Solar Energy in Germany

Green Revolution - The Freiburg Model | Made in Germany

must watch!!!! Solar Power Revolution - Here Comes The Sun -- Documentary

Importance of Consumer satisfaction in solar water heater business

     Consider consumer electronics sector where competition is about to neck to neck, from small company to giant one, everyone want to achieve consumers attention.  Whether they are selling Smartphone or double door fridge, price may be ranging from 10k to 40k. They are trying to maintain same relation with every customer regardless there earning potential. They are spending lots of money on their customer care center, trying to minimizing there manufacturing, designing, material errors by finding patterns in problems which faced by customer.

     Though Electronics products are delicate to use and their life time depends on user handling, we have to empathize on a thing that they are indoor product. They hardly affected by dust, weather condition, heavy rain & unexpected mechanical damages. There operating conditions are same every day. This is the main differentiating point with outdoor products like solar water heater, solar panel, automobile, water pump & outdoor machinery.

      Now the point is that if all those electronic companies can afford to spend lots of money on their consumer care policies. Then why we are still waiting to apply same or little more intensive program in solar water heater sector.  If we are selling products of 30k and above then we should have strong foundation of consumer concentric department which are capable in dealing with every production aspect related to consumer.  

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2000ºF Solar Power

Solar energy / Solar photovoltaics / Photovoltaic effect (3D animation)

Access to Electricity

Patrick Dempsey on the Power of Solar Energy with Trina Solar

German wind power ad with subs

Solar start ups

What a tremendous force of start ups are lifting solar energy worldwide!!! This is ranging from technological development in manufacturing of photo-voltaic panels to the triple coating vacuum tubes in water heating system. Advance technological development and socio-economical aspects should go hand by hand. New generation is taking this convoluted opportunity by standing confront of conventional odds by creating frugal way to tap solar energy in their arms. They are not only making social impact but also generating handsome profit in marginal sections. This new era of companionship with sun is the only solution to the brighter future.

IT has been announced that 54 cities in India will be designated "Solar Cities". In related news, grid connected photovoltaic projects worth 1.04 GW are said to have been commissioned under the first phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).

     The Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah has given, "in-principle", approval to the development of 54 solar cities.

      Overall, 8 master plans are said to have been approved for eight cities – Agra and Moradabad from Uttar Pradesh; Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli from Maharashtra; Indore from Madhya Pradesh; Kohima from Nagaland; and Aizawl from Mizoramand Chandigarh – and the development of projects is reportedly underway. A further 20 draft master plans have been developed. According to a statement released, a total of Rs. 19.23 crore (around €2.6 million, US$3.5 million) has been approved for the preparation of master plans, solar city cells and promotional activities for 41 cities. A further Rs. 11.98 crore has been allocated for the execution of renewable energy projects in five cities.

         The minister added that eligible cities must have a population between 50,000 and five million, although "relaxation" will be given to special category states, including north east states.In related news, the minister has said that a total of 1.04 GW worth of grid connected photovoltaic projects and 160.8 MW of off-grid systems have been commissioned under the first phase of the JNNSM, between January 2010 and March 2013.Overall, the total installed capacity of renewable energy in India is said to be 26.267 GW. Under the country’s 12th plan period (2012 to 2017), a further 30 GW is expected to be added. "While cost of power generation from wind, biomass and small hydro are comparable with cost of power from conventional sources, solar power may take some more time to achieve grid parity," said the ministry in a statement released.

7 TIPS TO EXPAND YOUR SOLAR MARKET USING FACEBOOK

2) Market creation

     Facebook is made to connect different people all over the continents and to share their status, images, videos .in short to make virtual world on the internet .there are many people who just use Facebook for fun. They won't give any kind of attention to your latest product, your success rate or your company position in the market. Until and unless u find out how to attract them on your page.  You have to think on new aspect. Instead of finding your market try to create your new market here is the example of creating market for solar water heater business

   Key targets:- 1) hotels

                       2) Hostels

                       3) Residential bungalows

                       4) Hospitals

   Start campaign for schools, collages through which you can spread awareness about use of solar energy products, always remember that students are more concerned about the renewable energy & climate change issue they can be a effective medium for mouth to mouth publicity of your brand. So try to involve them in your FB page. You can also start question & answer session on your page through which you can effectively able to make strong & reliable image in the market.

     For hotels and hospitals try to make efficient design model for installation & maintenance service. use your statistical records for making of new cost effective models for different demands. Introduce new plans on your page.

     Suggest your existing consumers to upload there feedback, reaction about your products new visitors would like to see such kind of consumer response.     

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7 TIPS TO EXPAND YOUR SOLAR MARKET USING FACEBOOK

  No matter whether you are selling solar water heater for residential use or established solar power generating company, you can follow this simple, effective & proved steps to maximize your impact on the people

    few years ago there were some postulates about netizens that they are temporary people, there memory lost within some clicks, they never takes your view ,comments seriously, you can't  depend on them as a reliable market sector.

    But now definitions are changed we can see the impact of netizens on our business, they are strong enough to trigger the revolution in some countries. Now online marketing is become essential for instant growth of our business. And there is one way to reach up to those large democratic people is Facebook

    Facebook is the one door which opens many paths. Paths which are neat & safe. Population of Facebook users are increasing day by day. Billion and more people gather there to share text, images, videos and knowledge. This post is not to explain how use full Facebook is for online business, it’s well defined by many blogger before this. This post is to explain how to use Facebook for particular solar industry market.

   

       1)   Profile page:

     Your Facebook page reflects your company's personality so be sure which kind of information you want to upload on the page, my opinion is that state your accurate information details and don't try to show bigger numbers. People may go to remember you by your page view .so just try to make it in that way.

     Solar business is growing vastly. Many investors are jumping into this race, to stand in such competition where many factors are same in both the competitors. You have to show the comparisons between you and others .how beneficial you are than others. You can use your statistics to impress consumers upload your success stories in your page .establish two way communication between your audience .new viewers would like to read feedback of your existing consumers.                                       

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Delicate issue on the use of solar street light

Now a day’s awareness about solar street light is rapidly growing traffic signals, gardens, apartments, schools, hospitals are there targets. It’s really good thing that we are maximizing our solar energy uses & trying to keep our nature cooler than before.

       But on the other side do we really making efficient energy management? Or just spending more energy to save little. there are many question arises when we talk about maintenance require for solar street light .basic assumption is that they doesn't need any maintenance but there are some issues like dust layers, theft protection, battery life, working time are still neglected. You can observe that half of them are switched off at all time, covered by thick dust layer which is considerably reduces its efficiency.

      Another main issue is that does it worth to spend money on solar street light where main utility is actually supplying power?? Or invest on solar where main electrification line is unable to rich??

      Decision is ours whether "just go for greener or be smarter”

THE CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER (CSP) OPPORTUNITY IN INDIA

Mr. Lavleen Singal is the Founder of Acira Solar, a solar thermal power producer. Acira Solar has technology partnerships with international technology companies that have been involved in the development and operation of solar thermal power projects. Mr. Singhal also advises BRIDGE TO INDIA on CSP.

Falling costs of concentrated solar power (CSP) development make India a promising opportunity for this industry. However, to realize this opportunity, some challenges need to be overcome.

Globally, CSP technology is competing with falling cost of PV technology However, India is one of the countries that hold most promise for CSP; it is believed that costs can be driven down significantly in India

Unavailability of data is a significant challenge that hinders pre project preparation – considered necessary for CSP projects

The Government of India did well to kick-start India’s ambitious National Solar Mission (NSM) to install 20,000MW solar power projects by year 2022. The Indian CSP industry responded with equal enthusiasm. In the first phase, 66 bids for an aggregate capacity of 2,911MW were received against a requirement of 470MW capacity. The LCOE of selected bidders ranged from INR10.49 (EUR0.16) per kWh to INR12.24 (EUR0.18) per kWh against a price of INR15.31 (EUR0.23) per kWh recommended by the central regulator. It signaled a welcome phase for CSP of falling costs and sustained deployment.

Seven projects totaling 470 MW are under implementation, with most site development work completed, installation of solar field components commenced and all equipment ordered from the respective vendors. Although the date for completion and commercial generation is March 31st 2013, it is unlikely that projects will start supplying electricity to the grid by then.

The NSM document envisages construction of up to 9,000MW grid connected capacity by 2017. In its 9th plan document to the Planning Commission, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has sought funds to provide Generation Based Incentive (GBI) for 2,500MW of capacity and the NVVN has offered to ‘bundle’ 1,500MW of this capacity. The balance capacity is likely to be met through a strong Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) with a ‘bankable’ Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) scheme.

However, globally, these are difficult times for CSP. This is due to the declining costs of PV modules. With better viability, simpler technology, easier construction and maintenance, many developers have preferred to convert their CSP projects to ones with PV technology. From a present deployment of approximately 2,000MW to an anticipated 20,000MW capacity for CSP by 2020 seems highly unlikely under the current scenario.

Nonetheless, India is one of the few countries that hold the maximum promise for CSP projects. We can expect a deployment rate of a minimum 1,000MW per year until 2017 as well as about 500MW of pilot demonstration projects. Additionally, Indian states are likely to implement an additional 100MW of CSP projects per year in select states where the solar resource is good.

Policy makers in India view CSP favorably due to its ability to ‘store’ and generate electricity when needed; hybridization with coal, gas and biomass; and the fact that smaller plants with storage meet the needs of rural India where it is technically and economically not feasible to supply ‘conventional’ electricity. Developers and planners also strongly believe that the Indian industry has the capability to drive down the costs of CSP faster than the international market. It is already known that site development, civil works, construction, installation and commissioning costs are significantly lower than the rest of the world. As a result, it may be possible to implement a fully optimized CSP project within EUR2/W without storage. A typical 100MW plant ought to cost less than INR13.5billion (EUR195m) with an expected electricity output exceeding 200GWh/year using parabolic trough technology (without storage) at the right locations.

Anticipating a further reduction in costs, especially for thermal storage, CSP projects could become more feasible than at present, once the on-going projects have been implemented and their performance gauged. It is for these reasons that the Indian market for CSP holds the maximum promise at this juncture. This, however, is only part of the story. Pre-project work is an absolute necessity while planning CSP projects, particularly in India. Solar radiation data, particularly DNI data is simply not available. Without solar resource characterization it is nearly impossible to optimize the solar field and thermal storage size to achieve the lowest levelized cost of electricity. Therefore, proper site selection, land acquisition, installation of solar meteorological stations (measuring data for at least one year), pre-project feasibility; identification of Indian vendors and assessment of their quality, cost and performance are some of the key pre-project issues that must be addressed. Proper pre-feasibility studies would lead to an accurate assessment of the ‘bid price’, but more importantly a ‘letter of comfort’ from financial institutions for non-recourse debt financing could be one of the key metrics to the successful development of CSP projects.

THE MARKET THIS QUARTER: STATUS OF PV MANUFACTURING IN INDIA

Mr. Kai Bollhorn is responsible for research on supply trends and upstream industry as part of the Market Intelligenceteam at BRIDGE TO INDIA.

In the last quarter (July – September 2012), Indian manufacturers continued to struggle with the crash in global module prices. With little policy support and dwindling company finances, there is little or no room for investments into upgrading manufacturing capabilities.

• Contract manufacturing for international module suppliers is proving to be a source of revenue for domestic manufacturers
• Downward integration to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) is working for some manufacturers in the industry

In the current adapt-or perish market scenario, a few Indian module manufacturers have adapted to the conditions in the market in the following ways: downward integration to project development and/or EPC tie up with international module suppliers for contract manufacturing and/or shift in focus to capture opportunities in niche markets in India.

In August, Tata BP Solar India formally announced its name change to Tata Power Solar Systems. This is a part of a previously announced restructuring. Tata Power Solar Systems is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power. Tata BP Solar is a pioneer with module manufacturing in India since the early 1990′s and has a track record in building projects, especially off-grid. This restructuring is expected to bring about a shift in the company’s focus to project development and execution.

Contract manufacturing for international module suppliers is proving to be another source of revenue for the domestic manufacturing industry. Some Indian manufacturers partly or fully lease their manufacturing facilities to international module suppliers. Such a contractual agreement provides international companies access to the market under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) [for cells and modules]. This also provides module suppliers an opportunity to capture an initial market share. An initial market share can provide companies strong early visibility and proof of performance in the Indian market. This can provide a significant first mover advantage. International module suppliers have existing contracts for procurement of raw materials for their modules. They can channelize a part of the raw material delivery to India. Placing large orders for raw materials to meet the demand for their global operations gives them a purchasing advantage in terms of cost. They also have streamlined processes that they have developed internationally with years of experience. This allows them to retain their competitiveness for India. Several international module manufacturers are looking to set up contract manufacturing to supply to projects under phase two of the National Solar Mission (NSM) starting 2013. BRIDGE TO INDIA’s industry conversations find that at least two European module manufacturers, a European power major and a Chinese module manufacturer (names cannot be disclosed) have either set up or are in the process of setting up contract manufacturing in India. From the information available on a few such contracts, typical yearly contracted production capacities in India are around 30-50MW. Indian manufacturers that have tied up for such contracts might become financially more stable and improve their production processes with the expertise of their international contractor.

Downward integration to EPC has worked to some extent for module manufacturers like Vikram Solar. It has obtained contracts under batch two of phase one of the NSM in this quarter and the Gujarat Solar Policy previously. The current projects under the NSM give Vikram Solar a pipeline of 40MW for module supply and EPC. Lanco Solar, that is providing EPC for Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), is expected to use its own modules. Enfield Infrastructure is developing a 10MW project under the batch two of phase one of the NSM and is expected to use its own modules that are being manufactured under the name of Sonthalia Group.

Downward integration to EPC has worked to some extent for module manufacturers like Vikram Solar. It has obtained contracts under batch two of phase one of the NSM in this quarter and the Gujarat Solar Policy previously. The current projects under the NSM give Vikram Solar a pipeline of 40MW for module supply and EPC. Lanco Solar, that is providing EPC for Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), is expected to use its own modules. Enfield Infrastructure is developing a 10MW project under the batch two of phase one of the NSM and is expected to use its own modules that are being manufactured under the name of Sonthalia Group.

5 steps you should follow to be the SOLAR NATION.

1) Create awareness about solar energy & its advantages, impact on the nature through the villages and urban areas.

2) Spread knowledge about solar energy products; develop communities, organizational interaction on new technologies.

3) Cost is the main trouble in every type of renewable energy. solar energy is not an exception though it is the cheaper than others. So attempts should be made to minimize its capital investment by giving incentives and subsidies.

4) Government should play a key role by making effective budget and yearly plans which will trigger the development of solar power plants.

5) Last but not the least is emphasis on centralized & decentralized use of solar energy. don't use solar energy just because its green technology, find its effective use in proper places. (Don't be stupid by investing on street lights if u can make more energy through centralized pv power plants at the same cost.)

Sujoy Ghosh, Country head of First Solar India, says on solar energy has a place in the generation mix

    In the two years it has been in India, the American solar panel manufacturer, First Solar, has gathered as much mind-share as market share. The company has been in the news for both positive and negative reasons. On the positive side it is seen as an aggressive company that has quickly bagged orders from developers and EPC contractors.

Today, it has about a fifth of the market under its belt. The country’s first grid connected utility scale plant — Moser Baer’s 5 MW plant in Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu — has First Solar’s thin film panels. Recently, the company secured an order for 25 MW of panels from Green Infra, a sizeable order in the solar industry.

On the negative side, First Solar is seen as a company that has succeeded on the back of some aggressive lending by the US Exim Bank. Besides, the company’s Cadmium Telluride-based technology is frowned upon by environmentalists and its order book has been fattened by an ill-advised skew in the procurement policy of India’s largest solar programme. The National Solar Mission allows developers to import thin-film based modules, but mandates local procurement if they opt for crystalline silicon technology.

Sujoy Ghosh took over in May as the country head of First Solar India, which contributes 8 per cent to First Solar’s revenues ($2.8 b in 2011). Sujoy earlier worked for GE and Tata Honeywell. In an interview to Business Line, Sujoy speaks on the maths and myths of First Solar. Excerpts:

What is your order book position today?

Today, there are 225 MW of operating assets with First Solar modules. There are several more under construction by developers who won projects in Batch-II (of the first phase of the National Solar Mission), but I would not like to disclose the details because it is up to our customers to disclose them.

We now have about 20 per cent share of the Indian solar market and we will maintain the market share.

You have incorporated your company here. What is the idea?

When we entered India in 2010 —that’s the time National Solar Mission was taking off — we had a fairly satisfactory run of the market, in terms of selling modules to either third-party developers or EPC contractors — first to some of the ‘migration projects’ and then to Batch-I of Phase-I of the NSM and then Gujarat. Over the two years we have developed confidence in the Indian market that solar is here to stay. Solar has a space in the overall generation mix of the country.

What prompted us to open an entity is we want to build local capabilities on the ground and have a much broader relationship with the solar market in India.

Could you amplify on that?

Sure. When I say local capabilities — look at First Solar’s capabilities. We have the expertise to develop projects, do EPC, get financed, both on debt and equity, maintain those assets for the investors. The thing which we like about the development business is it helps to develop a pipeline. While the programme in India has been successful, it is lumpy in terms of demand. All the PPAs get signed on one day, everybody wants COD on the same day, decisions are delayed till the last moment, either on expectations of a drop in prices or to work through the documentation. This creates stress on the system in terms of people like us or EPC contractors who have to stock inventories and keep people on the bench, or let go of the opportunity.

For us as a company, our manufacturing process is continuous, unlike crystalline silicon. We are still the lowest cost manufacturer because we run out production lines optimally to full capacity to hit those cost points. If we run out lines only three months in a year we can’t.Therefore, it helps if we start developing our own pipeline of projects, it helps us to bring predictability of demand which then enables us to leverage our backend organisation — not just manufacturing, but system design and EPC and plan for building capacity as it comes. That helps us become more competitive.

That’s what prompted us to look at India as a key market. One of the five ‘sustainable solar markets’ for us based on their natural economic need, good irradiation or the country wanting to conserve their fossil resources are India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Chile — India and Chile because of the high penetration of diesel.

Our technology enjoys a good footprint in India and we want to broad base that relationship and get into a bit of development from our side, bring in our systems engineering expertise. A lot of these plants — the first wave of plants, either under NSM or Gujarat — have been built, in a lot of cases, by EPCs who don’t have much experience in doing solar. Yes, there have been a lot of European EPCs who have plenty of solar experience in terms of building assets, but there have also been an equal number of home-grown EPCs who have come in and built plants.

I think asset quality in some cases might have been compromised. Fifty per cent of the cost of energy is the funding cost. I think, as a stakeholder in the industry, it is our duty to make lenders comfortable with the asset. Only then will they lower their risks and only then will we see good quality capital. Right now, many of these projects have been built with recourse to the balance sheet. That is not really project financing. For Indian banks, ‘will it work’ is the question that they want to see because there is not much record of generation. Large Indian lenders, for instance PFC and REC, who lend to other parts of the power sector, have not really got into solar and unless that happens you cannot sustain an industry in India.

Do you organise funding for your customers?

Our customers have been able to organise finance, a combination of local banks and foreign banks, we are not privy to the nature of the …

There is an impression that you have been successful in India because of the backing you have received in the form of low-cost financing by the US Exim Bank.Well, first of all, US Exim is not captive to First Solar — there are other US manufacturers in the market besides First Solar.

The other thing is — while I am not sure about the exact percentage — a majority of our 225 MW is not financed by US Exim. The number of projects financed by US Exim is probably a third.

The point is, we are selling because our technology, at least in hot climatic conditions, produces more power than polycrystalline silicon.

We hear very divergent views on that.

See, it is like this. Our nameplate efficiency figure is about 12.7 per cent. The poly guys maybe at 15.5 to 16 per cent. The mono crystalline may go up to 20 per cent. All these efficiencies are at ‘25 degrees C, one atmosphere’ conditions. Now, each manufacturer publishes what is called a temperature co-efficient. The degradation curve — as your ambient temperature rises, your efficiency will fall. For the First Solar modules, that degradation is 0.25 per cent per degree rise in temperature. For the average polycrystalline, it is 0.45.

So, as the ambient starts hitting 40 and above, our modules start producing more. This is ambient 40. Typically, the cell temperature is 15-20 per cent higher than the module temperature. FS modules typically produce 8-10 per cent higher energy under high ambient conditions.

The second thing about thin films generally is that the impact of diffused sunlight —cloudy conditions, or dusty conditions — that causes poly output to drop further, compared with TF. India is a combination of high ambient and diffused. So generally we find that we get a higher energy yield in India. That’s been fundamentally the reason for our success. That helps to lower the LCOE (levelised cost of energy).

Thin Films, in general, and First Solar panels, require more space. But the incremental cost of land is outweighed by the incremental yield

In how many months in a year in India would the temperature be higher than 40 degrees?

Rajasthan and Gujarat practically nine months in a year.

First Solar modules are best suited only for these states then?

In other places, even if the ambient temperature is lower, the cell temperature is 15 per cent higher. If the ambient temperature is 35, then the cell temperature is 50. I am saying, at more than 40 degrees our panels start producing more electricity.

The other impression going around is that thin film has a market in India because of the skew in Government policies (that permits import of thin film modules, but requires crystalline silicon modules to be made here.)

In Gujarat there is no such policy lacuna. The National Solar Mission was 150 MW, and Gujarat was 600 MW. We got more share in Gujarat than in NSM competing against Chinese companies.

I think people have bought us primarily because of our yield performance. Second, they see First Solar as a profitable company. In projects that are financed on non-recourse basis, the lenders demand a great amount of due diligence and look at the solvency of the supplier for enforceability of guarantee and warranty obligations.

True, US Exim has indeed helped people who have bought from us. But then exim financing is available from other countries too. Exim is not a captive product of the US. Exim is an enabler, but people first make a technology choice. If they go for Chinese technology, they have access to the same level of funding from the Chinese banks. It is unfair to say that the only reason why we are successful or we got this kind of installed base in India is because of EXIM.

Some experts say that thin film modules made sense when the price differential between thin film and crystalline silicon was large. But now the delta is so small and hence thin film modules do not make sense.

That argument is absolutely correct under temperate conditions and rooftops. Because you end up paying higher price for ‘balance of system’ for marginally higher price of the modules. But because of the yield and because of the diffused sunlight and relatively low cost of land in the overall economics of the project, there is still a significant amount of advantage that the thin film brings.

The other point that we must remember is that crystalline silicon pricing seen in the market today — in our view and as is evident from the balance sheets of the companies — they are selling below their manufacturing cost. So, the question is whether this cost is sustainable.

So, you have the balance of systems penalty for TF and the higher yield advantage. Net-net, thin film is still advantageous.

Within thin film, do you think your Cad-Tel technology will continue to rule the market?

Within thin film, we have CIGS, Cad-Tel and amorphous silicon. I don’t know whether you are aware or not, First Solar was also looking at CIGS, very actively, trying to build an alternative technology. The cost of CIGS in our view is at a point that it will take them a long time to catch up with us.

It is one thing to say ‘we have hit a certain efficiency level in the lab’ and quite another thing to say ‘we are bringing such efficiencies on a sustainable basis in our production line’. That’s a considerable gap.

Second, are the efficiency levels (claimed by CIGS manufacturers) bankable? How much data do you have to back that efficiency? Any lender will say, you have reached that efficiency in the lab, fine, but show me where it is working.

Crystalline guys would then have the same argument against you? Do you have the same performance data as they do?

Why, we have performance data for 16 years.

In India?

In India also we have data. In India, even the crystalline guys have date only for two years, because the grid-connected plants are only two years. Off-grid is not a real measure of efficiency.

What about amorphous silicon?

In today’s world any new breakthrough technology requires a lot of money to scale up commercially. The incumbent technology people will also continue to improve their technology. Even we are working on our technology to improve our efficiencies. It will be incremental.

On the poly side, you put in more material you will get more efficiency. If you scan the global solar scale, you might see a lot of interesting concepts. But if a company like GE, which was pursuing its own solar programme gave it up, I’m sure other smaller players will find it very difficult.

Thin film is really about the manufacturing process. How you lower your rejection rate? How you are able to consistently produce the same module-after-module, deposit the same material in the same way so that you get the same results? It is about consistency in the process. It takes considerable amount of time before you hit that. Till you hit that there is a lot of rejection.

We have passed that point. Relatively we are pretty stabilised.

Is the market then a blue ocean for you?

I am not saying that. It is not a blue ocean. India has got other challenges. We are just discussing technology. I think from a technology standpoint we have got certain advantages when it comes to utility scale solar. That’s one dimension.

The challenge is our competition pricing their products at probably below cost. I think the bigger challenge, as these programmes get built in India is about ‘will this policy sustain’? Will the grid keep pace? You can build a solar plant, but you do face grid congestions.

Finally, solar has to reach a point where wind is today, for it to be really sustainable. Pricing of power, cost of power from that aspect, has to be something where you need a FIT (feed-in tariff) to keep the wheels turning. As an industry, all of us are trying to look into that point. Because all of us do believe there is a shortage, and if we can bridge some of the gap — it may not be huge in energy terms — people might be willing to pay a higher price because right now the alternative is no power.

Do you see a situation where for a want of funds for FiT, the industry is pushed to only bilateral PPAs?

The National Solar Mission is going to be there. The Government has made a commitment.

But where is the money for NSM?

Look at it this way. The average price of Batch-II was Rs 8.50. The average HT price is at Rs 6 — and in the southern states even if you pay the price you get power for three days a week. So, there is a demand. Question is, are people willing to pay more for the demand? Second is, how much are they willing to bet on the future price of coal. Solar is a good hedge against that, because fuel is free.

A lot of us in the industry are trying to discover a demand outside of FiT. But at the same time I think the NSM will be needed to give scale. Indian industry needs to scale up. For that, both forms of programmes (FiT and bilateral PPAs) need to co-exist.

Who is going to pay for the FiT?

Today, the gap between the price of conventional power on the higher end and the price of solar power coming from FiT is not that big. The differential has come down. You should intuitively believe that coal prices should go up. Who predicted coal prices will be $140 a tonne. That’s where you hit the grid parity point.

The question is, even if grid parity happens, will it uncork large demand? Just by doing grid parity, it may not. You need other things such as open access, how you are going to wheel and bank this power … really the grid and the grid operator being comfortable with this kind of power coming in. The solar assets which one creates also need to have features that make them dispatch-able.

We are building assets such as a 550 MW A/C in the US. These are large chunks of power coming into the grid. There is a well defined grid code which we have to install in the design of the solar plant which will make this power-grid-friendly.

I think as the plants in India, NSM Batch II come up, people will begin to see some of those features being installed. Same like wind. From the 250 kV class machines today you have 2 MW class machines. A 2 MW machine has got a lot more features in terms of voltage ride-through, voltage control, and some of those features which allow the machine to not go off-grid when there is a grid disturbance — it rides through the disturbance.

A solar plant is also similar in nature. In wind you have what’s called a converter. In solar it’s an inverter. It’s virtually the same thing. What these Government programmes will do is, to help people to scale, demonstrate that the power can be integrated into the grid properly, which will give confidence.

Bilateral deals will happen, but again, we will not see bilateral deals such as 100 MW happen in year one. People will test the waters. Even if I have a PPA — even if I am generating, who is assuring me that the grid is available? That’s where in this whole ‘bilateral deals’ we will still have to figure out how to take the grid companies along with us.

So you still continue to depend upon these Government-sponsored programmes?

We need both. I am saying that while the Government programmes are important to scale…

Look at it this way. We’ll see probably the first few deals happening on bilateral basis. If it works, I am sure there is enough demand for people to move into these bilateral deals.

Today it is not about the appetite to take power — there is the appetite. There is appetite to put the assets up. The key is really the grid.

What are First Solar’s ambitions in India?

Our goal is to see if we can create a pipeline which is predictable enough for us to then figure out if the Indian market is mature enough for us to put in manufacturing operations here.

How do you intend to create a pipeline?

By developing our own projects. We are in discussions. As you would recognize, when we do development … development and EPC construction requires a lot of local expertise. We do believe that in India there is enough local expertise available already.

So what we are trying to do is to structure partnerships. Like: you got local developers who want to build projects. First Solar is here. We’ve got the technology, got the experience to do this. We know how to put a quality asset together. We also have some leverage in terms of financing. So we are trying to put our combined expertise together instead of recreating competencies.

Does it mean that you will not own the assets?

We ideally would not. We are not an IPP. We are a technology company. What we want to do by development is really try to enable a pipeline.

Are you going to adopt the ‘wind model’, where a manufacturer puts up a wind farm and then sells slices of it to investors or IPPs?

We are trying to make that a model. The challenge for us, unlike say Suzlon building a farm, is the price of power. Also, the Suzlon model was built around ‘accelerated depreciation’. Whereas what we are trying to do is to enable more solar energy coming into the grid. Slight differences, but in the end the model remains same.

We want to create the assets and then ultimately transfer the ownership to somebody who wants to own it long term and then have an O&M agreement so that we deliver our performance for as long as the guy wants to be comfortable with the asset. This is what we do in the US, Canada and elsewhere.

At what stage is this thinking?

It would be premature for us to disclose to plans, but we are looking at States where there is good solar irradiation, and States which have good demand. Bilateral PPAs make more sense in South India. Currently, that is where the power constraint is more. The Southern grid is starved of energy. The bilateral PPAs will immediately make sense here.

What are your major concerns?

The big question mark is the enforceability of the RPOs (renewable purchase obligations). It has not really happened, even if it happens in the industrial sector —because in energy terms they are a big consumer — if you start enforcing it across discoms, how are you going to monitor, there is not enough monitoring capacity available — even if you enforce it on a limited scale on the industries, I think that will give a fillip to the market. REC/RPO is a good programme, but without enforcement it has no meaning.

We are in the initial development stages with some partners, looking at land options, looking at how we get the optimal PPA pricing and as soon as we sort out some of these things we could probably begin construction.

Will the removal of accelerated depreciation for wind power developers work in your favor?

There is some interest from some of those who have AD appetite, but to my knowledge no deal has got closed. But remember, these AD customers will start placing orders in February. So, it is early days yet.

What is your take on the manufacturing in India? Should the Government mandate local procurement or not?

Our view, as a developer, is that there should not be any restriction on their ability to source stuff. For the manufacturers, it is a function of predictable demand — solar manufacturing is all about scale. Also cost of power, cost of utilities in India is extremely high. We have to really see what kind of incentives Government is giving to people who are putting capital. That is secondary. The biggest issue is, is there enough scale domestically created which can justify manufacturing at the same time not impact the developers.

Because, if you set up a smaller scale manufacturing plant…globally there is over capacity. The solar developer community is trying to lower the cost of power so that it creates more demand, and at this point in time if you impose restrictions on them, saying they have to source only from domestic, they lose the advantage.

Therefore, it is a function of a) on the front-end, how do you create scale, which will come if policies are consistently enforced. Enforce RPO, you immediately create a market. If it is a natural economic need, definitely people will come and put up manufacturing. We cannot have and should not have a policy where you restrict the ability of the developer to bring to you the lowest cost of power. If you do that, if cost of solar power goes up, it is going to shrink the market, and it will be a non-starter. It will have exactly the opposite effect of what you are trying to create.

Do you think there is scope to bring down costs outside modules, say, in Balance of Systems?

I am not an expert on that subject, but here is what I would say: the amount of cost focus that has been there has not been there on the BoS front. But at the same time, remember, the BoS has got like fifty different components.

Take the biggest — the inverter — is there a good scope for cost reduction?

Even if you take 30 per cent cost of the current inverters—inverter is like 2 cents per watt in an overall project cost of, say, $ 1 .75. It is not going to make much difference.

But the module is only 50 per cent of the overall cost. In some cases it is just about engineering, more than taking cost out — things such as structures. In the first wave, the good ones, the EPCs mostly came from abroad, because there was no Indian. They adopted the global designs to do the first level of projects. People have learnt from that.

The Indian EPCs looked at their experience in non-solar and built something. They have learnt from that. The way you do electrical systems, foundations etc. There is scope to take BoS costs out, but a lot of it is about how you engineer the plant and get more efficiency around engineering—how do you design the plant for Indian conditions. People have learnt a lot.

What would you say about the high warranty claim reserves set off by your parent company?

Any semi-conductor material which goes into higher temperature will experience more abuse. It is physics. What we said was historically 90-95 production used to go to temperate climates. Over the past few years, India had about 8 per cent of our global revenues; we are building a lot of plants in the US in very hot conditions. What we said was as our demand changes from 90-10, to exactly the opposite, we will have more warranty reserves, because we could naturally expect some recall of projects, because of the more abusive conditions. That’s all to it.

motherhood of all solar training courses

http://www.solarenergy.org/solar-training-renewable-energy-workshops

Indian Solar Summit 2013

With aims to accelerate the number of solar installations in the country to reach a target capacity of 30GW by 2017, India has established itself as one of the most attractive renewable investment markets in the world.

In order to make this target a reality, India’s premier solar show – The Indian Solar Summit and Exhibition – is back in 2013.

Start Date : 18th April, 2013

End Date : 19th April, 2013

Place : Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre, Gujarat

why solar ???

        Since the earth was born every natural object transforms its steady state into the non-steady state by reducing its energy. Tree grows up by acquiring energy from its surroundings in the form of water, sunlight and minerals. Animals intake that energy by eating products from those trees. In this way all the living things are dependent on surrounding energy stock which is mainly provided by the sun. Yes, except the geothermal energy all kinds of energies are drawn from the sun.

       Due to the pressure difference created by the solar radiation, wind is generated. All types of Bio fuels are developed by solar energy, all conventional energy sources are older forms of solar energy (as they are made up of buried vegetation, animals with some amount of minerals mixed with them). So any form of energy that we are using these days are, ultimately, products of solar energy. 

Then why not use it in the direct form and make the world a better place to live in? :)

Azure Power (Gujarat)

 

Three solar power companies are in a legal tangle with the Gujarat Government over the issue of ownership of the companies that are putting up the projects. All the three – Azure Power (Gujarat), Millennium Synergy and ESP Urja – are wholly owned by American solar power developer SunEdison.

The point under dispute is whether or not these three companies are in breach of a covenant of the power purchase agreement which stipulates that the “power producer shall continue to hold at least 51 per cent of equity from the date of signing of this agreement”.

Azure Power (Gujarat) and ESP Urja have a 5 MW plant each, while Millennium runs a 10 MW plant.

Gujarat’s nodal agency Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd had issued notices terminating the power purchase agreement for Azure Power (Gujarat) and had stopped making payments for the purchased power for the other two companies.

Azure Power (Gujarat) was initially promoted by Azure Power India, a company whose various projects have been funded by the German development finance agency, DEG, the US Exim Bank and IFC (Washington).

The three companies have petitioned the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission. The Commission, in its orders passed recently, has stayed the operation of the termination notice served on Azure Power and has directed GUVNL to make the due payments to Millennium and ESP Urja.

“It is unfair and unjust that the generator is not paid for the power supplied by him to the distribution licensees,” the order says.

In the case of Millennium and ESP Urja, GUVNL had raised the issue of compensation to be paid by the project developers for any violation of the PPA covenants. But the Commission dismissed it saying that was “not a subject matter of the present petition.

”The IFC-funded SunEdison’s contention, as spelt out in the order relating to the Azure Power case, is that it signed the shareholder agreement – for taking over the ownership of the developer – prior to the signing of the PPA.

The question as to whether or not there is a breach of the PPA with respect to the covenant relating to the shareholding pattern is yet to be decided by the Commission.

solar vs wind

As the world continues to search for the best renewable energy resources, two sources continually come to the forefront: solar and wind. Although both of these sources are considered to be environmentally friendly, there are pros and cons to be aware of.

Wind Energy

In many parts of the world, wind power is available in abundant amounts. Along with this, it is 100 percent free. Areas that are clear of obstructions (such as the United States plains), close to the shoreline, or at a higher altitude make a better fit for wind energy.

Pros

1. Wind energy does not release any pollution into the air: Along with this, it does not contribute in any way, shape, or form to global warming – except in their manufacture. When you add the fact that wind turbines do not consume any water, it is easy to see why this is at the top of the list in terms of alternative energy sources.
2. Wind power does not cost a dime: In short, it is clearly one of the best renewable sources of energy as it is considered inexhaustible. In other words, there will always be wind. There is only so much oil and coal in the world. Along with this, it must be extracted from the earth which costs a lot of money. On the other hand, wind turbines can continuously harness the endless supply of kinetic energy derived from wind.
3. A great source for local jobs: From construction of wind turbines to daily maintenance, as the use of wind energy increases more and more local jobs will be created. With the unemployment rate rising and no end in sight, any jobs created by this form of energy should be considered a huge benefit. Additionally, wind resources are often located in remote areas that are already at an extreme economical disadvantage. Bringing wind power to these areas can provide steady revenue to local communities including land owners and farmers.

Cons

1. Not a reliable source in all parts of the world: In short, this form of energy is only efficient when there is enough wind to power the turbines. As you can imagine, there are many parts of the country that lack the necessary wind force.
2. Wind farms are unappealing to the eye: Do you enjoy driving down the highway, looking off into the distance to admire the view? Well, this could come to an end, to a certain extent, as more and more wind farms are built throughout the world. Although beauty is in the end of the beholder, some feel that wind farms are nothing more than an eyesore.
3. Land is expensive: One of the biggest costs associated with wind energy is the land on which the turbines will be constructed. Not only will this land need to be purchased or leased, it is often times more expensive in the areas (such as coastal communities) in which wind power is most effective.

Solar Energy

Over the past five years, solar energy has become more and more popular. This holds true both among commercial and residential properties. Although there are many benefits of solar energy and this appears to be the wave of the future, there are disadvantages holding back mass production and installation.

Pros

1. No pollution: For some, this is the clearly the number one benefit of solar power. Solar panels give off no pollution. The only pollution produced is the direct result of the manufacturing process.
2. The sun is an endless, clean supply of renewable energy: As long as the sun continues to shine this form of energy will do its job. On the contrary, finite fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, are not going to be around forever.
3. Saves money in the long run: There is no denying the fact that solar panels can be an expensive upfront investment (more on this below). That being said, this source of alternative energy can save you money in the future. Since you are using less energy, your utility bills will be much less. In some cases, you may not owe any money at all.

Cons

1. Cost of installation: As noted above, installing solar panels on a home or commercial property can be very expensive. This is a large upfront investment that is not affordable for everybody. However, if you can afford the initial cost you will more than make your money back in the long run thanks to smaller or non-existent utility bills. Generally speaking, the cost of a residential 5-kW system is approximately $35,000 depending on your location.
2. Aesthetics: Are you aware that solar panels can take up a lot of space on your roof? For this reason, they are often times eyesores that homeowners are not willing to deal with. This is one of the biggest drawbacks because there is no solution.
3. Not efficient for around the clock use: Solar panels only work when the sun is shining. When the sun goes down, you are forced to rely on stored energy from the panels or an alternative system. In turn, this could result in a small utility bill every month.

SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANT BIKANER INDIA

GUJARAT'S SOLAR FUTURE

10 KVA Solar Power Plant in Thodopuzha, Kerala, India

Solar Cells Lecture 3: Modelling and Simulation of Photovoltaic Devices and Systems

Veer Energy Buys New Millennium Solar Panels for India Project

Veer Energy & Infrastructure Ltd. (JHI), a Mumbai-based wind-power developer, bought solar panels for its first project in India from U.S.-based New Millennium Solar Equipment Corp.

Veer plans to install 400 thin-film panels of 58.5 watts each for a rooftop project in the Sanand district of the western Indian state of Gujarat, the company said in a filing today.

It will be Veer Energy’s first solar installation. The company, which plans to pursue larger megawatt-sized projects after this pilot, expects to earn an additional 20 million rupees ($374,111) profit in the year to March 31, 2014, from its solar business, it said.

New Millennium Solar was acquired in September 2011 by Sunlogics Inc., a Rochester Hills, Michigan-based company backed by General Motors Co. (GM) Sunlogics has changed its name to ViSole Energy Inc., according to its website.