SolarQuarter Magazine April 2017

Special Focus- PV Balance

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Volume 06. #4. April 2017

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News at Glance Indian News.................................................Pg 6 Global BOS Market Updates.........................Pg 7

Industry Insights Strong Payment Mechanism Partly Contributes to Solar Tariff Free Fall; Solar Projects Funding To Ease Says ICRA..................................................................................................................................Pg 8 DMICDC Commissions 6 MW Solar Power Project at Neemrana, Rajasthan...............................Pg 12 Solar Sharing- a Power-Agro Hybrid: Alleviating Poverty in India................................................Pg 16 Indian Solar Manufacturing Far Behind Demand, Price Competitiveness A Major barrier............Pg 17 Softened Interest Rates Likely to Brighten Solar Sector In India................................................Pg 19 First Solar’s Energy Advantage In Hot And Humid Indian Climatic Conditions.......................Pg 21,22

Exclusive Interviews

Index Pg 9

Pg 8

Mr. Abhay Raina, Head Solar, Hero Future Energies

Pg 18 Mr. Tarun Demonte, Country Head-Business Development, Blue Bird Logistics

Pg 15

Product Feature Navitas Solar...............................................Page 20 Avante Global Services Pvt. Ltd...................page 20

Industry Perspective Best Practices in the BOS Procurement Industry............Page 10 How important it has become for Developers to have Solar Fencing and Security Systems on the Solar Projects?.................page 13

Mr. Naresh Mansukhani, Country Head Solar, Orange Renewable Power Private Limited

SNEC Highlights

Page 23- 24

Pg 11 R.Chellappan Managing Director Swelect Energy Systems Ltd

India's Most Read Solar Energy Magazine To book your space in the upcoming issue, please contact: Smriti Singh / Aishwarya Baile M: +91 7718877513 / 7718877514 E: bd.firstviewgroup.com

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Mr. Mantha Balasubramaniam, President, SmartTrak Solar Systems

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INDIAN NEWS

Telangana to provide big push for rooftop solar projects The Telangana Government is seeking to provide major impetus for setting up of the rooftop solar systems in the State for domestic and commercial establishments.

more vehicles can pass through at one time. The result of the additional busbar is that the solar panels are about 2% more efficient than traditional panels. This means that they can give 2% more power output in the same size solar panel.

Coal India’s sales outlook remains positive despite muted demand

Ajay Mishra, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, Telangana, today said this was the right time to set up solar rooftop systems and harness the potential of the solar power and save on energy costs. Addressing a CII event on rooftop solar systems, Mishra said the State Government was making all out efforts to promote solar projects and thus far power purchase agreements have been set up for 3,800MW solar power projects. “And we expect a major chunk of this to be commissioned during the year.

Bhadla solar bid could touch new low price point The significant drop in solar power projects in the past few months is a reflection of huge pent-up demand in the system, according to Sunil Jain, CEO and ED of Hero Future Energies Ltd. Speaking on the sidelines of a CII meet on rooftop solar projects here on Tuesday, Jain said, “I am keeping my fingers crossed. You may see a lower price offer in the latest bidding process, which is now under way at Bhadla in Rajasthan. This may see a new low once the reverse bidding process is completed.”

Despite muted demand from consumers, downgrading of mines and challenges from the renewable energy sector, the sales outlook of Coal India, the country's largest miner, for 2017-18 looks positive with an expected growth of around 4-6 per cent, analysts and stakeholders say.

MoAs signed for first wind auction Scheme ; Another wind auction Scheme for 1000 MW announced The Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) for purchase of 1000 MW wind power under MNRE’s first wind auction Scheme were signed here today between PTC India, the trading company, and Discoms of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Odisha and Assam.

The signing ceremony took place during the two days Conference of Power, New & Renewable Energy & Mines Ministers of States and UTs. As per MoAs the Discoms of UP to buy 449.9 MW, Bihar- 200 MW, Jharkhand – 200 MW, Delhi – 100 MW, Assam – 50 MW and Odisha – 50MW of wind power for meeting their non-solar RPO. Remaining 4141 Villages to be Electrified by 2018”: Shri Piyush Goyal

First Solar may sell about 200MW of assets in India American solar panel maker First Solar is exploring the sale of almost 190-200 megawatts (MW) of its solar power assets in India, two people aware of the development said.

First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems and has supplied solar panels worth over 17 gigawatts (GW), globally, according to the company’s website.

Coal India’s sales outlook remains positive despite muted demand Despite muted demand from consumers, downgrading of mines and challenges from the renewable energy sector, the sales outlook of Coal India, the country's largest miner, for 2017-18 looks positive with an expected growth of around 4-6 per cent, analysts and stakeholders say.

The post Coal India’s sales outlook remains positive despite muted demand appeared first on The Financial Express.

ISRO unveils Solar Calculator app: Here’s what it means for installing solar panels at your home and office ISRO announced a Solar Calculator app that can accurately calculate all the benefits of installing solar panels in different parts of the country.

The post ISRO unveils Solar Calculator app: Here’s what it means for installing solar panels at your home and office appeared first on The Financial Express.

NMDC Karnataka looking to setup solar & wind projects Public mining company NMDC has started trial production at its pellet plant at Donimalai in Bellary district of Karnataka. "The construction of... the pellet plant at Donimalai in Karnataka is complete and trial production commenced," said the latest report of the steel ministry.

NMDC has set up the 1.2 million tonne per annum pellet plant at Donimalai as part of its value addition and diversification plans.

Minister Inaugurates State Power Ministers’ Conference in New Delhi “Power is the fulcrum around which an ecosystem can be created to give better quality of life to every citizen of India”. While delivering the inaugural address at the two-day State Power Ministers’ Conference here today, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal said that the objective of the conference is to review the work done in the sectors of power, coal, renewable energy and mining by State Governments/ Union Territories in last six months. Further, the conference intends to forge new policies for achieving the goal of providing 24x7 quality and affordable power for all in the stipulated time, upholding Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘New India’, Shri Goyal added.

India’s Solar Ambitions Get Major Boost with Close of 750MW Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Park India’s State Government of Madhya Pradesh signed project agreements with solar power companies making Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Park a reality and helping India get closer to its 100 GW solar energy goal by 2022.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the lead transaction advisor for this project that will mobilize $550 million in private investment and avoid a million tons of GHG emissions.

The project is led by Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL), a joint venture between the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN). The initiative utilized a robust project structure and innovative derisking mechanisms, paving the way for other large scale solar power projects in India.

India Ratings Assigns Mundra Solar PV ‘IND BBB’; Outlook Stable India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has assigned Mundra Solar PV Limited (MSPVL) a Long-Term Issuer Rating of 'IND BBB'.

The Outlook is Stable. A full list of rating actions is at the end of this commentary.

MSPVL is setting up a 1.2GW solar photovoltaic (PV) cell and module manufacturing capacity at the Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone, at a total cost of INR19.95bn. The project is likely to achieve a commercial operations date in April 2017.

SolarEdge Strengthens Business Position in India with New Office and Leadership

Spark Solar India Unveils 5 Bus Bar Solar Photovoltaic Modules We have built a formidable reputation and our service levels are used as industry benchmarks The 5 bus bar module is designed to offer optimal efficiency, better module reliability and higher returns.

• Backed by Spark Solar’s industry leading 12 year product warranty.

• Designed to operate at high-efficiency as compared to 3 or 4 bus bar modules.

Spark Solar introduced three new 5 bus bar photovoltaic modules the SS320-5, SS315-5 and SS310-5. These new models are able to produce 320, 315, and 310 watts of power, respectively, and are a continuation of Spark Solar’s line of high-efficiency solar panels.

"Spark Solar has been constantly innovating and reimagining the crystalline module technology" said Ashok Jakhete, Chairman, Spark Solar. "This addition to our industryleading line of solar panels is the latest improvement in our array of renewable energy products.

The newer models have 5 busbars connecting the cells in series. Additional busbar creates lower resistance between cells. Think of it as adding more lanes to the highway,

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SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (“SolarEdge”) , a global leader in PV inverters, power optimizers, and module-level monitoring services, is expanding its business in the Indian PV market with a new country manager, office, and recruitment of a local team.

As a leading global PV inverter company, SolarEdge is already active in the Indian PV market and is now looking to expand its footprint in the region.

ReNew Power invests INR 6700 crore to double its capacity in one year to cross 2000 MW (2 GW) ReNew Power Ventures Pvt. Ltd. (“ReNew Power”), India’s leading renewable energy Independent Power Producer, announced that the company has doubled its power generation capacity in a single year’s time to cross 2000 MW (2 GW).

In the financial year 2016-17, the company has made investments of INR 6700 crore (approximately USD 1 billion) to add 430 MW of solar and 626 MW of wind capacity.

ReNew Power has successfully grown to become one of the largest, fastest-growing and well-funded renewable energy companies in India. Over the last six years, the company has increased its capacity multifold - starting from 200 MW in FY 2011-2012 to 2GW as on March 31, 2017.

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GLOBAL BOS MARKET UPDATES

Global Solar Mounting System Market 2017- Schletter GmbH, Renusol GmbH, UNIRAC, SolarWorld, K2 SYSTEMS The Solar Mounting System Market 2017 Research Report investigates a thorough and complete study on Solar Mounting System industry volume, market Share, market Trends, Solar Mounting System Growth aspects, wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis, manufacturing capacity, Price durinf Forecast period from 2017 to 2022 The research report labeled Global Solar Mounting System Market 2017 presents the penetrating study of Solar Mounting System market globally, concentrating on complete analysis of the present and past historical details of Solar Mounting System market. The competitive landscape view of the Solar Mounting System industry is also covered in this research document.

Renusol refines its mounting system for flat roofs Renusol presents the optimised FS10-EW system for mounting photovoltaic systems on flat roofs without penetration. Thanks to the innovative screw connection and the lightweight but high-tensile design, modules with a 10° inclination with an east/west orientation can be easily installed on any flat roof. With its short rails and flexible rail connectors, the system is also able to compensate for temperature expansions, therefore preventing the installation from slipping over longer periods of time. Following the takeover by the PARI Group at the start of this year, the Cologne-based manufacturer is boosting its product range with this new system.

SolarCity (ahem, Tesla) Unveils New Rooftop Solar Panel System SolarCity will offer its pioneering SolarRoof system later this year. But it is not ignoring conventional rooftop solar panel system customers. Not everyone may want to completely remove a home’s existing roof to install a SolarRoof, but many are put off by the changes in appearance a conventional rooftop solar system causes. SolarCity (now part of Tesla) is keenly aware that appearance matters to homeowners, so it is introducing a

newly redesigned rooftop solar system that goes over an existing roof without ruining how a home looks.

The new product will use Panasonic solar panels produced at “Gigafactory 2” near Buffalo, New York. It features an integrated front skirt and a mounting system with hidden clamps and rail ends. It also has a redesigned plumbing vent system. Taken together, the changes make a rooftop solar system from SolarCity an attractive addition to a home or business instead of an eyesore. Production of the new Panasonic solar panels is expected to begin soon.

Conergy celebrates the 10 year anniversary of its Canadian business Conergy AG, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, entered the Canadian market through its acquisition of ETI Solar whose operations in Canada date back to 2002.

Edmonton, Alberta August 29, 2012 – 2012 marks the 10th anniversary for Conergy's Canadian operation. Conergy AG, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, entered the Canadian market through its acquisition of ETI Solar whose operations in Canada date back to 2002. The team at Conergy Canada has been privileged to support the continued growth of the Canadian PV industry over these last 10 years, helping it grow from a boutique off-grid market to the diverse solar market place it is today.

Fimer Will Supply Inverters For Enel’s 754 Megawatt Solar Park In Mexico Italian inverter manufacturer Fimer has been selected by Enel to provide equipment for the largest solar power project in the Americas.

A subsidiary of Enel Green Power is developing a 754-megawatt solar power park in Mexico. The project will be the largest across North and South America once it is operational next year. Fimer will supply more than 600 of its R 11015 TL 1500V inverters to the solar power park.

The company received a grant worth €9 million from German bank Deutsche Bank and Italian export credit agency SACE.

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IN CONVERSATION

"We have built a formidable reputation and our service levels are used as industry benchmarks" verification of the organizations credentials and after a complete check on an organizations capabilities.

The management team of Blue Bird Logistics has a collective experience of over 50 years in the Airline, Logistics & Transportation business .

Mr. Tarun Demonte, Country Head-Business Development, Blue Bird Logistics Let’s begin with a glimpse of your company’s presence and offerings in India.

Blue Bird Logistics Private Limited is an ISO 9001:2015 certified, IATA accredited Logistics Company, founded in September 2005 & headquartered in Delhi. Its vision is to capture a niche market share, using transparency, flexibility, efficiency & global standards.

We have matured since our inception in September 2005 to handle Air, Ocean & Domestic Warehousing and Distribution Services & an MTO License that permits us to issue our own House Bills of lading. These endorsements / certifications / memberships are granted after thorough

Blue Bird Logistics excels in providing out of the box solutions , especially for complex Air & Ocean Freight shipments. Expertise is across sectors like Solar Logistics, Automotive, Locomotive, Pharmaceuticals, Garments, Handicrafts, Oil & Gas equipment & Aerospace to name a few.

We offer services in Air Freight, Ocean Freight, Air Charters, Ocean Break Bulk, Customs Clearance, Warehousing & Distribution.

Blue Bird Logistics adopts the highest standards of business ethics as signatories to the United Nations Global Compact, a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

What are your growth plans in Indian market for the solar segment?

We see solar as a key player in the renewable energy sector in India. The government has earmarked the solargrid in India to be over 100GW by 2020. Currently we are at approximately 10 GW. Hence there is a huge scope for growth in this business.

Blue Bird as a company has been in solar logistics since the very beginning . We have completed over 1 GW of solar logistics, starting with the first ever 1 MW project in India . In many ways , Blue Bird Logistics is a pioneer in developing solutions for the Solar Industry in India and we are proud to be an integral part of the business today . We are also the only Logistics Company to be part of the Solar Power Developers Association . This speaks volumes of our commitment and attachment to the Solar Business .

We have a dedicted solar team which offers complete logistics solutions to our clients. Our Global reach allows us to offer end to end solutions .

Solar is a very important part of our business plan for next 3-4 years because of the expecteddemand for solar and so , inturn , for solar logistics . One of the advantages of having conferences like this (Renewable Invest Karnataka) is to meet with the right people, to find out their views and what the plans of Indian and foreign companies in India are. As a company, we would like

to provide full logistics solutions to them, try to help them out with issues which they face and to make Logistics a pleasing experience for them.

Anything else you would like to add in terms of how your plan is to help out the industry?

Our plan is to understand the issues currently being faced by the industry and see how we can help them better in the logistics process. We want to give complete solutions to our customers and that’s what we have done in the last 4-5 years.

Completing 1 giga watt is a huge achievement for a company our size and we want to grow 5-6 times of that.

Blue Bird Logistics works in close concert with Logistics Infrastructure Owners – Ports , ICD’s, CFS’s, Rail Operators to deliver quality results and reduce overall Logistics costs . Quality of service and deliverable is paramount and non negotiable.

Blue Bird Logistics aims for a 10% marketshare in the Solar Logistics business. At the moment , we are well on course to achieve our targets . We have built a formidable reputation and our service levels are used as industry benchmarks .

Strong Payment Mechanism Partly Contributes to Solar Tariff Free Fall; Solar Projects Funding To Ease Says ICRA The strong payment security mechanism from the counterparty in the recently concluded auctions for 750 MW of solar projects in Rewa Solar Park, Madhya Pradesh, will enable fund raising at competitive rates, says India Ratings and Research (India Ratings). The agency believes that the reduced risk from the counterparty because of payment security mechanisms is one of the levers for the steep fall in tariffs quoted by the bidders.

The new payment security mechanism includes the state government payment guarantee, payment security fund (about 35-40% of revenue at plant load factor of 22%) and a deemed generation compensation for the grid unavailability, in addition to the regular letter of credit. Low tariff will also incentivise the offtakers to pay on-time. Notwithstanding the new payment structure, in the event of the tariffs not being commensurate with the capital cost - reminiscent to the aggressive bids seen in the road sector – will stress the coverage ratios of these projects. Thus the cost of funding and lower solar panel prices (fallen by ~28% yoy) are critical factors for the sharp fall in solar bids.

While the state guarantee and payment security fund (PSF) provides a cushion,however it is imperative to know the terms for invocation of the guarantee and the replenishment of PSF. In the event of guarantee invocation or tapping of PSF after a substantial delay in payments

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– beyond 60 days – the players could be forced to avail working capital facilities and bear the related financial costs.

In another development, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is now included as a beneficiary in the tripartite agreement with the Reserve Bank of India, Government of India and the states. This development will allow withholding of central assistance to states in case of a default to SECI. As a result, SECI’s future bids are likely to fall to lower tariffs than earlier. The reduced counterparty risk will aid in curtailing the borrowing costs for these projects.

Evolving Security Mechanism A Positive Though solar projects relatively enjoy stable receivable days from most counterparties, the underlying risk from the weak financial profile of most distribution utilities remain. Certain distributionutilities however exhibit different payment days for different generation assets (thermal and wind) and this pattern among discoms provides limited comfort in assessing the reliability of the offtakers. Thus the inclusion of SECI as a beneficiary in the tripartite agreement gains significance in providing reliability of collections.

Threat of Grid Uncertainty Partially Addressed In light of grid curtailment faced by wind projects in few states and also by solar

projects in Tamil Nadu, the development of providing deemed generation benefits for grid non-availability is a positive development. India Ratings had highlighted this in the report ‘Market Wire: Grid Curtailment Contagion Puts Pressure on Credit Profiles of Renewable Energy Projects’.

However, Ind-Ra believes that it may be unsustainable for the off-takers to carry this risk as the distribution utilities do not operate the grid. The responsibility of grid operation lies with the loaddespatch centres within the constraints posed by the transmission infrastructure and loadgeneration balancing. Thus, the onus of enabling evacuation also lies with the open access provider and network operator.

Clarity in responsibilities and contractual incentives and penalties will ensure that all the stakeholders (including off-takers, open access providers and network operators) are aligned towards the goal of uninterrupted evacuation for renewable power.

Bids Reach New Lows Auction for implementing 750MW in Rewa Solar Park was concluded at INR2.970-/ kWh, INR2.979 and INR2.974 for three units of 250MW each, with 5 paise per year escalation for first 15 years. Offtakers are Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Madhya Pradesh Power Management Corporation Ltd. The previous low in terms of tariffs of INR4.34/kWh was offered by Fortum of Finland was exactly a year ago in January 2016. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited, which is developing the Rewa solar park, is a joint venture of SECI and Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited. Land acquisition and evacuation are the responsibility of the solar park, thus mitigating significant risks for the project developers. The low tariffs discovered makes the solar projects highly competitive in merit order, as the variable charges of marginal power for most states lie above INR3.5/kWh. - Contributed By ICRA

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IN CONVERSATION

"Our organisation is well on course to achieve its target of 2 GW by 2020"

Mr. Abhay Raina, Head Solar, Hero Future Energies Let’s start with the recent developments at your organisation in last one year.

Our organisation is well on course to achieve its target of 2 GW by 2020.

Currently we have almost 500 MW of solar project under construction and also more at various stages of development. Our aim is to provide best and state of art solar projects to our country and fulfil the green energy demands.

As a developer, what key challenges do you face today?

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Key challenge that we face today is the falling tariff rates. While it’s wonderful to provide cheap power and enable entire country to have a decent life, its also very important to make sure there is no compromise on quality and nothing is left to long term speculation on price. While prices of components may have seen a steep fall lately, but to assume the trend to continue for long is also dangerous as for as project is concerned. Tomorrow we should not see many projects not coming up due to stress on input cost assumed now and what is prevalent at that time. Having said so, we are geared up to take on the future challenges head on.

and provides conducive atmosphere for developers in terms of various approvals, land related support etc. will find more companies interested. As far as Hero group is concerned, we are willing to be an active player in all states.

Which states do you believe lead see maximum solar energy investments this year?

What are the milestones you wish to achieve by the end of this fiscal?

It’s very difficult to say now as the entire demography has changed so have states changed their place at the top. New States are taking the top spot with lots of tenders and state policies and parks coming up. As MNRE has decided to set up solar parks across all states, the states which brings out the tenders first whether in collaboration with NTPC, SECI or their own state projects

As the assets become older, will aggressive bidding today become a pain point for the industry a few years down the line?

I don’t think so as all the companies that are bidding have done their maths and know what to expect and how to retain/ maintain the plant performance.

We would want to see ourselves among top 5 IPPs in India.

Anything else you would like to add for our readers.

Industry is going through a metamorphosis and turning out to be a better and cheaper option of power. Simultaneously, competition has increased and every new

reverse auction is throwing new low tariffs.

This means all companies are continuously innovating and optimising. The key to success in the industry will be to keep looking for new technologies, new ways of designing an efficient cost effective and quality plant and devising ways and methods to ensure higher uptime with proper O&M. I wish industry all the best.

"Key challenge that we face today is the falling tariff rates. While it’s wonderful to provide cheap power and enable entire country to have a decent life, its also very important to make sure there is no compromise on quality and nothing is left to long term speculation on price"

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

"Best Practices in the BOS Procurement Industry" A.S.Kumar Head Purchase Fortum India Private Limited Solar tariffs and their investments are now synonymous with cut throat competition and the ever increasing optimizations in the balance of system (BOS) in the plants to match up to the stiff competition. But is it so, that this competition is killing the basic and minimum technical necessities required of an asset to operate at least its productive life cycle of 25 years? Are there compromises that are being made to stand up to the competition? Some evidences are already visible.Some of the practices let alone the best practices are nowhere to be found.

As a general rule in procurement, it is important to have a thorough supplier audit and a qualification process followed by regular quality checks. In the melee of a severe competition, these basics are jeopardized with a rush to qualify new and cheaper products and suppliers with no previous back ground of supplies. These new suppliers may serve in the short term with a plant coming up within the budgeted costs but a long term sustainability of such a solution would always remain a question. An asset sale would bring out and in a much magnified manner the lacunae in the products and the plant, thereby valuing the asset much lower than the returns expected by the seller.

Some of the best practices that have worked well including in the thermal power plants (some of them operational for more than 40 years) include a diligent qualification procedure, financial check and most importantly life cycle costs of the materials/ supplies. A commercial advantage multiples with strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management and timing the supplies in a JIT (Just in time) mode to save the precious interest costs during construction. Alternate materials from qualified suppliers have always added to the savings of the procurement team. These best practices coupled with an emphasis on “green supply chain” which is a procurement professional’s way of contributing directly to the environment greatly helps an organization.Companies like Fortum seriously believe in sustainable procurement solutions and activities as above, and have built world class solar plants.

On the supplier’s end it is imperative to have flexi manufacturing capabilities having the wherewithal to quickly cater to the demand spikes and to switch between different products.

An innovative manufacturing process flow design with capabilities for future automation. A base design, the ones that have been followed successfully by many automobile companies, could help them to overcome product maturity cycles by quickly bringing on-line new and commercially viable products.Companies like Fortum seriously believe in sustainable procurement solutions and activities as above, and have been successful in building world class solar plants.

It is time that we built and operated solar plants which are true alternatives to fossil fuel based plants instead of churning out inefficient and obsolete plants.

diagram below shows the cost breakup for a PV power plant and also breakdown breakup in an operating plant.

With a foresaid chart it is very much clear that for while BOS components constitute only 40% of the Overall Project cost but 80% cases of breakdown in plants pertains to BOS system only.

Mr. Dharminder Singh, AVP Procurement, Sembcorp Green Infra Limited In the context of numerous global challenges – including climate change, volatile fuel price, energy infrastructure insecurity and rising energy costs – solar Photovoltaic technologies have made great strides in past 10 years. More specific, Indian Solar Industry has matured over last 10 yrs. We have come a long way from 14% PV Module efficiency to 17% PV module efficiency, Levelized tariff of INR 17.90 to INR 3.50. Until CY 2016, solar industry thrust was on improving efficiency & optimization of PV Module.

Although heart of photovoltaic power plant remain the PV module but Balance of system plays a vital role to achieve the desired LCOE. Here “Balance of system system” refers to all equipment’s associated with s PV power plant except PV module Viz mounting and racking components, SMB’s, DC cable, Inverter, Inverter Transformer, AC cable, HT Substation and Transmission line etc.

While PV Module comes with standard warrantees for the 25yrs life in some cases 30 yrs too for performance, but it is BOS which has never provided with such long term warrantees. This makes procurement of BOS system to be a very challenging task and thus requires a systematic and analytic approach. The

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Inverter DC Side AC Side Structure Other Infrastructure

So it is very much clear that Inverter and DC side constitutes more that 50%

1. After sales Service network: This is critical in order to achieve highest system availability.

2. Standardization of key Components: This is critical with respect to technological improvements happening in electronic components.

commercial operation of its 350 MW solar power plant located in Andhra Pradesh. It is the first operational solar power plant delivered under the Solar Parks scheme of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission which commenced its operations on March 29, 2017 and completed 51 days ahead of the scheduled date agreed in the PPA.

Solar market in India is becoming extremely competitive with tariff falling to Rs 3.15/KWH. This makes it important for Solar Power Developers to manage BOS procurement in best possible manner, as BOS is a pretty substantial part of overall cost of the project.

SB Energy Holdings Limited (“SB Energy”), has announced the commencement of

This further boil down to inverter, which is key components in this whole system & selection of the same has been the most challenging part for any PV plant system designer or procurer.

The following two key consideration can help in achieving optimum system reliability for the project life cycle

Now if we wanted to list the BOS c o m p o nents based on the % breakdown it would as in following sequence

Bimal Jindal Vice President- Supply Chain Mgmt SB Energy (Softbank Group)

of breakdown for any PV plant. Which means that inverter and DC side system reliability and uptime plays important role in achieving the LCOE.

In today’s scenario, it is always challenging to deliver and commission solar power plants on time or ahead of time meeting with budgets due to procurement challenges. SB Energy was able to do the same due to the following best practices of procurement: • Functionalized procurement processes • Qualification of suppliers/products to ensure avoidance on CoPQ (Cost of Poor Quality) • Focus on Product reliability & safety • Develop long term partnership with suppliers • Innovate with Suppliers • Compliance with scope and specification

• Close monitoring of delivery schedule to ensure timely execution • Cycle time reduction on critical equipment’s • In line inspections on sampling basis • Logistics management including correct documentation • Defining clear responsibilities of buyer/ seller • Centralised storage of data and reporting • Use statistical tools to analyse the data • Minimise inventory through proper planning • Negotiate keeping both parties interest in mind • On time payments • Mutual respect for each other There will always be challenges while implementing above practices which need to be managed with right skill set.

The companies that follow systematic approach to procurement will be able to deliver the projects on time and improve bottom line and hence increase the profits.

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IN CONVERSATION

"The strength of the company is that we offer turnkey solutions and we are the true believers of MAKE IN INDIA" Tracker per say which was not looked at by any developer as one of the options maybe even three years back I will say, today it is a default for any developer. He will first look at the tracker and then only he will look at the other things.

Mr. Mantha Balasubramaniam, President, SmartTrak Solar Systems

So it is driven by the tariff because the lowest tariff will need higher revenue and higher generation which is only made available by the tracker. It becomes so cost competitive that people are looking at trackers as a primary option. For any reason, if tracker

doesn’t suit their mix then only they will look for other options.

What have been the latest trends in demand for your products and services in India? Where do you see the next demand growth coming from?

Anyone who has a PPA today looks for a tracker. Within that segment, we are the largest. That itself speaks that our products are well sought after. Also, at a given point of time, one company doing multiple

installations is a rare thing in the solar industry. In the last financial year ending, we had done 9 installations simultaneously in a tracker category. Today we have 20 installations being done simultaneously.

So doing a number of installations tells you the robustness of the system within SmartTrak and the support that we get from the supply chain without which we cannot do multiple installations at a given point of time.

Let’s begin with a glimpse of your company’s presence and offerings in India.

SmartTrak is the first Indian tracking company. It was established in the year 20102011. We have completed 6 years and we are the largest in terms of number of installations,180+ megawatts in terms of the size and number of Installations are more than 100 in terms of width. We have a team size of 200+. The strength of the company is that we offer turnkey solutions and we are the true believers of MAKE IN INDIA. We manufacture most of the components that go into the making of a tracker. Generally, in the industry, it is outsourced but we have an integrated approach.

In terms of products, we have installed different products that are available under the tracker category and we were the first to install in India. We were not waiting for somebody else to come up with the solution in the product category. So we have today all the product offerings that is offered by different companies as one product in their category.

Whatever you find as a USP of the different tracker companies; we have all of them in our portfolio. So this isalso one of our company’s strengths.

What have been some of the recent developments at SmartTrak?

From the innovation perspective, our latest bearing offering is one of our recent developments. It has been very much appreciated in the industry.

Could you tell us a bit about the recent technology advancements in the tracker sector?

It would be the bearing solution that we have come up with. The single bearing solution addresses all the apprehensions and the risks involved in a tracker installation. The rest of the technological advancements have already been installed by us.

What are your growth plans for the Indian market?

The Indian market is very huge today. It is already 10 Gigawatt in terms of the PPAs that have been signed or are being signed cumulatively with a vision of 60 GW given by our Prime Minister. So that’s the size of the market.

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

DMICDC Commissions 6 MW Solar Power Project at Neemrana, Rajasthan Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Government of Japan wherein the solar panels and equipment have been procured from top Japanese companies like Hitachi, Kyocera, Sharp, Solar Frontier and Kaneka.

The project was kickstarted by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among NEDO, Japan; Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance; Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE); and DMICDC Ltd. Neemrana venture India’s pioneering Smart Micro Grid project Billed as one of India’s pioneering Smart Micro Grid enterprises, the 6 MW Solar Power Project at Neemrana in Rajasthan, conceived and executed by the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Ltd (DMICDC) in collaboration with the Japanese government, will be fully operational soon, feeding high quality, stable and renewable green power to state grid and Japanese companies in Neemrana Industrial Park.

The Model Solar Power Project, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the DMICDC, is a pioneering initiative that demonstrates the integration of stable solar power with industrial diesel generator sets (as the

"The grid synchronization of the solar power plant has been completed and feeding of power to the grid has already commenced. A Commissioning Certificate was issued by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVN)"

backup facility). A major benefit of the project is the production of green power while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by cutting down diesel consumption.

A salient feature of the project is that it demonstrates three different types of thin film technology (Solar Frontier, Sharp and Kaneka) brought from Japan.

like GAIL, HPCL, RIICO and DISCOM. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) has been executed with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL).

The Neemrana project is expected to give a fillip to the large-scale use of solar power and smart micro grid technology and promote its replication in other indus-

The successfully commissioning of the project, based on the cutting-edge thin film technology, has resulted in the supply of 5 MW solar power to the 220 KV GSS Neemrana State Grid while 1 MW would be integrated with smart micro grid to provide power to the Japanese company (M/s MIKUNI India Pvt. Ltd).

The model project consists of the development of 6MW Solar PV and 2 MW diesel generator set integrated with a Smart Micro Grid. It is being implemented in partnership with New Energy and Industrial

The grid synchronization of the solar power plant has been completed and feeding of power to the grid has already commenced. A Commissioning Certificate was issued by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVN) and (RRECL) Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd. Underground transmission line of 1.8 km was laid from the solar power plant to the 220KV grid sub-station at Neemrana after obtaining the permission from different government agencies

"In Neemrana, more than 40 Japanese companies have already set up businesses in the industrial zone" 12

"One of the most ambitious infrastructure projects of the world, the Indian government is developing the 100-billion-dollar DMIC project as a global manufacturing and investment destination"

"A salient feature of the project is that it demonstrates three different types of thin film technology (Solar Frontier, Sharp and Kaneka) brought from Japan" trial areas, which will help in reducing the carbon footprint by combining solar power with diesel generator besides promoting manufacture of solar panels and other equipment facilities.

One of the most ambitious infrastructure projects of the world, the Indian government is developing the 100-billion-dollar DMIC project as a global manufacturing and investment destination with the 1483-km-long western dedicated freight corridor as the backbone. In Neemrana, more than 40 Japanese companies have already set up businesses in the industrial zone.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

How important it has become for developers to have solar fencing & security systems on the solar projects?

Security systems are at most essential for a uninterrupted operation of solar power plants, especially when faced with the possibility of downtime due to theft and vandalism. - The most effective solution with serious results is perimeter deterrent system which is SMART FENCE. Unlike basic solar power fence SMART FENCE is the latest & most advanced generation design. It just doesn’t deter the intruder but also communicates the exact position of intrusion to the security personal at a remote locations as desired with live audio visuals with the help of fence watch system.

Traditionally Posting guards & regular security solutions have failed in lot of cases & proved to be very expensive along with vulnerability.

With the use of SMART FENCE the guard security can be limited to as less as 10% of the usual numbers. Regular traditional methods of securing the perimeter does not react to any kind of tempering or intrusion activities but where as SMART FENCE immediately punishes the intruder & also alerts the owner with audio visual proofs.

Mr. SATYA V Managing Director Smart Fence Integrated Security Pvt Ltd

SMART FENCE Solution is economical compared to the recurring expenses occurred due to man power guards as it’s a onetime installation & the expected life of the solution is 15 years. The following are definitely as must to analyze factors.

1. Local threats from activities surrounding the property.

2. Size of the plant & difficulties faced to monitor it effectively.

3. What is the operational & maintenance cost factors & the importance of the power plant in terms of the production of power.

SMART FENCE INTEGRATED SECURITY Pvt Ltd offers every type of security solutions as from a Fixed Ip surveillance to the PTZ & Thermal imaging technologies which can be integrated with our SMART SOFTWARE. We educate ourselves with the latest current technologies & keep upgrading & updating our technology time & again by which we are today able to secure the country’s most prestigious & highly secured properties.

Installation of security systems around solar power plants is of great significant importance in securing all solar power plants being commissioned in the country.

The solar plant have high cost solar panel installed and by securing them through security systems minimizes the risk of the glass panels getting crack or mishandled.

Security fencing around the power plant area properly earmarks its exact boundaries and indicates that the area is restricted for general movement of people & animals.

Historically throughout most of the world, domesticated livestock roam freely and graze around in open areas. Without proper security fencing installing desired security systems the grazing cattle & the expensive solar panels are exposed to Mr. Pradip Khandelwal, high risk. The cattle / persons unknowingly enter Managing Director, C/O Saudagar Mal Mamman or move into undesired areas and may hurt themselves or damage the installed solar panels.

Lal Pvt Ltd Security fencing can be done by erection of a brick wall around the peripheral, or by installing chain link fencing, barbed wire, reinforced barbed tape (rbt) etc. Security cameras can also be installed on the fence post for distance viewing Chain link fencing is an ideal& viable fencing option for fencing the power plants in comparison to brick wall which is costly & time consuming to construct. The flexible fence fabric makes it easier for installation on ground with uneven terrain or steep slopes. Galvanized /pvc coated chain link fencing is an economical recommended alternative for this application. The steel reinforced galvanized wirepvc coated chain link fencing gives the product desired strength; while the UV stabilized green colour coating gives it a good eco friendly colour & also resistance against corrosion in all weather conditions. Some power plants have already installed the security systems and are availing the benefits of its benefits.

Firstly, We are proud to inform that Solar / Power fencing which was dominated by overseas companies in India is gradually taken over by indigenous manufacturers like CROWN SOLAR. CROWN SOLAR alone has saved a revenue of about 1 million dolor by executing prestigious projects in Defence and other Government sectors with its brand.

Solar fencing is the most sought system for protecting premises whether it is Agriculture, Security or High security applications. Requirement of Solar fencing, also called as Power fencing with Solar backup, multiplied in the last couple of years mainly because of awareness and affordable Indian brands availability.

Mr. K Chandra Sekhar Chief Executive Crown Solar

It is a known fact that more than 30% of the Farmer yield, in many places, is damaged because of animals and Farmers already tried with many risky methods with negligible benefits. Many Farmers, especially in the State of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab etc, are switching to Solar fencing due to its features & benefits with zero risk and negligible maintenance.

State Governments like Himachal Pradesh have started providing subsidy to Farmers for their agriculture purposes and it has got huge response. Many farmers are now coming forward to install Solar fencing to protect their crops.

Security & High security applications also has increased exponentially due to the features and benefits of Solar / Power fencing. Few examples in Government sector shall be Defence Establishments like Defence establishments, ISRO sites, Airports, JAILS, Manufacturing / Productions units etc and many more.

In our opinion we, including all Solar fence manufacturers / suppliers in India, have met about 5% of Solar fence system requirements in India and it shows the potentiality for the product

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PRESENTS 2nd ANNUAL EDITION

FOR REGISTRATIONS VISIT www.indiasolarweek.com

Co- Hosted Event “SOLAR EPC BUSINESS FORUM 2017” 21-22 June 2017, HOLIDAY INN, AERO CITY, New Delhi Co-hosted Event: 7th Global Solar EPC Summit

INDIA’S LARGEST EVENT FOR UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS IS BACK Conference 300+ Delegates, 10+ Conference Tracks, 50+ Speakers

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Solar EPC Business Meet One-To-One Business Meetings For Utility Scale Solar Companies

OFFICIAL INVERTER PARTNER

India - China Business Meet Focussed Business Meetings Between Indian and Chinese Companies

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Delegate Registration Contact: Sponsorship/ Exhibition Opportunities: Awards Nominations: Mr. Kawaldeep Marwah / Ms Nikita Agrawal Ms Smriti Singh / Ms. Aishwarya Baile Ms.Pratika Jathan/ Mr. Kawaldeep Marwah +91 77188 77914 / +91 77188 77515 +91 7718877513/ +91 8655091000 +91 9920917136 / +91 77188 77914 register@firstviewgroup.com bd@firstviewgroup.com register@firstviewgroup.com www.indiasolarweek.com 14

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IN CONVERSATION

"We offer all the three very important and vital requirements for developers i.e. cost, quality and performance"

Quality, cost and performance are key concern areas for Indian project developers. How would you like to address these issues for your offerings in India?

Certainly, solar project is having its own issues like cost, performance and reliability to the tune of its entire design life. So we as a matured player in the solar space and an experienced power electronics company, we care for quality all over.

Firstly, we choose right raw materials in the PV modules that we produce and make sure

Any message for the industry?

Solar, wind or any form of renewable energy is a very important programme. When we have committed ourselves to deliver energy to the customers or the end users, every developer or every project implementer or every product supplier to such

--

So we certainly offer all the three very important and vital requirements for developers i.e. cost, quality and performance.

"We source raw materials from reliable suppliers and our volumes are high, we always control the cost" With falling bids in competitive bidding, are EPCs facing significant cost pressures? If so, how are the EPCs coping up with such pressures?

The pressure on EPCs depends basically at what price the final product is sold. If the product price is good, then the pressure on the project owner is less. For example, today the energy cost from solar plants are sold at the rate of Rs. 4.4-4.7 per Kwh; to an extent the input costs have come down but the most important thing is the cost of financing. Cost of financing is really a pressure on everybody. If the interest rates are reduced, definitely the pressure can be managed and coped up with.

So with the sales price of electrical units and material price also getting lowered to a certain extent, the only factor missing is the cost of finance. We hope that will also improve in the times to come.

What is the future of wind solar large scale hybrid solutions?

Wind solar hybrid large scale installations are very significant for the future. If you look at wind alone today, wind is powerful for 6 months in a year and the rest of the

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"The combination of solar and wind can comfortably address the day time peak loads and the shift in the peak load, demand, timing etc are very-important --------------to which can be -- achieved an extent" - ------ ------

"We choose right raw materials in the PV modules that we produce and make sure those modules are produced in high quality space using maximum automation with less number of manual interventions "

There are some concerns in interfacing wind-solar into the grid but we have developed special technologies and mechanisms so that the grid interface becomes trouble free. I welcome and hope wind solar hybrid large scale integration to grow all over the country.

--------- --- ------- ------------- -

We are a listed public company from 1996 and established in 1984. We are a leader in power conditioning and power quality management and now we focus mainly into renewable energy programme. As a listed public entity, in order to give value for the investors and value for our good customers, we offer everything possible in solar. We have manufacture PV modules, mounting racks and mounting structures, array combiners, solar inverters and also, we are a solar integration company for the complete range of projects. Currently, we have about 2000 solar rooftop installations ranging from 1Kw to all the way up to megawatt scale. The latest one is the 1 megawatt rooftop installation that we have done for IOCL Barauni Refinery and we continue to do a lot of such rooftop installations. As a solar company or as renewable energy company, we have solar assets to the tune of about 50 megawatts. We billed lot of projects in the megawatt scale for our customers who could be hospitals, leading corporate firms or commercial customers.

Talking about performance, when we supply our modules to the customers, 5 years or 10 years down the line, we have the service team and the specialist team to go to the market, work with the developers to analyse their O&M practices wherever there is any shortcoming in terms of O &M. For example, proper cleaning, proper upkeep of grid connectivity and so on. We help the customers to improve their performance. We even go to the extent of analysing the modules, its performance level and check if there is any degradation. We then help customers to sort out those issues and improve the performance thereon.

For example, when we talk of ‘Make in India’, it should be realised by us because ‘Make in India’ can help us in many ways like employment creation, can curtail the dollar outflow and it can also bring a resilience for the country itself to develop its own scale of economies. What we would suggest to the government is for them to take note of improving or helping the local industries perform to the highest level and ensure every developer gets value for money.

----------- ---------- - -- -- --- ---

Swelect has been one of the leading companies in the solar industry for many years. What are your offerings in the Indian solar market?

Since we source raw materials from reliable suppliers and our volumes are high, we always control the cost.

When you talk of solar, only day time there is solar generation and in the night time the infrastructure doesn’t do anything. If you do a combination of wind and solar, the renewable energy power window gets extended to nearly 16-20 hours per day meaning the infrastructure is deployed fully well. Also, the combination of solar and wind can comfortably address the day time peak loads and the shift in the peak load, demand, timing etc are very important which can be achieved to an extent.

programme should have a long term commitment that they are serving a community or serving the nation. Everyone should perform without a compromise. Do the bestin-class modules, best-in-class implementation, inverter selection and high quality maintenance.

---- -------- --------- --- ----------- -

R.Chellappan Managing Director Swelect Energy Systems Ltd

months, where the wind stops blowing, the infrastructure remains idle. That infrastructure is not doing any performance until the next wind season.

-

those modules are produced in high quality space using maximum automation with less number of manual interventions thereby ensuring the quality to be the best. For example, our modules are tested for 100% EL Test (electro luminescence). All our modules pass through electro luminescence tests three times during the manufacturing process. We are the only company in the country that is offering this kind of facilities for the customers. All modules that we produce pass through very stringent quality controls thereby the performance is guaranteed.

info@excleng.com

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Solar Sharing- a Power-Agro Hybrid: Alleviating Poverty in India Farmers tend to turn to the rain god— Indra—when all else fails. Perhaps they could give the sun god—Surya—a shot as well? Farmers can join hands in a cooperative model to harness solar energy for watering their fields and other purposes and selling surplus power to the grid.

with net-metering approach. As the off grid systems utilise the solar energy at decentralised household or village level, these entail lesser investment.

Few off-grid power initiatives successfully tried out in many parts of the country include: >> Solar Home Systems with solar panels to generate power for individual homes devoid of power, >> Utilization of un-cultivable farm land for setting up of solar Power Plant,

when linked to building the capacities of rural youth for harnessing the potentialities offered by solar energy can provide livelihood opportunities and sustained source of income.

40-50 farmers in a village can join hands to create a solar cooperative to harness solar energy for watering their fields and other purposes and selling surplus power to the grid. It serves as a viable business model for farmers who wish to harvest solar energy and add to their agricultural incomes.

These have the potential to resolve the power crisis as well as provide energy and food security to the farming community.

>> Solar irrigation pumps,

Even today much of our country’s hinterland does not have access to electricity.

Though, Governments are working hard to provide connectivity through centralised electricity grids, this solution is not only capital intensive but also less environmentally friendly.In contrast to this, the small scale decentralised off grid solutions, especially installation of solar power can meet the needs with provision of reliable power supply.

"Not surprisingly, up to 20% of all the electricity used in India is for agriculture, most of which is for irrigation. In some states, this can account for as much as 30-50% of all the electricity used in the state" Realising the importance of solar power, our Hon’ble Prime Minister has given an ambitious target of achieving 100 GW by the year 2022. Government of India has set out a detail road map to achieve this through grid connected roof top of 40 GW and the medium decentralised off grid connection of 60 GW. As we pride ourselves on accomplishing the feat of achieving 10 GW solar capacity on 10th March 2017, with much of the progress centred around establishment of grid connected solar systems, it would be noteworthy that China installed 34 GW solar capacity in 2016 alone in comparison to the 6.8 GW capacity installed by India in FY17 well short of the 12 GW target. In this context the contribution of Off- grid solar power systems to our agro economy in general and rural economy in particular may prove useful.

Off grid solar power systems For Solar systems installed on rooftops of residential, commercial, institutional & industrial buildings, Electricity generated could be fed into the grid at regulated feed-in tariffs or used for self consumption

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>> Cheap solar lanterns,

Synergy between Solar power and Agriculture for Indian agro-economy

>> Solar powered refrigeration systems in Primary Health Centres can store the lifesaving medicines in

>> Savings in transmission and distribution losses

the countryside, >> Solar driers for agricultural processing and industrial use, Existing Energy Agriculture model profligate

To reduce dependence on the monsoons, India’s farmers have taken electricity connections and installed diesel pump sets for irrigation. Not surprisingly, perhaps, up to 20% of all the electricity used in India is for agriculture, mostly for irrigation. In some states, this can account for as much as 30-50% of all the electricity used in the state.

"There are many states where power for agricultural purposes is highly subsidized, and this, combined with an unreliable supply of electricity, often causes farmers to leave their pumps on all the time" Since more than half of India’s cultivated land is yet to be irrigated, a business-asusual scenario will lead to a huge rise in India’s energy needs for agriculture alone.

Reinvigorating our rural economy In order to achieve the target for off grid solar systems we shall require the skilled manpower and barefoot technicians in large numbers in rural areas to provide maintenance and services for installed systems. The potential of creating 1 million green jobs to cater to the needs of solar energy as technicians will regenerate the rural economy.The skill development programme launched by Government of India

Solar power, is uninterrupted, predictable, available during daytime, can be ‘grown’ without any seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation or backbreaking labour. The Farmers world wide particularly in Japan and Europe are experimenting with a range of high-value crops like spinach, carrots, garlic, beet and a few medicinal plants that grow well under panels.

However, these hybrid models deserve a better feed-in tariff than what is being given now for solar power plants or even roof-top installations. Megawatt (MW) scale solar plants require large public investments in transmission, whereas these micro-grids shall be erected by farmers at their own expense.

>> Low gestation time >> No requirement of additional land >> Improvement of tail-end grid voltages and reduction in system congestion >>Local employment generation >> Reduction of power bill

India with as much as more than 65% population residing in rural areas with half of them engaged in primary activities, the development model for energy access for these much not only be inclusive and sustainable but also remunerative.

Solar Farming Cooperatives turning Agriculture Sustainable and remunerative

SOLAR SHARING (JAPAN) Until recently, solar power plants were restricted from being built on active farmland and were tried on uncultivable land stretches.

"However, farmers in Japan generate solar electricity while growing crops on the same farmland termed as solar sharing or Double Cropping"

Roof-top solar plants, too, would probably only end up depriving Distribution Companies (DISCOMS) of revenue from their highest-paying consumer segments.

These will liberate the DISCOMSand state governments from debilitating farm power subsidies.

DISCOMS are against the prospect of netmetering, billing and paying individual farmers supplying small marketable surplus of solar power as it escalates their transaction and vigilance costs. It will be the work of Solar Farming Cooperatives to meter the equipmetns and pay each member based on the power evacuated by him/her.

The existing regime of electricity subsidies mutes farmers’ incentive to conserve both power and water. By weaning them off grid power, farmers are being helped to make money from conserving energy and water.

Moreover, metering energy will make it possible for measuring water withdrawals, to manage a scarce natural resource better.

With proper promotion, these Hybrid models could have the kind of impact on small farmer livelihood systems that the Amul-type dairy cooperatives have had in many parts of India.

Besides, there is the promise of making irrigation climatesmart. Using electricity and diesel in groundwater irrigation produces massive carbon emissions.

Solar sharing farm in Japan It is well known that the rate of photosynthesis increases as the irradiance level is increased; however at one point, any further increase in the amount of light that strikes the plant does not cause any increase to the rate of photosynthesis triggering the need to combine PV systems and farming.

The PV system can also provide shade for cattle or sheep to rest underneath and because of higher soil moisture level, the shading will reduce irrigation expenses.

Solarising the groundwater economy could eliminate this huge car- bon-footprint, reducing the carbon-intensity of the country’s economic growth. These small experiments can go a long way in reconfiguring our power economy, our ground water economy and our agrarian livelihoods.

Credits: Abhinav Jindal, Senior Manager (Energy Efficiency Management Group), NTPC Ltd.

www.solarquarter.com

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Indian Solar Manufacturing Far Behind Demand, Price Competitiveness A Major barrier MW of installed capacity and 4,307.55 MW of installed capacity in June 2016-end.

Here too, 1,200 MW, a major chunk of the growth is attributed to the uncommissioned Adani project.

A majority of solar power projects in India will continue to prefer cheaper cells and modules from China. India imported solar equipment worth $2.17 billion (Rs 14,630 crore) in the 10 months between April 2016 and January 2017, its exports were just $60.3 million (Rs 404 crore).

Domestic solar cell and module manufacturing is way behind the country’s demand for the equipment, going by data collated by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in January end. Under the National Solar Mission, the government targets achieving an indigenous manufacturing capacity of 4-5 GW by 2020.

India’s import of solar cells and modules is more than 35 times its export, as per a recent study by Mercom Capital Group.

Till December 2016-end, the country’s

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installed solar cell manufacturing capacity stood at 2,953 MW, including the 1200MW Mundra project by Adani Group. Further, the operational capacity of solar cell manufacturing is 1,448.05 MW in December-end, marginally higher than the 1,123.05 MW in June-end last year.

As far as solar module manufacturing capacity is concerned, MNRE’s data pegs the installed capacity at 8,113 MW while operational capacity is 5,286.55 MW as on December-end. This has grown from 5,848

Indian solar modules comprise of only 5% of the domestic installations. Britain is the biggest importer of Indian solar modules, accounting for 31% of India’s solar exports ($18.84 million), followed by Italy and Belgium. India’s primary export markets include those which have anti-dumping laws against the Chinese manufacturers.

Chinese modules are generally priced 20% lower than India-made modules making it difficult for Indian module manufacturers to compete with them. The further fall in the solar module prices has also been fuelling the recent free fall in the competitive

biddings.

Analysts say that with a slowdown in the Chinese market, the prices are expected to fall further by 20% over next year.

"As far as solar module manufacturing capacity is concerned, MNRE’s data pegs the installed capacity at 8,113 MW while operational capacity is 5,286.55 MW as on December-end. This has grown from 5,848 MW of installed capacity and 4,307.55 MW of installed capacity in June 2016end."

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IN CONVERSATION

"Orange Renewable has a RE portfolio of approx. 800 MW operational capacity and is targeting to develop a pipeline of 5 GW by 2022"

Mr. Naresh Mansukhani, Country Head Solar, Orange Renewable Power Private Limited Let’s start with the recent developments at your organisation in last one year.

Orange Renewable ventured into solar energy business in 2015 and have won a 100 MW Solar PV Project in the state of Maharashtra (Non-Solar Park) in January 2016 & 40 MW Solar PV Project in the state of Gujarat (Charanka Solar Park) in August 2016. Currently both the projects are in the final phase of construction and hopefully we will be commissioning both the projects in Q1 this fiscal year. Apart from this, Orange Renewable has started participating in international auctions for Solar PV projects and is working on acquisition opportunities in India and abroad.

"After Rewa bidding, the industry has slowed down temporarily as the expectations of the DISCOMS buying power has changed with such drop in tariff and the tendering agencies are reviewing their tendering structure & policies to be able to support such tariff expectations" Orange Renewable has just entered into the rooftop solar PV segment in India and currently executing approx. 150kWp rooftop project for one of the renowned real estate firm of Gurgaon. We are targeting to develop a pipeline capacity of 50MW rooftop solar PV project in this financial year.

As a developer, what key challenges do you face today?

Every infra project has its own challenges and Solar PV Projects are very different from other infra projects as these projects have a very short gestation period.

Land acquisition, evacuation, financing, and timely execution of the projects are few major challenges.

Acquisition of land for non-solar park projects is a tedious task due to various state specific uncertainties and local laws, also-

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these projects need commissioning within 12-13 months which becomes challenging. Evacuation is another major issue, as developers may find a suitable piece of land but it may not have the evacuation feasibility and vice versa. Also, every bid has its own specific requirements, like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh prefers for distributed generation and invites the bid substation wise while other states have a different methodology all together. Hence, the developers cannot make any investment or do any planning in advance. It is very difficult to find locations where both evacuation feasibility and large chunk of contiguous land having good solar irradiation are available.

Generally, the time available to get financing, land, evacuation under the PPA’s is around 6-7 months which is very challenging. The industry has started maturing after its initial learning phase, but still there are gaps which cause delays in the process and can further be streamlined.

Introduction of online reverse auction in solar energy market has brought down the tariff considerably and in every reverse auction, the industry is discovering a new benchmark. Developers are taking aggressive assumptions on various parameters including PV module cost, interest rates, etc. which may or may not be achievable in the given time frame putting pressure on the project viability.

"Orange Renewable has started participating in international auctions for Solar PV projects and is working on acquisition opportunities in India and abroad" As the assets become older, will aggressive bidding today become a pain point for the industry a few years down the line?

Normally developers take care of such issues at the time of bidding and can take design assumptions accordingly. Moreover there is no cost of fuel involved as it is a renewable source of energy and the generation depends on the technology deployed, quality of execution of the project and the O&M practices implemented.

The market is becoming more and more aggressive in the bids and there is a continuous need to reduce cost to win the business, some developers may try to cut corners in design and quality parameters

What are the milestones you wish to achieve by the end of this fiscal?

We already have a portfolio of approx. 600 MW of operational projects in wind across various states in India and we will be commissioning 140 MW ground mounted solar power projects as well as the 150 kWp rooftop solar PV project in Q1 this fiscal year. We have atarget to build a pipeline of approx. 500 MW renewable energy projects by the end of this year. Apart from this we are also working on project acquisition opportunities globally.

"Introduction of reverse auction in solar energy market has brought down the tariff considerably and in every reverse auction, the industry is discovering a new bench mark"

MINISTRY OF EW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

Which states do you believe lead see maximum solar energy investments this year?

Due to the positive push and favourable policies of the government, most of the states are moving rapidly for implementing solar power projects. Some of the states like Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana may see maximum solar energy investment because of clear policies and MNRE accredited solar parks in advanced stages of development. After Rewa bidding, the industry has slowed down temporarily as the expectations of the DISCOMS buying power has changed with such drop in tariff and the tendering agencies are reviewing their tendering structure & policies to be able to support such tariff expectations.

We may see a total of approx. 8-10 GW of solar bids this year, may be with a delayed initial start.

"Due to the positive push, favourable policies of the government and the dropping tariffs, most of the states are moving rapidly for implementing solar power projects"

which will affect the projects adversely in terms of generation and maintenance cost in a longer run.

Conference Sessions

CONTACT MUMBAI Iyer Narayanan M: +9199673 53437 E: iyer.narayanan@ubm.com CHENNAI Julian Thomas M: +9199404 59444 E: julian.thomas@ubm.com

Media Partner

BENGALURU Amitava Sarkar M: +9193792 29397 E: amitava.sarkar@ubm.com

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Softened Interest Rates Likely to Brighten Solar Sector In India

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) estimates that INR560 billion out of total debt of INR1,730 billion could be refinanced at a lower borrowing cost across various infrastructure sub-sectors in its portfolio till FY19.

Also, there could be a shift in the type of instruments issued for the purpose of raising capital in the sector largely to the capital market instruments, namely bonds, from the conventional term loans.

Ind-Ra estimates that for each 1% reduction in interest rate, the incremental surplus as a % of cash flow available for debt service would be highest in toll roads, followed by solar and wind energy. This could mainly be because the interest burden on these sectors is high as most of these projects are in the ramp-up stage.

Solar energy projects owing to their stable revenue profiles and better counterparties and toll road projects with reasonable track records and stronger sponsors and longer tail period, than other sub-sectors, appear to be the ideal candidates for refinancing. Though Ind-Ra expects a replacement of banks loans by bonds, traction will be witnessed through infrastructure investment trusts.

Also, Ind-Ra observes that the benefit of interest rate reduction will be the least for the annuity sector, followed by the thermal power sector, because refinancing risk has already been factored in at the time of initial funding for the former and due to minimal improvement in persistent issues in the latter.

An estimated INR45 million/project/year is projected to be the surplus for FY18, based on the average interest rate reduction of around 65bp witnessed for Ind-Ra rated entities across various infra sectors. The debt service coverage ratio is likely to improve 0.04x in FY18 across infra sectors.

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PRODUCT FEATURE

Navisol Series 72 cells PV Modules: Meticulously Designed for High Performance and Reliability With total installed capacity of 200 MW p.a. Solar PV modules production, Navitas stands among the biggest solar modules manufacturer in India. Navitas Solar offers crystalline PV modules ranging from 3Wp to 350Wp poly and mono crystalline modules. Navisol modules pass through 100% Electroluminescence Test, pre and post lamination, which ensures that modules manufactured are crack free.

Meticulously designed for high performance and reliability, Navisol series modules go through stringent quality control measures to ensure delivery of exceptionally high PV yield. PID resistant Navisol series modules have excellent module efficiency up to 16.90 per cent and positive power tolerance up to 4.99Wp which comes with 10 years product warranty and 25 years linear performance warranty.

Navisol series modules have IEC 61215, 61730-1&2, IEC62804, IEC61701, UL1703, Fire Rating, ISO9001, 14001 and 18001 certifications and fulfil all necessary conditions according to various standards required for availing project approvals and incentives or subsidy.

Advantages: • Ideal for large scale and rooftop installations • Highly reliable due to 100% EL testing and over 30 in-house tests • High durability ensured and independently tested for harsh environmental conditions such as exposure to salt mist, ammonia and known PID factors • Advanced glass efficiency achieved with unique Anti-Reflective Coating that directs more sunlight on solar cells

We can offer wide range of solutions for electrical testing, maintenance, Process Calibration, Power Quality Analysis, Earth Testing, Data Logging, Temp & Humidity measurement, Infrared Thermal Imaging etc. We have wide range of DMMs, Oscilloscopes , Clampmeters , Insulation Testers, Earth Resistance Testers, Hi-pot testers, Micro Ohmmeters, LCR Meters , Current Transformers, InfraRed Thermometers, Thermal Imagers, Function Generators , Spectrum Analyzers , Safety Testers , Lux meters, Sound Level meters , Vibration Meter , Solar Power Meter , Power Supplies and Data loggers . These Test Instruments are used in the field of Electrical & Instrument Maintenance, Preventative Maintenance, Quality Control, Calibration of Process Instrumentation, Energy Audit, Power Quality Analysis etc.

We have wide range of compact selfpowered Data loggers which can monitor wide range of parameters like temperature, pressure, volts, current, Humidity etc. The data is stored internally in the memory which can be downloaded on PC. Some these data loggers can be accessed remotely using modems . These can be used for monitoring cold chains (

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• NOCT o Irradiance 800 W/m2 o Cell temperature 200 C o Am=1.5

Technical Properties:

We also have a good range of OFF Grid & ON Grid Inverters for all solar applications We are a leading solution providers in the field of Test and measuring instruments and Solar PV. We have been operating for more than a decade. Our business associates include world renowned manufacturers like Fluke, Tektronix, Keithley, GW Instek, ACR, Tenmars, Morningstar USA, Studer, Stanley, Cromwell etc.

• STC o Irradiance 1000 W/m2 o Cell temperature 250 C o AM=1.5

AZISE2017_Solar Quarter_124,46x203,2_EN.qxp_Layout 1 20.03.17 08:21 Seite 1

PART OF THE INTERSOLAR GLOBAL EXHIBITION SERIES

for food , pharma, data centers), remote collection of data , verification purpose to understand reasons of intermitten problems.

We have a wide range of Solar Charge Controllers from Morningstar Corporation who are world-leading supplier of photovoltaic (PV) controllers and inverters using advanced technology.

Their controllers and inverters have set new standards in the industry for quality, high reliability and extended battery life .Morningstar's products have been recognized in the international PV markets as the most advanced and highestquality products available .Their patented PWM multi-stage charging increases battery life and recovers lost capacity in a sulfated battery and their advanced Maximum Power Point Tracking technology used in MPPT controllers maximize the energy harvest from the solar array and lowers the system cost .Our MPPT range of charge controllers are the only charge controllers which are IEC certified.

The World’s Leading Exhibition for the Solar Industry Messe München, Germany The unique meeting point for the global solar industry Success guaranteed: 1,200 exhibitors – 40,000+ visitors – 160 countries A dynamic marketplace with a global reach

We also have a good range of OFF Grid & ON Grid Inverters for all solar applications.

Our list of clients includes names like GAIL, NTPC, PGCIL, IOCL, HPCL, GE , Tata Sky, Maruti Suzuki, Honda , Hero Honda, LG electronics, Moser Baer, CEL, Polyplex Corporation, Nestle, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, Fanuc, APC, Delta Energy, Luminous , Hutch, Bharti, DMRC, Control & Switchgear group, Alsthom, Siemens Voith, Surya Roshini, Phillips, PCI etc.

co-located with

Top information for your visit in Munich, Germany!

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

First Solar’s Energy Advantage In Hot And Humid Indian Climatic Conditions

Caption: 10MW Marikal Solar Park Introduction Demand is moving from temperate climates like Europe to the tropics, where there is ample sunlight, and increasing economic activity. These hot and humid climates are ideal for innovative photovoltaic (PV) module technologies like First Solar’s. First Solar’s thin film cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV modules generate 5-8% higher energy yield in hot, humid climates,primarily due to two factors: (a) lower rate of instantaneous power drop as compared to crystalline silicon (c-Si) when operating temperatures increase; and (b) maintained power output when the spectrum of light shifts due to humidity in the atmosphere, due to positively differentiated attributes of First Solar’s CdTesemi-conductor.

To demonstrate the technology advantage & higher energy yield, showcased in this paper below are twolive project cases studies in which both First Solar thin film technology and c-Si technology are co-located with similar project designs.

Technology Description There are currently just a few economically viable PV module technologies, each with unique characteristics that are specifically important to understand for successful application in hot humid climates like India.

Crystalline Silicon modules consist of PV cells (typically of between 12.5 square cm and 20 square cm) connected together and encapsulated between a transparent front (usually glass), and a backing material (usually plastic or glass). First Solar’s thin film modules use CdTe as semiconductor material, which is deposited using vapor transport deposition between two sheets of glass.

According to Standard Test Conditions, PV modules are evaluated for instantaneous power output (STC) as per IEC 60904-3 1.

This standard defines a set of reference conditions at an irradiance level of 1000 W/ m2 and an ambient temperature of 25°C; less commonly known is that the standard also defines a spectral irradiance distribution characterized by ASTM G173. It is very important to understand that an STC measurement is a single point measurement and does not adequately represent how module performance varies under real

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world conditionsdue to real-time changes in field temperature, irradiance levels and spectral irradiance distribution.

The First Solar Technology Advantage With more than 17 GW of PV thinfilm Cd Te module technology installed worldwide, solar plants using First Solar thinfilm PV modules continue to demonstrate consistent performance and reliability advantages. First Solar’s high efficiency modules offer a clear energy density advantage over silicon-based modules by delivering similar efficiency, higher real-world energy yield and long-term reliability. First Solar modules feature an innovative design, quality construction and superior performance that excel in the industry’s most rigorous extended durability protocols like the Thresher Test, Long Term Sequential Test, and Atlas25+. First Solar cell structure has an improved back-contact design that better manages the fundamental poweroutput degradation mechanism, which significantly enhances the long-term durability and extended test performance of the modules.

First Solar’s commercially available 16.7% efficiency modules compete with the bestin-class multicrystalline today. First Solar’s module technology roadmap continues to provide a trajectory of future efficiency improvements demonstrated by worldrecords for thin film PV cells at 21.5% and modules at 18.2%.

First Solar modules also offer higher power density with comparable land usage when compared to typical cSi modules, resulting in more installed capacity per square meter.

First Solar CdTeModule Energy Advantage CdTe modules deliver more energy in realworld conditions due to following advantages: • Lower temperature coefficient • Better spectral response • Linear response to shading Higher Energy Yield in Hot Conditions All PV modules produce less power than their name plate as temperatures rise above their labelled 25°C standard test condition.

Whenever module operating temperatures

exceed 25°C (this can be >90% of generating hours in hot climates), CdTe modules will produce more energy compared to c-Si modules due to the lower temperature coefficient of power.

tage is of particular importance in hot and humid climates such as India, where First Solar’s high efficiency thinfilm modules have an increased energy yield advantage due to a superior temperature coefficient, better shading response and better spectral response.

First Solar’s S4v3 module temperature coefficient is -0.28%/°C, compared to a range of -0.41 %/°C to -0.45%/°C for typical c-Si modules. On a hot sunny day, module temperatures can easily reach 65°C, resulting in First Solar modules producing up to 5-6% more power than c-Si modules on average. Over a year in hot climate conditions, this high temperature advantage can add up to 3-4% more annual energy than c-Si modules.

This article compares performance of First Solar’s thinfilm CdTe modules with multicrystalline modules under field conditions for two different sets of commercially operating plants. Since full plant information is not publicly available, reference simulations are run at each of these locations in Plant Predict (www.plantpredict.com) using typical system design parameters, illustrating the expected difference in energy output when comparing plants that are designed identically. Then, energy output for each of the two cases is shown, comparing a First Solar plant to a c-Si plant in the near vicinity. Additional information summarizing system design parameters indicates how well the energy advantage is expected to match the reference simulations.

Higher Energy Yield in Humid Conditions Due to Spectral Response Advantage Sunlight is comprised of multiple wavelengths and various intensities of light. The intensity of various sunlight wavelengths that reach the earth’s surface is influenced by atmospheric conditions, with water vapor in the atmosphere having the largest effect for CdTe (commonly correlated to high humidity).

Different PV technologies respond differently to different light wavelengths. On humid days, water in the atmosphere reduces specific wavelengths of available light. First Solar CdTe modules are less sensitive to reductions in wavelengths most affected by this type of high atmospheric water content. As a result, this superior spectral response allows First Solar modules to produce up to 4-5% more annual energy in high humidity conditions.

Higher Energy Yield Due to Better Shading Response

Reference Simulations Reference simulations were run in the two locations indicated for the case studies below, using typical plant design parameters as outlined in Table 1. TMY files from the NSRDB SUNY database (https://nsrdb. nrel.gov/international-datasets) were used as this data is publicly available. Module files were used that are indicative of what was available when the systems in Case Studies 1 and 2 were installed (c-Si modules represented by Jinko JKM 290P compared to First Solar FS-385), although use of newer generations of modules is not expected to change the relative energy difference of the simulations significantly as long as the system design is consistent. System design was kept simple for illustrative purposes, and all losses are equivalent between module technologies excepting LID and thermal coefficients.

First Solar modules do not experience LID so this assumption was set to 0%, and the thermal coefficients for First Solar modules have been studied and found to match field performance most closely at 30.7 and 0 (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6656705/). The latest version of the spectral model (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/ document/7749836/) was used for both technologies.

CdTe modules minimize power loss from shading because of a unique cell design.

When a CdTe module is shaded, only the shaded portion is impacted, while the rest of the module will continue to produce power. This is in contrast to typical c-Si modules that use bypass diodes to turn off disproportionately large portions of the module when shading occurs to protect the device from damage. In an environment with 10% shading, Table 1: Modelling parameters for here reference cases a standard c-Si module will lose up to 30% of its power while a First Solar module will only experience a 10% loss of power under the same conditions.

Live Project Studies to Validate First Solar’s Energy Advantage in Hot and Humid Indian Climate The anticipated energy yield advantage of First Solar’s modules is up to 6-9% compared to equivalent crystalline silicon (cSi) modules at the same locations. This advan-

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT Table 5: Comparison of plant design data of Waa Solar – First Solar CdTe technology plant and S.J. Green c-Si plant

The results of the reference simulations are shown in Table 2. Overall, results at the two locations did not vary significantly, as each had similar temperature and humidity conditions. The greatest energy advantage in these locations is due to temperature, where the gain was on the order of 4-5%.

The next biggest difference in the simulations was due to LID, where the c-Si simulation had an additional 1.5% loss due to this effect. The climate represented by these three locations does not exhibit the humid conditions that lead to a large spectral adjustment, so this gain was <1% in all reference cases. On average, the energy advantage of First Solar modules in these two locations was 7.7%.

Table 2: First Solar’s energy advantage in case study reference simulations

Case Study 1: Two solar plants belonging to Sunkon Energy Pvt Limited, located in Amreli district, Gujrat, are compared in Table 3 below.

based on data received from developer/ SLDC, and no other correction on account of module cleaning, plant availability, etc. have been made.This energy advantage illustrated in the measured data is within reasonable uncertainty bounds of the reference simulation, which predicted a 7.8% energy advantage for this location. The similar designs of these c-Si and First Solar plants makes this a valuable comparison, despite the unknowns in the data stream.

Case Study 2: Two solar plants operational for over four years at Surrender Nagar Gujrat are compared in Table 5.

Comparison of the First Solar module technology to the multicrystalline module is based on measured data from the Gujrat SLDC for the calendar year 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (through October) and is shown in Table 6.

This analysis is purely based on data received from the Developer/SLDC, and no correction on account of module cleaning, plant availability, etc. have been made.

Table 6: Comparison of plant performance data of Waa Solar – First Solar CdTe technology plant and S.J. Green c-Si plant

on Table 3: Comparison of plant design data of Sunkon – with First Solar CdTe Based technology plant and c-Si plant the last four

Comparison of these two plants -- one with First Solar module technology installed and the other with a c-Si module installed -- is based on measured data from the Gujrat SLDC for the calendar year from January 2013 through December 2016 and is given below in Table 4.

Based on the last four years of data comparison, as shown in Figure 1, the plant with First Solar modules is producing 6.93% to 8.19% higher generation annually in comparison to the plant with the c-Si modules, averaging a 7.56% higher generation for the last four years. This analysis is purely

yearsof data comparison, the plant with First Solar modules has produced 4.1% to 10.63% higher, annual generation, with respect to the multi crystalline modules, averaging a 6.74% of higher generation. The average energy advantage is slightly less, but similar to the reference case value of 7.8%, and well within the bounds of modeling and measurement uncertainty.

However, Case Study 2 has more annual variation in the energy advantage than the previous case, suggesting that there is likely something not represented in the reference simulations that is affecting the comparison of these two powerplants, such as plant availability or soiling effects.

Conclusion Comparisons of two sets of commercially operating power plants in India demonstrate a consistent First Solar module energy production advantage when compared to similarly designed c-Si module power plants. With identical plant design, refer-

Table 4: Comparison of plant performance data of Sunkon – First Solar CdTe technologyplant and c-Si plant

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Fig 2: Energy advantage of First Solar CdTe plant over c-Si for Surendra Nagar Plants of Waa Solar and S.J. Green

ence simulations indicate an energy advantage of 7.44%-7-8%, which could result in additional increase in a more humid climate, where the spectral shift gain is larger. While a comprehensive analysis of individual contributors is not included due to restrictions on detailed performance data, it is reasonable to infer that the temperature response and spectral response advantages of First Solar’s modules are significant contributors to specific energy yield and CUF advantages, as indicated by the reference simulations for these locations.

While module efficiency identifies the power produced by a module in a single point at standard test conditions (STC), the Specific Annual Energy Yield metric gives a more useful picture of the annual energy produced by the DC array in a power plant under real world conditions. When

evaluating return on investment (ROI) for a solar power plant, specific energy yield has one of the biggest impacts on the overall Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE).

First Solar’s high efficiency modules are proven to deliver more usable energy per nameplate watt than conventional siliconbased modules. This means that for an equivalently designed and installed power plant, priced at the same $/Watt, a First Solar plant based on CdTe module technology will produce more energy, resulting in a lower LCOE ($/MWh).

Authors: Amit Kumar Mittal, Director, Technical, India, First Solar Sanjay Singh, Manager, Warranty, Asia Pacific, First Solar.

Acknowledgement: The authors would like to thank, Mr. Alkesh Patel, CEO Solar Group, of Sunkon Energy, and Mr. Amit Sharma, DGM (Technical) of Waa Solar, for their valuable help in sharing the generation & plant data.

Figure 1: Energy advantage of First Solar CdTeplant over c-Si for Sunkon energy

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Commissioned 30MW and currently executing 60.49MW across 3 states

275MW

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SNEC 2017 HIGHLIGHTS

“With the emerging opportunities in Indian Solar Market, how are you planning to take maximum advantage of it?”

SNEC Agfa’s UNIQOAT is the mono-backsheet with the highest reflectivity.

Higher reflectivity equals higher power output and will help achieving India’s tremendous solar ambitions. UNIQOAT includes all required backsheet functionality in one single layer and offers better durability as well as a great cost down potential compared to laminated structures.

India is a very strategic market for us with a market size of over 10 GW in 2017. As the world's no.

1 solar module manufacturing company, JinkoSolar is heavily invested in the country with ready price and best-in-class products on offer. We are targeting over 1.5 GW supply in the region with top IPPs and solar developers.

- Ginlong is establishing through distribution channel which make every customers all over the India can purchase the SOLIS INVERTER more convenient.

The Indian Energy market is evolving into renewable energy on a big scale. High quality and smart design of mounting structures, combined with economic pricing, will play an important role. Schletter’s approach of German Engineering & Quality can meet this demand due to our optimized and advanced production capacities

- Ginlong will cooperate with some EPC company directly, support their commercial project and ground mount plant.

- There is local technical support team which including presales and after-sales will support customers 24 hours.

Whatever market changes, our back sheet quality will be good as origin. And quality will help win more market share.

Indian solar market is now fast changing with parity based projects gaining momentum. Need of the hour is to have generation at the point of consumption and rooftop solar seems to be the natural choice for many consumers. We follow direct to market strategy with spot availability of material to support the industry

The Indian solar market should see a major change in the coming years with the focus shifting from ground mounted segment to the distributed solar segment such as solar rooftop, solar pumps etc. Battery storage is another area that is poised to take-of with the government’s vision to completely electrify the transportation sector by 2030.

GCL plans to support the government’s targets by launching quality affordable segments for all these rapidly growing areas.

To size the emerging opportunities in India market, Sineng is setting up India factory with 5Gw first year's production capacity in Bangalore and which will be operational in June 2017, via this factory Sineng will bring global quality and reliable products into India market by standing on the R&D platform of worldwide Top 500 company, and provide customer one stop solution from products, after sales service, and O&M service.

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India is one of the key market for ReneSola and we have consistently invested in adding manpower, pre/post sales technical support & our supply chain infrastructure.

We will also be introducing our new products for Indian solar market this year and ramped up our stocking capacities to cater to roof top & off grid market for immediate availability of modules.

India PV market is giant now and still growing fast with high speed.

There are two aspects of business, which Hanergy is willing to take part in deeply, thin film production line cooperation and movable energy product sales. We are glad to discuss with local giant company like Tata, Welspun, etc to localize new top edge solar factory in India to improve the level of the whole solar market via thin film solar technology exporting. We also expect to co-work with local sales channel of online and offline for increasing the public acceptance and happiness by our movable energy product like charging paper, solar bag, solar charger etc. In the long term, India should be no doubt a quite big and important targeted market region for Hanergy Group.

We observed that: a) policy changes give way to all three market segments: utility, commercial & industrial and residential; b) under extreme and diverse climatic conditions in India, it’s critical to consider modules with higher specifications such as PID free, low temperature coefficient, higher efficiency, good Low light performance, minimum micro crack and hot sports, etc. These factors create a direct impact on consistent energy yields over the lifetime of power plant.

“Clean Energy Associate is committed to bring our global quality assurance expertise to India. With our best-in-class Quality Assurance services for PV modules, inverters & racking we are uniquely positioned to support developing high quality solar assets in India. We will continue to build tailored solutions for the Indian market.” Andy Klump, CEO and Founder

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SNEC 2017 HIGHLIGHTS

2017 Presence at SNEC 2017

Talesun Solar Technology Co., Ltd

LDK Solar

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Jinko Solar

Trunsun Solar

TBEA

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Paru Co. Ltd

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GCL System Integration Technology Co., Ltd

QC Solar Corporation

Sineng Electric Co., Ltd.

Xinte Energy Co., Ltd

Lightway Solar

GSolar Power Co., Ltd

Linuo Power Group

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