UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PV DEVELOPMENT
www.solarquarter.com
Volume 09. l Issue 6
June 2019
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 2
Goldi 72 GN Poly Modules
1500 VDC
More modules in a string Increased savings Unique features
Unique features
Better performance in shade conditions
Less cost & higher eďŹƒciency
Optical gains from larger cell spacing Lesser thermodynamic stress
Split junction box improves diode life span
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Reduction in equipment loss - Increase in power generation Higher power density reduces BOS quantities Savings in transportation, maintenance & post operation costs
Solar Quarter • June 2019 3
SG3125HV
CLEAN POWER FOR ALL
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Largest PV Inverter R&D Team
Countries with Sungrow Installations
Years in the Solar Industry
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 5
IN CONVERSATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS Will Your Modules Perform for 25+ Years?
37
Mr. Sunil Kulkarni, CEO, Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Company Pvt Ltd.
12
“We aim to reach a portfolio size of 2 GW in next 2 years”
Mr. Kapil Maheswari, CEO, Hinduja Renewables Energy Pvt. Ltd.
14 Insolation Energy - Rajasthan’s first fully automatic 60MW SPV Module manufacturing line
“We are currently executing large scale projects in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra & Uttarakhand states under Open Access and Rooftop models.”
Mr. Basant Jain, CEO, Mahindra Susten
29 15
“Mahindra Susten has been one of the biggest contributors in the renewable energy growth in India with a commissioned portfolio of over 2180MWp” Mr. Sishir Garemella, Founder & CEO Sunvest Capital
16 The Rising Sun and the occasional cloud ................................... 31
“Sunvest Capital was launched in 2019 as an NBFC, to solve for the market gap in rooftop solar financing.”
Mr. Chetan Vyas, Managing Director, ACVA Solar Pvt. Ltd.
Mono Vs Poly – An Introspective Simulation Study!......... 34-35
Milestones:
18
India’s Leading Project Developers:
Key Achievements In Last Year ......................................................25
Product Feature:
“ACVA Solar is established with the goal of developing a customer-centric and risk free technology to harness solar energy”
Perspective
....24-25
What are the big challenges faced while
installing solar energy projects in manufacturing industries? ..............................................................20
Risen Energy - Risen Energy’s monocrystalline
PERC cell achieves maximum efficiency exceeding 23%, accelerating PV grid parity .............................. 28
How Has GST Impacted Solar Rooftop
Industry In India? ..............................................................................22
Potential for RE-hybrids in India ...................................................23
HUAWEI - Huawei Launches the Latest 1500V
Land and Evacuation Is Evolving As A Threat In Growth Of
Ginlong Solis - Ginlong (Solis) Introduces the 5G
Key Engineering Trends Driving Down Costs Of
Smart String Inverter in India ....................................................... 28
Solar Parks. How Can This Be Resolved?......................................24 Utility Scale PV Project Development .........................................26
(Fifth Gen!) Inverter Platform for 2020 and Beyond ............... 30
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@ TBEA Xi'an Electric Technology Co., Ltd. Solar Quarter • June 2019 7
India News
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ndia to reach RE Target Of 175 GW by 2022
Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister Raj Kumar Singh has exuded confidence that the renewable energy target of 175 gigawatt (GW) by 2022 would be achieved.Singh, who took charge of the ministries in the second term of Modi government, said 80GW of renewable energy has been established while another 24GW is under installation. Speaking about his priorities, he said the top priority will remain to achieve the targets set by the government.
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ndia Achieves The Lowest Cost Producer Tag of Solar Power Globally
India is now the lowest-cost producer of solar power globally, according to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). According to experts, India’s status of lowest-cost producer of solar power has multiple reasons. India has high solar potential that leads to improved asset utilization and the country imports majority of hardware for installation from China which is cheaper and helps cut the cost by a huge margin. Also, the cost of land and labor is cheaper than the rest of the world, it also contributes to low-cost production of solar power in India.
(GSECL) and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd (GNFC). Currently, BHEL has a portfolio of more than 850 MW of solar PV plants, of which nearly 500 MW has already been commissioned.
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TPC Ltd Tenders 1 GW Of Solar Power Purchase
India’s largest power generation company and government-owned NTPC Limited has issued a tender inviting consumers to purchase solar power. This is a first-of-its-kind tender as to date only consumers (or agencies representing consumers) have issued tenders inviting developers to set up projects. NTPC is reported to have around 1.8 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity operational in India. NTPC has itself issued several tenders inviting developers to set up large-scale projects at solar power parks. Like its thermal power plants, NTPC looks for distribution utilities that are willing to buy solar power from these solar parks. Power is then sold at the tariff quoted by project developers to the distribution utilities, with NTPC playing little to no part in the transactions.
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evision In PPAs To Adverse Impact Investor Sentiments
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ndia Sees A Drop In Solar Energy Installations By 49% In Q1
As per some reports, solar energy installation dropped 49% to 1,737 MW in Q1 of this calendar year. It was 3,377 Mw in the same period a year ago. The reasons include the general election, no auctions and lack of finance availability. Similarly, rooftop installation saw a slow down and dropped 33 per cent over a year, after four quarters of solid growth.
Government of India Secretary (New and Renewable Energy) Anand Kumar has purportedly written a letter to Chief Secretary L.V. Subrahmanyam, suggesting to him to apprise Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of the fact that revisiting the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in the solar and wind energy sector would shake the confidence of investors and adversely affect the future bids and investments in the State and in the country. The letter referred to media reports that the State government is contemplating revisiting the PPAs, wherein the tariffs were either fixed by the State Electricity Regulatory
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ndian RailwaysTo Installs 1000 MW Solar Capacity
Commissions (SECRs) in line with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission guidelines or are arrived through open competitive bidding. In both cases, the SERCs conduct public hearings before adopting the tariffs.
Piyush Goyal-chaired Ministry of Railways takes up the lead to build the green-environment in Indian Railways with the use of renewable energy. Not only making the use of installation of bio-toilets but also the electrification of railway tracks, could be a way to engage the people with more environment-friendly network.
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NR 2.54 Solar Tariffs In Recent 1200MW Auctions
Indian Railways is, acting on the installation of solar panels over the rooftops of the railway
Solar tariffs in India rose 4% from a record low in the federal auction, in which five
stations and other service buildings to provide better energy systems. Indian Railways
companies won rights to build and operate 1.2 gigawatts of projects.The price arrived
thus, plans to step ahead with the installation of 1000 MegaWatt (MW) solar power by the
at the auction was higher than the record low of ₹2.44 a kilowatt-hour. A tariff ceiling of
year 2020-2021, to make even the national transporter, use the renewable energy.
₹2.65 a kilowatt-hour was set for auction. Ayana Renewable Power Pvt., ReNew Power Ltd. and Azure Power Global Ltd. won 300
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REDA Announces 250 MW Ground Mounted Solar EPC Contract
The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA) has issued a tender for 250
megawatts each, while Mahindra Susten Pvt. scooped up 250 megawatts quoting ₹2.54 a kilowatt-hour, according to state-owned Solar Energy Corp. of India, which conducted the auction. Avaada Energy Pvt. won 50 megawatts at ₹2.55 a kilowatt-hour.
MW grid connected ground mounted solar power capacity to be set up in the Indian state of Bihar. The minimum capacity to be quoted by interested EPC companies in the tender is 25 MW. Prospective developers need to have worked on a minimum of 10 MW of operational capacity or more. Eligibility criteria for interested bidders specifies that among others local manufacturers of solar PV cells, modules or battery, PV system integrator, can also bid for this capacity.
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inistry Seeks Removal Of Priority Lending Limit For Renewable Energy
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has decided to request the Reserve Bank of India to categorise renewable energy into a separate segment from power, and remove priority sector lending limit for the sector to ensure higher financing. The development is expected to help developers get access to easy finance. Power Minister R K Singh also pointed out that the tariffs discovered for several renewable energy projects in recent auctions are not unviable. He added that the maintenance cost of those projects is low and the efficiency is improving.
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ndia To See A Boost In Solar Photovoltaic Jobs: IRENA India saw expand in solar photovoltaic employment in 2018, while China, the US, Japan
and the European Union lost jobs, the International RenewableEnergy Agency (IRENA).As more and more countries manufacture, trade and install renewable energy technologies, IRENA’s latest ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs -- Annual Review’ finds renewables jobs grew to their highest level despite slower growth in key renewable energy markets, including China. In total, 11 million people were employed in renewable energy worldwide in 2018, up from 10.3 million in 2017.The sector employs 2.1 million people directly, three quarters of whom are in operations and maintenance.
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300 Million Pending Payment To Solar Developers Highlights India Challenges
The solar power developers in the southern state of Telangana are awaiting payments worth $300 million for generation since July 2018. The payments are to be made by the Telangana State Transmission Corporation which had entered into power purchase
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HEL Bags 135 MW Solar EPC Projects
State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has won three major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) orders for solar PV power plants totaling to 135 MW, in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Cumulatively valued at Rs 520 crore, the orders have been secured from Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Ltd (MAHAGENCO), Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd
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agreements with the developers. The delay in payments pose serious financial risk, according to the Telangana Solar Developers Association, several project developers had taken loans to set up projects and are now struggling to service their debt on time. As per regulations of the Reserve Bank of India, delay in payment of EMIs for three consecutive months could result in the asset being classified as a ‘non-performing asset. Credit rating of such defaulters are also downgraded resulting in direct financial impact across markets.
Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 8
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 9
Asia News
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The World Bank has approved a $300 million loan to support the Renewable Energy and
energy from major power companies is purchased at a predetermined price.Increasing
Battery Storage Promotion Project in China with the intent to increase the integration and
purchasing fees have translated into a greater burden for consumers,
utilization of renewable energy by deploying battery storage systems at scale.
The new system will be along the lines of those used in Germany and other European
orld Bank Commits $300 Million To China For Renewable Energy & Battery Storage Promotion Project
Hua Xia Bank, a publicly listed commercial bank in China, will implement the project and also provide co-financing of at least $450 million. It will support small and medium enterprises to implement financially and technically well-structured battery storage projects.
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GAT Issues Call For Bids For 45 MW Sirindhorn Dam Pilot Project in Thailand.
apan to overhaul renewable energy system in a bid to lower prices
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will scrap a system in which solar and wind
countries. Mid-size operators that produce more than 50 to 100 kilowatts will be obligated to find their own customers and to sell on the wholesale market. Prices will not be fixed but rather negotiated based on market conditions. While the merits of the old feed-in-tariff system will be lost, prices should drop rapidly on the wholesale market. Companies will only be compensated for losses if prices fall below a set standard. That standard will be based on the low-end prices that come from competitive bidding.
In March 2019, Thailand’s Electricity Generating Authority (EGAT) revealed its plans to procure 2.7 GW of floating solar power capacity through competitive auctions.Keeping its promise, EGAT has now invited sealed bids for 45 MW of floating solar power plant capacity for the Sirindhorn Dam Hydro-Floating Solar Hybrid Pilot Project. It plans to finance the project through its own funds. EGAT expects the contractor to complete the EPC work along with commissioning the project on the Sirindhorn Dam.
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enewables Investment To Overtake Oil & Gas In Asia Renewable energy investment in Asia excluding China will overtake spending on
upstream oil and gas projects in the region as soon as next year, according to Rystad Energy. Total capital expenditure (capex) in renewables will overtake exploration and production (E&P) spending in 2020, with contributions from Australia and other Asian countries such as Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea, Rystad Energy’s latest bottom-up analysis of
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ingapore’s National Water Agency PUB To Go Ahead With 50 MW Floating Solar PV System.
In late 2017, the National Water Agency of Singapore, Public Utilities Board (PUB) started the process of figuring out the feasibility of floating solar power plants for 2 reservoirs in the country. It launched a tender for engineering and environmental studies for a 50 MW
investments shows.
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SEAN’s Biggest Solar Farm Project Commences Operations in Vietnam
With Dau Tieng 1-2 billed as the largest solar facility in Southeast Asia to date with a total
system for the Tengeh Reservoir and a 6.7 MW system in the Upper Peirce Reservoir.
capacity of 420 MW, and the 257-MW Phu Yen, BGRIM operates 45 power projects with a
The agency has now confirmed it will go ahead with the 50 MW floating solar power plant
combined installed capacity of 2,892 MW.
for Tengeh to be commissioned by 2021. It will be the country’s first single large-scale
Preeyanart Soontornwata, president of Thailand’s BGRIM Power, said the DT1&2 project
floating PV system when installed, PUB confirmed in an announcement. It will also be one
in Tay Ninh province started to commercially sell electricity on June 3 and 13 respectively.
of the largest floating solar power systems in the world.
Besides, the Phu Yen TTP solar farm project with the capacity of 257 megawatts had its commercial operation date (COD) on June 10.
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BRD Seeks Consultant To Conduct a Feasibility Study for a 300 to 500 MW solar PV project in Lebanon’s Tufail region. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is looking for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for a 300 to 500 MW solar PV project in Lebanon’s Tufail region. The assignment follows on an investigation of the American University in Beirut on Tufail’s solar PV potential. Located on the border with Syria, Tufail offers good potential with availability of 10 to 15 km of elevated flat land with high solar irradiation, its proximity to the land to the Lebanese grid network with 2 potential connection options. It is also close to neighboring countries to trade electricity in the future. The land is owned by the central bank of Lebanon, Banque du Liban.
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hinese NDRC Releases First Phase Of Subsidy-Free Solar/ Wind/Distributed RE Power Projects of 20.76 GW
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China has approved 20.76 GW of combined solar and wind power capacity to be built as ‘subsidy free’ projects. This is the first batch of subsidy free projects it has approved for the current year.
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nother solar park goes online in Mongolia.
The solar plant is expected to provide electricity to the new airport and urban parts of
Ulaanbaatar.. The project was built with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the frame of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) Model Projects scheme of the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, which provides financial support covering up to half of the initial investment costs. The project is owned by Sermsang Power (SSP) and Tenuun Gerel Construction (TGC), which are backed by Bangkok-based Sermsang Power and Sharp’s unit Sharp Energy Solutions, in addition to two Mongolian companies.
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ost of developing renewables in Southeast Asia put through new mapping tool
To realize the regional goal of generating 23% of energy from renewables within six years, quality data and analyses are needed to support investment decisions made by the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In what has been billed as the first spatial estimate of the cost of generating electricity from solar and wind in ASEAN countries, the Exploring Renewable Energy Opportunities in Select Southeast Asian Countries: A Geospatial Analysis of the LCOE of Utility-Scale Wind
In April 2019, the NEA set aside RMB 3 billion ($448 million) in subsidies for solar projects
and Solar PV report provides insight into the role renewable energy resource quality and
in 2019 while issuing draft rules on development of subsidy-free, grid parity solar PV and
other factors may play in generation costs.
wind power projects. The draft prioritized subsidy-free renewable energy projects for grid
The study found potential solar capacity exceeds 41 TW – 59,386 TWh annually – and the
connection that can begin construction in 2019 This was preceded by the NEA’s decision to
wind capacity figure topped 1.8 TW. According to the findings, PV costs will range from
approve only unsubsidized wind and solar power plants till 2020 but allowed its provinces
$64 to $246/MWh and wind costs $42-221/MWh.
to promote subsidized projects.
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ew solar cheaper than coal in Vietnam within three years Developing new solar power generation capacity could be cheaper than running
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hai Utility EGAT Launches Tender For 58.5 MW Floating Project.
The state-owned Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has issued an invitation
existing coal-fired power plants in Vietnam as early as 2022, according to a study by
for bids for a 55.5 MW (DC) floating PV project it intends to build at the Sirindhorn Dam,
financial thinktank the Carbon Tracker Initiative.
where the 12 MW Sirindhorn Hydropower Plant, is located on the Lam Dom Noi river in
The key to the comparison rested on fuel costs to transport coal to Vietnam. A low weighted
the Sirindhorn district of Ubon Ratchathani.
average fuel cost of $64/ton would see new PV more attractive by 2032. A fuel price of
The company said in the announcement that the project will be financed with its own
$81/ton would bring the inflection point forward to 2028 and PV would be more attractive
funds, and that it will be built at a cost of THB 1.86 billion ($59.6 million).The project is
than coal within three years if the fuel price rose to $99/ton, according to Carbon Tracker.
expected to rely on glass-glass crystalline silicon modules, while developers will be offered the choice between central and string inverters.
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Solar Quarter • June Solar2019 Quarter 10 • June 2019 10
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 11
Global News
U
S Imposes Tariffs On Indian Solar Modules Expanding upon the trade policies enacted against other countries, the US
administration recently announced the end of preferential trade treatment for India on
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enin approves four PV projects totaling 50 MW
CoBenin’s uncil of Ministers has approved the construction of four PV power plants
with a combined capacity of 50 MW.The government said in a press release that the projects
account of its ‘developing country’ status. As part of this development, Indian solar module
will be developed in the frame of the Millennium Challenge Account-Bénin II (MCA-Benin
exports shall now attract a 25% safeguard duty.
II) program, an initiative supported by the US government and the Millennium Challenge
Acting on its announced intentions, the Trump administration imposed safeguard duties
Corporation (MCC) to foster economic growth in the country. The US are contributing
on India products imported into the United States. While the cumulative impact would be
approximately $375 million to the program, while Benin is providing another $28 million.
much higher on other commodities that India exports to the United States, solar modules, too, shall be impacted, albeit to a very small extent given their meager share in total Indian exports to the United States.
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ustralia Could Have 179 GW Of Rooftop Solar Power Capacity, Claims Study.
Australia has more than 2 million rooftop solar systems with a total installed capacity of 8.1 GW and counting. But its technical rooftop solar potential is much, much higher at 179 GW, which would translate into 245 TWh of clean power annually, according to a study
Benin’s government added that the projects will be built through private-public partnerships, and that an ad hoc commission will be created for the procurement process of the IPPs.
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U approves Italy’s auction scheme for renewables A new auction and incentive scheme for renewable energy in Italy was approved by
the European Commission following several months of review. Approval of the scheme was apparently delayed by issues related to the provision of hydropower.
commissioned by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and Property Council of
The auction scheme – which will provide additional incentives to electric vehicle charging
Australia.
linked projects across all segments – will include a clawback mechanism entitling the Italian
The study says the country is currently using less than 5% of the potential capacity for
authorities to halt premium top-up tariffs in the event of renewable energy generation
rooftop solar. Around half of this unused potential lies in residential zones, followed by 34
becoming cheaper than the market price.
GW in primary/rural production zones while commercial and industrial zones are expected to be able to manage 26 GW of rooftop solar.
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olar PV & Wind Power Tenders Of 300 MW Each Undersubscribed In Greek Renewable Energy Auction.
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eychelles firms up 4 MW floating PV project
Africa’s first utility scale, private sector financed floating PV project is entering its next project phase. The plant will be in the Lagoon le Rocher, a shallow body of water separated from the sea by the Providence Industrial Estate on Mahé Island, 4 km from Seychelles
Both solar PV and wind power tenders of 300 MW each in Greece have been
International Airport. The site is expected to have a capacity of 3.5-4 MW
undersubscribed. The European country’s energy regulator RAE says solar has received
The project is being implemented by the Seychelles government and the Public Utilities
total bids of 200.26 MW from 68 projects in total. Solar projects with a capacity of 20 MW or more were accepted for this tender. The wind power tender too had only 12 projects proposed representing a total capacity of 261.75 MW. For this clean power technology, RAE was accepting bids for projects of 50 MW or more. In all, 462 MW of bids were received against the 600 MW offered by the RAE.
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orth Macedonia Issues Call For 25 MW & 10 MW Solar Power Capacity On Municipality Land.
The Government of North Macedonia, previously Macedonia, in the Balkans has issued a call for 35 MW of solar power capacity to be developed in the country. The capacity will be developed on municipality land – 25 MW in Sveti Nikole and 10 MW in Makedonski Brod. There will be another call issued later for 27 MW to be developed on privately owned land.
Corporation with the support of the African Legal Support Facility and the Clinton Foundation. Trinity International LLP and Multiconsult Norge AS are transaction and tender advisers.
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lorida Power & Light Begins Constructions On 10 Solar Power Plants With 74.5 MW Capacity Each.
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), an electricity utility company based in the US state of Florida, has started construction of 10 solar power plants in Florida, each with 74.5 MW capacity. All the plants are scheduled to enter commercial operations by early 2020 which is when the company will have close to 2 GW of solar power capacity in its operational portfolio.
Total of 62 MW capacity is expected to attract an investment of nearly €50 million ($56.60
Currently FPL has 1.25 GW of operational solar power capacity with 18 existing solar plants
million). The government said it will support investors with administrative approvals and
and other smaller installations. With the addition of 745 MW, all projects together will be
complete all necessary procedures for conversion and urbanization of the sites.
enough to power approximately 400,000 homes.
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acebook Makes First Direct Investment In Solar Project With 379 MW Prospero Plant In Texas
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exico’s Solar Power Capacity Grew 32% In 6 Months : Mexican Solar Energy Association Asolmex
Facebook has made yet another bet on solar power, this time for its Eagle Mountain Data
The cumulative installed solar power capacity of Mexico crossed 4 GW mark in June 2019.
Center in Utah, United States. It has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with electric
Mexican Association of Solar Energy Asolmex said from the 3,075 MW PV installed at the
utility Rocky Mountain Power, which is a division of PacificCorp and part of Berkshire
end of December 2018, the increase has been 32% to 4,057 MW.
Hathaway Energy. First Solar will develop the 122 MW Cove Mountain 2 Solar Power Plant near the town of Enterprise in Iron County deploying its Series 6 modules. It will be located near the 58 MW (AC) Cove Mountain Solar Power Plant, announced in 2018, which will also supply renewable energy for Facebook’s operations, said First Solar.
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outh African Solar Panel Maker Calls On ITAC To Slap 10% Anti-Dumping Duty.
Back in December 2018, there were 38 operational solar power plants in the Latin American country that have now increased to 44 parks in commercial operation in 14 states with a total capacity of 3,364 MW which is a growth of 34%. Distributed solar power generation represents growth of 22% in the last 6 months; it grew to an installed capacity of 693 MW from 94,893 rooftop solar systems in June 2019, up from 570 MW installed in December 2018 from 85,000 installations.
Department of Trade and Industry has received a customs tariff application by local solar
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panel producer Amisec (Pty) Ltd or ARTsolar to impose anti-dumping duties on imported
A wind, solar, battery and gas microgrid now under construction at a gold mine in the
solar modules/panels.
northern Goldfields will be supported with $13.5 million from the Australian Renewable
Claiming no protection for PV module manufacturers in the South African Customs Union
Energy Agency (ARENA). The funding is provided to Agnew Gold Mining, owned by South
(SACU) in the form of anti-dumping duties like it exists in the US and Europe, ARTsolar
African mining company Gold Fields Group.
application says a number of PV module manufacturers have been forced to cease their
The project will consist of five wind turbines delivering an 18 MW wind farm, a 10,000
production operations in the region as they couldn’t cope up with the high competition
panel 4 MW solar farm and a 13 MW / 4 MWh battery storage alongside a 16 MW gas
from low-priced imports.It recommends the tariffs will help retain local production capacity
engine power station. According to ARENA, it will be the first large hybrid microgrid in the
and jobs to enable the local industry to significantly grow.
mining sector in Australia to integrate wind generation.
The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) under the South African
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estern Australian Mines To Be Powered With Solar, Wind And Batteries
Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 12
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 13
In Conversation
“We aim to reach a portfolio size of 2 GW in next 2 years” Mr. Sunil Kulkarni, CEO, Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Company Pvt Ltd.
What has been your growth story for the solar sector during FY18 and what are your expansion plans from Asset Developer perspective?
The debate FIT vs Competitive bidding has started in the industry. Some stakeholders
During FY 18-19, we have added 820 MW of solar projects to our portfolio, the majority of
commissioned a 50 MW solar project in Egypt and signed PPA for 50 MW solar project
What are your views on the recent MNRE guidelines addressing land acquisition and power evacuation issues for Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Parks? Do you think this directive will regain investor confidence in the Solar Sector?
in Vietnam. This 50 MW is part of the 150 MW solar development of SP in Vietnam. In
We are hopeful that this will address the major challenge in implementation i.e. land
addition, we have also been awarded LOI for 100 MW project in Bangladesh last year.
acquisition. However, it may be noted that the tariff discovered in non-solar park bids is
We aim to reach a portfolio size of 2 GW in next 2 years.
considerably lower and there is more geographical spread. In the near future, transmission
which comes from ISTS bids. This includes 50 MW solar floating project under SECI bid and first large scale IPP Solar floating bid from SECI. During the same year, we have successfully divested part of our operational portfolio to raise growth capital. We are one of the few Indian IPPs active in International markets. In FY 18-19, we
We are greatly benefited by the synergies with our group company Sterling & Wilson who has recently been declared as the largest Solar EPC company in the world, as per Solar EPC and O&M Provider Tracker Q1 2019. With their focus on Energy storage, we expect also to follow and bid for those projects along with ground mounted solar PV projects
What is SP Infrastructure total cumulative solar capacity installed as of now? In 2017 your company made a foray in the Egyptian market and does this signal further expansion plans in the emerging international markets? Our current operational capacity is 298 MW in India and 50 MW in Egypt. (after divestment of 194 MW last financial year).
including lenders are sceptical about competitive bidding especially of the reverse auction kind and rightly so as lot of public money at stake.
bottlenecks may become an impediment for the growth in RE targets for ground mounted capacity. What also needs to be done is getting connectivity to STU at 132 KV in the scheme of things. MNRE budget may be used for waiving off the transmission charges of the STUs for the bids under NTPC/SECI. This will accelerate the capacity building.
Has the industry started planning and implementing a recycling policy for solar equipment too? The answer would be “No”. However, people have started thinking about it. The investors are looking for the provisions in the financial model for the decommissioning and dismantling of the plant. The stock reply to such query from investor is that the plant will have the residual life of 3-5 years and the revenue during this period shall be adequately
Apart from Egypt, we have expanded our operations to Vietnam and Bangladesh. Our
cover the costs of decommissioning/dismantling/recycling.
international project pipeline is 250 MW.
As per the report “Managing India’s PV Module Waste” of Bridge to India, the PV waste
We are also exploring other emerging markets in Africa, CIS and South East Asia.
volume in India is estimated to grow to 200,000 tonnes by 2030 and around 1.8 million
What further policy interventions are required to accelerate the market in India? Solar sector in India is current going through many challenges in both phases of the projects i.e. Development and Operation. Operating projects face the issues of Backing down / curtailment by Discoms. The payment delays are mounting beyond 8-10 months from certain Discoms. The regulatory or administrative interventions are needed to be substantially enhanced to bring receivables
tonnes by 2050. MNRE guidelines specifies that the developer shall be responsible for the disposal of the solar panel in accordance with the e waste rules (which incidentally do not cover PV modules). First Solar, the thin film manufacturer from US has incorporated the take back policy for its modules. However, one can be skeptical about such solution becoming a regulatory norm in the near future. The solar projects in India have started from 2009 and hence there is adequate time for the formulation of policies and implementing mechanisms for the recycling of solar panels.
to a reasonable level and ensure that the generating companies are able to meet their contractual obligations. For the projects under development/construction, there are uncertainties on GST. Different state authorities have different interpretations on the services contracts. Funding of Safeguard duty has become an additional burden on the developers. There is a further challenge of possible tariff reduction on the projects won post introduction of Safeguard Duty. In the aftermath of IL&FS issue, the liquidity in lending to this sector has become tight. With lack of long-term track record of generation performance in the sector, lenders are taking recourse to unrealistic generation numbers in assessment of solar projects. The solar sector needs to be considered separate from Conventional Power sector.
During FY 18-19, we have added 820 MW of solar projects to our portfolio, the majority of which comes from ISTS bids. This includes 50 MW solar floating project under SECI bid and first large scale IPP Solar floating bid from SECI.
Thankfully, the industry is coming together and MNRE is providing support to resolve the issues at various levels.
Do you think aggressive tariff caps for solar tenders hampers the investors sentiments? In theory, the aggressive caps on the tariffs should not deter the lowest tariff discovery as long as bids are received. However, prescribing the similar caps for the projects across the country is best avoided. The Solar radiation is different, so is the off-taker risk profile and land costs. We have now solar park vs non solar park and state Discoms vs NTPC/SECI distinctions in the projects which can be clearly seen in the discovered tariffs of such tariffs. Aggressive tariff caps and subsequent discovered tariffs has set a relatively low benchmark. Going forward, it may be difficult to sustain the same. This may result in off-taker delaying
We are one of the few Indian IPPs active in International markets. In FY 18-19, we commissioned a 50 MW solar project in Egypt and signed PPA for 50 MW solar project in Vietnam.
the bids and getting the regulator nod difficult when correction takes place.
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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 14
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 15
In Conversation
“We are currently executing large scale projects in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra & Uttarakhand states under Open Access and Rooftop models.” Mr. Kapil Maheswari, CEO, Hinduja Renewables Energy Pvt. Ltd.
How has the last FY 2018-19 been for your company? Has there been slow down in the growth of solar sector? The past year has been extremely special for Hinduja Renewables Energy Private
Do you think that there is a lack of efficient grid integration and forecasting system in India which affects the productivity of the plants installed? How do you think the same can be improved?
Limited (HREPL) given the acquisition of a large Solar portfolio. The Company has
I wouldn’t completely agree to term the current situation as a lack in the grid
grown substantially in terms of its team size and brand significance. We are currently
integration and forecasting. With more renewables adding to the grid, grid integration
executing large scale projects in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra & Uttarakhand
has become a very critical challenge which needs to be addressed by ensuring very
states under Open Access and Rooftop models.
accurate forecasting and scheduling by the developers. Recently many states have
Yes, the Solar sector has seen a slowdown since the last 3 quarters. Introduction of government policies such as Anti-Dumping and SafeGuard duties on imports of solar cells and modules has raised concerns amongst several solar developers and contributed towards this. Another major contribution for slowdown in the sector could also be attributed to the cancellation of auctions by SECI in Gujarat, Maharashtra and UP.
Could you brief us about your upcoming projects in the RE Sector? HREPL is executing several Open Access projects for high credit rated C&I Clients. These projects would be commissioned by the end of the year. Further, the Company is building a strong pipeline to support its vision of achieving GW level portfolio through both greenfield and brownfield approaches. The Company is also passionately looking to develop and provide EV charging and clean mobility solutions in the near future.
How do you see India’s growth in the Solar sector against the background of ambitious targets set by the Government of India? Currently India is the third largest market globally. Given the ambitious target of 175GW by 2020 in 2010 which was later revised to 100GW by 2020 in June 2015, India has managed to achieve a sizable portion since the inception of JNNSM in 2010.
brought in strict forecasting and scheduling (FAS) norms to help manage the grid. I feel India will first move to 15 mins FAS system and then later upgrade the same to a 5 mins FAS system. This would help the country achieve stability in the grid. The ongoing progress can be achieved by bringing storage solutions into utility scale plants which can help in effective FAS. The Government is also working towards introducing green energy corridor schemes, which is a prerequisite for large scale grid integration of renewable energy
The Solar industry is presumably upbeat at the political stability at the Centre. What is your take on the renewed investment confidence for the Industry? Political stability at Centre is good news for the entire business community. A stable Government can always take difficult decisions for the good of industry which are not populist in nature. India’s green energy play is expected to grow substantially with federal policy think tank NITI Aayog projecting increased capacities by 2040 in its new draft energy policy. Government has already started on a 100 days programme to achieve some quick results in various areas affecting the business growth. However, the solar industry is still not fully confident and keenly watching policy announcements by the Government. Announcement of “Rent a Roof” policy by MNRE is a welcome step in this direction to drive Rooftop Solar. Once the framework and modalities are known, the industry can take it forward with fresh investments.
Now that the Government is set to perform its second tenure after the recent win in the Elections, some good policies and fresh impetus is expected by the industry from MNRE. Growth of RE sector was always a priority for this government, thus continuation
The investment is done keeping the current
of same leadership will help in achieving the set targets through new approach and
available best technology and the policies
experience of the last 5 years.
which will affect the cost of erecting and
What do you think about the policies that the government has levied (safeguard duty & Anti Dumping duty)? Is it in sync with the developer’s investment strategy?
operating a solar power plant. Thus, any knee jerk policy changes which affects the capex cost of the project affects the developer
The policies levied by the Government have failed to provide a solution to the problems
in the short term especially if the policy is
of local manufacturers. Imposing such duties have not only adversely affected the
declared prospectively or with very small
import of solar modules by making them more expensive for the developers, but has also increased the cost of production for local manufacturers. Since most of the
advance notice.
solar cells and other major components for producing solar modules by domestic manufacturers has to be imported, the duty and surcharge has further escalated the price of domestic modules. A Developer’s strategy for Solar plants is always long term as the life of a solar plant is 25 years. The investment is done keeping the current available best technology and the policies which will affect the cost of erecting and operating a solar power plant. Thus, any knee jerk policy changes which affects the capex cost of the project affects the developer in the short term especially if the policy is declared prospectively or with very small advance notice. Ideally any policy affecting the cost of project should be made at least one year in advance so that it can be incorporated in the investment plans of the developer.
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Political stability at Centre is good news for the entire business community. A stable Government can always take difficult decisions for the good of industry which are not populist in nature.
Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 16
In Conversation
“Mahindra Susten has been one of the biggest contributors in the renewable energy growth in India with a commissioned portfolio of over 2180MWp” Mr. Basant Jain, CEO, Mahindra Susten
Mahindra Susten is known for its innovation in Technology, so what is next efficiency benchmarks and new products we can expect from your company?
� Type of energy storage technology
Mahindra Susten has been a very innovative company since its inception. It started
Mahindra Susten is working with Power Electronics research groups for development of
operations in 2011 by setting up India’s 1st single axis tracking PV solar plant of 5MW
� Battery degradation / repowering strategy � This will also include financial analysis for best ROI. different type of energy conversion devices for residential, commercial & agricultural
capacity at Rawra, Phalodi. Followed by many PV projects with robust and innovative
applications to offer best value from investments made in renewable energy and it’s storage.
plant designs, especially in Module mounting structures for crystalline as well as Thin film
Mahindra Susten is sure that all of this will be complimented by prudent policies and tariffs
modules, plant layout and electrical design. Mahindra Susten’s innovative ideas and focus
by government for renewable energy sector.
on quality in PV plant design have always yielded good energy generation outputs from
Congratulation on your winning of 3rd lowest tariff of the SECI’s 2 GW ISTS Phase I auction. How complex is it to achieve the lowest bid tariffs with current issues such as safeguard duty, increased land prices and borrowing costs?
PV plants. Mahindra Susten has been one of the biggest contributors in the renewable energy growth in India with a commissioned portfolio of over 2180MWp. Looking at the rapid growth & higher penetration of renewable energy in India, Mahindra Susten has developed capability in Battery Energy Storage System design for Front of the Meter & Behind the Meter applications. Mahindra Susten is working on development of strong software & hardware platform for integration of different renewable energy sources with
Though achieving decent project financials in such lower tariffs under the current uncertain environment is definitely quite challenging, we believe with a right mix of
different Energy Storage Technologies to deliver dispatchable/ hybrid energy.
various optimization matrices, this is achievable. The best way to mitigate risks of current
Can you tell us more about Mahinda Susten’s expansion plans in Solar + Storage Segment.
the project and to reduce cost of generation. One of the key considerations to achieve this
prevailing uncertainties in the solar industry is to focus on maximizing generation from is identification of land parcels in solar resource reach states at strategic locations near
PV Solar being strength of Mahindra Susten, we have started working with different
existing or under implementation CTU substations. Mahindra Susten, with proven track
stakeholders in Battery Energy Storage System technology such as PCS, Li-ion Battery and
record as an EPC Contractor as well as a Developer, is strategically placed to identify &
EMS (Energy Management Software). Mahindra Susten has developed tools for optimum
acquire such locations which reduces cost and optimise generation from the project. Also,
sizing of storage system based on
with Mahindra Susten’s experience in deploying advanced technology configurations such
� Use case/ application
as trackers, automatic cleaning robots, bifacial modules will further maximize the output
� Duty cycle / load profile
from the project and reduces cost of generation.
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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 17
In Conversation
“Sunvest Capital was launched in 2019 as an NBFC, to solve for the market gap in rooftop solar financing.” Mr. Sishir Garemella, Founder & CEO Sunvest Capital
Ways to accelerate MSME solar growth Access to Financing is by far the most important driver to accelerate MSME solar adoption. Regardless of their cash position, many businesses feel that solar is not core to their business and hence a large upfront expenditure is unnecessary. Therefore, there is a strong latent demand for long-term financing solutions for MSMEs. From an awareness perspective,
Give us a glimpse about your company presence and offering in the Solar sector?
industrial associations and chambers of commerce could play a larger role in driving change. Many exports oriented MSMEs have realized that their counterparts are keen on a green value
Since 2015, Sunvest has championed the case for consumer rooftop solar for every home and
chain. This adds as a strong motivation to go solar.
every business in India. Our journey started with Sunvest Energy, a solar installation firm that
some cases, even within the state.
Financing is still a major issue in the sector. How difficult is raising finance for solar projects? Do think we need policy changes and incentives or subsidy mechanisms to ramp up Solar Rooftop?
Our technical rigor and best in class customer service was appreciated by government
Incentives / Subsidies
agencies, industry leaders, technology vendors and most importantly, hundreds of happy
We feel solar market has stabilized in India and to that extent, some of the incentives could be
customers. But we knew something was missing – despite increasing consumer awareness,
revisited. Globally we have seen that incentives are a great to kick start the activity and spur
strengthening regulations and improving solar technology – there was a lack of access to easy
the growth but once an inflection point has reached, the competitive drivers in the market
financing from a trusted partner.
should take over.
Our team combined their deep solar intelligence with expertise in financing to launch, what we
Financing Solutions
deployed residential and commercial projects across several states in India. We installed high quality projects with the latest technologies across multiple states. Some of our residential and small commercial projects were the first net metering projects in the neighborhood and in
believe is, India’s first dedicated rooftop solar financing platform. Sunvest Capital was launched in 2019 as an NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company), to solve for the market gap in rooftop solar financing. We provide access to easy EMIs for reliable solar equipment that is installed by most trusted local installers in your area. We monitor your system across the life of the loan so you don’t worry about maintenance. Our journey has been from an installation company to a financier but our focus and vision have always been consistent. Every home and every business in India have the potential to go solar and drive economic, social and environmental benefits. We are playing our small part in Making Solar Possible.
What are the key challenges & main growth drivers in the rooftop solar segment? Challenges The key areas of development in the rooftop solar segment are: � Consistency in net metering processes � Clarity around subsidies � Easy access to financing � Need for quality / standardization of the equipment, installers � A strong push for consumer awareness The industry needs to work with the central and state governments and other regulatory bodies to work on streamlining the net metering and subsidy related processes. We have to work with the utilities and ensure there is a win-win for everyone. Industry can and must solve for the issues around access to financing and quality standards. Finally, I believe for consumer awareness, we need to come together as civil society and deliberate over the innumerable benefits of going solar. The awareness will increase only through dialogue and there has to be a mindset shift towards going green and going solar. In the past, we have seen the Government run very successful campaigns against social issues for example: cleanliness. We need something similar for decentralized solar adoption.
While large C&I projects have, to some extent, mitigated financing challenges via IPP routes and / or development finance, it’s the small-scale solar segment i.e. residential and small C&I that yet to see any robust financing solutions. At Sunvest Capital, we realized that for any high upfront investment like homes, cars, mobile phones, an easy loan product is essential. A solar loan is akin to your car loan or any other asset finance, where you put down a certain amount of margin and take a loan for the remainder amount. You repay your loan through EMIs over a certain tenure. Based on our market insights we have launched a solar loan product and I would like to share some details on the product and how we are with the customer across the solar loan journey:
Before the loan – Inspiring Trust � Equipment – Our proprietary methodology considers over 50 data points across quality, presence, strength, brand, service, technology, bankability to qualify the most reliable equipment. Additionally, we work with a leading global reliability and testing lab, where equipment gets tested for various technical parameters on an ongoing basis � Installers – India has many solar installers. Some are fly by night and some will stay the course. We know it’s hard for you to decide, hence we use a rigorous process to verify a network of trusted installer partners. We have obtained detailed feedback from their existing customers, conducted audits on their solar projects and checked their ability to execute high quality projects and obtain requisite approvals from authorities
The Solar Loan – Easy EMIs � You put down 30% margin, we finance the rest, such that your EMI will pay out of your electricity bill savings � No collateral over and above the solar system � Our fintech algorithms mean less paper and faster loans
Once the loan starts – Ongoing Monitoring � We remotely monitor your system at all times to ensure your project is performing at all times � You don’t have to worry about keeping a track on maintenance
Drivers
Advantages of Sunvest Capital’s Solar Loan
Needless to say, there is a strong and increasing demand for solar across customer segments.
Sunvest is more than a loan provider – We want to see solar succeed on your roof. Our firm
Over the years, the fall in solar prices has resulted in increase in adoption, which has also brought more acceptance. When we started in 2015, customers had very limited knowledge about solar but now most people have references that drive their decision making. Net metering is very
has its roots in rooftop solar execution. We have an expertise in understanding the solar technology and the installation process. This intelligence differentiates us from other lenders in many ways:
powerful driver in the rooftop solar space but most people are unaware of its benefits.
1. The unique qualification mechanism helps us select the most reliable equipment and
Do you think, micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector has a strong potential in achieving the 40 GW rooftop solar target by 2022? What can be done to accelerate its growth?
2. We do not take any other collateral expect the solar project assets
most trusted local partners ensuring good quality projects with great service levels 3. Our average processing time for a solar loan is faster than our peers 4. We monitor your project at all times during the loan period, so you don’t worry about its performance
as electricity costs are a large part of their overall expenses.
Do you feel there is a need for a paradigm shift in the awareness levels especially for catering to the Residential Roof top segment?
In our experience, SME clusters are interested in utilizing their roof spaces to avail benefits of
Residential solar growth has been muted among all the segments because of the frictions
solar. Some of them are as follows:
in the subsidy processes. I think it’s important to revisit the subsidy program and deliberate
� Economic Benefit – Savings on their electricity costs reduce Opex and enhance productivity
whether we even need those incentives.
Small industries represent a major portion of the economy. They are, in many ways, the engine of our industrial growth. There is a strong demand and need for solar in the MSME segment
� Carbon Mitigation – Many companies have a vision to go green, and very often its driven by their end customer who may have a mandate to have a green supply chain � Employability – Savings in electricity costs allow for more cash that can be used for other purposes in the business and often it could be to increase employee strength
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As mentioned earlier, awareness campaigns are critical to communicate the innumerable benefits of solar. We need leaders at all levels to carry the message. From an air quality perspective, India has 15 of the top 20 polluted cities in the world. Now, is the time to rise and bring a fundamental shift in our thought process towards climate change.
Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 18
Policy Brief POLICY & REGULATORY BRIEF - MAY 2019 POLICY Central/ State
Haryana
Central
Entity
HERC
MNRE
RE Technology
Sub Sector
Wind & Solar
Solar
-
OffGrid
Topic
Brief Description / Gist
DSM regulations for wind and solar, 2019
Regulations will apply to all Wind and Solar Energy Generators in Haryana connected to a particular Pooling Sub-Station, or that of an individual Generator connected to some other SubStation not be less than 1 MW to the Intra-State Transmission /Distribution System, including those connected through Pooling Sub-Stations, and using the power generated for self-consumption or sale within or outside the State
Grid connection approval to old Off Grid tied Solar plants
"1) MNRE has issued an order asking for old off-grid solar PV systems installed under its Off-grid and Decentralized Solar PV Applications Programme to be connected to the grid 2) These old offgrid systems may be connected where there is reliable power supply now with provision of net metering 3) Conversion Cost o be borne by concerned state government or beneficiary departments 4) https://mnre.gov.in/sites/default/files/webform/notices/grid..pdf"
REGULATORY
Himachal Pradesh
Central
Andhra Pradesh
Central
Maharashtra
HPERC
FoR
APERC
CERC
MERC
Solar
Solar Himachal Pradesh announces generic PV Grid solar PV tariff Connected
"1) HPERC’s rates range from Rs 3.98/kWh for projects in rural and undeveloped areas up to 1 MW in size and Rs 3.94/kWh for installations between 1 MW and 5 MW. 2) Generic tariffs for projects in the state’s industrial and urban areas at Rs 4.06/kWh (up to 1 MW) and Rs 4.02/kWh (1 MW to 5 MW) 3) New tariffs will be valid from October 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020 4) Will not be applicable for projects implemented by Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI), or for rooftop and ground-mounted solar projects installed by consumers under the net-metering program 5) http://hperc.org/File/abc.pdf"
Solar
"Report on Metering Regulation And Accounting Framework For Grid Solar Connected Rooftop Solar PV In India PV Grid http://www.forumofregulators.gov.in/ Connected Data/Reports/REPORT-METERINGROOFTOP-08-05-19.pdf"
"Objective of the report is to propose final recommendations for developing the new Model Regulation for Grid-Connected Rooftop Photovoltaic (GRPV)"
Solar
Implementation of Utility Driven Solar Solar Roof Roof Top (SRT) Pilot Programme in Top Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited
"1) APEPDCL had proposed two models for the implementation of this program 2) Model 1 - Customer-owned solar rooftop program with net-metering 3) Grid-connected rooftop solar PV program on developer mode under gross metering 4) http://www.aperc.gov.in/admin/upload/SolarRoofToporderin.pdf"
Wind & Solar
-
Calculation of APPC ( Average Power Purchase Cost) at National Level
"1) CERC proposes APPC of Rs 3.60/kWh at National Level 2) APPC shall be applicable during FY 2019-20 and until further orders for the purpose of deviation settlement in respect of the open access and captive wind and solar generators fulfilling the requirement of regional entities 3) http://www.cercind.gov.in/2019/orders/05-SM-2019.pdf"
Solar
Solar PV Grid Connected & Solar Rooftop
Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has set the generic tariff for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects
"1) Generic tariff for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects at ₹3.29/kWh for FY 2019-20 2) Current generic tariff is based on the results of competitive bidding conducted by MSEDCL 3) MERC has fixed ₹3.79/kWh as the generic tariff for rooftop solar projects"
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Smart O&M
Safe & Reliable
>2% More Energy
Lower OPEX
25-year's Reliability
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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 19 19
In Conversation
“ACVA Solar is established with the goal of developing a customer-centric and risk free technology to harness solar energy” Mr. Chetan Vyas, Managing Director, ACVA Solar Pvt. Ltd.
Please brief us about your company’s product and solutions offerings? ACVA Solar Pvt. Ltd. is a MNRE approved channel partner established since 2010, by three young entrepreneurs. It’s a premier organization undertaking the Design, Integration, Installation & Commissioning and Maintenance of Photovoltaic Solar Power Systems. ACVA Solar is established with the goal of developing a customer-centric and risk free technology to harness solar energy; and to help provide a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution to meet the energy needs of India. ACVA Solar Pvt. Ltd. has many firsts to its name, like being the first to claim MNRE subsidy in Gujarat, the first one to put up a Micro Inverter plant in India and having one and only sample installation of 1.5 Axis tracking solution in the country. It also has tie up with international players like Schott Solar & Darfon. Its application development work includes “reverse grid feedback controller” and the first ever “type test” of solar+wind hybrid system at RDSO Lucknow for Indian Railways. The ACVA Products at a glance:
Additionally reducing prices and competition has seen corresponding reduced margins which are un-tenable, given the larger life cycle of the projects. Also the advent of inexperienced entrepreneurs has seen unsustainable prices. The effect of this is very much evident by way of shakeout in the industry and the landscape being full of failed enterprises. Government through MNRE, State Nodal Agencies with concerned departments need to make concentrated efforts to establish the standards of components and implement and strictly adhere to the set standards in the systems that are implemented. Increasingly substandard or qualitatively cheap material is being installed which may not last the intended lifetime of the system/product. Here all the stakeholders including the Government not to mention the Owners of the projects are going to be big losers. The real impact will be felt over the next half a decade with systems maturing over the next couple of years and real impact of harsh conditions are experienced.
Is net metering a success story in the state of Gujarat? Very much “Yes”. Even though the open access and third party sale of solar electricity is still
1. Grid Connected Power Plants – MW size Utility scale Solar Power Plants
evolving the RT space has seen reasonable success by the advent of Gujarat Solar Policy
●
Consultancy, Liaison, Design, Technical and Procurement Services
2015.
●
EPC & EPP for complete setting up and maintaining MW size Solar Power Plants.
Gujarat is always at the forefront of Solar Power adoption, and having Head of Government
2. Industrial Solar Power Packs [Grid Tied] – 50kWp/100kWp/500kWp (..and in multiples) systems for Industry to save power and address CSR. 3. Power Harmonised Solar Backup / Standard System – 5kWp/10kWp/25kWp (..and in multiples) Benchmarked systems designed for Industrial, Office and Residential use. 4. Solar Water Pumping System – Water pumping solutions for Rural & Urban use upto 50HP.
and a positive SNA ably handled by the concerned Government Department has led to higher acceptability. Typically the returns on the investment in solar system is in excess of 25% p.a. depending on what sector the customer is from. For individuals the subsidy has helped even though the installers are a little tight squeezed due to aggressive pricing even surpassing MNRE benchmarks. We see this situation stabilising on a positive note and carrying on the success of net-metering.
5. Solar Lighting Solution – Conventional lighting powered through central Solar Power Pack. We are also working on unique solutions for energy needs of standalone or remote locations like containerised water purification plants and milk collection centers.
Do you plan to use Bifacial Module in your upcoming solar projects for better efficiency? Bifacial Modules typically generate power through both sides of the module. The
What are the milestones you intend to achieve this fiscal? Naturally, as a business and an ongoing concern the natural propensity is to increase the top line with an intact, if not a growing bottom line. However being in the business with the promoters taking a very long term view, we have a philosophy of the “money being a by product of a good job being done”. Hence the constant endeavour to improve the internal working as well as to put qualitatively superior systems in terms of components and workmanship. Hence we are implementing ERP to guide the process. That has to be
incremental power and the resultant direct benefit depends both on bottom surfaces
in place by end of Q1 this fiscal.
and installation angles. Also the indirect benefits like saving of BoS for given systems are
We have been always at the forefront of technology (application) curve, as observed
variable dependent on system placement parameters.
in the national and international tie-ups that we have. We intend to keep that up and
Hence, the propensity to install Bifacial Modules is very high, but would be driven by the RoI/Payback considerations (of the customers).
What is your take on Safeguard Duty? Currently, what impact do you see on the domestic solar industry after its implementation? Safeguard Duty is a step in the right direction by the Govt. to support and promote a healthy national solar environment. However, the effect has been nullified to some extent by levying the same only on certain countries of origin of the product. This stipulation has been circumvented by some operators and nullified the impact to an extent. Secondly domestic industry has also not come upto expectations, as no significant player has emerged that can take on competition from overseas by being totally backward integrated to have silicon processing facilities to modules manufacturing. Also i don’t see
are seriously looking once more at flexible panels as well as storage which is emerging as key challenge. Also we are working on remote and new applications for solar power integration. That should open up a new vertical for ACVA Solar Pvt. Ltd. this year.
Gujarat is always at the forefront of Solar Power adoption, and having Head of Government and a positive SNA ably handled by the concerned Government Department
that happening anytime soon, thereby limiting the impact of the safeguard duty and its motive.
What are the key project challenges in Solar RT Projects? We have observed that the RT space is also heavily policy driven. Hence policy and nonclearity of its stipulations is the biggest challenge that an RT installer faces. Having to deal with SNAs, Government Departments like Electrical Inspectors, Discoms, Third party
has led to higher acceptability. Typically the returns on the investment in solar system is in excess of 25% p.a. depending on what
inspections and not to mention Customers and Suppliers, the Installers have a clear work cut out for them. This gets further complicated in the subsidy regime. A clear tri-partite agreement in RT space between Customer + Discom + Installer under Ease of Doing
sector the customer is from.
Business initiative by GoI would go a long way in mitigating the complex structure.
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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 20
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS
Integrating Solar And Wind Power The global average prices resulting from solar PV and onshore wind auctions have
circumstances they face depending on context. The optimal auction design will vary with
stabilised since 2016, with a slight increase in wind prices in 2017-2018. One of the factors
the strategy chosen.
contributing to this trend could be that growing numbers of auctions are being designed to achieve additional objectives other than price. One of those objectives is supporting the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE). Solar PV and wind are the most commonly auctioned renewable energy technologies, accounting for 97% of auction volume in 20172018. This reflects a global trend over the past decade: Solar PV and onshore wind are also the most widely deployed renewable energy technologies by a large margin, driven by their growing maturity and falling costs. VRE, however, has characteristics that distinguish it from other generation sources, related to its dependency on the weather. VRE technologies are relatively more limited in the degree to which their output (and consequently their dispatchability) can be controlled, and they exhibit seasonal and diurnal (i.e. within-day) variability in its patterns of production. VRE generation can be forecast, but not without some uncertainty. Variability
The strategies are ordered according to the degree of central planning required, from the highest to the lowest. For example, under the project-based strategy, developers have little flexibility in the design of their power plants, whereas the product-based strategy allows them the maximum degree of flexibility: they need only to guarantee the availability of a predetermined quantity of a given product (capacity, energy, system services, etc.). While this framework may hide nuances, it attempts to classify design options according to a predetermined approach to system integration that reflects country conditions (resources, power market structure, objectives, etc.). PROJECT-BASED STRATEGY: Where this strategy is being applied, outcomes are highly predictable, as central planners maintain tight control. Parameters such as the size and location of projects, as well as the technology involved, are determined before the auction.
and uncertainty call for increased system flexibility – that is, the ability of the power system
QUANTITY-BASED STRATEGY:Quantity-based strategy imposes less strict limitations for
to match generation with demand on any timescale. VRE technologies are also location-
projects, compared to the previous examples, but maintains a significant degree of control
constrained, meaning that they operate predominantly in areas where energy production
in the hands of the central planner. Under this kind of strategy, the more important system
is feasible and convenient (e.g. sunny or windy areas), which may require additional
limitations are identified and used to apply limits in the auctions.
infrastructure for transmission and distribution.
ADJUSTMENT-BASED STRATEGY:The adjustment-based strategy relies strongly on a
To continue integrating VRE smoothly into power systems, the auctions that support its
central planner’s ability to forecast how system needs will evolve, in order to yield the
deployment should be designed to accommodate for its characteristics. Auction design
most socially desirable outcome for the electricity sector.
can support the integration of renewables through the selection of system-friendly projects, that is, projects most easily accommodated by the power system. This section explores auction design elements that can help reduce some of the consequences of increased shares of VRE in power systems. The discussion is structured around five implementation strategies, ie PROJECT-BASED STRATEGY,QUANTITY-BASED STRATEGY, ADJUSTMENT-BASED STRATEGY, PRICE-BASED STRATEGY and PRODUCTBASED STRATEGY, that may be chosen by system planners to meet the needs and
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PRICE-BASED STRATEGY: Under this strategy, the auction is designed in a way that relies on the market price to signal the best VRE production profile. PRODUCT-BASED STRATEGY: involves fundamentally changing the way renewable energy is procured, by focusing on products rather than on the technologies used to produce them.
© Irena 2019, Renewable Energy Auctions: Status And Trends Beyond Price
SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 21 Solar
Perspective
WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES FACED while installing solar energy projects in manufacturing industries? Mr. Raghav Malhotra Global Head of Project Management Cleantech Solar
all works performed, demarcated work areas and constant on-site oversight by Cleantech Solar’s project management team. Cleantech Solar follows the hierarchy of control with respect to health & safety and to drive electrical safety, only fully qualified electrical workers are permitted to work on or near exposed energized parts. In addition, Cleantech Solar’s
In our extensive experience with manufacturing clients with global presence, we observe two major categories of challenges faced while installing solar energy projects in this industry: the expectation of the highest safety standards and overcoming en-route technical challenges. Safety concerns mainly arise from the risks associated with working at heights with electrical components, while technical concerns arise out of site preservation as well as ensuring the day-to-day operations of the customer are not hindered during the installation. To help manufacturing companies implement solar plants in compliance with their stringent safety standards, Cleantech Solar has its proprietary protocols and procedures that are presented and discussed with the customer prior to the installation activities on site. These are then tailored as per site-specific requirements to ensure compliance with the customer safety requirements and operational constraints. The main components of our protocol and process control are high-quality safety equipment such as lifelines, walkways and handrails, along with strict adherence to industry best practices such as maintaining a minimum exclusion zone from the edges of the roof, a buddy-system for
Mr. Eshan Cholia Managing Director Sunfraa Renewables LLP
design also implements global practices that minimize risks associated with electrical works through the implementation of redundancies and best practices such as ‘lightning loops’, which are unique to Cleantech Solar’s plants in India. Site preservation is critical to the smooth operations of the customer’s business activities. To address this, Cleantech Solar conducts necessary structural analysis of the roof to ensure its stability with solar loads and conducts a pre-construction survey that documents all defects present on the roof so that the same can be rectified to ensure the longevity of the roof. During installation, all man and material movements are restricted to temporary and/or permanent walkways to ensure the load capacity of the roof is not exceeded and the roof condition is preserved. The Cleantech Solar project management philosophy facilitates continuous feedback and improvement throughout the project installation cycle. By virtue of our industry-leading practices and processes, Cleantech Solar has been able to build a highly trusted brand and a solid track record of delivering safe, reliable and repeatable solar projects for the manufacturing sector.
Module installation on asbestos sheet is unsafe as it is more prone to breakage. One more challenge which most of the EPC faces is the access to the roof. Sometimes the roofs are so high that it becomes difficult during installation, lifting of panels and also during maintenance. The other difficulty during installation is that we have to make sure
Solar installation at manufacturing industries comes with its
that there is not water leakage due to drilling of structure. For this we have to match the
own set of challenges. The first and the biggest challenge
structure with the existing structure of the manufacturing unit which limits the orientation
is identification of potential spaces for installation as in a
of panels. Also there are sunlight roofs installed which we have to make sure is not
manufacturing industry there are boilers and chimneys installed which disperse immense
covered with the PV modules and there are exhaust fans which again limits the space for
ash residues which can directly affect the PV Modules. Sometimes the orientation of the
installation. Earthing is a major challenge as most of the industries which we have worked
roof is not South facing in such cases we have no other choice but to install modules
have PCC roads throughout the unit. Digging through PCC requires specialized breaker
as per the roof orientation which in turn affects the overall generation. Sometimes in
and manpower and time as JCB machines cannot reach interior areas. So these are few
old manufacturing units, asbestos sheets are installed instead of galvanized roof. Solar
Mr. Nitin Sabikhi Asst. Vice President - Business Development Indian Energy Exchange
major challenges faced in installation over manufacturing units.
of banking, waiver of transmission and other OA charges are being extended however the long term visibility of such exemptions is not provided, hence the viability of the project is always uncertain. All said and done, one cannot be oblivious of the fact that intermittency of renewables
Industrial consumers are now blessed with a plethora of options when it comes to power portfolio management. Earlier they were confined to either Discom supply or captive generation. With the advent of Exchange, they were given access to the market based competitive prices. Imposition of various tariff and operational barrier did slow down the growth of open access segment. Lately, falling prices complemented with generous public policies made renewable a blue eyed boy and now everyone wants RE in their energy pie. In fact the convergence of conventional and renewable power prices is nudging industries to compare them on commercially level playing field also. Although. the large scale grid connected RE projects set up under competitive bidding, with waiver of ISTS transmission losses and charges, are allocated to Discoms only. As a result, Industries are left with an option to either go for third party (interstate or intrastate) or captive. Such interstate transactions will have no waivers/exemptions and RE project has to purely compete on the energy cost. In case of intra-state, currently freebees in form
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is absorbed by Discoms through banking provisions. It was manageable till the time renewable had a smaller pie in the total generation mix. With this pie expected to be dominant in the near future such preferential treatment may not be a sustainable option for long and eventually will fade away. With such a scenario in hindsight industries may find it really tough to commit for a longer duration PPA on the other hand developer may not be in a position to accept a shorter duration PPA as it put its capacity at financial risk. It is of utmost importance for an industry to take an informed decision and create a portfolio of available options for power procurement and try to leverage all options which complement its energy need and load profile. It is worth mentioning here that Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) plan to introduce Green power market which will facilitate industries to buy bundled power to meet their energy needs and also RPO compliance. One important question which still needs retrospection whether industries want to go for ‘green power’ as a sustainability measure or ‘cheaper green power’ as economical measure.
Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 22
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS
Renewable Energy : Global Overview And Trends In the 2017-2018 period, around 50 countries used auctions to procure renewablesbased electricity, raising the number of countries that have ever held an auction for renewables to 100 by 2019 (REN21, 2004 - 2019). Almost half of the 50 countries had
Solar PV is becoming competitive with
no previous experience with auctions. They were likely driven by the reported success of
traditional energy sources in these regions
auctions in other markets in attaining low prices. The use of auctions continues to rise,
owing to large endowments of solar resources
owing chiefly to their ability to reveal competitive prices and the flexibility in their design and their susceptibility to be tailored to fit country-specific conditions and objectives.
and the falling cost of technology. China
Most renewable energy auctions still focus on mature power-generation technologies. An
awarded 5GW of solar PV at an average price
estimated total volume of 97.5 gigawatts (GW) of electricity was auctioned in 2017-2018, with solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind accounting for more than half and almost a third, respectively, of the total volume. Offshore wind has seen a substantial increase in
of USD 67.8/MWh in a total of 10 auctions (Climatescope, 2018).
volume, and auctions for concentrated solar power (CSP) have recently been held in new countries. Below is the breakdown by region and technology of auctions carried out between January
© Irena 2019, Renewable Energy Auctions: Status And Trends Beyond Price
2017 and December 2018. Solar PV was the most widely auctioned technology. Nearly half of all solar PV auctions took place in South and East Asia and the Pacific, with most of the balance occurring in Europe. Solar PV is becoming competitive with traditional energy sources in these regions owing to large endowments of solar resources and the falling cost of technology. China awarded 5GW of solar PV at an average price of USD 67.8/MWh in a total of 10 auctions (Climatescope, 2018). The Philippines received the lowest bid of USD 43.9/ MWh for a 50 MW auction (Billini, 2018). Onshore wind was auctioned primarily in Europe, followed by South and East Asia and the Pacific, driven by the richness of wind resources in these regions. Germany alone auctioned more than 6 GW in seven rounds during the period at an average price of USD57.17 MWh. Offshore wind auctions saw considerable uptake in Central and Western Asia, led by the announcement of a 1.2 GW auctions in Turkey (Tisheva, 2018). Biomass auctions were concentrated in
Europe
and
the
Americas.
Argentina, for example, awarded 143 MW of biomass at an average price of USD106.7/MWh under Round 2 of Argentina’s RenovAr program (Yaneva et al. 2018). CSP was auctioned mainly in Central and Western Asia, specifically in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai awarded 700 MW at a price of USD 73/ MWh (DEWA, 2018).
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SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 23 Solar
Perspective
How Has GST Impacted Solar Rooftop Industry In India? Mr. Vineet-Mittal Director Navitas Green Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
This has led to an increase of about 10% in the overall project cost from levels before GST implementation. Before GST, input tax on equipment was largely offset by excise and custom exemptions which were extended to solar energy project developers. The upward movement in rooftop solar sector is largely driven by commercial & industrial
Goods & Services Tax (GST) was implemented from July 2017. In
segment (70% of the total installed capacity) and that is due to underlying benefits
a year prior to its introduction, India added 556 MW of rooftop
of replacing high tariff grid electricity and GST credit set off provision. The residential
solar capacity in CY2016 and 995 MW of capacity were added
segment has suffered as cost of ownership of rooftop solar system increased for them and
in CY 2017. A visible 85% Y-o-Y growth, which is considered good, was seen despite the rise in the price of ownership of rooftop solar projects due to implementation of GST. The subsequent CY 2018 witnessed capacity addition of 1678 MW in rooftop segment with 77% Y-o-Y growth. Recently, GST Council has clarified that 70% of composite project price shall be deemed as supply taxed at the rate of 5%, whereas, 30% shall be deemed as service taxed at 18%.
Mr. Vikas Jain Director Insolation Energy Pvt. Ltd.
they were unable to gain from the fall in the prices of solar equipment. The introduction of GST has certainly simplified tax regime in the country, and rooftop solar too like other business sectors observed a stuttered growth compared to its potential but as the business at large adapts to the GST and teething problems are reduced, we don’t see GST as a dampener in the growth of rooftop solar sector in the long term.
value of such EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract shall be deemed as the value of supply of taxable service attracting standard GST rate. Though industry is demanding to make it 90% and 10% respectively Effectively, if a company bags an EPC contract, it will now pay 5 per cent GST on up to
In The Pre GST era Solar has witnessed tax free regime. There was NIL Tax on panels and other Inputs were also tax free. No doubt that GST has imposed extra burden on the industry but I think That solar is now a grown up child and it can contribute this much to the economy. Initially there were disputes as on which rate EPC projects to be taxed as they involve both supply and service. To resolve the dispute, the Council has recommended that in all such cases, the 70 per cent of the gross value shall be deemed as the value of supply of said goods attracting 5 per cent rate and the remaining portion 30 per cent of the aggregate
Mr. Ankit Jain Founder & CEO Lume Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd.
70 per cent of the total value of the contract. And pay 18 per cent on 30 per cent of the contract value. Since the Electricity we consume is not in GST purview the GST paid on projects could not be claimed by the clients which in terms increases the Cost of project for the clients on a product or service which was earlier tax free. So implementation of GST can be termed as negative for Solar rooftop industry. We still hope that considering solar a upcoming industry and mass employment involved and a 40 GW rooftop target Govt. will bring down the tax rates further to make the rooftop more lucrative. were classified under 5 per cent tax slab, and other equipments such as metals, electrical material etc. are under different and higher tax slabs, which would increase the cost of power project. The same has been backed by the fact that the implementation of GST is highly likely to take away the existing exemptions provided for the solar power sector (at
We as a leading Solar EPC company today, feels that the government, following industry representations on the impact of divergence in tax practices, provided a deemed valuation provision that entailed taxing 70% of contract value as goods, taxable at 5%, and balance 30% as services, taxable at 18%. The industry is of the view that applying 18% tax would derail India’s plan to add 100 GW of green power by 2022. Intense competition in recent years has driven down solar power tariff discovered in project auctions. Working over the BOS part and overall rates for solar power projects, we felt that while solar panels
Mr. Nirankush Prasad Senior Project Manager Greencube Energies Pvt. Ltd.
least in terms of customs duty, sales tax and excise duties) and would therefore result in an increase in the overall cost of solar power equipment. As is evident, components of solar power plant system comprise about 85% of total project cost. Any increase or decrease in cost of system components, due to GST would directly impact the project cost. Apart from the direct impact of GST on solar tariff, there are likely to be other developments in the solar sector after the implementation of the GST regime, which could either promote or hinder solar development in India in both the short and long run.
The International Institute for Sustainable said in a report the cost of Solar System has increased the price of solar power generation by 6%. Increase in the cost of electricity not only for future projects but also for many operating plants wherein the power purchase agreement executed between DISCOMs and solar developers provide pass-through on
As Gujarat is very much known for its solar revolution which is later followed by the rest of the states In India. As per reports Several
projects
including
Central
government-sponsored
KUSUM scheme for solar run agriculture pumps ran into trouble due to high-cost after GST. Lack of clarity over GST rate on solar run systems coupled with increasing cost, it was feared farmers would become wary of adopting cleaner irrigation systems Much awaited clarity on GST on Solar power Project by Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has been declared in December 2018 effective from January 1, 2019 by Putting 5% GST on 70% of the Project Cost involving supplying of solar equipment and 18% on the rest of the project involving mainly civil work and project construction.
Mr. Naresh Bazzar Co-Founder & Senior Business Development Analyst GSE Renewables India Pvt. Ltd. Maharashtra’s appellate authority for advance ruling (AAAR) on 5 September 2018 set 18% as GST on solar projects cost considering service and 5% as GST on solar projects cost considering material, endorsing an earlier ruling by the statelevel authority for advance ruling (AAR) and dismissing solar developers’ demand to be taxed at a lower 5%. As a renewable company it’s an major implications as when we combine both 70% and 30% respective to 5% and 18% consolidated rate is aggregating at 8.9% which is much higher than previous year that’s many solar companies took exit route.
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the GST implication. Sudden changes in the GST rate from 5% to 8.9% mainly affected ongoing solar rooftop projects i.e. the projects registered under Subsidy Scheme for Solar Rooftop has affected the Purchase of EPC (engineering procurement and construction) Developers. Though it can be beneficial for Ground Mounted Solar Systems as there is more Civil and Construction work is involved in comparison to Rooftop Projects. Many EPC developers who are more in solar Rooftop Projects are demanding to have 90:10 Service to goods ratio to avail the benefits of solar or uniform 5% GST throughout the country. The Uniform Clarification on GST will Boost up the government’s target of 175 GW of renewable power by 2022 which includes 100 GW of solar power.
If India is targeting 100 gig watts (GW) of solar power capacity by 2022, up from the 23GW at present then applying such higher GST rate will slow down the said 100 gig watts target. The country has a total renewable power generation capacity of over 70GW currently, half of which comes from wind power. Even intense competition in recent years has driven down solar power tariff discovered in project auctions and factors that helped producers bid for projects aggressively using measures including lower prices of imported solar panels and efficient financial structuring of projects. However increase in efficiency due to GST will impact growth and flourishing of solar for captive consumer driving capex investment in solar, GST inward tax credit can be set off against outward supply but RESCO investment where set off is not possible and as a result it causes enhancement in Solar tariff to consumer and reduces its saving up to great extent and as a result solar become bit less lucrative.
Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 24
Perspective
What Is The Potential Of Hybridisation Of Existing Wind/Solar PV Plants? Mr. Prabhat Kiran Business Head – Technical Assistance Program SunAura Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Rajsekhar Budhavarapu Independent Business Consultant/Entrepreneur
A “Wind-Solar Hybrid Power Project” means a hybrid project where the rated power capacity of one resource is at least 25% of the rated power capacity of the other. In a wind-solar hybrid power plants, both the Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) and the Solar PV systems will be configured to operate at the same point of grid connection.
RE-Hybrids with co-located storage solutions has the ultimate
Advantages of coupling two technologies: When setup alone, solar and wind power being variable in nature, pose certain challenges to grid security and stability. However, studies conducted in India have revealed that solar and wind resources are complementary to each other and hybridization of these two technologies leads to:
(dream) potential to displace coal/diesel based power generation via Firm RE (FRE) generation. It would, though, be very helpful if the GoI estimates the cost of Variable RE (VRE) grid integration, for it would help value FRE better. Power output delivery of RE-hybrids, as a result, needs careful thought from the target business/viability applications. Should it serve Round-The-Clock (RTC) power for 24 hours or 18 hours or 12 hours or 6 hours or be construed as firm dispatchable power for shorter periods. PPAs for Re-Hybrids need to be multi-dimensional, allowing for at least supplying
� Effective utilization of land and renewable energy resources
simultaneously power at FIT (base power) and under bilateral OA arrangements (peak
� Savings on Power Evacuation Systems and Common Infrastructure Cost
power).
� Minimizing variability in RE power generation and thus achieving better grid stability
It is, therefore, important to understand as to what is the need and criteria for defining/
� Reduced operating costs due to shared services
classifying RE-hybrids. Should the definition of RE-hybrids by the policy makers and regulators be from the utility perspective and/or the eventual customer perspective and/
� More balanced power mix for sale Potential of Solar-Wind Hybridization in India: Superimposition of wind and solar resource maps of India show that there are large areas where both wind and solar have high to moderate potential. Thus, it would be very advantageous if the existing wind farms are augmented with added solar PV capacity and similarly wind turbines could be setup in the vicinity of an existing solar PV plant. Most of the Indian states are endowed with good solar irradiation levels and the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, with a high wind potential i.e. above 200 W/m2 (minimum wind speed of 6 m/s at 50 m) and with a solar radiation level between 5-6 kWh/m2/day2, have been deduced to be the most suitable sites for Wind-Solar hybrid projects. According to industry estimates and studies, the efficiency of standalone wind and solar projects range between 18 to 28 percent of the installed capacity. With the hybrid power plants, that figure can jump up to 40 percent! India has witnessed an exponential growth in the renewable energy sector in the last five years. As of December 2018, 35.29 GW of Wind and 26.03 GW of solar capacities have been installed. What we are about to witness next is a wave of Wind-Solar Hybridization in India.
or purely from the administrative ease perspective. We also need to exercise caution from having a very fixed definition, for there should not be any difficulty in the future for accommodating changes (in configuration) on account of technology advances at legacy projects (installed under previous RE-hybrid definition). Answers to the above questions, would allow us to either look at RE-hybrids purely as Wind-Solar PV configuration [with defined ratios] or as any configuration between different RE technologies and any ratio. It may be noteworthy that Solar CSP-Solar PV hybrid projects with over 15 hours of energy storage via molten-salt, are already known to provide competitive utility-scale firm & dispatchable power. Should such projects be also part of RE-hybrid project definition in India?
Leaders in Solar Park
Ranked among Top 10 Solar Companies in India Solar Parks in: Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh
500+ MW Solar Plant Installation
8 Solar Parks
500+ MW Installation
Offices : Jaipur | Delhi | Chandigarh +91 141 4600 500 | +91 844 844 9557
15+ O&M Centers
Spread Across 10 States
info@raysexperts.com
www.raysexperts.com | www.raysrooftop.com w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m
Solar Quarter • June 2019 25
Perspective
LAND AND EVACUATION IS EVOLVING AS A THREAT IN GROWTH OF SOLAR PARKS. How Can This Be Resolved?
Mr. Rahul Gupta Managing Director Raysexperts
Ms. Tanvi Kapoor Marketing Manager Raysexperts
� Solar Projects should be jointly owned by the landowners and the project developers. � Encourage landowners to lease their land to project developers for installing solar plant and own an equity interest shareholder. They can receive a royalty for land rent plus a percentage of returns from the business. � Govt. of state and state power corporation limited shall be responsible to provide the connectivity. � With the help of the department of Land Resources, renewable energy zone must
Government has high hopes from renewable energy and is working on the target to accomplish 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022. To accomplish these targets govt. have to resolve the major challenges such as availability of Land and transmission infrastructure which cast a big issue on India’s ambitious renewable energy plans. It is being estimated that all of the proposed solar projects would require up to 500,000 acres. Government is taking measures to resolve the land and power evacuation issues such as MNRE has released a new scheme Mode-7 to ease land and power evacuation constraints. Overall, the best practice to resolve these issues are:
Mr. Manish Bagadia Managing Director Grace Renew
be defined by the government in each state. The project developers shall be given the right-of-way authorizations laying out rental payments and fees tied to electric generating capacity. � India has over 63 million hectares, or 20% of its total land, classified as wasteland. The state governments, can identify waste / barren land and superimpose it for setting up of solar projects. � To reduce the pressure on land, govt. should also invest in Off-grid rooftops, rooftop solar projects, for houses, office buildings, and industries. Govt. can focus on canal-top, canal -bank solar power projects and floating solar as well.
Due to this developing a solar energy project in India is still a complex process as a typical 1 MW solar system in these parks requires approximately 4-5 acres of land . Thus each solar park of 1-1.5 GW of cluster would require a huge land bank of 4000 -6000 acre. In such scenario it would be better that single window clearance be provided for all
The Government of India is promoting Solar energy as an
approvals. With this the government should allocate land after considering the type of
effective tool to mitigate the climate change. By march 2022, the
technology to be implemented.
government said, India would have 100 GW of solar capacity of
Another major barrier faced by solar developers is the lack of power evacuation
which 60 GW will come from utility Grid. This ambitious target
infrastructure. With solar parks are majorly located in remote areas, no access to evacuation
set by India can be achieved by setting up mega solar parks. Solar parks were introduced
infrastructure defer the project commissioning. This delay in initial project timeline thus
by GOI to reduce the bottlenecks associated with addition of solar capacity in the country.
leads to cost over runs. Hence it is of utmost importance that the government should
The major hurdle in solar park development is the availability of land. India has the second
strengthen the evacuation infrastructure by focusing on green energy corridor project
largest agricultural land in the world and use of agricultural land for setting up solar parks
for synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources and also guarantees the
is not allowed in states like Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar-Pradesh. You have to convert agricultural
availability of grid.
land into non agricultural land.
Again there are multiple charge levied by Discoms such as wheeling charges, Transmission
There are few states which have given liberty of using agriculture land for solar parks to
and distribution charges, CTU charges , Cross subsidy charges for injection of power into
add to the income of farmers. In these states, there is no need to convert these land into
the grid. Even with all the hindrances, Solar Industry is getting momentum. I am sure with
non agricultural land. However the conversion of land into non agricultural land becomes
proper clarity in policies and facilities, India can lead the global solar Industry.
a very tedious procedure with many approvals and clearances required from different Government offices.
Mr. Sourabh Maltare Director Insolergy Technologies
MWp capacity requires around 2,500 acres of land, which ideally needs to be close and continuous for optimal utilization. It has been argued that the Central and State Government agencies need to take lead in
In order to achieve the target of 100 GWp of solar power capacity
pooling of land and investing into setting up of evacuation infrastructure for solar parks.
by 2022, the government has planned to develop 40 GWp of
Realizing this challenge, MNRE has introduced new guidelines in March 2019, in which
capacity in the form of solar parks. However, it was recently
SECI will act as Solar Power Park Developer, and will facilitate the availability of land with
reported in ET, that out of 23.5 GWp of approved solar parks, only
the assistance of state government. Additionally, funds available under CFA will be utilized
5.8 GWp has been commissioned so far. The major challenge cited by many developers
for developing external power evacuation infrastructure. The new guidelines also mentions
is availability of land and power evacuation infrastructure. One megawatt (MWp) of
setting up of payment security mechanism, which should alleviate concerns of investors
solar plant requires around five acres of land to set up. Hence, a typical solar park of 500
regarding payment defaults by the DISCOMs.
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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 26 26
Milestones
India’s Leading Project Developers:Key Achievements 2018-19 Mr. K.V Sajay President Solar, Wind and Regulatory Affairs Hero Future Energies
have also implemented various inverter OEMs which includes central as well as string inverters. Through meticulous designing and implementation, we have innovated ways to reliably install solar on invasive, highly undulated sand-dune zones at Bhadla solar park in Rajasthan.
Hero Future Energies (HFE), renewable energy arm of the Hero group, is known for choosing the innovation route in creating a competitive advantage. HFE has implemented projects across renewable energy portfolio, which entails wind, solar ground mounted, rooftop solar and storage. We are one of the largest Independent Power Producer (IPP) in renewable energy in India and operate both as developer as well as in EPC mode. HFE has implemented successfully India’s first ever wind-solar hybrid project in Karnataka. We have ventured with single axis tracker technologies for projects in southern part of the country, thus attaining optimum generation at minimal land requirements. We
Ms. Ritu Lal, Sr. VP & Head - Institutional Relations Amplus Solar
In our six years journey, while we clocked ~1.2 GW operational portfolio, we accumulated a library of hands-on experience on various technologies related to trackers, inverters, terrains and behavioural pattern of wind solar power. In 2018-19, HFE has successfully initiated implementation of the prestigious rooftop solar project for Delhi Metro Railways Corporation (DMRC) of 15 MW. In our endeavour to innovate, we have implemented a variety of rooftop solar projects for industrial sheds, RCC roofs, curved roofs, bus ports, car ports, etc. HFE is now poised to establish its footprints as a power producer in renewable energy globally and will continue exploring power projects in difficult terrains and landscapes.
way we generate power, hence, Amplus Solar is also working onenergy efficiency services to further bring down the electricity bills further to 30-50% for commercial purposes. That’s not all, Amplus achievements were acknowledged by Industry leaders all over the
FY 2018-19 was smooth sail when it comes to solar installations,
world and was felicitated in more than 10 award categories, which not only included
both in terms of no. of projects (80+ projects) as well as in terms
Technical awards like Solar plus Storage Excellence Award 2018, CII National Energy
of capacity installed. As per report by IEEFA, India has witnessed
Efficiency for Best Application and Uses of Renewable Energy – Siwaya Toll Plaza 2018, EQ
more than 400% growth in installed solar capacity leading to 28 GW in less than three
Maharashtra State Annual Solar Award 2019 for Best Rooftop Solar Developer, EQ Tamil
years, whereas Amplus Solar has achieved more than 1000% growth in these 3 years in
Nadu State Annual Solar Award 2019 for Best Rooftop Project Developer of the Year, EQ’s
terms of installation (from 35 MWp of distributed solar assets in 2016 to 350+ MWp in
PV Invest Tech Annual Solar Award for Best Solar plus Storage Project Of The Year (Off Grid
2019). This shows our focus oncapturing the market while maintaining high quality and
Application) but also non-technical awards such as Great places to work certified 2018,
safety standards.
European award for best practices, India’s Most Promising Brand 2018 by WCRC, Solar
Amplus Solar has been the preferred choice of clean energy partner for global and
Quarter Business Leadership Award 2018.
renowned clients from diverse verticals. Due to the inherent risks involved in RESCO business model, Amplus works only with companies with high credit rating. In last FY, Amplus added IEML, Amazon, TVS, Asahi, MCC, ROCA, Schlumberger, PepsiCo, Greaves Cotton, IIT Jammu, Supreme, Big basket and many others to its portfolio. The faith of IEML, Amazon, TVS, Greaves Cotton in amplus manifested in repeat business, and showcase Amplus’ focus on quality installations, hassle-free Operation and Maintenance and a strong customer relation. Early this year, Amplus Solar was the first Solar Developer to get permit for producing open access electricity in Haryana, which is of the order of 150MW. Apart from that, Amplus also received licenses for open access electricity generation in states of UP (70MW), AP (70MW) and Karnataka (45MW extension). Amplus Solar has also signed an MoU with Norway based firm, Kongsberg Digital for management of solar power assets. The integrated solution is expected to support automation of work processes, solar power scheduling & forecasting and use of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for more efficient operations in the solar power plants. Amplus Solar is a firm believer that technology has the potential to transform the
Mr. Manu Karan, Vice President - Business Development, CleanMax Solar CleanMax Solar, the market leader in the commercial and industrial solar space in India, has witnessed steady growth in 2018. According to Mercom India Report, CleanMax Solar has emerged as the top rooftop installer in 2018. Founded in 2011, the company has successfully installed more than 400+ projects for over 120+ corporates. Our operating capacity has grown from 24 MWp in 2015-16 to more than 520 MWp in 2018-19. Out of our total capacity we have added 70 MWp for the rooftop solar segment in Indian in 201819 itself. Recently, we have also expanded our business operations in Middle East North Africa (MENA) and South East Asia (SEA) and are seeing significant success in gaining market share. In April 2019, UK Climate Investments has invested INR 275 crores (around 40 million USD) in CleanMax as a testament to our leadership position and continued strong growth in the Commercial & Industrial sector.
Our operating capacity has grown from 24 MWp in 2015-16 to more than 520 MWp in 2018-19. Out of our total capacity we have added 70 MWp for the rooftop solar segment in Indian in 2018-19 itself. w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m
SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 27 Solar
Perspective
Key Engineering Trends Driving Down Costs Of Utility Scale PV Project Development Mr. Sunil Badesra Business Leader SUNGROW
shipped globally in next two years. We were the first to introduce the largest outdoor central inverter (3.125 MW) with 1500V DC for Indian market. Our customers are able to design the block size of 12.5 MW which is the largest block size in the solar industry till date and thereby get the significant cost advantage in BoS. 3. Sungrow is among the few leading Inverter manufacturers to offer both Central and
Being the leading Solar Inverter Manufacturer globally, we have
String Inverter with 1500 V DC for utility scale solar projects. It has launched SG250HX
seen the following trends which have helped Utility Scale projects
(250 kW string Inverter), the highest rated string inverter for utility scale projects till date
to optimize the cost:
with high compact form factor. As the utility scale projects are getting more diversified
1. We were the pioneer in bringing the containerized outdoor Central Inverter to India and set the market trend towards plug n play system without any need of inverter
in terms of solar park, non-solar park, floating, taluka wise etc. our product portfolio helps the customer to design the best optimized solution as per the requirement. 4. High DC:AC ratio (up to 1.5 and more), capability to generate more AC power, high
room. 2. The solar industry is shifting towards 1500V DC with higher savings in BoS. As per the recent market report of IHS Markit, over 100 GW of (1500V DC) solar inverters to be
Mr. Kunj J. Shah CMD, Zodiac Energy Limited Chairman, Renewable Energy Committee, ASSOCHAM Gujarat Chapter The technologies for harnessing solar energy in India are constantly evolving to reduce the overall levelised cost of energy (LCOE) from solar energy. With the prices of major solar components hitting its bottom and now bouncing back due to increasing global demand, following are the key engineering trends in Utility scale Solar PV Power Plants, which can be drivers to bring down the LCOE in utility scale solar power plants. 1. 1500 Vdc Solar Modules: Modules and inverter system voltage (inverter DC input voltage) has changed from 1000Vdc to 1500Vdc in recent days. This allows more numbers of modules to be connected per string. It allows reduction of costs by reducing the land area, cable length and cost of AJB/DCDB etc. 2. Bifacial Solar Modules: Bifacial is the latest module technology which is trending in solar PV market.A typical 72 Cell module can have a maximum of 420Wp whereas a multicrystalline can produce a maximum of 330Wp or 340Wp in same area. It allows reduction of costs by reducing the land area, cable length, Module mounting Structure tonnage, Civil Foundation and cost of AJB/DCDB etc. 3. MonoPerc Solar Modules:
Mr. Samrat Laha Director Solace Renewable Energy Private Limited
India has witnessed the integration of utility scale solar power plants at different parts of the country to achieve its goal of carbon dioxide mitigation over a decade. But a rapid growth in the solar market has been witnessed in the last four years. Innovative approach along with cutting edge technology has increased the load factor of solar power conditioning units, reduced the size of solar photovoltaic modules with appreciable increase in their respective efficiencies.
Mr. Yogendu Joshi Principal Associate Tatva Power Projects And Associates Utility-scale solar has been expanding fast on PAN INDIA basis due to its cost competitiveness and day by day is improving accordingly. During initial stage viability of the Large Scale Projects was based upon cost of Technology. After grown up of 10+ Years in Gujarat, the cost momentum of large scale projects turn up in to more of a LAND cost, Transmission Line Cost & Substation Cost. Due to technological upgradation the pressure on costs, margins and speed is intense, and most of the solar companies have dominated the industry so far. Now the key question is, will this trend continue, or does utility-scale solar can hold viable opportunities for energy incumbents going forward? As per global trend LOCE (Levelized Cost of Energy) decreased by 68%. Now to search answer of our Key Question against LOCE, some of the healthy Engineering Selection Required :� Selection of Land :- As we know, for large scale projects, huge amount of land required. And selection of Land is playing major role to balance capital investment. And hence it is
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efficiency (~99%), which are standard features of Sungrow Inverters, help large scale utility projects to generate better yield and thereby higher ROI.
The benefits of MonoPerc solar modules are also similar to that of bifacial solar modules, it is one of the latest technologies in Mono crystalline solar modules, wherein the module efficiencies are higher compared to typical polycrystalline modules. 4. Single Axis tracker: Single axis tracker helps achieving higher energy generation in projects in Northern parts of India and as a result, the cost of Land, MMS, and civil foundation etc reduced thus reducing overall project costs and LCOE. Combination of Bifacial solar module with single Axis Tracker gives better LCOE for utility scale solar projects. 5. Robotic Module cleaning: Robotic Module cleaning reduces the consumption of water and manpower costs for O&M of Solar Power Plants. It also reduces the soiling losses resulting in higher generation from plant and lowering LCOE. 6. Floating Solar PV Plants: Floating Solar PV Plants are built on water bodies. Though the BOS cost is high in floating solar, it has zero land cost and costs associated with land development. Also due to lower temperature of the modules, the energy yield are higher in floating solar power plants. All these factors results in lowering the LCOE. Proper engineering on case to case basis by employing one or more of the above can result in to the lower LCOE over the plant life cycle.
Recent developments in material composition of solar modules by stacking three separate layers of solid state elements at the base have enhanced its optical property, making it capable of absorbing light wave of various wavelengths. Development of antireflective encapsulant stands out to be a major reason for an increased energy conversion capacity of present solar modules. Modern trend of microcontroller based automatic cleaning robots capable to sprinkle water on requires an area of the solar modules moving across the surface of the solar arrays is an advanced solution. This automatic cleaning solution alongside real time remote monitoring system brings in precision and effectively optimize the maintenance operation. Modern engineering approach has made it possible to setup solar power plants from few hundred kilowatt to megawatt scale at little to least structural cost on roof sheds. This innovative approach for designing of compact module mounting brackets to hold solar modules with optimal mechanical and thermal strength has also bring down the cost of large capacity solar power plants in no time.
advisable to select land which are more of a flat in contour to avoid Land development cost. Also preferably land must be near to Discom’s Substation to avoid huge cost of Transmission Line & ROW charges. � Selection of Technology :- Major cost in Solar System is based upon PV module & Inverter. However nowadays selection of ancillaries like Cables, Structures are playing a major role. And that is the reason Value Engineering of project designing is most important i.e. using most efficient design, identification of shortest routes, avoiding complexity and maximum use of renowned components. Designing most efficient system is not always setting up economics of the project. But agility in selection without compromising of output is most important. In many cases Small Scale of String Inverters are cost effective compared to Centralized Grid Tie Inverters. Use of Aluminum cable against copper is always debatable for LOSSES but definitely wiser use of Aluminum cable can set the economics of the project. � Financial Modeling :- Though it is not part of technology but most of the projects are based upon Financial Modeling to estimate ROI. Contribution of Loan Interest Components is vital. To take care of budget, burden of interest components must be minimum. In nutshell, Solar Industry to keep on learning new technology and to develop the use of integrated system, right use of resources, close study of market, policies & customized approach for every land parcel are important.
Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 28
Technology News
A
U
Protective Layer Of Epoxy Resin Helps Prevent the leakage of pollutants from perovskite solar
L Launches Mobile PV Unit Testing Laboratory In India
With atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reaching their highest recorded levels in history,
UL Launches Mobile PV Unit Testing Laboratory In India With Capacity To Evaluate 300
and extreme weather events continuing to rise in number, the world is moving away from
Modules At One Go To Enable Onsite Solar Module Evaluation.
legacy energy systems relying on fossil fuels towards renewables such as solar. Perovskite solar technology is promising, but one key challenge to commercialization is that it may release pollutants such as lead into the environment - especially under extreme weather conditions. “Although PSCs are efficient at converting sunlight into electricity at an affordable cost, the
Illinois, United States based global safety certification company Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has launched its first mobile PV unit testing laboratory in India. It says the company is the first independent third-party certified and accredited company to launch a mobile PV testing lab in the Asian country.
fact that they contain lead raises considerable environmental concern,” explains Professor
With the help of this lab, solar PV system owners and operators will be able to identify,
Yabing Qi, head of the Energy Materials and Surface Sciences Unit, who led the study,
evaluate and replace underperforming modules directly at the solar plant site, saving time
published in Nature Energy.
and maximizing energy production. The lab helps detailed checks of up to 300 modules in
“While so-called ‘lead-free’ technology is worth exploring, it has not yet achieved
one shift and can identify hidden defects such as micro cracks, inactive areas or hotspots
efficiency and stability comparable to lead-based approaches. Finding ways of using lead
quickly and reliably, said UL. It can conduct tests on insulation, performance with low
in PSCs while keeping it from leaking into the environment, therefore, is a crucial step for
irradiance, performance at normal operating cell temperature (NOCT) and temperature
commercialization.”
coefficient.
Testing to destruction
The lab is equipped with an A+A+A solar simulator with a high-resolution
Qi’s team, supported by the OIST Technology Development and Innovation Center’s Proof-
electroluminescence (EL) test system as per IEC 60904-9 standard.
of-Concept Program, first explored encapsulation methods for adding protective layers to PSCs to understand which materials might best prevent the leakage of lead. They exposed cells encapsulated with different materials to many conditions designed to simulate the sorts of weather to which the cells would be exposed in reality. They wanted to test the solar cells in a worst-case weather scenario, to understand the
UL claims the mobile testing facility enables standard-compliant and precise on-site testing at maximum throughput.“Underperforming PV modules can bring down the energy output of a whole solar power plant which is a huge risk in terms of internal rate of return, possible damage to the modules and loss in power generation,” said Director
maximum lead leakage that could occur. First, they smashed the solar cells using a large
for renewables in Asia Pacific for UL, Dr Chakradhar Byreddy. “It was a natural progression
ball, mimicking extreme hail that could break down their structure and allow lead to be
for UL to launch the mobile PV unit testing laboratory in the Indian market, especially
leaked. Next, they doused the cells with acidic water, to simulate the rainwater that would
at a time when the government of India is working towards developing robust quality
transport leaked lead into the environment.
standards for components and systems.”
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 29
Product Feature
Risen Energy’s monocrystalline PERC cell achieves maximum efficiency exceeding 23%, accelerating PV grid parity Risen Energy Co., Ltd. recently announced that its proprietary cast-mono 5BB cell has
This new type of HDT module
achieved an efficiency of 22.05 percent while its MBB monocrystalline cell has realized
deploys high efficiency double-
a maximum conversion efficiency of 23.08 percent and an average efficiency of 22.73
side heterojunction cell technology.
percent, marking another major milestone in the company’s efforts to reduce costs and
Risen Energy shortened the gap
enhance efficiency.
between the ‘luxury’ HDT and
The enhancement in efficiency is the result of Risen Energy’s constant innovation.
terminal customers and unveiled
The highly efficient cast-mono 5BB cell uses a series of latest efficiency enhancement technologies including double-sided passivation, antireflective films, electro-injection passivation and slurry improvement. This is the first time that a cast-mono 5BB cell has successfully exceeded 22 percent in efficiency. Compared with the 5BB cell, the MBB monocrystalline cell features a more optimized metallized contact technology, which effectively reduces the shading area, enhances the ability to collect carriers while reducing the incidence of cracks, contributing to a significantly higher conversion efficiency. At the same time, a further cost reduction is realized with decreased use of silver slurry. Risen Energy said that the company has always been committed to raising the efficiency and reliability of its products while lowering costs, in an effort to improve the efficiency of its cell modules, optimize the structure of its cell components and enhance product quality. Keeping up with industry trends, Risen Energy will continue to focus on improving the quality and efficiency of its PV products through innovation in technology, in a move to accelerate grid parity. The company will also work with its strategic material suppliers to promote the development of new materials, in a move to better meet the need for more efficient cell technologies, creating more investment value for the application side. In SNEC, Risen Energy brings a newly researched and developed technology outcome HDT (Heterojunction Double-side Technology) and launched the latest innovative achievement to the media and industry on the first day of the exhibition.
the
secret
combines amorphous half-cut
technology, silicon
which
technology,
silicon
technology,
procedure,
double-side
process, to terminal applications. HDT is another solid proof for Risen Energy’s
sustainable
innovation
and will be another ‘surprise’ Risen Energy presented to our global clients.
About Risen Energy Risen Energy Co., Ltd. was founded in 1986 and listed as a Chinese public company (Stock Code: 300118) in 2010. Risen Energy is one of the pioneers in solar industry and has committed to this industry as a R&D expert, an integrated manufacturer from wafers to modules, a manufacturer of off-grid systems, and also an investor, a developer and an EPC of PV projects. Aiming to deliver the green energy worldwide, Risen Energy is developing internationally with offices and sales networks in China, Germany, Australia, Mexico, India, Japan, USA and others.
Huawei Launches the Latest 1500V Smart String Inverter in India Huawei, the world leader in inverter shipments, announces the launch of latest utility scale 1500V smart string inverter, SUN2000-185KTL-INH0 (“SUN2000-185KTL”) for Indian solar market. The state-of-the-art SUN2000-185KTL integrated the AI algorithm, is the best choice for 1500V solar system, trackers and bifacial PV modules. Huawei updates the traditional astronomical algorithm and adopts intelligent trackers and bifacial PV modules based on AI algorithm to achieve the integration of tracker control, power supply and communication, maximising energy yields. SUN2000-185KTL has maximum efficiency 99.03% and European efficiency 98.66%, ensuring high power generation; 9 MPPTs for versatile adaptions to different layouts and string-level fast trouble-shooting; multi-MPPT design reduces mismatch impact caused by shading and dust; no fuse design reduces the fire risk caused by DC side malfunction and decreases O&M cost. Comparing to the traditional solution, FusionSolar Smart PV Solution with SUN2000-185KTL makes yields increased by over 3% and O&M efficiency increased by over 50%; AI auto-learning enables the trackers to fit the bifacial PV modules better by optimising the tracking algorithm, which brings additional 0.5% to more than 1% of energy yields; Huawei patented multi-peak algorithm achieves tracking the highest power peak in 200 milliseconds; Smart I-V Curve Diagnosis can proactively discover low-performance strings, achieving the revolution from passive maintenance to active preventive maintenance. Mayank Mishra, regional sales director of Huawei Smart PV Business India, said: “The SUN2000-185KTL power density is further enhanced and it is the industry’s first ongrid solar inverter that incorporates AI technology. It integrates smart tracking system control functions to stably adapt to various power grids and complies with the latest CEA guidelines of India and IEC certified. Based on reports released by global consultancy IHS Markit, Huawei was ranked No.1 globally in inverter shipments for four consecutive years, 2015 to 2018.” Huawei Smart PV is committed to bringing digital to every organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. It will stay customer-centric and continuously provide competitive products and solutions through large-scale R&D investment and technological innovation to Indian solar industry. For more information, please visit: solar.huawei.com, you can also follow us @Huawei FusionSolar at LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to keep up-to-date about our latest news.
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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 30
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS
Insolation Energy - Rajasthan’s first fully automatic 60MW SPV Module manufacturing line
Sustainable global economic development requires reliable, cost-effective and quickly scalable energy solutions. With a vision of contributing to a world, which does not depend on power from fossil fuels, Insolation Energy Pvt. Ltd was founded in March 2017 in Rajasthan as a national energy provider with a successful business in India. Insolation Energy Pvt. Ltd, a company promoted & operated by Mr. Manish Gupta & Mr. Vikas Jain having experience of more than 19 years in various sectors like Steel, Industrial Pipe Line Accessories, Real Estate, Health & Fitness, and Independent Solar Power Producer. Insolation Energy aims to accelerate the adoption of solar technology across the world to conserve our environment and provide an environmentally friendly, sustainable and conflict-free power supply. Insolation Energy is committed to leading a change in the country’s current energy portfolio by delivering cleaner and smarter energy choices, thereby reducing India’s carbon footprint. Insolation energy aims to produce the best quality and affordable PV modules according to global quality, in minimum manufacturing cost that makes it environmentally and economically efficient and it supports the vision of producing green and clean energy under our prime minister’s ‘make in India’ campaign. The new Solar Division of Insolation Energy, a PV Module Manufacturing Unit which is conceptualized with professionals having rich experience in renewable energy and with
Insolation Energy’s aim is to come up as a solar leader by Making the difference to the solar projects At Insolation Energy Private Limited, world-class quality is a top priority. They strive to provide their customer with products and services which meet and exceed their expectations. Insolation Energy believes that we shall use preventive processes and testing to drive the highest quality standards and to deliver products that meet their stated quality goals. We aim to manufacture Solar PV Modules with high quality, long lasting, reliable and prudent practices under “Make in India” Campaign. Insolation Energy is dedicatedly working towards technology up gradation to improve the efficiency of their PV modules and collaborate with global leaders to bring out the best technology in the solar industry for a greener, sustainable and better solar future. The global demand for sustainable energy solutions is on the rise and Insolation Energy is aware of its commitment to elevating the quality of life, while at the same time generating green energy responsibly. Insolation Energy will continue to do all it takes to make solar energy affordable and accessible to people in need across the country. Insolation Energy is a nationally active solar energy solutions provider, specializing in highefficiency crystalline PV module manufacturing. Insolation Energy is an active contributor in shaping the solar revolution. Carrying forward the rich legacy and extensive manufacturing
an annual manufacturing capacity of 60 MW of high-efficiency PV Modules in the range
experience of the Fluidcon Engineer, INA Solar, since 2017, is building on a 2-decade old
of 40Wp to 350Wp Poly and Monocrystalline along with new innovative products i.e. twin
success story. Insolation Energy successfully demonstrated their capability even before the
power, Dual glass (Glass to Glass), BIPV, Mono PERC for more better generation and other
solar sector witnessed active growth and development in India. Today, INA has been rated
technical advantage and applications.
by various acclaimed agencies for product and process quality. Insolation Energy source
Insolation Energy has fully automatic & state of the art manufacturing unit spread in more
best-in-class equipment from all around the world to deliver the finest product quality.
than 65000 Sq. ft area with sophisticated machinery which delivers A-grade quality solar
Their highly competent research and development team constantly work on improving
PV module that follows all the standard of IEC, UL, MNRE, CE , BIS – IS 14286 etc. Insolation
their product portfolio and introducing new products to serve their customers better.
Energy promotes its products with the brand name ‘INA’.
Today, Insolation Energy is proud to have built one of India’s best production facilities with
The manufacturing of Solar PV module started from the March 2017. With a successful track record developing, engineering, constructing and connecting more than 32 MW*+ of solar PV modules, Insolation Energy stands out as one of the leading solar developers
a total annual production capacity of 60 MW along and they are eager to contribute more to the Indian solar industry.
in India. Some of their prominent projects are –
The Equipment & Setup at Insolation Energy
2.3 MW Project in Ujjain
Insolation energy has installed one of the most advanced and Rajasthan first fully automatic
1 MW in Bhilwara Insolation Energy has developed these projects while following the global standards and they make sure that the modules are micro crack defect-free as each and every module was tested in their manufacturing line.
Quality is what Insolation Energy believes in
60MW SPV Module manufacturing line with least manual intervention and continuous automatic process, Automatic Tabber & stringer, inline Pre & Post EL Tester, Automatic framing machine for Seamless framing and AAA Class inline sun simulator. Best quality raw material conforming to the latest BIS and International standards is procured for the manufacturing of modules. They are consistently upgrading their machinery to improve the efficiency of their modules. Their manufacturing line embodies the finest automatic machinery under the supervision of our skilled team. Testing is done at each stage so that
Insolation energy never compromises with the quality of modules and they assure that their
the module performs well throughout its lifespan and thus, world-class PV Modules are
customers are satisfied with the quality they deliver. For ensuring the quality, Insolation
produced.
Energy conducts 30 in-house tests and they are planning some more tests in the coming
Right now their team of researchers and developers is working on ‘glass to glass module’
future. Their modules come with a warranty of 25 years. They are continuously working on
and ‘twin power module’, the specialty of ‘glass to glass modules’ is that it can also be used
improving the quality and reliability of their products.
as glass and it generates power too. Insolation Energy has drawn some great results in this
Mr. Manish Gupta, one of the founders of Insolation Energy says that this is the result of
research and soon, they are launching some new products that are developed during this
hard work and commitment of their team that INA has become an exemplary name in
research. The production at INA stands for quality and a clean and green future.
the global market. Their products meet the highest Global quality International and BIS
Insulation Energy is awarded for their excellence by various institutions and they are
standards that enable them to offer excellent utility for their partners and clients. Insolation
dedicatedly working towards technology up gradation to improve the efficiency of their
Energy goals are to extend technological leadership with consistent improvement of
cells and modules. From the last 1 year, insolation energy is producing world-class solar
their products and to have a transparent relationship with their clients that lead us to a
panels and delivering unmatchable results that have made INA a trustworthy brand. In a
sustainable future.
short period of time, INA has also won the belief of numerous eminent brands.
-Insolation Energy w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m
SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 31 Solar
Product Feature
Ginlong (Solis) Introduces the 5G (Fifth Gen!) Inverter Platform for 2020 and Beyond The new, fifth generation of Solis single- and three-phase inverter products (as well as the 1500V PV String Inverter project) has been realized at Ginlong (Solis) and has been upgraded beyond the visions of the original foundations. The new 5G vision and innovative upgrades will ensure Solis customers experience even more of the efficient, reliable product performance and prompt customer service they have come to expect from Ginlong (Solis).
Efficiency & Reliability: Ginlong (Solis) 5G inverters utilize a new and efficient control algorithm (Max efficiency exceeding 99.1%). Ginlong (Solis) inverters continue to offer the latest DPWM Technology, the industry-widest MPPT voltage range, very low start-up voltages and, it will support 13A per MPPT/PV string. The new 5G inverter platform includes integrated type II SPD’s on both the AC and DC sides of the inverter to enhance inverter reliability in extreme weather conditions.
Intelligent & Friendly : The Ginlong (Solis) fifth generation (5G) inverter platform includes intelligent string monitoring and IV curve scanning. Ginlong (Solis) string IV curve scanning, it will quickly detect and alert service personnel of module faults, hot spots and other issues. With a built-in PID detection and mitigation function, the Ginlong (Solis) 5G inverter will apply a positive voltage to the PV string to help counter the PID effect.
Stability & Reliability: Ginlong (Solis) 5G inverters utilize a new bipolar PWM control algorithm which can reduce the change rate of the common-mode voltage, suppressing leakage current. This new process can effectively reduce leakage current fault rates 50% to 60%. Ginlong (Solis) has strong leadership positions in the world’s fastest growing solar markets, and we use innovation in technology to ensure the company’s continuing sustainable development. Ginlong (Solis) has set ourselves the task of not only providing our customers solar electricity but also of seeding in them the idea of a green lifestyle. The Ginlong (Solis) next generation technology platform has arrived, representing the company motto; “Quality, Reliability, Experience”. These new advances are the result of all the great teamwork at the Ginlong(Solis), as they carry out their mission to provide their customers with the best products and services in the PV inverter industry.
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Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 32 32 Solar
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS
The Rising Sun and the occasional cloud Forty years ago, when President Jimmy Carter installed 32 solar panels on the roof of The White House, little did the world realise that it was an important step towards ushering in an era of a clean, reliable and abundantly available natural energy source. Countries across the globe are increasing focusing on renewable energy to sustainably fuel their growth plans, which as yet have heavily relied on fast depleting and often polluting carbon fuel. India, too, has taken ambitious strides in leveraging its geographic advantage that offers abundant sunshine over vast areas for most of the year. India installed 8.3GW of solar capacity in 2018 and that formed roughly 8% of global installations (104 GW). While the number may first seem impressive, it gets dwarfed when compared to China’s installation of 44.3GW. India’s per capita power consumption (0.6 tons oil equivalent per year) is low in its peer group of BRIC countries (China leads the pack at about 2.6 tons oil equivalent per year) and that emphasises the potential energy-requirement for the future. India is hoping to achieve most of that energy requirement from its ambitious plan of 100GW of solar energy by 2022. The opportunities and challenges that await India as it readies to accomplish the mission are many and all the key stakeholders, the Government of India (GoI) through MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), the SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India), IPPs (Independent Power Producers), DISCOMs (Distribution Companies), financers and the risk management community, have an all-important role to play. As per the GoI’s stated objective, about 40% of the installed capacity by 2022 needs to come from solar parks. Considering the challenges and sensitivities around land acquisition and infrastructural requirement for power evacuation, solar parks provide a comparatively hassle-free solution. While the intention is well-founded, execution remains a challenge and delay in commissioning dates is leading to cost escalations.
The role of risk management, therefore, over the large cycle of 25 years becomes very important. Well considered safeguards need to be incorporated at the drawing-board stage itself. Besides the obvious risks of property damage caused by natural and man-made perils, the projects should be able to cope with and respond to deteriorating power generation caused by excessive panel degradation and lower than expected radiation.
The way forward The success of solar relies heavily on visioning goals that encourage stable and sustainable long term development. Although power primarily remains as a state subject, increased collaboration and coordination between the centre and state will be crucial to improve efficiencies while also articulating a clearer industry roadmap. Similarly, industry associations need to work in tandem with policy makers and risk managers to create a knowledge repository and leverage data more effectively to better understand and mitigate risk. This will improve the long term project sustainability and financial viability for all involved stakeholders. Renewable energy has the potential to create many employment opportunities, especially in rural areas. Apart from providing energy security, the large savings generated can also be better utilised in a fast developing country. India is slowly but surely gaining global prominence in the generation of solar power and the rising sun bears testimony to it.
Compared to 2017, there was an approximate 11% drop in fresh capacity addition in 2018 as far as PV installation is concerned. While demanding lower solar tariffs, the policy making machinery would be well advised to take a holistic view of the surrounding complex situation. This includes a combination of factors like auction cancellations, safeguard duty on imported panels, GST implications and the volatile rupee – all shrinking the profit margins of IPPs. With more than 88% of panels still being imported from China and Malaysia, we still have a long way to go as far as the “Make in India” drive is concerned. The scale and expertise achieved by large-scale Chinese players still eludes local panel producers. The apprehensions of IPPs regarding Indian panel producers need to be allayed by offering quality products backed by long term panel warranties, as is the case with Chinese imports. Likewise, Risk Managers and Insurers need to be closely involved right from the conceptualisation stage to ensure technical and financial viability while at the same time develop products that will instill confidence and facilitate enterprise level risk-taking.
MR. SUMIT DUTT Head – Property and Casualty, Willis Towers Watson India Insurance Brokers
MR. SAURABH VERMA Executive Vice President–Property & Casualty, Willis Towers Watson India Insurance Brokers
On one hand, IPPs cite hyper competitive pricing as a major impediment for investments in comprehensive risk management, and on the other, insurers remain cautious of offering long-term insurance products. Given the nature of contracts that need to provide cover for as long as 25 years, the risks are many, including radiation changes over the years, panel performance, power evacuation on a committed basis and timely payouts. Other factors such as the recent NBFC financial situation, auction cancellation of PV projects in Gujarat (which incidentally adopted a renewal energy policy quite early), Karnataka stopping any new solar energy projects, have all further exacerbated the challenge for IPPs. It is no wonder that new capacity additions is almost flattened in 2018 giving the policy makers jitters.
Policy making and regulatory framework The SECI, entrusted as the custodian of the solar mission in India, holds the key to developing a fertile ground for solar projects to sustain and thrive. While attractive pricing will provide financial incentives for solar power generation, hyper competition introduced by way of maximum ceiling price-driven tenders are detrimental to all. Panel standardisation and approval should be the starting point to bring homogeneity in the entire eco-system. The role of MNRE could also evolve on the lines of SEBI or TRAI with an increased impetus towards setting standards, best practice implementation, governance and compliance. The certification of panels is an immediate concern and it is alarming that the backbone on which solar expects to build, i.e. the solar panels, are devoid of any certification besides the basic ones by IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission, a global standards body for solar panels). The government, also needs to do its bit in ensuring grid-stability as increasingly, this is getting tested against sporadic power production. Smart grid still remains a challenge and there needs to be a long term commitment to address issues around balancing.
Risk management framework Whether it be dependency, asset idling during night time, large scale land requirement, cutthroat bidding or long tail nature of PPAs, the solar energy space is as perilous as it is prized. Given the long term nature of PPAs, it is imperative that key risks like cost risks, schedule risks, performance risks and operational risks are all identified and mitigated. While the lack of actuarial data in a nascent industry, such as solar, makes it challenging to structure and/or price risks, a well detailed risk mitigation framework can be a first crucial step towards addressing this issue. This, however, calls for a paradigm shift in the mindset while dealing with solar projects, which only have a fixed cost and practically non-existent variable cost. Borrowing solutions from other power generation channels like thermal or hydro power will not be suitable in this case.
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SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 33 Solar
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS
Adani Solar is India’s first company with vertically integrated business that offers services across the spectrum of photovoltaics manufacturing Contributing to the nation’s journey of becoming self-reliant in terms of Energy Security, we ventured into what is known to be the pathway to a greener world – Solar in 2017. Adani Solar is the solar manufacturing arm of Adani Group, a USD 13 billion Indian conglomerate and one of the India’s largest business houses with businesses spanning across Resources, Logistics, Energy, Agri and ancillary Industries.
o Are resistant to Salt, Mist, Ammonia, Sand and Dust Abrasion.
Adani Solar is India’s largest Solar PV Cell and Module Manufacturer with 1.2 GW capacity at world’s largest Special Economic Zones at Mundra, Gujarat in India. The state-of-theart manufacturing facility with multi-level infrastructure is optimised for scaling up to 3 GW of modules and cells under a single roof. It is also the fastest growing Rooftop and distributed solar EPC Company with projects over 250 MW commissioned and over 400 MW under execution.
o Are certified to withstand Snow Loads (8000Pa) and high wind loads (4200Pa) Over millions of customers across the globe are now powered with Adani Solar’s panels, which delivers green, clean and reliable energy and help to lower their electricity bills in future.
Market Leadership � It maintains market leadership, as it is the first manufacturer in India with IEC 2016 certification in all SKUs. – Reliable � Adani Solar is the first company in the world to start a Greenfield Project of GW scale. � It is accredited as Tier-1 supplier by BNEF (Bloomberg New Energy Finance) � It is the only Indian manufacturer to be awarded Top Performer by DNV-GL PVEL Global reliability testing for two consecutive years. � Potential Generation estimate accredited by 3rd Party validated PAN & IAM files – Assuring Higher Generations – upto 3% higher yield in actual installation than peers � Modules Tested for 3 EC – Assuring superior reliability & linear warranty of PV Modules � Adani Solar has India’s best logistics services support for import-exports i.e. Air, Sea, Rail, Land, Road � Adani Solar Modules are insured by Munich RE (World’s leading reinsurance company) � Adani Solar Modules approved by over 35 banks – Non recourse finance � Factory audited by renowned bodies like solar buyer, CEA, Black & Veatch, TUV Rheinland
o Are tied up with world renowned laboratories like TÜV Rheinland and UL Laboratories, Fraunhofer, PI Berlin, DNV GL PVEL, JET. o Can pass Dynamic Load Test (1000Cycles) replicating real life conditions for 25 years lifetime
SOLUTIONS Solar EPC The Company offers Design, Detailed Engineering, Procurement, Installation and Commissioning services under Turnkey Solar EPC Solutions for Utility scale Groundmounted, Rooftop and distributed, Solar Parks, CAPEX as well as OPEX projects
Turnkey EPC: End to End Solution Construction � Robust execution methodology for insuring quality at all stages � Delivering projects in record time consistently with best field quality � Dedicated project teams for installation across Procurement globe � Equipment from top suppliers for Operation and Maintenance maximum trouble free operation � Faster and cost effective performance � Quality and certified products backed up monitoring by tie-ups and SLA with reputed vendors � O&M data analysis and reporting � Procurement team strength of 50+ having � Routine, preventive and corrective 9 decades of procurement experience maintenance Engineering � Reliable design with best in class engineering team � State of the art design software’s for compliance with international standards
� According to Mercom India Solar Market Update, Adani Solar is India’s top Project developer, in-terms of cumulative solar installations.
Utility Scale Ground Mounted Solar Solutions
World Class PV Modules
Are you any developer, an investor or an installer that installs in Utility segment and looking to increase your efficiencies and reduce the overall costs and installations or logistics time?
Adani Solar is India’s first company with vertically integrate businesses that offers services across the spectrum of photovoltaics manufacturing upto project development. The Company offers and produces high efficiency Multi, Mono PERC and Bifacial modules with superior efficiency, higher performance and enhanced reliability.
Well, your search ends here as Adani Solar brings you a one stop turnkey solar solution. With an array of diverse solar project portfolio, the Company with its dedicated & efficient team and resources will fulfil your project requirements and ensure timely delivery.
Adani Solar’s cutting-edge technology, scale of operations, cost leadership and reliability, sets up apart from all other global competitors and supporting utilities. With its stateof-the-art platinum rated 1.2 GW manufacturing facility at Mundra (india’s largest & first), the Company supplies reliable solar modules that are proven to meet all of our customers’ exact requirements. Our module’s presence is spread across all 4 Continents.
Rooftop and DistributedSolar EPC Solution By choosing us and installing our Solar panels on your rooftop, you’ll start availing � Immediate slash on your electricity bills � Low maintenance cost �Increase in savings
� Decrease in Carbon Footprints
� Protection from future hikes in electricity costs.
� Competitive advantage � Increase in your property value
By Getting SUNplugged with Adani Solar, you will be producing your own solar power to save money and the environment by contributing green, clean energy to this planet. Our dedicated and swift customer service team will be available to support your queries and resolve any technical issues and will ensure timely solutions.
Beaming retail horizon dawn upon Adani Solar
PV Module Categories we offer: � Encore Series : Multi-crystalline
o For large-scale and Rooftop PV installations
�Eternal Series : Mono-PERC
�
o For higher efficiency and better rates of return
Elan Series : Bi-facial Dual Glass o Lowest LCOE & highest IRR
Adani Solar produces and manufactures Hi-Tech, best in quality, certified most reliable, durable and efficient PV Modules to the customers across the globe.
Why Adani Solar PV Modules are the best choice? � Highly Bankability. � R&D Market leader in solar cell development. � Our R&D always plans 6-12 months ahead of competition (industry average). � Power rating of our PV modules in mass production will always be one bin higher than its competitor. � Backed by 100% Fully Automated State of the Art Manufacturing Lines.
Our PV Modules o Undergoes 3 EL process steps while module manufacturing ensuring Crack Free PV Modules. o Qualifies for 2 * IEC Thresher Test Program. o Can withstand extreme climates, temperatures, humidity and pressure over a 25-year period. o Has Superior PID Resistance compared to Competitors.
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The Company has been on progressive drive to bolster its retail presence. Over the past few months, the company has expanded its retail distribution network across 8 regions, enabling over 500 Indian cities to the take the country’s renewables energy vision to the next level. The company has registered its footprints in markets such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana as part of the new journey. Connecting with able channel partners across each of these states has been a significant stride towards facilitating the switch to sustainable solar power, across consumers, SMEs, MSMEs and institutions at the lowest capex costs. Solar power is the fastest growing source of electricity generation as the government is increasingly introducing clean energy targets. Among the Indian solar panel manufacturers, Adani Solar maintains its market leadership position. Mr. Ramesh Nair, CEO of Adani Solar, said “Adani Solar is looking towards making India energy efficient and sustainable by effectively using renewable resources. Through our exclusive channel partners in these regions, we have retailed more than 20MW solar panels till date. We aim to achieve a greater reach and visibility of our product in the country by bringing down power consumption costs for our consumers and reducing load on the grids. On the retail front, Adani Solar will target an aggressive 50 percent market share.” Enthused by the vision to harness talent and encourage innovation under the Make in India campaign, Adani Solar’s manufacturing facility in Mundra clearly demonstrates Adani Group’s commitment to play a role in development of the nation.
Solar Quarter • June 2019 34
Company News
T
I
BEA Brings Smart Photovoltaic Solutions to 2019 SNEC PV Exhibition
ngeteam supplies 2 GW of PV inverters in the first half of 2019
The annual global PV industry’s top event SNEC2019 International Solar Industry and
Ingeteam has supplied 2 GW of power for solar PV plants throughout the world during the first
Photovoltaic Exhibition kicked off at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. The
half of 2019. This means that the company’s technology will be capable of supplying renewable
event coincides with the launch of the 2019 new PV policy, bringing PV industry back
energy to more than 400,000 homes once commissioned. In total, the Spanish company has
to the focus. As one of the industry’s dazzling stars, TBEA Xinjiang New Energy Co., Ltd.
reached a cumulative power of 14.5 GW throughout the world, which could satisfy the energy
(hereinafter referred to as TBEA) has been forging ahead and never stopped the pace of
demand of about 3 million homes. In 2019, the key markets in which the company has grown
new energy dream. TBEA had continued to carry out in-depth research and development
its solar business are the Middle East region, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Chile and France.
in the industry and presented SNEC exhibition once again with “LCOE-optimal system
Ingeteam closed 2018 with a new record of 3.85 GW supplied, for solar PV installations
solution “, which has once again established its leading position in the industry. The
worldwide. So far this year, Ingeteam has already exceeded half this figure and the company is
Shanghai SNEC exhibition has also become an important breakout point of its research
expected to pass the barrier of 4 GW in 2019.
and development achievements, attracting wide attention of customers around the
The Ingeteam Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of technological solutions for PV
world, and shining in the public’s eyes with its extreme products and solutions.
plants, control, monitoring and automation systems as well as energy storage systems. In this
TBEA still shows its strong strength in research and development and launches brand
regard, this year Ingeteam has been entrusted with the supply, commissioning and provision
new products with a bang.
of services for the largest solar PV project in Europe, now being built in the region of Murcia, Spain. The company was awarded the contract for the Mula project, which will achieve an
1500V Smart PV Solutions
installed power capacity of 500 MWp, to become the largest plant in Spain and Europe.
In the field of centralized inverters, TBEA 1500V 5MW outdoor centralized photovoltaic solutions adopt advanced parallel design technology and flexible collocation, which increases the comprehensive income of traditional photovoltaic power stations by more than 3%.
It is estimated that, by the end of 2019, the plant could be operating through the connection point at the El Palmar substation, a strategic hub for the power transmission grid in the region of Murcia.
New Energy Power Plants Voltage and Reactive Power Stability Solutions
Energy storage
TBEA provides grid-connected voltage security and stability solutions for new energy
Energy storage is a key sector for Ingeteam, where the company is positioning itself for the
power stations, and its cumulative application performance of SVG products exceeds 5GVar.The product uses silica gel to seal PCBA to meet the complex environment of dust, condensation, salt fog and so on.
considerable development expected in the short and medium term for systems of this type, both at a residential level and also on a large scale. In fact, Ingeteam is marketing its battery converters for both segments and, in 2018, the company supplied this equipment primarily
The solution applies IGBT temperature real-time monitoring, hydropower separation
for hybrid systems that combine PV generation with energy storage. Sales in this sector were
and other technologies, and has passed the high/low voltage crossing test, provides a
principally made to countries such as the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia,
reliable guarantee for the safety.
the United Arab Emirates, India, Poland and the French overseas departments.
One Mega Event - 4 Expo
S
OFARSOLAR India's outstanding market performance, won the award Best Solar Inverter Company in The State
ELECTRIC
VEHICLES EXPO
Int’l Exhibition On Electric Vehicles
“Best Solar Inverter Company in The State” from India famous media has been awarded to SOFARSOLAR, which recognizes SOFARSOLAR development progress in Indian rooftop sector. For SOFARSOLAR, this award strengthens its confidence and determination to continue to develop steadily in the Indian market and try to become one of best inverter companies in Indian market. In recent years, the Indian photovoltaic market has attracted the attention of photovoltaic enterprises all over the world. Thanks to the local policy support and the decline of global
October 2019
Mahatma Mandir Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
Hurry!
Book Your Space Now! Get Early Bird Discount!
A Hi-Tech Business Pla�orm For Indian Solar, EV, LED & Ba ery Industry
photovoltaic product prices, as well as the Indian government’s ambitious target of 100 GW of installed capacity and the lure of huge investment in power grid transformation, the Indian photovoltaic market has been booming and became fifth-largest photovoltaic power producer after China, the United States, Japan and Germany. According to the data, the global PV installation volume in 2018 was about 103.3GW, led by China at 44.26GW, followed by the United States at 11.36 GW, Japan at 6.2 GW and Australia at 3.8GW, and India, as a later newcomer, has achieved a growth rate of 9.3GW. There is no doubt that India is shining on the world photovoltaic stage as an emerging market player. SOFARSOLAR currently is one of the top 5 string inverter companies throughout China, and has earned the reputation of being a leader in power storage inverters. Since 2015, SOFARSOLAR began to set up the Indian market which has been built perfect sales and service system to provide the best product and service to local users. At present, SOFARSOLAR has made new breakthroughs in a number of market segments in India, and occupies an important market share.With the deepening cooperation with local well-known enterprises in India, SOFARSOLAR has become one of the most famous household inverter brands in India. The award is the best market feedback. Zhong qizheng, vice President of SOFARSOLAR said, “this is award from well-known media SolarQuarter in India. It’s a best feedback from we insist on high quality products and services. We will bring more and better products to market, so that every household
Exhibitors Profile Annual Maintenance Contractors Banks / Financial Institutions Charge Controllers Data Logger Electrical Test & Measuring Systems Emission Monitoring Systems Grid Infrastructure /Management Grid Optimization Hybrid Systems IT & Communication Technology Installers Epc Companies Inverters / Distributors Screen Printing Equipments Metallization Equipments Silicon Feedstock Ingot & Wafer Manufacturing Research Institutions Trade Media Publishing Certification Institutes Solar Products & Technologies Solar Panels Solar Systems Provider Solar Consumer Products Solar Commercial Products Solar Drying & Desalination Systems Solar Energy Storage Solar Park Developers
SMD Mounting Machines Solar Lanterns Solar Lights / Solar LED Solar Forms / Cities / Homes / Villages Solar Street & Billboard Lighting Solar Software Solutions Solar Cells Manufacturers Photovoltaic (pv) Modules Project Consultants Manufacturing Equipment Vendors Materials And Equipment Monitor, Mounting Systems, Trackers Traffic Lights Equipment Smart Grid Technologies LED Chandeliers , Crystal Lights etc LED Displays LED Assemblies & Products LED Software Solutions LED Manufacturers LED Screen / Video Walls LED Encapsulation Materials LED Manufacturing equipment LED Machinery LED Applications & Lighting LED Signage & Displays LED Components / Chips LED Accessories & Raw Materials LED Products & Fixtures
LED Drivers & Power Supply Liquid LED LED Neon Lights, Indicator lamps, Chandeliers, Crystal Lights etc. LED Spot Lights / Fixtures LED Module Connectors LED Turnkey Solution Providers, etc. LED Architectural lighting LED Automobile Lamps. LED Bulbs / Tubes /O LEDS Solar Batteries Battery Manufacturers Battery manufacturing machines Battery vent plugs & packing jali Battery Containers Battery Raw Materials Automotive Batteries E-vehicles Batteries Battery Separator MC Battery Battery Invertor / Battery Charger Battery Lead Manufacturers Battery Terminal Manufacturers Labs & R & D Battery Chemical & Inks All Batteries Products & Technologies Deep Cycle Application Battery Battery Part Manufacturers
Supporting Assocition
in India and the world can enjoy the green and healthy life brought by clean energy.”
2/3/4 wheel electric and hybrid vehicle manufactures Commercial, Cargo, Passenger and Personal Electric Vehicle Indian/International Electric Vehicle parts and component Battery Technology companies Charger Manufacturer Accessories Manufacturer Government sector and Departments / Nodal Agencies Homologation/Testing Agencies Banks and financial Institutions Insurance Companies Research and Training Institutes Body/ Chassis Fabricators Solar Power Technology Companies Branding Solution Providers E-Vehicle Manufacturers Automotive and Parts Manufacturers Components manufacturers & suppliers Material suppliers Engineering services / Consultants Testing, R&D and Education Institutions Connectors /Cables Wires and Harness manufacturers and suppliers Manufacturer & Suppliers of Auto Ancillaries Machinery & Equipment Manufacturers Design and simulation Charging station manufacturer Power management companies
Media Partners
99 LIGHTING WORLD
Now, many branches of sales and service centers are establishing in India to provide on-site services across all Indian market.These factors will benefit SOFARSOLAR in the Indian market. It is believed that SOFARSOLAR’s solar inverters and storage inverters will
Contact us : Tel +91 8976777990 | Mob : +91 9820130615 | 9930959799 Email : zakir@starexhibitions.in | info@starexhibitions.in | web : www.solartodayexpo.com | www.starexhibitions.in
be widely used in the Indian market in the future.
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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 35
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS
Mono Vs Poly – An Introspective Simulation Study! Solar installations in India have seen an average year-on-year growth of 82% since 2012.
Designing a solar power plant is a tedious task given the fact that there are numerous
With the nation currently standing at around 28 GW of solar installation and with more than
calculations alongside various considerations to be made before arriving at a final
95% installations utilizing crystalline technology, this trend is not to change in the next few
blueprint. However, at initial stages there could be two basic divisions in deciding on the
years. To a novice, crystalline solar module comes in two technologies i.e. mono crystalline
design on the power plant i.e.
& poly crystalline which could be easily identified by their shape and/or their colour. While such identification is relatively easy, selecting the right kind of technology for your project could be highly perplexing. This is primarily because of the advantages each technology has i.e. the cost advantage of utilizing poly crystalline versus the efficiency advantage of
a. Power plant based on fixed area b. Power plant based on fixed capacity Understanding and fixing power plant based on above parameters enables a novice to
mono crystalline technology. While there has been a lot of debate over this topic and with
perfectly evaluate its performance along with their commercial returns. In many of cases,
over hundreds of articles online, a perfect answer to this conundrum still seem missing.
where we have a fixed area chalked out for the solar PV plant, it needs to be ensured that
Further with the location and its climatic conditions having a subsequent affect over the
the designer accommodates maximum capacity of PV plant to ensure the enhancement
plant’s performance, a clear guideline considering all the performing indicators in a power
of the plant’s commercial return. There are however few cases where one need to have a
plant seem clearly lacking. This blog and its subsequent parts aims to educate its readers
power plant of fixed DC capacity, say due to limited evacuation capacity, policy/ regulatory
on a complete technical and commercial evaluation of a mono crystalline versus poly
limitations, limitations due to tenders, etc. In cases like such, it is of prime importance that
crystalline module. Further it shall also enable the end customer/ investor/ an EPC to make
the plant is designed in a way that its energy output is optimized to ensure enhanced
correct decision when selecting a technology for their power plant.
commercial return. For a thorough understanding, a single location was considered from
Methodology
each of this climatic zone with further the power plant consideration based on fixed area (1000 m2) and fixed capacity (1 MW). The energy gains, gains from temperature losses
Solar modules are known to have varied performance throughout the day due to varying
and commercial savings were analysed by utilizing mono crystalline versus poly crystalline
weather conditions. Such variations throughout the year or better known as climate vary
technology. In order to understand the gains only from the module technology, the
distinctively across countries. The performance of the solar modules thus vary accordingly
balance of system (BoS) for the entire study was kept same.
which makes it important to have a complete study across each climatic zones. India, which is the 7th largest country in the World houses almost all the type of climatic conditions
Results and Discussion Hot & dry climatic zone
which could be experienced and hence make a perfect choice for the study. Primarily, India
Found in the western and few central parts of India, hot and dry zone have summers with
can be divided into 6 climatic zones (refer Figure 1) as mentioned below:
high to very high temperatures. This zone further also has moderate to extreme winters.
� Hot & dry climatic zone: A climatic zone with extreme summers and extreme winters
The extreme temperatures directly affect the performance of the power plant. Specifically
with minimal rainfall.
during summer, due to high ambient temperatures of around 42~46 °C, the operating
� Warm & humid climatic zone: A climatic zone with moderate summers and moderate
temperatures of the solar module increases rapidly. Mono crystalline module which are
winters with heavy rainfalls. The zone also typically has high humidity throughout the
known to perform better in higher temperatures loses 4.95% less energy due to higher
year.
temperatures when compared to poly based plants. Overall an energy boost of around
� Moderate climatic zone: A climatic zone with moderate summers, moderate winters and moderate rainfalls. � Composite climatic zone: A climatic zone with extreme summers and extreme winters with moderate to heavy rainfalls.
18% in summer can be realized while utilizing mono technology. Performance Ratio (PR) of a mono based power plant is found to 83.16%, which is 3.09% more than that of poly based plants. Energy injected into the grid by mono based plant is deemed to be 17.8% or 52 MWh higher (refer Figure 2) which directly enhances the plant’s financial returns.
� Cold & sunny climatic zone: A climatic zone with pleasant summers and extreme winters with fairly clear sky throughout the year with cloud cover of less than 50%.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT Technology
Annual Generation (in kWh)
Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)
Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)
Performance Ratio (in %)
Mono crystalline
345,009
5.01
21.5
83.16%
Poly crystalline
292,929
4.83
22.6
80.07%
� Cold & cloudy climatic zone: A climatic zone with pleasant summers and extreme winters with overcast weather throughout the year except in summers (for a brief period).
While the above results were for the power plant based on fixed area, let us understand the result for the plant based on fixed capacity. While a similar behaviour from power plant based on same name plate capacity was expected, the actual results varied a lot. Firstly, a significant savings in energy loss due to temperature i.e. 1,030 kWh/month (average) was realized when utilizing mono crystalline modules in power plant, with maximum difference to the tune of 1,331 units realized in summer season. Further, the PR for mono based power plant was found to be 81.70%, which is at an average 0.62% higher than poly based power plant. Overall, it was found that implementing mono crystalline modules would enable the end customer to annually generate 13.7 MWh (refer Figure 3) more.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT
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Technology
Annual Generation (in kWh)
Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)
Annual temperature loss (in kWh)
Performance Ratio (in %)
Mono crystalline
1,806,355
4.92
260,124
81.70%
Poly crystalline
1,792,580
4.88
272,468
80.90%
Solar Quarter Quarter •• June June 2019 2019 36 Solar
INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS Warm and humid climatic zone
be realized while utilizing mono crystalline modules. The difference in temperature losses
Found mostly in coastal areas in India, this zone is mostly recognized by its humid climatic conditions around the year. Further, they may experience summers with temperatures ranging from 35~42 °C coupled with moderate winters. Accounting to mostly moderate to sometimes high temperatures around the year, the power plant utilizing mono modules are expected to save 0.84 kWh/kWp/day attributed to temperature losses. Compared to summer, the winter experiences 5.10 % gain in the PR, thanks to the clear skies. Further, mono crystalline based power plants experience a gain of 2.95% over the plants utilizing poly crystalline modules. Additionally, it is expected that utilizing mono technology shall enhance the output of power plant by 0.16 kWh/kWp/day. This gain when considered for power plant based on fixed area would result in 45.5 MWh more (refer Figure 4) energy generated from a mono crystalline module based plant.
Annual Generation (in kWh)
Mono crystalline
304,923
Poly crystalline
259,415
around monsoon season (average of 650 units from May to October) and higher during other months (average of 1200 units). A total savings in temperature losses of 11 MWh was realized in power plants utilizing mono crystalline modules (refer Figure 7 for more details).
Composite climatic zone Found mostly in the central India, places having composite climates constitute more than 30% in the country. This zone typically has the climatic combination of both hot & dry and moderate zone i.e. it has extreme summers and extreme winters while the monsoon are typically coupled with cloud covers. Pertaining to such extremities, the temperature loss in a mono crystalline plant stays at 23.5 kWh/kWp which is 1.20 kWh/kWp less than that obtained in a poly crystalline based plant. Further, in winters such loss stays at 18.30 kWh/
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT Technology
follows a similar pattern to the generation curve i.e. the difference in lower during and
Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)
Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)
Performance Ratio (in %)
4.43
15.99
84.39%
kWp in a mono crystalline plant, 1 kWh/kWp lower than that obtained in poly crystalline based plant. The PR for a mono crystalline plant is found to be 3.08% higher than that of a poly based plant. Further, the energy injected into the grid is deemed to be 48.5 MWh higher (Figure 8) than poly based power plant which directly affects the commercial returns from such plant.
4.27
16.83
81.43%
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT The warm & humid climatic zone, given its cloudy conditions around the monsoon
Technology
Annual Generation (in kWh)
Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)
Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)
Performance Ratio (in %)
Mono crystalline
321,551
4.67
18.88
83.45%
Poly crystalline
273,067
4.50
19.88
80.38%
experiences a significant reduction (~37%) in generation from solar PV. The generation however increases till April given the fact that there is an increase in irradiance in the region. Further, with increase in temperatures the output of the PV plant reduces. The mono crystalline based power plant injects 10.3 MWh (or 7.67%) more energy into the grid per MW of power plant installed in such areas (refer Figure 5 for more details). This increase could be directly related to the savings obtained from temperature loss which stands at 9,254 kWh/year. Further a boost of 0.50% in PR is also realized by utilizing mono crystalline based modules.
Mono
MWh which is 0.75% greater than that obtained from a poly based plant. The average
Annual
Average specific
Annual
Performance
Generation (in
yield (in kWh/
temperature
Ratio (in %)
kWh)
kWp/day)
loss (in kWh)
1,596,666
4.35
193,489
82.84%
1,586,378
4.32
202,743
82.34%
PR of a mono based power plant is found to be around 82%, 0.57% higher than the poly based power plant. In terms of energy lost due to temperature, a poly crystalline power plant loses 239 MWh while a mono crystalline module based plant loses 228 MWh. Overall, mono crystalline technology outperforms poly crystalline technology by 12.3
crystalline Poly crystalline
The energy generation in the monsoon is around 33% lower than that in winters. The annual energy generation when considering mono crystalline technology stands at 1683
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT Technology
While the monsoons are coupled with cloud cover, they stay relatively short in this zone.
Moderate climatic zone Moderate climates are known to be balanced throughout the year. Such climatic zones, other than its intensely cloudy monsoons are considered preferable conditions for a solar power plant. When comparing power plant in fixed area, we find that the average energy gain of mono over poly stands fairly constant throughout the year i.e. at 17.65%. Further owing to the fact the ambient temperature in this zone remains fairly constant throughout the year, the gain over temperature losses remain equivalent to around 1.00 kWh/kWp throughout the year. The performance of the overall power plant however is known to be much better when a plant uses mono crystalline module i.e. 50,621 units more (refer Figure 6). Further the PR of the plant is known to be 3.03% more compared to a poly crystalline based plant.
MWh in such climatic zones.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT Technology
Annual Generation (in kWh)
Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)
Annual temperature loss (in kWh)
Performance Ratio (in %)
Mono crystalline
1,682,664
4.58
228,473
81.88%
Poly crystalline
1,670,329
4.55
239,278
81.31%
While this part covered 4 climatic zones of the country, the next part would cover the remaining two climatic zones. Further the next part would also present a detailed financial analysis between a poly crystalline based power plant and mono crystalline based power plant. Keeping following this space for our next article. Let us all pledge to make solar energy the primary source of energy in the near future.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT Technology
Annual Generation (in kWh)
Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)
Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/ kWp)
Performance Ratio (in %)
Mono crystalline
335,999
4.88
17.89
84.33%
Poly crystalline
285,378
4.70
18.89
81.30%
A power plant of fixed capacity in moderate zone is expected to perform best during winters due to lower temperatures. Over and above, a similar observation was made in the month of March where the zone observes high irradiance and coupled with moderate
MR. SUNIL RATHI Director- Sales & Marketing Waaree Energies ltd
temperatures. When comparing both the power plant, it was found that a mono based plant annually generates 13,826 units more. Further a boost in the PR of around 0.60% can
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SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 37 Solar
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Solar Quarter • June 2019 38
Industry Insights
Will Your Modules Perform for 25+ Years?
Convincing investors, insurers, developers and policy makers that PV modules will reliably produce power for 25-35 years has become increasingly important, given the need for sustainable and affordable power that is accessible to all consumers. . PV modules in India are subjected to climatic extremes including higher solar insolation, UV, temperatures, dust, precipitation, compared with several countries where solar installations have happened. Solar panels need to withstand the combined effect of these stresses to avoid pre-mature appearance of project performance issues. Now, more than ever, it is critical that the materials used in your module be reliable for the duration of its operational service life. As service lifetime expectations of PV modules continue to grow, it is important that we understand the impact of PV materials durability on module performance and safety so that different stakeholders can make informed decisions on materials selection. Backsheets, in particular, play an important role in ensuring your module will be sufficiently durable to reach your financial objectives. While a module may pass standard qualification tests, backsheet defects can develop after just a few years of deployment in the field.
The PV industry offers very little information on module failures in the field. To assist
The implications of poor backsheet selection involve not just significant safety risks, but
buyers in understanding the breadth of component degradation issues that manifest in
considerable losses in performance and revenue.
fielded modules, DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions will soon be releasing its annual Field
Recently, a large IPP discovered one of their sites was producing less energy than predicted and started reviewing the system for failures. They found certain backsheets had started to crack and delaminate, leading to high leakage currents tripping inverters, and causing partial shutdowns and late starts. DuPont was invited to perform inspection of the affected
Survey. This annual report is compiled from inspection and analysis of nearly 2 GW of PV installations by DuPont teams around the globe. Since 2011, DuPont has conducted inspections of 355 fields, and 130 module makers in Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
PV field, using their Fielded Module Inspection Program. The team discovered widespread
Often, fields are inspected at the request of system owners to help determine the causes of
backsheet cracking and delamination on many of the modules. While the site was
underperformance. The industry also lacks guidance on applicable remedies once failure
composed of modules from a single manufacturer and model, as many as three different
has been documented. Most system owners rely on module warranties to address issues,
backsheet types were identified, suggesting the module manufacturer used multiple Bill of
but a deeper look reveals significantly greater impact on project economics. In a large field
Materials (BoMs) for the same project.
with widespread backsheet cracking, replacement costs of INR 21 Lakhs (approx.) per MW,
Modules buyers often have specific criteria for purchasing decisions, which may be
exclusive of new module costs, have been estimated. The total cost to the owner can differ
restrictive to BIS, Tier 1 manufacturers, modules that pass PVEL PQP testing, or modules
significantly based on PPA penalties for non-delivery, lost revenue, module replacement
that are competitively priced. Little consideration is paid to what material is used to build
availability, inverter life expectancy and time to replace each module.
the module. This approach is leading to some system wide failures due to catastrophic degradation of low cost materials that otherwise pass third party testing requirements. Consequently, IPPs are increasingly interested in customizing the BoM in modules during
-DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions
the RFP process. By specifying the components that are acceptable, IPPs can ensure that each manufacturer’s BoM is the same no matter which factory produces the module.
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SolarQuarter Quarter••June June2019 2019 39 Solar
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