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Renewable Energy For India

299K views 1K replies 147 participants last post by  engineer.akash 
#1 ·
I am starting this thread on Renewable Energy for India. There are pros and cons for topic.

To start of I am pro-Renewable Energy for India. This is major strategic initiative to kick the habit from Coal/Oil based products. Coal and Oil based products are major polluters contributing to tonnes of CO2 emission per year. India is currently producing around 70% of its energy from Coal based plants.

The current initiatives in renewable energy are a) Wind b) Jatropha biodiesel c) Solar Energy d) Ocean Tidal wave energy.

Wind is a well established technology and depends on the wind map of the country. The current estimates for Wind are around 60,000 MW on land. Offshore there is more potential.

Solar Energy is promising since India gets a lot of sunshine throughout the year. Some experts estimate that the Solar Energy Shone on India is sufficient to power its energy needs. The major stumbling blocks are solar to electric conversion are costly (though recent advances in California put it a grid parity cost, i.e. cost have come down to the same level as other conventional energy on a per unit basis).

One promising use for solar is home water heaters. This is not very expensive and people with independent homes can avail of this technology today. Lots of home have solar water heaters on their rooftops, the sun heating small tubes of water in a glass planel and hot water collected in an insulated tank. For those days that do not have sunlight an in-line heater element heats up water. So on balance, for a majority of the time people can enjoy hot water. Commercial establishments like laundries and hotels can make use of solar water heaters.

Coming to the issue of electricity from Solar there are various other alternatives that produce electricity. One instance in Seville, Spain uses reflecting mirrors to heat a liquid that runs an engine to produce electricity. This technology is being pursued by PG&E in Southern California for a 500 MW + plant. I believe that the best way to mitigate energy use is to have individual homes with Solar energy. During day time they can produce electricity returned to the grid and during night they take back from the grid. The savings could be substantial and conventional systems can augment deficit power.

India is also looking to increase its Nuclear Energy program.

Here is con argument from dis.agree

you cannot just shutdown & bring up coal based plants on a daily basis. they run for long durations and provide base load power. i am surprised you say that india has highest potential to reap solar energy. i am yet to see any decent paper on this.

while operational cost of solar power is near zero, it is highly capital intensive. there is still some distance to go from technology perspective. thin films is the most promising technology. it's efficiency is low but it compensates through lower capital needs. but even that on a levelized cost perpective is about 3-10 times expensive in western countries (at locations with good insolation levels). this however depends on discount rates used. you will not find indian banks lending at such low 5% interest rates. best you could hope for now is 10%. solar technology is still unproven & i doubt any serious bank would lend at all. you need equity but indian investors expect a much higher roi and so large scale solar projects would be financially unviable in india.

your view that oil imports benefit sheiks, while mainstream, is not free market thinking. they export oil and import other stuff. it is just a globalized economy. and that way we can argue against solar & wind energy as well. we are dependent capital intensive technology that are more expensive than fossils: usa for solar & europe for wind.

we definitely need to move away from coal, oil & gas. i am not saying this because of global warming of which i have reasons to be skeptical, but because oil production has started to decline for a few years now. gas too would follow very soon and coal possibly in next 2 decades. so, we must look at alternatives - nuclear & wind is the best short term option and in medium-long term solar.

indian government does not have that kind of money to subsidize such renewable energy. in any case, best way to get this done is to leave the markets to function freely. if state electricity boards allow/simplify sale of such power produced by independent producers directly to consumers and allow them to enter into long term contracts, i am sure we would soon see more such renewable energy generation.
 
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#1,033 ·
New waste-to-energy plant opened at KR Market
In a bid to find a solution to the garbage problem that is dotting urban spaces, the Centre would soon set up waste-to-compost projects in 500 cities and towns across the country, said the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, H N Ananth Kumar.

He was speaking at the launch of the waste-to-energy plant, built by the Nasik-based Ashoka Biogreen using the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) technology, at the KR Market on Monday.

The plant has been set up with an investment of Rs 1.02 crore and has the capacity to process five tonnes of wet waste per day.

The Union Minister said that waste-to-compost manure units will be set up in the City with the help of the Centre, State government and the BBMP. He invited Mayor B S Satyanarayana and the BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana to sign an MoU with the Union government to convert organic waste to organic manure, produce natural gas and set up waste-to-energy plants.
 
#1,034 ·
Telangana to develop a 1,000 mw solar park

The Telangana Government has zeroed in on the backward district of Mahbubnagar to set up an integrated 1,000 mw solar power generation park.

The project will to be taken up by Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation in partnership with Solar Energy Corporation of India. The SECI has given in-principle approval for the park, K. Pradeep Chandra, Principal Chief Secretary, Industries, Government of Telangana, said.

Speaking on the sidelines of CII PaperTech conference, he said that typically one MW requires an investment of about Rs 6 crore. The developers of projects will bring in these investments. The Government role will be limited to facilitation and creation of necessary support infrastructure.

Industrial policy

He said that the Government will soon come out with a new industrial policy for the period for the next five years outlining the areas of thrust and incentives. The industrial policy of the unified State is valid between 2010-2015.

Pradeep Chandra said that the Government is also in the process of encouraging companies engaged in renewable energy sector, green technologies and waste management to set up their projects in the State as a cluster.

Earlier, during the year Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited had announced its decision to set up a mega solar park in the State and five more such parks in other parts of the country.

Referring to the State Government moves to set up a National Institute of Packaging, the official wanted the paper sector players to partner in this initiative of the Government.
 
#1,035 ·
Sharp increase in exports of solar modules from India



Exports of solar modules from India have been on the rise. In 2013-14, they rose by 152 per cent over the previous year — from $106 million in 2012-13 to $270 million last year. Leading manufacturer-exporters say the momentum is continuing into the current year, if not increasing.

Nearly 80 per cent of the exports have been to Europe, notably, to Germany, the Netherlands and the UK (see Table).

Minimum selling price
Why the surge in exports? Last year, the European Union entered into a pact with several Chinese companies — which together had over 60 per cent of the EU market — that made them commit to a minimum selling price and limited their sales by volume.

On those Chinese companies that did not participate in the pact, countervailing duties ranging between 27.3 per cent and 64.9 per cent, were brought in. The pact was struck in December, but ‘provisional anti-dumping duties’ were in force between June and August.

The EU move has clearly helped Indian companies. Narender Surana, Managing Director of the Hyderabad-based Surana Ventures, told Business Line recently that the company had been exporting about 3 MW worth of modules to Germany since last November. Surana Ventures imports cells and makes modules out of them, but intends to soon commission its own cell manufacturing using the machinery it bought last year from bankrupt German company Schott Solar.

Chennai-based Swelect Energy Systems, which produces modules from a plant that it took over from HHV Solar of Bangalore, has found a German customer.

The company’s Managing Director, R Chellappan, said the German company helped Swelect achieve improvements in manufacturing products and is now buying from Swelect.

The first lot of 2,400 modules is expected to be shipped to a UK project of the German company next week. Other leading Indian manufacturers such as Vikram Solar and Waaree have also said their exports are on the rise.

Debate on dumping duties
Amid the raging debate in India over whether or not the Government should bring in anti-dumping duties on the Chinese (and American, Malaysian and Taiwanese) companies, the rising exports of modules from India reflects different perspectives to different people.

The manufacturers point to the export statistics and say: ‘See? We do well when the competition is fair’.

The developers feel that the manufacturers have sufficient market reservation for them, in terms of ‘domestic content requirement’ rules. (At the Renergy 2014 expo in Chennai last week, the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Tarun Kapur, was overheard saying the Ministry intends to reserve 500 MW a year for domestic manufacturers.)

Now, in addition to the reserved domestic market, Indian manufacturers also have lucrative export business. So, what are they cribbing about, is the other perspective.
 
#1,036 ·
India stands 11 th in energy efficiency

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/...nds-11-th-in-energy-efficiency-08082014015037

Germany is the global leader in energy efficiency while ageing power plants and inefficient ways of electricity generation and industrial practices put India at number 11 in the latest energy efficiency ranking of the world’s 16 largest economies.
The United States, having second highest per capita energy consumption in the world, is in the 13th position — behind China, France, Japan, UK, Canada and Australia among others. Besides the US, South Korea, Russia, Brazil and Mexico are below India in terms of indulging in inefficient ways of energy consumption.

Per capita energy consumption of all these countries is, however, much higher than India which, with less access to energy sources and lesser number of private vehicles, pollutes less as compared to other big economies.

These findings are part of
the latest international scorecard, released by the US-based non-profit organization, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in July . The second edition of the report analyzed the world's 16 largest economies (15 countries and rest of the EU) covering more than 81% of the global GDP and about 71% of the global electricity consumption.
The report assumes significance as it shows that the country that uses less energy to achieve the same or better results not only cuts its costs but also pollution. Certainly, rich nations like Canada, US, Australia, France, Japan and UK emit more greenhouse
gases due to high energy consumption.
The latest ranking appears to give elbow room to developing countries, including India and Brazil, during climate change negotiation where they may insist on their ‘right to grow’ agenda, highlighting how rich nations like the US and Canada continue
to pollute more due to high fossil fuel consumption.
India is incidentally among the top nations in transportation energy efficiency as it has far lower number of passenger miles travelled per capita than any other major economy.
 
#1,038 ·
This can be a game changer...



Clear Solar Panel

Researchers at the Michigan State University say they’ve developed a clear panel technology that could do just that.

The “transparent luminescent solar concentrator” module joins a handful of other fledgling see-through solar products that scientists hope one day to bring to market. The idea is to use existing surfaces to generate power, rather than install large arrays of panels on the ground or on rooftops.

“It opens a lot of area to deploy solar energy in a non-intrusive way,” Richard Lunt of Michigan State’s College of Engineering said in a statement this week. “It can be used on tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demand high aesthetic quality, like a phone or e-reader.” Lunt said his ultimate aim is to make a device so transparent that consumers don’t even know it’s there.

The module, which now looks like a clear glass drink coaster, uses small organic molecules developed by Lunt and his research team to absorb nonvisible wavelengths of sunlight. Researchers can tune the materials to pick up just the ultraviolet and near infrared waves, which then “glow” at another wavelength in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, Lunt explained. The glowing infrared light is then guided to the edge of the plastic module, where the wavelengths are converted into electricity by thin strips of solar photovoltaic cells.

The research was featured in a recent issue of the journal Advanced Optical Materials.
 
#1,039 ·
Seeing the pace of others India needs to hasten its Solar Power capabilities. Modi's Gujarat has shown the way, and this needs replication throughout India. Targeting 1GW per state per year is a highly doable task- A few 10MW per district and tier1,2,3 cities with 100MW. Sun shines throughout the year in most parts of India. The river linking projects can cover canals with Solar panels.

China’s total solar power supply is 23 gigawatts, second only to Germany’s 36 GW, and just 13 GW shy of the country’s goal of having 35 GW of solar installed by 2015. China in 2013 accounted for the largest proportion of global solar industry financing, at $23.5 billion, equivalent to the entire amount raised in Europe.
 
#1,041 ·
Cheaper, Cleaner, and Safer: How Hydrogen Could Replace Oil

Scientists have been taking cues from nature for years, but few breakthroughs are potentially this important. In an effort to seek out clean, renewable energy sources, a team from the Australian National University has successfully duplicated one of the more crucial steps in photosynthesis — the process in which plants actively turn sunlight into energy — which could ultimately open the door to harnessing the process for energy cultivation.

If scientists are able to successfully take the photosynthesis process and apply it to industrial biological systems, sunlight could be used to manufacture hydrogen, which could then be used as fuel. Hydrogen is already used as a fuel in many instances, and if applied on a large scale, it could serve as a replacement for petroleum products — all the while contributing no new carbon to the atmosphere. Not only are the two main components required for photosynthesis available in wide abundance, but they are also cheap.

“Water is abundant and so is sunlight. It is an exciting prospect to use them to create hydrogen, and do it cheaply and safely,” Dr. Kastoori Hingorani, from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis in the ANU Research School of Biology told Science Daily.

Not only that, but the process itself is sustainable for the long-term. Since there is no shortage of water or sunlight, photosynthesis — if completely harnessed — could provide energy indefinitely. “That carbon-free cycle is essentially indefinitely sustainable. Sunlight is extraordinarily abundant, water is everywhere — the raw materials we need to make the fuel. And at the end of the usage cycle, it goes back to water,” said co-researcher professor Ron Pace. “It’s the beginning of a whole suite of possibilities, such as creating a highly efficient fuel, or to trapping atmospheric carbon.”
 
#1,042 ·
Suzlon to introduce cost-saving hybrid towers

In the wind power business, it is axiomatic that the higher you go the more electricity you generate. The larger the circle the blades sweep, the more they yield. But the problem is, as the height of the towers increases, the costs go up, too.

Wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy believes it has found a solution to this problem. The company has tested a hybrid tower with which it is possible to go higher, while keeping the costs the same.

The new machine that Suzlon will offer to the market will sit on a funky tower, but the company hopes its customers will love it because of better economics.

In power-producing windmills, the tower carries the weight of the nacelle — the box that sits on top, housing the turbine, generator and the hub to which the blades are attached.

Costs

Bigger machines, of 2 MW capacity, have towers as high as 80-85 metres. The towers cost about ₹1.3 crore, a tenth of the total cost of the system.

Suzlon says its hybrid tower would cost 15 per cent (₹20 lakh) less. On the other hand, it is possible to increase the height of the tower to generate 12-15 per cent more electricity. The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Kirti Vagadia, terms the new product a “game changer”, because the lower cost helps viability of the machines in less windy sites, where electricity generation is lower.

This makes it attractive for investors to put up wind farms in less windy geographies, too, such as Madhya Pradesh.

Rotor diameter

Meanwhile, Suzlon’s European subsidiary, Senvion (formerly REpower) has developed a 6.2-MW offshore wind turbine whose blades sweep a 152- metre diameter circle. Senvion currently sells 6.2-MW machines whose ‘rotor diameter’ is 126 metres.

The company has sold 50 of these machines. Vagadia says the new machine will give 20 per cent more electricity generation.
 
#1,043 ·
L&T Construction commissions solar plant in Punjab

&T Construction has commissioned a 7.52 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on a single roof at Amritsar, in Punjab.

L&T has used multi-crystalline module technology and central inverters to optimise efficiency for this solar power project.

More than 30,000 panels were erected on the rooftop of the shed spread over 94,000 sq mtr.

Solar energy generated from this plant is being fed to the local grid through a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with the Punjab state distribution company, under the New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE) policy.

The solar power project is said to be the world’s largest solar PV plant on a single rooftop.

L&T has over 400 MW (including commissioned and under-construction) solar PV and concentrated solar thermal power projects in the country.
Source
 
#1,044 ·
Delhi Policy Introduced To Install Rooftop Solar Plants

To address rising power prices and severe power crisis in the Capital city of India, solar energy can be best used in this city which enjoys around 300 sunny days a year.

Thursday, September 04, 2014: New Delhi, India's Capital, is a black-out prone zone. A policy has been initiated for several households and businesses to install solar power plants on the rooftops, replicating a model which sparked huge success in the US and Japan.


Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has announced new regulations for a new net-metering program which credits people for the energy they can't consume. Whoever is producing solar power on their rooftops can feed the excess power to the grid and earn credits leading to reduction in the next electricity bill. They will be paid by the local distribution utility for remaining credits at the end of the financial year.

http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=147478

Eco homes that cut costs, save energy

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epa...2250e0f&key=jn2BZ+fOkH91LoS38ujIoQ==&feed=rss

NEW DELHI: A four-storey home in Delhi or elsewhere can run on minimum thermal power from the grid if the new guidelines for energy efficient homes issued by the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) are implemented.
 
#1,045 ·
Dwarka Sector-21 metro station goes green, platform lit up with solar power



It becomes country’s first solar power plant at a metro station

On Monday, Dwarka Sector-21 metro station’s platform number 2 was lit up by energy produced from solar panels placed on the roof of the station. This officially marked the commissioning of the country’s first solar power plant at a metro station. The plant was dedicated to the nation by Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister of State for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal at Metro Bhavan here. The units generated by the 500 kWp roof top plant will be used for the power requirement of the station itself.

With the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spending nearly 40 to 50 per cent of its operational and maintenance costs on electricity, the solar plant is in keeping with its commitment to look for sustainable solutions for its energy requirements, said DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh. “This is an exhibition of our commitment towards sustainability and putting in place an energy efficient system. Most of our stations are designed in an energy-efficient manner,” he said. Under Phase-III of constructions, the DMRC is in the process of designing its roof structures so that mounting arrangements for solar modules is available from the beginning, he added.

Referring to the DMRC’s commitment to generate 20 MW in the next three years, Mr. Goyal, who also unveiled its ‘solar policy’, said the transport system should look at fast tracking it to within a year. “I urge the DMRC to generate 20 MW within a year and also to not be dependent on subsidies. We should look into fine-tuning this model and scaling it across all metro stations,” he said, adding that the government is already in discussions with the Central Public Works Department to install solar panels on roof tops of Delhi.

Mr. Naidu said the government is committed to promoting renewable energy sources. “We have 365 days of sun and yet we are unable to utilise this efficiently. As we face the challenges of urbanisation, solar energy and renewable energy sources need to be looked into,” he said.

He reiterated his government’s commitment of bringing metro systems to cities in the country with a population of 10 lakh.

Dwarka Sector-21 metro station solar plant is the largest roof top plant in Delhi NCR under the Renewable Energy Service model, under which the DMRC will pay for the units generated by the plant and the capital investment shall be provided by the developer.

The DMRC will now be exploring the possibility of installing more such plants at its stations, depots, parking lots as well as residential complexes.
 
#1,046 ·
Tamil Nadu likely to get two offshore windfarms soon

CHENNAI: In an attempt to harness more wind energy and bail out power-starved states, the ministry of new and renewable energy is gearing to set up offshore windfarms in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu with technical assistance from the European Union.

After initial feasibility studies and surveys conducted by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), two windfarms, each of one gigawatt capacity, are likely to come up north of Dhanushkodi and near Kanyakumari. These areas, it was revealed, are buffeted by winds with an average speed of 8-9 metres/second, more than the required norms for setting offshore windfarms. However, the project requires clearances from numerous agencies, including the environment ministry, as the Dhanushkodi region is part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park

"We are expecting to finalise the best locations for setting up the offshore windfarms by December on the basis of the feasibility report being prepared and the Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coasts are preferred. The project will be carried out through close collaboration between the central and state governments," said Alok Srivastava, Joint Secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy, at a seminar here on Thursday.

The Centre is also speeding up the process of finalising the draft policy on offshore wind energy and plans to submit the final version before Parliament. The ministry of new and renewable energy, expected to be the nodal agency, will enter into a memorandum of understanding with various stakeholders in the public and private power sectors to float joint venture projects to execute the policy.

The seminar was organised by Centre for Study of Science , Technology and Policy as part of the FOWIND project in association with a European Union (EU) delegation to India develop a road map for offshore wind development. According to R K Ghanekar of the Institute of Engineering & Ocean Technology, who spoke at the seminar, gravity-based structures were recommended as the most suited for offshore windfarms in Indian waters depending on ocean bed conditions. Experts, however, said setting up offshore windfarms will be more expensive than onshore ones presently operating in various parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
 
#1,047 ·
IFC considers financing 100MW solar project in Rajashtan

http://ippjournal.com/2014/09/ifc-considers-financing-100mw-solar-project-in-rajashtan/

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector lending arm of the World Bank, is considering financing a 100 MW solar project in Rajashtan, India.

The project involves the development of a 100 MW solar power plant in the low income state of Rajasthan by Acme Solar Energy Private Limited, an existing IFC client.

The total project investment is estimated at Rs8.1 billion (US$133 million).

IFC is providing Rs2 billion (US$33 million) for the project. It also involves a possible syndication of up to Rs3.88 billion (US$64 million) taking the total to Rs5.9 billion (US$97 million) for the project.

The project is the second and final tranche of the overall debt funding in the amount of US$50 million which IFC had provided to Acme Solar to be used for various projects that ACME Solar is developing.

Acme Solar has a successful track record of implementing solar power projects in India. It has commissioned a 25 MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh and is developing a 25 MW solar power plant in Odisha.

The project is expected to be commissioned by April 28, 2015. The offtaker for the project will be Solar Energy Corporation of India, a government of India entity.

The company plans to sign the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) agreements for the project with Acme Cleantech Solutions Limited and ASEPL respectively.

IFC has been active in the Indian solar sector. In early September we reported that IFC will finance US$14.3 million for a 40-MW solar power plant project in Rajasthan. The project will be developed by Azure Clean Energy Private Ltd. an Azure Power India’s subsidiary.
 
#1,048 ·
Here is another idea worth considering. Wind power pumps air into salt caverns (these are also used for storing fuel and gas) and the compressed air is used to drive turbines to generate electricity...

Wind-farm plan to power L.A. hinges on huge Utah caverns

A proposal to export twice as much Wyoming wind power to Los Angeles as the amount of electricity generated by the Hoover Dam includes an engineering feat even more massive than that famous structure: Four chambers, each approaching the size of the Empire State Building, would be carved from an underground salt deposit to hold huge volumes of compressed air. The air would be pumped into four caverns, each 1,300-feet high and 290-feet wide and capable of holding enough air to generate 60,000 megawatt-hours of electricity through turbines at the surface.

The caverns in central Utah would serve as a kind of massive battery on a scale never before seen, helping to overcome the fact that -- even in Wyoming -- wind doesn't blow all the time. Air would be pumped into the caverns when power demand is low and wind is high, typically at night. During times of increased demand, the compressed air would be released to drive turbines and feed power to markets in far-away Southern California. Batteries big enough to serve the grid can meet the requirement, but compressed air storage is a much better option. To excavate the caverns, the companies will pump fresh water into the salt deposit, salt water is pumped to the surface to dry, leaving behind salt that can be sold for a variety of purposes.

It's a relatively simple concept proven decades ago on a much smaller scale by utilities in Alabama and Germany. Paul Denholm, an analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, who has analyzed the economics of wind energy storage, said even though high costs have tripped up other projects, that won't necessarily be the case in Utah. "The thing that makes this one different is that wind keeps getting cheaper and cheaper in price," he said. "Every year that we move along the economics look more favorable."
 
#1,049 ·

The World Bank has submitted a detailed action plan that could help the government meet its objective of supplying power 24x7 in the country, with focus on bringing down distribution losses, improving infrastructure and expanding solar power.

The proposal includes a state-wise turnaround plan for the key seven or eight states that together account for about 80% of the $20 billion (Rs 1.2 lakh crore) annual power distribution losses.

Officials said the Bank has identified Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and the six north-eastern states of Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland for the 24x7 plan with 6 ultra mega solar power projects (in excess of 500 MW) and large-scale decentralised rooftop solar projects of 100 MW.

“The Bank will help the states undertake the required, difficult turnaround actions and will evaluate and implement state-specific programmes by providing... long-term rupee bonds or credit enhancement products,” a government official said.
“For Delhi, the Bank will help by partnering with the state transmission utility, Delhi Transco, and address transmission bottlenecks caused by years of underinvestment in the network,” the official said.

The Bank’s plan also talks of setting up large-scale 100 MW rooftop solar projects.
The solar rooftop policy was rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was Gujarat chief minister.
Solar panels were set up on the roofs of houses and institutions, and connected to a smart grid to supply clean electricity.
World Bank president Jim Yong Kim had met Modi in July, when 24x7 power for all was identified as priority area.

The Bank also mentions a long-term partnership with state-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India, to set up ultra mega solar power plants.
A 750-MW project in Madhya Pradesh would be followed by five solar parks of 500 MW and above in Gujarat, MP, Telangana, Andhra and Karnataka.
 
#1,050 ·
Madhya Pradesh to get world’s largest solar power project

The world’s largest and the country’s first ultra-mega solar power project of 700 MW, worth nearly Rs 4,000 crore, will be set up in the Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. The plant is likely to start generating power by the end of 2016.

The Union government has given its in-principle acceptance to the project, which will be funded by the World Bank.

The power produced from the plant is likely to be the cheapest yet in the country, at Rs 5.40 per unit.


“MP is the first state to get in-principle consent for the project, as we already have the land for it, which is fit for getting all necessary clearances,” Mr Mohanty pointed out.

At present the country’s biggest solar power plant with a capacity of 130 MW is also situated in the state’s Neemuch district.

The MP state government has reserved nearly 1,300 hectares of land spread over four villages in the Rewa district,


http://www.thestatesman.net/news/68...rld-s-largest-solar-power-project.html?page=2

:cheers:
 
#1,051 ·
Around 25,000 villages to get electrified through micro-grids

NEW DELHI: More than 25,000 villages, which have been waiting in vain for half a century and beyond for the government to provide them with electricity, could soon see light at the end of the tunnel as they go 'off the grid' using novel clean energy solutions. Rather than be dependent on utilities to plug them into the energy network, these villages will get electrified through so-called micro-grids that generate power for their needs. Such off-grid solutions have been successfully deployed in Ghana and Germany, making rural areas self-sufficient in power through the use of clean energy and have captured the imagination of the government and industry alike.
Read further here!
 
#1,052 ·
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/states/sunedison-azure-welspun-win-solar-projects-in-karnataka/article6548893.ece
American solar companies, SunEdison and Azure Power, and India’s Welspun have bagged big solar projects in the 500 MW Karnataka tender. SunEdison has won the highest: 150 MW – for separate projects, quoting between ₹6.83 and ₹6.97 a kWhr. Azure Power has bagged 140 MW, quoting between ₹6.89 and ₹6.96 a kWhr.

Welspun Renewable Energy has won 100 MW, but the tariff it quoted could not be confirmed.

The other winners in Karnataka include Today Green Energy – 60 MW, Bhoruka – 20 MW (quoting ₹7.02) and Asian Fab - 15 MW.
 
#1,053 ·
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/sunedison-signs-mou-with-rajasthan-for-5000-mw-solar-plants/article6541768.ece?ref=relatedNews
US-headquartered solar power major, SunEdison, on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Rajasthan in which the company has said it would put up 5,000 MW of solar power plants in the state.

This comes at a time when the Rajasthan government is coming up with a new solar policy that would enable the state to facilitate creation of 25,000 MW of capacity in five years. The main elements of the proposed policy is allowing land owners to lease their land to solar developers for up to 30 years, extendable by 10 more years, reduction in net worth requirements of the solar company and in the security deposit.
 
#1,054 ·
Going forward, if all new buildings are required to be GRIHA 4-5 star then India will be on its way to a total environmentally clean system.

Existing Govt buildings should strive for this, and all private large companies need to embark on this project immediately.

India’s first net zero energy building

It’s India’s first net zero energy building that has been constructed with adoption of solar passive design and energy-efficient building materials.

Functional since a year, a tour of the Indira Paryavaran Bhavan, a building under the Central Government, was organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats on Tuesday. It was aimed at reinforcing the need for more such buildings across the country.

Speaking about the energy efficiency of the building, TERI (Sustainable Habitat Division) director Mili Majumdar said: “The Indira Paryavaran Bhavan is one of the first buildings in India to have deployed energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies at a large scale. It is one of the exemplary projects to be rated under Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment [GRIHA] and has set standards that can be emulated by upcoming buildings in the region.”

The building boasts an earthquake-resistant structure with a total plinth area of 31,488 sq. m. It covers only 30 per cent of the total area, while more than 50 per cent area outside the building is a soft area with plantation and grass. The building has a robotic parking system in the basement that can accommodate 330 cars. Thin-client networking system has been provided instead of conventional desktop computers to minimise energy consumption.

“Buildings have an enormous impact on environment, human health and economy. The energy used to heat and power our buildings leads to consumption of large amounts of energy, mainly from burning of fossil fuels, oil, natural gases and coal, which generate significant amounts of carbon dioxide, the most widespread greenhouse gas. The successful adoption of green building strategies can maximise both the economic and environmental performances of buildings,” added Ms. Majumdar.

The building has received GRIHA 5-star (provisional) rating for the following features:

The design allows for 75 per cent of natural daylight to be utilised to reduce energy consumption.

The entire building has an access friendly design for differently-abled persons.

With an installed capacity of 930 kW peak power, the building has the largest rooftop solar system among multi-storied buildings in India.

The building is fully compliant with requirements of the Energy Conservation Building Code of India (ECBC). Total energy savings of about 40 per cent have been achieved through the adoption of energy efficient chilled beam system of air-conditioning. As per this, air-conditioning is done by convection currents rather than airflow through air handling units, and chilled water is circulated right up to the diffuser points unlike the conventional systems.

Green materials like fly ash bricks, regional building materials, materials with high recyclable content, high reflectance terrace tiles and rock wool insulation of outer walls have been used.

Use of renewable bamboo jute composite material for doorframes and shutters.

UPVC windows with hermetically sealed double glass. Calcium Silicate ceiling tiles with high recyclable content and grass paver blocks on pavements and roads.

Reduction in water consumption has been achieved by use of low-discharge water fixtures, recycling of waste water through sewage treatment plant, use of plants with low water demand in landscaping, use of geothermal cooling for HVAC system, rainwater harvesting and use of curing compounds during construction.
 
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ACME to develop 110 MW of solar in India
The leading Indian solar company is investing nearly $150 million in new projects in the states of Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

ACME is to begin work on the $40 million Chhattisgarh project in June.

ACME Group has won 80 MW in a tender in the Indian state of Telangana and signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) in the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh for another 30 MW of PV projects.

The company emerged as the successful bidder for 80 MW in a 500 MW tender held by Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (TSPDCTL).
Reliance Power commissions 100 MW solar power plant in Rajasthan
Reliance Power has commissioned its 100-megawatt concentrated solar power (CSP) project at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on November 11, 2014 by successfully synchronising the grid and power generation. The company has invested Rs 2,100 crores in the plant, which is world's largest CSP project based on compact linear Fresnel reflector (CLFR) technology, provided by Areva Solar - the US subsidiary of Areva SA of France.

The 100-MW CSP plant, built adjacent to the 40 MW solar photovoltaic project, has 25 percent reserve margin to meet 25-year power purchase agreement obligations.
 
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Why rooftop solar market is not picking up?

A report of the India-focused, German-headquartered solar consultancy, Bridge-to-India, released today puts the total rooftop solar installations in India at 285 MW, a number that is veritably small compared with the potential of the market. The consultancy’s Founder and Director, Tobias Engelmeier, puts the potential “easily” at 100,000 MW.

Engelmeier estimates that the country will have 1,500 MW of rooftop plants by 2018, but many experts doubt it.

Pashupathy Gopalan, who heads the Asia-Pacific operations of the US-based solar major, SunEdison, notes that the rooftop game in India is quite different than in the West. SunEdison, incidentally, is the third largest player in the Indian rooftop market, with a share of 3.5 per cent.

Rooftops in India are not all available for solar; most of them are already in use in a variety of ways. You only have to look at the roof of a commercial building, such as a shopping complex. Much of the space is already taken up for outdoor air-conditioner units, water tanks or even cafeterias. Similarly, residential rooftops are used for drying clothes or partying – moonlight dinners are not uncommon. Then there is the question of avoiding shading. The place for a solar rooftop plant should be such that no shadow would fall on the panels for the next 25 years.

Commercial and residential establishments therefore generally either not have the space, or prefer not to freeze the space available for solar plants, says Pashupathy.

SunEdison and Azure Power won a mandate in Gujarat to put up 2.5 MW each of solar power plants on rooftops in the city of Gandhinagar. The companies had to lease residential rooftops, put up solar plants and sell the power to the state utility. Pashupathy says SunEdison found that people were not willing to give up their space for long number of years, though they were willing to consider signing for fewer years, say, five years.

The story is different when it comes to industries. Factories have large, flat roofs which are free for use, and there is practically no issue of shadows falling on them. Factory-owning companies are also amenable to long-term contracts.

In places like Tamil Nadu, (the state, incidentally, tops the list of rooftop installations in the country, with 50 MW), industries are in pressing need for energy security too.

Chennai-based Super Auto Forge, a Rs. 400-crore auto components manufacturer, put up a 600 kW rooftop system a year ago. “Without it we would not have been able to run our factory,” says S Seetharaman, Chairman and Managing Director of the company.

Experts have also said that a good way to encourage residential rooftop solar plants is to give income tax breaks. When a company puts up a solar plant it gets the tax-saving ‘accelerated depreciation’ benefit, while an individual does not get anything, even though the economic activity is the same.
 
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