chancellor Dr V Praveen Rao said that solar power plant is established in cooperation with the Forth Partner Energy in the campus. The solar panels erected on the administrative, Agriculture College, central library, auditorium, hostels, postgraduate and resource centre and new zonal sports complex and other buildings will help in meeting the energy needs of the campus, he added. He said that the partner company will look after the power generation for the next 25 years which will meet 40 per cent of the power consumption of various facilities located within the campus. He said that the University is currently paying electricity changes at the rate of Rs 7.5 paise. However, the new facilities will help the University save about Rs 4.66 paise per every unit. In turn, it will help the University save about Rs 40 lakh on power bills annually, as the new facility will help in generating about 86,100 units of power every month. University Registrar Dr S Sudhir Kumar, other senior university official’s Dr Raji Reddy, Dr Jagadiswar, Gopala Krishna, Dr Veeranjaneyulu, Dr Sadasiva Rao, Dr Vishnuvardhan Reddy and governance council member Dr Uma Devi and others were present at the inauguration of the power plant.

THE CONVERSATION

SUDHIR GARG

Director, Patanjali Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd

PATANJALI TO HAVE SOLAR URJA KENDRAS

Swami Ramdev Ji envisions to have a range of Patanjali Urja Kendra (Stores) just like he has for all FMCG products (mega stores & chikitsalaya’s). We will set up Patanjali Urja Kendra’s in all cities, villages and towns. These Urja Kendra’s will be a hub for all the energy solutions. We will gradually introduce new range of products that will completely cater all customers energy needs, it will be a complete B2C retail chain, says Sudhir Garg, Director, Patanjali Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd., a manufacturer of Solar PV modules, Batteries, Solar Street Light, Solar Water Pump, Solar Inverter and Solar Home Lighting solutions. In an exclusive interview with Manas Nandi, Editor, Saur Energy International during the 12th Edition of Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo 2018 at Greater Noida, Garg spoke about his company’s vision, future expansion plans, its product offerings for the Indian solar market etc. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview.

Please tell us something about vision of Patanjali Renewable for solar installations in India.

Swami Ramdev Ji and Acharya Balkrishna Ji, have a vision to reach to the grassroot such as villagers and farmers to fulfill their energy needs because even after 70 years of independence villagers could not get the electricity. We have solutions for them not only to protect the environment as well as to protect the ground water level. As these days, government is providing electricity to some farmers but one way it is good while on the other way it is bad because generally pumps are running 24 hours and ground water is reducing continuously. So, we came with a solution which provides timing so in this way we can make the ideal consumption for the water whichever is required. So, Swamiji thought about coming into renewable energy.

Currently, Patanjali Renewable is into Polycrystalline modules to be the major product. Are there any other products in renewable on which you are focusing on?

DECEMBER 2018

Yes we have started our manufacturing l i n e f o r Polycrystalline PV modules and we have already SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

received many certifications while some others are in pipeline. We are coming up with more products because solar energy is the part of life now. So, we are providing solar pumps, solar street lights and for small villagers we are providing them home light systems. The idea behind our solar home light systems is just plug and light. For example – if someone is going outside he/she can just pack it up and keep inside his house also those things are in pipeline. Other than this, we can give to our customers’ flexible panels and battery. As batteries are going to be the future all over the world, lot of inventions are going on to reduce the cost of battery.

Please tell our readers in detail about the specifications of the modules currently you are manufacturing. We are manufacturing 5Wp to 350Wp and all our products, not only

THE CONVERSATION

modules, will be having a genuine label with a QR Code technology which depends on block chain technology that means– once the customer has bought the panels, he will scan the code through his mobile app to start warranty as the product will automatically get registered with us. Also, our panels are under 25 years warranty and the customer doesn’t need to keep the bill with himself. Moreover, our products are secure due to Blockchain technology which cann’t be broken. So, this is the benefit that a customer can rely he will get the genuine product only. Moreover, we are providing a feedback feature through which customer can provide his feedback. Besides, we are also offering some promotional schemes.

How do you ensure the quality of your solar modules?

Yes, definitely, in renewable- we are also conscious about maintaining our brand name of ‘Patanjali’, which has been synonymous to the people of not only in our country but worldwide also as people say that Patanjali means trusted brand. So, we have maintained that level and our products are quality marked. Sometimes, people compare our products with other cheap products but we still are not compromising on our quality. We have kept our prices as per our products’ quality.

What are the testing procedures that you follow?

We do utmost care on testing. All our cells & modules have been tested on high efficiency level before embedded into the panels and before packing also.

As recently 25% safeguard duty has been implemented on solar cells & modules in India. What do you think how feasible will it be for India’s 100GW race that we are in? It’s a good move as there are so many solar panel manufacturers in the country. It will help in reducing import of cheap solar panels in the country. Moreover, Swamiji has a vision to promote ‘Make in India’ which it is completely matching with Swamiji’s ‘Swadeshi’ move. Of course, there’s some pressure on cell manufacturers but definitely we hope that the cell line which are already in India they

will further enhance their quality and also improve their pricing so that ‘Make in India’ movement will become successful. Is Patanjali Renewable also planning to enter into cell manufacturing at a later stage?

we are providing solar pumps, solar street lights and for small villagers we are providing them home light systems. The idea behind our solar home light systems is just plug and light.

Yes definitely! As we are finding it difficult to get good quality cells. So, we have a plan to begin with backward integration. We will make cell from wafers and then may be from silicon to ingots and ingots to wafers and then cells.. so we have some plans but slowly and gradually we will take it in a phased manner.

As we can see there is lot of traction outside of your stall. What do you want to say to your customers? I am very much over whelmed! Since 13th September 2018, when Swamiji launched our solar products people are very much enthusiastic to get the products. They enquire about how and when we can get the product, pricing etc. Everyone has tested our products and even those who are into solar business also appreciated our quality whether it is of pumps or batteries. Even some people ask about how they can become our distributors and dealers as well. Besides, Swami Ramdev Ji envisions to have a range of Patanjali Urja Kendra (Stores) just like he has for all FMCG products (mega stores & chikitsalaya’s). We will set up Patanjali Urja Kendra’s in all cities, villages and towns. These Urja Kendra’s will be a hub for all the energy solutions. We will gradually introduce new range of products that will completely cater all customers energy needs, it will be a complete B2C retail chain.

What kind of market share is Patanjali Renewable eyeing in next 3 years down the line? Right now I will not comment on the market share but Swamiji has a vision to reach to the villagers so Patanjali is more interested in B2C because most of the big players are in B2B. Our thrust is to provide satisfaction to our consumers, villagers and farmers. Our main aim is to reach them. In a nutshell we want to create a sustainable environment for common man in India so that he can grow. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

FINANCE UPDATES

EESL, ADB INK PACT FOR $13MN GRANT TO ESTABLISH EERF Towards supporting investments in new, innovative and scalable business models, EESL and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement for a Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant of USD 13 million to establish an Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF). EERF aims to expand and sustain investments in the energy efficiency market in India, build market diversification, and scale up existing technologies. The agreement was signed during the second edition of the International Symposium to Promote Innovation & Research in Energy Efficiency (INSPIRE 2018) which kicked off in New Delhi. Speaking at the occasion, R.K. Singh, Minister of Power, New & Renewable Energy, (I/C), Govt. of India said, “Platforms like INSPIRE 2018 bring together stakeholders to deliberate upon the solutions for India’s energy ambition. The symposium will encourage the crossstakeholder partnerships needed to accelerate our efforts towards advancing universal access to power, energy security and sustainability. I also laud this initiative for its focus on innovation.” “For India to achieve its climate change commitments of reducing carbon intensity by 33-35 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, the large-scale energy efficiency and clean energy programs that EESL is pursuing will play a significant role,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country

Director in India. “Energy efficiency is one of the strategic pillars of our engagement in India, and includes a recently-launched program with EESL, to help scale up the deployment of energy saving measures in residential and public sectors, strengthen institutional capacity, and enhance access to commercial financing. Beyond our direct lending we are working towards mobilizing USD 25 billion commercial financing for clean energy globally,” he added. Rajeev Sharma, Chairman, EESL said,

“Innovation is the most important enabler for resolving environmental problems while reducing costs. We believe that with scale and financial support, innovative solutions can drastically transform markets, economies, societies, and nations. With this thought, we embarked upon this year’s INSPIRE. I am confident that the next two days will not only see fruitful deliberations on the various aspects of sustainability but also come out with pertinent recommendations and suggestions to support the policy landscape in energy efficiency.”

LONGI Q3 REVENUE ROSE 35.26% TO $2.11 BN

DECEMBER 2018

LONGi Green Energy Technology released its 2018 Q3 financial report, which showed that in the first three quarters of 2018, it realized revenue of USD 2.11 billion, up 35.26 percent compared to the same 3 quarters in 2017. The net profit attributable to the parent company was USD 242.83 million. LONGi’s revenue has steadily increased, and net profit has remained at a good level, demonstrating the robustness of the business. In addition, as of Q3, the company’s total assets increased to USD 5.58 billion; cash SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

flow from operating activities increased by 48.78 percent to USD 155.22 million; debt ratio was 59.07 percent, remaining at an industry reasonable level with strong ability to resist risks. From 2013-2017, it’s total assets increased more than 8-folds, revenue increased nearly 7-fold, cash flow from operating activities increased nearly 20-fold and profitability steadily improved. The company said in a statement that its ability to invest substantially in R&D each year can be attributable to its sound financial health and good revenue, which have provided a strong

foundation for it’s continuous R&D investments. Meanwhile, the domestic shipment in Q3 was affected by China’s new policy. The company has increased the pace of its global module expansion beyond China and made strong inroads in major PV markets worldwide. Besides, the company estimated that its share of shipments to overseas market outside China will reach 30 percent in 2018, and its 2020 target of more than 50 percent in overseas shipments is likely to be met by 2019, a year ahead of schedule.

UPDATES

ESSCI ACKNOWLEDGES AND APPRECIATES S K SINGH OF HPL INDIA “Mr. S K Singh, currently heading Solar vertical at HPL Electric and Power Ltd, is a veteran of solar industry; he has been in a stalwart for over 16 years being instrumental in many projects across the country. A pioneer in microfinance program, Mr. Singh has worked closely with government mainly in rural electrification of tribal areas such as Dindori in Madhya Pradesh. He has also worked extensively in solar electrification in PM adopted village of Jayapur near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. ESSCI—Electronic Sector Skills Council of India was incepted by major electronics Industry Association with support of National Skill Development Centre to address challenges of employability, employment and livelihood in the industry, it has recognized Mr. S K Singh as member of its NOS (National

MR. S K SINGH

Occupational Standard) committee which is responsible to set standards, making qualification packages and capacity building of subject matter experts. Mr. Singh will also represent ESSCI in tender formation teams / committees in various government departments.”

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DECEMBER 2018

FINANCE UPDATES

SOLAREDGE Q3 REVENUE UP 42% TO $236.6 MN SolarEdge Technologies reported its revenues of USD 236.6 million for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018, up 4 percent from USD 227.1 million in the prior quarter and up 42 percent from USD 166.6 million y-o-y. It’s gross margin was 33 percent, down from 36.1 percent, in the prior quarter and down from 34.9 percent y-o-y. The operating expenses were USD 43.9 million, up 6 percent from USD 41.3 million in the prior quarter and up 35 percent from USD 32.7 million y-o-y. Further, it’s operating income was USD 34.0 million, down 16 percent from USD 40.7 million in the prior quarter and up 34 percent from USD 25.4 million y-o-y. The company’s net income was USD 45.6 million, up 32 percent from USD 34.6 million in the prior quarter and up 63 percent from USD 28.0 million y-o-y. GAAP net diluted earnings per share (EPS) was USD 0.95, up from USD 0.72 in the prior quarter and up from USD 0.61 y-o-y. “This quarter we continued to grow our revenues and market share,” said Guy Sella, Founder, Chairman and CEO of SolarEdge. “We shipped 1.1GW of systems and delivered over three million power optimizers, with record high shipments of

commercial products.” The company also provides guidance for the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2018 as follows: it’s revenues to be within the range of USD 245 million to USD 255 million; GAAP gross margins expected to be within the range of 30 percent to 32 percent, depending on the effects of recent M&A; and Non GAAP gross margins expected to be within the range of 32 percent to 34 percent.

RENASCENT POWER TO BUY 75% PPGCL STAKE

AZURE POWER Q2 LOSS NARROWS TO RS 29.8 CR

Renascent Power Ventures, arm of Resurgent Power, signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) with a consortium of lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI) to acquire 75.01 percent stake in Prayagraj Power Generation Company (PPGCL). PPGCL owns and operates a 1,980 MW supercritical power plant in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Further, this transaction is the result of stressed asset resolution process initiated by the lenders through a competitive bidding process. The SPA will be subject to customary approvals from regulatory authorities and the transaction is expected to be closed over the next few months. Resurgent Power is a joint venture between Tata Power International Pte. Ltd (TPIPL) (a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power), ICICI Bank and other reputed global investors including Kuwait Investment Authority, State General Reserve Fund, Oman, set up to acquire assets in the Indian Power Sector. TPIPL owns 26 percent stake in Resurgent Power and the balance 74 percent is held by ICICI Bank and other global investors. Commenting on the development, Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power and Director of Resurgent Power said, “The JV has been evaluating various assets that meets its investment objective and Prayagraj fits into that. Resurgent looks forward to maximizing its potential using the expertise of all the partners.”

Leading independent solar power producer Azure Power Global reported its consolidated net loss narrowed significantly to Rs 29.8 crore during the July-September quarter of FY19, driven by rise in revenue from newly commissioned projects. “The consolidated net loss of the company stood at Rs 124 crore during the same period a year ago,” said Azure Power Global in a filing to the NYSE. Further, the consolidated operating revenues of the company increased by Rs 40.2 crore, or 22 per cent to Rs 2,22.6 crore during Q2 2018-19, against the same period last year. It’s operating megawatts (MW) were 1,018 MW as of September 30, 2018, an increase of 27 percent over September 30, 2017. Moreover, the company’s Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was Rs 180.8 crore (USD 24.9 million), an increase of 21 percent over the quarter ended September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2018, its operating and committed megawatts increased by 1,678 MW as compared to September 30, 2017 to 3,059 MW on the back of winning new projects. During H1 FY19, the total revenue of the company stood at Rs 464.8 crore, up 26 percent from Rs 370.2 crore during the same period in 2017. Meanwhile, it’s electricity generation during the six months ended September 30, 2018 grew by 192 million kWh, or 33 percent, to 773 million kWh compared to the same period in 2017. The increase in electricity generation was principally a result of additional capacity operating during the period.

DECEMBER 2018

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FINANCE UPDATES

SUZLON ENERGY POSTS NET LOSS AT RS 625.76 CR IN Q2 Leading wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy reported its consolidated net loss after tax at Rs 625.76 crore in the July-September quarter of FY19. “The consolidated net profit after tax of the company stood at Rs 79.68 crore during the same period a year ago,” said Suzlon Energy in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. However, it’s consolidated total income from operations grew to Rs 1,221.89 crore during Q2 2018-19, as compared to Rs 1,179.07 crore during the same period last year. The total expenses of the company rose significantly to Rs 1,850.28 crore, against Rs 1,553.36 crore in the yearago period. During H1 FY19, it has posted a net loss of Rs 1,199.05 crore where as the net profit was at Rs 143.34 crore for the first half year ended September 30, 2017. Total income is Rs 2,511.83 crore for the first half year ended September 30, 2018 whereas the same was at Rs 3,785.94 crore for the first half year ended September 30, 2017. Commenting on the performance, Suzlon Group, CFO, Kirti Vagadia said, “Our Q2 FY19 performance is impacted due to elongated transition phase as our volumes continue to remain subdued. We remain focused on cost optimization across the board including COGS and fixed costs, in order to remain more competitive in this changed market scenario. There has been a reduction in the net working capital of Rs.402 crores during Q2 FY19. Results of Q2 was also affected by forex fluctuation which is non-cash and translational in nature.” “We successfully completed India’s first SECI 1 wind power

project of 250 MW for Sembcorp Energy India Limited (SEIL) at Chandragiri in Tamil Nadu. We are the only EPC player to have completed the entire project as per the original timelines and 6 months ahead of SECI’s revised timelines. We also crossed a milestone, with installed capacity of over 12 GW in India and over 18 GW globally. On the technology front, we installed and commissioned the first prototype of S120 – 140m - India’s tallest Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) with a Hybrid Concrete Tubular (HCT) Tower. Indian wind industry is on a growth trajectory with ~10 GW of capacity already auctioned and another 10 GW expected to be auctioned in FY19. Industry is set to grow from FY20 onwards as projects won earlier, will be executed and new bids are in the pipeline,” said J P Chalasani, Group CEO, Suzlon.

SOLTAGE CLOSES 1ST ROUND OF INVESTMENT IN PORTFOLIO Independent renewable energy provider, Soltage closed a first round of investment in a 38 project, 100MW solar project portfolio located in 5 states across the East Coast and the Southeast. The portfolio includes a large asset acquisition from project developer, Southern Current, alongside other Soltage-developed projects, and is a follow-on investment under a partnership between Soltage and Basalt Infrastructure Partners. Further, the construction on current portfolio is underway, with projects expected to reach commercial operation across the calendar years of 2018 and 2019. The individual projects in the portfolio, which range from 2MW to 6MW, are located across North Carolina, South

Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey, and will sell power to utility off takers including Duke Energy, Dominion Energy and Georgia Power under long term contracts. The portfolio of solar assets will generate roughly 160,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy annually, enough to power nearly 18,000 homes, and will offset roughly 300 million pounds of carbon dioxide on an annual basis.

“This portfolio demonstrates the continued market demand for distributed utility solar assets, with utilities and private consumers looking for large and efficiently constructed projects to deliver clean and affordable power near the point of customer demand,” said Jesse Grossman, Soltage CEO and Co-Founder. “Portfolios like this represent a high degree of complexity to develop, structure, finance and construct and the Soltage team focuses on executional excellence in this space. We combine scalable and flexible capital with high-quality partners and over a decade of experience to boost this market segment as it continues to grow at increasing speed.” Soltage’s current investment is part of a wider utility-scale solar surge across the country. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

PERSPECTIVE

WINTERY BREATH CLOUDING THE SUNNY SOLAR SKY! W

inter has already approached and the month of December is also knocking our doors. Before we plan for Christmas and New Year holidays, I reckon, this is the perfect time to look back on the past one year journey of our solar industry and do some analysis on it. This New Year not only brews the heat of election season but will be a spectacle blueprint of democracy stating on how the current government has rendered to the current socio-economic ecosystem. No doubt! The current government has taken many steps in order to boost the renewable energy sector, predominantly the solar space. Not just in the country but in overseas market as well. A few among the major steps taken by the Central Government includes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Taking active part in fulfilling its commitment towards COP21 accord; taking lead role in the formation of International Solar Alliance; putting ambitious target of achieving 227 GW of renewable energy capacity by March 2022; spreading awareness globally about opting renewable energy to reduce carbon emission; taking decision on safeguard duty; transparent bidding; low tariffs etc. However, on the domestic front, industry is dealing with various issues and seeks more clarity on issues like, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Safeguard Duty etc. In my journey of exploring more about the current scenario of solar space in the country - its growth & development, bottlenecks related to the policies, its future as per governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambitious plans for the sector and on top of the above, expectations of solar industry from the new government ahead of elections next year. A few among the well-known industry veterans - P. Vinay Kumar, Former CEO, Brookfield India Renewables; Ashish Khanna, PresidentRenewables, Tata Power; Kapil Maheshwari, CEO, Hinduja Renewables; Ashit Maru, Co-Founder, MYSUN; and Pinaki Bhattacharyya, CEO, AMP Solar; discussed extensively about their expectations and major concerns from the present as well as future government, that will take charge post-elections. They hope the New Year aligned with the torching fate of solar industry will resonate a new eye of milestones and achievements in coming years.

P. Vinay Kumar Former CEO Brookfield India Renewables

We have lost sight of the original goals in the mad rush to lower (and often unviable) tariffs, which has proved to be the death knell for the industry.

Ashish Khanna President-Renewables Tata Power

We see solar rooftop moving from a fringe option that has been for the last several years to a mainstream source for last mile connectivity in the energy sector.

PERSPECTIVE

Kapil Maheshwari CEO Hinduja Renewables

The fall in solar capacity addition in FY19 is attributed to factors like: Safeguard Duty on modules, GST on Solar EPC, INR depreciation.

Ashit Maru Co-Founder MYSUN

The recent imposition of 25% safeguard duty on imported solar panels has put a dent in the middle of the road.

India’s solar capacity addition to fall by 55% in current FY19. the role of renewable energy and solar within this sub-segment Being a year for elections, what are your expectations for 2019? in the overall power sector. Of the 175 GW of renewable capacity envisioned by 2022, a good chunk of 100 MW is P. Vinay Kumar expected to come from solar alone. This government had also taken a lead role in establishing the International Solar The falling trend is worrisome, especially in the context of Alliance (ISA) along with other countries like France and some the rollout that is needed to meet the 113.49 GW audacious 30 plus countries have already ratified the ISA framework goal. In part the problem is, our fixation with tariffs. While and with a total membership of some 120-odd countries. public policy and the transparent bidding have been able From an election point of view, we don’t expect any major to drive prices down sharply, we need to circle back to the change to take place at a policy level, irrespective of who original goals of the solar mission. We need to remember comes to power in May 2019. Having said that, investors that, the solar mission was conceived as an integral part of would perhaps feel more assured if the signals emerging after the national action plan for climate change. The idea was the general elections assure continuity of the government’s to decarbonise the Power sector, reduce GHG emissions and support post-mid-2019. align with on our INDC commitment under the Paris Accord. The objective was to achieve climate change objectives Kapil Maheshwari and generate power sustainably and economically. The fixation with tariffs, seems to have turned this paradigm over The fall in solar capacity addition in current FY 19 is attributed its head. We have lost sight of the original goals in the mad to factors like: Safe Guard Duty on modules, GST on Solar rush to lower (and often unviable) tariffs, which has proved EPC, INR depreciation. Rooftop sector has installed more to be the death knell for the industry. While we can attribute than a GW last year and 2019 will also see a good growth quite a few reasons for the recent lack of interest in bidding in Rooftop Installations. Utility scale Installation could see - principle among the reasons are the unrealistically low a phase of slow growth because of internal and external tariff caps specified for the bids, uncertainty on safeguard factors, delay in auctions and lukewarm response to few duty beyond its current 3 year remit, increasing interest rates bids. Having said that, I must also add that solar power and the weakening rupee. All these need to be addressed has already reached grid parity so the economic benefits if the sector needs to get back on its feet and start running. will continue to drive this sector in spite of any changes in Government policies.

Ashish Khanna

Given the fact that at present the solar power market is largely driven by government policies, the outcome of upcoming elections can have some bearing on the near to medium term fortunes of this market. The successive governments at the Centre, irrespective of its constituents in India, have to a large extent been supportive of renewable energy generation. Whereas, the present government which is in the last year of its 5-year term has been particularly more assertive on pushing the share of renewable energy in the overall generating capacity of power in the country. At a policy level, there is no ambiguity on the importance of

Ashit Maru The expected fall in capacity additions is due to various government changes in policy and execution that have slackened the pace of the industry in the past year. As the country is already behind its solar targets for 2022, the government really needs to seriously consider steps to accelerate the process. However, as elections are just around the corner, solar and renewable energy should be a focus area for both parties, and in 2019 we should expect some announcements and policy changes, that at least on the surface steer the industry in the right direction. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

PERSPECTIVE

Ashish Khanna

Pinaki Bhattacharyya CEO AMP Solar

Issues such as safeguard duty and GST pass through had created an overhang because of which new bids/ PPAs were deliberately held back.

Pinaki Bhattacharyya

Growth in the solar rooftop market has been very encouraging in the last couple of years. We see solar rooftop moving from a fringe option that has been for the last several years to a mainstream source for last mile connectivity in the energy sector. There is every reason to expect growth in the solar rooftop market in order to continue to witness the positive story in the next few years, particularly because it is backed by the strong socio-economic agenda of the government to provide power for all under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, or Saubhagya as it is popularly known. It is not just the ‘democratisation’ of power generation with the solar rooftops that is driving the market, but also the role of digital technology (such as Internet of Things (IoT) that is helping even household consumers to turn into power producers with an option to sell back excess power to the grid and save their monthly energy bill. Another key driver to the growth of bright ideas like solar rooftop is the changing profile of the consumers that are increasingly becoming more enlightened or what we at Tata Power call the ‘Reflex Generation’. These are the new age consumers who take personal responsibility for their consumption behavior and its impact on the environment they live in. So, the cost-effectiveness of solar rooftops that create a good mix of ideas, economic and social objectives, is working well for the future of this market.

Since it takes around 12 months to commission new projects, the lull in new capacity addition is more a reflection of the slowdown in bidding activity last year across utility and non-utility scale solar. Issues such as safeguard duty and GST pass through had created an overhang because of which new bids/ PPAs were deliberately held back. However, with the government making a sustained effort to address issues affecting the sector approx. 22-25 GW have already been bid out this year. Keeping project sizes and implementation timelines as outlined under the bids, we can expect these capacities to start coming onstream in Kapil Maheshwari 2019 through to 2020. We should therefore expect an increase Rooftop sector had a slow start as the public needed time in new capacity addition next year. to understand the benefits. In our country, most Rooftop The rooftop solar market continues to register a robust projects are driven for electricity savings rather than the performance growing at a pace of 70% annually. What are desire to go for green energy hence scaling the tipping point was important. Government’s target to achieve 40 GW by your expectations and ambitions for this sector? 2022 is a progressive move as many rooftop projects have P. Vinay Kumar been aggregated for e-bidding making it attractive for large developers who have the appetite for investments in this This is one area that has been neglected by Policy and initiative. field. From the growth trajectory of last 2 years, I must say If we remember the original target was to achieve a 40 GW that Roof top solar market will be having a dominoes affect (out of the 100GW) by 2022 only by rooftops. Rooftops represent where-in it will become a commodity play for roof owners. the real strength of solar technology which is the essence The e–vehicles use in India and Government making solar of a strong distributed resource. It is modular, scalable and generation coupled with charging infrastructure license free distributed. Our obsession with large grid scale solar plant is has the potential to drive solar roof top sector. warped and to an extent misplaced. The sector despite some valiant attempts is largely unregulated and underserved. Lack Ashit Maru of access to finance, weak debt access to Opex operators and a EPC eco-system that is yet mature has been the bane of the It’s true that the rooftop solar market in the past year has sector. The value arbitrages for businesses (commercial and shown considerable growth, however, the recent imposition of industrial) installing rooftop is immense considering the wide 25% safeguard duty on imported solar panels has put a dent gap between Grid tariffs and the LCOE of rooftop solar. This in the middle of the road, and coupled with the weakening value driver is a much more stronger incentive for growth for Indian currency, rooftop solar has become an expensive the sector than any subsidy that the government can come up proposition for customers especially in the residential segment. with. Infact many studies have actually shown that incentive But when it comes to rooftop solar, there is continued interest structure can actually impede growth in this sector. The need from the commercial and industrial segments as more and of the hour is to roll back subsidies, improve credit flow and more organizations and businesses are looking to go solar. We hope this trend grows going into 2019 and accelerates further. ensure compliance with quality norms in this rooftop sector.

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PERSPECTIVE

Pinaki Bhattacharyya

Ashish Khanna

Rooftop solar is naturally insulated against market related risks that hinder the large solar market such as land acquisition, access to evacuation, tender inconsistencies, SEB financial health etc. and hence has managed to register growth even when the large scale market is slowing down. Having said that, India has not even scratched the surface of its rooftop solar capacity target of 40 GW. Policy uncertainty on issues such as continuance of net metering, exemptions from duties and surcharges have been holding back large scale adoption of rooftop solar. Another issue is the pace of long term debt financing through multilateral institutions and banks is very slow and not matching the pace of rooftop solar execution. The sector needs a sustained focus from the government in terms of drawing up a long term strategy outlining and implementing regulations (such as compulsory utilisation of rooftop space, mandating large customers to adopt solar etc) and incentives (such as feed-in tariff and net metering etc). With the right push, rooftop solar has the potential to drive India towards its fulfilling its target of 40 GW installed capacity by 2022. Thus, promoting rooftop solar may well be the key to India realizing its solar power potential and emerging as one of the largest solar market in the world.

Lack of coordination between different agencies and the constraints on land and transmission infrastructure is not new to the solar power market. By its very fundamental nature and unlike thermal power, the pressure on land in the solar market is a natural and expected constraint that utilities in the renewable sector have to live with. But there is another side to this story, which is the emergence of rooftop solar as a viable option for household, commercial and industrial consumers. If this segment of the market continues to grow as we expect it to, the land related issues would be a thing of the past and not a major risk for investors. It is this idea that makes us believe that the generation of solar power has to be on a utility or large scale concentrated only in select parts of the country. That would be like thinking in terms of thermal power projects to implement solar power projects. The industry and consumers alike are starting to move away from such conventional ideas. Recent numbers are also indicating this trend. Around 1.2 GW of utility-scale solar was added in the third quarter of 2018 that took the total capacity addition in the first half of the current fiscal to 1.9 GW, recording a 43% and 44% fall over the respective periods last year. Reading this trend along with the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans to add 40 GW of rooftop solar by 2022 (within the 100 GW of solar power discussed earlier) tells the full story of the direction we are headed.

How do you think coordination between different agencies and constraints in transmission capacity and land acquisition is slowing down the utility scale solar power addition in India? And Kapil Maheshwari what should be done to overcome this situation. Constraints in transmission capacity and curtailment could P. Vinay Kumar hamper the growth of solar power was well known to the industry. 24*7 solar power can help to reduce this drawback. It is easy to berate the government and the Ministry for The transmission utilities have traditionally been the slow in power transmission constraints coming in the way of solar and wind sector as government projects take lot of time for execution. rollout. The problem is actually quite simple to frame. Transmission The solar power project can be completed in 12 months from systems take time to build. Typically, transmission lines of the conception to commissioning, wherein a transmission project EHV variety take 2-3 years to get commissioned. While, solar may remain stalled for years due to various challenges. This is rollouts happen in 6 -12 m of PPA being signed. It is common changing now in many states. The private sector is also helping manufacturing philosophy while designing manufacturing in shortening the timelines for mega transmission utility projects. systems with multiple processes, that we project output of Land acquisitions problems are being resolved as many states the system by looking at the bottleneck processes. So, in have declared dedicated solar parks for solar and hybrid essence we need to temper the 113.49 GW solar target, by power where the land is aggregated by state departments. viewing it through the transmission bottleneck filter. Given To further improve Government land only suitable for solar the transmission bottleneck and the designed growth in power should be aggregated at district level and solar parks transmission capacity, how much solar can be added - and be planned by all states with a time bound plan which can that needs to be the target. be leased out on a 30 years lease on very economic terms. We cannot have a generation capacity in isolation and This will help developers set up projects with speed while the independent of the transmission capacity. Transmission has land will continue to remain with the government. been a neglected piece of the Indian power sector evolution. World over the investment in transmission has often matched Pinaki Bhattacharyya investment in generation. In India however, transmission investment have traditionally lagged generation investments. Not just utility scale but even open access solar projects have We have to think of speeding up the privatisation of transmission struggled with the challenge of lack of coordination between and come up with innovative ways of tackling right of way issues different arms of the state and central governments which is in line construction which are the single biggest determinant of holding up efficient implementation of capacity. Instances the time to commission for transmission lines. We have shown such as lack of land ownership records, delays in transferring that evolved policy works well on the road front. There is a and converting land and right of way (for transmission lines) have resulted in developers missing implementation deadlines need to replicate the same lesson learnt in the T&D sector.

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PERSPECTIVE

and/or higher project costs. At the same time there are examples of good practices such as single window clearance processes that are being followed by some states. These practices should be adopted by all states and policymakers should support the developers by acting as the coordinating agency for all project related clearances and approvals. This would not only expedite project development but also potentially bring down tariffs further as developers perceive lower risk associated with project permitting and implementation.

Ashit Maru If there is better coordination and clarity between government utility agencies, there should be better progress observed in the utility scale.

and the returns. However, projects bagged at very low tariffs will face challenges when these have to operate on long term basis. Developers have to be very professional in managing their solar power assets where they are able to maximise their returns. I feel good asset management with global KPIs will differentiate the asset classes. Policy makers should provide single window clearance to solar projects in all states so that the project approval timeline can be minimised. Financial closure after due diligence should be available in few weeks rather than 3-4 months being taken at present. A standardised method for financial approval of solar power projects will help make the process easier for developers and remove bottlenecks of most lending institutions. Rising interest rates have been a concern for IPPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to raise Debt.

Ashit Maru

Financing has always being a challenge in India. Kindly tell us your One of the biggest inhibitions and challenges Indian customers expectations from our policy makers to ease this situation. face when considering solar is financing and with recent policy P. Vinay Kumar changes and the weakening Indian currency, it looks to continue to be a challenge. Policy makers should really consider the Developers complain about financing when they go to lenders current financial situation and aim to make solar affordable with unviable projects. It is bogey that is often raised in such cases. for the end consumer. There also needs to be greater interest While admitting that there are some systemic factor playing out in from banks and NBFCs to offer consumers financial options the banking sector and the NBFC sector at this point of time, which and loans to help them afford solar better. To deal with this might stifle credit flow to the power sector and make raising debt challenge we at MYSUN have begun offering customers flexible a challenge, I really think there is no deep problem that would payment options and recently we have unveiled an exclusive make the sector unattractive to lenders other than aggressive deferred payment plan exclusively for SMEs and MSMEs, where tariffs and poor offtaker quality. Both need to be addressed to a customer has to just pay 25% of the total cost, while their make debt financing easier. INVITS and other structures should savings from the solar system pays the remaining balance cost. improve availability of financing and this is bound to happen over Pinaki Bhattacharyya the next few years.

Ashish Khanna Financing challenges for utilities in solar power are due to a combination of several factors including safeguard duties, aggressive bidding, and high operational costs. The combined effect of these could be a challenge for the viability of largescale solar projects in securing money to bankroll such projects. The government, at state levels, are also pushing to lower the tariff rates for solar power which is now consistently heading south with new records set recent bids that went well below Rs 2.5 per unit in some markets. While lower tariff is good for greater adoption of clean energy like solar, it does add some pressure on generating companies to maintain the financial viability of particularly large-scale projects. This is also the reason why we have seen a few projects been scrapped in the recent past. As mentioned earlier, these challenges can to some extent be overcome by stronger adoption of rooftop solar where generating capacity moves from large utility-scale projects to very small ones where the consumer takes full control of the generating part as well.

Kapil Maheshwari Solar power projects are getting bankable than before as the financial institutions have begun to understand the PV technology

Securing debt has always been a challenge in the Indian solar industry and lenders are only now getting comfortable with lending to utility scale projects. However, that is not the case for the rooftop/ non-utility segment. Lenders are yet to come to grips with the unique characteristics of this segment and there is no established framework for lending in this space. Ideally, policymakers should address lender concerns around sustainability of policy provisions for the non-utility scale projects. Policy makers should ensure that once a policy has been announced the same should not be revoked or modified in order to avoid creating policy uncertainty in the minds of the lenders. Apart from this the policy makers should also speak with lending agencies to understand their concerns with long term lending to non-utility segment and address those through appropriate policy measures. Additionally, the State electricity regulators must be empowered and given responsibility to prevent generation or distribution companies from backing out of their commitments and penalize them for not honoring the payment timelines as per the PPAs/ failing to meet their commitments. This would improve bankability of state discoms and in turn boost lender confidence towards the sector as whole. MANU@MEILLEURMEDIA.COM n VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

THE CONVERSATION

RAMNATH VAIDYANATH CEO, WiSH Energy

NEED TO ESTABLISH COMPREHENSIVE, WELL-DEFINED MICROGRID POLICY

To achieve the target of ‘24x7 Power for All’ there’s a need to establish a comprehensive and well-defined microgrid policy which provides a roadmap for the development of the sector. Currently there is a paradox between the government’s plan to extend the existing grid to disconnected communities and customers, while at the same time, pushing towards localised renewable generation at these places. Both cannot happen together. Create clear microgrid policies which will give confidence to financiers and investors to promote more investment. The financial ecosystem for renewable project is still quite nascent, which impacts the successful execution of projects, believes Ramnath Vaidyanath, Chief Executive Officer, WiSH Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Enzen, a global profession knowledge practices that focuses on gaining, refining and sharing expertise in the energy and water sectors. In conversation with Manu Tayal, Sub Editor, Saur Energy International, Vaidyanath shared his views on various issues which the power sector is currently dealing with along with his company’s future plan of action in the renewable energy segment. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview.

To begin with, please tell our readers more about WiSH Energy and its contribution towards clean energy in India. WiSH (Wind-Solar Hybrid) Energy was created for the sole objective of bridging the energy gap and making renewable energy accessible and affordable for all. Through constant innovation, research and human interaction, we are paving the way for cleaner, safer and sustainable ‘prosuming’ of energy. We do this by continuously striving to increase the global availability and accessibility of clean energy through highly customized, smart and integrated renewable energy solutions. Of the 1.4 billion people worldwide with no access to electricity, 160 million are in India, and 260 million people are still dependent on traditional, polluting, expensive and unsustainable fossil fuels for their energy needs. There is a

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tremendous push towards bridging this gap with renewable energy and until now, the focus has primarily been on capacity addition and not on last mile connectivity to the consumer. Enabling this change and providing access to sustainable, affordable and clean energy is our constant motivation. Through decentralised distributed generation systems based on hybrid renewable energy generation, we want to take the generation to the consumer’s doorstep, instantly converting them into a “prosumer” – someone who can generate, consume and trade energy at their own premises. In this way, we make them independent of the grid. Over its 30 year history, WiS H E nergy has installed over 35,000 wind, solar and hybrid installations across 40 countries, with a cumulative installed base of over 80MW. In India alone, we have

THE CONVERSATION

completed over 300 projects, generated more than 6 MW and eradicated over 5 million tonnes of CO2 every year.

Can solar micro grids prove to be a boon in achieving India’s aggressive electric vehicle targets?

The current target of making 15% of all vehicles electric by 2023, and 30% by 2030 is ambitious, and requires a lot of investment on creating the ecosystem for EVs to operate. This includes charging infrastructure, tariffs, charging protocols, amongst others. The current energy infrastructure is ageing and struggling with increasing demand and commercial losses. Relying on this strained infrastructure to support such a large influx of electric vehicles will be next to impossible. Therefore, localised renewable energy in the form of microgrids will have a large role to play as sources of energy for EV charging stations. The microgrid should ideally be a “hybrid” system, i.e., a combination of solar, wind and other available natural sources, rather than just a single source. This is because individual sources of renewable energy are limited in their availability at different times of the day and different months (seasons) of the year. For example, wind speeds are highest early during mornings and evenings, while the sun is at its peak during the day. Similarly, summers have high solar energy potential while monsoons and winters have high wind energy potential. By combining these sources of energy in a single system, not only do you get significantly more amount generation overall, but also more consistency over the course of a day, month and year. One of the biggest challenges with renewable energy is the low source availability, and hybridisation goes a long way towards increasing that.

that are dynamic and designed to take on intermittent renewable infusions. There are several challenges in adding a large amount of renewable energy to the existing grid, which is ageing and already over-strained.

Kindly name a few successful micro grid projects of WiSH Energy?

WiSH Energy has executed a number of projects that have delivered value to both the public and private sectors. Some notable projects are listed below: •M aking resorts self-reliant: include a 30 kW system for a hill resort in Lonavala, Maharashtra, which did not have any grid connection and was totally reliant on diesel for its power requirement. This was expensive not only in terms of the cost of diesel itself, but the logistical cost of diesel delivery in such a remote location. By integrating the hybrid system with the existing generator, we managed to reduce their diesel requirements to almost negligible and the resort is now self-sufficient.

• T ransforming & ‘Greening’ Fuel Stations: In line with their push towards reducing their carbon footprint, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) are aiming to “green” their fuel stations across the country with standalone hybrid power systems storage to take them completely off the grid. We have recently commissioned a 20 kW wind solar hybrid at their depot in Kognoli (Karnataka), which will serve as the model for their fuel stations across the country. We have also installed a smaller system for Indian Oil Corporation Limited at one of their stations in Kollam (Kerala), and are now looking to build larger systems for What are your suggestions to the Indian policy makers their other outlets. in order to achieve the target of ‘24x7 Power for All’? • S treet Lighting: We set up 110 wind-solar based street P romote development of decentralised distributed lighting systems in various locations in Assam, ranging generation and microgrids to supplement utility scale from urban clusters to remote areas. Each RELight 1 kW renewable generation and provide last mile connectivity hybrid LED street light system generates enough power to the end consumer. for continuous operation, and has storage autonomy Promote hybrid energy systems that utilise all the sources to power the street light for 2 nights even if there is no of energy that are available to maximise the renewable additional generation. This has resulted in energy savings potential of a site. of 40,000 units, or INR 2.4 lakhs, as well as carbon savings C reate a level playing field for all renewable energy of 1.7 million tonnes every year. Most importantly, it has sources. The current system is too focused on solar PV alone. provided the local population with a reliable community Establish a comprehensive and well-defined microgrid lighting solution that enhances their safety and productivity. policy which provides a roadmap for the development of the sector. Currently there is a paradox between • Powering the telecom sector: We have developed a the government’s plan to extend the existing grid to unique solution for the telecom sector. It is well known that disconnected communities and customers, while at the telecom towers are among the highest consumers of diesel same time, pushing towards localised renewable generation in India, next only to the Railways. This is primarily because at these places. Both cannot happen together. Create many telecom towers are in remote areas where the grid is clear microgrid policies which will give confidence to either non-existent or unreliable, and since any downtime financiers and investors to promote more investment. in tower operation results in severe financial implications The financial ecosystem for renewable project is still for the telcos, all towers will have diesel generators as a quite nascent, which impacts the successful execution backup. Over 40% of telecom towers in India are reliant of projects. on diesel for more than 12 hours a day, which massively Modernisation of the grid and replacement with smart grids impacts operational expenditure. Adding the logistical

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THE CONVERSATION

costs of delivering diesel to towers spread across remote locations, and the fact that 20% of the diesel is pilfered, energy expenditure is a major cause of concern for telcos. WiSH Energy’s Power Tower Solutions use a unique, proprietary design to mount micro wind turbines on the existing telecom tower infrastructure. This saves space and costs, and the solutions can be integrated it with solar panels, storage and the pre-existing diesel generator to offer a 24/7 energy solution. Not only does this maximise the use of renewable energy, but it also reduces diesel consumption by using it only as a last resort. The potential savings for telcos, both from an economical as well as an environmental perspective, are tremendous. We have delivered a successful project for a Sri Lankan telco and are now working with Indian companies to roll out a similar solution across their remotely located towers.

What do you think is the future of wind energy market in India?

India has tremendous wind potential, and we have already added a significant amount of large scale wind energy to the grid. However, these large plants have a significant footprint which poses a challenge for a country where land is premium. This is where offshore as well as microwind turbines will have a big role to play. The microwind segment is still very small, but has the potential for application in sectors such as telecom, mountain and coastal communities, fuel stations, fisheries and street lighting. On the whole, with the combination of the right policies and continuous improvements in wind technology to make cut-in speeds lower, the future is very promising.

In your view, what are the bottlenecks India’s net metering policy is facing on the ground?

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The major bottlenecks for net metering are the additional financial strain that it places on the Discoms who are already struggling to reduce commercial losses. The other major issue with net metering is that it is currently limited in its scope, i.e., it is applicable only for rooftop solar PV systems. Maharashtra recently became the first state to extend net metering to all SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

renewable energy sources, and we expect other states to follow suit. However, the current model is not sustainable, and we can see that from the falling feed-in tariff rates. One of the solutions to counter this could be the promotion of microgrids in a big way so as to allow trade of power between communities and individuals, rather than place the onus on the Discoms to pay.

"The microgrid should ideally be a “hybrid” system, i.e., a combination of solar, wind and other available natural sources, rather than just a single source. "

In current scenario, kindly provide some suggestions on how energy storage will become more affordable in India? As with all technologies, affordability is linked to scale and volumes. With increasing renewable energy adoption, there is a parallel increase in demand for storage, and the costs are expected to decrease by 8% annually over the next 5 years. The planned increase in the number of Electric Vehicles will also greatly contribute to lower storage costs. Other than that, we at WiSH Energy are exploring means of storage that are not necessarily through batteries. These include hydrogen and pumped storage which have the advantage of reusability and longevity with no replacement costs.

What are WiSH Energy’s expansion plans in next 2-3 years?

We have very ambitious plans to ramp up over the next 2-3 years. We are targeting specific sectors such as telecom and fuel stations, where our solutions can reduce operational expenditures by more than 90%. We have also developed an extensive partner network in new geographies such as the Pacific region, Africa and South East Asia, and have already developed pilot projects in several of these locations. As always, we will continue to refine our existing product range and add newer products and solutions to our catalogue. We are partnering with some of the finest research institutions in India and overseas to jointly develop new and improved technologies. For example, we signed an MOU with National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) and have successfully designed and developed a wind turbine with a cut-in speed that is lower than 2 m/s. This turbine is now installed and we are monitoring its data. We will be commercialising it soon.

THE CONVERSATION

DR AVISHEK KUMAR Director, Sunkonnect

We are currently developing a bifacial-PERC-double-glass module which is expected to have a 5-7% higher energy yield under standard conditions. The technology is ready for market acquisition and we are looking to deploy it for projects across India. In addition, renewable energy is incomplete without a safe and reliable energy storage solution. For this, we are working together with V-Flow Tech to develop a long-lasting Vanadium-redox flow battery. The technology is made from 100% recyclable materials and does not degrade over 25 years even at 100% depth of discharge. In conversation with Manu Tayal, Sub Editor, Saur Energy International, Dr Avishek Kumar, Director, Sunkonnect shared his views on various topics including companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future plans, scope, industry issues, its offerings for Indian solar market, its current and future technologies etc. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview.

To begin with, please tell our readers more about Sunkonnect and its offerings and key specialities?

Sunkonnect is a global renewable energy management consulting firm based in Singapore. We work with system owners, developers, EPC players and manufacturers in making significant and longlasting improvements to their systems, products and processes. Our team has over ten years of experience within the renewable energy field, including the areas of solar PV technology production, manufacturing, quality assessment and systems deployment. Our consultants include engineers, research scientists, lead auditors and energy policy analysts who work closely with our clients to achieve their goals.

Being a newly formed company, what are your plans to strengthen your footprints or to compete with the existing players in the renewable energy space? We think of ourselves as partners of the existing players in the solar energy space. We bring PV quality services to the table, an area that is currently not addressed within Asia. We are probably the only company that works with players in both downstream and upstream segments to ensure the quality of modules produced and deployed. This helps us bridge the gap between manufacturers and developers in ensuring optimal system performance of PV power plants. We are also developing a data analytics and machine learning platform that can intelligently study client data and reduce their losses. Such activities are giving us significant traction with established module manufacturers and large developers to reduce their overhead costs and minimise risks.

What future scope do you see in the Indian solar market segment and what you will offer to your Indian clients?

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We envision the future of the Indian solar market to be more adaptive to technological changes and advanced data analytics. However, the industry is currently dealing with the issue of PV module and system quality, an area that we feel is not wellSAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

THE CONVERSATION

understood. Although there has been immense interest in the growth of the Indian solar industry, component and system knowledge to support this growth is not readily available. We have found room for improvement in basic areas, like poorly defined spec-sheets developed by manufacturers, which when coupled with poor planning leads to underperforming systems. We plan to define and introduce a systematic approach for project planning and establishing quality standards. This will be achieved using best practices and standards developed by us for the Indian ecosystem aswell-as intelligent data analytics platforms that can automate improvements and increase efficiency in the future.

During your analysis, what are the common issues you find in PV module manufacturing? The common issues faced by PV module manufacturers are prevalent in both the quality of the materials used and manufacturing processes. Firstly, an over-focus on material costs often leads to usage of cheap and lowquality materials which compromises the quality of the final product and impacts its power output. In this way, although manufacturers may think that they reduse production costs through using cheaper materials, they produce cheaper products with lower efficiencies which hurts their profits in the long run due to lower $/Watt selling prices. There is also a lack of control on manufacturing processes. For example, many manufacturers have not defined their internal spec-sheets properly. Hence, quality monitoring and troubleshooting for finished products are almost impossible. Internal qualification standard is also not well defined nor well followed and process recipes like soldering of ribbons donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t follow industry best-practices thereby compromising the finished product.

Recently, Sunkonnect joined hands with Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) to bring PV quality to India. Kindly shed some light on it. For effective characterisation of PV materials, highly qualified personnel are required. SERISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art testing tools that are internationally certified and operated by qualified engineers and scientists. This gives us the assurance that the results obtained from tested modules are scientifically rigorous for accurate interpretation. Our

partnership with SERIS also allows Sunkonnect to closely tailor or modify product tests for our customers such that they are more relevant to their individual requirements and future goals.

Are there any pristine technologies on which Sunkonnect is currently focusing?

"We envision the future of the Indian solar market to be more adaptive to technological changes and advanced data analytics."

We are currently developing a bifacial-PERCdouble-glass module which is expected to have a 5-7% higher energy yield under standard conditions over conventional technology. The technology is ready for market acquisition and we are looking to deploy it for projects across India. In addition, renewable energy is incomplete without a safe and reliable energy storage solution. For this, we are working together with V-Flow Tech to develop a long-lasting Vanadiumredox flow battery. The technology is made from 100% recyclable materials and does not degrade over 25 years even at 100% depth of discharge. It is also one of the safest ways to store energy.

Kindly tell us about some of your major projects on which you are currently working or in queue. We are currently providing technical consultancy for a 100 MW PV power plant in Andhra Pradesh. We are also working with leading manufacturers improving their PV quality and output.

What are your plans in the coming five years for the renewable segment?

We are developing the "RISE with Sunkonnect" programme where we partner with educational institutes across India to install solar rooftops at the institute and achieve a two-fold benefit for the institute and its students. The installed solar energy system not only reduces the instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy consumption, but also functions as a live-lab to facilitate renewable energy education for the students. We aim to take this programme across educational institutes worldwide to develop a global solar network of solar schools that can learn from each other. In addition, we are developing a blockchain platform connecting PV materials to the installed solar energy system to accurately connect PV materials to system performance. This will empower developers to predict their energy yield with accuracy when using these materials for their projects. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

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THE CONVERSATION

VISHAL AMIN

Director(Solar Division), Lubi Electronics The safeguard duty has released some pressure on domestic manufacturing. However this may soon be offset by a steep fall in prices of Chinese panels owing to subsidy phase out on installations by Chinese govt. The government needs to work on incentivizing domestic manufacturing by creating a vertically integrated ecosystem for solar panel manufacturers, believes Vishal Amin, Director(Solar Division), Lubi Electronics, one of the leading solar panel manufacturer in India and an arm of Lubi Group. In conversation with Manu Tayal, Sub Editor, Saur Energy International, Amin shared his views on various issues which the power sector is currently dealing with along with his company’s future plan of action in the renewable energy segment. Following are the excerpts from that exclusive interview.

While dealing with project owners how do you manage the cost factor? We closely monitor costs at all stages of the supply chain and try to optimize it to offer world class products to the market at competitive prices. Our execution team is quick to get all government approvals to avoid any revenue loss to end customers. We have implemented CRM to track all customer projects and ensure timely delivery.

In present scenario where technology changes frequently, how do you manage to upgrade your technology? We try to keep up with the global technology and integrate the same into our products organically. Also we track the adoption of the new technologies in the market, by closely Please tell us something about Lubi following competition and adopt them Solar including the vision behind progressively from time to time. its formation and its current role in the In your view, will the implementation market. of safeguard duty on solar imports Lubi Solar is a division of Lubi Industries, a premier name in pumping industry. for two years help in safeguarding the We at LUBI believe in the concept of interests’ of solar manufacturers? continuous improvement by adopting Safeguard duty has eased some pressure new and progressive technology in our on the solar panel manufacturers which existing products and processes, thereby was under constant pricing stress. We would welcome more measures to delivering higher value to customer. Lubi solar is the resultant of an idea of support solar panel manufacturers while providing access of clean water to the keeping the market competitive. marginalized farmers having limited In your view, what should be done by access to electricity. The idea has the government not only to promote been executed well and today we manufacture high efficiency solar panels Indian manufacturing but also exports in a completely robotic manufacturing of Indian modules to other countries? The safeguard duty has released some plant out of Ahmadabad. We offer to the market, solar panels and pressure on domestic manufacturing. solar pumping systems, all indigenously However this may soon be offset by a steep fall in prices of Chinese panels made in India.

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owing to subsidy phase out on installations by Chinese govt. The government needs to work on incentivizing domestic manufacturing by creating a vertically integrated ecosystem for solar panel manufacturers.

What is your strategy in regards to offering best value to customer for the price, compared to similar offerings from competitors? As a company we focus on optimizing the procurement process in the value chain and deliver the products better and faster. Product innovation is the best way to stay competitive in India market. Every year we introduce new products to improve our market position. Recently, we have launched new Bifacial solar panels which give 30% more generation compared to conventional solar panels. We are also expanding our stainless steel DC submersible pump offering upto 10 hp.

How do you envision the future for solar in India and what role do you expect Lubi Solar to play in shaping the future of the industry? We see tremendous potential for Solar in India and expect to become the most preferred supply partners in the industry. India will mostly likely not be able to meet its 100 GW installation target by 2020. There is enormous scope for solar business in India. Even today 30% of population in India don’t get reliable electricity.

Is there any further expansion plans in the next five years? With government support in policy, we are looking to expand our capacity to 1GW per annum.

MARKET UPDATES

FINANCE TO CLOSE GLOBAL ENERGY ACCESS GAPS DRAMATICALLY OFF-TRACK

Finance required to close electricity and clean cooking access gaps remains dramatically short of what is needed to meet global energy goals by 2030, leaving the world’s most vulnerable people behind, according to a new global report released by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

DECEMBER 2018

The Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2018 report analyses finance flows for electricity and clean cooking access in countries across Africa and Asia with the most significant access gaps. The report reveals alarming developments in several key areas of energy access finance that require urgent action to keep Sustainable Development Goal 7 - affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all – within reach. Research shows annual investment of USD 52 billion is needed to meet universal electrification, yet finance commitments for electricity in the 20 ‘high-impact’ countries - representing 76% of those without electricity access - have barely increased, averaging just USD 30.2 billion annually. For the second year in a row, finance tracked for clean cooking revealed a deeply confronting challenge: finance committed across the 20 countries with the largest clean cooking access gaps - representing 81 % of the global population without access – actually decreased 5% to an average of just USD 30 million, compared to the estimated annual investment needed of at least USD 4.4 billion. Of serious concern, finance for coal-powered energy is increasing, at a time when the International Panel on Climate Change is issuing stark warnings about stalling progress on the Paris Agreement targets. In the countries tracked, annual commitments for coal plants almost tripled, growing from USD 2.8 billion to USD 6.8 billion. The potential impacts of this SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

increase pose a clear challenge to climate goals, the air we all breathe and the ability to bring energy to those that need it, at the speed promised. “The good news is that renewables offer us a powerful opportunity to provide reliable and affordable clean electricity both through the grid and off-grid,” said Rachel Kyte, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. “The bad news is that we are not yet seeing a strong enough project pipeline or sufficient levels of public investment that will crowd in private finance to seize this moment of falling prices for revolutionary technology. Even more worrying is that at the same time we’re seeing incremental increase in funding for renewable energy, investments in coal increased. Coal is not an answer to energy poverty.” The Energizing Finance research, conducted in partnership with Climate Policy Initiative, enables finance institutions and policy-makers to develop and implement strategies that can be scaled and refined to reach more people, more affordably, with clean and sustainable energy. This wakeup call is especially apparent for Africa where nearly 600 million people live without energy access that allows them to improve their living standards and realize their full potential. Only 17% (USD 5 billion annually) of the total electricity finance tracked in the report was allocated to the region - down 32% from the last report. Dr. Barbara Buchner, Executive Director, Climate Policy Initiative, said, “Our numbers paint a stark picture. We are falling further and further behind goals for energy access investment. Regions with the highest needs, like Sub Saharan Africa, are getting the smallest share, while we’re seeing big gaps for some of the technologies with the most promise, like

MARKET UPDATES

off-grid renewable energy and clean cooking. This should be a wake-up call to policy makers and investors who are working to ensure universal and sustainable energy.” Other key findings from the Energizing Finance series include: Off-grid solutions remain off-track: Since the last report, finance tracked for off-grid technologies nearly doubled, going from USD 210 million to USD 380 million per year. However, this is only 1.3% of the total tracked flows into energy access – a miniscule amount of finance for a solution that offers so much promise. Solar is soaring:54% (USD 16.2 billion annually) of all finance committed in 2015/16 went to grid-connected renewable energy (RE); with an almost fivefold increase finance for solar photovoltaic (PV). Two thirds of all electricity finance tracked was concentrated in South Asia - mainly in India.The top three countries – India, Philippines and Bangladesh – received an average of USD24bn a year, or 79.5%, of finance for electricity in the reporting period. Investment heavily favors non-residential customers: Only 28% (USD 8.6 billion) of all grid-connected electricity finance is used to support new or improved access for residential consumers. The remainder is expanding electricity supply to support broader economic activity. Given these stark findings, combined with the deeply

concerning recent findings from IPCC’s Special Report on 1.5 Degrees, Energizing Finance calls for a range of urgent actions, including the following specific recommendations: International public financial institutions, notably development finance institutions (DFIs), should fulfil their commitments to fill continuing financing gaps for electricity access, in accordance with commitments made by their government funders under the Paris Agreement. Policy-makers should prioritize non-coal fired or fossil fuel power generation as part of their integrated energy planning and investment processes. Governments should adopt integrated approaches to energy sector policy, planning and regulation. Leaders, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where the shortfall in finance commitments for electricity access is starkest, should use the combination of policy, financial instruments and business model innovation required to achieve last mile access, among other approaches. “Energizing Finance shows once again that there is huge opportunity in meeting the needs of those without sustainable energy,” Kyte said. With time rapidly running out to meet global climate and energy goals, it will not only be this generation that suffers the consequences if we fail to energize finance in a way that puts those targets realistically within reach.

LARGEST SOLAR POWER STUDY DISCOVERS 25% POWER LOSS RESEARCHERS at the University of Huddersfield have undertaken the largest study to date into the effectiveness of solar panels across the UK and discovered that parts of the country are suffering an overall power loss of up to 25% because of the issue of regional ‘hot spots’. Hot spots were also found to be more prevalent in the North of England than in the south. Dr Mahmoud Dhimish, a lecturer in Electronics and Control Engineering and co-director of the Photovoltaics Laboratory at the University, analysed 2,580 polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels distributed across the UK. The UK has been fossil-free for two years and demand is constantly increasing for renewable energy. After quantifying the data, Dr Dhimish discovered that the panels found to have hot spots generated a power output notably less than those that didn’t. He also discovered that location was a primary contributor in the distribution of hot spots. Photovoltaics hot spots are areas of elevated temperature which can affect only part of the solar panel. They are a

result of a localised decrease in efficiency and the main cause of accelerated PV ageing, often causing permanent damage to the solar panel’s lifetime performance. According to Dr Dhimish, this is the first time an investigation into how hot spots impact the performance of PV panels has been conducted from such a large scale data set and says the project uncovered results which demonstrate the preferred location of UK hot spots. “This research showed the unprecedented density of hot spots in the North of England,” said Dr Dhimish. “Over 90% of the hot spots are located in the north and most of these are inland, with considerably less seen on the coast.” Solar panel performance disparity Dr Dhimish says this confirms results from previous research, which concludes when affected cells are partially shaded, it increases the likelihood of hot spots. But he said what was surprising, was the lesser amount seen around coastal regions, which leads him to believe cooler winds coming in from the ocean are keeping the overall temperature of

the PV panels down and are preventing hot spots occurring. In order to increase the reliability and durability of future residential photovoltaics installations, Dr Dhimish has made three recommendations. “PV panels, or defective bypass diodes, affected by multiple hot spotted PV Cells have to be replaced since they significantly reduce the reliability and yield energy of the PV installation,” he said. “Secondly, it is recommended to install the solar panels in coastal locations because they are less likely to be affected by the hot spotting phenomenon and finally, the solar energy industry must start investigating the impact of PV hot spotting on the accuracy of existing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) units available in the market.” The research article, including all of the data collected, is to be published by the peer-reviewed journal IEEE Transaction on Electron Devices, co-authored by Dr Dhimish, Dr Violeta Holmes and Dr Peter Mather, entitled Evaluating Power Loss and Performance Ratio of Hot spotted Photovoltaic Modules. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

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MARKET UPDATES

INDIA’S SOLAR CAPACITY ADDITION TO FALL BY 55% IN FY19 Renewable energy consultancy firm Bridge to India has painted a grim picture of the solar industry in the country and has claimed that the solar capacity addition in the current FY will be 55% less than it was in the previous year. Projected at 4.1 GW, the industry, according to the firm, is facing policy and execution challenge. “We are witnessing increasing volatility in tender issuance, auctions and capacity addition because of poor coordination between different government agencies and constraints in transmission capacity and land acquisition. The slowdown is worrying for all stakeholders,” Bridge to India Managing Director Vinay Rustagi said in a statement. However, the rooftop solar market

continues to register a robust performance growing at a pace of 70% annually. This comes despite the slow start that rooftop market witnessed while pursuing government’s target of 40 GW through rooftop solar. “Unaffected by policy uncertainty and not reliant on land or transmission infrastructure, this market is benefiting

from sharp fall in module prices - down 30% in last nine months,” said the firm’s quarterly market assessment report. India is targeting a 100 GW through solar energy by the year 2022 excluding utility scale projects. However, even after including utility scale projects, the total installation in FY 2018 is projected to be at 4.1 GW, well short of the government’s target of adding 16 GW annually. In FY 2017 India added 9.1 GW of solar capacity. “Arbitrary ceiling tariffs and poor tender design have resulted in tenders getting routinely cancelled and/ or undersubscribed. As a result, gap between tenders issued and auctions completed has been widening in the last year,” Rustagi said.

SOLAR BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE THAN COAL BY 2040

SOLAR POWER GENERATION TO TOUCH 600GW BY 2023

Power generation using solar energy will be more competitive than that via coal before 2040, International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted in its World Energy Outlook 2018 report. IEA also said in the report that Renewable energy has surpassed fossil fuels worldwide as the main source of new electricity generation. The latest report highlights a turning point in the energy markets with coal exports slated to fall under a scenario of sustainable development. “The electricity sector is experiencing its most dramatic transformation since its creation more than a century ago,” the IEA mentioned in the report. “China and India drive the global growth in solar PV; they are responsible for well over half of global solar PV capacity additions,” the report states. The report also clearly states that this shift from fossils to renewable will have to be fully supported by relevant policies and framework by the governments around the world to make it competitive for the producers, manufacturers, suppliers and consumers. IEA report has also warned that with the current policies and commitments from different countries do not scale up, the target of keeping global warming “well below” 2 degrees Celsius will not be achieved. The report found that in the prevailing scenario, at best global warming will be limited to 2.7 degrees Celsius which will still be catastrophic for many low-laying areas around the world. “The rapid growth of electricity brings huge opportunities; but market designs need to deliver both electricity and flexibility to keep the lights on,” the report said. Putting governments at the center stage of this energy paradigm shift, the report stated that “The future pathway for energy is open: governments will determine where our energy destiny lies.”

The total power generation capacity of the world using solar energy is set to touch approximately 600 GW by the end of 2023 from 391 GW in 2017, International Energy Agency (IEA) has said in its report titled ‘Renewables 2018’. Renewables 2018 is the IEA market analysis and forecast from 2018 to 2023 on renewable energy and technologies. It provides global trends and developments for renewable energy in the electricity, heat and transport sectors. This growth in the solar capacity, the report mentioned, will put solar energy ahead of all other renewable technologies combined. “A global module supply glut is also expected to result in cheaper module prices. With increasing cost-competitiveness and continuous policy support, demand recovery is expected just after 2020,” the report said. The report further states that wind will remain the secondlargest contributor to renewable capacity growth, followed by hydropower and bioenergy. It added, “Wind capacity is expected to expand by 60%, or 324 GW, with offshore wind accounting for 10% of that growth.” “Modern bioenergy is the overlooked giant of the renewable energy field, its share in the world’s total renewables consumption is about 50% today, in other words as much as hydro, wind, solar and all other renewables combined,” said Dr Fatih Birol, IEA’s Executive Director. He further added that, “We expect modern bioenergy will continue to lead the field, and has huge prospects for further growth. But the right policies and rigorous sustainability regulations will be essential to meet its full potential.”

DECEMBER 2018

SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

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

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THE CONVERSATION

Sunil Rathi

Director Sales & Marketing Waaree Energies ltd

PV SYSTEM COMMISSIONING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PERFECTION IS THE KEY! Effective management of a solar PV plant could be divided into 3 distinctive steps i.e. Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC), Commissioning and Operations & Management (O&M). EPC deals with the pre-construction and construction activities of the PV power plant. Commissioning is the process that starts along with the construction of plants and proceeds through PV system acceptance. It also deals with the necessary documentation processes required for system acceptance. O&M deals with processes and/or actions required for maintaining and operating the power plant to its maximum capacity. While a lot is known and talked about EPC & O&M, a little is known about commissioning, which is a mandatory and significant process. For a novice in the solar field, it is important for him to know what the important process/checks while commissioning are. Additionally commissioning also ensures that the plant performs as expected/planned which in-turn drives its ROI. This article aims to educate its readers on basics of commissioning along with few important tips.

Verification and documentation of installation

Amongst the first of the steps would be to verify the entire installation and ensure that it is complete and matching with the power plant which was initially designed without any deviations. This includes checking of any bends or dents in structure which may reduce its strength. It also includes checking the module alignment which should look perfect in-line with other modules (as shown in Figure 1). This would ensure that the installation is robust and aesthetically acceptable.

DECEMBER 2018

Figure 1: Checking of structure (on left) & a rooftop plant (on right) commissioned by Waaree While important to match the ideal characteristics/design of the power plant, there are always certain deviations from it. Not only is it important to exactly locate such deviations (at micro level) but it is also important note such deviations for a power plant. One of the best solutions is to document the entire plant along with the deviations or document as-build conditions. This document shall preliminarily help the O&M team to closely monitor the deviations for any potential problems. In the longer run it would help the team to understand any fault if arising due to such deviations and rectify it. SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

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Testing

After doing the initial inspections and documentation of plant, testing is the next most important step in commissioning. The testing includes but not limited to PV module, earthing, inverter, wiring, etc. One of the first tests performed is to check the insulation resistance of conductors. This test measures insulation of conductors ensuring that there is no leakage current via conductor (shown in Figure 2). With the plant being expected to last for 25 years, the conductors shall be exposed continuously to altering weather conditions. Such alterations could lead to degradation of insulation which in the long term could compromise the safety of power plant. Thus recording the resistance value at the beginning and tracking it over the course of plant’s life would give significant information over conductor’s deterioration and hence its quality.

Figure 2: Ongoing insulation resistance test (Source: Google images) At module level, random or all (in case of small rooftop plants) strings are selected and open circuit voltage (Voc) of each of these strings is measured (as shown in Figure 3). For plants with smaller string inverters, Voc measurement happens at line side of DC disconnect whereas for larger inverters, such measurements happens at line side of combiner box with its fuse open. Obtaining a similar voltage in all the strings means that all the strings have similar number of modules with correct polarity. A similar exercise to measure the maximum current of string (Imp) is carried out by a DC clamp meter. The output for different strings if within range of ± 0.1A signifies that the orientation and tilt of the strings is same.

Figure 3: Voltage and current measurement of PV string (Source: Google images)

While the above testing happens when the plant is deenergized (energizing refers to condition when plant is generating power and is connected to the grid), the testing of inverter is a little different. After checking and testing all the AC & DC interconnections in addition to testing conductors and modules, the inverter is energized. However, a day before energizing the inverter the grid side/AC side transformer is energized while the inverter and module remain isolated (i.e. AC breaker of inverter is kept open) (top side of Figure 4). This is to ensure that the transformer generates ingress current (which is the current generated via magnetic coupling) in a way that there is no problem during its further operations. On the next day, the entire plant is energized and its output voltage, current and frequency are monitored. In case of inverter tripping, ground faults in the plants are checked for. Further both DC and AC power are monitored.

Figure 4: Energizing of transformer (top) and inverter (in bottom)

Performance check

The final check of commissioning is to gauge the performance of the plant. After the energizing of the plant is success, a bright clear & sunny day with moderate temperature and appropriate time is selected. At appropriate time of day, both DC and AC power is monitored. The performance ratio (PR) of the power plant is calculated. The practically obtained data on field is compared to the expected performance which was calculated while designing the plant. Such monitoring may be undertaken from mere few hours to as long as few weeks. Such monitoring also checks for any erroneous behavior of power plant which may cause unexpected loss of power and hence its revenue. Before final handing over of plant to the end consumer, it is expected that the plant is performing at an optimum level with the power losses below the threshold level. Thus commissioning is one of the significant steps to ensure that the solar PV plant operate smoothly. Waaree has an experience of executing and commissioning more than 500 MWs of EPC projects. We ensure to follow all the safety standards and necessary guidelines in order to erect a power plant. An expertise like such enables end customer to be assured that their plant would be up and running for 25 years. Let us all pledge to make solar energy the primary source of energy in the near future. VOL 3 l ISSUE 04 | SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL

DECEMBER 2018

MODULE UPDATES

ENPHASE, LONGI PARTNER TO DEVELOP AC MODULES One of the leading solar microinverters supplier Enphase Energy and LONGi Solar, maker of monocrystalline wafers, cells and modules, entered into a strategic partnership to develop Enphase Energized™ LONGi AC Modules (ACMs) based on seventh-generation Enphase IQ™ microinverters. The Enphase and LONGi developed ACMs will be available in the US starting in the fourth quarter of 2018. Moreover, LONGi will initially develop two Enphase Energized ACMs: LONGi’s highefficiency mono technology for 300-320W 60-cell will be paired with the Enphase IQ 7 Microinverter™, and LONGi’s highefficiency mono technology 340-375W 72-cell modules will be paired with the

Enphase IQ 7+ Microinverter. Further, both the 60- and 72-cell LONGi AC modules have received UL certification. These Enphase Energized ACMs allow installers to be more competitive through improved capital management, reduced labor costs, improved SKU management with accelerated design and installation times. “LONGi is proud to work with Enphase to develop AC modules,” said Wenxue Li, President of LONGi Solar. “Solar installers will immediately benefit from increased productivity in addition to reduced costs of LONGi’s High Efficiency monocrystalline Technology. We have great confidence in the success and longevity of the collaboration between

LONGi and Enphase.” The seventh-generation Enphase IQ™ Microinverter System dramatically simplifies solar installations and provides a complete AC solution that produces no high-voltage DC, providing a safe solar solution for homeowners. “LONGi Solar is the world’s leading manufacturer of monocrystalline PERC PV modules, and this AC module partnership is yet another validation of the ACM concept and of Enphase microinverter technology,” said Badri Kothandaraman, President and CEO of Enphase Energy. “The LONGi ACM partnership harnesses the strengths of both companies to offer a high quality, easy-to-use and high-volume mainstream ACM solution.”

JINKO TO SUPPLY 255MW MOD- JINKO RANKED TOP BRAND ULES FOR SUNRAYSIA PROJ FOR DEBT-FINANCED PROJ

DECEMBER 2018

Solar module maker JinkoSolar has entered into the contract for supply of PV modules with Decmil Australia for supply 255MWp of its high efficient solar panels for the Sunraysia Solar Farm developed by Maoneng Group. Further, the Sunraysia farm is expected to be the largest solar farm to have commenced construction in Australia this year and will also be one of the largest solar farms in the world upon construction completion. Moreover, the project will also include a large scale battery storage array. The Sunraysia project forms a key step of AGL Energy (AGL)’s plan to replace the aging and increasingly decrepit Liddell coal-fired generator. This project is underpinned by two world class Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) under which UNSW Sydney and AGL purchase energy over 15 years. The Project is expected to generate around 400 construction jobs in Balranald, leading to significant local economic growth and creating opportunities among local community as to participate in the renewable energy sector. JinkoSolar has been chosen to supply all 255MWp panels, including its latest HC Cheetah series products, for the project attributable to the high efficiency and reliability of its solar panels, its plentiful experiences in global utility-scale projects, and good records of duly delivery. “JinkoSolar’s panels deliver cost-competitive power with proven long-term reliability, and we are proud to play a significant role in serving AGL’s goals for generating clean and renewable solar power,” said Gener Miao, Sales & Marketing VP of JinkoSolar. SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

JinkoSolar has been ranked as the top solar brand used in debt-financed projects and has also been named as the most “bankable” PV manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Among 57 module brands, JinkoSolar stood out as the top contender on parameters such as product quality, long term reliability, field deployment performance, and the manufacturer’s financial strength. Survey respondents include banks, technical consultants, EPCs, and independent power producers (IPPs) from all around the world. 100% of survey respondents considered JinkoSolar as bankable. Aligning with JinkoSolar’s high bankability score, BNEF’s database also shows that projects using JinkoSolar’s modules has secured more debt financing than any other brand since July 2016. “The result of this survey confirms that JinkoSolar is the most preferred brand by banks, the top brand that industry players are most willing to use in their projects, and also the top brand that source of finances are most willing to fund,” said Kangping Chen, CEO of JinkoSolar. He further added that, “We maintained our position as one of the largest manufacturer of PV modules in the world by delivering 9.8GW modules in 2017 thanks to our continuous endeavors in quality and technology improvements. We will continue invest in quality to assure delivery of power and performance in the field with a higher level of product quality and reliability as we pursue further growth both in established markets and emerging ones.”

MODULE UPDATES

SERAPHIM SOLAR GETS 80 MW SUPPLY PACT IN VIETNAM Jiangsu Seraphim Solar System (Seraphim) has inked new landmark supply agreements for two separate PV projects totaling 80MW in Vietnam. The solar farms are a joint venture project of AMI Renewables of Vietnam and AC Energy of the Philippines. The company has agreed to deliver the PV modules for a targeted commission date in late April 2019. The first project, 30MW BMT Solar Farm Project will be constructed at the Ea Phe and Krong Puk Commune, Krong Pac District, Dak Lak Province; and the second one, 50MW KH Solar Farm Project, will be constructed at Cam An Nam Commune, Cam Lam District, Khanh Hoa Province. Both projects will be constructed by ERS Energy, which is one of the leading regional EPC contractors in South East Asia headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Commenting on the development, Seraphim, General Manager, Polaris Li said, “We are honored to be the sole module supplier for these flagship projects.” “This is Seraphim’s first project in Vietnam --

more are forthcoming. Vietnam is currently the largest PV market in Southeast Asia, and Seraphim’s performance here will be the benchmark by which future projects measure their success,” Li added. “We are delighted to work with Seraphim,” said Jonathan Kan, Managing Director of ERS Energy

Sdn Bhd. “We were impressed by their professionalism and willingness to communicate critical milestones in advance. Seraphim has over six gigawatts installed around the world -- we believe this cooperation is the formula for success in Vietnam,” he continued.

JINKOSOLAR HITS RECORD SHIPMENT IN Q3

DECEMBER 2018

JinkoSolar’s total solar module shipments hit record high of 2,953 MW during the third quarter ended September 30, 2018, an increase of 5.7 percent sequentially and 24.4 percent year-on-year. Total revenues were USD 974.8 million, an increase of 10.5 percent from the second quarter of 2018 and an increase of 4.3 percent from the third quarter of 2017. Income from operations was USD 27.4 million, an increase of 98.7 percent from the second quarter of 2018 and an increase of 104.6 percent from the third quarter of 2017. For the full year 2018, the company estimates total solar module shipments to be in the range of 11.5 GW to 11.8 GW. With its sales guidance unchanged, the company is expected to deliver 11-12 GW shipment this year, which enables it to boost its market share up to approximately 15 percent and much higher in emerging markets. The company solidified its competitive positioning by focusing on value-added products, including Cheetah and Bifacial based on the mono PERC technology. Over the mid- and long-term, the company expects new opportunities in its business from the ongoing transformation SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

in the industry, led by the fact that grid parity will soon be achieved in more and more countries.

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WHAT TO EXPECT FROM INDIA’S NATIONAL ENERGY STORAGE MISSION

DECEMBER 2018

Solar power with its inherent limitation of being available only during day time and the influence of weather conditions, has made batteries an integral part for all PV systems. Increasing solar power injection makes grid stability and management issues a concern. As India is moving rapidly towards an energy and transportation transition, the need to find storage solutions that create grid stability is more and more important. Various energy storage sessions at the Intersolar India Conference shed light on the current developments and emerging opportunities in electrical energy storage. Furthermore, a 1-day workshop on Solar + Energy Storage Opportunities in India organized by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) will round up the Intersolar India program in the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre from December 11-13, 2018. Due to the prohibitive cost, early applications of PV were confined to offgrid applications for homes in remote mountains and islands and for critical industrial loads with no access to electricity. Solar power with its inherent limitation of being available only during day time and its dependence on weather conditions, make electrical energy storage systems an integral part of all PV systems. For critical loads located in places with extended number of cloudy days, the large backup became an inescapable requirement. Flooded and sealed low maintenance lead acid batteries were the obvious choice. In early part of the last decade, Germany launched its rooftop PV program with liberal Feed in Tariff (FIT) policies to promote larger adoption of PV and the market began growing rapidly. However, with a very stable and reliable grid, feeding excess power to the grid and drawing power from it during deficit did not require energy storage and the battery market was continued to be confined to the small off-grid market. With the increasing injection of the infirm wind and solar power, however, grid stability and management issues became a concern. The subsequent ambitious clean energy transition targets kicking in, SAUR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL | VOL 3 l ISSUE 04

the need to plan ahead and find storage solutions to manage the grid became all the more urgent. Among the storage solutions considered were pumped storage, flywheels, compressed air and electrical energy storage (EES), the most favored of them all. Since the turn of this decade, PV module prices plummeted steadily and simultaneously electric vehicles, which simply remained just a concept and a curiosity, with in a short period ignited a whole new interest to redefine the future of mobility. With the huge opportunities in RE and EV emerging, interest in developing low cost, low weight and long life batteries became an obsession and the prices of Lithium-Ion batteries, considered the best among the many battery chemistries, dropped sharply to $100/KWh from the $1000/KWh in 2010. In India, with the ever-rising fossil fuel imports and rapid urbanization choking many cities with harmful pollution, the need for adoption of clean energy became more a compulsion than a choice. And India is moving rapidly towards RE and e-mobility. In 2017, solar capacity addition topped with 48% of all energy generation capacity added and installed RE capacity reached 20% of the total generation capacity of 340GW. With the government moving on top gear to reach the 2022 goals, RE capacity would rise to 25% of the total and grid instability will become a real issue. Central to the successful growth of RE and EVs is Energy Storage. Government of India, fully aware of this, is putting in place the Electrical Energy Storage Mission. In

the next few years, a lot of exciting and rapid change in the market is expected. In the light of the rapid changes taking place, it is important to stay in tune with the developments and the emerging opportunities in electrical energy storage. With that in mind, an exclusive session titled “India`s National Storage Mission – Outlook & Prospects – What to Expect!” has been scheduled at the Intersolar India Conference on the first day December 11, 2018. Leading names associated with EES, Dr. Rahul Walawalkar of India Energy Storage Alliance, Mr. Atul Arya of Panasonic, Mr. Rupam Raja of Fluence Energy, Dr. Nishanth Dongari of IIT Hyderabad will share the technical and policy developments shaping the market and the emerging opportunities. On Wednesday December 12, 2018 the Intersolar India Conference provides a great opportunity to also get updated information on topics like “Residential Solar PV – Self-Consumption + Storage”, “Solar-Wind Hybrid with Storage – Way to Manage the Grid and Optimally Utilize the Infrastructure”. A 1-day energy storage workshop on “Solar + Energy Storage Opportunities in India” organized by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) will round up the energy storage program in the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre. In advance to the Intersolar India Conference, Intersolar India and its partner India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) will provide a free webinar on Solar + Storage Opportunities in India taking place on November 8, 2018 at 12:30 pm IST.