Smart Energy Jan/ Feb 2016

SmartEnergy Volume III, Issue I

Pages 60

`200

ISSN 2348-5027

Complete Renewable Energy Intelligence

13- 17 Feb, 2016, BIEC, Bengaluru Hall No. 4C Stall No. HY38

Start-up

Champs Revitalizing India with Green Energy

Solar Policy a good combination of ambition and ambiguity p24 Will Social Enterprises Lead the Off-Grid Solar PV Market in the Next Decade? p26

visit www.supersmartenergy.com for latest updates

Jan/ Feb 2016

SmartEnergy Complete Renewable Energy Intelligence

Editor Santosh Khadtare santosh@supersmartenergy.com

Associate Editor Anisha Ganguli EDITORIAL ADVISER Pragya Sharma Editorial Co-ordinator Varsha Graphic Designer D. Vaidya Advertising & Marketing Head- Marketing & Business Development Sapna K sapna.smartenergy@gmail.com

Chief Executive Officer Rahul Raj Chandra Support Team Sunil Pawar Bharti Shetty Disclaimer All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and information in this magazine, opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not neccessarily reflect the vies of the owner/ publisher and the editorial team. Genesis Info-Media shall not be liable for any consequences in the event such claims are found- not to be true

Editor's Note Never was it such a good time to pursue entrepreneurship as a career choice and to start a new company. In good old days people use to get a good job and continue to do so till the time he retire. But things are changing. Today youngsters are ready to take risk and their parents are also willing to support their dreams.

But, Starting a new company is not everybody’s cup of tea. There is hardship, pain and at times frustration that a young mind has to face. It is passion, determination and the ability to change and learn that make a successful entrepreneur. Obstacles have to be overcome and challenges looked upon as opportunities. Having a great idea is not enough; execution is the key to success. Many a start-up with big ideas has failed due to improper implementation and poor execution. Only those with passion, grit and determination succeed. This becomes all the more important for start-ups in India.

The start-up ecosystem in India is still to evolve to the western levels. But, as mentioned earlier, things are slowly changing. The start-up India action plan unveiled by the PM recently brings the focus to the community of young entrepreneurs that has faced a daunting task of starting and running a new company in this country.

This issue of Smart Energy Magazine brings to you success stories of 10 such start-ups in the clean and green energy space those who had the guts to take risk and passion to make difference. All the 10 stories are living examples of the desire and determination of young Indians making a social impact and improving the lives of people through access to clean and cheap energy. Hope, you all get inspired by these stories and try to make a difference at individual level.

I would also like to update you that we at Smart Energy are celebrating the second anniversary of our endeavor to serve the industry.

We also look forward to meet you at Elecrama 2016 that is taking place from Feb 13-17, BIEC, Bangalore, India.

Santosh K Editor Santosh@supersmartenergy.com

Like SmartEnergy on Facebook @

www.facebook.com/smartenergymagazine

Printed, published and edited by Santosh Khadtare on behalf of Genesis Info-Media, published at 509, pushp plaza, above snehanjali shworoom, manvelpada road, Virar Dist Thane and printed at M B Graphics, B 28, 3rd Floor Shri Ram Industrial Estate,Wadala West, Mumbai.

4 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Content

SmartEnergy 30 COVER STORY Start-up Champs Revitalizing India with Green Energy

31. Azure Power 32. Fourth Partner Energy 34. Shashwat Cleantech 36. ONergy 37. Zenatix 39. GIBBS 40. Husk Power Systems 42. Gram Power 43. SELCO 44. REConnect

24

46

IN FOCUS Solar Policy a good combination of ambition and ambiguity

INTERVIEW Sharmila Kumbhat Director, K-Lite Industries

Authored By: Chandrasekhara

26

50

REVIEW Will Social Enterprises Lead the Off-Grid Solar PV Market in the Next Decade?

EVENTS REPORT Intersolar 2015 RenewX EnerAsia

Authored By: Harshavardhan Reddy Nagatham

54 PRODUCT UPDATES MECO StorEdge LG Chem K-Lite SunPower Helix

6 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

 www.supersmartenergy.com

News Updates SKF India announces solar mission, inaugurates 1MW rooftop solar plant at its Pune facility SKF India announced its solar mission with the inauguration of one of the largest rooftop solar installations among manufacturing companies in Pune, with 1 MW capacity. The launch of the project is a part of SKF India’s ongoing solar mission across all major facilities in the country. The installation in the Pune facility is expected to generate 1.5 GwH units per annum. This initiative is expected to reduce the Pune facility’s CO2 emissions by approximately 1200 metric tons per annum.

Earlier, SKF installed a rooftop solar plant at its Bengaluru facility and along with the Pune plant; the combined capacity is 2.1 MW. Additionally, SKF has also installed a hybrid solar thermal plant at its Mysore facility with obtained energy of 120 MwH per year. The Mysore facility is part of SKF Technologies India (Pvt) Ltd, wholly owned subsidiary of SKF Group. SKF plans to scale up this initiative and install similar rooftop solar plants at other major facilities across India. The project is in

line with SKF’s Environment Care philosophy and sustainability goals.

Commenting on SKF’s efforts to ensure sustainable development, Rob Jenkinson, Director, Corporate Sustainability, said “Sustainability is a long-term commitment for SKF. Our environmental strategy SKF BeyondZero is to create a positive impact on the environment, by reducing the negative impact from our own operations and offering innovative technologies, products and solutions with improved environmental performance. The solar mission is directly aligned with our sustainable business goals.”

Sumant Sinha, Chairman and CEO, ReNew Power said, “We are pleased to have commissioned this project for SKF, which is in line with our highest quality standards and engineering capabilities. Solar rooftop installations not only help corporates save on cost of power but also enable them to become active participants in reducing their carbon footprint.” ■

“We at SKF, firmly believe that development must take place in alignment with environment needs.

Sustainability is not only a responsibility, but also a way of developing our business. This embodies our principle of Environment Care. Our solar mission is a reflection of our commitment to the ongoing sustainability programs and aligns with India’s National Solar Mission” Shishir Joshipura, Managing Director & Country Head, SKF India Ltd ACME, the leading solar power generator in India has been conferred the Central Board of Irrigation and Power Award 2015 for Best Contribution in Solar Energy for outstanding contribution to the nation in development of clean renewable energy and being largest solar producer in country.

Mr Prashant Panda, President, ACME – Solar Business was felicitated with the award by Sushri Uma Bharti, Hon’ble Union Minister, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.

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 www.supersmartenergy.com

Discussing the geo-strategic issues of energy at the 6th Asia Energy Security Summit The security of energy assets, an alarming spread of ISIS across the Middle-East, sustained low oil prices, rise in cyber security threats and constant threats related to security of critical energy infrastructure have a significant impact on the future energy scenario.

The sixth edition of the Asia Energy Security Summit (AESS), an annual flagship event of the Independent Power Producers Association of India, is dedicated towards discussing and debating these issues and their repercussions on the energy sector. The summit would also delve on the future of shale gas and its viability in the long run and focus on renewable sources of energy especially hydro power generation and promotion of energy efficiency.

AESS, scheduled between March 1-3, 2016, in Radisson Goa Candolim, Goa, India, will bring together representatives from across Asia including government authorities, technical and energy

experts, policymakers from energy ministries, senior diplomats, academicians and head of industries to discuss and debate issues relating to the entire energy spectrum, identify prospects, develop solutions and know about major forthcoming issues.

The key speakers at the event include General J. J. Singh (Retired), Fmr. Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army and Fmr. Governor of the State of Arunachal Pradesh; Mr. Narendra Taneja, Energy Expert and BJP Leader; Ms. Sudha Mahalingam, Fmr. Member - PNGRB and National Security Advisory Board, Government of India; Dr. Kayhan Barzegar, Director, Institute of Middle-East Strategic Studies, Iran; Mr. Ghaffar Hussain, Community Resilience Manager, London Borough of Newham, UK; Mr. Humayun Kabir, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United States; and Mr. Aman Ghalib, Renewable Energy, Director, Ministry of Energy and Water, Afghanistan.

This year, the speakers will

come together to throw light on the following issues: ›› The new geopolitics of energy: developments and changing relations in the Gulf ›› Depressed oil prices: challenges and opportunities ›› Asia’s access to energy challenge in the Indian Ocean region ›› Regulatory and policy challenges for cross-border trade of electricity in the SAARC region ›› Connecting Tajikistan to Singapore through an integrated grid ›› Geopolitics of water, hydro power potential and the possible water related face-offs ›› Alternative energy options for smart cities in Asia ›› Protection of critical energy infrastructure from cyber attacks For More Details contact: Divya Parthasarathy | M: 9650650044 | E: divya@ippaimail.org Gracy Romalsawmi |M: 9711811014 | E: gracy@ippamail. org ■

NuPower Renewables Contributes to India’s Renewable Energy Space NuPower Renewables, one of India’s leading IPPs (Independent Power Producer) in the renewable energy sector, commissions another 30 MW wind power project in Vaspeth village of Sangli district in Maharashtra. This wind power project is built from end to end on a self-development basis with 2.05 MW wind turbines manufactured by NuPower with advanced German technology from Wind-to-Energy (W2E), GmbH. NuPower has nearly 700 MW of renewable energy assets operating and in pipeline located across

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The company owns and operates one of the largest single location wind power project capacity being 100 MW in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Over last few years wind power tariffs have almost achieved grid parity, and since they are fixed for 20 years with state grids, wind power shall become one of the cheaper sources of power on the grid in the years to come.

IPPs like NuPower Renewables are contributing to achieve India’s target for additional renewable

capacity of 160 GW of wind & solar power by 2022. In fact, in the last few years majority of the additional renewable capacity in India have been installed by such IPPs. The implementation period of Renewable energy projects is shorter than conventional power plants; therefore capacity ramp up of renewable energy projects will be faster.

Renewable energy sector is attracting FDIinto India in recent years and IPPs like NuPower are best positioned to be recipients of such FDI in the renewable energy space ■

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Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

News Updates BORG Energy Introduces Vega Series of Customized-for-India On Grid Solar Inverters Leading US-based alternate energy solutions provider BORG Energy India is introducing a new series of solar powered energy generating systems in India that are highly cost-effective and can be widely used for both domestic and commercial projects to generate environment friendly free of cost electricity.

Branded the Vega Series, the devices are specialized designed Solar on grid string inverters with the best invention patented topology globally, which provide

more optional choices for photo voltaic power systems ,including small PV applications like residential roof projects, commercial projects and carports.

A grid-connected photo-voltaic system consists of one or several solar panels/inverters that can be adapted to generate power for different purposes – for domestic use or commercial purposes.

BORG Energy India has conducted extensive research and development in India to pro-

duce products that meet Indian requirements and fill the gaps in Indian solar powered products.

Lack of efficiency and high cost has been the two major drawbacks that have held back the wide use of solar energy in India.

BORG Energy India breaks the barrier of high cost with engineering excellence and delivers solutions that are affordable.

The products also offer high efficiency in all conditions with EU conversion efficiencies of 97.1% ~ 97.3% ■

“Vega series has been proved to be outstanding for its features like portability, leading edge efficiency,high cost-effectiveness, modern appearance, friendly interface, and ultra long quality warranty. It is also a highly versatile grid connected system of power generation using solar energy and can be used for multiple purposes. A smaller system can be installed on residential rooftops and used to generate efficient energy for daily domestic use; a larger system can be customized to generate more power for industrial or commercial usage. The daily power generated is free of cost (apart from the cost incurred in installation) and its long-term durability means a purchaser can make a one-time investment and continue to use free electricity for life,” says Mr Krishnakumar, Product Manager, BORG Energy India.

Snapdeal to support Power Ministry’s DELP program Snapdeal, India’s largest online marketplace, today announced its partnership with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Government of India unit leading Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) for the Power Ministry.

Under the campaign, Snapdeal will be selling LED bulbs at Rs. 99 and enable the Ministry of Power to increase distribution of LED bulbs through its online marketplace to its customers spread across 5000+ towns and cities of India.

The partnership enables the Government to increase its distribution reach for LED bulbs and strengthen the cause of the DELP program – promote efficient lighting, enhance awareness on using LED to reduce electricity

10 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

bill, and increase efficiency in domestic energy consumption.

Commenting on the partnership, Rahul Taneja, Vice President, Category Management, Snapdeal said, “Snapdeal is proud to be chosen as a partner by the Power Ministry to support its DELP program. We continue to add products and services on our platform which are in sync with changing consumer preferences and lifestyles. With our unmatched reach in metros as well as tier 2 and beyond, and our huge customer base, we will be able to support the Government achieve its target of replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs. We will further contribute by spreading awareness of longterm benefits of energy conservation through our platform and social media channels” ■

Su-Kam collaborates with NISE Recently, Su-Kam Power Systems collaborated with the National Institute of Solar Energy for skill development and market training of engineers who would finally be instrumental in materializing the solar dream of India.

Out of 30 engineers who have been chosen for the task, seven have already been trained by Su-Kam and rest would undergo training later. The training would focus on the commercial aspect of solar energy and its market in a country like India.

We are hopeful that this collaboration would prove fruitful and open newer avenues for solar energy to flourish. Let’s make India run on sun! ■

 www.supersmartenergy.com

News Updates Rays Power Infra Listed Amongst 'India's Most Promising Brands' by WCRC in the Power and Energy Sector Rays Power Infra Pvt. Ltd., one of the biggest solar EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) companies in India, has been listed amongst 'India's most promising brands', which have tangibly contributed to the nation's economy and infrastructure building and have shown enough promise to be considered as the next set of game changers in their respective

industries. The renewable energy major was officially accorded this recognition by WCRC (World Consulting and Research Corporation) during an event hosted by it in London, UK, on November 21 this year.

WCRC's chosen recipients of this recognition have each achieved a level of proven excellence in their respective fields, and regions, to a point that their customers

remain fiercely loyal and also advocate their products and services to other potential clients.

The WCRC provides the world's best brands a common platform to interact, while also felicitating the best among the best. India's Most Promising Brands 2015 as a project represents the most credible, transparent and differentiated standard of brand research ■

Commenting on the recognition, Ketan Mehta, Director, Rays Power Infra said, "The companies that were recognized by WCRC as a 'promising brand' have all been the game changers in their respective industries. This is an honour of no small measure and indeed Rays Power Infra has impacted the lives of millions by implementing solar power projects in various states in India.

Besides providing environmentally viable sources of energy, the company has also demonstrated excellence in the sheer volume and kind of projects undertaken across diverse geographies"

Vikram Solar brings Solar Energy to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata Vikram Solar,a globally recognized leading solar energy solutions provider, specializing in high efficiency PV module manufacturing and comprehensive EPC solutions, successfully commissioned a rooftop solar plant with a total 2 MWp capacity at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, West Bengal. The project of setting of grid connected solar rooftop project under Jawharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) was implemented for Airport Authority of India within the MNRE scheme.

This project is Vikram Solar’s 3rd such rooftop installation at an International Airport in India, after the 100 kWp installation at Cochin International Airport & the recently commissioned 750 kWp solar plant at Calicut International Airport, Kerala. Vikram

Solar was responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, supply, construction, erection and commissioning of this rooftop plant. The whole project consists of 3 separate installations of 180 kWp at the Operations Building, 572.2 kWp at the Cargo & APEDA building, and 1248 kWp at the domestic building. The project is expected to reduce approx 2036.90 MT of CO2 emissions per year.

“Kolkata airport is one of the first few airports in the country to get solarised. We are proud to showcase the biggest airport rooftop installation in the country. Vikram Solar were entrusted to execute this prestigious project and they have successfully completed it.” said Mr. A.K. Sharma, Airport Director, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata ■

Mr. Gyanesh Chaudhary, CEO and Managing Director, Vikram Solar, said “At Vikram Solar, we develop world- class technology to design, install and commission benchmark solar projects worldwide and the Kolkata airport is one such example”

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News Updates Customized Energy Solutions Acquires Powerit Enhancing Demand Response Services CES announced that it has acquired Powerit Solutions, an advanced demand management company that helps businesses reduce energy costs while meeting corporate sustainability goals through renewable integration. With this acquisition, CES enhances its CES|GREEN Demand Response services for suppliers, aggregators and engineering customers by integrating one of the industry's most sophisticated load control systems into a new offering called CES|PowerGREEN.

ing access to wholesale markets and rates, enabling consumers to use and pay for power in a way that respects their operational constraints while limiting the cost. By acquiring Powerit and its Spara Demand Management technology, CES augments its existing services with the ability to see individual facility loads on customer systems and control them according to their operational constraints and value- a feature which has helped Powerit's customers save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

"Donsco has operated with an integrated CES demand response service in our PowerIt Spara software for over 6 years.

The PowerIt control software has become a vital component of our plant operations and energy savings across the entire business enterprise. Having CES manage the entire platform ensures the continued success of our energy management system and a future of optimization and upgrades." Chris Buck, VP Operations, Donsco Inc.

"Our market knowledge and rapidly expanding global presence coupled with the addition of one of the most advanced real-time load control systems firmly puts CES at the forefront of power consumption optimization," explained Jed Trott, Director, Demand Side Response, CES. "We look forward to engaging Powerit's customers and building a path forward for them with CES|PowerGREEN, a hosted platform that integrates its industry-leading Spara Demand Management technology with our existing CES|GREEN Demand Response services."

Traditional power provision follows a take it or leave it approach with consumers either using power and paying the price according to a utility rate or avoiding using energy altogether. Demand Response changes this dynamic by provid-

CES' current portfolio of services includes emergency demand response, economic demand response, ancillary service demand response and Coinci-

dent Peak Management. The company provides these services through a combination of automatic demand response and through direct support. Powerit technology will be integrated into these existing services to provide enhanced visibility into individual loads on a customer's system such as fans, compressors and furnaces. In addition to engaging with existing CES and Powerit customers, CES plans to extend its customer base by building relationships with suppliers, aggregators and engineering companies who are looking to build a more consultative service for their own customers.

"Demand Response can provide huge value for businesses of all sizes looking to optimize their consumption of energy. With our acquisition of Powerit, CES has taken a huge step towards offering one of the industry's most complete demand response services," explained Stephen Fernands, President, CES. "CES is fully committed to developing a system, in cooperation with suppliers, that gives customers the power to take full advantage of their load control. This means that suppliers will be able to offer a contract to customers that will provide their customers with the benefit of access to wholesale markets without the risks." ■

Tata Power Solar commissions world’s largest solar rooftop in Amritsar Tata Power Solar, India’s largest integrated solar player, has successfully commissioned a 12 MW solar rooftop project for R.S.S.B. Educational and Environmental Society in Amritsar in Punjab. Built across eight sheltered venues in a single premise at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas – Dera Baba

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Jaimal Singh in Amritsar, the project is the largest solar rooftop plant in the world set up in a single phase, the company claimed in a media release.

Ashish Khanna, CEO and ED, Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd, said, “This has been commissioned in a single phase on mul-

tiple roofs covering an area of 1.621 million sq.ft with varying roof profiles, roof types and truss frames. The project was commissioned on schedule with highest quality standards by systematic and planned engineering and executed in a safe manner with zero-incidents.” ■  www.supersmartenergy.com

News Updates Sany Group signs two MoUs with Andhra Pradesh Government The Government of Andhra signed two MOUs with State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) & Sany Group of China, one of the largest global manufacturing companies of construction equipment in the presence of Mr. Ajay Jain, Secretary – Energy, I&I & CRDA of Andhra Pradesh Government, Mr. Hou Xuezhong, Executive Director of SPIC Overseas & Mr. Tang Xiuguo. The MOUs were signed today at the CII partnership Summit 2016, in the city.

The first MOU is for the cooperation in electrical power in Andhra Pradesh, and the second one is to set up 5000MW capacity of coal fired USPP, Wind and Solar power projects. As part of the second MOU, SPIC & Sany will make an investment of USD 4800 million (Rs. 32,000 Crore) and create direct/indirect employment for 6,500 people for the period 2016-2020.

In October 2015, Sany signed an MOU with Andhra Pradesh

Government to invest USD 600 million (Rs. 4000 crore) to establish Wind Power Projects.

Additionally, Sany and SPIC visited Andhra Pradesh to discuss renewable energy and comprehensive development with the State. Currently, Sany employs about 30,000 people globally and 269 people across India. Sany Group entered India market in 2002 and established a manufacturing plant in 2009 in Chakan, Pune. In India, the company operates in Excavator, Cranes, Concrete Machinery, Port Machinery, Road and Renewable Energy businesses.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Tang Xiuguo, President, SANY Group, said, “These MOUs mark the next phase of our expansion plans in Andhra Pradesh and in India. The State has a huge untapped wind and solar power potential and we hope to tap that with this collaboration. These investments are a strategic decision towards our Make in India strategy” ■

Thrive Solar Donates 10KW Solar System to Ramakrishna Mission School, Vishakapatnam Committed to the cause of advocating use of solar energy and being a lead player in spreading awareness on solar energy, Thrive Solar has proudly donated a 10KW Solar Power pack to Ramakrishna Mission School in Visakhapatnam, which is a Government recognized co-educational institution and caters to 900+ children studying between LKG and Class 10. This system is catering for the entire Energy needs of the School. This one of a kind Grid Export system is the first in Visakhapatnam ■

TMEIC crosses 1GW of Orders in India Power deficit hits fresh record TMEIC Industrial Systems India exports its products to meet the Pvt. Ltd., a Group Company of requirements of the overseas low of 2.4% Toshiba Mitsubishi – Electric markets.

Industrial Systems Corp. TMEIC is the fastest growing Grid connected Central Photovoltaic (PV) Inverter manufacturer in India.

With already shipped orders of around 460MW in a span of last 16 months and booked orders for more than 1GW till date, TMEIC is now placed among the top 3 inverter suppliers in India’s Utility scale PV market.

TMEIC’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Bangalore, India has production capacity of 1GW annually. This factory not only caters to the domestic market in India, but also

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TMEIC partners with almost all the major EPC players & project developers for their PV projects in India and abroad.TMEIC is one of leading suppliers of PV inverters and Integrated Inverter Stations globally.

TMEIC is a pioneer in Power Electronics with more than 25 years of research and experience invested in PV Inverter systems. TMEIC’s 3-level, Neutral Point Switching technology generates lower losses and leads to high efficiency PV Inverters that maximizes the yield for investors of PV projects ■

Government has said the power deficit in the country has fallen further and has hit a fresh lowest-ever level of 2.4 per cent due to additional 29,168 MW power generation capacity in the last one and a half year. Highlighting its achievements in the coal, power and new & renewable energy sectors, the government said the country witnessed the highest-ever generation capacity addition of 29,168 MW during this period. More than three crore energy-efficient LED bulbs have been also been distributed till now, it added ■  www.supersmartenergy.com

News Updates Charisma Energy, Sunseap JV wins 140MWp solar power project in India A JV firm of Charisma Energy has been given a contract to develop solar power plants in India and to supply power to the country's state-owned power company for 25 years.

Rising Sun Energy, which Charisma owns together with Singapore solar firm Sunseap International and a local Indian partner, will be building a solar farm with a capacity of 140 megawatts at peak conditions (MWp).

It will also have a 25-year contract to supply power to National Thermal Power Corporation, the largest power company in India, at a fixed rate of 4.35 rupees (9.2 Singapore cents) per KWh, said Sunseap in a statement released.

The project is part of a 420-MWp solar farm development in Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan, the state with the largest commissioned installed solar capacity in India.

To be funded through internal resources and debt financing, it is expected to start commercial operations in the second quarter of next year and will generate some US$80.9 million in revenue in the first five years, Charisma said in a filing to Singapore Exchange ■

Essel-GCL Consortium to set up 5GW module manufacturing capacity in India Essel Infraprojects has formed a consortium with Chinese energy group Golden Concord Holdings (GCL) to set up 5GW of solar module manufacturing capacity by 2020 in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The firms have committed an investment of $2bn for developing the integrated solar manufacturing hub to serve both Indian and overseas market. It is expected to create around 15,000 skilled jobs.

Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra said: "Renewable energy is the key for the economic growth of our country.

It will aid clean energy initiative of the government.

"Taking the lead, Essel Group intends to facilitate India's green energy requirement by delivering sustainable energy and creating value to empower people, communities and businesses."

The two companies will also collaborate to invest and attract indirect investments of up to $10bn for establishing a smart industrial park in the state, to encourage Indian and Chinese companies to establish multiple manufacturing centres. The new commitments are in line with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative and the country's target to install 100GW of solar power capacity by 2022.

GCL Group vice-chairman Shu Hua said: "GCL looks forward to contributing towards the progress of this wonderful country by not only bringing in investments but also the latest available technologies of PV industry."

Renewable energy investments are being made across the world, in line with the global climate change agreement signed recently by 195 countries. India has also launched a $1tn global tie-up with France for driving solar power infrastructure across countries, especially in developing ones with ample solar potential ■

Waaree orders 100MW PV equipment from Huawei, wins 75MW EPC contract in Gujarat India-based solar energy firm Waaree Energies has ordered 100MW of solar equipment from electronics giant Huawei Technologies for projects in India.A partnership between the two companies was announced at Intersolar India in Mumbai.

A company statement said: "Waaree Energies has placed an order for 100MW of string

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Inverter and Smart PV solutions on Huawei for its projects in India."

In related news, Waaree also won a 75MW EPC contract for a solar plant in Gujarat. A company statement said the contract was signed with “a reputed company engaged in electricity generation, transmission and distribution in Western India recently.”

Waaree director Viren Doshi said: ““This will be one of the biggest solar plants to be built in Western India at a single location. We have been able to meet as well exceed the expectations from our customer in our previously commissioned projects and winning this mega project is a testimony to the value that we are able to add to our customers ■

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Solar projects get Rs 5,050 crore Government to launch a new policy boost from Centre for solar zones The government approved a ers (SPDs) with VGF under ‘viability gap funding’ (VGF) of Rs 5,050 crore for setting up over 5,000 MW of gridlinked solar power projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).

“The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for setting up over 5,000 MW of gridconnected solar PV power projects on build, own and operate basis,” an official statement said.

“To push solar energy programme, a scheme to provide Rs 5,050 crore VGF for setting up 5,000 MW capacity has been approved.” The statement quotes Power Minister Piyush Goyal.

The VGF will be provided through reverse bidding.

Whosoever will quote the lowest VGF will win. One part of these funds will be for domestic modules.

These companies will be given Rs 1.25 crore per MW and those coming through international competitive bidding will get Rs one crore per MW. The statement further states, it will be implemented by solar power develop-

batch-IV of phase-II of the JNNSM. The total investment expected under this scheme is about Rs 30,000 crore.

The estimated requirement of funds to provide VGF for 5,000 MW capacity solar projects is estimated to be Rs 5,050 crore. This includes handling charges to Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) at the rate of one per cent of the total grant disposed and Rs 500 crore for payment security mechanism for all three VGF schemes of 750 MW, 2000 MW and 5000 MW. The upper limit for VGF will be Rs 1 crore per MW. In case there is savings in the total VGF requirement, quantum of capacity of 5000 MW can be enhanced, the statement states. Under the scheme, 500 MW capacity will be created this fiscal while during four financial year from 2016-17 to 2019-20, solar power generation capacity of 1,125 each year will be set up. The scheme will be implemented on build, own and operate basis through competitive bidding to provide solar power at a predefined tariff of Rs 4.93 per kWh (unit) for first year ■

A 750 MW solar park to come up in Banaskantha, Gujarat According to reports, the Gujarat government has identified around 1,500 hectare land to set up a 750 MW solar park near Radhanesda village of Vav taluka in Banaskantha district. This will be the biggest solar park to come up in the country after the 590 MW capacity solar park, the country’s first and Asia’s largest solar park, was set up in Charnka village of Patan district in 2012. Total budget for the latest solar park is likely to be at least around Rs 4,500 crore ■

As part of efforts to boost the solar sector, the government will soon come out with a new policy for setting up solar zones in the country to give a fillip to renewable energy projects and manufacturing of equipment.

Each solar zone will be spread over 100 sq kms and 25 per cent of the area will be reserved for the small and medium industries.

"We are bringing new policy which would be called 'solar zone'. It will be spread over 100 square kms (10 X 10 KM). It will be divided into three parts. It (policy for solar zones) will be out in a month's time," New and Renewable Energy Secretary Upendra Tripathy said in a statement released.

He further said, "We will provide Rs 1 crore each to states for preparing detailed project report (DPR). In the DPR, we will supply the connectivity points (transmission link).

The (issues related to) land will be settled among the owner, company and the states."

According to the statement these zones will not be confined to promoting solar energy only as the area will have wind potential as well.

The 25 per cent area will be for small and medium size industries to put up plants with capacities such as 3, 5 and 10 MW. They will not require any permission and respective state governments can guide them, Tripathy said.

Under the solar zone, another 25 per cent of area will be kept for manufacturing facilities. The bidding for this space will be limited to manufacturers in India who are already into it or planning to start production.

Tripathy further said, "At present, it (solar cells manufacturing) comes under the electronics sector and gets 20 per cent capital subsidy. They will manufacture and develop solar energy projects. There will be separate bidding for them so that they get the roadmap."

On the remaining half of the solar zone area, he said it will be open for all types of players for setting up solar power projects ■

19

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

News Updates PM, Hollande lay Foundation Stone for ISA Headquarters The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, and the President of France Mr François Hollande, jointly laid the foundation stone of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Headquarters and inaugurated the interim Secretariat of the ISA in National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurgaon.

Government of India has dedicated 5 acre land in NISE campus for the ISA Headquarters and also has contributed Rs 175 crore for ISA corpus fund and also for meeting expenditure for initial five years.

ISA is part of Prime Minister’s vision to bring clean and affordable energy within the reach of all and create a sustainable world. It will be a new beginning for accelerating development and deployment of solar energy for achieving universal energy access and energy security of the present and future generations.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi stated that ISA will be India’s first international and inter-governmental organization headquartered in India.ISA will be dedicated to promotion of solar energy for making solar energy a valuable source of affordable and reliable green and clean energy in 121 member countries. He thanked the President of France for his continued help and support in shaping ISA. Appreciating India, President of France, Mr. Francois Hollande said that at Paris Conference, India showed that it was ready to fully commit to energy transition and the fight against climate change. Thanks to India’s commitment, we were able to secure an ambitious, fair and dynamic agreement in Paris, which is binding for all of humanity, Mr Hollande added. He also said that India’s role will be just

20 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

as essential in implementing the Paris Agreement and the commitments which have been made. Mr. Hollande reaffirmed his commitment by saying that France want to build the postParis Agreement world with India and ISA paves the way for this.

The Alliance has France’s full support. He announced that the French Development Agency will allocate €300 million to developing solar energy over the next five years in order to finance the initial projects. He stressed on the fact that contributing to the success of the Alliance also means launching French-Indian projects.

Welcoming the dignitaries , Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy informed that an Interim Administrative Cell (IAC) has been made functional for facilitating transition of ISA from de facto to a de jure entity.

He also stated that in addition to contribution for creating ISA corpus fund, Government of India has offered training support for ISA member countries at NISE and also support for demonstration projects for solar home lighting, solar pumps for farmers and for other solar applications. Shri Goyal further informed that the interim ISA Secretariat has started function-

ing from the Surya Bhawan of NISE. He mentioned that locating ISA in NISE campus is a great value addition and both the institutions will immensely benefit from each other’s presence and establish vibrant linkages.

On this occasion, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) announced contribution of US $ 1 million each to the ISA corpus fund.

ISA has been envisioned as a specialized platform and will contribute towards the common goal of increasing utilization and promotion of solar energy and solar applications in its member countries. The Paris declaration on International Solar Alliance states that the countries share the collective ambition to undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation, financial instruments to mobilise more than 1000 Billion US Dollars of investments needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of affordable solar energy and to pave the way for future solar generation, storage and good technologies for countries’ individual needs ■

 www.supersmartenergy.com

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News Updates Inox Wind Infra Services acquires Vinirrmaa Energy

Suzlon Energy Prototype Turbine in Gujarat achieves 35% PLF

Inox Wind Ltd announced the acquisition of Vinirrmaa Energy Generation Pvt. Ltd. by its arm Inox Wind Infrastructure Services Ltd. The value of the deal, however, was not disclosed.

Suzlon Group, one of the leading wind turbine manufacturers, announced that its evolutionary S97"HT DFIG 2.1MW Wind Turbine with an All"Steel Hybrid Tower has achieved 35% PLF over the last 12 months i.e. since the launch in November 2014. The prototype was commissioned on June 9th, 2014 at Nani Ber District of Kutch, Gujarat. The evolutionary product has received encouraging response from customers across segments and reflects in the ~350 MW of orders received.

"Continuing the company's expansion in southern states of India, Inox Wind Infrastructure Services Limited, a whollyowned subsidiary of Inox Wind Limited, has acquired Vinirrmaa Energy Generation Private Limited, with effect from January 23, 2016," the company said in a BSE filing.

In view of the same, Vinirrmaa Energy Generation has become a step down subsidiary of Inox Wind, it added.

Inox Wind is a fully integrated player in the wind energy market with manufacturing plants at Una, Himachal Pradesh for hubs and nacelles and Rohika, near Ahmedabad (Gujarat) for blades and tubular towers.

Inox Wind manufactures the key components of the Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) to ensure high quality based on the most advanced technology, reliability of performance, and cost competitiveness.

Inox WTGs are designed for low wind speed sites such as those in India ■

The S97- HT DFIG is the Worlds’ tallest All Steel Hybrid tower (120 metre height) design which combines both lattice and tubular structures, designed indigenously to harness the enhanced availability of wind resources at higher altitudes making low wind

sites viable. It increases energy output by ~ 12% to 15 % over other turbines of same capacity at 90m height. The combination of lattice and tubular gives enhanced tower strength at lower cost. The three “dimensional lattice structure can support heavier weights due to the broad base and reduces the steel requirement apart from being logistic friendly.

Tulsi Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon Group, said, “The S97- HT DFIG 2.1MW with All Steel Hybrid Tower is a game changer and is the result of our continued focus on investing in next generation technologies.

Suzlon endeavours to lower the cost of energy and provide clean and affordable energy for all.” ■

Renewable Energy Incubation Centre to Come up in Hyderabad Soon

Rajasthan solar bids touch a new low of Rs 4.34 per unit

Renewable Energy Incubation Centres to encourage startups in solar and renewable energy sector will soon come up in Hyderabad, energy secretary Arvind Kumar has said. To encourage startups in renewable energy space, Telangana government has also decided to enter into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of Texas at Austin in United States.

In the bidding for solar projects totalling 420 megawatt (Mw) in Rajasthan, under the National Solar Mission, the winning bid touched a new low of Rs 4.34 per unit. The bid was by Finnish solar power company Fortum Energy for a 70-Mw project. Rajasthan saw a spurt of foreign companies lining up for solar projects. US firm Rising Sun Energy quoted Rs 4.35 per unit for two projects with a total capacity of 140 Mw. France’s Solairedirect has quoted the same tariff for same capacity projects.

Among the domestic ones, Rattan India, through its subsidiary Yarrow Infrastructure, won 70 Mw by quoting Rs 4.36 per unit ■

The words of Arvind Kumar comes as music to the ears of new entrepreneurs in Telangana state, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the total solar generation capacity fixed by the Union government for the year 2015-16. While the Centre set up a target of 6,497 MW of solar power generation in the country, 2,500 MW of solar power projects are being set up in Telangana ■

22 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

 www.supersmartenergy.com

NATIONAL Haryana targets 4200 mw solar power by 2022 The Haryana government is targeting 4,200 megawatt of solar power by 2022, including 1,600 mw from roof top solar power plants.Surplus power generated through installation of rooftop solar panels by any type of building, if any, could be fed into the state grid under net-metering regulations, Ankur Gupta, principal secretary, renewable energy, said in a release.

SECI solar tender for 500 MW in Maharashtra draws weak interest A 500-MW solar tender by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in the state of Maharashtra has received muted interest. Fourteen developers submitted bids in the tender, representing capacity of less than 1.8 GW. This is a highly subdued response when compared to recent allocations by power producer NTPC and some states.

Gamesa to work on 23 MW of solar projects in India Gamesa, which focuses on the wind power industry, will undertake the engineering work and procure the photovoltaic (PV) inverters for the trio of projects, one of 5 MW, one of 10 MW and one of 8 MW capacity. At the same time, New Era Enviro will supply the solar panels and structures.

The plants will be built in the towns of Bujarampet, Ellanthakunta and Mankondur, respectively. Gamesa will also take responsibility for their commissioning, supposedly this quarter. The Spanish group has already worked on one PV facility, of 10 MW, in India. It noted that the country’s solar potential has been estimated at 750 GW.

Hyderabad airport goes solar Adding another green milestone to GMR’s clean energy drive, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has commissioned a 5 MW solar power plant for its captive consumption. Situated close to the airport access road, the solar power plant has started generating around 25,000 units / day of pollution free energy and meeting the airport’s peak power demand during day time.

Suzlon Group forays into solar power with 210 MW projects in Telangana Wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon has announced its foray into solar power with projects worth 210MW in Telangana. The company won the projects from the State utility, Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (TSSPDCL) through a competitive bidding process. The 210MW of projects consist of six different capacity projects across the state and will be commissioned in FY2017.

Yamaha inaugurates 4,000 KW solar power plant at Surajpur unit Japanese two-wheeler major Yamaha has inaugurated a 4,000 KW solar power project at its facility in Surajpur, Uttar Pradesh. The company's country arm India Yamaha Motor (IYM) had partnered with solar service provider Amplus Solar for installation, operation and maintenance of the project, the installation of which will be completed by April this year, IYM said in a statement.

GoI to give 30% subsidy for rooftop solar installations, target 4200 MW The In one of the boldest steps to be taken in the direction of clean energy in India, the central government has decided to provide

a 30% subsidy for rooftop solar installations in the country. A total of Rs 5,000 cr (Rs 50 bln or about $800 mln) has been set apart for the rooftop solar installation program, the government said.

Vizag port will be the first to launch solar project Visakhapatnam port will be the first major port to commence a solar power project as part of the Shipping Ministry’s ‘Solarisation of Ports’ initiative. The initiative aims to roll out utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants at major ports that have abundant land. The large-scale photovoltaic system is designed to supply merchant power into the electricity grid.

India Mulls Support for Polysilicon Ingot & Wafer Manufacturing With a massive solar power installed capacity target of 100 GW by 2022, the Indian Government is looking to promote and expand local manufacturing capacity for polysilicon ingots and wafers.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has called for comments from stakeholders regarding its plan to provide support for the production of polysilicon ingots and wafers in India. The support will be part of the Indian Government’s Make in India program that envisions increased domestic and foreign investment in the manufacturing sector.

SoftBank venture wins first solar power project in India SB Energy, a joint venture between Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp., India’s Bharti Enterprises Ltd and Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, has won a 350 megawatt (MW) solar power project in Andhra Pradesh after it matched the record low bid seen in the previous round ■

23

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

In Focus

Solar Policy a good combination of

AMBI

tionand guity

Authored by: Chandrasekhara

S

ince setting up a target of 20 GW, much publicity has been given in the media about increasing this target to 100 GW solar power generations by 2022. This is the Ambition or aim of Government, but the same Government has no arms and ammunition to hit this target in time. There is a wide gap between policy set and what is being achieved. This article is about the issues related to know how wide this gap is and suggest means and methods to narrow the gap.

What is the basis to set 100 GW when first set target of 20 GW itself could not be achieved? It is like expecting a baby which is just learning to stand and walk to run fast! So, there is chance of baby tripping and get hurt. Increasing the target is a good opportunity for growth of solar industry but what is happening on the other side of this industry is a big question. Let us look the facts under a microscope rather than telescope.

Facts and Figures: India’s 1/3 of population has no access to electricity and it will be expensive and time consuming to reach them with transmission towers and cables to light just

24 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

one bulb in their homes, so solar energy is the best choice.

Technology is available to harness the solar energy and its deployment. As of now Mono cell efficiency is 21% (recent record is 23.15%) and multi cell around 20%. But Indian cell manufacturers are still at 17 to 18% cell efficiency level.

Chinese companies are not ready to sell premium quality cells to Indian module manufacturers as they export these cells to other countries and thus Indian module manufacturers have to rely on low efficiency cells.

For the same real estate of glass, EVA, backsheet using 60 cells, the wattage output can vary from 230 to 260 watt depending on cell efficiency. Further high wattage module saves money in terms of material quantity, number of modules/MW, weight, transportation, structure, land area, installation time which indirectly will benefit the manufacturer and installers.

In 1985 there were only 4 manufacturers in India - CEL, BHEL, and REIL under government and Udaya Semicondutor in private.

Even after 30 years the total capacity of these 4 companies put

together as module manufacturers have not exceeded 100 MW, Why? However private companies ventured and today there are nearly 115 module manufacturers with name plate capacity of over 4 GW/annum. But only 40% capacity was utilised last year due to import of modules at lower price than domestic suppliers.

On the one hand PM slogan ‘Make in India’ is opening the doors for Chinese companies to put the base in India- for example Renesola, Hareon Solar, JA Solar, GCL to manufacture modules.

Every state government is inviting outsiders to invest in their state beside local module manufacturers expanding their capacity.

Since the start of JNNSM till date only 5 GW is installed in the country ie. 5% of target set. How we can achieve balance 95 GW within 6 years left over? ie., average of 16 GW module production per year !. Existing module manufacturers with 3GW -3 shift capacity cannot meet the demand. Even doubling the capacity, the local manufacturers cannot go beyond 6GW/ annum capacity and this gives room for overseas module and cell companies to invest in India  www.supersmartenergy.com

or sell their modules.

Suggestions: Solar mission being national mission, government should involve in using government organisations to undertake high risk and high tech project of manufacturing silicon wafer and cells as part of the mission. Why not BEL, BHEL who have background of manufacturing cells and modules invest jointly to manufacture high efficiency cells for captive consumption – say atleast 2 GW capacity.

HMT which is closed now can be converted to manufacture Silicon wafers and ITI which is sick but rich with vast infrastructure can be converted to manufacture 2 GW module production lines. All these government owned companies are in Bangalore with ready building, power and manpower which is great advantage in saving infrastructure cost but need only funding for production equipment and working capital. Other advantage is employment generation and short time required in implementing the project to realise ‘Make in India’ vision. If government is not venturing, let the infrastructure of sick organizations be leased out to investors to produce wafers, cells and modules. Without wafers and cells manufactured in India, the solar mission may not see the good days as these two key materials may be in high demand and lead to short in supply in the coming years.

Mr. Modi has been successful in launching the International Solar Alliance (ISA) at Paris Summit involving 120 countries and laying foundation stone for this in Gurgaon recently. This platform can be used for transfer of technology and also trading of poly silicon, wafers, cells and modules between the member countries to ensure fair price and delivery.

With 115 module manufacturers , there is long wait for certification for nearly 4 months and currently UL and TUV being the only certifying agencies in the country,

they are charging exorbitantly for certification and recertification whenever there is change of any material in the module. This testing can be shared and wait time can be reduced by revitalising the 4 Regional and nearly 14 state test centres set up by STQC Directorate which are presently underutilised.

These test centres already have basic facilities set up to International standards but can be geared up to test and certify the modules to IEC standards by adding additional test equipment. All these test centres being government aided the charges can be nominal and affordable to manufacturers and even to EPC contractors to test the imported modules quality.

One time subsidy or incentives can be given to module manufacturers to get their modules certified by these Test centres. The rooftop project envisages quality rooftop kit which comprises solar panels, inverters and batteries and thus such nationwide established test centres can assure quality product delivered to customer by periodic testing and certification.

reduced !

As each state has its own solar policy besides national policy, why not the states themselves fund, own and run one module factory in their state of 200 MW capacity and if atleast 20 states follow this model , the total capacity can be 4 GW per annum at national level. This will bring self-reliance and fit into make in India’s spirit and logistically cover state PV projects like Rooftop on Government buildings, police stations, schools, health centres, and community centres and generate employment in the state for workers and installers. This will also avoid calling for tender for state government projects. Further this will bring in awareness of Renewable energy and create competition among states to implement clean energy projects. The investment for 200 MW module production line is not a big burden to state. If need be states can levy a ‘solar cess’ or ‘clean energy cess’ on petrol and diesel whenever their prices are

To encourage roof top installation, the subsidy of 30% can be earmarked to non tax payers up to 2 KW. For tax payers, instead of subsidy the incentive can be in the form of 10% depreciation and 10% tax exemption on invested amount for 5 year period for the installation from 2 KW to 10 KW. This will make sure the panels on each house is looked after by owners and serviced by installers for at least 5 years ■

If such lines are set up in each state, then centre can assist in bulk purchase of solar cells by designated nodal agency who can qualify and bargain with Tier 1 cell manufacturers so that its availability, quality is ensured. Thus centre has control over allocation of cells to state and monitor its usage through the same nodal agency.

With such approach – assuming within 2 years – the private players would have enhanced the capacity to 8 GW from current 4 GW and states module factory contribute to the extent of 4 GW, the total capacity will reach 12 GW still leaving a gap of 4 GW per year to complete the mission at an average rate of 16 GW/annum. This means 25% of module requirement will be still imported but 75% is from locally produced modules – opportunity for all in fairness.

Being a National Solar mission the nation as a whole and states as part have to take responsibility in completing the mission along with the private companies.

Chandrasekhara Director, Four-C-Tron

25

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Review

Will Social Enterprises Lead the Off-Grid Solar PV Market in the Next Decade?

I

Authored by: Harshavardhan Reddy Nagatham

n the solar PV industry, only a small part of the potential market for off-grid solar PV lies in the developed world.

The majority of this market is in the rural areas of less developed countries, where it is driven by necessity. In developed countries on the other hand, most off-grid plants are set up for demonstration purposes, or to reduce emissions by replacing diesel generators.

Prior to 2008, off-grid solar PV dominated solar installations in terms of installed capacity, as solar was only economically viable in remote areas without grid access. However, after a phenomenal drop in price, solar PV gained popularity as a reliable way of supplying the grid. Today, only a few developed countries continue to develop off-grid solar power.

26 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

Demand and market potential are high in emerging economies such as China and India, but highest in underdeveloped countries that have up to 85% power poverty.

A number of charities and social businesses have taken up the cause of providing basic electricity to these areas, mostly using off-grid solar PV.

Australia and the US Australia and the US are among the few developed countries where off-grid solar PV has continued to grow, even after the phenomenal growth of on-grid solar power between 2008 and 2010.

Australia has 150 MW of off-grid solar PV capacity, of which 60 MW was installed between 2011 and 2014; some 60% is in the domestic sector as backup power for gridconnected homes or the main

supply for off-grid homes. The remaining 40% covers commercial installations such as cell phone towers, remote observatories, and agricultural equipment. However, with less than 20 MW installed each year, off-grid capacity has not seen significant annual growth, and the scenario is similar in the US. Both countries are expected to continue this trend due to strong grid penetration, meaning that few applications require off-grid solar power.

China and India China and India are among the top emerging economies in terms of off-grid solar existing capacity and market potential. China has more than 300 MW of off-grid capacity (as shown in Figure 1) as a result of steady growth in annual additions

Âť

ďƒœ www.supersmartenergy.com

Review between 2006 and 2014, largely under the Village Electrification program.

India has around 230 MW of off-grid capacity and is set to add another 50 MW in 2015. Most offgrid installations took place after 2010 in rural areas under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s Remote Village Electrification scheme. The scheme promotes off-grid systems on varying scales – from a single-lamp home lighting system to a mini/micro grid – by subsidizing up to 90% of the cost. Several charities have also implemented initiatives and dedicated programs to provide solar panels to rural households.

Off-grid installations in China and India are driven by government encouragement and executed by the private sector, social organizations, and communities working to improve living conditions in rural areas. There is significant potential for the growth of off-grid power in both countries as thousands of remote villages remain un-electrified and unable to access the grid.

Africa and the Future of Social Ventures Sub-Saharan Africa holds the most potential for the growth of off-grid

Table 1: Population without Electricity Access (million), Sub-Saharan Africa, 2012 Country Nigeria

93

Ethiopia

70

Democratic Republic of Congo

60

Tanzania

36

Kenya

35

Uganda

31

Sudan

24

Madagascar

19

Mozambique

15

Côte d'Ivoire

15

Niger

15

Angola

15

Malawi

15

Burkina Faso

14

Chad

12

Other Sub-Saharan countries Total

153 621 Source: IEA, 2014

solar PV, but does not have significant capacity due to a lack of government support and funds. Its potential comes from the 300 days of sunshine that it receives annually, high irradiance levels, and a large population without access to

The students of SSB Modern Public School, Sonsa, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, taking their class. The school also uses the solar light set of Simpa Networks

28 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

Population

power; however, the outlook for grid infrastructure is grim. Electricity supply usually only accounts for a very small portion of actual demand. More than 90% of the population in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, and the Central African Republic – numbering 600 million – lives without electricity and has no means of accessing it due to poverty. This not only affects the lives of citizens but also narrows the scope for other forms of development that could provide a route out of poverty.

In the past five years, several charitable organizations and social businesses have implemented initiatives intended to end energy poverty through offgrid solar installations of varying sizes, deemed hotspots for the next decade of the market. Some have individually vowed to provide solar lighting for the entire 600 million population, while others target specific countries,  www.supersmartenergy.com

regions or communities. This implies a combined capacity of close to 100 GW in the next five to eight years, assuming that each household would require at least a 150 Watt system.

A range of organizations have developed and adopted strategies to achieve their objective of electrifying Sub-Saharan Africa. Some charities provide full financial support by supplying complete systems free of cost to households without expecting anything in return from the government or the end user. Others provide technical expertise and a proportion of the cost but expect the government to pay the remainder. Some social businesses have adopted the third-party ownership model tested and recommended by the World Bank, wherein the organization sets up a solar power system or a smaller solar lighting system

for a household and receives a monthly payment from the residents, which accumulates and is eventually used to buy out the system.

Conclusion Australia and the US have significant off-grid installations and are not likely to see much growth in the future due to sufficient grid infrastructure. China and India on the other hand are two of the top emerging economies in terms of off-grid installations. With large rural populations lacking access to electricity, both have strong potential for off-grid solar but are working toward expanding their respective grids. Sub-Saharan Africa has a huge population without access to electricity but has never fulfilled its potential due to the current economic climate. However, with a number

of charitable organizations and social businesses working on projects aimed at guaranteeing a basic electricity supply to all households, some with deadlines as close as 2020, it currently has the largest potential in terms of off-grid solar PV equipment and services ■Harshavardhan Reddy Nagatham, GlobalData’s Senior Analyst covering Power, specializes in alternative energy, cleantech, and environment and emission reduction, he has authored reports covering a variety of different topics, including all renewable energy technologies, fuel cells, and electric vehicles.

BANGALORE-MYSORE-HUBLI-MUMBAI B-21/2, 1st Floor, KSSIDC Industrial Estate, Veerasandra, Hosur Road, Electronic City Post, Bengaluru- 560100, India Tel: +91 80 65356633, Fax: +91 80 22234339, E-mail: info@urjasolutions.com, skype: raj.urja URL: www.urjasolutions.com

Cover Story Azur Power P31 Fourth Partner Energy P32 Shashwat Cleantech P34 ONergy P36 Zenatix P37 GIBBS P39 Husk power Systems P40 Gram Power P42 SELCO P43 REConnect P44

Start-up

Champs Revitalizing India with Green Energy

30 SmartEnergy Nov/ Dec 2015

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Not long ago India was looked upon as a country that suffocates entrepreneurs. Incorporating a company, navigating red tape, and access to finance were nightmare for many an entrepreneur. Since 2010 the start-up ecosystem in India has really taken off and come into its own. From 3,100 start-ups in 2014 the number of start-ups is expected to cross 4,200 by end of 2015 and 11,500 by 2020. It is a revolution that is shaping the market.

The most talked about star-ups have been in e-commerce, led by the food delivery, fashion and retail segment. But there have been promising companies in technology, education, healthcare, media, entertainment and new and renewable energy space as well.

We bring to you 10 such success stories of start-ups in the new and renewable energy space those who had the passion to traverse uncharted territory and killer instinct to run traditional models on their heads. It is their grit, determination and innovation that has lighten up many place where access to electricity was a remotes possibility, a distance dream. These stories hopefully will inspire you through your start-up journey and will keep you motivated.

Reported by Rohan Singh, Arnab Banerji and Santosh Khadtare

Azure Power: emPOWERING India with Solar

T

he very definition of business is changing at a rapidfire pace.That too, every day. And entrepreneurs, even with great ideation skills, do not know how to build a product.

But then there are some who pave the way, and sure enough, become a template for others to follow. Inderpreet Wadhwa, the founder of Azure Power, is one such example. Born and educated in India, he STAR moved to the US to pursue PERFORMER MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

Subsequently, he went on to hone his entrepreneurial skills in Silicon Valley, where he lived for a decade and worked at Start-up: Azure Power/ Founder: Inderpreet Wadhwa a raft of tech ventures.

»

Foundation Year: 2007

31

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Cover Story Recalling his journey from the time he made a trip to India, he shares how the start-up bug bit him in 2007.

"While talking to the government in India, it made me feel there was enormous potential (in the solar energy sector)," he recollects.

With India’s basic infrastructure in a ramshackle shape, the challenges — both internal and external — were enormous. To top it all, there was no regulatory framework for solar power in India then. Indian solar power developers were struggling to find cheap sources of finance, slowing the process of switching to greener technologies. There was no scope for level-playing field as many other entrepreneurs began to show interest in the new technology.

Along with the advent of new technology, came unheard of challenges too, for instance, the cost structures became very steep, and finding affordable solutions commensurate with the scale of the country’s power problem, seemed like a dream.

But Wadhwa could overcome these hiccups. Only one thing that he could not muster up enough confidence for was from his father.

"He was extremely sceptical and didn't want me to leave

I

a cushy career in the US for the grind here."

policy support to smoothen the glitches, if any.

Thanks to a large part to India's well-structured national solar policy, all that is history now. From just 3,000 MW in December 2014 to an aggressive target of 1,00,000 MW from solar power by 2022, we have come a long way.

A wide range of initiatives has ensured significant changes - from beefing up the grid network and setting up solar parks, to regulating tariffs and working out mechanisms to insulate solar power producers from indebted electricity boards. Hopefully, as solar technology soars and promises better results, and overall costs diminish, solar power will reach grid parity, increasing its mass appeal in the bargain.

It was Wadhwa’s ambition that was the genesis of Azure. His innovative plans and his start-up has

"My father was extremely sceptical and didn't want me to leave a cushy career in the US for the grind here" proved it to be one of the most successful and oldest players that has managed to get funding from reputed investors like International Finance Corporation.

The renewable energy space is a $250-billion investment opportunity in India. In the current regime, the miracle worker, Modi offers a dynamic view of the future, as the “first energy-literate prime minister.”The Modi government is transforming the cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles to back renewable energy, and the sector can be expected to get plenty of

In its otherwise smooth ride, Azure Power faces two big challenges: the winner's curse. What many call irrational exuberance, may result in unsustainable levels in this sector due to aggressive bidding driving tariffs. A case in point is the latest winning bid in Andhra Pradesh that was at Rs 4.63 per unit, and could raise viability concerns.

Two, the sector is seeing the arrival of big money, from the likes of SoftBank investing $20 billion in solar projects in India. With competition hotting up, smaller players like Azure may be pitted against it.

Well-networked in India, Azure will be equipped to bag and execute smaller projects that are unattractive to large players, and also tap niches like rooftop projects ■

Fourth Partner Energy: Exploring New Ground

n 2010 when rooftop solar was seen only as indulgent spending, three friends from diverse engineering backgrounds and with MBA degrees saw the future in the distributed solar space and came together to start a new venture. It was their belief that solar power would become one of the most promising sectors

32 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

in the coming days that the three decided to quit their corporate jobs and chart out a new territory.

It is their foresightedness, grit and determination that today Fourth Partner Energy Limited (4PEL) is loved both by the investors and customers alike.

When the three partners Vivek Subramanian, Saif Dhorajiwala

and Vikas Saluguti started their entrepreneurial journey solar was not as commercially viable, and had a small installation base in India amongst green enthusiasts . With their solid work experience in financing they needed people with technological and operational background. So their initial few years were spent on building the team having people from strong  www.supersmartenergy.com

technical background.

“We had seen the success of rooftop solar model in the west.

We realised that in India, with more power related issues and more sunny days, it has even better potential. We knew this sector would become more attractive to financing like we had seen in west.” Subramanian, the cofounder of the company says.

At that time there were already many GAMECHANGER small players in the sector dealing with different aspects.

From installation to financing and maintenance, consumer had to go through various channels.

“We thought what unique feature were we bringing to the market .We decided to bring all requirements under one umbrella and to do it at the lowest cost.”

Subramanian elaborates.

Their engineering skills and business acumen reflects in the comprehensive and innovative business model adopted by 4PEL. The company offers their customers the option to own the solar asset or offers financing through a RESCO model where the customer incurs minimal upfront cost and pays only for the solar power generated.

Today Fourth Partner Energy (4PEL) has established itself as a Renewable Energy Services Company (RESCO) that develops innovative products and services to

Co-founder: Saif Dhorajiwala

Start-up Name: Fourth Partner Energy Pvt. Ltd Co-founder: Vivek Subramanian, Saif Dhorajiwala and Vikas Saluguti Foundation Year: 2010 harness the renewable resources.

It provides rooftop solar solutions including design, execution, maintenance and financing. With offices spread across six different locations the company has completed more than 450 installations across multiple sites in India. It has executed grid connected and off-grid installations with capacities ranging from 1 kWp to 600 kWp and boosts an impressive list of industrial customers, including

A 400kWp project executed by Fourth Partner Energy

"The beauty of a start up is that you can try different business models and see what works and what doesn’t. " ICICI Bank, for which it installed solar power facilities at 280 sites.

Today 4PEL is all set to take a leadership role in a disruptive market segment.

Fourth Partner Energy raised $2 million from clean tech fund, Infuse Ventures, in September 2015. The round also saw participation of existing investor, Chennai Angels, which invested a little under $1 million in August last year, and Seed Capital Assistance Facility (SCAF) implemented through the United Nations Envi-

» Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy 33

Cover Story ronment Program (UNEP) and Asian Development Bank.

“We are convinced the distributed power segment will see explosive growth over the next few years.

This disruptive application will call for financial engineering and execution skills, both of which Fourth Partner Energy possesses in abundance. We have full faith in the management team and believe

they will emerge as leading lights in this fast-growing segment,” said Narayanan R from Chennai Angels.

Recounting its initial days at the start-up Subramanian tells, “Where we have reached today, doesn’t mean that things were smooth from the beginning.

A lot of things had to be innovated and learned”

“The beauty of a start up is that you can try different business models and see what works and what doesn’t. We went to that entire process very dynamically and learned a lot.” ■

Word of Advice for Young Entrepreneurs “Gain some work experiences before starting a venture with your own monies”

K

Shashwat Cleantech: Delivering Sustainable and Clean Solutions

aran was quite clear about what he wanted when he went to pursue his MBA. Unlike many, his goal wasn’t just to get a six figure salary with a corporate job and settle in abroad. Yes, he wanted money but he also wanted to make a positive impact on society.

"I thought, to be able to do both would be ideal. Keeping this in mind I tried to get admitted to schooks with a good program in natural resource studies. Luckily, University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business accepted me.

U-Mich has a brilliant School of Natural Resources on campus.

This gave me an opportunity to delve deeper into cleantech. After finishing the program, we started with Shashwat Cleantech almost immediately. To start off with LED Lighting was a decision we

34 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

took considering long-term benefits of LEDs. To move into Solar PV was a decision which was taken on the basis of an expanding market and opportunities." Karan Dangayach, the co-founder of Shashwat Cleantech says.

SOCIAL

Today, ENTERPRISE Shashwat Cleantech is in the business verticals of turnkey projects in Solar PV, manufacturing of Solar PV products, and manufacturing of LED lighting and turnkey projects in Waste to Energy.

It’s not easy for a new enterprise to work in a capital intensive space such as turnkey projects.

The sector was seeing entry of many established as well as new players and the marketplace was getting crowded. Initially, the company invested in building a strong  www.supersmartenergy.com

team with extensive experience in of players in the nascent stages. energy efficiency and green tech- These are well funded or backed nologies. Shashwat Cleantech›s by established names in the indusfocus was to make smart and sus- try. Overall it’s a challenging space tainable technology affordable for with competition from a number the end consumer of players.” says while ensuring Karan. that investors In next five get their return.

“Overall it's a years, ShashOur heritage and wat Cleantech challenging space experience in wants to be with competition contracting has a frontrunner in from a number of helped.

Solar Rooftops/ players" “Imagine Pumps, LED having a startup Lighting and in the space of Waste to Energy construction of segments.It is coal power plants. You cannot, also working to add water mancorrect? The same is the case agement into the mix. Our core with Solar PV. I think the correct will always be a hybrid of manuword for our industry is nascent facturing/turnkey projects. and not startup. There are a lot Success Mantra for Startups “All

Start-up: Shashwat Cleantech Pvt. Ltd. / Foundation Year: 2008 Founder: Karan Dangayach

I will say is be patient and sincere to your goal. The cleantech space is extremely capital intensive, so try to have deep pockets before entering the sector.” is Karan’s suggestion to young entrepreneurs looking to enter the clean energy sector especially Solar PV. Leading a young organization has its own share of challenges.

Karan’s day is usually consumed with working on strategies, client meetings, and handling operational issues. What drives him is his passion to work for a sustainable future and deep love for nature. But he also has a fun side. “I am a drummer and perform with a classic rock act called River.” Karan reveals ■

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Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Cover Story

I

ONergy- Bringing Hope and Light to the Darkest Corners of India

ndia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but one shudders to know that even today, approximately 600 million people in India do not have access to electricity.

On the brighter side, this has created a perfect opportunity to harness solar power.

The duo of Jaju brothers, Vinay & Piyush, decided to tap on this opportunity and started with a social enterprise to provide energy access called Onergy.

Vinay Jaju had earlier worked with GE and Grameen Shakti and Piyush Jaju comes from a background in finance.

The entrepreneurial duo saw both an opportunity and a challenge in the field of solar energy.

They were both concerned with the environment and wanted to work for climate change and sustainability.

ONergy started in 2009, with its focus on solving the last mile distribution problem within rural Indian villages, ONergy is setting solar revolution by empowering villagers across West Bengal,

36 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

DISRUPTOR

Brothers and co-founder ONergy, Vinay Jaju and Piyush Jaju Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Assam.

Today, Onergy is one of the leading energy access social enterprises providing end-toend customised solar solutions to underserved households. An ISO

ture we are setting solar irrigation pumps and solar micro-cold storages. In education we are setting up ICT Centres where children can come and learn computers, the young people can access internet, in livelihood we have set up micro grids which can help in support-

Start-up: ONergy Solar / Year of Foundation: 2009 Co-founders: Vinay Jaju & Piyush Jaju Certified (TUV) social enterprise, ing local indigenous businesses ONergy provides end-to-end by giving them energy and also decentralized energy solutions light-up communities” elaboto undeserved rates Vinay Jaju, households Co-founder and and institutions COO, ONergy. “we wants ONergy across East and O N e r g y to become ‘The Solar North East India. started its jourBrand’ for East India " It also provides ney by providreliable and ing solar lighting affordable clean products in rural energy products communities. for solar lighting, cooking and Since then it has extended its electrification. product range to meet broader set “What we have done is we have of needs that include solar home tried to identify key areas where systems, solar water heating syssolar energy can play a role and tems, solar inverters, solar street we have broken them into four lighting, clean cook stoves, microheads- agriculture, education, grids, irrigation systems, solar health and livelihood. In agricul- computers and KW installations  www.supersmartenergy.com

“We want to impact 1 million lives by 2016 and ultimately impact 10 million lives by 2022” for households and institutions.

To help sensitise people from the remotest places in India to switch to renewable energy ONergy mobilises local villages through Shakti Kendras or Renewable Energy Facilitator Centres.

The centers service up to 5000 people. The USP of ONergy is offering tailor made solar solutions to villagers after understanding individual requirements.

Partnering with local NGOs and microfinance institutions, they reach out to the farmers and help them secure loans to finance the lamps. ONergy has impacted 3,50,000 lives, and operates 15 RECs in East India.

Little wonder then that ONergy

I

ONergy provides solar solutions to rural consumers has received many awards and recognitions for its work. It has won the First Prize at Tiger Awards, Selected by Yale University's (USA) Social Enterprise Program and Awarded by SIDA under the Innovations Against Poverty Program. It has also been selected as a channel partner under the National Solar Mission of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). It has strong national and international partners that support in developing new and innovative solutions for its customers.

Sharing his vision for ONergy, Piyush Jaju tells, we wants ONergy to become’ The Solar Brand’ for East India and is optimistic of the impact ONergy can make on the lives of millions of people in India he adds, “We want to impact 1 million lives by 2016 and ultimately impact 10 million lives by 2022” Not resting on its laurels, ONergy continues to strive hard to forge ahead undeterred, and has several plans afoot in the next financial year ■

Zenatix- An IoT driven Start-up betting on energy efficiency

t was the winters of 2013 when three alumni from IIT Delhi decided peruse to chart the path they had dreamed since their college days. Back in 2002 when they were still in college and as ambitious and hungry as many in IITs are, they at many times had discussed starting a venture of their own. However, after their graduation Rahul , Vishal and Amarjeet took different career paths. Rahul went for a legal outsourcing job while Vishal did his MBA from IIM Ahmadabad before joining a reputed insurance company in Hongkong. Amarjeet perused his PhD abroad and started teaching at IIIT Delhi. It was

»

TECH INNOVATOR

Threesome: Rahul Bhalla, Dr. Amarjeet Singh and Vishal Bansal (L-R)

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Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Cover Story during a research he was doing on energy consumption pattern and efficiency that an idea clicked to him. An idea to save electricity through the use of smart sensors.

It was this idea that brought the three friends together for starting a new venture , Zenatix.

"We started understanding that buildings and commercial establishments consume a significant part of energy and there was not enough information on how exactly its consumed. The solutions available for reducing the consumption were mostly retrofit driven like changing your lighting, replacing inefficient motors with efficient ones etc. But the major energy loss was due to the way we consume electricity. We decided to focus on operational efficiency. If you are not operating it properly you are wasting it. We focused on eliminating operational wastage."

Amarjeet explains.

Zenatix is based on the idea that operational energy wastage in any building is approximately 10-20% of overall consumption.

This wastage can be stopped without installing retrofits. The company puts smart sensors like energy meters, temperature sensors, humidity sensors etc in the buildings. They collect data and turn them into actionable insights.

The software then either takes automated response like switching off lights and AC or by sending message to the consumers on what needs to be done and when.

The primary customers of Zenatix are commercial buildings, office spaces, hotels, hospitals etc.

Like most start-ups beginning from the scratch, Zenatix also had its initial hurdles. Concepts like Internet of Things and Big Data were unknown to most people. In the beginning the biggest challenge company had was to convince clients for this new technology. Also many considered installing sensors to be a costly proposition. To make the technology affordable, the company now doesn't charge any upfront

38 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

The Zenatix Squad at work!!!

cost for installation or technology. Instead, they charge a fixed monthly fee for the services.

"Premises is that the client will end up saving more than what they are paying us from the very first month. If they don't save more than what they are paying us

now boasts a number of reputed companies as their clients including Google, Tata DoCoMo, NIIT, Starbucks, IIT Delhi and Mother Dairy. In fact Tata DoCoMo has installed the system in their all 30 buildings in the country. The company now has 20 employees and it

Start-up: Zenatix Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Co-founders: Rahul Bhalla, Dr. Amarjeet Singh and Vishal Bansal Year of Foundation : 2013 they can stop the service with no questions asked," Amarjeet says.

In December 2015, Zenatix raised follow-on funding from Blume Ventures. Speaking about the company and opportunity, Karthik Reddy, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Blume Ventures said “In Zenatix, we saw a great combination of our beliefs in a well-rounded, passionate, and determined team and the problem they've chosen to solve.

Energy efficiency and savings is as important and as large a frontier to tackle as renewable energy. We have faith that Team Zenatix will keep pushing the innovation envelope on this front, and emerge as a key player in what the world is today discussing feverishly in Paris at the Climate Summit.”

A bootstrap start-up, Zenatix

operate from Gurgaon. However, the installation of software is outsourced to third party contractors in different parts of the country.

But why the name Zenatix?

"It is a combination of Zenith and Analytics. The core of the company is analytics. We connect sensors, which send data to internet.

We have infrastructure to manage data and our analytics team creates models based on that." says Amarjeet.

Within a little time Zenatix has become a prominent name in the Internet of Things market in India.

It now wants to use the technology for the benefit of society by stopping the wastage of electricity. The challenge however would be to bring the technology to the common man at a cost they can afford ■  www.supersmartenergy.com

G

GIBBS: Pioneers of Geothermal Cooling Solutions in India

IBSS was founded in 2010 by Arun Shenoy and Mandar Kaprekar, both with more than 30 years of combined experience in the geothermal cooling and heating space with leading organizations such as Climatemaster, Trane and Carrier.

GIBSS (Green India Building Systems & SerPIONEER vices) was launched with a vision of Making Buildings Zero Net Energy for Empowering Growth. It was an Indian dream of bringing a breakthrough technology in an Two of a Kind: Arun Shenoy and Mandar Kaprekar (L-R) energy starved country and bringing out energy efficient solutions for buildings with an endeavour to make Net Zero Energy BuildStart-up: Green India Building Systems and Services ings a reality.

Buildings account for over 30% of the energy consumption and over 40% of the CO2 emissions in India. GIBSS realized that Air conditioning, Lighting and hot water requirements account for nearly 80% of energy consumption in buildings and provide considerable opportunity for energy saving solutions.

An idea is just the beginning of a journey, but not all ideas give rise to successful business ventures.

They chose to bootstrap their venture by raising finance from close family and friends to run the business as angel investors wanted proof that the idea can be monetized. Customers were resistant to change and chose to go for conventional technologies.

But their constant engagement with customers helped them to understand the customer pain points and they built product requirements to address those pain points and gaps.

The customized customer centric product offering thus developed won customer adoption

Co-founders: Arun Shenoy and Mandar Kaprekar Year of Foundation : 2010 soon through rounds of iteration. capital challenges, customers arm This helped GIBSS make inroads twisting for tough payment terms into the market which was heav- and customers demanding free ily unorganized. The few custom- goods and services. The tact and ers who liked the technology and tenacity of the founding team enawanted to enjoy the benefits too bled them to scale through these however had a few internal chal- hurdles. lenges threatThe early days ening the adopof energy effition; this led They chose to bootstrap cient adoption of them to devise their venture by raising systems in India commercial finance from close family was limited to solutions that and friends to run the appliances and focused heavily business as angel investors the technologies on the facilitatwanted proof that the idea deployed in the ing adoption can be monetized installed base at of high quality large was way state of the art behind in terms technology by of generation of addressing the pain points of the technological advances witness client, cash flow challenges being in the western countries. GIBSS one of them. forayed into the market with LED The three member team of Lighting systems and soon this GIBSS (which is now a strong team market was crowded and heavof 85+) had to battle tough busi- ily unorganized with many fly by ness challenges such as working night operators spoiling non seri-

» Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy 39

Cover Story ous customers with sub quality products at competitive prices.

To create a sustainable business growing revenues is essential to fund product development and to sustain growth, The team’s business acumen led to GIBSS quickly transitioning into more complex project based offering that can have tremendous economic and environmental benefit for the client.

GIBSS has launched innovations that have been game changers in the building systems space. The suite of innovations that include geothermal air conditioning and

hot water co-generation have not only helped building owners reduce their operating expenses and carbon footprint by over 60-80%.

Today, GIBSS is one of the fastest growing clean tech ventures in India and is making a sizeable environmental and social impact in India. It has won several accolades including – Sankalp award for the most sustainable clean tech venture in South east Asia, WWF Climate Solver Award for the geothermal innovation, Indiafrica young visionary fellowship, TIE 2010 award, Parivartan sustain-

ability leadership award and CNBC Samsung innovation award. The geothermal innovation pioneered

by GIBSS has helped the company win several accolades including the CLIMATESOLVER partnership

by WWF, Sankalp, Parivarthan sustainability innovation award and Samsung innovation quotient award among others.

GIBSS was also selected as one of the 30 emerging enterprises of Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s delegation to Silicon Valley USA. ■

Husk Power Systems: Providing Rural electrification through bioenergy in Bihar

I

nnovation is not all about crazy ideas and high technology making big impacts.

A small start-up from Bihar Husk Power System (HPS) that turns discarded rice husk into electricity has impacted the lives of poor and underserved peoples by providing them reliable, eco friendly and affordable electricity.

Having grown up in Bihar where million households had still not seen electricity, Manoj Sinha knew that his distinguished degrees would be of no meaning unless it can help him lighten up the lives of the people in the state. Manoj along with his three other friends Gyanesh Pandey, Ratnesh Yadav and Charles W. Ransler, who met attending different schools in India and the United States, decided to create a clean, renewable and inexpensive source of electricity.

While experimenting with generating electricity from solar and wind, which proved to be finan-

40 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

cially unfeasible, Gyanesh Pandey one day ran into a salesman who sold gasifiers — machines that burn organic materials in an oxygen restricted environment to

produce biogas which can be used to power an engine. They realised that there were plenty of locally available biomass resources and if technology could convert it into

Start-up: Husk Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. Co-founders: Gyanesh Pandey, Manoj Sinha and Ratnesh Yadav Year of Foundation : 2008

Husk Power System: Turning gricultural bio waste into energy

 www.supersmartenergy.com

energy it would give a way to deal with power issues in the state.

They started Husk Power Systems (HPS) in 2008 by experimenting with decentralized ways of providing power to people using rice husk.

To produce electricity, piles of rice husk are fed into small biomass gasifiers. The gas produced from the husks is used to fuel an internal combustion engine.

Electricity generated from the plants is then sold to families in surrounding villages at a very low cost. Husk Power Systems (HPS) work on the technology that is so simple to operate and maintain that people with limited education can easily be trained to manage and run them.

Manoj with Charles. The business plan they demonstrated won the most Innovative Award in Texas in 2008

Husk Power Systems today designs, installs and operates They reached out to people 25-250kW mini-power plants in a village called Tamkuha, that converts agricultural in Bihar, offering them waste and solar energy a deal: for 80 rupees a into affordable electricTOP month — roughly $1.75 ity for people in rural INNOVATOR — a household could India and East Africa. get daily power for one Each mini-power plant 30-watt or two 15-watt serves about 500 cuscompact fluorescent light tomers. The enterprise (CFL) bulbs and unlimited cell works strategically to locate in phone charging between 5:00 p.m plants in remote villages where and 11:00 p.m. The initial response it can reach a large number of from the village was encouraging households. Currently, they are as the price was less than half providing energy to 500 Indian viltheir monthly kerosene costs, and lages, which serves over 250,000 the light would be much brighter. people.

It would also be less smoky, less Since 2008, HPS has been of a fire hazard, and better for the deploying biomass waste powered environment.

mini-grids that provide power to customers for 6-8 hours per day.

By 2014, the scenario changed.

“We discovered that customers were no longer satisfied with just eight hours of power and wanted on-demand power (24x7). This was triggered by their move up the energy ladder wherein they needed to use refrigerator etc.” tells Manoj, Co-founder HPS. HPS decided to partner with First Solar to develop and launch 100% renewable hybrid power plant. As a strategic investor, First Solar provided equity funding and HPS is now using First Solar’s advanced thin film PV modules for rolling out hybrid systems.

By 2020, Husk Power System aims to provide affordable, renewable and reliable power to over one million people in rural areas.

Husk Power System exemplifies a different way to think about innovation that hinges less on big new ideas than on collection of small ideas well integrated and executed ■

HRH The Prince of Wales with Gyanesh Pandey of Husk Power Systems, India

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Cover Story

Gram Power: Providing technology to eliminate barriers to affordable access to energy

R

ural electrification is an oft-heard buzz word in development circles. Yet, according to the 2011 census, only 54 per cent of rural households have been electrified, many of which are in areas too remote to be connected to the power grid. That is why in the last five years, off-grid solar power has emerged as a viable strategy for rural electrification.

Here’s how it works. Gram Power installs distribution lines from the solar power generation station at every home in the village, along with a proprietary smart prepaid meter that monitors power consumption and optimises the supply and demand of power. Then it recruits a local entrepreneur to operate and maintain the plant. Gram Power sells energy credits at a wholesale

ing these credits to the consumers. The consumers pay Rs 75 per month under the pay-as-you-go model for the standard grid connection. A recharge of just Rs 10 per day buys nine hours of light, six hours of a ceiling fan and television and, of course, cell phone charging whenever they want it.

“In 2012, we set up India’s first smart micro-grid (solar power generation unit with ‘smart meters’ in every user household) in rural RajasTECH than,” says Khaitan, CEO of INNOVATOR Gram Power. “Jacob and I built the system with our own hands with the village community — erecting poles, setting up solar panels, connecting batteries and wiring our first generation smart meters.” The duo, at that time, had no idea how what began as a college project would pan out in practice. But Yashraj Khaitan, co-founder Gram Power then they met boys who hadn’t been able to get married because no girl wanted to come and live in Start-up: Gram Power India Pvt. Ltd. / Year of Foundation: 2012 a village without electricity. They saw children who couldn’t study Co-founders: Yashraj Khaitan and Jacob Dickinson in the evening, unless they were willing to inhale toxic fumes from Gram Power, a startup by Uni- price to the entrepreneur, who, in kerosene lamps. “When I realised versity of Berkeley alumni Yashraj turn, earns a commission by sell- how electricity impacted the eveKhaitan and Jacob Dickinson, is doing exactly this — building 5-10 kilowatt micro-grids in inaccessible villages of Rajasthan and providing users with “smart meters” that allow them to regulate their power consumption. This allows rural users the flexibility to recharge their power, much in the same way as they recharge their phones. Just as the advent of cell phones enabled villagers to communicate with the outside world by bypassing the conventional landline network, microgrids have the potential to bypass the national power grid with its fraught distribution network.

42 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

 www.supersmartenergy.com

ryday lives of the villagers, I was sure of one thing — Gram Power would scale,” he says. Gram Power has since built 30 smart microgrids, with 20 more planned this year.

Initially, this scaling was possible only because Khaitan was able to tap into government rural electrification schemes. “In the first two years, 90 per cent of our revenues came from government schemes, which paid the capital

A

“When I realised how electricity impacted the everyday lives of the villagers, I was sure of one thing- Gram Power would scale” costs (Rs 20-35 lakh, depending on the capacity) of setting up each micro-grid,” he says. Today, how-

ever, with the easing of norms around the privatisation of power, Gram Power’s products, especially the smart meters, have found favour with private power utilities. “This year, we have received a contract to install 10,000 smart meters on the national grid with a couple of private utilities,” Khaitan reveals. “We’re hoping for this number to grow as it will greatly increase the efficiency of power distribution.” ■

SELCO- Lighting up Rural India

field visit during his masters in energy engineering took Harish Hande to the Dominican Republic. There he saw how use of solar power had empowered the poor. This prompted him to think if the same could apply for electrifying rural India as well.

This concept eventually became the company SELCO India that he co-founded with Neville William. They met by chance in a meeting in Washington while Harish SOCIAL was pursuing his PhD ENTERPRISE and Neville was a long time veteran in the field of environment activism.

SELCO India is an energy services company focused on meeting the needs of people lacking adequate access to energy. Over the years Start-up: SELCO Solar Light Pvt. Ltd. / Year of Foundation: 1995 it has dispelled the three myths: ›› Poor people cannot afford sustainable technologies; ›› Poor people cannot maintain sustainable technologies; ›› Social ventures cannot be run as commercial entities.

The primary idea/concept of SELCO is to use sustainable energy as a catalyst to solve the issue of energy access and linking it to poverty reduction. The team

Founder: Harish Hande believed that decentralized energy was inclusive and democratized the whole process of putting the power in the hands of the poor by creating a level playing field for them to be decision makers, entrepreneurs and asset owners.

“Energy poverty and poverty are linked very closely, denying

people the access to basic energy services denies them the basic human right to a decent standard of living”, believes Dr. Hande.

SELCO’s approach for addressing the energy inequities consists of- providing a solution based on the need of the customer

» Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy 43

Cover Story ii Solution +Service + Maintenance + Warranty – a packaged solution ii Making the solution affordable to the customer ii Decentralized solution and operational structure – accessible to community Sharing his experience of the initial days at the start-up Hande says, “It was all about unlearning what one had learned in the formal part of the degree education. The thinking process and innovative mindset of many we met at the ground were much evolved and they became our true teachers”.

While still in the concept stagewhoever he spoke to shot down the idea saying it won’t work. It was a chance that he got from Mr. Arvind Rai in Mulleria, Kerala. It was his 80 year old mother who was adamant of putting solar as she believed that there would be ‘no’ power cuts.

T

Today SELCO has around 2,30,000 installations, across 6 states (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Bihar and Gujarat) through 50 branches and 347 employees. But this success came after overcoming initial challenges. The first challenge was finding technicians who could do the installations. SELCO overcame this challenge by recruiting people from existing TV Shops.

The second challenge was getting financial institutions to start lending for solar and this was the biggest code to crack.

“Malaprabha Grameen Bank was the first one to start financing. They financed 100 systems and we took the letter stating the same to other banks, and asked them why they were not doing the same”, tells Hande.

And the third challenge was moving from solar lighting to solar power- to connect solar power to

income generation and to create essential market linkages.

Currently SELCO is financed by three non-profits Lemelson Foundation, Good Energies Foundation and S3IDF USA who believe in social, environmental and financial sustainability.

Today SELCO works on solutions that reduce dependence on dirty fuels (like Kerosene) and building of assets for the poor by building appropriate finance mechanisms and market linkages at individual, community, institutional levels and for livelihood applications.

A word of advice from him to budding entrepreneurs, “Start with no money and attempt to raise resources after you have spent significant time working on the ground” ■

REConnect Energy: promoting renewable energy through REC

hey met through LinkedIn, from Columbia Business School, one of the social network- New York. Before REConnect, ing sites. Got in touch Vishal worked with Indian with each other Energy Exchange and L&T and in a few months, and Vibhav worked in a they had formed a vencarbon credit trading START-UP ture that helps clients and investment firm HERO make money from a where he managed still nascent business – trading activities for that of trading certificates over $50 million worth they get in lieu of the energy of carbon credits. they generate from renewable It was Vibhav, says Vishal, who sources. This is the story behind located him on LinkedIn, dropped REConnect the start-up founded him a mail, they corresponded

by Vishal Pandya and Vibhav with each other and then decided Nuwal .

Vishal is an alumnus of IIT Bombay with specialization in power systems and power electronics. While Vibhav is an MBA

44 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

to start their journey as entrepreneurs together.

They started REConnect in September 2010, with an investment of Rs. 45-50 lakh, from their own funds and that borrowed from family and friends, with family and friends from whom they raised funds being given preference equity.

REConnect, as the name of the company itself shows, is a takeoff on the renewable energy certificates. It helps clients register

Start-up: REConnect Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd./ September 2010 Co-founders: Vishal Pandya and Vibhav Nuwal

 www.supersmartenergy.com

their certificates, trade on the exchanges and make money.

When they started, Vibhav and Vishal used to work out of their homes. When they had to meet, they would go to a Café Coffee Day outlet, spend a few hours, decide on the week’s agenda and then split, recalls Vishal.

It was very difficult for REConnect to sell their idea in the early stage, mainly because they did not have a big brand name. However, in the first three-four months they had their breakthrough when they roped in Orient Green Power as their first client. That was a major breakthrough and after that they got a few more large clients.

Under the leadership of these

two young leaders, the company has grown leaps and bounds, with a current portfolio of over 3 GW of projects, spread across 16 states and a market share of over 38%, REConnect is the leaders in the REC Market in India.

They share a good reputation among the clients, who have trusted them throughout these years for the quality and scope of services they have delivered.

In acknowledgement of the same, REConnect has been recognised with numerous awards- REC Trader of the Year 2014 and Wind Facilitator of the Year & REC Facilitator of the Year award in 2014 and The “REC trader” and Forecasting Company of the Year 2015” to name a few.

As a next step of innovation REConnect has launched an online marketplace for power consumers and generators to buy and sell green electricity. The marketplace, clickpower.in, enables open-access customers to explore options to buy green electricity from various energy generators by monitoring real-time deals. This platform is an attempt to organize the sector, while keeping transactions from generators and buyers transparent.

REConnect hopes to tap about 20% of industrial and commercial market for open access. It targets to have 5,000 consumers and 150 large-scale generators on clickpower.in in two years ■

Engaged in Manufacturing, Exporting and Supplying a qualitative range of Engineering Products

All Types of Solar Parts & Solar Panel Junction Box Junction Box are IEC 62790: 2014 Certified & TUV Certified

Water Heater Parts M8 PV-S0004LT

M-C4 Connectors

25, Yamuna Estate, Opp. Shakriba Party Plot, CTM Cross Road Amraiwadi, Ahmedabad - 380026, Gujarat, India Phone No. : 079-25359474 (O) Email : suenter@rediffmail.com, sgplastic@rediffmail.com

Prashant Patel Vipul Patel

: 09825303917 : 09327069517

website : www.shreeumiyaenterprise.in

45

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Interview

Sharmila Kumbhat Director, K-Lite Industries

"We have almost converted all our range of luminaires into LED version and that is the major step for a clean lighting for a greener world"

Q

.How do you look back at the 38 years long journey of K-Lite that started in the year 1977, the driving force that enables creating safer environment and improve quality of life through Light?

K-Lite Industries, an ISO company, are manufacturers of indoor and outdoor luminaries. Light creates infinite possibilities for our imagination and for our lives. In 1977 K-LITE began a long journey of innovation in lighting products, chasing the dream of light. Light allows us to realize the possibilities of our imagination. The quality of light influences the quality of

46 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

life and it is clear that light must combine technique and emotions contemporaneously, defining new values, meanings, feelings, culture, comfort etc., overcoming the simple light - dark dichotomy.

Furthermore, it must achieve this in compliance with the environment and available resources.

Light has a communicative and social value in its ability to optimize urban spaces, giving the possibility of reclaiming the culture of a place, encourage aggregation, stimulating business and tourism, making events and architecture spectacular.

Q

.Shed some light on K-Lite’s Luminaries portfolio and the characteristics that differentiate it from the similar products available in the market?

K-Lite, through their innovative outlook, have showcased a whole range of new products under various portfolios. The range is all the more very special because of the light source viz. energy saving, environment friendly “green” lighting with LED. The application includes facade lighting, pathway lighting, in-ground luminaries, tree-up lighter, updown lighting, billboard lighting, vertical light bars, wall washers,

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Project Photographs

Southern Bypass Road, Jaipur area lighting poles and above all, the sleek polar lighting solutions.

JUNO, AJNA, VERA, DIVA, WAVY and POLAR luminaries are some of the creative and innovative design.

The luminaries are RoHS and CE certification compliant. The luminary efficacy (lumens/ per watt) is in the range of 100. Varied optical options for lighting distribution, CCT for Cool White (CW), Neutral white (NW) or Warm White (WW) are available.

The outstanding item of the seriesthe sleek polar lighting solutions is a contemporary design that is both timeless and unique in its impression. Compact without visible mounting equipment and optimized integration, Polar Lighting is in perfect continuity with the geometric lines of the square column.

Over and above, K-LITE has an exclusive range of LED luminaries for retail / Mall Lighting as a standing testimony to their commitment to innovation, quality, durability and proven performance.

The range of outdoor luminaries are very popular and extensively used in many prestigious locations throughout the country. K-LITE has the expertise to manufacture 'custom built' luminaries. Almost since inception, we are closely associated with the Indian Railways, catering to their wide range of Luminaire requirements. Specially designed luminaire requirements of prestigious Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, “Palace

International Airport Road, Bangalore

on Wheel” EMUs, Kolkata Metro, Jaipur Metro, Bangalore Metro, Delhi (DMRC).

Q

.LEDs are revolutionizing the market; shed some light on your LED portfolio? Going forward what trends are likely to shape the industry?

The future of lighting is LED and that will make a drastic change in the dynamics and equations of the national and international lighting fixture and lamp manufacturers. With a declining trend in the imports from China, expected price reduction due to the scaling up of LED consumption, we foresee stabilization of demand for locally manufactured luminaires at a highly competitive pricing The current trend is in line with the awareness created already for a sustainable development with energy saving green lights. Even in small towns people have started using LED lights extensively. Even statutory regulations are in the offing to force the major consumers to install solar power generation to meet a certain percentage of their demand and also optimize their lighting consumption with high lumen output lighting sources with LED which are environment friendly .We have almost converted all our range of luminaires into LED version and that is the major step for a clean lighting for a greener world. Our concentration is now towards introduction of energy saving measures in

designing and implementation of optimal control gears with lesser power consumption, avoidance of non-recyclable materials in production, packing, consumables etc., which in turn has its own contribution for a Greener World

Q

.What is the current contribution of LED portfolio towards growth of the company and going forward what is it likely to be in the future?

Except for a limited series with MH lamp in outdoor fixtures and CFL lamps in indoor fixtures, the entire luminaires are now demanded under LED portfolio only. In line with the above, more than 80 % of the demand and our production during the current year will be under this LED portfolio category

Q

.With the central and various state governments focusing on efficient lighting, what opportunities are you looking at?

It is always a major impact when the Government opens up the opportunities and introduces regulatory measures in any new areas. Concept of energy savings has come to stay with the all out efforts of the Governments. The special drives through the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (Deity) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has brought in mass replacement

» 47

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Interview Project Photographs

Urban Development Authority, Visagapatnam with LED bulbs and has brought down the prices by more than 50 % due to scaling up of demand.

The opportunities are wide open with LED luminaires and solar streetlights

Q

.Do you think high price is a factor that is prohibiting the growth of LEDs? Are we likely to see drop in prices going forward? What strategy you adopt to make the prices attractive to the consumers?

We do agree that price is also a factor but not a constraint for growth. There was a marked difference between the Indian mindset and other advanced countries.

But the media and information technology have already changed the mindset of our people including the rural folks. Even in a remote village, they want packed foods and soft drinks. The age-old conservative approach to buy a product for life is gone and throw-

away concepts and changing with times has come to stay. With the increasing awareness on energy saving concepts and tightened imports, we can expect considerable scaling up of demand for LED products, which will automatically bring down the prices

Q

.Express your views and K-Lites contribution towards the governments “Make in India” plan?

K-Lite is better known as “India's Lighting Company”. We are always proud that we manufacture most of our components in house. We are very confident that the Make in India plan by the Government will bring in a major shift of the trader's market towards the manufacturers market and make us to compete with international brands

Rajeev Beach Way, Yanam

Q

.Tell us more about your manufacturing facility in Chennai?

We are basically a Chennai based company. Being located at the southern part, and the demand of our outdoor luminaires and poles are very high in the northern and western sectors, the lead time for transport and the overall cost mattered heavily. Hence we have established a manufacturing plant in Bhopal. We plan to introduce automation in the production process for scaling up the production to achieve the price target and delivery on call

Q

.Your vision for K-Lite of the future?

Our vision is to achieve one of the top level position at the national level under the luminaire and poles manufacturer category within this decade and establish ourselves as India's Lighting Company ■

Greater Mohali area Development Authority, Punjab

48 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Event Report

Intersolar India 2015: Solar Energy Gaining Ground in India

N

ovember 20 saw the end of the seventh Intersolar India, the largest exhibition and conference for the solar industry in India. The positive atmosphere of the exhibition reflected the strong state of India’s solar market. Companies and investors took full advantage of opportunities to exchange ideas and information; numerous contracts were signed and cooperation agreements reached. With 200 exhibitors, the event was completely booked out several weeks before the opening date. Companies from 12 countries presented their products, solutions and services to around 11,000 international visitors – an increase of 20% over the previous year. Event organizers also report positively on the conference, which took place at the same time.

Around 680 attendees discussed the opportunities and challenges posed by India’s solar industry with over 100 speakers. Also, the fourth Intersolar AWARD for Solar Projects in India was presented.

Thanks to Intersolar India, all eyes in the international solar industry were once again on Mumbai from November 18 to 20, 2015. On November 18, India’s Joint Secretary of the Min-

50 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), India at the Intersolar India Conference Opening session: Shifting Gear from MW to GW - India′s Emergence as a Prominent Global PV Market

istry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Tarun Kapoor, helped open the exhibition at the Bombay Exhibition Centre with great ceremony. Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, served as keynote speaker, discussing The Role of Solar Energy in our Future, Renewables Based Energy System.

Exhibitors and visitors were evidently extremely satisfied with this year’s exhibition. “We have been exhibiting at Intersolar India ever since it started,” said Saugata Dutta, President Business Development Vikram Solar. “This year

saw a significant increase in visitor numbers. Together with the conference, the exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to network with others in this field, to get to grips with the latest technological developments and to tell people in the solar industry about our own innovations.”

Amid the event’s lively atmosphere, numerous contract and partnership deals were reached.

Shri Rajendra Shukla, the Minister for New and Renewable Energy in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, announced the start of the world’s largest solar project,

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Project at Intersolar India. The project with a total of 750 megawatts is to be installed over an area of 1,560 hectares, with completion projected for June 2017. Initiators of the solar park are the Solar Energy Corporation of India in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited. The Chinese company Huawei Technology and the Indian company Waaree Energies used the exhibition to announce their future partnership: Waaree will procure from Huawei intelligent PV systems and string inverters with a total output of 100 megawatts.

Forward-looking discussions at the congress 100 experts from research and industry shed light on current developments in the Indian solar market. The Indian government’s growth targets were the subject of such presentation as India’s PV Market: Driving A New Momentum or Project Financing: Promising Prospects in the Indian Context.

The experts agreed that though the goals were ambitious, they were also thoroughly achievable for the country. However, still more incentives are needed, especially to achieve the goal of installing 40 GW of roof-mounted installations. Visitors and exhibitors were obviously extremely satisfied with the presentations and fresh ideas at the events.

Particular interest was generated by the sessions entitled Field Experience of Ground Mounted PV Power Plants in India and Field Experience of Rooftop PV Power Plants in India by Rakesh Bohra, Infosys, and Harshita S. Kumar, L&T Construction. Visitors were particularly excited about roofmounted installations, as the Indian government hopes to produce around hopes to install around 40 GW of commercial and industrial roof-mounted installations by the year 2022.

For the first time, the 4th IndoGerman Energy Symposium took

lar AWARD in the category Solar Projects in India was presented at this year’s Intersolar India. A panel of judges had nominated eight pioneering projects in advance, three of which were honored with the Intersolar AWARD. The key criteria for the decision were the social relevance of the winning projects, coupled with their particular benefits for the environment. The decision makers also praised the degree of technological innovation and the role of the winning projects as models for other regions to follow.

place at the same time as Intersolar India as one of the conference’s side events. With workshops such as Making RE and EE Business a Win-Win for Private and Public and Bankable Business Models to Finance Solar Projects in India, the sessions offered fresh ideas on the profitability and financing of solar technologies. The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy also hosted a side event.

International and Indian experts from institutes and companies discussed the topic of Concentrated Solar Technologies for Medium & High Temperature Heat Applications. Speakers included Dr. R. P. Goswami, Director of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India and Anna Heimsath, leader of the team for concentrating collectors at the Institute for Solar Thermal and Optics at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Germany.

Among the projects honored were the Solar Power Plant at Cochin International Airport by Bosch Ltd. with an output of 12 MWp (megawatt peak). Under this project, the company designed and operates a solar power installation at Cochin Airport. This makes the airport the first in the world to run exclusively on solar energy.

Sterling and Wilson Ltd. won the award for their 11 MWp Total Turnkey Solar Project in Maharashtra.

A further award went to Trojan Battery for the project SunRider Solar Boat. The boat is India’s first and Asia’s largest commercial passenger ship to be completely powered by solar energy. Its low environmental impact and low noise levels make it ideal for tourism purposes in wildlife and bird reserves ■

Inters o l a r A W A RD for Solar Projects in India For the fourth time, the Interso-

The Intersolar AWARD for Solar Projects in India goes to Bosch Ltd., Sterling And Wilson, and Trojan Battery congratulations!

51

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Event Report

RenewX 2015, Congregation of South India's green economy community

T

he first edition of RenewX was successfully conducted at Hitex, Hyderabad from 17th- 18th December 2015. RenewX 2015, provided an industry platform for organizations to capitalize and penetrate into the lucrative south Indian renewable energy market. The expo witnessed a congregation of South India's green economy community to discuss industry trends, challenges and market insights, including the Indian regulatory framework.

The inaugural ceremony of RenewX 2015 took place in the presence of Shri Arvind Kumar, Energy Secretary, Government of Telangana; Mr. Bharat Bhushan Agrawal, Senior Analyst, India - Solar, Bloomberg New Energy Finance; Mr. Kameswara Rao, Partner, Energy & Utilities, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Mr. Rajneesh Khattar, Group Director, UBM India Pvt. Ltd. RenewX 2015 supported by the Government of Telangana, Department of Energy, Telangana New Renewable Energy Development Corporation Ltd (TNREDCL) and associations, including Solar Power Producers Association, Indian Biomass Association (IBA),

52 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

Indo German Energy Forum Support Office (IGEFSO), New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation (NREDCAP), Electronic Industries Association A.P. (ELIAP), Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Conference and Industry (FTAPCCI).

Bringing together manufacturers, EPCs and service providers, RenewX 2015 saw key participating exhibitors including Government of Telangana - State Pavilion, Mytrah Energy (India) Limited, Sova Power Limited, Waaree Energies Ltd, Surana Solar Limited, Chemtrols Solar Private Limited, Nuevosol Energy Pvt. Ltd, Premier Solar Systems Pvt Ltd, Goldi Green Technologies Pvt Ltd, Cirus Solar Private Limited, Galileisolar India Pvt Ltd, Fronius India and Topsun Energy Limited amongst others.

Highlights of the expo included a powerpacked two-day confere n c e themed ' A Sunrise Region t h a t tamed the Wind' on challenges b e i n g faced and solutions b e i n g sought by the indus-

try. The sessions centre around industry topics such as Harnessing India's Waste to Energy Potential, Harvesting Power - Integrating waste into our culture, South India: A Developers Delight, Solar Park : Developers & State Perspective, The Rooftop Experience: Shining in South India, Open Access: Challenges Involved and Solutions Evolved and Manufacturing, Supply & Services Ecosystem: Increasing Efficiency.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Rajneesh Khattar, Group Director, UBM India Pvt. Ltd. said, "With the state of Telangana, since its establishment, aggressively supporting solar energy and other states in South India aggressively promoting renewable energy, the region holds promise for the sector with its lucrative and favourable government and industrial policies. Consequently, the sector in the region has seen an influx of international interest and inturn, investments leading to launch of major projects. Against this landscape, RenewX 2015 intends to accelerate the growth of Renewable Energy Industry in South India and contribute to the country's sustainable economic development."■

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Global energy scenario boosted up at ENERASIA 2015

E

NERASIA 2015, second edition of the Global Energy Summit held at GMDC Ground Ahmedabad on 3-4-5 December 2015, was successfully concluded after a 3-day impressive show of products, technologies and intense deliberations about the energy sector.

Presented by Climate Change Department, Government of Gujarat and Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), ENERASIA 2015 was aimed at building technical competence and nurture innovation in the Energy Sector. The summit, supported by Energy & Petrochemicals Department, Government of Gujarat, was inaugurated by Shri Saurabhbhai Patel, Hon’ble Minister- Energy & Petrochemicals, Government of Gujarat on 3rd December 2015 in morning hours. Shri I. M. Bhavsar, Chairman Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) was the Guest of Honour on the occasion.

The Mega Exhibition at ENERASIA 2015 lent an opportunity to many leading Indian and multinational energy companies by offering wide perspective about developments, technologies and innovative projects in the energy sector to the visitors. The companies included GMB, GEDA, Gujarat Tourism, CLP India, Apar Industries Limited, Inox Wind Limited, GERMI and many more.

ENERASIA 2015 was concurrently organized with I for Afrika, the special event dedicated to African countries for exploring business alliances between the Indian companies and the African counterparts. For the first time, the Global Summit in Gujarat witnessed participation of as many as 40 African countries. It strengthened business partnership with focus on sectors of high priority,

enhancing capacity building initiatives and resources mobilization programmes, thereby acted as a facilitator for exchange of Business, Culture and Tourism between India and Africa.

Business Seminars at the Summit presented a global platform to meet, discuss and network with many renowned speakers from India and abroad. It provided valuable insights and knowledge to the delegates about diverse and significant aspects of the national and international Energy Sector with major focus on renewable energy sector. Eminent speakers were invited from India and abroad to speak at the technical sessions, which witnessed participation of several leading dignitaries from the energy sector.

Through the seminars, the event ensured an environment conducive to sharing and exchange of knowledge, technology & practices among the countries in the world.

The inaugural session titled “Indo- African Energy Conclave” presented distinguished speakers

from Africa and India. Topics of the technical seminars were discreetly chosen and focused on the renewable energy, future road map for solar power generation and energy financing. A special session on energy opportunities in Saudi Arabia was also among the major highlights of ENERASIA 2015. Energy professionals from India and abroad participated whole heartedly in these sessions and leveraged upon the opportunity to hold open, constructive discussions on key energy aspects.

ENERASIA 2015 housed 120 exhibition stalls and 5 seminars with participation of 25 eminent speakers and more than 10,000 footfalls. The event witnessed concentrated target visits with major visitors associated with the energy fraternity.

ENERASIA 2015 demonstrated its commitment towards building energy-rich society by presenting the event with increased participation of countries and enlightening technical sessions ■

53

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Product Updates

MECO “Battery Capacity Tester Model 6390” In the modern age with the increase in various portable devices, maintenance of batteries has become crucial as the performance of these devices depend on life of batteries. Because of continues charging and discharging of batteries their performance gradually deteriorates until charging is no longer possible which may result in sudden failure of the system.

MECO Battery Capacity Testers can give quick results on the state of a battery either as PASS, WARNING or FAIL based on comparator settings of internal resistance and voltage for various batteries including UPS battery, Nickel-metal hydride battery (NiMH), Nickel cadmium battery (NiCd), Lithium-ion battery (Li-ion), Alkaline battery and Lead-Acid battery. Internal Resist-

ance / Impedance of the battery is measured in milliohms is the gate keeper that is defined as the opposition to the flow of current within the battery.

It uses AC four-terminal method to measure the internal impedance by eliminating lead impedance and contact impedance to get the accurate results. It can measure resistance from 4mΩ to 400Ω with minimum resolution of 1μΩ. Voltage measured by 6390 is up to 60V with resolution up to 1mV. It operates in an environment from -20ºC to 60ºC. Compact, light weight and consists Dual Display to show the internal impedance and voltage of the battery simultaneously. It has 99 sets of composite comparator function, which can be set at impedance and voltage values to get the reliable values to get the reliable detection of battery deterioration. Pin type leads, which can easily contact the battery electrodes, are supplied as standard to get more accurate

4-terminal measurement.

Other features include Memory & Read function, Manual Datalogging (999 Datasets), Online testing without shutting down battery.

User interface software is also provided for PC Connection via RS232C Cable.

Other features: Memory & Read function, Manual Datalogging (500 & 999 Datasets), Online testing without shutting down batter, User interface software is also provided for PC Connection via RS232C Cable, Auto Power Off Applications: For Dealers & Service Executives, Manufacturers, R&D Units, Service Centers, Technicians in the industries of : Battery, UPS, Automobiles, Emergency Power Backup, Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Lift, Crane & Forklift, IT Datacenters, Telecom Network Towers, Aircrafts, Railways, Generators, Notebook Battery, Household Appliances etc ■

For More Infomation Contact: Mr. Prashant Thakkar (Manager – Solar Products) Email Id : Prashant.thakkar@mecoinst.com/ Tel No.: 022 - 27673300

StorEdge™: Optimizing Self-Consumption

S

olarEdge’s StorEdge™ DC coupled storage solution allows home owners to maximize selfconsumption and enables energy independence. Unused PV power is stored in a battery and used when needed to maximize selfconsumption. The solution is based on a single inverter for both PV and storage. Existing SolarEdge systems can be upgraded to the StorEdge™ solution.

54 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

StorEdge™ Benefits:

tion for more power harvesting

More Energy

Simple Design & Installation

ii DC coupled solution allows high system efficiency

ii A single inverter for both PV and on-grid storage

ii PV power is stored directly in the battery

ii Outdoor installation allows flexibility in battery location

ii No additional conversions from AC to DC and back to AC

ii No special wires are required -> utilize the same PV cables

ii Module-level power optimiza-

ii No high voltage & current during

 www.supersmartenergy.com

installation and maintenance Enhanced Safety

tion is based on the SolarEdge inverter and the SolarEdge Meter.

It is compatible with the Tesla

Powerwall Home Battery via the StorEdge Interface ■

ii PV array and battery voltage designed to reduce to a safe voltage upon AC shut down ii Compliance with VDE 2100-712 Full Visibility ii Monitor the battery status, PV production, and self-consumption data ii Smarter energy consumption to reduce electricity bill Easy Maintenance ii Remote access to inverter/battery software ii Easy access to the inverter during maintenance (outdoor installation) The SolarEdge StorEdge™ solu-

LG Chem introduces RESU 6.4 EX battery energy storage system

U

sing the highest quality materials and state-of-the-art manufacturing, the RESU 6.4 EX is way ahead in terms of technology and design for solar storage. Each RESU 6.4 EX base unit comprises a battery management system (BMS) and four modules each containing 14 cells. This provides your home with a hefty 6.4kWh of energy. Expansion packs of one BMS and two 14-cell modules are also available and each allow for a further 3.2kWh of power, meaning you can expand your unit to 9.6kWh, or 12.8 kWh. Each RESU 6.4EX and RESU 3.2 EX cell features LG Chem's unique 'stack and folding' technique and patented safety-reinforced separator (SRS) to guarantee high stability, safety, and long life. The high-tech RESU 6.4 EX and RESU 3.2 EX BMS controls charge and discharge of the battery energy storage system and ensures

complete reliability and protection against over-voltage and high temperature.

Once installed, the RESU 6.4EX for solar storage, does not require operation from the homeowner.

The battery management system (BMS) automatically monitors all functions within the unit. The BMS takes care of optimal charge and discharge processes while you sit back and reap the financial benefits. Should you wish to monitor these processes yourself, a RESU 6.4EX app is available for free download. This app allows for remote monitoring via your mobile device and you can see exactly how much energy you have stored and are using from your solar storage.

LG Chem stands by the quality of the RESU 6.4EX with a 10-year warranty (conditions apply) ■

55

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

Product Updates

K-Lite Introduces LED Landscape- Redefined

T

he Essence of lighting is one of the most important things in our lives. At K-Lite we are passionate about creating a distinctive atmosphere that improves the quality of life in the cities and towns by exploring the many potential facets of lighting that supports the wellbeing and safety of all.

Founded in 1977 in India, K-Lite has grown to be the leading manufacturer of outdoor luminaires and decorative poles. K-Lite’s proven performance in the landscape segment is because of its ability to stylishly convey the identity of a space with a blend of efficiency and modularity to maximize the visual comfort that is best suited

to each specifi¬c space.

Our Landscape range includes Linear Wall Washer, Up-Down Lighters, LED Strips/Neon ¬ex, Promenade Lighting, Bollards, Under Water Lighting, Post top luminaires, Bulk Heads, Path finders, Polar lighting and newly added series of Facade Lighting. ■

SunPower Helix- The Power of One

S

unPower® Helix™ is the world's first fully integrated commercial solar platform. Drawing on 30 years of proven experience, Helix is designed and built by one company to make commercial solar incredibly powerful and elegantly simple. Every component is precision-engineered for fast installation, long-term reliability and impressive returns. It's the complex, simplified.

SunPower® Maxeon® Cells Offer Impressive Reliability ›› Built on a solid copper foundation that is resistant to corrosion

56 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

and cell breakage caused by damp heat and temperature swings ›› Cell design eliminates 85% of the reasons conventional cells fail1 World Record-Setting Efficiency ›› Highest efficiency panel’s available commercially ›› SunPower high-efficiency, solar panels produce 60% more energy from the same space over the first 25 years, before being combined with the Helix platform ›› #1 in independent durability tests and have an expected useful

life of 40 years Highest Energy Density Mechanical System ›› Dual tilt racking solution maximizes roof coverage and combines with SunPower solar panels to achieve the leading energy density in solar with 72 percent more energy generated over 25 years than a conventional system ›› Flexible anchor and ballast options optimize available roof space ›› Fast installation minimizes business disruption ■

 www.supersmartenergy.com

EVENTS WATCH Event: Elecrama 2016

Event: 2nd Smart Cities India 2016 Expo

Date: 13- 17 Feb 2016 Venue: BIEC, Bengaluru, India Contact: +91 22 6660 5753, +91 22 6660 5755

Date: 11-13 May 2016 Venue: Pragati Maidan, New Delhi Contact: Mr. Praveen Singh, Mob. +91 9899 786 777, E-mail: praveens@eigroup.in

Event: 6th Asia Energy Security Summit Date: 1- 3 March 2016 Venue: Radisson Goad Candolim Goa, India Contact: Divya Parthasarathy, M: 9650650044, E: divya@ippaimail.org

Event: 10th Renewable Energy India Expo Date: 7-9 Sept, 2016 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida Contact: Rajneesh Khattar, rajneesh.khattar@ubm.com

Event: Solar Middle East Date: 1- 3 March 2016 Venue: Dubai International Exhibition Centre, UAE Contact: Annash Ahmed, annash.ahmed@informa.com

Event: Middle Electricity

East

Event: Intersolar Middle East Date: September 19-21, 2016 Venue: DWTC, Dubai, UAE Contact: www.intersolar.ae

Event: Intersolar India 2016

Date: 1- 3 March 2016

Date: 19-21 Oct, 2016

Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE

Venue: BIEC, Goregaon, Mumbai, India

Contact: Sophie Hazelton, sophie.hazelton@informa.com

Contact: Swapna Kulkarni, +91 224255 4729, swapna.kulkarni@ mmi-india.in

Event: India Smart Grid Week 2016 Date: 15-19 March 2016 Venue: Manekshaw Center, New Delhi, India Contact: T: +91 11 4103 0398, isgw@isgw.in

57

Jan/ Feb 2016 SmartEnergy

ADVERTISERS INDEX 6th AES Summit

17

10th REIt

49

Elecrama 2016

15

Exide Industries Ltd.

IFC

Gangadan Energy Pvt.Ltd.

BC

K-Lite Industries

11

Meco Metere Pvt.Ltd.

7

Mersen India Pvt.Ltd.

5

Mtekpro Technologies Pvt.Ltd.

3

Mtekpro Technologies Pvt.Ltd.

13

Mtekpro Technologies Pvt.Ltd.

IBC

Power-Gen India

21

Shree Umiya Enerprise

45

Solar Middle East

27

Urja Solutions

29

58 SmartEnergy Jan/ Feb 2016

 www.supersmartenergy.com

GANGADAN DEVELOPING INDIA’S FIRST, MULTIJUNCTION CELL TECHNOLOGY BASED SOLAR PARK WITH 40% EFFICIENCY

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