Saur Energy International Magazine July 2016

EDITOR MANAS NANDI Editorial@saurenergy.com

SR. JOURNALIST SANTANU MUKHERJEE santanu@saurenergy.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR NILOY BANERJEE niloy@saurenergy.com

TECHNICAL EDITOR RAHUL SETHI rahul@saurenergy.com

FEATURE SPECIALIST LAIQUE KHAN laique@saurenergy.com

MANAGER MARKETING HEMANT ARORA hemant@saurenergy.com

DESIGN HEAD ABHISHEK GUPTA

WEB DEVELOPMENT MANAGER JITENDER KUMAR

WEB PRODUCTION BALVINDER SINGH

SUBSCRIPTIONS S.RADHIKA subscription@saurenergy.com

EDITORIAL CONTETNT The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. While the publisher makes every effort to ensure that the contents in the magazine are correct.

However, he can accept no responsiblity for any effects from errors or omissions. Any unauthorised reproduction of Saur Energy International content is strictly forbidden.

Saur Energy Internationalis printed, published, edited and owned by Manas Nandi and published from 303, 2nd floor, Neelkanth Palace, Plot No- 190, Sant Nagar, East of Kailash, New Delhi- 110065 (INDIA), Printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi.

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

Editorial...

E India is a true 'bright spot' in the world economy: World Bank chief - Jim Yong Kim Also, he has signed a loan agreement for $1billion for solar projects in India.

He said Mr Modi has an ambitious target -175 gigawatt(GW) of renewable energy over the next few years. Just the fact, that he announced the target which has brought down price by 30%. We are going to help India reach its target of 40% of its energy by solar faster than we would like. Success in India in many ways is going to determine whether or not we have success in keeping global warming below 2 degree Celsius.

When Jim Yong Kim Said “India is a true 'bright spot' in the world economy”, we find that’s exactly true. When we reached out to the solar industry and strived to purview the sentiments, we were extolled to witness that the entire industry’s mood in on a swing of bright anticipation. We discussed at length with many Industry veterans about their plan for next phase and found that the spirits were quite high. Samir Sharan CEO – ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt Ltd. said in his interview with Saur Energy International that by 2020 they are planning to be at 7500 MW from 1529 today.

One of the major project developers we talked to is planning to come out with their IPO shortly. Overall optimism is quite visible in the Indian Solar Industry.

Also according to the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), electrification of 472 villages was completed last month (6june-28june) and about 142 of them got an off-grid connection.

Also in this issue, we have encompassed to inculcate 4 major research which keeps promising future for the global solar cells innovations and markets respectively. This trend is very interesting. And we are bullish that through aspiring opinions and liberal thoughts, solar undermines more than just a technology to turn the energy gear to the next phase of ‘Indian Energy revolution’.

Lots more inside. Happy Reading!

ManasNandi manas@saurenergy.com

06

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

07

NATIONAL NEWS

India , US MoU to encourage US $1Bn investment in Solar Sector Indian government and US signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 2nd June, 2016, to enhance cooperation on energy security, clean energy and climate change through increased bilateral engagement and joint initiatives for promoting sustainable growth.

The partnership is sought to open up new renewable energy initiatives attracting American and foreign investments worth about US$ 1 billion.

These activities are intended to increase incentives for innovation including research and development, and voluntary and mutually-agreed technology transfer, as well as the deployment of clean energy technologies in both countries; contribute to a global effort to curb the rise in greenhouse gas emissions; and enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The deal enshrined in the MoU will be achieved through two investment channels, namely U.S.-India Clean Energy Finance (ICEF) and the U.S.-India Catalytic Solar Finance Program (ICSFP). Since the Indian government has shifted the focus from wind energy to solar energy, both the channels will primarily target the development of off-grid solar projects and rural electrification.

ICEF will raise about US$ 20 million, in the initial phase, in coordination with the Indian government, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), which is the U.S. government’s development finance institution, as well as other agencies.

ICSFP will pump in about US$ 40 million targeting India’s rooftop solar program under the National Solar Mission.

Sources estimate that through OPIC’s participation, the Indian solar program could leverage about US$ 400 million.

Cumulatively, the investment mechanisms seek to generate capital of US$ 1 billion from several U.S., Indian, and global agencies for the solar power sector. These in turn will facilitate flexible and innovative financing solutions to bring down the cost of solar power in India and promote entrepreneurship in the sector.

08

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

ACME to sell 275MW of its operational solar assets to IDFC Alternatives IDFC Alternatives is reportedly gearing up to buy 275 megawatts (MW) of operational solar assets from ACME Solar. According to reports the deal between the two companies will likely close in stages as “IDFC will need separate approvals from the lenders of the various assets and other approvals as per the power purchase agreements (PPAs).”

K. Sinha, managing partner and chief executive, IDFC Alternatives said that the firm is looking to buy solar assets and are in advance discussions. He further added that the company is looking for acquisitions and create a platform of renewable energy assets.

NATIONAL NEWS

Hartek Power completes commercial solar project at the tech park in Kishangarh, Chandigarh Engineering, procurement and construction company, Hartek Power has announced that it has completed Chandigarh's first commercial solar project at the tech park in Kishangarh.

The solar project of 436-kWp at Chandigarh Technology Park’s is said as the third largest in the city after Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12 (1,000 kWp) and Government College for Girls, Sector 11 (495 kWp).

Hartek Singh, chairman of Hartek Power said, "Having forayed into the rooftop solar segment only recently, we have installed more than 3-MW of solar PV projects already and are in the process of completing another 10 MW in Punjab." He further added “since lack of funds is a major constraint in the way of achieving the city’s revised target of 100 MW by 2022, private participation should be encouraged to give a push to solar power generation in the high-potential residential and commercial segments.”

The Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society CREST) has helped Chandigarh emerge as country’s No. 1 city in state intervention models for solar power generation by installing 6.53 MW solar PV projects on the rooftops of 134 government buildings in the city.

Piyush Goyal Launches “SURYAMITRA” Mobile App Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal has recently launched a mobile app named “Surya Mitra” at National Workshop on Rooftop Solar Power.

The GPS based mobile app is developed by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) which is an autonomous institution of Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Accordng to NISE, this App is a high end technology platform which can handle thousands of calls simultaneously and can efficiently monitor all visits of Suryamitras. The new app is available via Google play store.

The trained Suryamitras who opts for entrepreneurship have joined in the Mobile App in several states.

MNRE believes this mobile approach will enhance the employment of trained youth in solar PV technology

and also improve the businesses of solar entrepreneurs because of quality servicing, maintenance and repairing professionals now available to customers at the click of a button on their mobiles.

NISE has fixed a price Rs 150/- per visit as visiting charges for Suryamitra Services and for installation and O&M

Charges Suryamitra’s would charge standard charges as per MNRE advised rates.

The ministry expects the app to act as an effective catalyst in creating demand for solar products in the country and in offering employment and business opportunities for Suryamitras.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

09

NATIONAL NEWS

ABB connects 648 MW solar project to grid in Tamil Nadu ABB has successfully commissioned solar photovoltaic project – made up of five plants in a single location. The mammoth 648 MW solar project at Kamuthi in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu connected by the company to the national transmission grid is sought to be one of the largest in the world.

Adani Group in 2015 awarded design, supply, installation and commissioning of the five substation electrification and automation systems to ABB. 360 MW from solar project

Rays Power announces completion of 10 MW solar PV project in Telangana Rays Power Infra has announced successful completion of 10 MW solar PV project, for one of its client Haldirams in Telangana.

PPA for the project was signed on March 2015 and was commissioned on September 2015; it has garnered the reputation of being the fastest project commissioned in the country, delivered seven months before schedule.

The project was executed by Rays Power Infra on a turnkey basis, right from land acquisition till commissioning. It also marks the entry of Haldiram’s into the Power Sector with the successful performance ratio of not less than 79%.

The electricity generated from the project, is being and will be sold for next 25 years to Telangana state DISCOM at preferential tariff of Rs. 6.6 per unit.

10

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

is currently grid-connected and at full capacity this facility will account for nearly 10 percent of the country’s current solar capacity of around seven gigawatts (GW) said ABB in a statement.

The project includes two 230 kilovolt (kV) and three 110 kV outdoor switchyards to connect to the local transmission grid and will enable clean power supply for around 150,000 households based on average national per capita consumption.

NATIONAL NEWS

Tata Power Renewable Energy signs SPA to acquire Welspun Renewables Energy Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) has signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Welspun Energy (WEPL) to acquire its subsidiary Welspun Renewables Energy Private Limited (WREPL). It is estimated to be Rs 9,500 crore ($1.4 billion) deal.

This is one of the largest transactions in renewables space in India said Tata Power in a statement.

WREPL has about 1,140 MW of Renewable Power Projects comprising of about 990 MW Solar Power Projects and about 150 MW of Wind Power Projects. Out of 1,140 MW renewable portfolio, nearly 1,000 MW of capacity is operational and balance capacity is under advanced stages of implementation.

TPREL currently operates 294 MW of Renewable power capacity and 500 MW of Renewable assets are being carved out of Tata Power into TPREL through a

court process.

Additionally, almost 400 MW of Solar and Wind power projects are under implementation. After the new purchase,

Varanasi Municipal Corporation to install solar panel in its offices The Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI) to install solar panels in its offices across the five zones and 14 sub-zones. VMC is the first municipal corporation in the state that has entered into a bilateral agreement with RECI on solar energy.

Mayor and municipal commissioner on behalf of VMC and the director of power system of RECI signed the signed the MoU. The solar panels will be installed at rooftops or on ground in all VMC offices, including Jal Kal and Jal Nigam.

TPREL would have renewable assets portfolio of about 2,300 MW making it the largest Renewable Power Company in India.

SECI tendering 450MW solar PV projects in Maharashtra Solar Energy Corporation of India has issued request for selection (RfS) document for selection of Grid connected Solar PV Projects of 450 MW in Maharashtra in Part-B (Open) under NSM Ph-II, Batch-IV. Interested bidders have to download the official copy of RfS & other documents after logging into the TCIL website by using the Login ID and password provided by TCIL during registration.

SECI is also re-tendering 50MW of grid-connected solar projects under its Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) category in Maharashtra.

The 50MW of grid-connected tender comes as part of National Solar Mission (NSM) Ph-II, Batch-IV.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

11

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

8minutenergy to build 4GW solar photovoltaic project in India

Independent solar developer in the U.S., 8minutenergy Renewables has said to setup 4GW solar photovoltaic project in India to help the country meet its aggressive renewable energy goals. A statement from White House said “8minutenergy Renewables will pursue a 4 GW solar photovoltaic project pipeline in India”.

8minutenergy’s commitment was made in tandem with Prime Minister Modi of India’s visit to the White House, which focused on increasing clean energy access and progress made around U.S.-India climate change priorities.

The company’s projects would also spur local economies in India by generating over 10,000 domestic construction jobs in total.

8minutenergy has also committed to contribute to the Clean Energy Finance Forum, which provides broad multinational private sector feedback and support to the U.S.-India Clean Energy Finance Task Force and toward Government of India's vision of deploying the capital needed to achieve its 100 GW solar target.

ReneSola to Construct 107 MW of Solar Projects in U.S

ReneSola Ltd shared an update on its ongoing project pipeline in the U.S. The company has announced to construct 107 MW of solar projects in California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and North Carolina.

The construction of a total of 37MW of solar projects in North Carolina and Massachusetts is expected to commence in the second half of 2016. Remaining 70MW of solar projects in Minnesota

12

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

Ameresco completes 18.6 MW solar facilities in Frederick, Maryland

Ameresco has announced that it has completed 18.6 megawatt (MW) direct current (15.0 MW alternating current) solar facility located at the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Detrick Army installation in Frederick, Maryland.

The large-scale solar project, now operational, is comprised of 59,994 and California will be constructed next solar panels installed across 67 acres of year. land throughout Area B at Fort Detrick.

Xianshou Li, ReneSola's Chief Executive Ameresco designed, built, owns, Officer, commented, "North America operates and will maintain the solar remains a large and robust market, and facility and Fort Detrick will purchase the the most attractive to us for downstream renewable electricity from Ameresco activity. We look forward to driving through a 25-year PPA. The project will further project development in the serve about 12 percent of Fort Detrick’s U.S., and expect to start construction annual electric load requirements. of a good portion of our project pipeline Fort Detrick will consume all electricity in the second half of 2016." supplied by the facility.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

aleo solar showcases its new

glass-glass modules at Intersolar Europe 2016 aleo solar has showcased its newly developed solutions for photovoltaic building integration, a new guarantee package and a high-performance module with 310 watts and 5-busbar cells at Intersolar Europe 2016.

The glass-glass modules that can be installed with architecturally appealing effect into glass roofs, windows or facades was exhibited for the first time at the trade fare. With a black or transparent appearance, the Elegante mono-crystalline glassglass module becomes an integral part of buildings. According to the company the Solido module is an extremely robust and can withstand the harshest conditions.

At the Intersolar Europe trade fair in Munich (22 to 24 June), aleo solar presented the Elegante in square format and in elongated carport format.

Sungevity Installs Sunpreme Bifacial PV Panels at University of California Sungevity has announced that it has Installed Sunpreme Bifacial PV Panels at Jacobs Hall in University of California, Berkeley's Jacobs Institute. The new solar system with Sunpreme Bifacial PV panels will do more than just help the Institute control its electricity bills - it will provide environmental benefits of having PV solar installed and is on track to receive one of the highest levels of LEED Certification for green building.

The solar system is roof-top mounted, commissioned in Q1 2016, and is the largest solar array on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Sunpreme offers advanced bifacial technology that allows PV Panels to absorb light from both-sides, increasing energy yield (kWh per kWp) further, and ideal for extreme and challenging environmental conditions.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

13

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

SunPower to construct a

7.75-megawatt solar power system at Toyota headquarters

Toyota has announced that SunPower has pragmatic plans to construct a 7.75-megawatt solar power system at its North American headquarters in Plano, Texas.

The 7.75-megaawatt solar power system is expected to generate 25 percent of the headquarters' total electricity demand. The project will be comprised of three solar carport structures using high efficiency SunPower solar panels.

Two of the carports in the Toyota headquarter will have a 2.45-megawatt capacity, and will be operational by mid-year 2017. The third, 2.83-megawatt solar carport is expected to deliver power for the Toyota campus by end of next year.

SunPower in a statement said its solar panels will allow Toyota to maximize the clean, renewable solar power generated on site.

14

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

Will continue to support renewable energy projects in India: OPIC U.S. Government's development finance institution, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has announced that it will continue to support early stage renewable energy projects in India.

OPIC in a blog post said “this week’s historic agreement between the U.S. and India to address climate change recognizing the need for private investment and will work to support early stage projects seeking financial support from OPIC.” The Clean Energy Finance Initiative between US and India is sought to raise and deploy up to $20 million in project preparation support, sourced from U.S. foundations and the government of India.

It is anticipated that this funding will leverage an estimated $400 million in investment from OPIC and other investors for projects deploying distributed solar for grid-connected communities, as well as off-grid solar and mini-grids.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

juwi, KPS partners on solar, battery and diesel hybrid system juwi Australia has entered into strategic partnership with KPS on hybrid system. The strategic alliance will focus on remote projects seeking to integrate solar and battery energy with traditional diesel or gas fueled power stations. It will bring joint expertise of technology and resources of the entities.

KPS and juwi have been working together for some time on DeGrussa hybrid power station, where the existing KPS 20MW power station was successfully integrated with a 20 hectare 10.6MW solar and 6MW battery system. juwi began the development of the DeGrussa project in 2013, procured $20.9m ARENA funding in 2014 and further funds from Neoen/CEFC in 2015 when the project commenced construction. juwi provided the turn-key Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Operation and Maintenance service.

RECOM, WEDIS Group to jointly built 10MW photovoltaic plant in Germany

RECOM announces the construction of a 10MW photovoltaic plant in Fuerstenwalde, Germany. The company has partnered with investment group WEDIS Group AG and is providing bridge financing for the construction of the entire project, which began this month.

Over 35,000 of RECOM’s Black Panther 285 mono high efficiency panels will be installed and are expected to produce approximately 10,000 MWh/year of energy from the first year of operation.

“We’re delighted to be working with WEDIS Group on a project which further underlines our status as a total solar solutions provider, and our company’s unwavering commitment to the global solar movement,” said RECOM CEO Hamlet Tunyan.

Apple reportedly planning to sell solar power generated by its spaceship campus Apple last year invested $850 million to build a brand new 1,300-acre solar farm in Monterey, California to power the company’s new office campus, retail stores and its other California operations.

The tech giant is now reportedly planning to sell excess solar power from its Apple Campus2. A subsidiary named Apple Energy applied to the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to sell power from spaceship campus’ solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells, plus other renewable energy facilities in Oregon, North Carolina, California, Nevada and Arizona.

As per the FERC site Apple’s application has been approved and will be able to sell energy from 5th August 2016 to the customers.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

15

MARKET GLANCE

Global PV Inverter Shipments to Reach 90GW by 2020: GTM Research

GTM Research in its latest report, 'The Global PV Inverter and MLPE Landscape 2016' revealed that global shipments of solar PV inverters will reach 90 gigawatts (AC) by 2020. This represents an average annual growth rate of 11 percent between 2016 and 2020.

The report states that of the 59.7 gigawatts shipped in 2015, 66 percent were in the Asia-Pacific region, led by China and Japan. With the impending decline of the Japanese market, the demand will shift to other regions including Latin America, India, the Middle East and Africa.

As per GTM Research’s report the AsiaPacific region to account for less than half of all inverter shipments by 2020.

In spite of the promising long-term

16

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

outlook, growth will be flat in 2016.

“Due to the U.S. utility solar ITC rush and strong demand in China, there was a buildup of shipments in 2015 to meet 2016 project demand” said Scott Moskowitz author and GTM Research analyst. “Overall installation growth will slow in 2017, resulting in flat inverter shipments year-over-year.”

The report ranks and profiles leading PV inverter manufacturers. Huawei emerged in number one position in terms of shipments according to 2015 figures. Sungrow, SMA, ABB and TMEIC rounded out the top five.

The report also highlights the fundamental shift in inverter technology preferences. In 2015, central inverters accounted for 57 percent of all inverter shipments, but with the continued rise

of three-phase string inverters, central inverters will see its share fall to 43 percent by 2020. Module-level power electronics will additionally gain share as their prices fall and use expands to commercial markets. MLPE are expected to account for 10 percent of all inverter shipments by 2020.

The report “The Global PV Inverter and MLPE Landscape 2016” points to 1,500-volt inverter technology, higher power density string inverters and rapidly falling microinverter pricing as key drivers for the overall downward pricing trend.

GTM Research forecasts inverter prices to decline 10 to 12 percent annually across most product segments and the global PV inverter market will value more than $7.1 billion by 2020.

MARKET GLANCE

Global Solar PV Glass Market is Expected to Reach USD 3.38Bn by 2024:

Grand View Research Grand View Research anticipates the global solar PV glass market to reach $3.38 billion by 2024.

According to the research firm increasing solar PV installations will remain a key driving factor for global solar PV glass market over the forecast period.

The favorable regulatory norms across the globe are expected to promote the usage of solar PV panels and directly impact on the solar PV glass market.

As per the Kyoto Protocol an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, several countries are obliged to reduce carbon emissions. This protocol is foreseen to create huge opportunities for the green energy development and further create new possibilities for market members.

Increased solar PV installation capacities across countries like India, Mexico, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, UK, and South East Asia are expected to add positive impact on the overall market.

Key findings from the report suggest: • The global solar PV glass market demand was 139.9 million square meters in 2015 and is expected to reach 856.3 million square meters by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 22.6% from 2016 to 2024 • Utility emerged as the leading application segment and accounted for over 50% of total

market volume in 2015. The segment is also expected to witness the highest growth of 23.9% over the forecast period.

The huge market share of utility segment can be attributed to the various advantages offered, such as a contribution to sustainability, enhancement of branding and public relations effort, and reduction of the carbon footprint of facilities.

• Europe was the leading regional market with demand share 51.4% in 2015. The region mainly benefitted from the favorable regulations prevailing particularly in Italy, Spain and Belgium.

• Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth of 22.7% over the forecast period. More than 45% of the manufacturers for solar PV glass are situated in China and Japan, which is expected to remain a key advantage for the regional market over the forecast period.

Lower prices and favorable climatic conditions are also expected to benefit the regional market.

• The global solar PV glass market is fragmented in nature with major players trying to gain a strong foothold in the market.

The key industry participants comprise of Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., Saint-Gobain S.A., Trina Solar Ltd., Xinyi Solar Holding Ltd., Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd., and Guardian Industries.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

17

Beyond Four ground-breaking research are

Golden

Silicon chuck the as that

Semiconductor -Rahul Sethi

One of the research areas of applied science that has seen a lot of promising ideas go down dwindling (and take companies with them) is that of solar photovoltaic cells.

But like Edison said, the most certain way to succeed is to try, one more time.

New materials are competing silicon based cells with a variety of innovative and cost-savvy methods.

Sometimes the efficiency maybe too low for the panel to be useful in real life or the material isn’t lasting; some concepts are difficult to realize using current technology, while others don’t get to see the light of day due to lack of proper funding.

But we are inching closer, one fail at a time. Here are four major research trends that prove it, and products that may go under the Sun anytime in the next few years.

COVER STORY

Multijunction Cells The Four Junction Concentrator* Multijunction (MJ) architecture is a cunning concept of collecting more energy falling over a PV cell. Along with mono crystalline silicon, different materials are used to produce a cell that absorbs specific spectrum(s) of light to raise the total overall absorption.

MJ cells started from a dual-junction design and have graduated to three or more junction configurations using a variety of materials, many of which are currently in production.

MJ cells are the heart of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) that deliver very high conversion efficiencies for a small cell area.

The latest one to achieve 44.7% lab efficiency, highest in the history of solar cells, is a four-junction CPV cell. And like all CPV cells, a Fresnel lens is combined with this four junction PV cell to increase the illumination – the record achieved in 508 Suns, jointly by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Soitec, CEALeti, France and the Helmholtz Center, Berlin.

The 4-junction cell is made up two dualjunction subcells – an inverted GaInP/ GaAs device lattice-matched to GaAs and a GaInPAs/GaInAs device lattice matched to InP. Materials required for production of these cells aren’t readily available, a junction with band gap energy needed between 0.91.1eV. The challenges to grow devices without degrading the cell quality lead the team to use direct semiconductor wafer-bonding process to combine mismatched materials. Wafer-bonding enables two Semiconductors devices having different lattice constants and

Schematic of a wafer-bonded GaInP/GaAs//GaInPAs/GaI nAs 4J solar cell Image: Fraunhofer ISE

coefficients of thermal expansion to be joined with an electrically conductive, mechanically strong bond. But it requires flat particle-free surfaces with rms roughness values of less than 1nm.

Though this technique also poses a conventional problem of yield vs cost for a terrestrial CPV market, it was overcome using an engineered substrate developed on Soitec’s Smart Cut technology. Instead of using the usual InP substrate, the company could develop an ultra-thin layer of InP on a carrier substrate.

Meanwhile, to attain high efficiencies at very high irradiance, tunnel junctions (electrically insulated layers between two conducting sub-cells that allow electrons to pass through by process of quantum tunneling) need to attain a high peak current, keeping low the optical absorption and the voltage drop.

The work successfully implements a transpa rent GaInP/AlGaAs tunnel diode

* Concentrator Solar Cells work at more than 1 Sun (1KW/m2) illumination

20

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

Like Carbon, Silicon has two forms in nature – crystalline and amorphous.

Mono crystalline Silicon PV is the most expensive to make, but have the highest efficiency. Together with Polysilicon it forms the first generation of cells. Amorphous silicon and non-silicon materials like Cadmium Telluride or CIGS form the second generation cells.

They aren’t as efficient but are cheaper, lighter and have much less ecological impact in production. between the top two cells that minimizes optical absorption; a more recent version of the device reduces photocurrent mismatch from 1.27mAcm-2 to 0.71mAcm-2 and has a lower Rseries of 49.0mΩcm2 from 63.5mΩcm2.

Post bonding and GaAs substrate removal, the contacts were deposited on the front and back sides of the wafer and 2-layer Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2) / Tantalum Pentoxide (Ta2O5) anti-reflective coating was applied.

Concentrator cells have much less payback time. With efficiency this high and space requirements cut down to half , they find wide applications from KW to GW scale.

COVER STORY

Tandem solar cells If MJ cells are limited to only two layers of materials, it would be simpler and thus, cheaper to make.

Tandem cells are individual or connected cells on a single substrate.

The most common way to produce tandem cells is the monolithic process of growing (depositing) layers on substrate while the tunnel junctions connect individual cells. To compete with other multijunction cells in efficiency, researchers developed a tandem solar cell using a hybrid technique of deposition and stacking.

A silicon cell is first fabricated by inserting an intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) buffer layer underneath n-type and p-type doped a-Si:H contacting layers; while the Gallium Indium Phosphide (GaInP) top cell is fabricated on a lattice-matched Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) or Germanium growth substrate. The top cell is attached on a 600μm-thick glass slide using epoxy which acts as a separation of the two cells during fabrication, the bottom layer also attached to the slide using another layer of epoxy.

The GaInP top cell has aligned metal grids on front and back, coated with antireflective material; the sliver grids on the bottom cell have optimized current value and epoxy and glass used in production have restricted refractive index values – to reduce photocurrent losses.

Short wavelengths – upto 690nm are converted by the top cell, while conversion of longer wavelengths is achieved in the Silicon hetrojunction bottom cell.

The complicated process of direct deposition of GaInP cells (done using Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxy) reduces efficiency. Using electrically insulated and transparent layers the GaInP and Silicon hetrojunction cells are rather joined by mechanical stacking. They operate independently (fourterminal operation) with their own maximum power point tracking.

The research supported by US Department of Energy was published in the IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, with efficiency of the GaInP-Si tandem solar cell claimed to be 29.8% (1-Sun).

Vapor deposition methods continue to be used for newer materials. Perovskite is a recent example that exhibits excellent photovoltaic properties. Found in 1950s, perovskite structure was developed into a solar cell by 2009. A limiting factor is its deposition process that creates specific cell defects that reduces its lifetime to a few years.

More recently, researchers deployed a novel way to conduct the annealing process at low-temperature in presence of dry

oxygen that minimizes this effect.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University developed tandem solar cells using perovskite as its main layer. The team fabricated a tri-layer of molybdenum trioxide / gold / molybdenum trioxide with optimized thickness of each layer and made it transparent for light to go into the bottom silicon layer which is put just under the perovskite layer. It recorded 25.5% efficiency.

Another research reported from Los Alamos National Laboratory explained that the defects in organometallic halide semiconducting perovskite solar cells are more of a physical nature than a chemical decomposition. It claimed that perovskite defects are formed under light, but within a given time can “self-heal” in dark.

Cross section of stacked GaInP/Si dual-junction solar cell. The GaInP top cell is attached to a glass slide which is glued to the Si hetrojunction bottom cell. Image: IEEE

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

21

COVER STORY

Organic PV and its Inkjet printing

Think about light and flexible solar panel that you can stick on a wall like a sticker or mould flexibly to a desired curve so it fits a surface that could be vertical, curved or mobile – like a car.

Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) is an interesting and emerging technology that lives on by the virtue of comparatively low technological complexity required in manufacturing them; though efficiencies haven’t breached the single digit ceiling (triple junction polymer based OPVs).

That said, at the chemical research side, it still remains one of the most complex and high potential materials to innovate on, especially in regards to naturally occurring materials sensitive to light.

A research appearing in the IEEE Journal of Photovoltaic expressed the synthesis of a new material – a high performance polymer semiconductor called PDTBT-TT that demonstrated a light conversion efficiency of 6.71%.

The polymer’s morphology study listed under ACS Publications revealed polymer solar cells’s open circuit voltages of

22

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

upto 0.78V and a current density of the range 12.75-16.4mA/cm2 and efficiencies touching 9.4%.

The 3,6-dialkyl-thienothiophene and 4,7-bis(thien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazol (PDTBT-TT) polymer is made from the combination of two commercially available monomers. Its theoretical expectations derived from the density functional theory results and comparison with polymer PBT4T that has the same chemical structure, backbone conformation, absorption spectra and molecular energy levels revealed a crystalline aggregated state and stable thermodynamic behavior. A study, also published in ACS Publications, concluded that PDTBT-TT, owing to a more rigid backbone, stable backbone conformation and other factors, that PDTBT-TT is a promising photovoltaic polymer material.

Contact materials and encapsulation of cell also remains a critical field of work.

Materials with slower cell degradation are under investigation as the life of cell is another issue that limits OPV

cell’s use commercially.

Unlike conventional (inorganic) panel manufacturing techniques that are cell-dependent, coating and printing processes largely defines OPV manufacturing. Inkjet printing using the base material as inks are one of the most common processes to make OPV cells. In fact all the layers – polymer, active layer, Silver (for making conducting grid lines) and electrodes are inkjetprinted. This makes organic PVs easy to produce, ship and integrate into present structures. The search for newer materials pave the way for cheap, high-efficiency commercially viable OPVs.

COVER STORY

CZTS and other Inorganic materials termed CZTGSSe. Inkjet printing technology to produce kasterite-based CZTSSe is a new finding itself by a research team at HZB. The ink, a precursor solution produced by dissolving Cu, Zn, Sn metal salt and thiourea in dimethyl sulfoxide solvent, is printed on CZTSSe absorbers and annealed in presence of Selenium.

Using a molecular ink, the composition gradients of Cu2Zn(Sn,Ge)(S,Se)4 are spray coated spanning 0-90% germanium or a combination of germanium and tin.

High efficiency devices were produced Many companies are currently using CdTe or CIGS cells as an alternative to silicon based PVs for cheaper modules/ thin-film, flexible and lightweight panels or both. But due to the toxic nature of their composition, new combinations like CZTS are being searched for.

Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (CZTS), or its selenium alloys – CZTSe and CZTSSe have elements that are non-toxic and are abundantly available in nature. Its electronic properties are similar to CIGS which makes it a capable replacement for thin-film solar cells.

Like organic PVs, recent work on CZTS is vouching actively to push efficiencies to double digits. A study carried out by a team from Incheon National University, South Korea and published in ACS Publications showed that if Germanium is “alloyed” with kasterite-based CZTSSe thin-film solar cells, the efficiency would raise to 9%. The method used enables a band gap in the range 1.0 to 1.5 eV, which is optimum for PV devices. After the process, the final material is

at germanium to germanium+tin ratio of 0.25 corresponding to a band gap of 1.2eV (similar to CIGSe). The researchers also saw significant improvements in efficiency (11%) and output voltage on a month aged CZTGSSe processed with longer selenization.

Compare to CdTe panels, printing process of CZTSSe is very economical as it uses limited ink; uses abundantly available raw materials, produces cells low on toxicity and can create them fully from drop to cell using inexpensive technology.

Current-voltage parameters before and after the sample was aged in the ambient lab environment.

Image: ACS Publications

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

23

VIZ-A-VIZ

There is no plan or attempt on EDF's or EREN's part to get out of the Indian market SAMIR SHARAN,

CEO – ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. The ACME Group is one of the top player in the field of clean energy with operations in solar power generation, lithium-ion based energy storage solutions and energy management of telecom towers in India.

It pins itself as a pioneer in the development of green technology solutions that are environment friendly, energy efficient, frugal and also capable of delivering a quick return on investment. In a vivid viz-a-viz with Santanu Mukherjee, Samir Sharan, CEO – ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt. Ltd shares on company’s cutting-edge portfolio, futuristic plans to mitigate carbon emission and also confabs on much hyped issue EDF Energies Nouvelles and EREN Renewable Energy. Edited Excerpts.

How ACME is consolidating its position in the solar Energy Storage Sector, globally?

ACME is today one of the largest Solar Power Developer in the country with a portfolio of about 1529 MW within a short time. We are planning to be at about 7500 MW by 2020.

We are primarily focusing on Indian market as the asking rate is almost of about 1500 MW per year henceforth if we have to achieve 7500 MW by 2020.

We are also exploring other geographies to evaluate business potentials.

In Energy Storage Sector, we are the pioneering company in the country.

Energy Storage is one of the key focus areas of ACME and we are developing various customized solutions to meet application specific requirements.

However, the technology is still in nascent stage.

Tell us how ACME aims to replace the

24

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

polluting Diesel generators and Lead Acid batteries?

ACME’s ECO GRID is direct replacement of DG Sets and Lead Acid Batteries. We have two standard models of ECO GRID – 5KVA and 10KVA. Multiple of these units can be connected in parallel to meet energy / power demand.

We do have further bigger Energy Storage solutions for commercial/ industrial applications and one of the live example is ACME’s HO in Gurgaon.

Here we have replaced our DG set with 270KWH of ESS (LIB) to provide backup power to whole office building.

LIB storage solution can lasts for 4000 cycles or 10 years which give them a cost advantage over lead acid batteries but they are relatively expensive …… how do you plan to bring it to masses Yes, the present upfront cost of LIB is 3 -4 times higher than conventional lead

acid batteries, this is really the show stopper. Now in a lithium battery system, lithium cell contributes 50 – 60 – 70 % of total cost and rest 30 40% includes Electronics, Electrical and Mechanical components. Now, one can really offer cost benefit by mfg it in India however present demand doesn’t make it viable option to invest in mfg setup.

So it is very important to create the demand first. We have been promoting LIB continuously and focus is to educate more and more probable segments (Users). In fact, despite higher cost, there are few customers who see value preposition in LIB considering it’s advantages over conventional Lead Acid Batteries such as green technology, longer life, fast charging, maintenance free, less space, less weight etc. and we do get repetitive orders from them as well. We are also exploring finance/ lease options for consumer.

What new technology you are coming

VIZ-A-VIZ

up with or integrating in your Energy Storage solutions Energy storage is the key focus currently.

How LIB systems can make rooftop installations more attractive for consumers Due to its advantages over conventional batteries, LIB is the best fit for roof top solar application where consumer wants to have backup during night time/ absence of solar power. The main attraction is its fast charging time, longer life, lesser space & weight and no maintenance.

You know, the life of solar panel is 25 Yrs and LIB can also offer 10 – 15 Years life so consumer doesn’t have to worry about frequent replacement of battery.

How the Ecogrid Ess is helping to solve many energy Issues of Homeowners & Business Owners today and how is it different from Tesla’s Powerwall?

Indeed, ECO GRID is one of the excellent product for energy storage application.

It is an integrated solution i.e. one box solution (unlike Power wall) and installation is very easy.

We take regular feedback from our customers and we can confidently say that each one of our customers is very happy with the performance. That’s how, we do get repetitive orders from some of them especially at remote locations where there is challenge to provide periodic maintenance for conventional battery.

What are the solar based power generation projects in-line for the company and how are you stepping to protract the storage business in India?

ACME currently has portfolio of more than 1529 MW Solar PV Projects. Grid scale storage is definitely going to be

the key application for LIB and we are expecting some tenders (PV Plant) with grid scale storage in coming years. We look forward to actively participate in these tenders.

What kind of market share in storage segment do you enjoy right now and what percentage of growth do you reckon in the coming years?

We are one of the leading companies in India who have been offering LIB based commercial products for various applications (stationary) starting from residential, commercial, industrial, Defense & telecom etc and have experience in each of these applications.

It would be quite early to talk about market share as the overall market size is very small.

Looking at present scenario, grid scale storage and EV application are going to be key driver to bring in the demand, however, it seems it may take another couple of years to see big volumes.

What are the key market strategies of the company for energy storage system?

We are actively pushing LIB energy Storage for various applications and intent to deploy more and more by educating (about it’s advantages) consumers in various segments.

Moreover, we are getting our self ready for the big volumes as well.

Manufacturing has been given a thrust under the Make in India initiative, what type of help you are getting from the government so far?

Govt of India offers capital subsidy for setting up manufacturing facility for battery (LIB) and also there is exemption of Custom duty and Excise duty on mfg machines however as mentioned above the current volumes are not justified

to make investment in mfg setup.

Therefore, demand creation is very important at this stage.

Your manufacturing plant in Pant Nagar Plant, Uttarakhad is the largest of its kind in Asia and incorporates state-of-the-art equipment and a high level of automation. Is there any plan to open more manufacturing unit in India?

No. There are reports that EDF Energies Nouvelles and EREN Renewable Energy may exit Acme Solar as they have issues with the company’s aggressive bidding, and project execution. Would you like to shed some light on the same?

No, this is not true. The partnership is very much in place and not breaking up.

However we can manage even without foreign partners. There is no plan or attempt on EDF's or EREN's part to get out of the Indian market or anything like that.

This partnership has surely helped ACME. They are strategic investors and not just financial investors. Strategic partners play a role in procurement, implementing best practices (and) maybe in getting ECB (external commercial borrowing) financing, apart from putting in funds.

It is important to mention here that we have a large pool of our own assets which is much bigger than the JV we have formed. Out of the 1500 MW, only about 260 MW in the operational or construction stage and another 360 MW of pipeline assets are part of the partnership. The rest is our own. In March this year we operationalized around 300 MW which are held entirely by us. Last month, we won 350 MW in NTPC auctions in which EDF and EREN had no participation.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

25

YOUR ROOFTOP PV SOLAR PROJECT

T

HE H EOREM

Financial Approach for Consumers to Integrate Solar Power

To behold the distributed energy, variant financing options let consumers save in a number of ways. They are offered either solar leases (leasing the panel and its energy for a fixed periodic payment) from a solar company, power purchase agreements (they purchase each unit of electricity produced by the panel at an agreed upon rate), or solar loans (the consumer, rather than the service provider, owns the panel; effectively a solar panel mortgage). In each case,

the cost per unit of electricity is not only cheaper but more stable when compared to rates charged by utilities.

On the other hand, rooftop plants are also becoming frugal as they produce clean electricity from the solar energy at about Rs. 7.0 per kWh without any subsidy. The Government is providing a subsidy of 15% on these plants to the beneficiaries which makes it further attractive and viable.

This massive target can be achieved with support from banks to provide loans for installation of Grid-Interactive Rooftop Solar PV Plants to the loan seekers as a

- Niloy Banerjee

Over the past two decades, there have been many attempts to reform the electric utility market.

The costly and complex operations of transporting energy have made utilities natural monopolies, while regulatory barriers and the high fixed costs of building and maintaining regional electrical grid infrastructure have also kept much competition at verge. Now with vigorous technological advances and new business models nimble players are becoming instrumental on providing consumers with cost-saving alternatives. With the rise of distributed forms of energy, such as rooftop solar power, and batteries, it’s become much more feasible to match individual demand for electricity with on-site production.

'ECO'- NOMICS

part of home loan/ home improvement loan.

The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance has issued following advisory to all Public Sector Banks cites, “All banks are advised to encourage the home loan/ home improvement loan seekers to install rooftop solar PVs and include the cost of such equipment in their home loan proposals just like non solar lighting, wiring and other such fittings” In compliance, so far, eight Public Sector Banks namely Bank of India, Syndicate Bank, State Bank of India, Dena Bank, Central Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Allahabad Bank and Indian Overseas Bank havee taken actions and issued the necessary instructions for their branches. The person interested in installation of Grid-Interactive Rooftop Solar PV Plants and seeking loan may approach these nearest Public Sector Banks.

Under which Competitive Model you can gain most from solar power The parity demand for solar power brings new opportunities for consumers as well as for the industry. As more and more individuals and companies rush in to meet this demand, they will innovate and create various business models. The consumers will benefit as the competition and options increase.

The basic business models are available in India: • Straight forward sales model A consumer can purchase a solar power plant or just solar power via different models. In the most common model, the consumer purchases a system as he would purchase any other electronics item, by making 100% of the payment upfront or financing the system through a bank.

This is the most common business model for solar deployment in India, an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) company, or individual components

28

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

manufacturing company (such as modules or inverters) installs the system. The plant owner pays the full cost of the PV system upfront. This model (sometimes referred to as the ‘CAPEX model’) is pursued by the majority of solar companies, including TATA Power Solar, EMMVEE Photovoltaics or Moserbaer.

The main drawback of the CAPEX model is that the plant owner needs to be able to finance the entire plant.

Solar has a heavily ‘front loaded’ cost structure, with a high initial investment and very low operating costs. A consumer might not have the required liquidity to finance a system upfront or get the best debt terms.

Nevertheless, one advantage of this model is that consumers are eligible to claim accelerated depreciation.

• Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model Under the RESCO model, the consumer can install a solar power plant and not pay anything upfront. A power purchase agreement is signed between the installer and the consumer at a mutual price (tariff). In another model, the consumer can get a solar system installed at his rooftop and also get rent for subletting the rooftop. The consumer need not pay anything and he has the choice whether or not to consume the electricity.

Under this model, a third party investor comes in to invest into a PV plant on a rooftop and sells solar power to a power consumer. The consumer does not make any investment. If the solar power is viable, the consumer can benefit from savings on the electricity bill right from the start.

Under this model, the investor and the consumer agree on a tariff (per kWh of solar power) and timeline of a power purchase agreement.

Moreover, the investors typically offer a lower tariff than the current grid

tariff, simultaneously the upsurge of this model's tariff is lower than the expected hike of the grid tariff.

The most significant advantage of this system, apart from the fact that it entails zero investment, is that the RESCO is responsible for the operations, repair and maintenance of the system.

It is not the consumer’s responsibility to ensure proper functioning of the system. As the size of project increases, this model becomes more feasible due to economies of scale. The size of project can either grow individually, or as a collection of small projects bundled together.

• Local micro utility model Under this model, solar power developers could rent large, bundled roof spaces from building owners in a designated area, install PV systems and sell the power generated to the rooftop owners. The project developers would particularly target those consumers who might not have the resources or would be unwilling to invest in rooftop solar. Developers can offer building owners a lease income on their rooftop space.

This model allows project developers to bundle rooftop space in a community and thereby minimize the legal, commercial and technical transaction costs by increasing the size of individual plants. This makes the model especially useful for the deployment of solar for residential consumers.

The key USP of this model is that it unlocks a greater number of residential rooftops for PV systems. This is achieved by improving the economies of scale for the developer and providing an easy income opportunity to the rooftop owner.

All three models are already flourishing in the market, whereas with the alarm of new solar bonds several new models are also following the toes.

'ECO'- NOMICS

Component cost of rooftop PV systems A rooftop solar PV system costs approximately Rs. 1,00,000 per kWp (kilowatt peak) including installation charges but without batteries and without considering incentives (which are discussed further down). The cost breakup for a 1 kWp system is given below:

Note 1: The above prices are for components from Tier 1 manufacturers with 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.

In addition the PV modules have output warranty of 90% of rated capacity for the first 10 years and 80% of rated capacity for the next 15 years.

Note 2: We have not considered battery backup as that can alter the economics significantly depending on the extent of battery backup (autonomy) required.

Not only do batteries add to the initial cost, recurring maintenance, and replacement expenditure, the energy loss on charging and drawing from the battery also adds to the cost of power. A battery backup would add about Rs. 25,000 to the cost of the above system.

Note 3: We have not considered Thin-Film modules as they require more installation area for the same capacity as Crystalline modules and are therefore not preferred for rooftop installations where space is usually a constraint.

MNRE Subsidy The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) provides Central Financial Assistance through capital and/or interest subsidy (depending on the nature of the applicant). The summary of the subsidy scheme is provided in the table:

*for commercial/ industrial entities either of capital or interest subsidy will be available Note: 1 The benchmark cost for setting up a solar PV plant is Rs. 170/ Wp (With battery providing 6 hours of autonomy) and Rs. 100 per Wp (without battery) i.e. if the actual project cost exceeds this amount then project cost will be deemed to be the benchmark cost for calculating the subsidy.

Note 2: Benchmark costs are for systems with 5-year warranty for all

components (inverters, batteries, switchgear, etc.) other than PV modules which are warranted for 90% of output at end of year 10 and 80% at end of year 25. PV modules have to be made in India to avail subsidy.

Note 3: Capital subsidy is increased to 90% of benchmark cost for special category states (North Eastern states, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand).

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

29

'ECO'- NOMICS

The subsidy calculation is illustrated in this table: Gross Vs Net Metering the Next Wave for Rooftop solar PV systems

Variations in pricing Prices of solar PV systems offered by various vendors can differ significantly.

There can be several reasons for the variations in price, such as • Overstatement of capacity – Some vendors advertise a rooftop system with 1 KW modules (solar panels) and a 5 kW inverter as a 5 KW system. As the electricity is generated by the modules this system only has a 1 kW capacity and the price offered by the vendor should be compared with other 1 KW systems and not 5 kW plants • Brands – Products from Tier I manufacturers are typically more expensive but offer much better

performance and reliability • Certifications/Standards – Products that are certified and meet quality standards are more expensive • Warranties – The price of the system can depend on the warranties offered. o PV Panels – Industry standard warranty is »»5-year manufacturer warranty »»0-10 years for 90% of the rated output power »»10-25 years for 80% of the rated output power o Other systems – Inverters, mounting structures, cables, junction boxes, etc. typically come with a 1 year manufacturer warranty which can be extended to 5 years

One debate that continues to rage is the merits of net metering vs gross metering. The Net Metering adoption to play a long-term achievement goal for solar: i) net metering regulations are in place in most states; ii) net metering strongly supports viability which is important in a sector which is still yet to take off and iii) net metering is easy for consumers to understand. As viability strengthens, adjustments to net metering (eg. a medium term grid services charge) can ensure a fair deal for utilities as well as rooftop owners. Several states are experimenting with gross metering regulations. Provided these regulations also support viability to encourage adoption, these innovations are welcome.

Summarizing the total cost for 1 KW system in a table below:

*(The Average cost / watt is excluding taxes) Conclusion: The average cost of solar roof for Indian residences is Rs. 83/watt – Rs 91/ watt or $ 1.3 / watt – $ 1.5 / watt *(The prices taken are the average prices, not the exact prices. The exact cost can vary and may lie in between the two prices)

30

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

'ECO'- NOMICS

In a shared statement, Upendra Tripathy Secretary Govt of India, MNRE said, “It is the speed of cost reduction in solar that gives us cause for optimism.

In just 2010, solar power costs were around Rs 17/kWh. Whereas, on 4th November, 2015 it was confirmed that the lowest bid under the latest round of solar mission bidding for installations in Andhra Pradesh was just Rs 4.63/kWh. These cost reductions are also bringing the solar revolution home to rooftops of businesses, residences and other buildings. Solar rooftops are already growing fast with installed capacity

set to be over 500 MW by the end of the year. 26 states have net metering regulations in place and a number of utilities are taking proactive steps to support rooftop solar. Net metered solar rooftop is now economic for commercial and industrial customers, without subsidy, in many states with more crossing this threshold every year. And the Government of India is leading by example by installing solar roof tops widely on government buildings, airports, railways network, educational institutions, residential sector and all types of buildings. This

initiative will not only support the solar rooftop sector, but will also save energy and reduce costs for government.

The Government is providing Central Financial Assistance upto 30% for selected categories and upto 70% for special category states including islands. The solar revolution is well underway and solar rooftop is poised for exciting growth. This growth will not just bring energy benefits and reduce carbon emissions, but will create jobs, skills and – by ‘bringing solar home’ can contribute to a change in the way people think about energy.”

31

Government squint into Investors risk for more customer value

The biggest discouragement to investors is the problem of contract enforcement. Government at earliest needs to fetch these third party business models work. Tax incentives need to provide a level playing field for all investors to avoid deterring important sources for investment.

• Empower a local level quasi-judicial authority to resolve disputes related to denial of access to roof by the roof owner to the project developer.

• Government should offer a package of incentives to utilities to secure their active participation in rooftop solar • Government should undertake or commission consultations on a credit default mechanism to boost investment.

• Provide waiver of stamp duty charges for registration of roof lease agreements (as the rooftop value is otherwise nil, this will not result in loss of significant revenues for the exchequer).

• Utilities to act as buyer of last resort (at discounted price) in case of disputed private power-purchase agreements.

• Devise all rooftop policies including any financial support measures so as to create a level playing field between different classes of investors including consumer owners of rooftop systems.

• Phase out accelerated depreciation or make the benefit available to all investors, and generation-based, when the current provision ends in 2017.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

31

'ECO'- NOMICS

Mr. K. S. Popli Chairman & Managing Director, IREDA Trenching to decipher the crux, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) got alongside to vividly pronounce on the basic structures of financing available for today’s rooftop solar projects. On the financing structures of funding rooftop solars (i.e Home Rooftop solars, commercial rooftop solars etc), IREDA said that, Presently IREDA has a scheme for rooftop solar PV power projects with competitive interest rates for Industrial, Institutional and commercial sectors, supplementing the RBI notification dated 23rd April 2015 regarding categorization of renewable energy under priority sector lending up to Rs. 15 Cr. All applicants meeting standard eligibility norms of IREDA as well as scheme guidelines may opt for eligible project ownership models and revenue models. Applicants can opt for following revenue models for the project I. Captive power generation by roof owners II. Sale to grid under Net metering / Power Purchase Agreement III. Sale to grid under gross metering Power Purchase Agreement IV. Distribution Licensee / Govt. / Semi Government bodies / Institutions Applicants / aggregators after finalization of the revenue model shall ensure that project broadly follows ownership model where rooftop is owned either by

single party or multiple parties. Further quantum of the loan from IREDA shall be 70% of the total project cost with minimum promoter’s contribution of 30% of the project cost. However, IREDA may extend loan up to 75% of the project cost on the basis of the creditworthiness of the promoter, track record, project parameters etc. as per the financing norms and operational guidelines of the rooftop scheme. Also the loan repayment period for rooftop loans shall be up to 9 years, with moratorium period of 6 to 12 months from the date of COD of the projects.

To the basic interest rates and benefits given to the people added to any disparity tax slabs for RESCO compared to single participant; IREDA’s asserts that as per IREDA’s rooftop scheme, the applicable interest rates for loans shall be in the range of 10.05% to 10.90% which may be further discounted up to 25 base points based on the credit rating of the applications. These interest rates are applicable for all rooftop projects either owned by single party or by multiple parties.

To avail for a dictated sanction of loan, IREDA says that Applications for the projects under the rooftop scheme shall come through Rooftop Solar Aggregators. The aggregator can be

"

32

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

system integrators, manufacturers, and large companies, ESCOs / RESCOs. Aggregators will aggregate the solar rooftop projects to be installed at single / different location. The minimum total size of the project should be 1000 kWp and each system capacity not less than 20 kWp. These aggregators shall be required to provide the credit rating from one of the empanelled credit rating agencies as notified from time to time.

The aggregator shall be responsible for execution and operational performance commitments.

"

Trusts, Societies, Individuals, Proprietary concerns and Partnership firms (other than Limited Liability Partnerships, LLPs) have been kept on other financing structures. Asserting on the procedures to take them under financial consideration, IREDA mentions that Trusts, Societies, Individuals, Proprietary concerns and Partnership firms can be considered for financing only if they provide Bank Guarantee / Pledge of FDR issued

by Scheduled Commercial Banks as described in RBI Act for the entire loan.

Analyzing the applicant on its probable loan eligibility become crucial, IREDA says that the application submitted by the applicants are analyzed for Techno-commercial viability of the project, external credit rating for the project, creditworthiness of the promoter(s), past track record and project parameters.

"

With government’s aggressive commitment, Renewable in a whole has brought the future with tussling-hopes; a unified financial roadmap shall also be a catalyst to embolden the potential, IREDA being a registered Non-Banking Financial Company vigorously engages to promote, develop and extend financial assistance for setting up projects relating to new and renewable

'ECO'- NOMICS

sources of energy for generating electricity and / or energy.

It also extends to maintain its position as a leading organization to provide innovative financing in Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency/ Conservation and Environmental Technologies through efficient systems & processes for providing total satisfaction and transparency to its customers.

"

All the projects in Renewable Energy (RE), Energy Efficiency/ Conservation and other environmental sustainable technologies, including Power Generation, Transmission, Renovation & Modernization, which are techno-commercially viable, are eligible to obtain finance from IREDA. The eligible sectors are as under Wind

Energy Hydro

Power Solar

Energy

Biomass

including Bagasse & Industrial Cogeneration Biomass

Power Generation Waste

to Energy Energy

Efficiency & Energy Conservation Bio-fuel

/ Alternate Fuel Including Ethanol & Bio -Diesel Hybrid

Projects with RE Technologies New

& Emerging Renewable Energy Technologies.

To not just notch on Rooftop Solar projects, IREDA has been actively participating to finance large or sub-large scale projects with key financial models (schemes) which comprises: I. Project Financing II. Equipment Financing III. Loans for Manufacturing IV. Financial Intermediaries

V. Financing of commissioned projects including takeover of Loans from other Banks / FIs. VI. Additional / Bridge Loan against SDF Loan VII. Loan against Securitization

The public financial institution says to also have new fund and non-fund based financing schemes which includes: I. Line of Credit to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) VI. IREDA to take up the role of lead FI under Consortium/ Syndicated Loans/ Multi banking arrangements by charging for on- lending to RE/ EEC Projects.

Lead Fee II. Short term loan assistance to RE Developers/Suppliers/ VII. Direct Discounting of GBI Claims Payable to Renewable Contractors.

Energy Developers under MNRE Scheme for Generation III. Bridge loan assistance to RE Developers against Capital Based Incentive (GBI) for grid interactive Wind and Solar Subsidies/VGF/GBI available under various State/Central power projects Govt. Schemes.

VIII. Direct Discounting of MNRE Capital Subsidy payable to IV. Policy on Underwriting of Debt/Loan Syndication.

Accredited Channel Partners and State Nodal Agencies V. Guarantee Assistance Scheme to RE Suppliers/ (SNA) for installation of Solar Water Heating Systems.

Manufacturers/EPC Contractors

Amid all the approaches for comprehensive solar initiatives, rooftop solar PV might get into the glance of paddling the solar fortune. The National Democratic Alliance government, which has made enhancing power generation a key policy priority, is looking to supply adequate power at affordable prices. The aim is to double electricity generation to two trillion units by 2019. India’s per capita power consumption, about 940 kilowatt-hours (kWh), is among the lowest in the world. When 280 million people in the country do not have access to electricity, the rural electrification program of the government has turned heads. In comparison, China has a per capita consumption of 4,000kWh. Developed nations average around 15,000kWh. Hence, individual understanding, viable policy and mass solar driven campaigns can get the roofs of India tact with solar PV modules.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

33

VIZ-A-VIZ

Delighted to see such a positive development in India

Dr. Weiming Zhang

Senior Vice President Commercial & Technology HPT | Heraeus Photovoltaics

Germany based Heraeus is one of the leading developer and manufacturer of silver metallization pastes for the photovoltaic industry. For over 40 years, Heraeus has built a reputation of innovation, extensive research and new product development in thick film technologies for some of the most prominent companies within a variety of industries.

In a candid chat with Saur Energy’s Santanu Mukherjee, Dr. Weiming Zhang, Senior Vice President Commercial & Technology HPT, harped on the company’s latest paste technology and promising plans for the Indian market. Edited Excerpts.

Early this year in March, Heraeus established regional product modification lab in Japan. The strategy behind the setup and importance of the local setup for the company?

Japan represents an important market for Heraeus Photovoltaics. It represents over 8% of the worldwide supply of solar cell manufacturing and 18% of global PV installation. As markets in Asia continue to grow and Heraeus customers’ technologies evolve rapidly, the network of regional product innovation abilities is a cornerstone for the company to further explore the photovoltaic markets. By establishing our PMLs close to the markets, we are able to understand changes in our customers’ needs constantly and provide them with superior products in shortest response time.

34

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

What kind of investment commitments you had to make?

Japan marks the third Heraeus regional PML to open in Asia in the last 12 months.

It complements the installation of two regional PML’s, one in Shanghai, one in Taiwan, in early 2015. The speed of business and innovation are moving at breakneck speeds, and the PV industry is no exception. We will be able to better serve our local customer needs with customized solutions and advanced products and do it faster.

From business perspective, will the need of being customer-centric make you go places like India where solar market is flourishing?

We have a long history in serving customers from India and are delighted

to see such a positive development.

Customer and market needs are always the key focus of strategic business decisions at Heraeus. Now that we see the PV market in India thrive, we for sure closely observe the trends in this region and will derive suitable strategies, which might comprise a further expansion of our local capacities, solidifying our strong commitment to this PV market.

If we look few years back, use of silver in the metallization paste was considered a big deal but now the silver cost has gone down. What are the issues still faced in this domain?

Other than 10 years ago today’s standard solar cell technologies use around 120 to 150 milligrams of silver, making up around 20 per cent of the total cost for a solar cell. Considering the fluctuating price

VIZ-A-VIZ

of silver solar cell makers permanently look for ways to lower the cost of their product. In other words, the silver price gives solar cell makers incentives to reduce the amount of silver used per cell. Heraeus as a worldwide leading supplier of silver-based metallization paste supports this efforts by innovative silver-based metallization solutions which offer enhanced cell efficiencies at reduced silver levels. As a result, the amount of silver used in solar cells is being reduced by around 5 to 6 per cent every year. Heraeus significantly invests in R&D to improve the solar cell metallization technology to further reduce the cost and supply the most efficient products.

A lot of Chinese companies are trying to get into equipment space in terms of supplying material for PV. Can you comment on how this competitive landscape is changing?

Our global market leadership is based on our consistent strengths in four core competence areas: Strong R&D, fast scale-up capacities, focus on uncompromised, high quality in supply chain as well as production and an unparalleled application service. In combination with our strong IP-portfolio and our long-term experience of more than 45 years in paste manufacturing, we offer our customers a true value proposition, providing them with competitive advantages. Of course do we carefully observe the competitive situation in China but have not seen any emerging company being capable of providing a comparable, consistent portfolio of strengths like ours.

What is the driving parameter you are witnessing this year in terms of volumes, on region or technology basis?

Generally speaking is Cost in Use, first is efficiency (LCOE), secondly, is the cost

of technology. Recently, PERC almost has been commercialized and it will have an increasing demand in the next 2-3 years; the third is the government subsidy which will also support.

I would like to know the reason behind two recent advanced PERC metallization paste series SOL9631 and the SOL326?

Heraeus is one of the pioneers supporting PERC technology and today has a leading positioning supply PERC paste. Now that PERC is on the track to become a widely used standard technology – we, of course want to support our customers to successfully follow this trend, in supplying enabling material. The new products, SOL9631, a low-temperature front-side paste for PERC, and SOL326, a low-activity back-side silver tabbing paste, are offered as part of a PERC package. Customers can achieve higher PERC cell efficiencies, reduced LID and improved module reliability.

Tell us about the brand-new glass chemistry used in SOL9631 frontside paste series developed and manufactured by Heraeus?

The SOL9631 front-side paste series features a unique brand-new glass chemistry, exclusively developed and manufactured by Heraeus, combined with the latest breakthrough in organic vehicle system for ultra-fine-line printing. The paste can be fired at low temperatures, making it specifically suitable for PERC solar cells. The densified microstructure of the fired finger, including the Ag-Silicon interface, enhances adhesion, grid resistivity and solderability.

You have been in the market for more than a century now, how do you see the solar market changing globally?

Heraeus believes that output of PV modules will increase by 60% until 2030, bringing up a standard 60 cell module to over 500W. And the levelized costs of renewable energy will be able to decrease by 50% every five years.

Renewable energy is competitive today and will become the most cost effective source of energy. Advancements in photovoltaics technology expected to drive significant cost reductions and accelerate global adoption, making it the world’s energy source of choice.

What is your prediction on the renewable energy market in India slated by 2022?

Heraeus is convinced that the levelized costs of renewable energy will be able to decrease by 50% every five years.

And India now is already a flourishing market and for sure will have a significant increase in 2022. According to analysts India will be amongst the nations with the highest growth rate in electricity demand in the nearer future. To accommodate this growing demand and at the same time reduce CO2-emmissions, the share of renewable energy will also increase significantly. Heraeus contributes to the increasing importance by providing technologies which make the generation, storage and distribution of renewable energies sustainable, efficient and affordable.

Can you share with us your metallization paste customers in India and do you see the number growing after government of India’s 100GW target solar power by 2022?

We are working with almost all cell producer for India market, and expect them have a capacity at least double or even triple by 2022.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

35

- Santanu Mukherjee

Every year India faces severe electricity shortage, to meet the rapidly growing demand the country needs a massive addition in capacity. And to sustain the pace of economic growth with a commitment towards the reduction of greenhouse gases, India has to cut its dependency on fossil fuels for electrification. Therefore solar power installations in India are prerequisite.

Last year in December at Paris Climate Change Conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s commitment to 100 GW of solar energy connected to the grid by 2022. Industry experts then questioned India’s ambitious target given the fact that India’s current solar capacity is approximately 5 GW and India’s commitment is equal to half of the total global production of solar energy. As a developing nation, the country faces many financial and policy barriers to reach this target. However, a study conducted at Stanford University backed Indian Government’s target and said that it is indeed achievable with a strong domestic policy push and international investment.

Following the announcement of 100 GW target, the solar policy has been substantially pushed by state and central government and this sector started witnessing crave for investment.

The solar industry in India has grown more than a hundredfold in the past six years, from 36 MW in March, 2010 to 7.5 GW (installed grid-connected solar power capacity) to May 2016.

VIEWPOINT

Transparency in policy and timely provision of land will undoubtedly play a crucial role in accomplishing the goals. Moreover, greater investment in innovation and research and development can bring down the cost of solar technology and help in scripting the success of the programme.

Currently, the requirement of land is approximately 1 km2 for every 4060MW which may pose a strain on India's available land resource as availability of per capita land is quite low. India can use water surface area like canals, lakes, reservoirs and sea as alternative to establish large capacity solar power plants which can also be used for periodic cleaning and maintaining of the solar panels.

High-ways and rail tracks can also be used to evade excessive cost of land nearer to load-centers and minimize transmission lines cost by installing solar plants. The vastly disseminated set of individual rooftop power generation systems connected via a local grid would be more suitable for a country like India. However, establishing such an infrastructure (which does not enjoy the saving in cost of production that is possible in mass, utilityscale, solar panel deployment) will need the substantial declination of marketprice of solar technology deployment to lure individuals or household consumers.

This may be possible in near future as the cost of PV is expected to go down further and is said to be able to compete with fossil fuel price.

Government received (non-binding) investment commitments of over 171 GW for solar project development from over 50 developers. International developers such as 8minuteenergy, ENEL Green Power, ENGIE, FRV and Sembcorp have also announced their entry into India with significant acquisitions or project development plans. However, we are not sure how many of these will eventually come into operations.

The union and the state governments in

India can create and frame policy on their level and therefore changes in policy is vital in attaining these ambitious solar targets.

Recently Rajasthan emerged as the No.1 state in the country in January with total installed solar capacity of 1264 MW, followed by Gujarat (1024MW), Madhya Pradesh (679 MW), Tamil Nadu (419 MW), Maharashtra (379 MW) and Andhra Pradesh (357 MW). Rajasthan is expected to maintain its leadership in installing solar energy in coming years.

Rajasthan became leading solar energy producing state in India because of number of factors, including its 300-330 days of sun and highest solar radiation of 6.0-7.0 kWh/ m2 in the country beside availability of large flat and barren land, a favorable policy environment, positive market dynamics and a national push to solar energy.

Indian government aims to achieve its 100GW target by encouraging private investment via its schemes like provision of government land to set up solar parks, easing of registration and processing procedures and reduction of security amount and eligibility criteria. However, issues like inadequate transmission infrastructure, poor financial health of distribution companies, and a difficult law-making process for the power sector are blocking the flow of investment lurching the potential of renewable energy.

This year, for the first time price of solar energy in the country dropped to around equivalence with coal, hitting 4.34 rupees (about 6 US cents) a kilowatt-hour (kWh), while coal tariffs usually range in between 3–5 rupees/kWh. Government has already reduced the SPP price from Rs.5.79 Rs/KWh to 4.43 Rs/KWh in view of steep fall in the cost of the solar power generation equipment. If the price solar power keeps falling at the same rate, it will soon drop below the coal. Industry experts believe that at this rate the solar power could be as much as 10% cheaper

power that we get from fossil fuels.

The applicable tariff is after allowing either viability gap funding (VGF) or accelerated depreciation (AD) incentives.

In our last Issue we reached out to Sujoy Ghosh, Country Head, First Solar, India to understand the gap in the solar policy and how can it be narrowed down?

Ghosh said that the policy and regulatory mechanism defined by the Center is definitely aimed at enabling a larger demand for solar energy in the overall mix. The challenge is that power being a concurrent subject, the state regulatory and policy environment has to be in synch with the central government’s vision. Some of the states have converged with this while others are still working out their state level policies. A few of the larger issues that need the center and states to collaborate are (a) reforms in the distribution sector to improve the financial condition of the state-owned distribution companies (b) implementation of the green corridor and (c) enforcing the RPO. Out of these the distribution reforms are critical and probably are the single most important issue that needs active engagement from all stakeholders (both at center and state).

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

37

VIEWPOINT

Indian Government can make available subsidies for the production of PV panels which will further reduce the market price and can boost the usage of solar power in the country. In the last couple of years, solar-generation rates have dramatically dropped from around Rs.18/ kWh to about Rs.7 / kWh, while cost of coal power and domestically-produced natural gas is increasing with time. According to experts the ultra mega solar plants like the one planned for Rajasthan would produce power for around Rs. 5/kWh. Experts also recommend that India should embrace policy to develop solar power as a governing component of the renewable energy mix. In one of the analysed scenarios, while reining on its long-term carbon emissions without compromising its economic growth potential, India can make renewable resources like solar the backbone of its economy by 2050.

During the year 2015-16, NTPC with 110 MW solar power installations, generated 160.8 million Kwh at a capacity utilization of 16.64% (i.e.

1458 Kwh/Kw) only, which is below the claimed norms (>20%) by the solar power industry. Though substantial solar power capacity is already under operation, the operating performance data is not made available in the public domain. Reasons to push solar beyond its low price are very much clear – undoubtedly it is much better option in a country that is home to 13 of the world's 20 most polluted cities, "The environmental benefits of solar will be even more pronounced if its rise comes at the expense of coal, which currently makes up 60 percent of India's energy production. India's coal has high ash content, and it releases toxins and metals into the air when burned."

Many companies believe mere clarity on policy leading renewable energy based mini-grids is averting investors from expanding their network. To know

38

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

the ground reality we asked Tanya Batra Vice President of Marketing at SunKalp Energy if there is a need for robust policy framework in the T&D segment.

Batra said T&D system is not just a policy issue but also an infrastructural issue. So, in time, we will have to upgrade to Smart Grids etc. However, such need is not urgent. The total installed capacity of Rooftop Solar in India stands at only 740 MW which is less than a GW which is not causing any sudden surge or drop in power supplied to grid through netmetering. So, the government is on the right track. It has made net metering policies with limits set on how much each transformer can take. Once, we are close to the solar capacity reaching the limits of individual transformers, that’s when the need would be urgent.

Harping on the current rooftop solar power net metering policy, she said that the current Net Metering and Gross Metering Policies are quite forward looking. But, that’s just as much we should expect from the government. Since the framework has been laid out, it’s the prerogative of the customer to go ahead and apply for net metering applications.

We understand, it can be overwhelming for customers to do so themselves, hence, we at Sunkalp facilitate submission of these applications by maintaining relations with DISCOMs. On the whole,

the net metering policy is a wonderful move to allow customers to reduce their bills. What will really need a re-look is how the government plans will compensate to loss-making DISCOMs whose business may further reduce with the uptake of Grid connected Rooftop Solar Systems.

According to Batra Talent pool isn’t the road-block for Government’s 100 GW target, already there are training programs that are being organized by MNRE such as the Surya Mitra Program.

In addition, there are industry players who are conducting training program for enabling manpower. There hasn’t been massive penetration at the Institutional level yet in terms of a specialized course, with training being limited to developing on the job skills. Otherwise, talent pool is being created through each company’s own training which imparted to the employee.

Lastly, Tanya believes technology obsolescence risk is not a major challenge, because, solar makes sense already- using the current technology. Also, the research happening around the world is in research stage only, not commercialised said Batra.

Adding to the above statement she said that what we are using is not obsolete.

However, technology advancement will keep happening. This will not have a huge impact on existing power plants since they will continue to produce electricity at the promised generation.

Land remains a key factor, but certain amendments in the electricity act are equally important. DISCOM should give priority to transmission / distribution status for renewable energy power. There is a lack in Transmission network in India, particularly in remote locations where Solar Irradiances are abundant.

Let's hope this momentum to replace fossil fuel with green energy keeps up in India, and that reliance on coal can be reduced as soon as possible. It's the only way to go solar.

VIZ-A-VIZ

Industrial & Commercial roof top programs are very encouraging

Krishnan Rajagopalan Head Solar Business, Anchor by Panasonic

Government's

two most ambitious program are 60 GW Grid Connected Solar Power generation and 24 x7 power access to users. With the current state of Transmission and distribution (T&D) system (where state level balancing of power in Grid is a severe issue), are they complimenting each other or do you see an urgent need for a robust policy framework in the T&D segment?

Policy framework is already in place.

We need certain amendments in the electricity act, and also state discoms need to allow complete open access for Solar Power. Also, they need to give priority transmission / distribution status for renewable energy power. There is a lack in Transmission network in India, particularly in remote locations where Solar Irradiances are abundant. But there are programs which are being implemented to address this issue. It should be done in tandem with the Central and State Governments. Majority of the problems happen at distribution level in India.

How

do you see the current rooftop

solar power generation policy- is it helping the Industry grow or you still see a gap in the framework? According to you which all areas need a relook?

Yes, Roof top Solar Power is slowly making its way strongly in the energy mix of our country. Industrial and Commercial roof top programs are very encouraging and they will sustain in future. They are simple, convenient to install and easy for maintenance. But there should be clear policy and implementation of Net Metering policy to promote Roof top solar power in a large way.

With

a target of 100 GW of Solar by 2022, do we have enough talent pool to deploy and operate at this scale? If not, what can be done to achieve that?

Yes, we have great talent pool. But what we lag in this time is the quality manufacturing support in India, and the correction in Feed in Tariff (to increase) and also the financial health of the distribution companies of many states.

Because of this, the tariff quotes are getting lower and lower, capital cost

driven projects are thus driving the market. It is a major worry for every developer as the distribution companies are suffering from losses and they cannot afford higher Solar Power Cost. Due to this vicious circle cheaper systems are being imported and quality is taking a toll. We need to clear all the hurdles together, but it will take time.

Worldwide

there are lot of research happening on solar power generation. Do you consider technology obsolescence risk a major challenge?

I feel that Solar is still in its nascent stage of development. The higher attention and efficiency improvements have happened in recent times. It is yet to mature and stabilize. Panasonic also has achieved the highest cell efficiency in the R&D stage at this time. But commercialization of such efficiencies takes time in Solar, as it is a slow process. We do not believe that there would be technology obsolescence in Solar, There would new developments and new features which will keep added and new materials will be invented to increase efficiency of the system.

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

39

POLICY

ANDHRA PRADESH SOLAR POLICY

40

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

POLICY

A

ndhra Pradesh is composed for rapid industrial growth driven by infrastructure investments and has also been selected by Ministry of Power as one of the pilot states for implementation of the 24X7 – Power for All (PFA) scheme. Solar energy can become an important source in meeting the growing power requirements of the State.

The State Government released its new policy in 2015 for the development of solar energy projects and avoid power crisis. The new policy replaced the previous one which was announced in 2012 by the state government.

The policy is intended to encourage PV developers to set up projects in the state for sale through a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) mechanism. With the establishment of REC mechanism AP aims to attract investments in solar power plants as well as in the setup of manufacturing facilities.

To boost the solar energy segment, the government will facilitate installation of about 5,000 MW of solar power generation by 2019.

The state is keen to transform as a solar power generation hub, offering all necessary support through the new solar policy.

The new solar policy promotes rooftop systems on public buildings, domestic, commercial and industrial establishments on gross or net metering basis. The consumers are free to choose either net or gross meter option for sale of energy to DISCOM under this policy.

The metering facility is extended to all eligible developers who intend to set up solar photovoltaic plants on their premises. Eligible Developers who wish to avail the metering facility will have to apply through online mode to DISCOMs. All approvals/ clearances shall be disposed by the respective DISCOM within 14days from the date of application.

The projects of capacity up to 1000Kwp

at a single location are permitted under the policy. The policy also envisages permission to group of persons or societies to set up solar power projects and will be treated as collective generation for supply to households of each society/group member. The DISCOMs will deduct the above energy from the consumed energy of individual service connections and balances (either excess or lower) can be billed on net metering basis. No Distribution losses asnd charges would be collected from the group/society/individuals by the DISCOMs. Eligible developers are allowed to avail relevant subsidies and incentives from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under JNNSM scheme.

The Government had also decided to promote solar manufacturing facility that can help develop the solar eco-system and support job creation potential in the State. Accordingly, the new solar manufacturing facilities and equipment and ancillaries related to solar projects would be given incentives like priority allotment of government land in solar parks on long term lease basis and exemption from electricity duty for a period of ten (10) years.

The Govt. of A.P will develop Solar Parks with capacity additions of around 2,500 MW in the next five (5) years to promote Solar Power Projects development in clusters of 500-1000 hectares.

The State Government, under this policy, will help facilitate in building up the necessary infrastructure like power evacuation, water requirements and internal roads.

According to the policy such Solar Parks shall consist of various zones viz. Solar Power Projects, Manufacturing Zones, R & D and Training Centers. The State government promises to extend all facilities and fiscal incentives provided

by Central Government/ National Solar Mission to the manufacturers in the Solar Parks.

Special Purpose Vehicle(s) (SPV’s) will be established for development of infrastructure and management of Solar Park. The SPV will formulate Policy and Rules in respect of land allotment, sharing of development cost by the solar power producers and manufacturers. The SPV will develop the initial infrastructure from the funds allocated by GoI and GoAP, which will be subsequently recovered from the solar power producers whose projects are located in Solar Parks by levying development charges.

State Govt. may undertake a mid-term review of this policy after a period of two years or as and when there is a need or to remove any inconsistency with Electricity Act 2003, rules and regulations made there under or any Govt. of India policy.

Main highlights of the policy are as follows: • Andhra Pradesh State has announced a new solar power policy to avoid the power crisis by utilizing solar power in the state.

• The state is poised for rapid industrial growth driven by infrastructure investments and has also been selected

by Ministry of Power as one of the pilot states for implementation of the 24X7 – Power for All (PFA) scheme.

Factors • Availability of about 300 sunny days in a year.

• Amongst the best performing power distributing companies in India.

• An efficient and strong evacuation infrastructure.

Vision • The state at present generates 127 MW of solar energy, aims to make state no. 1 in solar energy with the target to make to 5,000 MW in five years.

• Single window system, easy permissions and treatment like industries for according clearances are some of the salient features of the solar and wind energy policies approved by the Andhra JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

41

POLICY

Pradesh government.

• Andhra Pradesh by establishing the REC (Renewable Energy Certificate) mechanism aims at attracting investments in solar power plants, in the setup of manufacturing facilities, to promote off-grid solar applications to meet the power needs on a standalone basis.

• To deploy solar powered agricultural pump-sets and meet power requirements of farmers during day time.

• To promote local manufacturing facilities to generate employment in the state.

Insights • The government has released the

detailed list of qualified bidders for 500 MW solar projects, 63 bids qualified the selection criteria, totaling up to 1291 MW. • To boost the solar energy sector, the government plans to facilitate installation of about 5,000 MW of solar power generation by 2019.

• For a period of seven years there will be no charges for the wheeling and transmission of power from the PV plants to consumer.

• The flexibility and facilities in the policies do not exist in other states, said

by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

• Single window method has been introduced for giving permissions for

solar parks and wind power facilities, and they would be treated at par with industries as far as clearances are concerned, said Naidu.

• Metering facility will be extended to all eligible developers who intend to set up solar photovoltaic plants on their premises.

• Projects with a capacity of upto 1,000 KWp will be permitted at a single location and eligible developers who wish to avail the metering facility should apply online to DISCOMs either through their respective websites or through designated MeeSevacentres.

• The program is valid until March 2017.

Update on the Projects in Andhra Pradesh According to ‘Bridge to India’

"

"

the total installed capacity in Andhra Pradesh till date is 900 MW and projects in the pipeline are 2100 MW.

Ananthapuramu ultra mega solar park (1500 MW) N.P. Kunta SITE GoAP has proposed to setup 1500 MW solar park at NP Kuntamandal, Ananthapram District of Andhra Pradesh.

NTPC is establishing 1000 MW Solar Power Project in this solar park; 250 MW will be established in the 1st phase and balance 750 MW in the 2nd Phase. In the 2nd Phase, 750 MW Solar Power Plant is likely to be commissioned by April 2017.

Land identified at NP KuntaMandal, AnanthapramDist, Andhra Pradesh:

A) KOTHAPALLI VILLAGE

B) NP KUNTA VILLAGE

Un Assigned

3554.36 Acres

Un Assigned

873.23 Acres

Assigned

1011.14 Acres

Assigned

1108.09 Acres

Pattalands

45.92 Acres

Pattalands

108.54 Acres

SJ lands

600.00 Acres

SJ lands

224 Acres

Additional lands

399.48 Acres

Total Extent

2313.86 Acres

Total Extent

5610.90 Acres

As per Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Private Limited total extent of land available for Ananthapuramu Ultra Mega Solar Park at NP Kunta: 7924.76 Acres

42

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

POLICY

Land identified at GaliveeduMandal, KadapaDt, Andhra Pradesh:

A) VELIGALLU VILLAGE

B) THUMU KUNTA VILLAGE

Un Assigned

127.56 Acres

Un Assigned

1610.84 Acres

Assigned

645.98 Acres

Assigned

910.41 Acres

Pattalands

5.53 Acres

Pattalands

303.37 Acres

Total Extent

779.07 Acres

Total Extent

2824.62 Acres

Total extent of land available for Ananthapuramu Ultra Mega Solar Park at Galiveedu: 3603.69 Acres.

Total extent of land available for Ananthapuramu Ultra Mega Solar Park (1500 MW) at NP Kunta and GaliveeduMandals combined together: 11528.45 Acres.

Kurnool ultra-mega solar park (1000MW)- NTPC has invited RFS for selection of Solar Power Developers through International Competitive Bidding as per MNRE Guidelines for NSM Phase II Grid connected Solar PV Power Projects under State Specific Bundling Scheme to setup 1000 MW solar power plants in two Phases; 500 MW in each Phase.

Land identified at Gani and Sakunala Villages:

A) AT GANI VILLAGE, GADIVEMULA MANDAL:

B) AT SAKUNALA VILLAGE, ORVAKAL MANDAL:

Govt. Lands

1648.92 AC

Govt. Lands

1509.87 AC

Assigned Lands

482.16 AC

Assigned Lands

614.42 AC

SJ Lands

32.90 AC

Patta Lands

107.85 AC

Patta Lands

300.67 AC

SJ Lands

298.64 AC

Additional Lands (323.25 AC)

Additional land (613.64 AC)

Govt. Lands

213.88 AC

Govt. Lands

112.16 AC

Assigned Lands

92.05 AC

Assigned Lands

437.31 AC

SJ Lands

2.05 AC

SJ Lands

1.0 AC

Patta Lands

15.27 AC

Patta Lands

63.17 AC

Total Extent

2787.85 AC

Total Extent

3144.42 AC

Total Extent of land available for Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park (1000 MW): 5932.32Acres.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

43

VIZ-A-VIZ

RPO enforcement and REC markets need to be revived and net metering needs to be simplified

Kunal Chandra, Head, PROINSO India

NODAL agencies and central ministry need to be in sync to help documentation flow and project commissioning

PROINSO has two divisions; Distribution & Integration and EPM (Engineering, Procurement and Management) for projects. The company offers supply and services to installers, construction companies and clients for utility, commercial and residential projects worldwide. With a decade of solar experience, Proinso has 27 offices across 6 continents. Kunal Chandra, head of PROINSO India shares with us the challenges that solar industry is currently facing in India and the issues that government needs to address.

44

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

VIZ-A-VIZ

How do you see Indian solar market in 2016, what will be the major drivers of the market?

The solar market has been growing exponentially. The year on year (YoY) growth is very encouraging and we see that trend continuing this year and for the years to come. The major drivers are of course going to be the state and central utility projects along with good support from the commercial and rooftop space, now with most states offering ‘net metering’ which will give it a big boost.

solutions as we have already setup few projects and the results are extremely encouraging. With the PPA rates steadily decreasing, trackers are the best way to optimise the yield which directly improves the IRR. On the rooftop side we are pushing bundle solutions including kits of Modules, Inverters and Structures with optimised engineering and helping systems installers execute more profitable projects.

In India, we have different product offerings catering to different industry segments therefore we are active in the entire market. We are supplying our clients with a one stop shop solution primarily for modules, inverters and structures for both utility as well as rooftops.

We have started designing, engineering and manufacturing our PROINSO PV Rack module mounting systems in India which is used for the local market as well as for exports. We are supplying aluminium structures for rooftop projects and high efficiency tracking systems for utility scale projects. These products are designed to give the customer a extremely well engineered and robust solution.

Share us about your upcoming project (s) and how are you aiming to protract the solar business in India?

We are working on a lot of projects with IPP’s for our High Efficiency Tracking

What gap do you see in the RE sector and Govt. policies in India? How can it be narrowed down?

There are quite a few gaps which require clarity. There needs to be a uniform system in place wherein the investors are able to plan and execute their projects properly. The State Utilities need to bring confidence to financial institution for funding of projects. NODAL agencies and central ministry need to be in sync to help documentation flow and project commissioning. There is a need of major changes in the country's Transmission and Distribution network.

Worldwide PROINSO is active in Residential, Commercial, Utility and off grid. What are your plans for India?

What new technology / products you are coming up with and what are the key market strategies of the company?

the price of generating power through solar has come down drastically in the last few years which is good for the consumer. All bids state and central are oversubscribed which only validates the fact that the policies match the requirements of the investors.

How is PROINSO ascertaining its position in the solar sector in India and Globally?

PROINSO continues to grow as a company both globally as well as in India. We are now active in close to 30 countries and are using our Global Experience and bringing it down to a local level. The key aspect to our growth has been working with good products and good partners.

We continue to bring the best products in the market by working closing with our partners and also provide high level of engineering services to ensure maximum output and long-term reliability.

How favorable do you find the policies in India for the RE sector?

Your take on the various initiatives taken by the Government in this sector and your expectations that can further boost this industry?

The target which has been set forth already by the government seems quite ambitious to say the least. In order for us to get anywhere close to achieving the same the government needs to help with getting the entire process and pace from bidding to execution of projects streamlined. Projects get stuck for various permissions due to lack of clarity which causes problem for investors. RPO enforcement and REC markets need to be revived and net metering needs to be simplified so people can invest into economically viable solutions. Solar is the best and most easily deployable source of energy and the government needs to help people harness the same.

There are always going to be speculations on the policies but at the end of the day JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

45

MARKET GLANCE

Average costs for electricity generated by solar and wind could decrease by 59% by 2025: IRENA International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in its latest report revealed that average costs for electricity generated by solar and wind technologies could decrease by between 26 and 59 per cent by 2025.

The report ‘The Power to Change: Solar and Wind Cost Reduction Potential to 2025’ finds that with the right regulatory and policy frameworks in place, solar and wind technologies can continue to realize cost reductions to 2025 and beyond.

It is estimated that by 2025, average electricity costs could decrease 59 per cent for solar photovoltaic (PV), 35 per cent for offshore wind, and 26 per cent for onshore wind compared to 2015.

The report also suggests that prices for concentrated solar power could also decrease as much as 43 per cent, depending on the technology used.

By 2025, the global average cost of electricity from solar PV and onshore wind will be roughly 5 to 6 US cents per kilowatt hour.

“We have already seen dramatic cost decreases in solar and wind in recent years and this report shows that prices will continue to drop, thanks to different technology and market drivers,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin.

“Given that solar and wind are already the cheapest source of new generation capacity in many markets around the world, this further cost reduction will broaden that trend and strengthen the compelling business case to switch from fossil fuels to renewables.”

46

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

Since 2009 prices of solar PV modules and wind turbines have dropped roughly 80 per cent and 30 to 40 per cent respectively. With every doubling of cumulative installed capacity, solar PV module prices drop 20 per cent and the cost of electricity from wind farms drops 12 per cent, due to economies of scale and technology improvements.

IRENA in its report notes that for policy makers, cost reductions to 2025 will depend on balance of system costs (e.g. inverters, racking and mounting systems, civil works, etc.), technology innovations, operations and maintenance costs and quality project management. The focus must therefore shift to adopting policies that can reduce costs in these areas.

“Historically, cost has been cited as one of the primary barriers to switching from

fossil-based energy sources to renewable energy sources, but the narrative has now changed,” said Amin. “To continue driving the energy transition, we must now shift policy focus to support areas that will result in even greater cost declines and thus maximise the tremendous economic opportunity at hand.”

IRENA released 'The Power to Change' this summer. Future reports include 'Letting in the Light: How Solar Photovoltaics Will Revolutionize the Electricity System' – which provides a comprehensive overview of solar PV across the globe and its prospects for the future – and a report on end-of-life management for solar PV panels. Both reports were launched at InterSolar Europe.

O&M

Operations & Maintenance

BEST PRACTICES

-Laique Khan

Electricity generated through coal plants is becoming expensive day by day. Power cuts are frequent, and increasing dependence on diesel generators is causing a lot of damage to the environment. The demand-supply gap for electricity is rising in the country which makes it imperative for people to start thinking of other ways of realizing their energy needs. Keeping this in mind, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India is promoting installation of solar PV rooftop systems under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in India.

Many people in the country have started feeling the need of installing solar PV rooftop system for their home, apartment complex or small office useand with the ‘‘Surge in the Installation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems around the nation’’ have underscored the importance of cost-effective operations and maintenance practices across the country to boost the lifecycle of solar plants.

More than a thousand homes and business houses across India are using

48

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to generate clean, safe and reliable electricity. With promising plans of the government to commission renewables by 2022, half of the rooftop installations are said to enter the phase of maturity, whereas few would be completing more than one year of operation. A rooftop solar power system is a low maintenance and long lived asset for home or business, but it's not entirely set-and-forget though. As the solar PV systems become older, Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of it becomes more and more important for improving the performance. It is no accident that solar operations and maintenance services have received heightened attention from the worldwide solar community.

Purchasing a solar power system is a significant investment for most of us. It is advisable for households and business houses to undertake research to ensure that they choose a quality system suiting their household needs and budget. After your solar photovoltaic (PV) system has been installed, you

should check that you have received all the necessary documentation from your installer, and have also looked into the tweaked meter matching the correct tariff for your suggested electric bill.

PV installation lifetimes are expected to be more than 20 years; hence, safe and proper maintenance is an integral part of the successful and reliable operation.

System operations and maintenance (O&M) is a broad area and is the continuing focus of service industry, government and national laboratory groups that are working to define the issues better and develop consensus approaches.

After installing the solar system, installer is likely to leave details of maintenance checks that should be carried out at regular intervals to make sure that everything is working to requirements. The information left by the installer should include details of the main inverter fault signals and key troubleshooting guidance along with solar panel cleaning steps. Some solar manufacturers and installers also offer a maintenance package or contract.

O&M

Solar O&M services will encompass performing preventative maintenance on the main components of a solar PV system: • Solar Panels • Battery • Charge Controller • Inverter • Wiring and connections

Solar Panel Maintenance The solar panel is often thought to be maintenance free. However, occasional maintenance and inspection of the solar array must be performed to ensure the optimal use of the solar panels. This can be done by keeping the surface area of the module clean from any excess dirt. Since there are no moving parts, solar panels require little maintenance.

BUT a buildup of dust, dirt (including ash), gum resin and bird's nature calls on your solar panels can affect the efficiency and energy output of your system by up to 15%. Rain will wash some of this residue away in time, and your system will continue to operate without being cleaned, but to keep your system working at its full potential a periodic clean can be worthwhile. The cleanliness of the modules should be verified every three months – check for accumulation of debris, dust or fungus on, around and under the array. There should also be a check to ensure that no shading of the array is beginning to occur; for example, due to surrounding tree growth.

It is recommended for the solar panel owners to inspect the structure at regular intervals for dirt or some other things that might have piled on top.

It is important that the panels should be kept clean. Also, make sure before cleaning the panels yourself, you should consult with the installer about the warranty conditions. Some solar panel manufacturers could terminate the warranty if any self-cleaning is done.

MAINTAINING AND CLEANING THE SOLAR PANELS: • For a general cleaning, you can just use an ordinary garden hose to wash the face of the panels. You should do this in the morning or evening.

• Also, avoid spraying them with cold water while they are hot because that might damage them.

• If the panels need some more cleaning that the hose cannot provide, you can use a sponge to scrub them.

• Solar panel owners can also get the services of O&M personnel. This is advisable if the panels are too high or need more thorough cleaning.

• AVOID using a metal brush to clean solar panel surface, neither the detergents.

• A visual inspection of the modules can then be done to check for defects in the modules such as cracks, chips, de-lamination, fogged glazing, water leaks and discoloration.

• Ensure the panels and supporting frames are firmly secured.

• The junction boxes should also be checked to make sure that rodents or insects do not chew the wires.

• Make sure that the fittings and cables at the panels and the inverter remain securely attached.

Battery Maintenance Batteries should be regularly and carefully maintained to extend their useful life. It is advisable for the users to conduct inspections and cleaning of batteries at regular intervals. A visual inspection is recommended to assess the general condition of the system’s battery. Make sure to check for any electrolyte leak, cracks in the batteries, or corrosion at the terminals and connectors. The batteries should be kept clean, dry and free of electrolyte and corrosion residue. Cleaning should be done once in a month. Also, it should be borne in mind that before performing

maintenance work, each component of the system should be isolated. This includes switching off circuit breakers to and from the battery bank and the solar panels.

Battery maintenance also involves checking the cell electrolyte level for correct acid volume once a month.

Solar panel owners are recommended to use only distilled water to top up the batteries. Another important measure in determining the battery state of charge is the checking battery voltage. After measuring each battery's voltage, it should be recorded and maintained in a log sheet.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

49

O&M

Charge Controller/Regulators Most of the renewable energy sources require Charge Controller/Regulators.

It should be kept in mind that any controller or regulator needs to be installed in a dry, clean and ventilated space. The Charge Controller/Regulators is an electronic device that facilitates in controlling the voltage of the charging sources energy output to the installed battery bank. The regulators have been designed specifically in a manner to disconnect or reduce the charge current when preset voltages are reached.

Typically there are boost voltage settings and float voltage configuration.

When inspecting the regulators: • Inspect the controller/regulators for any loose wiring on the terminal connections. If wires are loose follow the shutdown procedures for the system before tightening the connections or either contact your installer to do the task.

• Do not forget to remove any excess dust from the unit and also from the heat sinks. This cleaning process should be carried only with a dry cloth or brush.

• Note that the charge controller should indicate that the system is charging when the sun is up. If not, contact the installer immediately.

• Full operation tests might need to be undertaken by a suitably qualified person e.g. the system supplier/ installer.

Inverter Maintenance The inverter should be installed in a clean, dry, and ventilated area which is separated from, and not directly above, the battery bank. While the system is operating the following operational checks can be made: • Visually inspect inverters for any damage.

• Check connections for resistive joints.

• Check the DC voltage applied to inverter input.

• Ensure that there is free space around

50

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

the units for cooling purposes.

• Check for all the indicators such as LED lights are working and that the wires leading to and from this device are not loose.

• This component can be maintained by minimizing dust accumulation. A dry cloth should be used to wipe away any accumulated dirt/dust.

• Review the inverter display panel for any recorded faults (refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for advice).

• Make sure that the cooling vents of the inverter are clear of debris.

Wiring and Connections It is advisable to check the Wiring installations for any cracks, breaks or deterioration in the insulation/conduits.

Make sure to inspect the panel boxes to check for unwanted rodents and insects. Also, examine the connections for any corrosion or burning. Switches should not spark when turned on or off. The following sections of conduit and wiring should be checked for any

signs of damage: • Solar panels to the charge controller • Charge controller to the battery bank • Inverter/charger to the battery bank • Generator to Inverter/Charger • Inverter/charger and Generator to the AC outlets • Battery back to the DC outlets/load

Solar Monitoring Devices and Services Another method to make sure that your rooftop solar PV system is delivering required output is through monitoring systems and services. For a monthly fee or a flat upfront cost, solar panel owners can monitor how their system is performing.

• The solar panel systems are expected to produce a certain amount of power during each month. Monitoring the solar system can tell you if it is offline or if it is not performing as expected and facilitates in running diagnostic programs.

• Solar monitoring systems can at times

O&M

prove to be educational, showing the users how much power they have saved, and how much CO2 and how much money can be saved.

• Depending on the monitoring systems, users can access their information from the web, from a wall mounted device, or even from their compatible smartphones.

• Setting monitoring systems are usually an extra expense, whether as a monthly service or purchased up front. While not essential, the monitoring systems do make troubleshooting and system performance easier to see.

Cautions and Preventions • Take adequate precautions while doing maintenance of the solar panels since these are located on rooftops and there is the risk of falling off.

• Solar power systems are safe when operating correctly. However, there are potentially dangerous hazards associated with some system components.

• Any service required to the wiring must be undertaken by a suitably licensed electrical worker or contractor.

• Refer to system user manual provided by system supplier for exact procedures relevant to your system.

Here are some simple checks that can be performed by the owners: Daily: Check that solar system has been operational, either by reading the inhouse display or by reading numbers from the inverter's screen. If it has been a sunny day, you should expect around 4kWh per kW of the capacity of the system. On cloudy days the system will produce the output less than this.

Quarterly: Be noticed that panels are not shaded by the nearby trees or other objects that might barricade the path for sun rays. Check for dust, debris leaves; and make sure to clean it else hire trained personnel to do the job.

Annually: Some daily and weekly checks can be done by oneself, but it is also recommended to consider arranging

trained certified professionals and EPCs. By installing a solar PV system, you need to take responsibility for it and learn the basic safe operation and proper maintenance of your system. Always engage with qualified personnel to undertake maintenance work on your solar PV system.

The solar power system should be regularly maintained and serviced to ensure this valuable investment is working at optimum performance levels. While a solar panel is free of any moving parts, it is entirety robust – requiring little outlay regarding care – by ensuring recommended maintenance and monitoring, the performance of a solar system and its expected service life can be preserved.

• Periodic inspection will help pick up any minor or potential faults, and ensure that the system is performing as it should.

• The periodic maintenance must be carried out by the original installer or another accredited PV contractor or EPCs, who will carry out a range of

system checks in line with the standards set by the ministry.

• Perform a general check of performance over the year by referring to the available automated monitoring data or on-site records.

Solar PV systems are like any electrical equipment and need to be regularly maintained for safe and efficient use. Regular maintenance should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Proper maintenance ensures that solar system life is preserved for as long as possible, and the original conditions of the systems are sustained, while compensating for normal wear and tear. Solar systems require little maintenance as compared to other electric systems such as diesel generators; however, always remember that they are not maintenance free - they too need to be checked, inspected and maintained.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

51

NATIONAL EVEVTS

52

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

EVE

NTS

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

53

INNOVATIONS

IRON MOLECULES to produce

SOLAR CELLS in Future

Researchers at Lund University have explained how iron-based dyes work on a molecular level in solar cells. The new finding is expected to accelerate the development of inexpensive and environmental friendly solar cells.

With the integration of iron instead of other more expensive and rare metals, the production of solar cells and light catchers will become cheaper and more environmental friendly. The demand for solar cells is therefore expected to significantly increase.

“In this new study, we explain how iron-based dyes work on a molecular level. That way we are able to further improve these iron complexes so that they become even better at absorbing

54

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

and storing solar energy”, said senior lecturer Petter Persson.

He further added “There is a lot of international interest in our research. Research groups in other parts of the world are keen to test the new dyes in other areas of application.”

It will possibly take a few years before the iron dyes are commercially used in the production of solar cells and light catchers.

It is difficult to develop new materials for solar energy conversion. For once, the process has been unusually quick, and we have made several important breakthroughs in just a few years.

INNOVATIONS

A single device harvesting Solar and Wind promises 'Internet of Things' Future ‘Internet of Things’ is expected to make life more efficient and cities "smarter" connecting an extensive network of tiny communications devices. But these machines need a lot of energy. Instead of adding to the global reliance on fossil fuels to power the network, researchers have introduced a single device that harvests wind and solar energy.

The research has appeared in the journal ACS Nano.

According to industry experts, tens of billions of gadgets will make up the Internet of Things within just five years. Generating sustainable energy in cities close to where the devices will be used is quite challenging. Cities don't have enough space to install wind turbines, researcher Ya Yang, Zhong Lin Wang and colleagues wanted to find a better way to power smart cities.

The researchers have integrated two energy harvesting technologies in one device: a silicon solar cell and a nano-generator that can convert wind energy into electrical output.

The solar cell component of the system delivers 8 milliWatts of power output (1 milliWatt can light up 100 small LEDs). The wind harvesting component delivers up to 26 milliWatts. Together, under simulated sun and wind conditions, four devices on the roof of a model home could turn on the LEDs inside and power a temperature-humidity sensor. Installed in large numbers on real rooftops, the hybrid device could help enable smart cities.

Researchers said “We rationally design a hybridized nanogenerator, including a solar cell (SC) and a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), that can individually/simultaneously scavenge solar and wind energies, which can be extensively installed on the roofs of the city buildings. Under the same device area of about 120 mm × 22 mm, the SC can deliver a largest output power of about 8 mW, while the output power of the TENG can be up to 26 mW. Impedance matching between the SC and TENG has been achieved by using a transformer to decrease the impedance of the TENG. The hybridized nanogenerator has a larger output current and a better charging performance than that of the individual SC or TENG. JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

55

INNOVATIONS

Perovskite Solar Cells reaches over

20% efficiency Researches at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) are pushing the efficiency limits of perovskite solar cell by exploring the best way to grow these crystals.

EPLF in a statement said researchers’ team headed by Michael Graetzel has found that, by briefly reducing the pressure while fabricating perovskite crystals, they were able to achieve the highest performance ever measured for larger-size perovskite solar cells, reaching over 20% efficiency and matching the performance of conventional thinfilm solar cells of similar sizes. However, high performance in pervoskites does not essentially herald the doom of silicon-based solar technology. Safety issues still need to be addressed regarding the lead content of current perovskite solar-cell prototypes in addition to determining the stability of actual devices.

According to the researchers layering perovskites on top of

56

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

silicon in hybrid solar panels may actually boost the silicon solar-cell industry. Efficiency could exceed 30%, with the theoretical limit being around 44%.

The improved performance would come from harnessing more solar energy: the higher energy light would be absorbed by the perovskite top layer, while lower energy sunlight passing through the perovskite would be absorbed by the silicon layer.

This is the first perovskite solar cells from Michael Graetzel were dye-sensitized cells where the dye was replaced by small perovskite particles. His lab’s latest perovskite prototype, roughly the size of an SD card, looks like a piece of glass that is darkened on one side by a thin film of perovskite.

Unlike the transparent dye-sensitized cells, the perovskite solar cell is opaque.

INNOVATIONS

Researchers develop innovative solar absorber that can harness more sunlight Researchers have discovered a novel way to significantly increase the amount of sunlight that a solar absorber can convert into heat. By converting solar energy into heat, the solar absorber can help make sustainable technologies that rely on solar heat more efficient and affordable.

The team's novel fabrication technique involves patterning a solar absorber with tiny holes with diameters less than 400 nanometers (that's roughly 200 times smaller than the width of a human hair), cut into the absorber at regular intervals.

The tiny holes penetrate the entire absorber greatly enhancing the range of solar energy that can be absorbed.

According to researchers close to 90% of the all the wavelengths of light that reach Earth's surface are absorbed by the nano-hole patterned absorber. Unlike traditional solar absorbers, this absorber requires very little material and consists of only two layers: a semiconductor film and a reflective metallic layer, with a total thickness of 170 nanometers.

"Our research team has developed a simple and cost-effective fabrication technique to create solar absorbers

that can harness a greater share of the solar spectrum, thus increasing their efficiencies, while also maintaining low emission levels," said Masdar Institute's Dr. TieJun Zhang, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

Masdar Institute faculty Zhang co-authored the paper that describes this research, which was published last month in the journal Advanced Optical Materials, with a team of researchers from Masdar Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dr. Nicholas X. Fang, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT and co-principal investigator of the project, said "We are very excited that this MITMasdar Institute collaboration has led to new insights in the emerging field of plasmonics, which quantify the interactions between the electromagnetic field and free electrons in a metal.

By trapping sunlight with plasmonics, the solar absorber developed by our team can achieve higher efficiency levels. We look forward to testing the overall solar conversion efficiency of the coating materials in the next step of our

research."

This novel fabrication technique can be applied to most conventional solar absorbers. With this unique patterning, the absorbers can be boosted to harvest more solar energy from the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, said Masdar Institute postdoctoral researcher Dr. Jin You Lu. To augment solar absorber's efficiency, it is necessary to maximize the solar absorption and reduce the thermal radiation of heat from the absorber.

However, it is challenging to create a solar absorber that can absorb a high level of sunlight while maintaining low thermal radiation losses.

By taking advantage of the ultrathin film coatings and patterning, the team is able to maximize the absorption spectrum while keeping the solar absorber's emission levels quite low. The researchers’ team is working to optimize the system with alternative metals for the reflective metallic layer, such as aluminum, copper or silver, which will reduce the costs of the solar absorber even further.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

57

PRODUCTS

Hanwha Q CELLS announces the launch of two new polycrystalline

Q.ANTUM solar modules in US

H

anwha Q CELLS has announced the launch two new polycrystalline Q.ANTUM solar modules Q.PLUS BFR-G4.1 and Q.PLUS L-G4.2 for the U.S. market.

The Q.PLUS BFR-G4.1 is a 60 cell solar module designed to optimize the price-performance ratio in rooftop installations, it will be available from July this year.

The 72 cell solar module Q.PLUS L-G4.2 on the other hand is an optimized module solution for large scale deployment with power classes of up to 340 watts and is UL and IEC 1500V certified.

Both the solar modules are powered by Hanwha Q CELLS' proprietary Q.ANTUM technology based on the rear side passivation of solar cells and utilize additional features to optimize the efficiency and performance of the PV cells to reduce the LCOE ("levelized cost of electricity").

Q.PLUS BFR-G4.1: The 60 cell Q.PLUS BFR-G4.1 solar

module is powered by Q.ANTUM cell technology and reaches power classes of up to 280 watts. Thus, the polycrystalline module's performance is comparable to mono BSF products. Moreover, it offers better performance in both hot climate zones (temperature coefficient: − 0.40 %/K) and in cloudy regions (low-light behaviour: 97.5 % at 200 W/m2). It is ideal for residential and commercial & industrial ("C&I") rooftop installations.

58

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

Q.PLUS L-G4.2: The 72 cell polycrystalline solar module

Q.PLUS L-G4.2 ideal for large utility deployments and is UL and IEC 1500V certified, it helps U.S. utilities optimize system performance and cost structure by reducing BOS costs in large scale solar power plants. Q.ANTUM technology pushes module power classes up to 340 watts, making it one of the most powerful polycrystalline solar modules in the market.

PRODUCTS

Heraeus Photovoltaics has launched two advanced PERC metallization paste series at the SNEC 2016 in Shanghai.

The new products, SOL9631, a low-temperature front-side paste for PERC, and SOL326, a low-activity back-side silver tabbing paste, are offered as part of a PERC package. The pastes enable customers and partners of Heraeus to produce PERC cells with significant improvement on both efficiency and adhesion.

The SOL9631 front-side paste series features brand-new glass chemistry developed and manufactured by Heraeus.

The paste can be fired at low temperatures, making it suitable for PERC solar cells. The densified microstructure of the fired finger, including the Ag-Silicon interface, enhances adhesion, grid resistivity and solderability. Beside, significantly improving the reliability performance of PERC-solar cells and the later module, light-introduced-degradation (LID) loss is reduced to be similar as a normal P-type module.

Furthermore, the SOL9631 series is tailored for Ultra-fine-line printability. It supports a finger geometry that can print defect-free through a less than 30 Âľm screen opening in high throughput mass production, resulting in an efficiency gain through reduced optical shading and less contact area.

Alongside, SOL326 PERC back side tabbing paste series contains specific glass chemistry, imparting controlled reaction between Ag paste and the dielectric layer. In combination with newly developed paste additives, this result in less fire-through/ penetration into the passivation and better protects the emitter during the metallization process.

The company in a statement said SOL326 series increases cell efficiencies with over 20%, higher aged adhesion and improved Voc as well as higher module reliability.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

59

PRODUCTS

SolarMax Technology launches its first

all-in-one,

fully integrated energy storage system in US SolarMax Technology has launched its first integrated, all-in-one–FLEX energy storage system in the US market.

The 5kWh solution, designed by Li-Max Energy, provides battery stored power to keep key household appliances and other devices operating when the grid goes down. Unlike other offerings on the market, the FLEX requires no additional components or labor assembly by the customer.

The two main wall-mounted components are fully integrated within the system.

The lithium-ion powered battery packs plenty of electricity when fully charged. According to the company it is enough to continuously power a laptop computer, two light bulbs, a flat-screen television and refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Customers can configure the FLEX to supply power to whatever circuits within the home that correspond to their most important needs.

SolarMax will focus its marketing efforts on existing solar customers, homeowners considering the value proposition of converting to solar and even non-solar customers who simply want a reliable, ready source of power when blackouts occur. Latter, the group can purchase the FLEX through a product bundle that includes two SolarMax-branded photovoltaic panels. SolarMax will market the integrated system through a network of distributors, dealers, utilities and retailers. Customers can also purchase the FLEX directly from the company.

Unirac announces new Front Trim and End Caps position

SOLARMOUNT Uniraca has announced new Front Trim and End Caps position SOLARMOUNT, which according to the company is the new face of solar racking.

Front Trim provides a streamlined clean edge for curb appeal, is fully compatible with SOLARMOUNT hardware, and maintains integrated bonding for the entire array. While, End Caps provide a finished appearance, easily snap into place and help to prevent pest infestation.

Users can easily add Front Trim and End Caps to any SOLARMOUNT array with the click of a button in company’s U-Builder design tool.

60

SAUR ENERGY.COM l JULY 2016

PRODUCTS

Beamreach Solar Introduces New Lightweight PV Panel ‘SPRINT’ Beamreach Solar has introduced new lightweight photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system named Sprint for flat commercial roofs.

Sprint’s light weight allows it to be installed on nearly all commercial roofs that cannot currently support heavy conventional solar systems. It is expected to dramatically expanding the commercial solar power market. The company showcased its new Sprint technology at Intersolar Europe in Munich. Beside lighter weight panel, Sprint also has potential to provide customers with a better return on investment and a lower

cost of electricity featuring maximum power capacities ranging from 290 watts to 320 watts. According to the company Sprint can generate up to 20 percent more power than conventional solar systems.

Sprint uses an innovative design that integrates racking into the panel, enabling an ultra-fast install process that requires no tools and no grounding. This allows Sprint panels to be installed faster than conventional panels and racking systems, significantly reducing installation time and labor costs.

The New lightweight PV panel’s

innovative design also reduces the distance required between panel rows, enabling up to 30 percent more panels to be installed on a roof, increasing the solar system’s overall energy output.

Sprint panels can be easily removed and reinstalled, providing commercial roof owners with additional flexibility regarding their solar power investments.

The company’s new panel have been tested to support test loads up to 5,400 Pascals (Pa) and withstand wind speeds of 115 MPH. Sprint also comes with a 25year linear output warranty and 10-year product warranty .

Solaria PowerXT 330Wp and PowerXT 400Wp Modules launched Solaria have introduced its PowerXT 330Wp and 400Wp modules optimized for residential and commercial rooftops respectively. Both the modules are targeted at rapidly-growing sector of the clean energy market.

The high output modules are built on the company’s proprietary technology – which utilizes an advanced cell interconnect and module production processes.

The modules significantly boost power generation while eliminating reliability challenges that can reduce conventional PV modules’ long-term performance said the company in a statement.

Solaria deliver solutions that address a unique set of requirements for the BIPV, agriculture, rooftop and utility markets.

JULY 2016 l SAUR ENERGY.COM

61