Smart Energy Sept-Oct 18 Issue

SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

Volume V, Issue V

Pages 60

`5/-

ISSN 2348-5027

Complete Renewable Energy Intelligence

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Need for Code Regulatory Authority for SPV Mounting Systems in India

54

Floating Solar Makes a Splash in the RE Space in India

48

Pilot Study on Quality Aspects of PV Power Plants in India

D R A U G E SAF

WILL SAFEGUARD CHANGE THE FATE OF THE INDIAN SOLAR INDUSTRY PRODUCT UPDATES SOLMETRIC, ENPHASE, MECO, VIKRAM SOLAR, REC GROUP INO-SOLAR ENERGY

visit www.supersmartenergy.com for latest updates

SmartEnergy Complete Renewable Energy Intelligence

Editor Santosh Khadtare santosh@supersmartenergy.com

Associate Editor Anisha Ganguli EDITORIAL ADVISER Pragya Sharma Editorial Coordinator 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 necessarily 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 Printed, published and edited by Santosh Khadtare on behalf of Genesis Info-Media, published at 509, Pushp Plaza, above Snehanjali Showroom, Manvelpada Road, Virar Dist Thane and printed at M B Graphics, B 28, 3rd Floor Shri Ram Industrial Estate,Wadala West, Mumbai.

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Words from the

Editor

As we enter the second half of 2018, the clouds of uncertainty loom over the solar sector in India. For the industry which is still grappling with the ambiguity on the applicable rate of GST for various components and services offered, the real blow came when the Government announced levy of 25% safeguard duty on solar panels imported from China and Malaysia. The anticipated announcement has already delayed auctions and the pending case, challenging the levy of safeguard duty, in the high court of Orissa means the developers are not willing to take risk and bid for new projects. However, the silver lining in this time of uncertainty is that the tariffs did not rise as much as feared in the first auctions that took place after the imposition of safeguard duty with the winning tariff ranging between Rs.2.79/- to Rs.3.20/- per unit.

While the safeguard duty now puts locally-made panels on par with imported ones in terms of cost, the domestic sector needs to do a lot more to be effective. For instance, it will have to go down the supply chain and make the input components locally instead of importing them and putting the modules together here. Technology, too, needs to improve.

In fact, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy admitted in a research note last year that the domestic sector was “not being fully exploited because of obsolete technology.” The “price of solar equipment produced in the country is not competitive as compared to that of foreign manufacturers, especially Chinese manufacturers,” it added.

It would certainly be difficult to immediately access the impact of the safeguard duty on the domestic industry and to come to a conclusion on whether such duties serve the purpose. Signup for our e-newsletters and read coming editon of Smart Energy magazine to stay abreast with the latest development as we access and bring to you the impact of the recent developments on the solar and renewable energy industry.

The much awaited event for the Solar and Renewable Energy Industry, Renewable energy expo, is taking place from 18-20 Sept 2018 at G. Noida, India. We will be looking for some answers on the impact of safeguard duties and other announcements on the solar and renewable energy industry from the experts and leaders. Do visit our stall to collect your free copies of the Smart Energy Magazine. Those not likely to make to the REI expo, book our next edition of Smart Energy Magazine in advance to catch all the action live.

Santosh K Editor santosh.smartenergy@gmail.com

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Franchisee Enquiries Solicited

Content

28 EXPERT INSIGHT Narendra Goliya Chairman, Rishabh Instruments Pvt. Ltd.

38. COVER STORY 36

Will Safeguard Change the Fate of The Indian Solar Industry

IN CONVERSATION Ketan Mehta Managing Director, Rays Power Infra Pvt. Ltd.

32. ROOFTOP SOLAR Need for Code Regulatory Authority for SPV Mounting Systems in India

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Authored By: Harshal Akhouri,

FACE 2 FACE Prashant Thakkar

Co-Founding Director, Strolar Mounting Systems Private Limited

Manager - Solar & Battery Instruments, and North India Marketing Manager, Meco Meters Private Limited

48. QUALITY & PERFORMANCE Pilot Study on Quality Aspects of PV Power Plants in India Authored By: Asier Ukar - Senior Consultant, PI Photovoltaik Institut Berlin AG

CORPORATE WORLD 46. Sai CabTech 50. DEIF

54. TECH REVIEW Floating Solar Makes a Splash in the RE Space in India Contributed By: Sneha Shah

57. EVENTS WATCH 58. ADVERTISERS INDEX

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REGULARS 08. News & Views 18. To the Point 20. Products & Services Solmetric, Enphase, MECO, Vikram Solar, REC Group, Ino-Solar Energy, Shakti Pumps

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News & Views

SolarGenX’ Conference on Rooftop Solar Starts with a Bang, Content Speaker and Record Number Mark a New Beginning The first edition of SolarGenX Conference was launched by Genesis Info-Media, publisher of Smart Energy Magazine, on 27th April 2018 in the beautiful city of Nashik. The topic of SolarGenX conference was ‘Benefits of Rooftop Solar for Commercial and Industrial Consumers’. The conference took place at Nashik Engineering Cluster, Ambad MIDC, Nashik. The conference was inaugurated by key dignitaries, Mr. S.S.Sawairam, Ex.Engineer, MSEDCL, Nashik Zone; Mr. Narendra Goliya, Chairman, Rishabh Instruments Pvt. Ltd.; Mr. Sanjay Kulkarni, President, Maharashtra Solar Manufacturers Association; Mr. Uday Rakibe, President, Maharashtra Solar Manufacturers Association, Nashik Chapter and Mr. Prashant Joshi, Director, Maharashtra Solar Manufacturers Association, Nashik Chapter.

The conference discussed benefits of rooftop solar for commercial and industrial consumers, best practices and sought solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in solar rooftop sector, bringing in renowned speakers, consultants, business experts and key government officials under one grand platform.

At the opening ceremony of SolarGenX, S. S. Sawairam, Ex. Engineer, MSEDCL, Nashik Zone emphasised on the benefits of rooftop solar and how MSEDCL is

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gearing up to the challenges of net metering. He allayed the common misconception about MSEDCL and assured the industry audience that MSEDCL as an organisation is there to facilitate and help in making the process simple and industry friendly.

Mr. Sanjay Kulkarni, President, MASMA and Mr. Uday Rakibe, President, MASMA, Nashik Chapter turned their attention to the immense potential and opportunities in Solar Rooftop sector.

Mr. Sanjay Kulkarni turned his attention to the major challenges faced by small EPC Players and solar manufacturers. He further emphasised the need to get organise and work under the banner of MASMA. Mr. Narendra Goliya, Chairman, Rishabh Instruments Pvt. Ltd. put

forth his views on the Future of Solar. He elaborated on the importance of Made-in-India products and taking India to leadership role in Solar.

SolarGenX also saw insightful and knowledge rich session on ‘Solar Rooftop – Evolving opportunities & challenges’ by Suvendu Lenka- Sales & Business Development, Thermax Limited; ‘Roof top – Walking System’ by Nakul Borade- Director, Swapnil Electricals Pvt. Ltd.; ‘Electron Beam Crosslink Technology: Meets the High Demands of Solar Cables’

by Mahendra Bharaskar- AGM, Business Development, Anand International; ‘Solar Net Metering Policy of Maharashtra Government; Implementation, Experience as a Consumer , Consultant & EPC Player’ by R.K. Nehra, Solar Systems Consultant and ‘How Can

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I Build Sustainable & Performing Solar Asset’ by Amit Barve- Vice President-Business Development and Marketing, Enerparc Energy Private Limited.

Pune- The Success Story Continues The exciting third edition of SolarGenX Conference on Rooftop Solar was successfully conducted on 13th Aug 2018 in Pune, Maharashtra. The focus topic of the Conference was ‘Challenges and Its Solutions for Solar Rooftop Deployment’. The third edition of SolarGenX witnessed record participation with 120 attendees, 10 speakers and 5 industry leading sponsors and two exhibitors.

The continued increase and high number of conference bookings further demonstrates that SolarGenX Conference on rooftop solar is up-to-the-minute and a c entral meeting point for the solar rooftop industry.

The inaugural session was attended by Mr. Sunder Latpate,

Superintending Engineer, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd., Dr. Nilesh Rohankar, Divisional General Manager, MEDA, Divisional office- Pune, Mr. Vivek Velankar, President, Sajag Nagrik Manch Pune and Mr. Sanjay Kulkarni, President- Maharashtra Solar Manufacturers Association.

The inaugural session facilitated dialogue between the solar rooftop consumer, government and industry. Concerns and issues faced by rooftop consumers and non-cooperation on part of MSEDCO were highlighted.

Acknowledging the shortfalls, the concerned authorities assured the consumers and the industry representatives the best of support and co-operation in solving the issues.

The following session witnessed presentations followed by discussions on new trends, developments and innovations from the solar rooftop industry. Over 10 expert speakers provided the

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audience with information on quality, innovative developments and valuable insights for their daily practice.

Notable were the presentations on Benefits of Solar Inverter Manufactured in India, Flat Fix Fusion Innovative Mounting System, Best Practices in Rooftop PV Power Plant and Solar Mounting Structures.

Over 150 trade visitors used the conference as a platform for information, networking and as a basis for investment decisions. Attendees praised aspects such as the top-quality forum program with presentations on current trends and research findings as well as the distinct focus of the entire event.

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News & Views Global experts on Solar and Storage called on

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inputs on affordable solar power for everyone The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India as part of its overall outreach to the Indian Diaspora regularly organizes Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conferences on specific themes. On 24th August 2018, the panelists of Pravasi Bharatiya Panel discussed on “Role of Indian Diaspora in Capacity Building for Affordable Solar Power” called on by the Prime Minister. This included renowned experts, academicians, innovators, industrialists, and entrepreneurs from Indian Diaspora and India. They presented the outcomes of their discussions over the last two days in areas such as utility- scale solar, off-grid and microgrid solutions, solar storage, next- generation solar technologies and innovative financing options for the renewable sector.

India has an ambitious target of 175 GW of renewables by 2022.

The key challenge for reaching these targets would be the ability of the grid to integrate variability associated with these renewables, as well as the huge investment required for upgrading the

T&D infrastructure.

Energy storage can help in better integration of these renewable by providing multiple values to the system such as optimizing T&D investments, addressing forecasting errors in wind and solar generation for more accurate scheduling, addressing local reliability issues by providing reactive power support and also enabling end users for managing peak load and more efficient utilization of distributed renewables etc. With the rapid reduction in the cost of both solar and storage, customers can see solar plus storage as an alternative for the peak power from the grid at the same time, utilities can avoid investments in Peaker capacity or eliminate load shedding by utilizing these resources.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, Executive Director, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) said, “It was a privilege to be a part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference and discussing the role of Solar and Energy Storage for India’s development. I look forward towards the launch of National Energy Storage Mission to support energy access, e-mobility & RE Integration. India Energy Storage Alliance supports the vision to make India a global hub for R&D and manufacturing of Advanced Energy Storage systems and EVs by 2022 and we’re continuously working towards it” 

Karnataka Tops in Renewable Energy Installation Karnataka has emerged as top state in installing renewable energy overtaking Tamil Nadu, which had long been India’s top renewable energy performer.

Recent report of Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has revealed that Karnataka has been taking advantage of several positive renewable energy policies like open access, the introduction of a hybrid windsolar development policy and significant steps to reverse Karnataka’s historic reliance on energy imports.

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IEEFA conducted the study under guidance of Tim Buckley, director of Energy Finance Studies.

According to the findings of the report, Karnataka is leading state for renewable energy in India, reaching 12.3 gigawatts (GW) of total installed capacity as of March 2018, having added 5 GW in 201718 alone. This was sufficient to overtake Tamil Nadu, which had long been India’s top renewable energy performer. Karnataka had been building its wind energy capacity steadily over the past 10 years, but it moved ahead of

Tamil Nadu due to a rapid scaling up of solar capacity in 2017-18, when it installed more than 4 GW of new photovoltaic generation.

Currently, the state has 5 GW of solar capacity and 4.7 GW of wind capacity.

The report further mentions that Karnataka’s progressive leadership offers a positive role model of electricity system transformation for the rest of India. As other states follow Karnataka’s lead, India is set to take its place as a global leader in decarbonisation   www.supersmartenergy.com

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News & Views JinkoSolar: Turn Challenge into Opportunities JinkoSolar announced its Q2 report, saying the quarterly shipment of 2,794MW in Q2, just below record level. Supported by its large scale operations, The company has maintained a stable gross margin despite the negative influence of China new policy. Gross profit climbed to US$ 110.0 million, in line with guidance provided by the company and representing a 11 per cent increase over the previous quarter. Net profit of Q2 has an increase of 2653% from Q1 and 109% increase from the same

quarter a year earlier.

Different from its peers, JinkoSolar has managed to minimize the impact of China’s sudden new policy announced on 5.31 by leveraging its leadership in technology, its advantages in scale and its strong position in overseas markets.

JinkoSolar’s geographic diversification has also increased because it has proactively developed in emerge markets including Latin America, Middle East and Africa, South East Asia,

and has accelerated R&D products catering to a wide variety of end-user applications. The new cheetah series boosting of 400Watt as be specifically to match the higher performance requirements of more and more customers.

Such diversification and lab-tofactory capability have increased customer stickiness and reduced the company’s dependence on any one significant market, in turn mitigating the effects of industry volatility 

Mahindra Susten Mobile PV Lab, India’s First, completes 1 GWp of Testing India’s first mobile solar photovoltaic (PV) testing lab, designed and developed by Mahindra Susten recently completed a milestone 1 GWp of plant testing.

The Mobile PV Lab offers revolutionary technology which is unique in Asia. It is a one stop mobile solution, which allows performance analysis of solar PV modules, which constitute nearly 70% of the investment for a new Solar PV plant, at the site itself. The testing procedure used in the lab ensures reliability and repeatability in line with standard procedures, leading to similar or better results than any stationary laboratory.

The lab has been accredited with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certification from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories . It has Mutual Recognition Arrangements with several organizations including the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

The reports generated from the NABL accredited PV labs are at

12 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

par with the ILAC and APLAC certifications and are accepted in 73 countries. Results from the tests conducted in the Mahindra Susten lab are useful to all stakeholders, be they developers, lenders, manufacturers, EPC companies or even O&M companies, since the results are an important decisionmaking tool in case of warranty claims against PV module manufacturers or even just to ensure the health and proper functioning of the PV equipment.

The lab, since its launch at the REI Expo 2017 has completed over 1 GWp (1000 MWp) of testing, travelling over 21,000 Kms till date. It is capable of performing all the testing required on the Solar PV module at the site. This provides customers with complete peace of mind, no risk of breakage, immediate reports and value for money.

Key tests that can be performed by this mobile lab include Flash Tests : Used to measures the I-V characteristics of PV Module in STC (Standard Test Conditions) to bring out the degradation results.

EL Test: This test gives results

similar to X-Ray reports, without the use of any radiation. It is used to highlight cell-level faults and micro cracks within the module.

The working principle is that of photo-emission measured by an infrared light-sensitive camera.

Infrared Imaging: This is a common but very effective tool, which measures abnormal thermal behaviour of modules during DC parameter measurements. It is used to find hotspots in modules. The same Thermal Imager can also be used to identify any loose connections and abnormal behaviour in other equipment like Combiner Boxes, Inverters, Transformers and Panels which constitute the Solar PV plant.

Mahindra Susten is a portfolio company of Mahindra Partners, the USD 1 Billion private equity division of the USD 20.7 Bn Mahindra and Mahindra Group. Mahindra Susten offers diversified services within the Cleantech space.

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News & Views Tata Power Solar Installs World’s Largest Rooftop in a Cricket Stadium at CCI, Mumbai Tata Power Solar, India’s largest integrated solar company and Tata Power's wholly-owned subsidiary, has commissioned 820.8kWp at Cricket Club of India, Mumbai. The project was executed by Tata Power Solar to provide solar rooftop solution for the stadium located at Mumbai and was completed in 100 days.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra did the inauguration of the stadium. Tata Power Solar joined hands with Cricket Club of India to utilise the potential of solar energy. The installation of the solar rooftop project will help to generate over 1.12 million electricity per year which will lead to 25% of savings in the power consumption cost. At present on an average (apart from Stadium Flood lights, which runs on DG), the stadium consumes 4 lakhs kWh /month, but with

solar installation, on an average basis the consumption from the grid would fall to approx. 3 lakhs kWh/month. CCI will also be able to curb the emission of over 840 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Mr. Praveer Sinha, MD & CEO, Tata Power, said, “We are delighted to partner with Cricket Club of India on the World’s largest solar powered cricket stadium in Mumbai. We continuously seek to move ahead in our renewable and sustainability objectives.”

With an aim to be environmentally responsible by reducing its carbon footprint, Cricket Club of India initiated a project to install 820.8kWp roof mounted solar plant at the CCI stadium, Mumbai.

Mr. Ashish Khanna, President,

Tata Power (Renewables), said in a statement, “After executing The World’s largest Rooftop in a single location and India’s largest carport at Cochin International Airport, Tata Power Solar has installed The World’s largest Rooftop in a Cricket Stadium at CCI Mumbai, in a record period of 100 days.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Premal Udani, President, CCI and Mr. Rakesh Kapoor, Vice Chairman of Infrastructure and Green Technology Committee, CCI said, “We continuously look at projects which promote renewable energy focus, and are glad to partner with Tata Power Solar to execute this landmark project for us. They have delivered on the promise of the brand TATA. We have set an example to use rooftop space in the stadiums to help protect the environment.” ■

Fourth Partner Energy Comes up with an Innovative Project, Power@1 Fourth Partner Energy (4FPL), a Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) engaged in providing solar power project installations and maintenance, has come up with an innovative project, Power@1. Under this, it installs solar power units for schools, colleges, hospitals and the needy, by linking them up with corporate entities seeking to deploy their funds through CSR initiatives.

Vivek Subramanian, Founder Partner and Executive Director at Fourth Partner Energy, says, “Power@1 is a simple concept that brings together all the ingredients of success at the grassroots level for schools, health centres, NGOs and the like. With one rupee a unit, it will help the beneficiary

14 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

make meaningful savings and the donor is happy because there is a sustained impact that can be measured over 25 years.”

“We are the agency that brings it all together, ensuring that the beneficiary has uninterrupted power for 25 years by taking care of service for the duration of the contract as well as reporting back all the positive impact from the programme,” he says. Fourth Partner Energy seeks to work with non-profitable charitable organisations and other stakeholders in the social sector, helping them cut electricity costs substantially.

Power@1 provides clean electricity for these consumers at just Rs.1 per unit consumed.

Typically, a school or a hospital is

chosen for such a project and a corporate entity will be the partner. Based on the funding from the corporate entity as a part of its CSR, a solar unit is set up and managed by the company. The power thus generated is supplied to the school at Rs.1 per unit. In the process, the power requirement of the school is addressed, its power bill is brought down and the freed up finances from the school budget could be deployed for some other requirement of the school. The corporate entity partnering the school also gains a platform for its CSR. “A token price of Rs.1 per unit is towards ensuring they do not misuse it as a freebie,” explains Subramanian 

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News & Views Solar tariffs touch Rs 2.59 per unit India reaches in NTPC’s tender 23.1GW of gridTariffs for solar power touched in an auction conducted by stateconnected solar Rs2.59 per unit in a tender called run Solar Energy Corp. of India. by state-run NTPC Ltd for 2,000 India’s finance ministry imposed – MNRE megawatts (MW).

Acme Solar Holdings, Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Co. Ltd and Azure Power bid Rs 2.59 per kilo-watt hour (kWh) to win contracts to build plants of 600 MW, 500 MW and 300 MW each respectively.

SoftBank-owned SB Energy bid Rs 2.60 per kWh at which it will sell solar power, to win contracts to develop 600 MW. This was the first interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar auction conducted by NTPC Ltd, India’s largest power generation utility, with these plants to be commissioned two years after signing of the power purchase agreement.

India achieved a record low solar power tariff of Rs 2.44 per unit in May 2017. Earlier last month, tariffs again touched Rs 2.44 per unit

safeguard duty on 30 July on the recommendations of Directorate General of Trade Remedies. A safeguard duty of 25% has been imposed for the first year, followed by a 5% reduction for the first six months of the second year to 20%. A duty of 15% has been levied for the last six months of the second year.

The NTPC bids came in the backdrop of the government temporarily suspending the 25% safeguard duty on solar cells and modules imported from China and Malaysia. In a letter to the Chief Commissioner of Customs dated 13 August, the government asked customs officials “not to insist on payment of safeguard duty, for the time being”. The latest notification recognizes the stay till 20 August on the duty that the Odisha high court had ordered on 25 July 

India reached 23,877MW of total solar deployment as of 31 July this year, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Grid-connected solar deployments had reached just more than 23GW by the same date, with 21,892MW of ground-mount installations and 1,223MW of rooftop PV. Off-grid solar PV stood at 762MW. Wind power had also reached 34,402MW. In terms of deployment between April and July 2018, ground-mount installations were 1,305MW (well short of the 10GW target), with 159MW of rooftop added and 90MW of off-grid solar 

Ciel & Terre MSEDCL shocker: Gross metering for opens floating solar rooftop by the exodus of its con- example. If a consumer uses 500 solar factory in Rattled sumers towards solar generation, units and generates 450 units.

MSEDCL is taking all steps to scut- Under net metering, he will be India tle the solar rooftop policy. After billed for 50 units at MSEDCL tariff.

France-based floating solar specialist Ciel & Terre has launched a new subsidiary in the Indian city of Bangalore, a new manufacturing line in Maharashtra, and is set to deliver floats to its first 5MW project in West Bengal.

Stéphane Prouvost, CEO, Ciel & Terre India, said in a press release that the firm is working on projects spread throughout India, although Bangalore in the southern state of Karnataka is a suitable base given the sizeable tenders coming out of the nearby state of Kerala and other parts of South India 

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seeking a surcharge of Rs1.26 per unit on such consumers, the DISCOM has proposed to replace net metering by gross metering.

The decision in this regard will be taken by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC).

Gross metering will make solar rooftop unviable. Under net metering, the excess units used by consumers are charged at MSEDCL tariff. Under gross metering, the entire consumption will be charged at MSEDCL tariff, and solar energy generated by the consumer will be deducted from it.

However, under gross metering he will be billed for all 500 units at MSEDCL tariff while MSEDCL will buy the 450 units generated by him at average cost of renewable energy purchased by the DISCOM. As MSEDCL has a slab system, the bill for 500 units used will be very high, the average being around Rs9 per unit. Against this, the average cost of renewable energy is Rs6 per unit. This means that the consumer will have to pay MSEDCL at the rate of Rs. 3 per unit for the 500 units he consumes. bill under net metering 

This can be understood with an

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Goldstone Infratech REC Group Increases its changes its name to Footprint in India with Olectra Greentech Limited 45MW order Goldstone Infratech Limited (a public listed company) has announced that it has changed its name to Olectra Greentech Limited.

The new brand name - Olectra Greentech Limited - reflects company’s growing focus on the environment friendly products after its entry into the Electric Vehicle segment in 2016 under a tie up with BYD Auto Industry Co. Ltd. - world’s largest electric vehicle company. Since then the company has achieved many milestones including commercially operating country’s 1st Electric bus for passengers.

The company’s Electric buses are currently plying commercially in Himanchal Pradesh and Mumbai under the respective Transport Undertakings.

Commenting on the brand name change, Mr. N. Naga Satyam, Executive Director - Olectra Greentech Limited said, “We have been making rapid strides in the segment of Public Transportation in the last 2 years and were able to understand the needs of the industry as we delivered our cost efficient and safe Electric Buses on time to the customers. The new name is in line with our renewed focus.”

The company was recently emerged as the winner for the bids to supply Electric Buses to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad cities totalling 290 electric buses. Cumulatively, this was the largest order for any Electric Bus manufacturer in the country ■

REC Group, the number one European brand for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in India, clocked major orders in the Rooftop RESCO segment in the month of June and July. The total orders combined for the three-leading solar EPC companies in India amounted to a whooping 45MW. It is a major achievement for REC Group in India as rooftop solar though a key point of government's plan is still at 6% of the stipulated target of 40GW, with roughly 2.5 GW of cumulative installed base.

Cleanmax Solar, Fourth Partner Energy and SunSource, together placed orders for 45MW of REC modules for their RESCO projects spanning the country, with close to 40MW of modules supplied being REC's TwinPeak technology based modules.

REC's premium TwinPeak 2S72 series comes with the best temperature coefficient, industry leading low warranty claims, half-cut PERC cells and a Twin-panel design for better performance under shaded conditions, indicating a clear preference for efficiency over mere quantitative parameters.

These orders make it amply evident that REC panels are a clear favourite for the commercial and industrial segment in rooftops where reliability and track-record on the ground are fast becoming the catch phrases ensuring real LCOE advantage for the end-consumer 

GCL-SI Becomes First Non-India BIS-Certified Company GCL-SI has become the first foreign company to receive certification of its photovoltaic modules from The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

The BIS is India's Standardization and Certification Authority. It was established in 1987 to replace the Indian Institute of Standards (ISI), established in 1946, as the statutory national standard and certification authority in India, responsible for certification of Indian products. In March 2018, GCL-SI cooperated with VDE, Perfect Care Solution LLP, to formally launch the Indian BIS certification test. After a long test and

strict BIS audit, GCL-SI eventually became the first company in the world to receive BIS certification.

Mr. Eric Luo, President of GCLSI, said: "GCL-SI has been committed to providing customers with high-quality, high-reliability solar products. Becoming the world's first non-Indian BIS-certified company is a milestone for us. We are thankful to our local project partners, VDE, Perfect Care Solution LLP for their cooperation and support. We sincerely hope that the highquality products integrated by GCL-SI will serve more customers and ultimately make the world's

environment healthier."

In 2018, India incorporated PV modules into compulsory certification products, which means that PV modules need to be tested in accordance with IS 14286, IS 61730-I, IS 61730-II and in local BIS-approved laboratories in India. Only after testing is completed and the modules receive BIS certification can they enter the Indian domestic market. It is only allowed to attach the IS label after the manufacturer obtains the certificate ■

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Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

To the Point NATIONAL Photon Energy installs 800 kWp rooftop solar plant for Ikea's Hyderabad store The Hyderabad-based solar power solutions company, which offers its solutions under Photon Solar, has bagged the mandate from Ikea to implement its rooftop solar plant for Hyderabad store and the upcoming stores at Navi Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Gautham Nalamada, Executive Director of Photon Energy, quoted in a press release, “This is a prestigious engagement for us as we are working with one of the biggest global retailers. We won the mandate amidst competitive bids and are engaged as an EPC solutions provider.”

Karnataka Exempts Rooftop Solar Projects below 1 MW from CEIG Clearance In a notification issued by the Karnataka Government, it has been clarified that solar rooftop installations below 1 MW are not mandated to be inspected by the electrical inspector.

This notification spares small rooftop solar developers and consumers in the state of Karnataka, the significant amount of time and effort it would take to acquire these clearances. The notification also states that all rooftop solar installations that belong to the government are exempt from the CEIG approval process.

MNRE Examines the Possibilities for Capping solar power tariffs The ministry of new and renewable energy is contemplating capping the solar power tariffs at ₹ 2.5 and ₹ 2.68 per unit for developers using domestic and imported solar cells and modules, respectively.

18 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

The idea of capping solar tariffs has been suggested by the adviser with National Solar Mission that Solar Energy Corp. of India must adhere to the “maximum permissible tariff, including safeguard duty, to be fixed at ₹ 2.68”.

The shift to solar-powered irrigation pumps can also save enormous sums of money and generate additional income for farmers, says a report by the US-based Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

Solar rooftop tariff touches lowest rate of Rs 1.58 in MP

India’s first electric vehicles charging corridor to come up at Mumbai-Pune Expressway

The premises of Power Grid Corporation in Madhya Pradesh will be getting the cheapest solar power at Rs 1.58 a kilowatt per hour (unit), which is the lowest in the country so far. New Delhibased AMPSOLAR India has bid the lowest for 10 sites of the central government PSUs. It has bid Rs 1.67 for some other central government buildings in the state.

Rays Power to open solar retail stores in India Indian solar developer and EPC firm Rays Power Infra has entered the retail solar segment focusing on PV for homeowners and smallscale commercial establishments, through its group company Rays Future Energy.

The company plans to launch around 10 operational stores in the first year of its operations, and expand to over 70 stores by 2020 covering major cities in India. The solar development firm will commence its first outlet in Gurgaon by the end of November 2018.

It will sell various solar-powered products to customers including solar modules, inverters, solar street and garden lights, solar lanterns and bags among others.

Solar irrigation pumps can help India reach 38% of its green energy target A switch from conventional dieseland electric-powered irrigation pumps to solar-powered ones can help the country achieve 38 per cent of its envisaged 175 Gw renewable energy target by 2022.

The Renewable energy Service Company Magenta Power announced it will set up India’s first electric vehicles charging Corridor called ChargeIn at MumbaiPune Expressway.

The corridor will be a network of EV charging stations and will be initially deployed at Hotel Center Point at Lonavala. In the next phase, the network will be extended to Bangalore and Mysore allowing electric vehicle users to travel across the stretch without worrying about next charging station.

UL launches solar inspection certificate service for PV power plants Solar plant developers, owners and financiers can benefit from an affordable or third-party independent assessment of a PV power plant’s creditability and quality. The delivered certificate attests that a PV power plant complies with the criteria outlined in the inspection program, based on the IEC 62446-1 standard, at the time of the inspection. All PV plant inspection certificates will be made publicly accessible on UL’s online directory.

Luminous Power aims to double revenue from solar products in five years Luminous Power Technologies is looking at doubling revenue to 20 percent in next four-years from solar appliances and residential roof top products ■

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Solar Solutions

Turnkey Solar PV Installations

Ground mounted

O&M

Solutions for ground based solar projects ranging from 100 kW to multiple MW installations

Thermax has a dedicated Solar O&M team, helping customers keep their assets productive

Rooftop On a variety of roofs – inclined and curved roofs, elevated structures, car parks, etc.

Thermax Advantages ® More than 30 MW of projects contracted

® Installations spread over 30 cities in 12 states

® More than 100 marquee Customers

® More than 25 years of Power EPC experience

Registered Office D-13, MIDC Industrial Area, R D Aga Road, Chinchwad, Pune 411019, India enquiry@thermaxglobal.com | Customer Care: 1800-209-0115 www.thermaxglobal.com

Products & Services

Solmetric's latest offering the PVA-1500 PV Analyzer Kit I-V curve testing is the preferred method for commissioning, O&M, and troubleshooting of PV arrays because it provides the most complete performance measurement possible. Populations of curves can be analyzed quickly for outliers and data can be archived as a baseline for future reference if performance questions arise. The market is now moving towards solar power plants which have a rating of 1500V and looking at the latest market trends Solmetric has recently launched its new product Solmetric PVA-1500/30A. Isothermal Technology Private Limited has now started supplying to the Indian solar community Solmetric's latest offering which is the PVA-1500/30A PV Analyzer Kit. It is a 1500 volt I-V curve tracer with built-in PV performance modeling and advanced wireless irradiance, temperature and tilt sensing. It provides unprecedented measurement throughput and accuracy and delivers deep insight into the performance of your arrays.

In addition to the 1500V measurement capability, the PVA-1500 has a few additional enhancements over its predecessor, the PVA1000S, including using WiFi to communicate to your tablet or laptop. This eliminates the USB dongle required for the older model PVA-1000S. For each string, the PV Analyzer measures the I-V (current vs. voltage) and P-V (power vs. voltage) curves with a single button

20 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

click.

The measured results are compared to the expected performance, taking into account the irradiance and module cell temperature at the time of the I-V measurement. The I-V Unit communicates wirelessly to your Windows tablet or laptop (not included), enhancing safety and allowing freedom of movement during testing. Automated data analysis and reporting save you time.

The PV Analyzer is designed to work as hard as you do. High measurement throughput means it can measure 1 MW in less than 2 hours--even in hot environments like India. In an example PV system with 1300V Voc, 16 strings per combiner box, and 5 minutes to move to next combiner box, the PVA can make more than 800 measurements at 25°C ambient and 250 measurements at 45°C ambient. The incident angle corrected SolSensor is able to make accurate irradiance readings in lower light conditions extending your working window. Few satisfied customers of PVA-1500

include Softbank, GMR Group, Sterling and Wilson, L&T etc.

Solmetric also has in their product range the PVA-1000S with a 20/30A current rating. It is also known for its award-winning shade analysis tool, SunEye which incorporates a calibrated fisheye camera, electronic compass, tilt sensor, and GPS to give immediate measurements in the field  For more details please contact: Isothermal Technology Private Limited E: solar@isotech.co.in M: +919810339072/ +919810134932 W: www.itplindia.co.in

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Enphase going Einstein with IQ8 solar power inverters If you’re an honest solar salesperson, historically you’ve always dreaded a certain question: “Will my system keep running when the power grid goes down?” The dread is because without energy storage the answer was no. Batteries have long been expensive, and most buyers were still stomaching adding solar power. Customers definitely want energy storage – and, in key markets, we’re starting to see deployments, however its still typically around $10,000 more to make that happen and companies like Tesla – even with “mad growth” – are running a tight supply ship.

Enphase wants to deliver the hardware to change that answer: the IQ8. And, in a report from solar installer on Run on Sun, we’re starting to get glimpses of what Enphase has been talking about since the summer of 2017.

In essence, the IQ8 – with all of its integrated smarts – has the ability to understand what is going on in the household and react. The system will feed as much electricity as it has access to based upon sunlight available and solar power capacity, and it will adjust on the

fly. Also noted by Run on Sun was when too much energy from the house was being pulled – more than sunlight and installed capacity could provide – the whole system shut down, only to instantly restart when the excess load was removed.

B4

IQ8 Microinverter

Smart. Real smart.

We already know that First Solar proved to California that its hardware – solar panels plus inverters – can offer grid services on its own. And we’ve also got results from Hawaii and NREL, plus very recently from PG&E in California, that show electric utilities can tap into and make use of module-level inverters to help manage the grid. This Enphase technology suggests an even greater level of intelligence from the household level that the utilities haven’t even contemplated yet.

energy storage has a very important role to play, as can be seen in their broader Ensemble line, you no longer “need it,” and that’s a revolution in solar power 

While Enphase does believe

CE Compliance

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â Water-Fed Pole & System Flash Energy Ensure optimal efficiency of photovoltaic panels of plant for electricity production

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Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Products & Services

MECO Clamp-On Earth / Ground Resistance & Leakage Current Tester Model: 4680BLC

M

ECO Introduce Model 4680BLC having Jaw opening of 65mm x 32mm, which is suitable to take measurement from Earthing Strip or Conductor of Φ 65mm x 32mm approx. These testers are capable of measuring Ground Resistance from 0.010 Ohms to 1000 Ohms and Leakage Currents in TRMS mode from 0.80mA to 30A AC. Data hold, Data Storing Memory, Configurable Alarm, Auto power off & Continuity Loop Test are Key features of 4680BLC. Standard Resistance

Calibration Plate provided to verify the calibration check of tester.

Substantial time saving and easy operating justify the investment in these instruments.

This is non-contact type innovative solution for measuring Ground Resistance and Leakage Current of any Electrical Installation.

This method of measurement completely eliminates the use of ground and auxiliary rods avoiding shutdown. This is an extremely handy instrument especially at

place where it is next to impossible to measure Earth /Ground Resistance by conventional methods 

For details please visit our website: www.mecoinst.com

MECO “SOLAR POWER METER Model 936”

M

ECO Solar Power Meter is a portable meter used for measuring Solar Power or Solar Irradiance. It uses High sensitivity Silicon Photodiode to measure solar power. Solar Meter can also detect Solar Tilt Angle with Orientation.

This instrument is designed to measure solar power in the range from 400 to 1100 nanometers. It Measures the solar power and transmission up to 2000 W/m2.

Solar Power Meter has Max / Min / Avg and data hold functions to indentify locations with maximum or minimum power. The good spectral range, orientation and angular detection of meter allow users to conduct the most precise quantitative measurements of Solar Power Radiation.

Features :

ii Solar power measurement with Orientation and Tilt angle ii Easy measurement for rate of daylight penetration ii Auto change for measuring range ii Auto power off with disable function ii Instantaneous display Ave/Min/Max values ii 20 points memory ii Socket of tripod mounting ii Magnetic mount ii Backlit LCD and 4 digits triple display Applications : ii Solar radiation measurements ii Solar power research for location of the solar panels or solar water heater ii Physics and optical laboratories ii Meteorology

ii Agriculture ii Windows performance - calculation and verification of the heating or heat reduction caused by direct sunlight. ii Data Hold etc 

For More Information Contact: Mr. Prashan Thakkar (Manager - Solar Products) Email Id: prashant.thakkar@mecoinst.com/ bt2@mecoinst.com Mobile No. 09867266639/ Contact No: +91 22 2767 3300

22 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Products & Services

Vikram Solar launches Tigo integrated smart module, Solivo The new range of modules integrate Tigo’s flexible module-level power electronics (Flex MLPE), which provide multiple smart features including module-level remote monitoring, rapid shutdown, power optimization, and longer string designs. Tigo’s TS4 platform performs similarly to standard junction boxes, but with more functionalities for a higher reliability – from ‘smart-ready’ TS4 Diodes to Monitoring, Safety, Optimization and Long Strings.

The TS4 platform maximizes the energy production for the best return on the investment in compromised installation conditions due to partial shading, current mismatch, or module output tolerance. Additional smart module functionalities include: allowing superior heat dissipation from modules; achieving lower resistive loss in strings; identifying faults; maximizing area usage; lowering O&M costs; and increasing the system uptime compared to conventional modules.

Mr. Ivan Saha, BU Head – Solar

Manufacturing and CTO at Vikram Solar Limited, announced that “Vikram Solar’s newest addition of smart modules to this series harvests more power through Module-Level Power Optimisation Technology, wherein each module can be optimized for energy generation, virtually nullifying the effect of shading, soiling, or mismatch loss. Smart modules are our innovative offering to a fast changing solar industry with a focus on reliability and cost competitiveness.”

Mr. Mirko Bindi, EMEA Director – Tigo, stated “Tigo is pleased to bring the unique modularity of our TS4 platform to Vikram’s impressive product portfolio. With this compatibility, Vikram can now offer a new tier of reliability with integrated smart modules. The cost effective functionalities of our Flex MLPE will allow Vikram Solar to cater to any customer or

project need worldwide.”

The Solivo series is the latest addition to Vikram Solar’s crystalline silicon PV module product portfolio with the highest efficiency to date: up to 19.07% for 72 cells and up to 19.36% for 60 cells.

To learn more about Solivo refer to the following link https:// www.vikramsolar.com/download-category/solivo/ 

REC Group Begins New Era with the Launch of the world’s first n-Type Mono Solar Panel with Twin Design REC Group, the leading European brand for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, launched its brand-new N-Peak high-performance solar panel at Intersolar Europe in Munich. The new panel breaks fresh ground for REC and the industry: this is the first solar panel to combine n-type mono half-cut cells with a twin-panel design, and promises excellent power output of up to 330 watt peak allied to lasting performance.

24 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

The production of n-type mono cells kicks off at the end of June in REC’s brand-new industry 4.0 manufacturing building at the company’s Singapore plant. The first N-Peak modules are scheduled to roll off the line in August.

It’s not every day that a leading producer of solar panels unveils a totally new product, and the launch event – adding to the cheer at REC’s traditional late-afternoon Happy Hour – proved a big attrac-

tion at Intersolar Europe. Before a large audience of visitors and media representatives eager to find out what REC had in store, REC Group CEO Steve O’Neil introduced the new module at the company’s booth, saying, “The new REC N-Peak writes the next chapter in our company narrative. We are taking a big step by leapfrogging into advanced n-mono technology, reinforcing our reputation as

»  www.supersmartenergy.com

th

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Products & Services an innovator of reliable and efficient solar panels. It is one thing to design high efficiency products on a lab scale, but a totally different one to bring it to mass production.

This helps make REC Solar’s Most Trusted.”

The REC N-Peak Series builds on the success of REC’s multiple award-winning TwinPeak technology. REC is well-known for being a pioneer for half-cut cells and its twin panel design.

Key highlights of the new N-Peak include: ii REC’s most powerful 60-cell module ever ii The world’s first solar module to combine n-type mono half-cut cells with a twin-panel design

ii Mono n-type is the most efficient crystalline silicon technology ii Up to 330 watt peak ii Super-strong frame design: for loads of up to 7000 Pa ii Zero light-induced degradation ii 12-year product warranty and 0.5% annual degradation over 25-year power warranty, resulting in 86% of nameplate power after 25 years ii Improved performance in shaded conditions ii Flexible installation options ii Initial field tests carried out by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) have shown that the new N-Peak offers a distinct energy yield advantage over competitive p-mono products 

The REC N-Peak is the first solar panel to combine n-type mono halfcut cells with a twin-panel design.

Ino-Solar Energy, India launches AI-based Smart Power Optimizers for residential and commercial sector Ino-Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd., India, a turnkey solar and Energy solution provider, has launched and started manufacturing of ‘SmartPO’, an AI-based Power Optimizer for residential and commercial use that can save you thousands on electricity bills. The product is designed and developed fully in USA under joint R&D with our Group Companies Empores LLC, USA and WinBuild Inc. USA. The product was extensively tested in USA at various places like Pizza Parlours, Gas Stations and Universities.

SmartPO’s built-in Automated Demand Response (ADR) technology uses machine learning and Artificial Intelligence for advanced load curtailments. It helps protect your valuable electrical equipment’s from damage by spikes and surges. It increases the lifespan of Lights, HVAC and other appliances reducing maintenance and equipment replacement cost. It’s predictive analytics algorithm creates an optimal load curve and controls

26 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

the incoming power flow to drastically reduce the amount of electricity consumed in a home & saves customers thousands of dollars. It’s online/remote monitoring capability provides a detailed dashboard and reports equipment efficiency as well as provides predictive maintenance alerts.

“The frustration from the rising electricity bills is getting worst day by day. The options to reduce the bills calls for large investments like installing solar which is not always feasible for residences and small commercial establishments. To have an innovative and next generation solution for this, we at Ino-Solar Energy, had put

our creativity and hard work into building SmartPO” said Unmesh Jagtap, CEO of Ino-Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. “SmartPO is going to revolutionize the way people look at energy management & smart homes. It’s unique AI core & load management will enable customers to save thousands on their electricity bills. We plan to combine this internally developed state-of-theart technology with our Solar EPC  www.supersmartenergy.com

installations to deliver significantly increased offset to their electric utility bills or reducing the CAPEX on the solar installation. We have already developed ‘Hybrid Solar Power Optimizer’ which is under field trials at Petrol Pumps in Guja-

rat and Maharashtra. This unique solution offering from Ino-Solar will give a standalone system option for Residences and Commercial places where they can have un-interrupted power for 24 hours with almost zero Grid

Power utilization.” – added Jagtap.

Smart PO supports both indoor & outdoor installation & comes with more than 25 years of product lifespan & manufacturing warranty 

Shakti Pumps Launches New Product A leading company in the field of Solar Pumping Solutions Shakti Pumps (India) Limited announced the launch of first Indigenous Universal Drive 'Simha' from Raipur in the markets across country today.

This drive is the result of hard work and testing for nearly five years of research and development wing of Shakti Pumps. This advanced

mobile app based solar controller is completely manufactured India.

'Simha' Universal Drive supports wide varieties of motors by virtue of its universal design. Its IP 64 design and rust-proof metallic enclosure provides protection from particles (e.g. rain, dust, oil) which obsoletes the need for extra outer case. Moreover, the

advanced MPPT algorithm puts it in the list of premium renewable energy products. Therefore, this product is recommended by experts for its unique features, efficiency, zero operating cost, plug and play installation, electrically safe user handlings and longer period of warranty 

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Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Expert Insight

 Narendra Goliya Chairman, Rishabh Instruments Pvt. Ltd.

"Rishabh has the Art of Competing both with National and International Brands and will do the same in case of Solar Inverters"

Q

.How would you sum up your journey from world class electronic instruments manufacturer to manufacturer of completely Made-in-India solar inverter?

It has been a long, arduous but interesting journey of growth of Electronic Instruments. We have become the market leaders on the strength of design, quality, reliability and performance and this has been contributed by the respective teams working in the respective areas. Innovation and USP’s have been a constant focus in whatever products Rishabh has brought to the market.

28 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

We found a vacuum in the design and development of Solar Inverters. India has slowly become a Solar capital of the world but if you see the main components such as Solar Panels, Solar Inverters they are still imported or locally assembled by foreign companies. At the

same time we believe that there is nothing that Indian engineers cannot develop or produce at competitive price and with exclusive features hence Rishabh has first imported technology from the world leader which is Gefran and then continuous develop-



Local manufacturer will ensure that the design is adopted to the local conditions and that customers will be able to get a much longer period of satisfactory performance over other imported Inverter  www.supersmartenergy.com

ment both in terms of features and in terms of power reading. So although we started with ranges upto 20 kW we are on the way of making 50kW to 100kW string inverters in India in the near future.

Q

.What was the strategic thinking behind acquiring the photovoltaic business of Italian Multinational Gefran in 2016? How far have you been successful in achieving the objectives behind the purchase?

Although we could have developed the Solar Inverter business on our own, the time to design, develop, test and protect t h e technology made us to take the decision in favour of acquiring the business of the Italian Multinational Gefran, that had a product which they had just developed and we found design to be superior and the possibility of competing in the market with some indigenisation and some development. So it was a wise decision we believe to acquire that business. But, like all other business Solar photovoltaic business also needs continuous development. People need inbuilt communication facilities so that data of energy generation is continuously pushed to the cloud.

Customers need continuous PR (Performance Ratio) calculation and alarm so that they are able to take corrective action whenever the photovoltaic system is not producing electricity as per

the weather conditions. Customer needs multiple MPPT (Max Power Point Tracker) so that the system is able to optimise even with different strengths in the same campus are under different light and or weather conditions. The market is slowly finding the advantage of string Inverter vis a vis central Inverters both in terms of maintenance and availability of power in case of breakdown hence we have to follow the requirement of the customers to be able to keep the leadership position.

Q

.With the purchase of the PV business of Gefran, what are the products that you have acquired or have the rights to?

Gefran was into both string Inverters and central Inverters.

String Inverters were upto 20 kW and Central Inverters were upto 1 MW. We have the rights of the string Inverter business and are open to buy the Central Inverter business.

Q

.What were the factors that led you to take decision to manufacture the solar inverters completely in India?

India is one of the largest market for Solar Inverters besides China and US. One can only be competitive when one is manufacturing products indigenously and taking decisions, development and stock optimisation to remain in the market and get leadership position. Rishabh never believes that importing finished or semifinished products is viable option hence Rishabh took decision of manufacturing this Solar Inverter

completely in India. Make in India campaign of our Government helps and many people preferred to buy Inverters which are made in the country. This is because Inverters have a long life of 10 -15 years and therefore, support has to be available on continuous basis.

Q

.What were the improvements that you had to make, favourable to the Indian conditions, before you started selling the Radius brands of Inverters in India?

The improvements are the added features such as connectivity to the cloud, pushing data either to the server or cloud, continuous calculation of PR values as well as Alarms and there by the malfunction or below optimal generation.

Some of the improvements that we have done is to bring in higher capacity Inverters from 20 kW to 50 kW and gradually 100 kW for Indian consumer. There are some more innovations we are working which will be available to the market once the innovations are commercialised.

Q

.How has been the response for the Radius brand of Inverters in India? Would you

»



Some of the improvements that we have done are the added features such as connectivity to the cloud, continuous calculation of PR values as well as Alarms and there by the malfunction or below optimal generation.

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Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Expert Insight like to share some feedback that you got from the consumer/ user?

Response of the Radius brand Inverters has been very good.

Market easily accepted the Radius brand which although sold by Gefran was not very popular before we launched in India.

Market has been appreciating some of the features but there are other competitive brands both from Germany and China having much wider server network and are the head start in this market and therefore, we have to ensure customer delight in order to convince the customer to buy product “Made in India” over German and Chinese Products. However, the Government policy plan to promote Roof Top Solar where Radius brand is very popular.

Government is now coming with a scheme to install Solar Generators from 5 kW to 15kW in the rural areas giving a very high subsidy to the farmers. This will further increase the market of Radius brand.

Q

.As a proponent of Manufacture in India, how important is the India solar component manufacturing industry for the overall growth of the solar industry?

Indigenous manufacturer of the components of any system is mandatory for the growth and sustainability of the industries.

Solar industries is now expand-

30 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

ing and besides design the main components are Solar PV and Solar Inverter. Local manufacturer will ensure that the design is adopted to the local conditions such as temperature and dust and that customers will be able to get a much longer period of satisfactory performance over other imported Inverter hence our belief is that this development will only increase in the coming years and there are many people manufacturing Solar Inverters.

There are very few manufacturers of PV Panels and although some people are selling this in Indian market the basic Solar Cell is mostly imported. It will be some time before the Solar Cell manufacturing also starts in India.

Q

.How do you plan to take on the competition from within and outside of India?

We are use to competitions in our all activities that Rishabh is into. Competition is that drives performance and innovation.

Manufacturers from India have the advantage of being able to respond quickly to the needs of the customer and give confidence for a long term support. Foreign manufacturers have advantage of centralised R&D and approvals for multiple grids. So competition ensures innovation and cost competitive which ensures further growth in market. Rishabh has the art of competing both with national and international brands

and will do the same in case of Solar Inverters.

Q

.Can we look forward to the launch of other products from the Gefran Portfolio in India and by when?

Rishabh has an excellent relationship with Gefran and possibilities to bring other products in India through Mr. Ennio Fransceschetti , Chairman of the Board & CEO and Mrs. Maria Chiara Franceschetti, Vice Chairman of the Board, who have travelled to India and seen the facility at Rishabh. Rishabh will start talking to them on other products such as sensors, drives, and automation products to meet the needs of the Indian market, after the first project with them is stable and running.

Q

.What role do you envision Rishabh Instruments to play in the overall growth of the solar sector in India?

Rishabh has always had a core competency for electronic manufacturing and power electronics.

We understand this area very well and will continue focus only on areas we have our core competency and therefore we will not into other areas of Solar manufacturing but will develop this business and we believe that there is a market of Central Inverter, Rishabh will take that step 

 www.supersmartenergy.com

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Rooftop Solar

Need for Code Regulatory Authority for SPV Mounting Systems in India Authored By: Harshal Akhouri Co-Founding Director, Strolar Mounting Systems Private Limited

Solar or coal? The energy India picks may decide Earth’s fate.

- Charles C. Mann in December 2015

T

he above statement is indicative of India’s strengths in renewable energy. The climate change threats are driving our dependence on pollution free sources of energy to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. No doubt solar PV energy is one of the cleanest sources of electricity and is being considered as next to fossil fuel based conventional electricity systems.

World cumulative installed solar energy capacity of 3.7 GW in 2004 has reached 303 GW in 2017 i.e., increasing almost 90 times in thirteen years. Global investment in Renewable Energy (RE) has been growing steadily and increased fifty four times since 2004, from $47 bn to $2598.1 bn in 2016 in twelve years. The share of investment in the solar rooftop and other solar PV projects is increasing more rapidly.

As solar tariffs continue to fall

32 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

and competition heats up, cost cutting on solar mounting structures is an obvious first choice because the under performance will not be noticed - until a major climatic event occurs.

About the article: This article is aimed at structural engineers, developers, engineering companies, mounting system companies, investors and/ or stakeholders, readers as well as people in the construction domain. The motivation behind writing the article is to understand the need of a regulatory authority for validating a mounting system product before it is supplied to any construction sites.

Why validate solar mounting structure?

Typically all solar mounting structures that are installed in the market should have been vali-

dated, if they are already not. ii Because ≥ 80% of solar PV plant cost depend on the strength of the mounting structure If the mounting structure fails, so does the module, the functioning of the plant, the generation of plant and so on. The mounting system should at least be validated by 3rd party or peer-reviewed so as to check the authenticity of the product being shipped. ii A system that performs well in one wind zone might not last in the other In the past, we have come across mounting structures being used for a different wind zone when it was designed for another. Result: catastrophic failures. ii Time and cost saving during project execution and operation When a mounting system product  www.supersmartenergy.com

is a validated system, it saves time for electrical design, structural design, sourcing time, etc. ii STAAD report is not the be-all and end-all of structural design Let us start with wind load. Customarily, vendors specify wind speed for which their mounting structures are designed. Now, wind speed per se does not tell us much. Purlins and other thin-walled sections fail not because of vonmises stresses but due to local, torsional-flexural or lateral buckling, and the failures can only be identified in finite element analysis. Another reason for STAAD being ineffective that it ignores the dynamic effects on the mounting structures. Lighter sections pass all the static tests of design but what about the dynamic effects?

As the structures become more slender, dynamic effects become more powerful. Wind creates vortices at a particular periodicity, and if you are unlucky and the period of oscillation of your structure matches the vortices, resonance happens.

The structure will then most probably fly off or damage a lot of mounted equipment.

policies, countries are drawn to India’s lucrative and ever growing renewable energy market. With a validated system compliant to International Standards, India can set the pace for newer unexplored markets in the world.

Whether you buy a shoe, a pillow or an aircraft – most products are manufactured (or shall be manufactured) based on some quality and safety standards set by international/local bodies formed of experts in the field. Solar mod-

What are the regulatory standards and who makes them?

»

ii Open world markets for India We have seen with the rising renewable energy sector and government

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Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Rooftop Solar ules and even the PV mounting systems are no exception. Since, there is no regulatory organization in India, which develops standards for mounting structures, except Indian Standards (IS) and Solar Energy Corporation of India, SECI following international bodies develop and maintain for various mounting systems types and installation procedures: ›› International Organization of Standardization, ISO ›› International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC ›› International Code Council, ICC ›› SEMI International Standards Program, SEMI ›› Underwriter Laboratories, UL ›› European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation ›› Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, IEEE ›› American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM ›› European Committee for Standardisation, CEN ›› American National Standards Institute, ANSI SECI and IS do not enforce that the code compliances are met on the supplied mounting structures, as on date, today. However, SECI does conduct an inspection after the commissioning of the SPV power plant. Code compliances and limiting companies to supply validated mounting structures before the supply could be a game-changer and will entrust the industry with technical confidence since all statutory compliances are followed.

Major Mounting System Standards In a given country, and for a particular type of installation, some of the standards specified by some or all of these bodies may apply subject to the national regulations.

Any desired standards document can be purchased normally from the body directly or from third parties.

All operators, installation contractors, maintenance people related to PV mounting structures

34 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

have to perform according to these standards. Certified training institutes are available for training technicians to work according to these standards. There are other organisations for quality inspection and training. Some of the major applicable standards are: ›› UL 2703, Standard for Mounting Systems, Mounting Devices, Clamping/Retention Devices, and Ground Lugs for Use with FlatPlate Photovoltaic Modules ›› ICC AC 428, Acceptance Criteria for Modular Framing Systems Used to Support Photovoltaic (PV) Modules ›› UL 3703, Outline of Investigation for Solar Trackers ›› UL 3730, Defines photovoltaic junction boxes intended to be attached to photovoltaic modules. ›› UL 9703, Outline of Investigation for Distributed Generation Wiring Harnesses ›› UL 6703, Outline of Investigation for Connectors for Use in Photovoltaic Systems

Is an issuing authority on certifying mounting structures really required?

Solar mounting structures with an product validation and compliance certification mark may be connected to the grid, may receive government rebates & tax incentives and may also be covered by insurances and reduce the time and cost of plant assessment.

We have seen in the past how mounting systems have malfunctioned on the application of testing wind speed. A 15 MW was ripped apart on application of 70% of the design wind speed. The developer not only had to face commercial damages but also with reputation and investor confidence. Similar cases are widespread or are accidents waiting to happen because of noncompliance of statutory codes and regulations.

Commerce: All systems that are required to be validated have to spend substantial capex initially to meet the code compliances for each product that is developed, which is an additional cost to the develop the SPV power plant. To coming close to the dream of “rooftop ready” or “grid ready”, it would just be a nominal expenditure.

Who can help?

Government of India has taken many initiatives to promote renewable energy sector in India and across the world. The definition of duties by SECI and MNRE has been commendable for improving and paving path for a monumental target, which almost seemed impossible at one time.

SECI can set up a separate wing for the validation of products in accordance to Indian Standards or may be International Standards Organisation and ensure that the

 www.supersmartenergy.com

supplied systems are the only ones that have been validated by authority. Currently, SECI has been approving systems project-wise and laid out a general technical requirement for mounting structures, which are being followed.

While strong foundations are being built in India through net metering policies and revising package of incentives; at city level greater role of municipalities in amendment of building by-laws for considering solar rooftop structure as temporary structure so that it does not need fresh approval for raising height of the building and role of DISCOMS in providing reduction in electricity bills by selling at lower rate in proportion to higher wattage achieved from solar installation so as increase home owners’ contribution in energy security for 24 /7 power for all are being considered.

Provisions are also needed for exemptions as tax exemptions or even general subsidy in promoting practices of using validated and code-compliant mounting structures initially set as free to the developer to promote the integrity and value-addition that the approved mounting systems from a governing authority can give with the current missions on ‘Make in India’, ‘grid ready’ and ‘rooftop ready’ as a promise for developing capabilities and transformation of entire solar industry in the country is

recommended. Export of the once validated and code-compliant system should be the suggested goals for the future  Disclaimer: This article is provided to support and standardise the solar mounting structure validation process.

The opinion and perspectives expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the postings, strategies or opinions of Strolar Mounting Systems Private Limited.

About the Author: Harshal is a smart grid thought leader and clean technology enthusiast. He is an expert in business development, operation management, product and process design. As CoFounding Director of Strolar, he was instrumental in creating a multi-million dollar company with over 100+ projects in the first year of Strolar, making it the market leader of mounting structures in India in rooftop solar. Currently, he looks after business development and strategic partnerships for Strolar.

In Conversation

 Ketan Mehta

Managing Director, Rays Power Infra Pvt. Ltd.

"Going forward, e-mobility, energy storage and B2C segments will play a major role in growth of the Company"

Q

.Starting from EPC and project development and now into e-mobility and energy storage, how would you summarize Rays Power Infra’s your journey till date?

Rays Power Infra in its 7 years of existence has had an incredible journey starting as a solar power policy & advisory consultancy, selectively moving towards PPA advisory and bidding, design, engineering, procurement and commissioning.

Over the last 3 years, Rays Power Infra has entered the project development for providing our clients with integrated solutions ranging from land, approvals, EPC, commissioning and post-com-

36 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

missioning O&M on project third party developer and co-developer.

As co-developer, Rays Power Infra is also involved in financial closure and equity investment for development of project before sale.

Going forward, Rays Power is also aggressively pursuing opportunities in distributed generation, rooftop business along with e-mobility and retail networks targeting retail consumers with one-stop solar solutions.

Q

.What is the strategic thinking behind entering the solar retail segment what opportunities you are looking at from the B2C segment?

On the retail/ B2C segment, Rays Power Infra is looking at brandbased foray in establishing retail network and business platform with providing end-to-end solar solutions through a dedicated franchisee model.

In the medium term, we are looking at establishing dedicated franchisee-based retail networks across Metro, tier-1 and tier-2 cities in India for sale of retail solar products.

Q

.How do you plan to expand your retail presence and what are the products that would be retailed through these stores?

 www.supersmartenergy.com

Expansion in to the retail segment would be gradual roll out of dedicated franchisee stores starting with metro cities and moving subsequently to tier 1 and tier 2 cities over a period of next 3 years.

and/ or Malaysia, initially for a two-year period. The imposition of safeguard duty will have an incremental impact on tariff to the tune of approximately INR 0.30 per unit.

The primary item the Company intends to sell through our retail network will be plug-and-play solar kits, solar products for retails consumption such as modules and solar based lights, chargers, inverters, batteries, etc along with an opportunity for franchisees for participation in small tenders and O&M services for retails customers

The incremental tariffs will further increase the cost of electricity purchase for DISCOMs and will ultimately increase power cost for retail and C&I consumers.

Q

.Going forward how to you see the e-mobility, energy storage and B2C segment contributing to the overall growth of the company?

Going forward, e-mobility, energy storage and B2C segments will play a major role in growth of the Company, however the major contributions will be through B2C segments and sale of retail products through dedicated franchiseebased retail network stores.

Energy storage is still under testing phase in India and we see a major shift in bidding patterns in the next 2 years with major focus towards use of energy-storage batteries as complimentary to the existing solar projects to cater to the needs of reliable and clean source of energy during nonsunlight hours and night time.

E-mobility is another segment we are keenly looking at; however the majority of our business would come from supply of batteries and energy storage solutions to e-mobility segment.

Q

.Express your views on the GoI decision of imposing safeguard duty on imported solar panels? What effect do you see for the solar industry in India?

The GoI vide official notification has imposed safeguard duty for import of solar cells and solar modules in to India from China

On the solar industry front, the power sale tariff will increase by the same differential leading to increased cost for developers to reduction in expected equity returns.

Q

.With falling tariffs, concerns relating to the quality of solar project are raised, how do you at Rays Power Infra address those concerns? What steps do you take to ensure that quality project is delivered at a given tariff?

Rays Power Infra on the development front, we are cautious with our equipment and works pricing and do not compromise on the return requirements and thereby suitably select the tenders to bid for after diligently evaluating all Central, State and PSU tenders.

Rays Power Infra puts in major importance and effort in maintaining high quality work delivery across supply, service and commissioning milestones. All material supplies are from reputed national and international suppliers with solar modules imported only from BNEF’s Tier 1 suppliers.

Another major factor that contributes in keeping a check on quality vis-à-vis pricing is the timelines of project execution which effects the procurement of materials of which a major cost component is the modules, which over the last 2 years have shown gradual fall in prices. Proper timing of execution works on ground vis-à-vis planning for supply and delivery of material on site including modules helps keep a tab on prices which in turn does a check on meeting adequate

returns on development at fixed tariffs.

Q

.Rays Power Infra has been bestowed with various awards and recognition, to what do you attribute your success to?

Rays Power Infra’s stellar success in last 7 years of its operations is attributable to many reasons and accounts of which the primary reason is the high capability and skill of its professionals in areas of engineering and design, procurement negotiations and high-grade execution capacities in almost all major states of India.

Rays Power Infra has all through given major importance to its technical design and engineering capacities to provide all its clients with the technically feasible and economically optimal designs coupled with best in-class execution team for on time delivery of project milestones and commissioning. This has helped Rays Power Infra achieve good reputation in the market as solar power EPC developer.

Q

.Would you like to share with our readers Rays Power Infra’s future plans and how do you see the company contributing to the growth of the solar industry?

Going forward, Rays Power Infra will continue to be major player in solar power EPC contracting with achieving target of developing over 300 MW of solar capacity in a year and gradually increasing annually in the areas of IPP development, third party EPC works, open access projects and captive/ group captive projects.

Rays Power Infra also plans to foray in to international market in FY2018 with primary focus towards Africa and South-East Asia market. In these territories starting with EPC works, the Company will gradually move towards solar development in the target countries 

37

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Cover Story

RD

UA

G FE SA

WILL SAFEGUARD CHANGE THE FATE OF THE INDIAN SOLAR INDUSTRY 38 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

 www.supersmartenergy.com

The proposed 25% safeguard duty on solar modules is both a blessing and curse for the solar value chain. The blessing is the opportunity it provides the domestic module industry to expand and grow. The curse is that the duty is likely to raise the capital cost for solar projects thereby increasing

T

he Indian solar industry has been nothing short of a wild roller coaster ride lately, with a lot of confusion around safeguard duty imposition on imported solar cells and modules from neighboring countries. The Indian government has been quite aggressive in the solar sector so far, recently installing more than 1.3 GW of solar capacity in the second quarter (April-June 2018). This was the fourth consecutive quarter where solar capacity addition was more than thermal power capacity addition. The country also revised its renewable energy installation target to 227 GW, with over 100 GW expected to come from solar projects. India is expecting to install nearly 20 GW of solar capacity each year going forward.

One of the major reasons of the solar boom in India is the rising awareness about its benefits and a pro-renewable energy government at the centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left no stone unturned to change the face of the Indian energy sector. As a result of the Paris climate change agreement, India along with more than 190 other countries have vowed to reduce their carbon footprints and agreed to keep the average global temperature rise within 2 degrees centigrade. India’s share of solar capacity addition has outpaced the net capacity addition in the coal sector (which has been just 2.4 GW over the last four quarters). Given India’s aggressive solar

the tariff of solar power by 15% to 20%.

The writer of this story Sneha Shah takes a holistic approach and weaves an interesting article that not only focuses on the benefits and drawbacks but also examines the impact of the safeguard duty on the overall Indian solar industry.

stance, Indian and international companies alike, have discovered India as a hot solar market and intend to make the most of the opportunity at hand.

However, things got a bit out of hand, when imports started to cross the comfortable limit in India. Given lack of sufficient manufacturing capacity in India and falling prices of imported solar components, India started to deploy more imported rather than domestically produced solar products. For instance, Trina Solar was the biggest supplier of modules to India in 2017, with imports rising to more than 1 GW. This led to a wave of agitation amongst Indian solar manufacturing companies, who had wanted to increase their manufacturing capacities in order to tap the huge potential of the Indian solar market.

The import volumes of the solar cells and modules have increased from 1,275 MW in 201415 to 9,833 MW in 2017-18. On the other hand, domestic production increased from 141 MW to just 318 MW during the same time period. It is clearly evident from the numbers that the domestic industry was unable to match up their production and sales to the rate of increased solar demand in India.

During the same time the market share of domestic industry consistently declined from 8% in 2014-15 to just 3% in 2017-18.

After Europe and USA imposed anti-dumping duty on Chinese imports, India became the top

market for China. China’s exports to India increased from just 1.5% in 2012 to more than 20% in 2016.

Availability of better quality goods at lower prices led to a surge in imports. Lack of better technology, economies of scale and higher cost of capital has acted as headwinds for the domestic manufacturers in India. Following this, the WTO Appellate Body also held the DCR to be inconsistent in 2016 on an appeal by the USA. Clearly not having their way, an application was filed to the Directorate General of Trade Remedies, by the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) on behalf of five Indian producers, namely Mundra Solar Pvt Ltd, Indosolar Ltd., Jupiter Solar Power Ltd., Websol Energy Systems and Helios PV Ltd. They had initially proposed a 70% duty imposition on imported solar products. They also tried to seek some relief citing the protection of PM’s Make in India initiative and safeguarding thousands of jobs associated with construction of capacity.

About Safeguard Duties According to section 8B of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 safeguard duty can be imposed on imports by the Central Government on any article “if it is being imported into India in such increased quantities and under such conditions so as to cause or threaten to cause serious

» 39

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Cover Story injury to the Domestic Industry.”

PROPOSED SAFEGUARD DUTY (%) AND DURATION

India imposed a 25% safeguard duty on solar imports from neighboring countries like China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. The safeguard duty on PV modules and cells came into force from July 30, 2018. The magnitude of the duty would gradually decrease over a period of time – 25% for the first year, 20% for the next six months thereafter and 15% for another six months.

It is true that India is undergoing a massive paradigm shift as far as the energy sector is concerned and many industry players feared that an imposition of duty would distort the pace of solar growth in India. As such, few interested parties also proposed excluding solar products made from using foreign technologies such as thin film, PERC, Bi-facial N-type, busbar production and mono crystalline technologies from the ambit of ‘products under consideration.’

Few other parties proposed to exclude SEZ units from the scope of domestic industry as well.

What different Indian companies had to say about Safeguard Duty provisions:

Year

Safeguard Duty Recommended

First Year

Safeguard duty @ 25% ad valorem

Second Year

Safeguard duty @ 20% ad valorem

Second Year

Safeguard duty @ 15% ad valorem

(for first 6 months)

(For next 6-months)

Vikram Solar asked for exempting goods coming from the SEZ units from the levy of safeguard duties.

SEZ or special economic zones are considered to be outside Indian customs territories. Any goods manufactured in these zones and sold in India are subject to import duties including safeguard duty, as applicable on imported goods from other countries. According to the company, a large proportion of India’s manufacturing is located in SEZ units and if these units are not exempt from the said duties, the imposition of SGD would be counterproductive to the domestic industry.

According to Acme Solar, a leading solar installer and developer in India, there has been a misrepresentation of the domestic industry’s capacity. The company

Chinese Export of Solar Cells (whether or not assembled in modules or panels) Chinese Exports To (USD 000’)

H1 2016

H2 2016

H1 2017

World

6,062,679

5,284,783

5,350,966

India

1,122,083

1,326,133

2,074,573

Japan

1,219,493

1,339,231

1,095,773

838,606

450,002

233,481

1,019,870

348,793

34,268

Share of India

18.51%

25.09%

38.77%

Share of EU + USA

30.65%

15.12%

5.00%

EU USA

holds the view that nearly 60% of the companies petitioning for SGD are placed in Special Economic Zones and therefore, these companies should not be treated as domestic for the purposes of safeguard duty. As a consequence, the whole report based on which the investigation took place has led to a flawed recommendation in regards to domestic capacities etc.

Renew Solar Power thinks that the products under consideration or PUC has been incorrectly defined. Solar cells manufactured from c-Si and thin film technologies are two separate products.

Similarly, solar cells and solar modules cannot form a part of a single investigation since they are not like articles.

Companies like Amplus Energy Solutions and Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions have said that imposition of safeguard duties could lead to huge job losses and even bankruptcy.

Waaree Energies Ltd. has however, favored safeguard duties saying that more than 90% of panels installed in India last year was imported from China. The company even hinted at China deploying predatory pricing to expand market share in India.

What Foreign Companies had to say?

First Solar, the leading manufac-

40 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

 www.supersmartenergy.com

JAN-18

2016

AUG-18 India imposes 25% duty

ISMA appeals for duties

DCR Nullified

JUL & DEC-17

Directorate General of Safeguards, Customs & Central Excise have found a preliminary. However, no 70% duty

Safeguard Duties stayed once again

JUL-18

Timeline of Safeguard Duty turer of thin film solar products and having a strong foothold in India, has pleaded to exclude thin film products from the purview of the PUC. The company also upholds that treating the SEZ unit, as part of the domestic industry is not acceptable.

The European Commission considers an imposition of safeguard duties inappropriate on grounds that an increase in

imports from only one country is not enough to justify imposition of global safeguard measures. China alone accounts for a major portion of imports into India, with other countries exporting only minor quantities into India.

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in India also criticized the move saying after the unsuccessful attempt at imposing anti-dumping duties against Chi-

Even with Duties, Chinese PV Modules will be Competitive in India According to Taiwan-based EnergyTrend, India’s imposition of safeguard tariffs for two years, which came into effect on July 30, will do little to boost the country’s domestic solar PV manufacturing landscape.

Citing its comparatively small scale and lack of competitiveness on an international level when it comes to both quality and prices, the analysts expect the tariffs to have an overall negative impact on the Indian market in the second half of this year, with demand set to be under 3.5 GW. Furthermore, it expects just 8.5 to 9.6 GW to be installed throughout 2018, with a 30% demand decrease forecast for the fiscal year 2018 (April 2018 to March 2019), from the previous fiscal year. This will put at risk the country’s goal of installing 100 GW of solar by 2022.

nese imports, SGD investigations must be terminated on grounds of no serious injury or threat thereof.

Increase in Prices - One of the Major Criticisms of Safeguard Duties One of the major criticisms of safeguard duty imposition was that it would eventually raise the project tariff in India. The price of solar is amongst the cheapest in India. Today it is cheaper to install a solar plant when compared to installing a thermal power plant in India.

According to industry experts, the safeguard duty would increase capital costs by 15-20%, and raise bid tariffs by another 30-40 paisa per unit. Prices of a solar system are poised to increase to more than INR 3 per unit from prevailing INR 2.5 per unit levels today, after duty imposition. The price of rooftop solar is further expected to increase to nearly INR 4 per unit.

It is important to note here that the Chinese solar panel prices have already declined over the last couple of months, which means that the effect of price rise from safeguard duties would not be very prominent.

Moreover, no relief has been provided to the existing solar pro-

»

41

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Cover Story finish the ongoing projects in hand

Current Status

2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18* 2017-18#

Particulars

Unit

Total imports

MW

1,275

4,186

6,375

4,917

9,833

Production of DI

MW

141

191

314

159

318

*(Upto Sept. 2017)

#Annualized

Though the production of DI has increased by 126%, its negligible as compared to the 671% increase in imports, going by the data it would be very difficult for the DI to fulfill the increasing demand if India has to achieve its target of 100GW by 2022.

jects or units located in SEZs. The energy and resources institute (TERI) is also of the opinion that the cost of power for DISCOM and consumers will increase as a result of duty imposition.

“Levying of safeguard duties may not help the domestic industry. It would on the other hand, increase cost of solar power, making it less attractive to the buying utilities, and thus jeopardizing the pace of growth of development of solar power,” said Ajay Mathur, director general, TERI.

A bandonment / Delay of Existing Solar Projects

more than 80% of this capacity is idle because of lack of demand for domestically manufactured components.

“We did not bid in the Karnataka auction because the bid documents do not include the provision for tariff change if there is a change in law,” said Vikram Kailas, managing director at Mytrah Energy.

Leading Indian solar developer Acme Solar also threatened to pull out of existing 2000 MW projects, if the brunt of safeguard duties is not passed on to the utilities as well. The main argument was that safeguard duties were imposed without giving an adequate window for developers to react or

Leading solar developers like Hero Future Energies, ACME Solar and Vikram Solar had filed petitions opposing the safeguard duties, in the Orissa High Court. MNRE had also requested the Finance Ministry to exempt the existing projects from safeguards duty.

As a result, within few days of this announcing the duty imposition, the finance ministry has planned to stay it further. The imported solar cells and solar panels will be assessed provisionally on furnishing a simple letter of undertaking or bond for the time being.

The main purpose of imposing these duties was to protect the domestic manufacturing industry.

However, not exempting the SEZ units from the purview of safeguard duty, leads to no benefit for the Indian manufacturers.

Duty imposition would have led to a slowdown in the pace of solar growth over the next couple of years. The government needs to plan more diligently and taking into account the practical implications. Other measures like availability of low cost financing, creating better solar infrastructure and improving the ease of doing business in India should also be adopted hand-in-hand 

Developers feel that as much as 6,000 MW of current ongoing solar projects might become non-viable after the duty imposition. Around 8 GW-9 GW of solar energy capacity is under construction at various stages and about double of this capacity is tendered out for allocation. It is feared that no DISCOM would come forward and sign future PPAs in such a scenario.

India has close to 1,400 MW and 2,500 MW in solar cell and module capacities, respectively. However,

42 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

 www.supersmartenergy.com

43

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Face 2 Face

 Prashant Thakkar

Manager - Solar & Battery Instruments, and North India Marketing Manager, Meco Meters Private Limited

"We provide Reliable, Long Lasting and Affordable instruments to industry which results in low input cost, Maximizing the Gain for Solar Industry"

Q

.MECO is synonyms to test and measuring instruments, what is the range of test and measuring products from MECO useful for solar industry?

MECO, covers majorly all the instruments required in Solar Industries as follow : ii Solar System Analyser ii Solar Power Meter ii Digital Multimeter ii Digital Clampmeter ii Clamp-On Earth/Ground Resistance and Leakage current tester ii Digital Insulation Tester

44 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

ii Infrared / Thermal Imaging Camera ii Battery Testers ii Multifunction Meter and Energy Monitoring Meter ii Transducer for SCADA ii Laser Distance Meter ii Digital and Analog Panel Meters

Q

.Could you elaborate on the role T&M instruments play in the overall function, analysis and maintenance of solar equipment’s/ project?

T&M plays very important and

vital role in solar industry. As solar industry is completely a electrical power generation industry, so it is essential to keep on monitoring the output of the system. And also for gaining high efficiency from the system proper maintenance is essential, where T&M comes into picture. Also as Solar equipments are placed on field in changing atmospheric conditions and weather, so timely monitoring of system ensure the desired output.

Q

.How important is IV Curve test for a solar module or a system and the benefits and advantages of using a MECO  www.supersmartenergy.com

with our customer and even at lay man level, form were we get valued feedback for our instruments and accordingly we keep on innovation our instruments.

We upgrade our products as per need of customers.

Q solar system/ module analyzer for measuring IV Curve?

The electrical power produced by a solar module is a function of the current (I) and voltage (V). Measuring the relationship between current and voltage whilst varying the electrical load connected to the PV cell or module from open circuit to short circuit produces a characteristic current Vs. Voltage (I-V) curve.

Real-time power monitoring systems only provide an actual power generated. However, if the actual yield is less that the design figure, they provide no information, So I-V Curve tracing is required to identify the root cause of an under-performing PV system.

If I-V curve for the installed string shows a distinct change in the angle of slope or shifts in the shape of the curve, then these will indicate that something is wrong with one or more of the individual modules.

Q

.Could you elaborate on the key features of solar power meter and its use?

Solar Power meter is essential to check the Irradiance value of sun at site to install solar plant, and also to decide the tilt angel of solar panel for fetching the maximum solar power. MECO Solar Power Meter 936, is designed and equipped with those features to provide accurate Irradiance power with orientation in W/m2 & BTU /(ft2.h) and also the tilt angel, an complete kit for Solar Power measurement and Solar panel

installation. MECO 936 provides features as Average, Min/Max values, as the irradiance value of sun always keeps on varying.

Q

.What is your strategy in regards to offering best value to customer for the price, compared to similar offerings from competitors?

We know the Indian market and the also the mind-set of technicians, as we are in T&M industry since 1962.

We have design and developed our product considering all of our experience of several years, and kept the function and operation of Analyzer very simple with very few buttons to avoid confusion, so any technician can also use it.

In 9018BT we have provided on screen display in analyser, so that IV curve can be visual immediately to engineer and decision would be made accordingly, rather than caring laptops on fields.

We offer Solar System Analyser in very best price in Indian Market, with best sales and service support to our valued customers.

Q

.Continued innovation is the key to success in this growing industry. How is the process of innovation managed at MECO? For any innovation problem statement should be very clear and known. Problems or issues come on fields only, while using instruments. We maintain very friendly and interactive relation

.Your views on the current state of solar industry and going forward how to you see the solar industry contributing to the overall growth of MECO Instruments?

It is going to have remarkable growth trends. Credit goes to GoI and its initiatives. Speed of making Decisions, Policies and Overcoming the Hurdles in path of set target, is really appreciable.

Especially the decision made for Rooftop Policy, Solar Parks, etc., will provide a boost to the sector.

Considering long term growth, the sector will definitely Bloom. We expect more exponential growth from solar industry.

Q

.What role do you envision for MECO instruments to play in the overall growth of the solar industry? How would you define success for you and your company? ii We provide T&M solutions for Solar industry, which plays vital role in maintaining the solar plants and monitoring efficiency. ii T&M are essential for proper maintenance and uninterrupted operations, accordingly for Total Productive Maintenance. ii We provide Reliable, Long Lasting and Affordable instruments to industry which definitely results in low input cost and maximizing the Gain for Solar Industry. ii We measure our success inline to expansion of our happy customer family, repeat orders are our appreciation certificates from our customer, which means a lot to us. ii In MECO our prime concern is always customer satisfaction ď Ž

45 

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy 

Corporate World

Sai CabTech Comprehensive Solar and Renewable Energy Solution Provider

S

ai Cab Tech, an ISO 9001:2015, is engaged in designing, manufacturing, supplying, installation, testing and commissioning of various types of products and services for Solar power project; electrical substation/switchyards, power transmission &distribution, electrical transformers, EPC for all Renewal energy project, electrical panels, HT/LT electrical power cables & conductors, all electrical installation work, telecom infrastructure, telecom cable inclusive of optical fiber cables, hybrid cables and cables for special application.

We channelized through a single window system, the company provide a complete customized turnkey –based solutions in the field of Solar power projects; power transmission and distribution, electrical installations,Telecom infrastructure and complete industrial power solutions etc.

The company also provides service for preparation of feasibility study report for solar power generation projects, preparation of power purchase agreements, legal agreements, technical and commercial DPR, solution for renewable purchase obligations, compliance audit of renewable power procurement by the distribution licensees’ captive generator, open access users etc. on annual basis.

It provides customized solution with quality, timely delivery and after sales services as and when required as per customer needs.

The company operates throughout India.

The company is a Government approved electrical contractor for

46 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

Leadership Mr. Prakash Soni, Chairman & Managing Director SAI CABTECH P. LIMITED founded by Mr. Prakash Soni, a Technocrat holding a first class Bachelor of Engineering with Masters in Business Administration. He brings with him over more than two decades of experience into Designing, Research & Development, and Manufacturing of customized product and cost effective solutions in the field of power & telecom sector.

Possessing sound technical knowledge, Mr. Soni along with his team of experienced engineers, initiated focusing on imparting in-depth knowledge with the industries involving them in designing of Renewable Energy, Power & Telecommunication Systems as per their specific requirements.

This earned him recognition, acceptance & ample response from the industries that resulted in various opportunities to work with the industry´s majors. Under his expert guidance, Sai CabTech P Ltd today is reckoned amongst leading solution provider to the most complex requirement of various areas globally.

66 Kv class and channel partner to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Government of India and empanelled to various state governments nodal agency such as in Gujarat (GEDA), in Punjab (PEDA), in Maharashtra (MEDA), in Jharkhand (JREDA) in Uttar Pradesh (UPREDA), in west Bengal (WBREDA) and other PSU like Indian Oil, Indian Railways etc for solar power projects.

Turnkey Solar Projects The company offers expertise in installations of a wide range of tailor made solutions for Solar

Ground mountain and Rooftop On Grid/ off-grid and Hybrid for residential rooftop, industrial roof, metal roof mounting structure commercial buildings, hospitals, school and college buildings. The whole system is composed of PV modules, solar inverter, smart controller, solar mounting structure and an online monitoring system.

Through residential rooftop solution, the resident can generate its own power onsite and enjoy the benefits of sustainable and reliable power with no major recurring cost and minimum maintenance.

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efits, which reduce their carbon footprint and helps to maintain towards a greener planet for future generation. The company also provides customized rooftop solutions to meet specific requirements and offer an independent power source for commercial and residential consumers. The company installs industrial Rooftop in factories, warehouses, manufacturers, processors etc. and undertakes solar farms or solar ranches projects. The company also undertakes installation of off grid and hybrid solar energy systems for residential and industrial site.

Sai CabTech solar solutions for agriculture include understanding of nature of water requirement, the type of irrigation employed and the depth of water availability.

Based on these, the type of pump, the controller capacity and the solar module capacity required are worked out. The structures can be made either stand alone or tracking based on the site conditions

The company’s client base includes IOCL, Reliance industries, ONGC, Adani, Larsen & Turbo, Tata consultancy services, R&B, Ford Motors, BSNL, Indian railways, ISRO, NTPC, BHEL, Bharat Electronics, GSPC and many other prestigious clients.

Solar Solutions Sai CabTech is specialized in system designing and commissioning solar projects. The company is also channel partner with MNRE for developing solar projects. The company also provides Post-installation services that are integral to maintaining energy

production and high level of performance for the project, including preventative maintenance and a quick mean time to repair (MTTR).

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47

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Quality & Performance

Pilot Study on Quality Aspects of PV Power Plants in India

S

ix representative plants were selected and inspected by PI Berlin between the 3rd and 14th July 2017 thanks to the support of the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), in cooperation with the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the National Institute for Solar Energy of India (NISE). The shortlisted plants were selected considering Indian specific environmental stress factors present in different climates; representative module and mounting structure technologies typically used in India and state wise accumulated solar capacity.

Evaluation methodology The selected plants were evaluated by PI Berlin using a Technical Due Diligence product developed specifically for operating assets.

The inspection methodology is based on the assessment of 7 main topics: Con-tracts, Technical Design, Installation Quality, Commissioning Completeness, Module Quality, System Performance and Operation & Maintenance.

The purpose of this study was to document the status quo of the six plants in terms of safety, performance and commercial touching points, and to identify failures, risks and mitigation measures that can help increase awareness among solar project developers (SPD) and financing institutions in regards to Quality Assurance of Solar PV projects.

48 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

Authored By: Asier Ukar Senior Consultant, PI Photovoltaik Institut Berlin AG Note: The results and interpretations shown and illustrated in this document are only applicable to the inspected sites and are not representative for the entirety of the Indian solar PV market, due to the reduced sample covered in the study.

Results The results and outcomes of the survey show that (i) strict technical requirements in regards to accurate component selection (ii) failure free installation, (iii) commissioning aligned with the international norms, and (iv) a comprehensive O&M program, are four key aspects that need to be addressed properly in the EPC and O&M contracts along with the necessary performance warranties.

Missing or poorly expressed warranties in the EPC and O&M contracts are a risk for the owner since the quality can’t be properly ensured along the various project stages.

sporadic failures with clear impact on the performance, (ii) area-wide failures with clear impact on the performance, and (iii) failures without impact on the system performance but threatening the PV plant´s safety.

The analysis of the PV plant´s safety is a key aspect and is often disregarded, as it is not al-ways coupled to a visible performance drop.

A special focus should be put on the PV module as it is the most sensitive component of the PV system, and its stability during the full operational lifecycle is strongly affected by the manufacturing quality, the environmental factors and the damages caused by improper handling.

The lack of trained installers and operators, the use of non-

During the electro-mechanical evaluation of the PV plants three types of failures were detected: (i)

Fig. 2: Left: PID affected module; Right: Module showing cracked cells due to improper handling

Fig. 1: Ground electrode affected by salt corrosion

durable and cheap system components, and the lack of supervision of owner’s engineers (OE) and lender’s technical advisors (LTA) representing the interests of SPD  www.supersmartenergy.com

Fig. 3: Faulty ribbon soldering

and financing institutions respectively, are some of the ingredients that increase significantly the investment risk of the project.

Many failures both in the PV modules and the BOS, are easily avoidable with an appro-priate quality control program starting in the PV module factory, continuing during the de-sign and construction phase and finishing at the PV plant commissioning stage.

the described quality lacks are: (i) strong price pressure in the Indian market, (ii) inexperience of stakeholders, (iii) lack of awareness of some key stakeholders in regards to project risks, (iv) aggressive climatic conditions, (v) Owner´s Engineers and Lender´s Technical Advisors not fully established in the Indian PV sector (vi) lax tender requirements offering high comfort to module suppliers and installation companies.

Usability of this study Competitive reverse auctions that push down bid prices to extremely

Reasons for poor Quality Some of the reasons leading to

Fig. 4: Bad module fixation to the mounting structure

low levels, is a scenario where cutting corners in regards to quality may become a common practice.

The present study helps to counteract and prevent the negative effects of poor quality during the deployment of PV projects, by de-tecting risks and translating them into clear statements and recommendations contain-ing mitigation actions and risk prevention measures for developers, system integrators and financing institutions.

These statements were summarized in 25 take-away messages in a detailed report that will contribute to the sustainable achieve-ment of the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Missions’ political goals, aiming at installing 100 GW of solar generating capacity by 2022 

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49

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Corporate Companies World

GREEN DEIF WORLD Words Supported With Actions

C

limate change effects world over have resulted in transition of focus from using black to green energy solutions. Not only so, people also want to introduce a mix of green in their existing portfolio with multiple green energy sources.

Central to DEIF’s vision is to be the preferred global supplier of green, safe and reliable energy control solutions, we at DEIF are committed to actively engaging in and supporting sustainable environmental policy by developing and supplying cleantech products and intelligent power management. Our goal is to help make the world a little greener every time we implement a DEIF solution. Reflecting the accelerating switch of the worldwide energy system towards more renewable and sustainable energy practices, DEIF’s progressive strategies

and product development focus intensely on Wind power, Hybrid Solar, Hydropower and Biogas.

Aiming to also act in an ethically responsible way across all business segments, including conventional power generation, all DEIF products and solutions are developed in accordance with DEIF’s green vision. DEIF develops energy efficient products and solutions that reduce fuel consumption, maintenance intervals, thus cutting harmful emissions and costs. As a means to combat climate change, conserve natural resources and meet the challenges of global population growth, we are continuously looking for ways to increase the performance and efficiency of our partners’ installations. 20% of DEIF’s more than 500 highly skilled employees work in R&D in our pursuit of excel-

lence, consistently mapping new ways in power control technology.

A DEIF solution is a greener choice because it means optimised operation: life extensions and other advanced technologies make our customers’ assets more valuable and operationally more efficient.​ DEIF solutions being cost-effective balance your economy and conserve the environment as they are highly efficient.

Extracting More Out of the Sun DEIF’s Automatic Sustainable Controller (ASC) is a solution that provides integrated solution for

DEIF’s Automatic Sustainable Controller

50 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

 www.supersmartenergy.com

systems with utility, diesel and solar power source. The system provides an interface between the diesel/gas genset and solar, with or without presence of utility power - a solution that enables you to share the load between solar PV cell and diesel/gas genset with maximum solar penetration, thus resulting in maximised savings even during utility failure.

Using solar for the additional period of the year can make that period also further green and help maximize the project’s overall return on investment. DEIF’s solar solution will thus prove to be a boon to India’s evolving solar sector.

Capturing the Wind Needless to say that in DEIF’s Wind Power Technology division every product sold is contributing to a greener world. We do not only contribute – we also optimise.

Thus, the control systems of DEIF Wind Power Technology are constantly subject to optimisation of the energy generated by the wind turbines.

Flexible and reliable control solutions being our strength, we deliver everything from complete turnkey solutions to individual components.

At DEIF, we continuously strive to improve the performance of the wind turbines and make necessary upgrades to the application and embedded software. As a customer you also benefit by receiving free software updates in future as well.

DEIF’s wind turbine control systems are not only suitable for new installations but also can be used for retrofitting existing wind turbines to give you numerous key benefits.

Harnessing Hydro Power Hydroelectric power plants are installed to capture energy from the flowing water and turned into electricity. Delomatic 4 (DM-4) Hydro-controlled plants offer fully automated control for stable optimised operation and require less maintenance and fewer man hours. Compatible with all types of turbines, the Delomatic 4 Hydro is flexible and easy to adapt with simple parameter settings. Critical functions such as speed governing, generator protections and

Advanced Graphical Interface, AGI 300

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synchronising are fully integrated with password-protected features for maximum security.

The advantages to DEIF’s Delomatic solution go beyond savings, wiring, construction, engineering and maintenance. It is also a flexible solution equally suited for new installations and retrofits, designed to control hydro turbine generators ranging from 2 kW to 20MW along with its auxiliary equipment.

Making the Most out of Waste Gas Regardless if your gas is bio, natural, landfill or other, our control solutions will enable you to convert it into energy. Irrespective of size of your application, type and make of your gas engine or turbine, DEIF’s standard controllers are extremely flexible and will accommodate most of your needs. But we are also happy to develop completely unique solutions designed exclusively for your specific application. Our product DM 400 Gas is suitable for total engine control and protection whereas Automatic Genset Controller – AGC-4 Gas is suitable for power management and CHP applications. Installing DEIF solution benefits through increased operational availability of the system and enhanced cost saving by not having to pay to dispose

»

51

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Corporate World the waste.

Transforming Black to Green Equipped with features and functionalities such as fuel optimisation, load dependent start/stop, asynchronous load sharing, DEIF’s Automatic Genset Controller – AGC-4 is the most comprehensive and flexible power management and protection unit in the diesel segment.

The innovative solution gives you a critical market advantage that ultimately helps you produce more green power at the lowest possible cost.

Internally Green DEIF A/S is ISO 14001:2004 certified for Environmental Management Systems. DEIF A/S also has been approved by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance with the environmental scope as “The environmental aspects in relation to the processes, facilities and buildings for administration, development and manufacturing of control & instrumentation products.”

DEIF’s Automatic Genset Controller- AGC4

The green focus at DEIF is not only related to product solutions but also to our internal processes as well. Internally, we focus on carbon-neutral heating and cooling; the DEIF Group’s headquarters in Skive, Denmark, features advanced green energy system includes a carbon neutral Aqua Thermal Storage System: storing ground water at constant temperatures in underground wells, the system heats and cools the buildings and has an indefinite lifespan.

Our CHP plant cuts emissions – a micro CHP plant generating power for DEIF’s buildings, naturally equipped with DEIF controllers, helps keep our CO2 emissions low.

DEIF wants to prevent pollution & reduce negative environmental impact by encouraging all employees to have a high environmental awareness in every relevant decision taken in the company, especially in our processes and production. We want to have a common green mind-set.

DEIF A/S is part of the CO2 neutral website initiative. The carbon emissions from both the website and the users of the site are offset through the building of new renewable energy sources, various CO2 reducing projects, and through purchasing certified CO2 offsets cleared by relevant government institutions and bodies.

52 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

The DEIF website is hosted on Hostnordics servers. As part of Hostnordics green IT strategy to minimise power consumption to take pressure off the environment.

DEIF’s printed marketing material is carbon compensated according to ClimateCalc (Cert. no.

CC-000033/DK). The paper used for printing is FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) implying that the paper comes from well managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. The printed matter also carries NORDIC ECOLABEL stamp that evaluates a product’s impact on the environment throughout the whole life cycle.

We at DEIF have done our part in all aspects of product life cycle, now it’s your turn to make a commitment towards green energy and safe environment. DEIF can help you achieve your green energy goals. Backed by local support team, choosing DEIF implies reliable and fast on-site service & support ■

For further information or any other questions you may have, don’t hesitate to contact us at +91 22 4245 2000 or write to us at india@deif.in

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53

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Tech Review

Floating Solar Makes a Splash in the RE Space in India Authored By: Sneha Shah

S

olar technology is being widely used for generating power worldwide.

It has now gained grid parity at various places and is even cheaper than conventional power at numerous instances.

Though the usage of solar energy for power generation is becoming cheaper and more convenient with each passing year, the value of the land required for solar development is also rapidly increasing. The land area required per MW of installed solar power is around 20,200 sq. meters. As real estate cost are rising, installing solar panels on top of water bodies makes economic sense for power hungry developing nations like India. Surface of water bodies like lakes, ponds, reservoirs, dams can be utilised for installing solar panels, which are available free of cost.

Floating PV systems also known as Floatovoltaics entails installation of solar panels on water bodies.

A 1 MW floating solar plant in India is capable of saving nearly 35 million litres of water, reducing 1,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions and producing 18 lakh kWh of electrical energy annually. These floating structures are designed to withstand salt and mist corrosion, waves up to a height of 2 metres and winds up to 190 km/h.

A typical floating solar system consists of: a) A floating system comprising of a pontoon and floats made of HDPE (high density poly-ethylene)

54 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

b) A mooring system that anchors the structure to the bottom

could save more than 1,000 litres of water annually.

c) Solar panels and

v) Additional Savings: Unlike floating solar, a ground mounted solar system requires additional fittings like metal frames and tracking system for proper functioning.

d) Cables

Pros of Floating Solar i) No Land Cost: One of the major USPs of using floating solar technology is that it does not use expensive land which is highly precious in landlocked countries and can be utilized for farming or construction. Countries having densely populated cities and limited agricultural land are widely embracing floating solar technology. ii) Minimal Cleaning Costs: Another benefit of floating solar on water is that it is naturally cleaned by water in its surroundings and does not require any external cleaning. Huge amounts of money is required for cleaning solar panels on land as their efficiency reduces with dirt. iii) Higher Efficiency: FLoating solar panels have better performance than conventional solar systems because of the cooling effect of water in the surroundings. Efficiency of solar panels reduces due to higher temperatures. A floating solar project reported an improvement of over 10% in its performance when compared to a similar solar ground mounted system. iv) Water Conservation: Floating solar also helps in water conservation. It not only reduces evaporation but also checks on algae growth. It is estimated that one square metre of water surface covered by floating solar panels

Cons of Floating Solar i) Higher Capex: Due to specialized installation and equipment, the overall cost of floating solar project is higher. According to industry estimates a floating solar system could cost up to 25% more than a land-based conventional solar system. Floating solar requires floats, moorings and additional DC cabling for installation. The float structure is not available in India and has to be imported from countries like China and Europe which further adds to the cost. ii) Higher Maintenance Cost : Boats and divers would be required to fix the floating solar system in case of any power interruption or breakdown which could lead to higher operational and maintenance costs. The floating solar technology also requires additional transmission infrastructure in the form of underwater cables. There could be increased corrosion of solar panels caused by water surroundings. iii) Can Disturb Aquatic Life: The aquatic life could be adversely affected by anchors and mooring systems used in floating solar systems. Overall water ecology could also be disturbed due to shading caused by floating solar panels.

Applications of Floating ďƒœ www.supersmartenergy.com

Solar Floating solar plants are gaining momentum worldwide because it not only solves the problem of not using expensive real estate for solar panel installation but also helps in water conservation by preventing evaporation and is environment friendly. The technology is finding numerous applications in power plants as they have a huge requirement of energy. Floating solar panels can be conveniently installed over waste water bodies and industrial water bodies like wastewater treatment plants, cooling facilities in factories etc. Floating solar panels are also increasingly being used in Effluent Treatment Centres, which have a high power requirement for treating water.

Another place where floating solar technology is commonly seen is in aquaculture farms.

Floating solar also offers a good growth opportunity for water utility companies that are large power consumers and own huge water reservoirs, which can be effectively used for construction of these plants.

Floating solar technology can efficiently support floating farms which will be expandable and food crops can be grown atop the water body. In fact, the technology is already been used by a Barcelona based firm to design solar powered vertical floating farms to grow food on top of any water body. Similarly, many such establishments for example, a small cafe by the lake or floating hotels, could be powered by solar energy over the water bodies.

Floating Solar in India Companies/ Projects

India’s aggressive 2022 solar installation target would require a total area of 500,000 acres. Not only is land expensive in India but land acquisition for development of the proposed solar parks has also become a major headache.

According to estimates, if only 10-15% of Indian water bodies are utilised for setting up solar power projects, 300 GW of solar capacity could be developed which is three times the 2022 solar installation target for India.

This is also one of the reasons why large foreign solar companies have failed to set up base in India. Despite announcing huge plans to expand their footprint in India, local hindrances have prevented them from succeeding. This factor alone is reason enough to use floating solar technology in India. Given India’s large number of water bodies, it is esti-

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Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

Tech Review mated that a majority of India’s ambitious solar target could be achieved by using floating solar panels on water bodies instead of wasting precious land. Bengal, Bihar, Kerala, Odisha and Assam are the most potential states for adopting floating solar technology in India.

The MNRE is exploring innovative ways to achieve additional 10 GW renewable energy capacity through floating solar power plants over dams, offshore wind energy systems and hybrid solarwind power systems. Experts from the team have already surveyed the Bhakra Nangal dam for floating solar power plants.

India’s first floating solar plant of 10 kW was installed in a lake in Kolkata in 2014. The country recently saw the installation of its largest 100 kW floating solar power plant in Kayamkulam district of Kerala. The striking feature of this plant was that the floating platform was indigenously developed by the R&D arm of NTPC Ltd. The 500 kW Banasura Sagar reservoir in Wayanad, Kerala is touted as the country’s largest floating solar structure.

The country is also expecting the inauguration of many large scale floating solar plants in the near future. Earlier this year, the SECI has invited EOI for floating solar projects worth 10 GW to be developed in a phased manner over a period of three years.

Andhra Pradesh The Andhra Pradesh government is also planning to set up a 100 MW floating solar power project at Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir.

Maharashtra The Maharashtra state government is targeting generation of 3,200 MW of solar power from floating solar plants over the next two years. Under the state’s solar policy of 2015, Mahagenco has been mandated to set up at least 250 MW of capacity through float-

56 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

ing solar projects. The state has made some aggressive announcements this year in this regard with Mahagenco’s decision to install solar panels on dams.

jects are.

Uttar Pradesh

›› Walton-on-Thames’ Queen Elizabeth II reservoir – UK - 6.3 MW

The SECI has tendered two 50 MW grid-connected floating solar PV projects to be developed in Uttar Pradesh on the Rihand dam.

Odisha & West Bengal NHPC Ltd. has also proposed to set up a 600 MW floating solar power project in the state of Odisha. Another 5 MW floating solar tender has successfully been auctioned in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

EOIs have also invited been invited to develop floating solar in the island union territories of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

Huge power plants and large industries in India could easily install floating structures across their internal reservoirs. JSW Energy, a part of leading business conglomerate in India, is planning to set up 250 MW of floating solar projects in future. NTPC itself has the potential to install 800 MW of such plants at its various reservoirs.

Global Floating Projects

Solar

Solar on water bodies has become a boon for drought stricken areas in major countries like the USA, Middle East, Asia, and Africa. It is estimated that about 70,000 kilolitres of water could be saved annually by installing a 1 MW of floating solar plant. The technology can reduce evaporation by as much as 90% in dry climates.

Floating solar panels have been successfully installed in many other countries like Australia, the US, UK, China, Holland and Japan.

The world’s largest floating solar plant is located in China which is 40 MW in capacity and consisting of 120,000 solar panels. Some of the other large floating solar pro-

›› Jamestown – South Australia ›› Yamakura Dam – Japan - 13.7 MW

›› Balbina hydroelectric plant – Brazil - 350 MW Leading Chinese solar inverter maker Sungrow is planning to build a large floating power plant of 150 MW size on top of a water body. If this project is successful, the Chinese will have developed a new business model to export to other countries.

Government Aid in India Under its Clean Technology Fund, World Bank is supporting the development of 10 MW floating solar projects in India. The German Development Bank KfW is also funding the development, assessing the technical economic feasibility of 40 MW floating solar parks in India. The bank in collaboration with MNRE will set up floating solar plants in states of Maharashtra and Kerala. Once the technical viability of the floating solar technology is assessed, floating solar plants of larger capacities are expected to be built.

Conclusion Floating solar could become a successful model with proper government support and incentive, as its installation is expensive but potential is huge. India has a large number of lakes and water bodies that can be utilised for installing these floating solar structures.

Given that land is becoming a scarce resource in India, floating solar could prove to be a breakthrough technology. The potential can be gauged by the fact that if only 10-15% of Indian water bodies is utilised for installation, three times India’s 2022 solar installation target could be achieved. Higher output, improved efficiency and real estate savings are its biggest advantages 

 www.supersmartenergy.com

2018 19 EVENTS WATCH SEPT

18-20 2018

OCT

03-05 2018

11-13

DEC

2018

Event: Renewable Energy India Expo 2018

Event: RE-INVEST

Event: Intersolar India 2018

Greater Noida, India

Greater Noida, India

Bangalore, India

OCT

04-06 2018

OCT

09-10 2018

Event: SMART ASIA India Expo& Summit (SI India)

Event: EVREX - EV & RE Conference & Expo

BIEC, Bengaluru

HITEX, Hyderabad

NOV

28-30 2018

DEC

21- 23 2018

NOV

15-18 2018 Event: SOLAR EXPO -RAJKOT Race Course Ground, Rajkot

JAN

05-07 2019

Event: Renewable Energy Expo

Event: Reenergy LED & Solar Expo

Event: International Battery Expo

Manpho Convention Center, Bengaluru

Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai

Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, Panjim

APRIL

04-05 2019 Event: RenewX Mumbai Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

APRIL

19-20 2019

MAY

22-24 2019

Event: RenewX

Event: Solar India

Hitex Exhibition Center, Hyderabad

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

57

Sept/ Oct 2018 SmartEnergy

ADVERTISERS INDEX Apar Industries Ltd.

13

Bright Solar Pvt. Ltd.

15

DEIF India Pvt. Ltd.

IFC

Four-C-Tron

27

Giraffa Water Fed Pole & Systems

21

Gravin Earthing & Lighting Protection System (P) Ltd.

33

Guangdong Yihua Stainless Steel & Aluminum Co. Ltd.

35

InterSolar India 2018

23

Isothermal Technology Pvt. Ltd.

07

Meco Meters Pvt. Ltd.

03

Mersen India Pvt. Ltd.

11

Prettl India Pvt. Ltd.

09

Rays Power Infra Pvt. Ltd.

05

REI 2018

53

RenewX 2018

43

Rishabh Instruments Pvt. Ltd.

BC

Sai Cab tach Pvt. Ltd.

47

Shree Umiya Enterprises

55

Swapnil Electricals

49

Thermax Ltd.

19

58 SmartEnergy Sept/ Oct 2018

 www.supersmartenergy.com

A Pan India Series of Conference on Rooftop Solar

120+ Delegates 10+ Speakers 9+ Sponsors 3+ Supporting Associations For upcoming editions of SolarGenX, Various Sponsorhisp, speaking and branding opportunities contact +91 9820716970 for details.