EMPOWERING THE WIND SECTOR
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WIND S P E C I A L
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WINDINSIDER ENGINEERING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
AWARDS INDIA 2021
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THE CRITICAL LINK TO INDIA’S ENERGY TRANSITION P E R S P E C T I V E
W W W . W I N D I N S I D E R . C O M
WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES & TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS IN WIND POWER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE?
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CONTENT 05
OPINION
WILL INDIA ACHIEVE ITS TARGET OF WIND CAPACITY OF 60 GW BY 2022? WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO EXPEDITE THE GROWTH?
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NEWS
WINDINSIDER NEWS
GUEST COLUMN
PLI SCHEME FOR WINDPLI SCHEME FOR WIND
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IN CONVERSATION
A NITHYANAND
Business Head – Renewables, Sembcorp India
WIND: THE CRITICAL LINK TO INDIA’S ENERGY TRANSITION
"Wind industry must brace the headwinds to stay relevant and play its vital role in India's energy transition."
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SCANNING LIDAR
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WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES & TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS IN
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OPINION
WINDINSIDER ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
AWARDS INDIA 2021
Firstview Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd.
Sangita Shetty editorial@firstviewgroup.com
INSIGHTS
INDIANOIL FORAYS INTO WIND LUBRICANTS
ADVANCEMENTS IN WIND TURBINE TECHNOLOGY: IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING COST
EDITING
INSIGHTS
UNDERSTANDING INDIA’S WINDSOLAR HYBRID POWER SYSTEM
WIND POWER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE?
PUBLISHING
INSIGHTS
ROLE OF WIND ENERGY IN TRACKING CLIMATE CHANGE
PERSPECTIVE
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INSIGHTS
DEEP DIVE INTO INDIA’S OFFSHORE WIND POTENTIAL
GUEST COLUMN
INCREASING COVERAGE, ACCURACY AND EFFICIENCY IN OFFSHORE WIND ASSESSMENTS WITH DUAL
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GUEST COLUMN
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AWARDS
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE IN WIND ENERGY HONORED & AWARDED
CONTENT
DESIGNING
Ashwini Chikkodi
Radha Buddhadev
Sadhana Raju Shenvekar
Neha Barangali
Sanjana Kamble
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CIRCULATION Kunal Verma
ADVERTISING
SUBCRIPTION
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WINDINSIDER NEWS BUZZ >
GE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CONTINUUM GREEN ENERGY SIGN LARGE WIND POWER PROJECT IN INDIA GE Renewable Energy announced its selection by Continuum Green Energy India Pvt Ltd (Continuum Green Energy) to supply, install and commission 55 sets of its 2.7-132 onshore wind turbines for the 148.5 MW Morjar, Bhuj wind farm in Gujarat, India. The project was won by Continuum Green Energy during the tranche-VI auction of wind projects by Solar Energy Corporation of India and will produce enough green energy to power 125,000 households in India. This is another success for GE’s 2.7-132 wind turbine which has proven to be the technology of choice for customers in India due to its industry leading performance at India’s low wind speeds. The supply for this project will leverage GE’s significant local footprint in India with product design primarily at GE’s Technology Center in Bengaluru, blades manufactured in GE’s plants in Vadodara and assembly at the GE Multi-modal Manufacturing Facility in Pune.
INDUSTRY >
WIND SECTOR NEEDS TO RESOLVE DATA ACCESS ISSUES IF IT IS PLAY A COMPETITIVE PART IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION The finding of a report by ONYX Insight, a leading provider of predictive data analytics and engineering expertise to the global wind industry - looking at data access and ownership in the wind industry. According to the report, the wind energy sector needs to adopt data sharing practices in other industries such as those used in aviation if it is to compete with fossil fuels and play a fundamental role in the energy transition. While the wind industry has been quick to adopt digitalisation and predictive maintenance practises, lack of access to data is holding it back from realising the full benefits of this technology. Missing data has the potential to give operators more detailed insights, enabling better asset management, long term O&M planning, and enhancing strategic maintenance. Unexpected turbine failure contributes to 58% of OPEX costs, the bulk of which is reactive, unplanned maintenance that could have been avoided. Specifically, improved data sharing could lead to new analytical methods such as the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve turbine performance. The massive potential of AI is recognised throughout the industry, but these methods have to date been hampered by the lack of clean, cross-platform, normalised data. Improved data sharing has the potential to fully unleash AI and lead to a significant reduction in LCoE (Levelised Cost of Energy) across the renewables sector.
DETAIL >
200 GW OF OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR More than 200 GW of new offshore wind projects have been announced since the beginning of 2020 — accounting for more than 44% of all global capacity at the pre-construction or early development phase — according to the “2020 Global Offshore Wind Annual Market Report” issued today from The Renewables Consulting Group (RCG). Despite a global pandemic, 2020 was a year of substantial milestones for global offshore wind. With new projects announced from Colombia to Brazil in the Americas, Spain to Estonia in Europe and Australia to the Philippines in the APAC region, the technology has been adopted by markets at contrasting levels of socio-economic development and distinct geographies. New projects exceeding 500 MW in capacity were announced in Spain, Ireland, Norway, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy, Brazil and Vietnam through early 2021. Technology continues to emerge as floating offshore wind continues to emerge as a utility-scale option for markets with deep-water seabed areas.
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 5
LATEST>
SIEMENS GAMESA TO SUPPLY TYPHOONPROOF TURBINES TO JAPAN’S LARGEST ONSHORE CLUSTER OF FOUR WIND FARMS Siemens Gamesa will supply 79 of its industry-leading Typhoonclass onshore wind turbines for Japan’s largest wind farm cluster, strengthening its position as one of the leading renewable energy players in the country. The 339.7 MW* Dohoku wind farm cluster consists of four projects to be developed by Eurus Energy, the country’s leading independent renewable energy developer.
INDUSTRY >
VESTAS SECURES 46 MW ORDER IN SOUTH KOREA WITH THE HIGHEST TUBULAR STEEL TOWER IN THE COUNTRY Vestas has received a 46 MW order from Yeongwol Eco Wind Co., Ltd. for the Yeongwol Eco Wind Project in Korea. Co-owned with E1 Corporation and to be constructed by Daewoo E&C, the project will be located in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do, in South Korea. The order includes eleven Vestas V136-4.2 MW wind turbines, as well as a 20-year Active Output Management 4000 (AOM 4000) service agreement for the wind farm, providing a time-based availability guarantee to ensure optimised performance and long-term business case certainty for the customer.
DETAIL >
VESTAS SECURES 101 MW ORDER TO EXTEND WIND PROJECT IN INDIA
Siemens Gamesa will also provide technical field assistance for construction and commissioning of the four wind projects, with expected full commissioning in the second half of 2023. Given that Japan faces very high wind speeds, including typhoons, Siemens Gamesa specifically designed the typhoon-proof onshore turbines based on proven technologies to accommodate the local wind site conditions.
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Vestas has secured a 101 MW order from ReNew Power, one of India’s leading Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers (IPP). The order is an extension of ReNew’s existing project in Kutch, Gujarat, where Vestas had previously supplied turbines totalling to 250 MW. Vestas has also supplied turbines of 100 MW to another one of ReNew’s projects in Taralkatti, Karnataka. The contract includes supply and supervision of 46 V120-2.2 MW turbines as well as a 10-year Active Output Management (AOM) 5000 service agreement, designed to maximise energy production for the project. With a yield-based availability guarantee, Vestas will provide ReNew Power with (long-term) business case certainty.
INSIGHT >
LATEST>
NORDEX SE INFORMS ABOUT POTENTIAL ORDER FOR 1 GW WIND FARM IN AUSTRALIA Nordex SE and Acciona Energía are in advanced negotiations of contracts and are about to reach agreement in principle for the supply and installation of up to 180 Nordex N163/5.X wind turbines of Nordex’s Delta4000 series to Acciona Energía’s MacIntyre wind precinct in the State of Queensland (Australia). The development there comprises the MacIntyre wind farm with an estimated capacity of 923 MW and the Karara wind farm of approx. 102.6 MW, taking the total capacity planned to be installed and operational by 2024 to about 1,026 MW. The Company expects to conclude negotiations and sign definitive agreements in the coming weeks for the projects to become firm order intake before year end 2021. Further updates on this potential order intake will be provided within the Company’s regular reporting.
SJVN INKS PACT WITH NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF WIND ENERGY FOR ENERGY PROJECTS State-owned SJVN Ltd has signed a pact with National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) to develop solar and wind energy projects. SJVN has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Institute for ‘technical consultancy services’ for development of solar, wind, hybrid (wind and solar) and hybrid (wind, solar and battery storage) energy projects of SJVN, according to a statement. NIWE will support SJVN to assess the feasibility and techno-commercial aspects of the projects and preparation of detailed project reports, estimates and bid documents covering all relevant aspects from the concept to the commissioning of these projects.
BUZZ>
VENA ENERGY ANNOUNCES THE START OF COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF THE 7.5 MW REIHOKU WIND PROJECT Vena Energy, Asia-Pacific’s leading renewable independent power producers (IPP), announced today the commencement of operation for the 7.5 MW “Reihoku” Wind Project in Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan. The Reihoku Wind Project is the first among several wind projects that Vena Energy is currently constructing in Japan, and at the peak of its construction the project created 34 jobs locally within the host community. The Reihoku Wind Project is expected to satisfy the electricity requirements of approximately 4,200 Japanese households annually. Compared to thermal energy generation, the project’s clean generation will be equivalent to reducing up to 12,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and saving up to 17 million litres of water every year.
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LATEST>
INDIA’S WIND MARKET SET TO BOUNCE BACK WITH NEARLY 50% GROWTH OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS A new report by GWEC and MEC Intelligence (MEC+) finds that India is expected to install nearly 20.2 GW of wind power capacity between 2021-2025, a growth of nearly 50% compared to the 39.2 GW currently installed in the country. The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on India’s wind energy market was more severe than anticipated, with only 1.1 GW installed out of the 3.3 GW originally forecasted for 2020. A pipeline of projects of 10.3 GW in central and state markets are expected to drive installations until 2023. Post2023, the market will likely be driven by nearly 10 GW of new capacity awarded to wind mainly through hybrid tenders.
INSIGHT >
SIEMENS GAMESA ACHIEVES 5TH POSITION IN GLOBAL RATINGS ESG EVALUATION Siemens Gamesa works to tackle the greatest challenge of our generation – the climate crisis. The company’s crucial contribution of providing clean energy solutions to decarbonize the economy has been recognized through S&P’s ESG evaluation, which analyzes its performance in terms of environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities. Siemens Gamesa achieved a score of 84 out of 100, placing it #5 in the worldwide league table and #1 in Spain among public ESG evaluations. Siemens Gamesa is the first wind turbine manufacturer to receive this evaluation from S&P.
BUZZ>
VESTAS WINS 32 MW ORDER IN JAPAN Vestas has secured a 32 MW order with Toda Corporation for the Azumakogen Wind Farm in Fukushima prefecture, Japan. Owned by Japan Renewable Energy Corporation (JRE), Fukushima Mirai Kenkyukai, General Foundation and Shinobuyama Fukushima Power, the wind project will be constructed by Toda Corporation and will feature nine V105-3.45 MW turbines in 3.6 MW operating mode with 84m towers. Delivery of the turbines will begin in the second quarter of 2022, with commissioning scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022.
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LATEST>
AGEL ARM COMMISSIONS 150 MW WIND POWER PROJECT IN GUJARAT
INSIGHT >
WPD WINDMANAGER AND KELAG EXPAND COOPERATION The KELAG Group and wpd windmanager GmbH & Co. KG paves the way for a common future in Croatia. The Austrian energy supplier assigns the operations manager with the technical management for another Croatian wind farm – following the Jasenice wind project. The second wind farm Orjak, located near Split, consists of five Senvion MM92 turbines and a total capacity of 10,25 MW.
BUZZ>
OFFSHORE WIND POWER MARKET TO REACH A CAPACITY OF 94 GW BY 2026
Adani Green Energy said its arm Adani Wind Energy Kutchh Three Ltd (AWEKTL) has commissioned a 150-megawatts (MW) wind power project in the Kutchh district of Gujarat, nine months ahead of schedule. AWEKTL, a subsidiary of Adani Green Energy Ltd, commissioned a 150 MW wind power project located in Kutchh, Gujarat, nine months ahead of its schedule,’ according to a BSE filing. This is its sixth project commissioned before schedule over the past 12 months, the company stated in the filing. The project has a 25year power purchase agreement with Solar Energy Corporation of India at Rs 2.82 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This commissioning takes AGEL’s total operational renewable capacity to 5,070 MW, a step closer to its vision of 25 GW capacity by 2025.
The global offshore wind power market size is anticipated to reach a capacity of approximately 94 GW by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 19.2% during the forecast period. The growth is primarily attributable to the rising investments in wind power projects. Favorable government policies are also complementing the market growth. Fortune Business Insights™ has presented this information in their report titled, “Offshore Wind Power Market, 20192026”. The market size stood at 23 GW in 2018. Offshore wind power is one of the most valuable renewable energy sources worldwide. The market has gradually been gaining traction and is expected to witness substantial growth in the forthcoming years.
BUZZ>
SUZLON SECURES 252 MW ORDER FROM CLP INDIA Suzlon Group, India’s largest renewable energy solutions provider, announced its new order win for development of a 252 MW wind power project from CLP India. Suzlon will install 120 units of S120-140m wind turbine generators (WTGs) with a Hybrid Lattice Tubular (HLT) tower, with rated capacity of 2.1 MW each. The project is located in Sidhpur, Gujarat and is expected to be commissioned in 2022. Suzlon will execute the project with a scope of supply, foundation, erection and commissioning. Suzlon will also provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services post commissioning.
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LATEST>
WIND POWER AUCTIONING BOUNCES BACK WITH 160% Y-O-Y RISE IN Q1 2021
INSIGHT >
GE RESEARCHERS UNVEIL 12 MW FLOATING WIND TURBINE CONCEPT GE researchers unveiled details of an ongoing two-year, $4 MM project through the ARPAE’s ATLANTIS (Aerodynamic Turbines Lighter and Afloat with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control) program to design and develop advanced controls to support a 12 MW Floating Offshore Wind Turbine. GE is partnering on the project with Glosten, one of the leading design and consulting firms in the marine industry, and the developer of the PelaStar tension-leg platform floating wind turbine foundation. The Floating Wind Turbine project is one of several cutting-edge energy technologies GE Research is featuring at the annual ARPA-E Innovation Summit.
INSIGHT >
JSW ENERGY ARM INKS PPA FOR SUPPLY OF 540 MW WIND ENERGY JSW Renew Energy Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Future Energy Ltd has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) for the contracted capacity of 540 MW out of the total awarded capacity of 810 MW, as per a BSE filing said. The order was bagged through a competitive bidding process. This is the single largest PPA for the wind/ blended wind category in the industry, and marks the foray of the company into the wind/ blended wind energy generation segment, it added. According to the latest GWEC Market Intelligence, nearly 7 GW of wind power capacity was auctioned globally in Q1 2021 – a 160% year-on-year increase compared to Q1 2020, which saw only 2.7 GW auctioned due to a slowdown caused by the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wind power capacity awarded in APAC was India through the country’s Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Tranche-X Wind ISTS auction. Not only was this auction oversubscribed for the first time since February 2019, but it also saw a record low winning bid of 2.77 INR/kWh (or around $0.0382/kWh) for a 1.2 GW wind energy project, about 7% lower than the previous lowest tariff ever recorded at a SECI auction.
In September 2020, JSW Energy said that JSW Future Energy Ltd had received a Letter of Awards for a total blended wind capacity of 810 MW in respect of the tariff-based competitive bids invited by SECI for setting up of 2,500 MW ISTS (Inter-State Transmission System) connected blended wind power projects (Tranche – IX).
BUZZ>
IFC SUPPORTS WIND PROJECTS TO ADVANCE RENEWABLE ENERGY IN VIETNAM As Vietnam transitions to cleaner low-carbon power generation to help meet the country’s growing demand for electricity, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is funding the development and construction of two wind power projects in Central Vietnam. IFC is providing a financing package of $57 million to Thuan Binh Wind Power Joint Stock Company (TBW), a subsidiary of Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation (REE). This will enable the construction of two onshore wind power plants — Phu Lac 2 in Binh Thuan province and Loi Hai 2 in Ninh Thuan province — with a total capacity of 54.2 megawatt. The plants will generate about 170 million megawatt hours of clean energy per year once they start operating later in 2021.
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LATEST>
SECI ISSUES RFS FOR 1200 MW ISTSCONNECTED WIND POWER PROJECTS UNDER TRANCHE-XI Request for Selection (RfS) Document for Selection of Wind Power Developers for Setting up of 1200 MW ISTS-connected Wind Power Projects in India under Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (Tranche-XI). Connectivity and Long-Term Open Access shall be in the scope of the Wind Power Developer. Bid Processing Fees will be Rs. 5 Lakh +18% GST for each project from 50 MW up to 99.9 MW and Rs. 15 Lakh + 18% GST for each Project from 100 MW and above. The last date for bid submission is July 6, 2021, with bids to be opened on July 9.
INSIGHT >
AC ENERGY GEARS UP TO DEVELOP THE PHILIPPINES’ LARGEST WIND FARM AC Energy Corporation is moving closer to its 2025 goal of achieving 5,000 MW of renewable energy target with the start of construction of the 160MW Balaoi & Caunayan wind farm, the biggest wind farm in the Philippines to date. Once completed, AC Energy will double its wind energy capacity in the country. Upon completion of the infusion of AC Energy International into ACEN, its total renewables capacity will be over 2,000 MW. Located in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, the ₱ 11.4 billion wind farm is AC Energy’s latest project with long-time partner, UPC Renewables. The project’s target completion is slated for Q4 2022, in time for full year operations in 2023, when supply in the Luzon energy market is expected to be tight.
BUZZ>
ACWA POWER TO DEVELOP 1.5 GW WIND PROJECT IN CENTRAL ASIA In the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Energy, and His Excellency Sardor Umurzakov, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments & Foreign Trade, ACWA Power, a leading Saudi developer, investor and operator of power generation and desalinated water plants in 13 countries, signed an implementation agreement with the Ministry of Investments & Foreign Trade and the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan for the development, construction and operation of a 1500 MW wind power project in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. Once operational, the project will become the largest wind farm in the Central Asian region, and one of the largest in the world.
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INTERVIEW
A NITHYANAND
BUSINESS HEAD – RENEWABLES, SEMBCORP INDIA
Wind industry must brace the headwinds to stay relevant and play its vital role in India's energy transition. In an exclusive interview with Wind Insider magazine, Mr. A Nithyanand, Business Head – Renewables, Sembcorp India talks about his perspectives on the role of wind energy in India’s energy transition. He spoke about the challenges and limitations faced by the wind industry. He also threw light on the company’s future plans for the wind sector.
How do you view India's RE journey so far and what are the driving forces?
There should be an urgent effort to upgrade the evacuation network, which has been cited as the reason for the tepid response to new auctions. Repowering the aging, small turbines is an efficient way to expand wind generation, especially since some of the best wind power sites house many low-efficiency turbines. Also encouraging the growth of hybrid projects could help further harness the wind sector’s potential.
Indian RE sector is aggressively pursuing the goal of building a robust cleaner energy portfolio. The renewable energy sector has grown rapidly in the past decade, contributing 8-9% of India’s energy mix, and now is steadily moving towards contributing 15-20% of the country’s contribution in the next 10 years. Speaking of India’s energy mix in the coming decade, and more so for the next level of renewable energy growth in India, we will require a fresh set of impetus and investments.
Despite its many challenges, wind energy in India has a lot to gain from its experience and its large manufacturing base. Wind industry must brace the headwinds to stay relevant and play its vital role in India's energy transition.
How do you envisage the role of wind energy in the country's energy security, diversification and transition?
There has been severe disruption in the global supply chain over the past year. Renewables industry in India was faced with significant delays in commissioning of projects that rely heavily on imports of critical equipment and material. Despite the near-term hurdles faced last year such as construction work put on hold and cost overruns due to the pandemic, given the volatile global economy, wind and solar sectors in India can still continue to remain attractive to many investors. Because renewable energy projects are typically backed by long-term contracts and sales are insulated from fluctuations in consumer demand, wind and solar could emerge as preferred investment arenas.
The wind energy sector in India stands at a crossroads today. There are questions about the sustainability of the current prevailing tariffs. Over the longer term, its competitive position vis-à-vis solar may worsen if costs of solar drop faster and as the best wind sites are taken up Nevertheless, the industry is a mature one, with a large installed capacity and years of operating experience along with a large manufacturing base and skilled human power. The sector needs to explore alternatives such as repowering and hybrid to remain relevant and to expand its scope, in addition to improving efficiencies and cutting costs to retain its competitive edge
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Given the disruptions over the past year, will India be able to meet the 60-GW wind energy target by 2022?
What are the biggest challenges and limiting factors faced by the RE and wind sector in India? India's renewable energy sector continues to remain one of the world's largest, fastest growing and most competitive markets
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on a price parity basis. But, in the current scenario India’s entire 64-gigawatt pipeline of wind and solar projects may experience some degree of delay, depending on the lingering impact the virus has on public health and the economy. For now, it will be a challenge to meet the 2022 target. One of the foremost issues facing not just the RE or wind space but the power sector as a whole is the frail financial health of discoms. It continues to cause liquidity risks and adversely impact the return on equity of independent power producers. The easy access to affordable finance has remained another long-standing problem for wind developers in India. Project financing hurdles such as sovereign risks, policy risks and erratic discom payments have from time to time put financial constraints for the Indian renewable energy sector. A further headwind being faced by the Solar sector is the steep runaway in module prices in 2021. Industry and government will need to collaboratively address this challenge in the interest of the nation.
What are the reforms that are necessary in your view to unlock the next level of growth in the RE and wind power sector? The next level of RE growth in India, beyond 10% of power generated, wherein wind will have a key role to play, will require a fresh set of reforms. The administration has been receptive to the industry suggestions, and this gives unprecedented opportunity to our policymakers and the industry to work together to try and fix legacy issues and inherent policy bottlenecks. Beyond the realm of the policies that shape the RE sector, issues such as the number of large and unresolved NPAs in thermal power and discom sector have cast their shadow on the integrity of the Indian financial sector as a whole.
What are Sembcorp's future plans for this sector in the region and in India? What is the current installed wind capacity of Sembcorp Energy and how has been the journey so far? Our strategic objectives and policies continue to be underpinned by the energy transitions taking place across the world. Globally, Sembcorp continues to actively grow its renewable energy offering as a leading provider of sustainable solutions. Sembcorp Industries now has a renewables portfolio of over 3,000MW in operation and under development across Singapore, China and India. In India, with an investment of USD ~4 billion, Sembcorp is one of the leading independent power generators in India. Over the years we have built a balanced portfolio of conventional and renewable assets totalling approximately 4.8 GW capacity in operation and under construction. Sembcorp has a wind energy capacity of 1,694 MW. Our successful commissioning of the entire 800MW of generation capacity that we won in our three SECI wind projects is an
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example of our focus on renewables. With this Sembcorp India now has the largest operational capacity of SECI wind projects in India. As a long-term investor, we take pride in meeting our commitments. These projects have given us confidence in our capabilities, and we are now ready to move into the next phase of our growth journey and participate in future opportunities
Tell us a bit about the recent technology advancements Sembcorp Energy has achieved in the wind power sector? As an organisation our focus remains on strengthening our capabilities and improving efficiencies. By introducing selfO&M in our renewable business, Sembcorp India is focusing on minimising the production costs per unit of energy generated over the life of the asset (LCOE) by ensuring asset productivity, reliability and accessibility. Besides strengthening our capabilities, this initiative has helped in improving the turbine performance, increasing safety standards and helping in improving generation by implementing ancillary technologies. Moving to self-O&M in our renewable business has helped in moving our performance indicator from traditional time-based availability to a more scientific energy-based availability, while also helping drive cost benefits with high operational efficiencies. The introduction of digitization and associated analytics has significantly enhanced our capability for remote monitoring of our renewable energy assets across seven states in real-time. This analytics based digital tool has brought profound transformation in our operations with significant cost benefits and high performance of our assets. Further, the pandemic necessitated the introduction of new SOPs and technological solutions. As we learn to safely coexist with covid, in addition to operational efficiencies, the industry will have to increasingly prioritize its digital transformation and long-term resilience diligently, to mitigate and manage risks more efficiently.
How has the Covid-19 crisis impacted the company’s operations and what steps are being taken to mitigate its impact and ensure safety? The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority in Sembcorp. Quite early in the pandemic we adopted new standard operating procedures (SOPs) and technological solutions for remote working. Introducing them in March 2020 ahead of the lockdown last year helped us keep our sites fully operational. The pandemic accelerated our adoption and integration of digital technology and enhanced our capability to monitor, forecast and run our operations efficiently. At the present time, all our personnel are taking full precautions to ensure site operations remain unaffected by the pandemic. With the number of cases being exponential this time, we are ensuring strict implementation of the SOPs introduced last year. In addition to staying compliant with COVID protocols, we continue to collaborate with local administration and health officials to ensure safe and effective measures are in place for maintaining essential power supply.
GUEST COLUMN
OFFSHORE WIND ASSESSMENTS INCREASING COVERAGE, ACCURACY AND EFFICIENCY IN
WITH DUAL SCANNING LIDAR
J. Schneemann for University of Oldenburg
As the global economy continues embracing clean, renewable energy, the promise of offshore wind is set to propel the future of electricity generation forward. With the offshore wind industry and the technologies used therein continuing to mature and evolve, turbines are growing in size and providing more power capacity than ever. While these advances deliver significant performance and cost improvements, understanding wind resources in complex offshore environments is only becoming more challenging. With challenges stemming from taller wind turbines and the development of larger wind farms in increasingly deep waters, determining where the abundant wind resources exist, understanding their characteristics and validating their quality remains important to the success of any offshore project. To better understand what the wind is doing at a given site, developers and operators are beginning to turn to lidar technology innovations to bolster wind data collection, minimize costs, accelerate projects and ensure optimal operational continuity.
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To better understand what the wind is doing at a given site, developers and operators are beginning to turn to lidar technology innovations to bolster wind data collection, TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE Assessing and characterizing available wind resources is critical before the first turbine is constructed and the first watt of energy is ever produced. By measuring the full wind regime and characteristics of the wind flow, scanning lidar provides comprehensive, spatial wind data at ranges up to approximately 15 kilometers. It is being used more frequently for offshore Wind Resource Assessment (WRA) to provide bankable wind data, particularly when there are opportunities to place it near the shoreline or on an offshore platform.
minimize costs, accelerate projects and ensure optimal operational continuity."
Supported by growing acceptance among major independent experts, developers, financiers and regulatory bodies, scanning lidar helps project owners and operators accurately define, measure and forecast offshore wind resources, ensuring their wind farm is not just technically feasible but financially sound. Accurate wind measurement is critical to bankable WRA, as imprecise data can result in unfavorable financing conditions or the selection of the wrong type of equipment. WRA can be especially challenging in nearshore locations with complex wind phenomena and busy waterways that serve various industries – dual lidar solves this challenge and brings exceptional value to these types of campaigns. In much the same way that a single scanning lidar delivers abundant data from one strategically situated location, a dual scanning lidar solution increases the coverage, accuracy and efficiency of offshore WRAs by observing an offshore location from several positions. This simultaneous deployment of two scanning lidars empowers owners and operators with accurate wind mapping information, which significantly increases the quantity and quality of wind data. Dual scanning lidar leverages intersecting beams at multiple locations to provide a dense network of measurement points and ultimately reduce vertical and horizontal uncertainty. Whether developing or operating an offshore wind project, assessing and characterizing available wind resources is vital. Fortunately, new techniques for using current technologies — such as dual scanning lidar — are delivering a richer understanding of offshore wind resources and greater campaign cost-effectiveness. From improved wind data reliability to reduced uncertainty in the assessment of wind resources, dual scanning lidar delivers a range of benefits that ultimately make harnessing the power of the wind in increasingly complex offshore environments easier than ever.
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Elvira Aliverdieva is a product and marketing specialist for Leosphere, a Vaisala company. She participates in the evolution of the company’s onshore and offshore wind product strategy, with a primary focus on the booming offshore market.
PERSPECTIVE
WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES & TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
IN WIND POWER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE?
In India, as wind is being considered as one of the key resources for power generation, the subject of wind project operation and maintenance (O&M) is becoming increasingly important. Wind power technology is one of the major growing areas in the Indian energy sector. Experts say O&M is the gamut of entire asset management of wind power plants to provide safe and secure net to the customer’s assets. O&M is a financial perspective with optimising costs, improving reliability of the wind power plant and maximisation of yield by implementing O&M strategies and using IT and data analytics. The overall objective of having a well set O&M system in place is to increase the availability of wind power systems along with a cost effective life cycle that together will benefit in establishing and strengthening the competitiveness of wind power on the energy market. Let’s read what the experts have to say about the best practices and technical innovations in wind power operation and maintenance.
Wind Power O&M
Satish Subbarao Head - Wind O&M, CLP India Pvt. Ltd.
The cumulative installed wind capacity in India reached ~39GW in March 2021, this is expected to rise to 60GW in the next few years. O&M of such a large fleet will call for innovations and upskilling on a grand scale. Outlined in this article are some of the best current ideas for adopting new technology to optimise an aging fleet.
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A more complex technology than Solar, wind has more scope for digitalization and remote monitoring especially of rotating parts, generating large amounts of data and lending itself to AI. Experience has shown that most wind farms, when maintained well, will operate well beyond the design life of 20 years.
SCADA
At the heart of digitalization and the transition to AI is the use of big data and analytics that is supported by data from the SCADA. Though SCADA is an integral part of most wind farms, it requires upgrading to avoid obsolescence (that usually occurs within a decade) and to improve cyber-security. Replacement systems can offer conversion to GSM or RF based networks which will ease pressure on the rights of way problem faced in conventional OFC based networks.
Balance-of-Plant (BOP)
Drive Train
The BoP system is the poor relation of the WTG but has an equally big impact on availability and generation. Remote monitoring of the main transformers coupled with manual hotspot detection on older ACSR type conductors on transmission lines can pick up developing problems before they cause loss of production. Rectification of poles, stay-wires, cross-arms, insulators, earthing is all low-tech unglamorous activity, but operators ignore this at their peril.
Retrofitted condition monitoring devices on older drive trains makes sense when coupled with upgraded SCADA to aid the conversion to predictive maintenance. Single point grease lubrication should be making way for the new “progressive” type continuous lubrication to make over or under lubrication a thing of the past. And finally, there are hand-held ultrasound techniques which can be deployed to check the healthiness of critical bearings.
Wind Turbine Blades
Yaw and Pitch Systems
WTG blades age, wear and degrade through time with leading/trailing edge erosion, lightning strikes etc. Cleaning, inspection and repair can recover as much as 1% generation as well as avoiding more serious breakages. Rapid inspection is an ideal application for drones with blade cleaning similarly lending itself to robotic applications, while cutting downtimes.
Yaw misalignment places unnecessary stress on the main components of WTGs and so is a significant cause of wear and tear as well as reduced production. Early detection is possible using LIDAR or other diagnostic tools to compare wind direction with WTG alignment. Similarly, even minor errors in the blade pitch alignment can cause disproportionate AEP losses. The misalignment can be detected rapidly with the help of highspeed camera devices mounted on the ground.
Vortex generator strips applied to the blades in-situ at any time in the life of the machine is an excellent innovation which in the right circumstances can raise production by up to 2%.
A more complex technology than Solar, wind has more scope for digitalization and remote monitoring especially of rotating parts, generating large amounts of data and lending itself to AI. Experience has shown that most wind farms, when maintained well, will operate well beyond the design life of 20 years.
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Fire Protection System (FPS)
Catastrophic fires in the wind turbines are rare but spectacular events, captured by the public and sent viral on social media. The technical story is one of danger, long downtimes and severe loss of generation. Targeted passive FPS for power cabinets and cable terminal boxes (the most common source of fire) coupled with specialised extinguishant can limit damage and therefore downtime. Installation of thermal blankets at vulnerable locations helps to prevent spread of fire. SUMMARY
When deployed by a skilled asset management team, these tools can assist in optimising wind asset performance and extending the life of wind turbines. The same team should be monitoring new technology to identify and adopt promising new ideas.
of the wind turbine for optimised power generation. Integrated with data analytics, automation can compile wind speed data,
Deepak Khare,
wind direction, weather conditions, and other crucial factors
COO (Wind Business)-India, Engie
generation. Data analysis of wind turbine performance reports
As project margins are becoming narrower with every auction, project developers are looking for new and innovative methods and techniques for reducing O&M cost (when compared to solar PV , wind O&M cost is more than 3 times / MW basis with at par LCOE) , leading to increased profitability for prolonged wind power plant operations. 1). The industry is looking toward automation, data analytics, smart technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) for effective maintenance of wind power assets with minimal human interference. Upcoming O&M trends are: a). Drone inspections for blades; Powerful sensor arrays in drones collect and transmit data on rotor blade conditions for expert analysis. Regular inspection of blades is necessary to diagnose and fix wear and tear due to erosion. Therefore, elimination of the human factor, reduced cost, and the huge amount of data collected on software platforms through using drones are likely to give the project developers an edge for effective monitoring and timely maintenance of the turbines for longer life span and reduced capital expenditure. Predictive maintenance for Wind Turbine blades effective at 95% Drone, 55% rope & 35 % ground-based inspections b). Blade Maintenance Robots for monitoring and basic servicing, including cleaning and polishing of wind turbine blades. The robots utilise a vacuum pump for vertically climbing up the rotor blades. c). Automation and AI: Automation and AI helps collect data from various sources and analyse this on a software platform resulting in proper decision-making and effective functioning
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and adjust the pitch angle accordingly for optimised power can also produce system-generated alerts on the health of the turbines for timely maintenance and replacement if necessary.
Shift from comprehensive OEM driven O&M contract to 3rd party ISP OR In-house operation and maintenance, post warranty period. This could help for better control on opex and plant availability / reliability especially during midlife during 10-15 yrs of plant operation and extended plant life cycle . Variable pricing for performance / Energy based availability, then guarantee value , revenue sharing model gives incentive to O&M contractors and win-win proposition for IPPs too to optimise generation and LCOE. Shifting to Energy based resource availability from time based, optimises scheduled/ predictive maintenance during low wind season and helps to harness optimum PLF during peak windy months. MTTR/ MTBF incentives to O&M operator to perform at optimum level. Use of Predictive Technologies to Boost Performance and Reduce Maintenance Cost : Condition monitoring systems (CMS), which enable forecasting component failure, are one of the predictive technologies that can be used to optimize the performance of the machines and also reduce the operation and maintenance costs. Sensors such as oil particle counters can extend the capabilities of diagnostic systems used for wind turbines. Main bearing damage detectors also have proven to be useful. Offline oil filtering systems increase the reliability and reduce maintenance costs of the hydraulic machines. End of life extension : As wind sector matures growing number of turbines will reach the end of 20 yrs design life . Many asset owners will choose life extension to delay decommissioning costs . In house O&M philosophy after 5 yrs of operation helps IIPs to have better control on cost / spares management and life extension
Col Bharat Sharma (Retd) Corps of Electronics & Mechanical Engineers, Indian Army
The need to embark on a “Modernisation Journey”, to be “Future Ready” and maintain the cutting edge for any organisation involved in O&M activities with a purpose, needs no emphasis. Only the purpose/ aim of O&M related to Wind Power needs to be re-defined. Viewing O&M activities of Wind Farms from a more revolutionary perspective, i.e., as a Production function instead of the classical concept of considering it a repair/ restorative function is essential to achieve the commitment of an organisation, focussed on its clearly defined target of “Delivering more MWh of Energy per MW of Installed Power” at a minimum cost. Departure from Availability to Operational Efficiency is essential by adopting the following features enabling best use of emerging technologies:
⇒ Data capture, analytics with capability of monitoring and
The HWS therefore becomes the centre of focus for our “Wind Energy Converters” during which 80% of the annual generation is achieved. All preparations including major maintenance actions need to be taken well before its onset to ensure peak generation levels. This enables us to capture maximum energy from the favourable prevailing winds during this season, bringing us to the concept of “Equipment Sustainment”, implying the assurance of increased machine availability (almost 100%), not only at any point of time, but during the entire duration of the intensive period of HWS. Achieving this requires serious forethought, extensive planning and availability of resources in terms of, trained manpower, finances and the right material at the right time at the right location. “Equipment Sustainment” in fact should aim at creating capabilities to make all WECs fully operational right through the entire HWS, to fully exploit favourable generating conditions. It is not only a critical factor in ensuring maximised generation, but a critical operational procedure that prepares & quickly recycles the WECs onto peak performance levels at all critical times, should there be an issue at any stage. The classical approach of working on availability as a measure has certain inconsistencies.
control of wind farm assets
⇒ Powerful & Dynamic O&M support System to have a positive grip on performance levels of the wind Assets
⇒ A system to drive Operational efficiency rather than timebased availability, ensuring maximum energy yields.
⇒ Reliability Management tool to ensure equipment longevity ⇒ Making use of AI, Virtual & Augmented Reality systems including Machine learning.
The management of Renewable energy assets must follow a “Systems Approach '' to be both, effective & economically most competent. Any system would have sub-systems, which may be individually independent but their performances are interdependent. Their objectives may be mutually conflicting in certain areas, like cost & reliability requirements; there needs to be an intelligent trade-off, to attain most efficient results. The whole focus of systems approach is to appreciate the aim in totality and optimise total system effectiveness and not merely optimise each system in isolation.
The “Maintenance Engineering Organisation” of today must have a technology driven system, enabling it to analyse equipment readiness; and to understand what drives readiness, ultimately ensuring peak generation levels. Without this understanding, we would be unable to identify where the problems and opportunities are; which process improvements are paying off & where added impetus is needed. Process mapping and inter-dependent process management comprising a family of technology, techniques and formal protocols need to be created & adopted. This concept of “Sustainment” for peak operational performance is further elaborated. Activity Based Systems Evaluation
We need to broaden our process vision & focus on our core business process of providing “Intimate Engineering Support (IES)” to execute a “equipment reset” / “equipment optimality regeneration”. While having a re-look at existing processes, to graduate to the equipment sustainment concept, one major issue that will be required to be addressed is examining failures, wind farm wise over the course of a pre-decided period of time, to examine specific WEC failure processes. Data analytics techniques must be exploited.
A Practical Approach Towards Equipment Sustainment Enhancing Reliability
With this backdrop, fully armed to meet the fundamental goals that are required to be achieved, a practical approach needs to be adopted towards physically handling the Operations & Maintenance in the field keeping our aim as elaborated above in focus. In the wind sector, we have two clearly distinguishable domains of the “High Wind Season” (HWS) & the “Low Wind Season” (LWS). The former can be compared to a “High Intensity War Engagement“ while the latter to a “Low Intensity Conflict” scenario with opportunities to reorganise & retrofit. These domains possess equally discernible potential magnitudes of generation.
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In order to enhance Reliability, it is logical and imperative that necessary actions to undertake comprehensive reset maintenance, medium repairs / overhauls, recapitalisation (metrics being ‘Like New’ condition) are taken during LWS. These should be done, ensuring completeness in contents & processes. Need to establish lifed components (established specified life of critical & expensive components), rotables (those requiring re-cycling after retrofitting & overhaul) and
ensure replacements are readily available. Monitoring and logging the usage of these components, with pop-up alarms well in time to execute desired actions will be necessary. A poorly conducted re-set is akin to complementing the breakdown failure rates & reducing reliability, adversely affecting performance levels. It also compromises on the original integrity of the system by insertion of sub-standard (or life-expired) spare parts and expendables. Highly Trained, Fully Equipped Quick Response Teams
During HWS, it is absolutely essential that effective & efficient quick response teams are available to attend to minor issues, to ensure peak performance of all WECs. This can be achieved by re-organising the front line maintenance organisation. Broken into small teams (two or three persons), ensuring full support capability, they would operate in a manner, that they are provided “swift mobility”, efficient communication systems, and with a proper technical proficiency based on exhaustive training system, evolved with a “systems concept”. Lightly equipped with special tools & test-jigs, these teams need to be supported by inter-active electronic technical manuals on handy I-pads, coupled with the use of AI, Virtual/ Augmented Reality techniques to obtain expert advice from a remotely located systems expert. These teams could also carry with them condition based monitoring systems using embedded diagnostics & prognostics. To support them, (based on realistic wastages data) adequate floats & rotables are available with the team to cut out AWT to the extent possible. These teams could be controlled by the head at Site / Regional level, who would be equipped with a real time “Operational Engineering Site Map”, which would be tracking operational parameters (like SCADA system) with total asset visibility in real time. Since all major issues would have been attended to during LWS, the probability of needing to attend to major problems must be minimal. The effectiveness of sustainment by organising highly responsive Operational Engineering Support teams can enhance annual generation levels by more then 30%
Wind Turbine Selection—for Sustained Peak Performance It is imperative that IPPs going in for new acquisitions, must select/ identify equipment with:
⇒ An orientation towards Higher Reliability instead of being cost centric ⇒ Maintainability, a design feature. (carrying out a Maintainability Evaluation Trial would be a good idea) ⇒ Amenable to Life Cycle System Management by examining: History of Failure Rates ⇒Reliability Degradation due to ageing, weather, temperature &
humidity effects The other aspects focusing on readiness drivers are: Spare-parts support, availability & provisioning based on lead times Creation of floats/ critical retables Training & Competency building requirements With vast experience of maintaining these machines, the service operations department needs to create data mining, modelling and interactive visualization capabilities, providing critical inputs to planners for developing a “Continuous Improvement Programme”.
⇒ ⇒ ⇒
Conclusion
High level sustainment requirements need to be pragmatically evolved based on experiences of supporting the make, type & model of each Wind Turbine. A courageous sustainment plan based on “next practices”, candour and competency levels would recreate a situation guaranteeing near cent percent availability of equipment during the HWS. Right balance between cost, schedule and performance will optimize precious life cycle cost and guarantee “Delivery of more “MWh of Energy per MW of Installed Power” at a minimum cost.
“Equipment Sustainment” in fact should aim at creating capabilities to make all WECs fully operational right through the entire HWS, to fully exploit favourable generating conditions. It is not only a critical factor in ensuring maximised generation, but a critical operational procedure that prepares & quickly recycles the WECs onto peak performance levels at all critical times, should there be an issue at any stage. The classical approach of working on availability as a measure has certain inconsistencies."
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Atul Pachauri, AVP at O2 Power
"Wind Turbine O&M have taken 180 degrees turn & shifts towards the WTG Asset Management, which not only includes the regular Preventive and Breakdown Maintenances but also includes the Data Analysis & Predictive Maintenance as a regular practice. Earlier were the days when OEMs provide a simple HMI to Monitor real-time P, Q, Wind Speed and Direction, accessibility to the Fast and Event logs was a Taboo for on field operators and hence they were happy with WTG Availability as the most important KPI. Now with the introduction of Smart technologies like IoT, Drones, etc things have Continually improved and hence the performance of the WTGs.
Use of Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for records keeping of Performance, Breakdowns, Actions, with Analogue and Digital parameters. Recording Photographs and Video with audio are also important for Root Cause Analysis (RCA). CMMS enables the Operator to analyze the Maintenance related issues through short term and long-term trends plotting. It also empowers the Operator to Prioritize the WTGs for maintenance requirements. With good quality records- OEMs and Component Experts (like for Generator, Blade, Rotor, Gearbox, etc) are more empowered and feels easy to find the real cause of the issues, this also empower them for further technical improvements in the products to prevent the Downtimes and improves performance.
Some of the Best Practices & Technological Innovations are as: Use of Drones for Observation and Detection of issues in WTG Blades. This not only reduce the efforts of Operators but also reduces the Accident Risks for the Operators. Issues like cracks, dirtiness, manufacturing defects, etc are being easily catches at the right time before they have considerable impact on the Energy Production. For inspection of Anemometer, Wind wane, Nacelle, etcdrones are becoming a Hawk Eye for the Operators. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning with a better approach of capturing the data points from individual WTGs and comparison among a cluster of WTGs. For AI and ML most important is the data, which is nowadays- Collected, Harmonized and Processed at Clouds for better computation and analysis. Data Communication redundancy is also being used and alternative communication methodologies like GSM modems, Radio Frequency, etc being adopted. Improvement in the data collection techniques and making it redundant. Now data is not only saved at sites, but in parallel at Central Servers like Clouds are being utilized for the same. Realtime and long-term analysis of WTG Power Curve enables the Operator to exactly find out the Low Performing WTGs, even though the WTG availability is 100%. Use of Power Plant Controllers (PPC) for WTGs have improved the WTG Power Quality, PPC becomes extremely important when we need the high-Quality Power at the Grid Level which makes the Grid more stable & Sustainable. A high end PPC with real-time functioning for Controlling are added with features for Energy data and modelling become Energy Management System (EMS) EMS not only benefitting the Operator, Owners and Grid now, but also opening the opportunities for future too for Power Trading and Energy Exchange.
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Use of Power Plant Controllers (PPC) for WTGs have improved the WTG Power Quality, PPC becomes extremely important when we need the high-Quality Power at the Grid Level which makes the Grid more stable & Sustainable."
OPINION
ADVANCEMENTS IN WIND TURBINE TECHNOLOGY: IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING COST
Shashi Barla Principal Analyst, Global Wind Supply Chain and Technology (Onshore and Offshore), WoodMackenzie
Wind auction prices around the world have declined by 50% in the past six years. The trend is no different in India, too, barring the near-term price escalation due to structural challenges. Turbine OEMs and component suppliers are working in tandem to innovate on new turbine technologies with an end objective of lowering the LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity) for wind farm developers /asset owners. One of the fundamental limitations of technology innovation and scale-up of components is logistics, not the technology itself. Components have grown so massive that many face technical and economic challenges in getting them to remote project sites. The industry is working on solutions that circumvent these bottlenecks. OEMs and suppliers are accelerating innovations in modular-blades, carbon pultrusions, segmented towers, onsite-concrete tower, hybrid towers, and increased power density in gearboxes, hybrid drive trains, transitioning to medium-speed drive trains with permanent magnet generators, enhancing main bearing reliability with the large diameter tapered roller bearings. Most global markets migrate to higher-rated turbines associated with longer rotors diminishing the regional nuances in the next five years. The global onshore average turbine rating is at 2.8MW in 2020 and expected to increase up to 4.7MW by 2025. Lower wind regimes in India and the cost sensitive nature of the market prompts the turbine growth to 3.2MW by 2025 compared to 2.2MW in 2020. OEMs and blade suppliers like LM innovate on new materials, fibers, resins and core materials to develop slender blades with improved aerodynamics, structural designs and lower mass. The top four Western OEMs now include carbon fibre in their onshore blades, reducing
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weight and increasing stiffness. SGRE recently manufactured the world’s largest blade, 108m, for its SG 15.0-222 DD turbines, surpassing LM 107m blades by just one meter. Vestas launched a V236-15MW turbine with record 115.5m blades. Despite leading the onshore blade lengths race, Chinese OEMs are not likely to switch to carbon in the next three-four years, while a few peers are contemplating utilising carbon only on select 90+m offshore blades. Gearbox Suppliers continue product innovation to increase power density through material innovation and shift from two planetary stages to three planetary stages with an additional helical stage. ZF developed a successful platform strategy with SHIFT series covering broader markets and torque requirements. Winergy leads innovation, developing HybridDrives by leveraging gearbox and generator technology know-how. Such technologies will become a preferred choice for >5.XMW WTGs. Torque density is still a key focus; gearboxes with a torque density of 200Nm /kg are now commercially available, compared to 80Nm/kg on the legacy generation 2.XMW platforms ten years ago. The pursuit to lower LCOE has led to a frenetic pace of new product introduction (NPI) in the past five years. As an adverse consequence, the commercial life cycles of the turbines have shrunken dramatically, exerting tremendous pressure across the supply chain. Companies must innovate, invest in R&D (Research and Development) and reduce the time to market of next-generation technologies. Leading players are developing integrated product modules that can be customised for multiple wind regimes lowering the NPI and supply chain costs. Vestas and Chinese OEMs lead the transition to MS GD architectures; early adoption of SPMG technologies paves a smooth transition for Chinese OEMs. The US-China trade tussle and conducive manufacturing policies such as “Make in India” led India to emerge as a global hot spot for the wind supply chain, a clear alternative to China. Leading global turbine OEMs like Vestas, SGRE, GE and Nordex have already established or in the process of establishing India as a key global hub. The component suppliers are also following their customers and expanding the facilities. The supply chain economies of scale advantage can be leveraged to lower the landed turbine costs for wind project developers/asset owners.
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OPINION WILL INDIA ACHIEVE ITS TARGET OF WIND CAPACITY OF
60 GW BY 2022?
WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO EXPEDITE THE GROWTH?
Wind Installation trends 1.9 GW (2017), 1.4 GW (2018), 2.0 GW (2019) shows reflection of lacking mainly due
Deepak Khare Chief Operating Officer (Wind Business), Engie India
India, the world’s fourth-largest onshore wind market by installations ( following China – US- Germany) , is likely to fall short of its ambitious wind energy target for 2022 by up to 10 gigawatt (GW) due to various ongoing regulatory/technical challenges: Delay in signing Power sale agreement (PSA) with DISCOMs (largely due to lower module prices leading to solar tariff reduction & wind power costlier substantially) with anticipation that solar module prices will decline further . However, Electricity demand now picking up and imposition of 40% basic custom duty on solar modules will be unlikely to fall further in the near term. Missing link of PSAs affects the entire value chain, literally impossible to secure debt financing leading to delays in financial closure. Land acquisition delays, especially in Karnataka where longer lead time for Non-Agriculture conversion and developer permission (from state nodal agencies) for private land in Gujarat for ISTS projects. Green corridor Grid s/s availability for ISTS allocated projects, to align with project implementation timelines. PPA (power purchase agreement) sanctity, where re negotiation of tariff being discussed due to falling tariff trends. On-shore wind future growth seems to majorly be driven by the expiry of the inter-state transmission (ISTS) charges waiver in 2023, as well as the trend of hybrid tenders combining wind, solar and storage technologies. Supply chain disruptions and strict compliances during construction stages due to the COVID-19 impact would
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to above regulatory & technical issues and 1.5 GW ( 2020) largely because of Covid -19 outbreak.
further compound existing challenges to implementation delays. Limited turnkey EPC players (in past leading domestic / global OEMs provides turnkey solution ) , keeping in view of high risks associated with a) land acquisition b) securing ROW for WTG logistics movement within windfarm c) evacuation infrastructure ( 33KV and EHV ROW issues ) d) Delays in statutory permits from Ministry of defence /Airport Authority / State nodal agencies; which leads IPPs / developers to take all such potential WRAP risks and implement project under EPCM model . With increased WTG rating, higher blade lengths technology of split blade & state highway infra will also play a major role in wind development / capacity addition. Wind Installation trends 1.9 GW (2017), 1.4 GW (2018), 2.0 GW (2019) shows reflection of lacking mainly due to above regulatory & technical issues and 1.5 GW ( 2020) largely because of Covid -19 outbreak. These above issues need to be addressed to build IPPs and investors’ confidence and increase ramp rate to meet 2022 and beyond targets. With the launch the world’s largest (30 GW) Hybrid Renewable Energy Park in Kutch district, Gujarat. More such hybrid parks are expected to be developed across India on the lines of solar parks. These hybrid parks can be installed on a plug and play model wherein the land and power evacuation facilities being provided by Wind power development agencies. Also, hybrid tenders are increasingly gaining traction wherein the minimum wind capacity is 33 percent of the contracted capacity.
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GUEST COLUMN
PLI SCHEME FOR WIND
Amar Variawa "Sr Director – Public Affairs India and SE Asia" Vestas Wind Technology India Private Limited
On 1st Feb 2021, Hon’ble Finance minister of India Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, announced an outlay of INR 1.97 Lakh Crores (~26.60 Billion USD) for the Production -Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes for 13 key sectors. Some of these sectors are Automobiles, Telecom, Pharma, Food Products, Electronics, White Goods, Steel, High Efficiency Solar PV modules, etc. The underline objectives of PLI scheme is To make domestic manufacturing globally competitive To incentivize break-through innovation and technologies of tomorrow To develop integrated manufacturing or manufacturing park to promote local content To create jobs and skill sets
Indian Wind Sector With more than 39 GW of installations and around 3 decades of experience, the wind sector is quite matured in the country. The sector has created more than 2 million jobs in OEMs, IPPs, Developers and 4000 MSMEs. However, the sector is going through challenging times due to consistently low commissioning volumes since the last 4 years. There are only a few OEMs active now in the country. MSMEs and other value chain partners are moving away from the wind sector.
Why Wind Sector needs PLI On the face value, the sector has around 10 GW of manufacturing capacity with approximately 70% local content capability. So why even consider this sector for the PLI scheme. However, the realities are different. Let’s understand the rationale behind considering the wind sector for the PLI scheme in the backdrop of an ambitious target of 140 GW of wind installation by 2030.
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Technology and Innovation : I strongly believe that “ Today’s technology is tomorrow’s commodity ”. In the last 30 years, Indian wind turbine technology has evolved from sub-MW to 2 MW platform. In the next 10 years, it will be witnessing many breakthrough innovations and technological interventions which are suitable for Indian wind conditions. We need to design and develop India specific wind turbines in India by Indians. The Government has announced 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030. Indian offshore wind dream can’t be fulfilled with imported wind turbines. They must be manufactured in India with world-class technology and best-in-class footprints. Besides that, a whole new set of opportunities are in front of us to integrate wind power with green hydrogen and Power to X initiatives. So it makes sense to incentivize WTG OEMs and value chain partners. Export : One of the underline objectives of Make In India initiative was to boost domestic manufacturing capabilities for domestic and export markets’ critical energy and infrastructure need. India has been emerging as a Global Manufacturing Hub for the wind sector. All major OEMs and component manufacturers are considering India in the center stage of their strategy. Needless to mention that export plays a vital role for both company and country. To create a conducive export environment for the world market, Govt should extend their support to make the export from India more competitive with respect to China. And hence, the export activities should be incentivized. Local Value Addition: We are in the beginning of the current decade. This is the apt time to promote setting
up of integrated plants with technologies of tomorrows, world-class quality, and competitiveness. Sector will be witnessing the bigger wind turbines, blades, hub and nacelle. Hence, philosophy of local value addition will be essential irrespective of green field or brown field projects. Special incentives must be designed to encourage local value addition with the latest technologies and innovation. This will enhance job creation and ultimately skill development. This will also help in curbing cheaper imports and reduce import bills.
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Sustainability: As per the net-zero road map published by International Energy Agency, there will be more emphasis on scaling up the development of wind and solar globally in this decade. While this is a welcome news, it brings additional responsibility of making entire deployment more sustainable with minimum carbon footprints. Circular life cycle of wind turbine blades may help resolve the biggest challenge of 100% recyclable wind turbines. The whole narrative of climate change efforts in terms of ESG and sustainability should be incentivized by the Govt.
In nut- shell, 31% of 450 GW ambitious target of RE power installation by 2030, will be contributed by wind in various forms – onshore, nearshore, offshore, etc. Power to X and Green Hydrogen will bring a host of opportunities and challenges to deal with. Wind sector must maintain the boots on ground and eyes on the horizon. And hence, there is a strong need for the sector to be incentivized in the form of PLI scheme
GUEST COLUMN
WIND
THE CRITICAL LINK TO INDIA’S ENERGY TRANSITION
I
ndia’s electricity demand is projected to grow at 9.9% yearly towards 2025 driven by its sheer size and economic growth. The demand dipped temporarily in 2020 due to Covid-19 induced lockdowns, however, recouped shortly and long-term projections remain strong.
Renewable energy will be the central axis to meet this demand and wind will continue to play a critical role in India’s energy transition story. As of March 2021, the Indian wind market stands at 39.2 GW of installations. COVID-19 impact was much more severe than anticipated in 2020. The market was expected to install 3.3 GW in 2020 but only 1.1 GW was realised. Out of 3.3 GW, nearly 0.8 to 1 GW of capacity scheduled for commissioning slipped into 2021 and around 1.1 GW of capacity was backed out by developers or not granted COD extensions. Towards 2025, the Indian wind market is expected to install nearly 20.2 GW. However, external shocks will continue to impact the market including the COVID-19 crisis, supply chain shocks related to cost escalation as well as transmission evacuation delay related shocks. If these continue in the market, we are expected to see a conservative scenario of installations around 14.8 GW. On the other hand, if these issues are resolved actively by 2025, then we might even see the market overperforming itself and moving towards an ambitious scenario of 24.4 GW of installations in the next five years.
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This forecast is driven by a combination of pipeline and new tender awards where the market is expected to install 10.3 GW from the current pipeline and 10 GW from new tenders towards 2025. In terms of the current pipeline, India has awarded around 16.8 GW of wind capacity through wind and hybrid tenders. Around 10.3 GW of this pipeline is currently active and is expected to remain resilient in our base case scenario. However, if the external shocks actualise and continue to impact the volumes, then only 7 GW of this pipeline will get materialised in the conservative scenario. In addition to this current pipeline, another 10 GW of new tenders are expected to be awarded in the wind as well as hybrid auctions in the base case scenario by 2025, and around 7 GW of such volumes will get awarded in the conservative scenario. The new volume creation in the market originates from non-solar RPOs (Renewable Purchase Obligations). Currently, we have RPO targets of around 10.25% in the non-solar category which is expected to go to 10.5% towards FY 2022. However, the trajectory post FY2022, remains uncertain, demand for new non-solar supply can vary between 17.7 GW to 29.7 GW, depending on how aggressive are states on the RPO targets. In addition to DISCOM linked non-solar RPOs as the core driver of the market, a new untapped market remains a potential area for wind installations which is the corporate PPA (Power Purchase Agreements) market. To date, the Indian corporate PPA market is small and has nearly 9 GW of wind installed capacity under the C&I sales category. As the initial load requirements of corporates go beyond what can be met through solar, integration of wind in the C&I (Commercial and Industrial) portfolio will be a logical choice to pick up the additional demand, especially as hybrid wind-solar projects. Virtual PPA is one of the emerging models in the corporate PPA market which can bypass regulations and charges related barriers of this market. Towards 2025, the market is not only going to change in terms of volume but also in terms of the composition of the volume. The Indian wind market is continuously shifting its trend to a new hybrid format. While the past focus of the hybrid projects has been to improvise the annual utilization of project and grid, towards providing firm and flexible RE to power off-takers in the market.
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 29
Post-2025, new opportunities such as repowering, hybrid projects, offshore wind, and India as a wind export hub will drive the market. Interventions are needed to unlock the full potential of wind market in India, industry and government need to work together to fulfil India’s decarbonization goals as well as play a role in global energy transition: Greater coordination governments around mechanisms
between central and state wind targets, incentives and
Definition of a clear market roadmap for wind and hybrid technology; laying out the long-term firm trajectory of volume, frequency and composition of auctions Aligning Indian supply chain set-up to global technology roadmaps to develop India as the wind export hub and boost investment case
MEC Intelligence (MEC+) is a specialist consulting firm focused on the wind and renewables sector for 10 years and is based out of India and Denmark.
Authors:
Sidharth Jain, CEO, MEC+
Swarnim Srivastava
Senior Consultant, MEC+
INSIGHTS
DEEP DIVE INTO INDIA’S OFFSHORE WIND POTENTIAL
I
ndia is aiming at ensuring energy security by the means of the country's Low Carbon Emission Pathways. Renewables must play a larger role in diversifying the country's energy mix, not only to minimize the consequences of global warming but
also to reduce pollution and provide new economic opportunities. In the discussion on renewable solutions, offshore wind energy is gaining traction. With a 7600kilometre coastline surrounded on three sides by water, India has a high chance of harnessing offshore wind energy. The article provides you with all the necessary insights about India and offshore wind energy.
THE CONCEPT AND ITS WORKING With over 30 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity, India has a lot of expertise with onshore wind turbines. The country has also agreed to use offshore wind energy as part of its efforts to combat climate change. Offshore wind energy is a clean and renewable energy source generated by harnessing and harvesting the wind's force and power on the open seas, where it reaches a higher and more consistent speed than on land due to the lack of impediments and barriers. Megastructures seated on the seabed that are equipped with the latest technical innovations are installed to make the most of this resource. Offshore wind, as an inexpensive, scalable, and sustainable indigenous resource has the potential to help India satisfy its electricity demand and achieve its larger strategic energy goals.
PRESENT SCENARIO According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India has an offshore wind energy potential of over 70 GW, which is primarily distributed along with parts of the Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coasts. Based on early analysis of satellite data and data from other sources, eight offshore zones have been identified in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, respectively, as potential offshore wind generating zones. For the first 1 GW project in Gujarat, the MNRE is presently seeking cost-effective solutions from stakeholders. Meanwhile, government officials are looking into the forms of offshore wind power purchase agreements (PPAs) and auction designs.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES The Indian government notified the National Offshore Wind Energy Policy back in 2015. According to the policy, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will serve as the nodal ministry for the development of offshore wind energy in India, collaborating closely with other government agencies on the development and use of maritime space within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and will be responsible for overall monitoring of offshore wind energy development. With many other government programmes in force, the future of the Indian energy mix seems to be more dependent on renewables.
BENEFITS OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY This sort of renewable energy has various advantages, including the fact that it is infinite, as wind is inexhaustible and does not contaminate the environment. This is particularly because it is a source that produces low carbon emissions which make up to be the main ingredient for global warming. Moreover, the wind blows more on the water than on land and so it can produce twice as much electricity on the water than on land. These plants have the least visual impact and produce less noise, allowing for far higher installed power than on land, perhaps reaching hundreds of megawatts. Offshore wind turbines can now obtain significantly bigger unit capacities and sizes than onshore wind turbines due to the ease of maritime transport, which has few restrictions on cargo and dimensions compared to land transportation.
FUTURE OUTLOOK The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently declared that it will set medium and long-term offshore wind energy targets of 5 GW by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030. Constant and continuous research and studies have been taking place to recognize and identify high spots in the Indian subcontinent to make the most use of the state's geographical diversification. Preliminary investigations show that both the southern tip of the Indian peninsula and the west coast have good wind potential for off-shore wind generation.
Conclusion From environmental to transportation, offshore wind energy provides diversified benefits. With notable benefits and extraordinary efforts, offshore wind energy can be considered to be the future solution to India’s energy demands. With the growing demands, India is offset to face all the potential challenges that offshore wind energy might bring in with regards to technical developments or other innovations.
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 30
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INSIGHTS
ROLE OF WIND ENERGY IN TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE
T
he power industry is responsible for over 40% of worldwide Carbon DiOxide (CO2) emissions, and it is evident that we will not be able to defeat climate change without a significant transformation in how we produce and consume
electricity. Due to huge growth in global power consumption, renewable energy technologies must be promptly implemented to
supply
emissions-free
renewable
electricity
to
both
developed and developing countries alike.
What Is It? Renewable energy is one of the most powerful instruments we have in the fight against climate change, and it has every incentive to succeed. Over the last decade, wind energy has seen tremendous growth and cost reductions, with no signs of slowing down. Wind energy is becoming increasingly competitive with fossil fuels across the country as prices fall significantly. New renewable energy sources and wind energy instruments are already cheaper in certain regions than running ageing, inefficient, and filthy fossil fuel or nuclear power facilities. Wind energy is a feasible alternative to burning harmful fossil fuels because it does not produce CO2 or other pollutants into the atmosphere. A wind turbine offsets all emissions from its construction within three to six months of operation, allowing it to operate essentially carbon-free for the rest of its 20-year lifespan. This makes this an outstanding solution for combating climate change.
How Will It Help? Wind power produces no greenhouse gases and has an excellent energy balance. The calculations for how much CO2 wind energy may save are based on a carbon intensity assumption for the worldwide electricity industry, that is the normal amount of CO2 emitted by producing one kWh of power. In over 70 nations throughout the world, over 1,40,000 wind turbines are already generating electricity. Many turbines work in extreme weather conditions, in deserts, in snow, at great elevations, and, of course, at sea in various parts of the world like Europe, Africa, Asia, North and Latin America, and Australia. Wind energy may be employed on a huge scale almost anywhere, and the overall wind resource is enough to power the entire world multiple times over. Wind energy has numerous advantages, which is why it is one of the world's fastest-growing energy sources. The global wind energy industry is capable of producing electricity at such a pace which helps in cutting down carbon emissions to a large extent (GWEC).
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 32
Challenges Some challenges are also accompanied by a set of significant benefits. One of the biggest challenges that experts spotted was regarding the behaviour of the wind. At its most basic level, winds are caused by an unequal distribution of solar energy throughout the Earth's surface, which results in distinct atmospheric pressure zones. The wind then moves from highpressure areas to low-pressure areas. Installers of wind turbines strive to locate them in areas where the flow is particularly strong. The wind is perceived to be unreliable and unexpected as there are days when the wind strongly blows and there are some days when the wind is equal to non-existent making it difficult to power turbines and generate electricity. The variability and inconsistency of the wind speed make the entire process reckless and unpredictable.
Solutions To fully utilise the wind energy, new, specialized wind turbines are being made which would work better at producing electricity at fluctuating wind speeds. The above-mentioned problem demands a solution that focuses on the development of efficient turbine models. These turbines would be supplemented with bigger rotors, higher towers, and lighter yet powerful blades. Once these changes are incorporated, the resulting grid is more stable and effective. With this, the fluctuations in the wind speed do not cause changes in the patterns of producing electricity. Different countries are trying to link storage or various hydroelectric sources for power generation to reduce dependability and improve efficiency.
SOME CHALLENGES ARE ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY A SET OF SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT EXPERTS SPOTTED WAS REGARDING THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE WIND.
Future Wind power is quickly expanding in almost every corner of the world, with annual growth rates ranging from 10% to 40%. The world has recognised the benefits brought in by wind energy and for the same, different countries and governments are implementing multiple strategies that work best for their states. There are a variety of grid design methods and techniques that will aid in the transition to higher and greater levels of renewable energy as we move forward. Wind energy is the only power production source capable of decreasing CO2 emissions significantly in the critical years leading up to 2020. The future of wind energy is bright and by 2030, wind could potentially generate more than 2,000 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity (ClimateChange).
Conclusion The article addresses the different aspects of climate change and the relief that wind energy can bring to it. Climate change is real and it demands serious repair! Wind energy is already assisting in the fight against climate change. And so, it is now time for us to put our foot down on the gas pedal and accelerate the process.
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 33
INSIGHTS
UNDERSTANDING INDIA’S WIND-SOLAR HYBRID POWER SYSTEM
R
enewable energy is on everyone's mind when it comes to electricity generation, not just in India but around the world. This is mostly because it provides us with the best opportunity to combat global endemics like climate change. India, as a
peninsula with a tropical climate, has an abundance of renewable resources that, if fully utilized, can drastically lower the country's carbon footprint.
Hybrid System Basics Wind-solar hybrid systems use a mixture of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, to generate electricity. Solar panels and small wind turbine generators are used to generate electricity in this setup. Because wind and sun energy complement each other, the system can create electricity virtually all year round. Wind aero generator and tower, solar photovoltaic panels, batteries, cables, charge controller, and inverter are the major components of the Wind-Solar Hybrid System. The Wind-Solar Hybrid System creates electricity that may be used to charge batteries and run AC appliances via an inverter. The wind aero-generator is mounted on a tower that is at least 18 meters above ground level. The aero-generator generates greater power because of its height, which allows it to catch the wind at a faster speed (MEDA).
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 34
Advantages CONTINUOUS POWER SUPPLY The batteries connected to the hybrid solar systems store the energy and hence they supply power continuously and without interruption. When there is a power outage, the batteries act as an inverter to provide backup power. This is also true when there is no sun and when no energy is created in the evenings or at night; batteries provide a backup and life continues as usual.
LOAD MANAGEMENT In contrast to typical generators, which supply high power as soon as they are turned on, most hybrid solar power systems control load as needed. A hybrid solar system might feature technology that changes the energy supply according to the devices it is linked to, whether it is a high-power air conditioner or a low-power fan.
UTMOST UTILIZATION OF RENEWABLES There is no waste of the excess energy created on bright sunny days because the batteries are connected to the system to store the energy. As a result, these systems make the best use of renewable energy, storing energy on good days and utilizing the stored power on bad days. This system maintains the equilibrium.
HIGH EFFICIENCY Traditional generators lose fuel under certain conditions, whereas hybrid solar energy systems function more efficiently. Hybrid solar systems can operate in a variety of weather conditions without wasting fuel hence making the system more effective and efficient.
LOW MAINTENANCE COST In comparison to standard diesel-fueled generators, hybrid solar energy systems have a low maintenance cost. They do not use any gasoline and do not need to be serviced very often. Disadvantages
LESS BATTERY LIFE As the system's batteries are frequently exposed to natural elements such as heat and moisture, they tend to have a shorter lifespan.
HIGH INSTALLATION COSTS Although the maintenance costs are low, the initial investment in a hybrid solar energy system is more than that of a solar energy system.
COMPLICATED CONTROLLING PROCESS The systems necessitate some understanding due to the various sorts of energy sources used. The operation of many energy sources, as well as their interaction and coordination, must be controlled, which can be difficult.
LIMITED INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED The number of devices that can be connected to a hybrid solar energy system is limited, and it varies by system.
Indian Dynamics India has set a goal of generating 175 Gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable energy capacity as part of its contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement, with 100 GW coming from solar and 60 GW from wind. However, most stand-alone solar or wind generating plants face some intrinsic problems that limit their production. In 2018, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) released a solar-wind hybrid policy, which lays out a framework for promoting grid-connected hybrid energy through configurations that make the best use of land and transmission infrastructure while also managing renewable resource variability to some extent.
Looking at the many benefits brought in by the wind solar hybrid system, the Indian government is also finding various policies to aid the development of these projects. Various government policies and programs will stimulate the development of hybrid power projects. Hybrid system developers can also take advantage of all of the tax and financial advantages available for standalone wind and solar generating projects. The government will also contribute to technological breakthroughs in the field of wind-solar power generation systems, as well as the establishment of hybrid system standards (EconomicTimes).
Conclusion The one answer for the fulfilment of all renewable goals is the adaptation of wind-solar hybrid power systems. The amalgamation of the two energy sources brings out a cumulative advantage over the independent usage of each source. Despite the existing policy frameworks, India's policy and regulatory environment must improve to fully realize the potential of hybrid energy.
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 35
INSIGHTS
INDIANOIL FORAYS INTO WIND LUBRICANTS
I
ndianOil Corporation Limited is India’s flagship energy major with a dominant presence in downstream refining and marketing sectors. IndianOil is ranked 151 amongst Fortune Global 500 Companies (2020). We are also ranked 19th as per Platt Global Energy Company Rankings 2020.
IndianOil owns and operates 11 Refineries with a combined installed capacity of 81.2 MMTPA which is 32% of India’s total refining capacity. IndianOil also has the country’s largest network of crude oil and petroleum product pipelines spanning over 14500+ KMs with a 51% share in crude and product pipeline ( by length). We have a 43% market share in various POL products with over 52700 customer touchpoints in India and are now the 2nd largest domestic player in Petrochemicals. IndianOil accords topmost priority to conducting its business with a strong environment conscience, ensuring sustainable development, safe workplaces and enrichment of the quality of life of its employees, customers and community at large. IndianOil has ambitious plans to broaden its energy basket with alternative energy options; the Corporation envisages setting up 260 MW of renewable energy (wind and solar) over the next five years. Wind-power systems totaling 170 MW have been installed in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. The total installed capacity of solar PV is 60 MW with over 18300 retail outlets solarized.
ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 36
About our Lubricant brand SERVO Our Lubricant brand SERVO is India’s largest selling lubricant brand with over 27% market share. We have over 800 active formulations of lubricants for every application in the Industrial, Transport, Energy and Agriculture sectors. SERVO, designated as SUPER BRAND, is fast emerging as a global brand. with wide acceptance in UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nigeria and other markets.
About IndianOil’s reach: Our Lube related supply chain consists of 10 Lube Blending Plants (LBPs), over 100 Industrial Servo Stockists and 32 CFAs ensuring on-time delivery of required lubricants to every customer. About our R&D Our World class Research & Development Centre at Faridabad established in 1972 has won recognition for its pioneering work in lubricant formulations, refinery processes, catalysts development, alternate fuels, additives evaluation, environment studies etc. Our formulations also enjoy widespread approvals of original equipment manufacturers.
IndianOil has maintained a satisfactory association spanning over four decades with various industries for the complete range of lubricants including wind turbine gear oils, anti-wear hydraulic oils, transformer insulating oils, greases and other specialized lubricants. IndianOil R&D also facilitates product solutions & condition monitoring
services
with
ultra-modern
lab
facility
which
includes tests like FZG failure load stage & micro pitting, FAG FE8, 4 Ball EP weld load & wear, flender foam, SRV, FTIR, ICP & other physio-chemical parameters testing. As part of our condition monitoring program specifically designed for wind turbines, we also conduct gear endoscopy on pre-determined
intervals
to
ensure
optimum
product
performance. Our after-sales services Over the years we have established a strong and experienced team of Technical Services Engineers for rendering after-sales services to our esteemed customers. This network comprises more than 125 engineers extending services like lubricant recommendations, rationalization, troubleshooting, lube surveys, developmental trials and condition monitoring of large oil systems.
and
offer
condition
monitoring
services,
Schäffler. The product is also approved by Winergy & Moventas for field trial. The product has been satisfactorily running in two of the Winergy Gear Boxes of 2.1 MW for the last two years with monitoring of oil, endoscopy of gear internals and turbine
To effectively monitor the lube oil systems in our customer’s sites
Servomesh WEG 320 is approved by Flender & FAG
we
have
established exclusive Customer Service Labs at Bangalore, NaviMumbai and Gouripur (Kolkata) & Asaoti (Faridabad).
parameters done at regular intervals. Servomesh WEG 320 has been evaluated against conventional Wind Gear Oil and has found Servomesh WEG 320 to be superior in parameters like micropitting protection, oxidative stability, foam & air release, filterability, low-temperature
Product Offerings: We would like to offer our unique, high-performance semisynthetic product “Servomesh WEG 320” for windmill gearboxes. This product has been evaluated against the stringent requirements of wind turbine gearboxes including DIN 51517 part 3, Flender and Winergy Rev 3 specifications.
performance, rust & corrosion protection. A study of Servomesh WEG 320 against mineral oil & fully synthetic PAO based gear oil was conducted and reduced internal losses and higher efficiency in Load Carrying Capacity: FZG Scuffing test and lowest torque losses across all load stages in FZG efficiency test. Servomesh WEG 320 will give a good performance compared to fully synthetic PAO based products available with an added advantage of lower cost. SERVO is a one-stop solution for lubricants and greases (synthetic
&
mineral
oil
based
products)
for
other
applications like Yaw, Pitch, Main shaft, generator bearings, disc brakes, transformer etc. Please reach out at tutejaags@indianoil.in to know more about Servo products for windmill applications.
INDIANOIL HAS AMBITIOUS PLANS TO BROADEN ITS ENERGY BASKET WITH ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONS; THE CORPORATION ENVISAGES SETTING UP 260 MW OF RENEWABLE ENERGY (WIND AND SOLAR) OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. ANNUAL ISSUE 2021 | PAGE 37
WINDINSIDER ENGINEERING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
AWARDS INDIA 2021
Awards do not only acknowledge success; they recognise many other qualities: ability, struggle, effort and, above all, excellence. It is an acknowledgement of appreciation for your Team's hard work and dedication to achieve the milestone. Since we know that engineering is the most crucial aspect in the development of any Wind Project, hence recognizing and celebrating the achievements of these exceptional individuals, projects, technologies, innovations and services was even more important.Keeping this motive in mind WindInsider brought forward a platform to honor and generate public recognition for these wind industry pioneers who have made their positive contributions in advancement and development of India Wind Industry.
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE IN WIND ENERGY HONORED & AWARDED WindInsider Project Engineering Awards: Project Electrical Design Innovation KP Energy Limited The company’s designing and engineering of 300MW scale pooling substation was a major development for entering into a 220kV evacuation system. The company has designed their power evacuation system complying with all CEA standards and grid code It has designed the structures and foundations of a power evacuation system which can sustain even in highest wind and seismic load.
Engineering Initiative (Pandemic Response) - Uttam Bharat Electricals Pvt.Ltd. The joint effort and proper coordination of this company’s team had meticulously worked together to complete the project. They have provided 19 transformers of 3 MVA during the pandemic and have been instrumental in completing more than 10 jobs of higher rating during the Pandemic.The sharp and innovative thinking of the engineering & design team laid the foundation for a successful product and timely project completion.
Best Project Construction Management KP Energy Limited
Best Project EHS Management initiatives - KP Energy Limited
The company has worked wonders on its site Mahuva where most of the land was surrounded by the existing sea.The company designed and constructed RCC block type precast bridge to reduce the overall distance to reach to their location resulting in time saving and cost saving of the project. The bridge constructed by the company is presently being used by the local villagers and still stands strong.
The company is an Environment conscious organisation. They have done a mass plantation drive of more 50,000 saplings. The company has been doing thorough environment study in the pre-construction stage for all their sites and has also been promoting education in the remote villages near their project as a CSR activity. The company has been adopting standard health and safety processes during execution of the project and “Safety First” while working at site, has always been the prime objective over and above all.
Best Project Site Management Initiatives - KP Energy Limited The company has developed a coordination mechanism among the sub-contractors and employees at site which has proved extremely supportive in handling site effectively and efficiently. All the sites of the company have maintained the minimum energy losses, negligible reactive power consumption and maximum grid availability.
Best Project Risk Management Solutions - Edelweiss Gallagher Insurance Brokers Ltd. The company in the renewable energy space offers various project risk management solutions to their clients for the entire project life cycle starting from carrying out project risk assessment activities, developing risk registers and monitoring them periodically. They provide tailor made risk solutions in the wind energy space for those engaged in project execution/development and special task services related to breakdown and repairs.
WindInsider Turbine Engineering Awards: Wind Blade Retrofit Engineering & Repair Innovation - Rotortech Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd. The company offers a palette of services like Visual Inspection-External & Internal, Blade Cleaning,Retrofitting of active lightning monitoring solutions,Retrofitting of structural upgrades,Maintenance of Lightning Protection Systems and many more. The company has been instrumental in having a record of keeping their customers fully satisfied.
WindInsider Engineer's Choice Quality Awards: Product Technology Innovation REConnect Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd. The company’s product GRIDBox is used for meter data acquisition. The product is a compact plug and play device which can be connected to any MODBUS or DLMS and can fetch Cumulative, Load Profile data and other parameters available from the meter and broadcast to the central server. GRIDBox is supported by GRIDConnect IT System.
Smart Engineering Solution Provider iFox Windtechnik India Private Limited The company’s smart engineering solution was for the project in Andhra Pradesh. They replaced wind blade pitch bearing without using the cranes and instead developed an inhouse technology to provide a solution. This smart inhouse solution resulted in huge cost saving to the Turbine Owner.
Smart Cable Provider - APAR Industries Limited The company has grown into a diversified billion dollar company, and expanded to over 100 countries as a highly trusted manufacturer and supplier of conductors. The company provides a variety of cables such as Telasomeric Cable upto 33KV, Electron Beam Cross Linked Cables, LT Power & Control Cables & Covered Conductors. The company is a pioneer in the field of Cable Manufacturing.
WindInsider Turbine Engineering Awards: Engineering Head of the Year - Mr. Bipinkumar Lunavia, CTO, Windworld India Bipin is a Mechanical Engineer with a vast experience in power projects. His expertise has brought in a lot of improvements and cost savings for the company projects. He has been instrumental in filing various patents.Under his expert leadership the company has recently overcome a great challenge of shifting 26 mtr. Long blades wind turbine from a hill top to base station through narrow road of 3.5 mtr wide 14 km long with dense forest on both the sides of road. The successful implementation of this shifting without cutting a single tree was possible because of his smart innovative solution.
Smart O&M Service Provider - iFox Windtechnik India Private Limited The company has been involved in Operations & Maintenance of Wind Energy Generators and have earned a good name in the industry. They are presently a 220 MW company with more than 300 Turbines under their maintenance. The company’s strong team of engineers have helped them achieve this feat in a short span of time.
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR AWARDS VISIT US AT:HTTPS://SOLARQUARTER.COM/STUDIO/