SolarQuarter May Issue 2019

SOLAR EPC SPECIAL ISSUE

www.solarquarter.com

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Volume 09. l Issue 5

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May 2019

Our Step Towards A Clean, Green And Sustainable Future.

We at Mahindra Susten, believe in creating a sustainable tomorrow by enabling innovation today. With a portfolio of over 3.2 GWp, projects at various stages of execution, we are one of the leading solar solutions company in India. Our focus on quality, innovation and ensuring our customers get the right solutions at the right time for all things solar is proof of our commitment towards our customers and also the environment.

With ‘Sustainability’ at our core, we are your partners in creating a better world.

3.2 GWp+

Utility Scale Solar EPC Portfolio

www.mahindrasusten.com

671 MWp

58 MWp

3.4 GW

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International Solar EPC Portfolio

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Asset Management Portfolio

MSAT100 Solar Tracker Portfolio

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 2

CLEAN POWER FOR ALL

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 3

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 5

IN CONVERSATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS Groovy New Solar Technology May Be Future Of Renewable Energy

Mr. Raghunath Mahapatra, Head Solar Grid Business, Hero Future Energies “Hero Future Energies Has Been A Consistent Performer In The Renewable Domain With Steady Growth Balanced Between Wind And Solar Assets Creation”

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Mr. Shailendra Bebortha,Managing Director India, IBC Solar

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“We Have A Track Record Of More Than 4 Gw Of Installations Across Various Countries Around The World”

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Solar Energy, Storage, Electricity Distribution & Projections

Mr. Saif Dhorajiwala, ED and Co-Founder, Fourth Partner Energy “Today Fourth Partner Energy Is One Of The Market Leaders In The Distributed Solar Space In India”

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Mr. James Hou, Sales Head-South & East Asia, GoodWe We Firmly Believe In Offering Top-Quality Products

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The Upswing Trend - Solar Thermal

Mr. Jan Knaack, Senior Project Manager International Affairs and Research, Bundesverband Solarwirstschaft e.V. (BSW - Solar)

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“We Promote The Use Of Solar Thermal, Photovoltaics And Energy Storage Systems”

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SolarQuarter’s 40 Under 40 2019

Perspective Floating Solar PV Applications In India- Resource, Potential Challenges & Market Outlook..............................................................30

Under

Impact Of GST On Solar EPC Projects In India..................................17 Exploring Rooftop And Floating Solar Resources To Accelerate The Solar Sector Growth In West Bengal..........................................33

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Expanding The Growth Of Solar Energy In Rural Maharashtra To Accelerate Decentralized Energy Infrastructure..............................34

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Lysaght/Solar Quarter/0619

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 7

India News

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ales Of Renewable Energy Certificates Drop By 65% To 3.68 Lakh.

Sales of renewable energy certificates dropped by about 65 per cent to 3.68 lakh units in May as compared to 10.62 lakh in the same month last year due to lower supply, according to official data.

According to official data, IEX saw total trade of 2.24 lakh in May compared to 7.81 lakh in the same month last year. Similarly, PXIL recorded sale of 1.44 lakh RECs in the month compared to 2.81 lakh a year ago.

The REC mechanism is a market based instrument to promote renewable sources of energy and development of market in electricity. It provides an alternative voluntary route to a generator to sell his electricity from renewable sources just like conventional electricity and offer the green attribute (RECs) separately to obligated entities to fulfil their RPO.

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SA No Longer a Foreign Source of Funding.

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EEFA Forecasts India To Achieve 144 GW Renewable Energy Capacity By 2022 & With Utility Scale Solar & Rooftop Solar Contributing 72.7 GW.

Despite a sluggish fiscal year 2018-19 for renewable energy sector capacity additions in India, the country is poised to overcome this ‘blip’ in its renewables segment and continue its upward trajectory going forward. In its briefing note titled India’s Electricity Sector Transition Still on Track Despite a Weak FY 2018/19, the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA) says, “Given the existing wind and solar tenders’ trajectory and other renewable sources of Biomass and run-of-river (RoR), IEEFA forecasts India is set to reach 144 GW renewable energy capacity by FY2021/22, not too far short of the aspirational 175 GW target set back in 2015. This also would put India on a run-rate to exceed its 275 GW target for 2027.”

However, it would depend on if 37 GW of capacity currently under various stages of tendering and bidding is awarded in the next 6 to 9 months, as developers will then be obliged to bring it online before March 2022.

The Home Ministry, Government of India, has released a letter stating that investments

Once the import duty period ends on January 30, 2020, it expects commissioning of

from the International Solar Association (ISA) will no longer be treated as a foreign source

projects to pick up pace.

of funding.This step is likely to create a positive impact on Indian solar photovoltaic (PV) project developers who have been struggling to find viable funding options for projects.

According to a PTI report, “The ISA will no longer be treated as a ‘foreign source’ of funding for Indian NGOs and other entities under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).”

The report cited Union Home Ministry officials commenting that the decision is part of India’s dedicated efforts to assist and help achieve the goal of increasing the use of solar energy.

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SSOCHAM and REPA Join Hands to Expand Renewable Energy.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Renewable Energy Promotion Association

Most renewable capacity will likely be deployed during FY 2020-21 and FY 202122, according to IEEFA. “Short term mis-steps are getting in the way at a time India is considering an even more ambitious acceleration of renewable energy deployments to 500 GW by 2028, requiring a $500 billion investment in generation and another $ 250 billion in grid expansion and modernisation,” said Tim Buckley, IEEFA’s Director of energy finance research, Australasia.

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NRE Clarifies Import Of Lead-acid Batteries For Solar PV Applications.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has notified guidelines for import of secondary cells and batteries of lead-acid and nickel-based chemistries for use in solar PV power projects.

(REPA) in New Delhi for mutual collaboration between the two organizations to expand

Having notified the Solar Photovoltaics Systems, Devices and Components Goods

the reach of renewables.

(Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order under the Bureau of Indian Standards

A release from ASSOCHAM has informed that the MoU will foster cooperation between

Act of September 2017 to ensure quality control in PV projects, the MNRE has clarified that

ASSOCHAM’s technical committee and REPA’s standing committee. The agreement also

secondary cells and batteries of lead-acid and nickel-based chemistries are covered under

talks of forming a task force to develop and harmonize Indian and international renewable

Indian Standard (IS) 16270 for storage batteries that are used in solar PV power projects.

energy markets towards standardization. The two organizations would undertake joint

Terming it as a positive step for quality improvement, Debi Prasad Dash, Executive Director

training, educational seminars and other educational activities.

REPA is India’s first public-private not-for-profit body and umbrella association for renewable energy established under the Companies Act 1956.

at India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), said: “The notification by MNRE on introduction of mandatory BIS certification on Solar PV modules, Inverters, Storage battery is a positive step by the government of India to import quality products in solar PV systems specifically

“Renewable Energy Promotion Association, which is India’s sole umbrella association and

for nickel, cadmium, lead-acid and secondary steps. BIS certification will help to improvise

not for profit body for the promotion of renewable energy and sustainable development,

the system level, efficiency, quality control and performance. IESA hope such steps should

has a two-pronged strategy to promote the growth of renewable energy and technologies while thriving for simultaneous achievement of energy efficiency and sustainability,’’ said A. G. Iyer, President REPA.

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eview Safeguard Duties On Solar Cell Imports, Japan Tells India.

Japan has asked India to immediately review its safeguard duties on solar cell imports to ensure that products that have different characteristics from solar cells are excluded

be implemented in other business verticals like electric vehicle or backup applications to control low cost and low quality in battery imports.”

Other than storage batteries, the BIS registration order notified by MNRE covers solar PV modules and inverters to enforce quality control in solar power projects.

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ajasthan Electronics & Instruments floats solar cell tender

from the levy.The request was made at a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL), Jaipur, has invited bids to supply 4.3

committee on safeguards.

W and 4.5 W multicrystalline silicon solar cells. The quantities to be supplied are 600,000

In July last year, India imposed a 25 per cent safeguard duty on imports of solar cells and

and 1,200,000, respectively.

modules from China and Malaysia for the first year. The duty is to be scaled down to 20

The 4.3 W and 4.5 W solar cells must feature four or five busbars. For 4.3 W cells, the PV

per cent on such imports for the first six months of the second year and 15 per cent for

module output must be greater than 252 W for arrays of 60 cells and greater than 302 W

the remaining half of the year.

for 72 cells, in line with TUV/UL standards. Using 4.5 W solar cells, the PV module output

Although the decision does not directly affect Japan as exports from the country are not

must be greater than 260 W for 60 cells and greater than 310 W for 72 cells.

subject to the safeguard duty, it has a bearing on Japanese conglomerate Panasonic’s venture in Malaysia — PECMY. PECMY, in its submission to the Directorate-General of Trade Remedies in India, had said that products exported by the company were different from the solar cells and modules that were causing injury to Indian manufacturers. It further explained that Silicon Heterojunction (SHJ) was a unique technology and was under a patent to Panasonic Corporation, Japan until 2016 and the solar modules manufactured using SHJ technology were different than regular solar modules.

The discussions on product differentiation are highly technical. India has therefore asked for a bilateral discussion on the matter.

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Only manufacturers are eligible to participate in the tender. Foreign manufacturers can submit offers through their authorised representatives, subject to the offers clearly mentioning the make of the solar cells, backed by authorisation letters from the manufacturers. Offers will not be considered if they include quotes from more than one manufacturer.

Bidders are required to quote fixed prices for the entire contract period of one year, with 20% of the tender earmarked for micro and small enterprise (MSE) suppliers. Indigenous manufacturers will be given preference, provided their products meet quality standards and specifications.

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Asia News

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hina’s Solar Installations Dip 40% YoY to 5.2 GW in Q1 2019.

China installed 5.2 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of 2019.

When compared to Q1 2018, this was a nearly 40% decline in installation numbers in which China had installed 9.65 GW of solar PV capacity.

According to Frank Haugwitz of Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory (AECEA), “A

Japan’s power system can accommodate a larger proportion of variable renewables in its energy mix than what is provided for in the government’s 2030 targets, and still be able to maintain grid stability, according to an independent study by Japan’s Renewable Energy Institute (REI) and Agora Energiewende.

The analysis compared two scenarios for the year 2030: the government’s target scenario,

representative of China’s National Renewable Energy Center announced at an event in

which provides for a renewables penetration level of 22–24% (64GW solar and 10GW

Beijing that just 5.2 GW of solar PV power generation capacity was installed during Q1

wind), and a more ambitious scenario (100GW solar and 36GW wind) and how the systems

2019, thus representing a reduction of 46% year-over-year.

Although a consultation paper outlining the work plan for the construction of unsubsidized (grid-parity) projects for wind and solar PV recently released by China’s National Energy

would respond at a number of extreme snapshots involving very high nonsynchronous renewables penetration levels (wind and solar energy).

Administration provided clearer development direction, the so-called grid parity projects

At these levels, conventional power plants would be displaced, thereby pushing down

enjoy the highest priority compared to projects seeking financial support from the state.

the inertia limits that play a key part in ensuring the Japanese power system’s frequency

However, taking various deadlines into account, a final policy might not be released before the beginning or mid of June. Hence, the construction of new projects may resume not before the second half of 2019.

stability.To ensure stability, Japan could look into the use of renewables-based fast frequency response (FFR) services to allow instantaneous variable renewables penetration levels to rise to around 70% in western Japan and up to 60% in the eastern synchronous

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evised Renewables Rules Get Go-ahead In Taiwan.

Taiwan greenlighted amendments to the Renewable Energy Development Act

involving the nation’s goal of 27GW of renewable energy capacity by 2025, the Taipei Times reports.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will review the renewable energy development goals for next year and 2021. Moreover, to achieve the 2025 goal, local governments will

area, the report’s authors noted.

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outh Korea To Rev Up Renewables Share To 35% Of Energy Mix.

The country aims to slash reliance on coal and cut the lifespans of nuclear plants.

evaluate the development potential of renewables in their jurisdiction and have the ability

South Korea aims to raise the share of renewables in its energy mix to 35% by 2040, which

to build power generation facilities of up to 2,000kW.

is over four times the current amount, Reuters reports. Renewable power currently makes

MOEA will be responsible for facilities with a capacity larger than 2,000kW.MOEA will also

up around 8% of South Korea’s energy production.

set up a renewable energy fund using proceeds from fees imposed on non-renewable energy retailers and entities.

“We have decided to increase the share of renewable power to between 30% and

Moreover, cities or countries that are home to state-run renewables facilities will receive a

35% by 2040 to move toward cleaner and safer energy based on an advisory group’s

fraction of the profits from clean energy sales.

recommendation,” Park Jae-young, director of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, told a public hearing in Seoul.

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ndia Calls For Concerted Efforts To Ensure Energy Security In Asia.

India has called for concerted efforts across Asia to ensure energy security in the region for

sustainable development and poverty eradication by pursuing non-polluting renewable sources such as solar power.

A South Korean advisory group said in November that the government should plan to expand the share of renewable power generation in the country’s generating mix between 25% and 40% by 2040 to keep up with global trends.

The role of coal power is expected to be cut further, while gas power generation will be

Speaking at the 16th Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Doha,

expanded, Park added. The ministry will also keep its plan to stop extending the lifespan

Qatar, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh urged the Member States to join

of aged nuclear power plants.

the International Solar Alliance launched in November 2015. Emphasising on the theme “Partners in Progress”, he underlined India’s desire for working cooperatively with all ACD Member States in line with the Government of India’s approach of “Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth”.

He stressed on the need for concerted efforts across Asia to ensure energy security in the region for sustainable development and poverty eradication by pursuing non-polluting renewable sources such as solar power.

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ncouraging Growth’ In Malaysia Net Metering Uptake.

Take up of Malaysia’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) scheme for renewable energy is on

track to double that of last year.

Approved capacity up to 10 May this year reached 16.6MW, compared with 18.24MW in the whole of 2018.

econd Edition Of Iraq Energy Outlook By International Energy Agency Suggests Country To Aim For 30% Renewables Share In Total Energy Mix.

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Yeo Bee Yin, minister of energy, science, technology, environment and climate change

“The development of 21 GW of solar PV and 5 GW of wind power by 2030 would improve

The total quota allocated for NEM is 500MW (50MW domestic segment / 450MW

the affordability, reliability and sustainability of electricity supply,” recommends the International Energy Agency (IEA) for Iraq in its Iraq Energy Outlook report of April 2019.

If the country is able to achieve this under a suggested medium-term strategy, it would be looking at a 30% share of renewables in its electricity supply in 2030. It would generate environment related gains without increasing total costs for electricity supply, according to the IEA. Oil rich Iraq is anticipated to see its electricity demand doubling to about 150 TWh over the period to 2030. Without changes to the current structure of electricity supply and improvements to the network, domestic generation, imports and neighbourhood generation would need to double by 2030, for a total supply of over 250 TWh. “In addition to oil, Iraq is blessed with some of the richest solar and gas resources in the world but it is yet to take advantage of them,” said IEA Executive Director, Dr Fatih Birol.

“Turning that potential into fuel for its own economy and for export would help bring about a more sustainable, reliable and affordable energy future.”

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apid Renewables Growth Could Push Japan To Surpass Government Targets.

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(MESTECC), said that since the NEM scheme was enhanced in January 2019, there has been encouraging growth.

commercial & industrial and agriculture). According to a SEDA release, the scheme will help to employ around 15,000 people and draw RM2.124 billion (US$509 million) in capital investment in solar PV. Bee Yin also launched Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia’s new website with a range of functions to support solar PV, including a renewable energy microsite and NEM calculator.

To make it easier for consumers to go solar, SEDA has created publicly accessible directories with 110 registered PV service providers and 27 registered investors. Members of the public should then be able to choose different models such as buying a PV system upfront, leasing a system or only paying for the power generated from an installation via a power purchase agreement (PPA).

A new NEM calculator on the website also provides potential solar consumers with estimates of possible PV capacity, minimum upfront cost of investment, monthly electricity savings, simple payback and impact on environmental indicators.

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Global News

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enewable Energy Surpasses Coal In The US.

Going forward, it plans a further increase in renewable energy share to 45% or 7 TWh/year

The volume of U.S. electricity generated by renewable energy is set to surpass the

by 2030 when solar energy’s share is planned to increase to 22%. Finally, by 2050, Lithuania

level sourced from coal for the first time in April and the trend is expected to continue in May, according to Department of Energy data.

According to a study by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA),renewable energy sources including hydroelectricity are set to generate more power than coal for the first time.

The analysis predicts renewable sources will have generated 2.32 TWh of output in April and will produce a further 2.27 TWh in May. Both figures are ahead of the 2 TWh and 2.24 TWh, respectively, expected to come from coal.

Short and long-term trends There are two trends behind the crossover and they operate on different timescales.

will be a 100% or 18 TWh renewable energy consuming nation.

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orld Bank Approves $224.7 Million As Credit & Grant For Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project.

The World Bank Group has approved $224.7 million for the Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project (ROGEP) to be used to expand off-grid energy access to people in 19 West African nations and Sahel region. Through standalone solar systems, ROGEP aims to increase electricity access for 1.7 million people living either off-grid or with unreliable power supply, along with businesses, and public institutions.

First,renewable energy generation always rises in spring, due to a rise in hydroelectric

Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire,

power as rivers swell, including from snow melt. IEEFA notes spring is when many coal

The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria,

plants close for maintenance for that reason, as power prices are at their lowest and they

Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo constitute 19 African beneficiary nations.

are least likely to be needed.

The longer-term trend is that coal’s share of the U.S. electricity mix is falling, and that fall has been particularly precipitous over the last five years. According to the EIA, coal made up 39% of U.S. electricity generation as recently as 2014, but only 27% last year.

The main driver has been abundant, cheap natural gas due to the rise of hydraulic

“So far, only 3 percent of households in West Africa and the Sahel are served by standalone solar home systems, and 208 million people in the sub-region do not have access to electricity,” said Rachid Benmessaoud, Coordinating Director for Regional Integration in West Africa. “The project seeks to assist regional policy makers to address barriers to

fracturing – fracking.However, wind and solar capacity is also expanding rapidly, enabling

create a regional market for stand-alone solar systems, which is essential to reduce energy

renewables to claim an increasing share of electricity generation.

poverty in the region, and entrepreneurs to take opportunities in this market through

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olar Tracker Market Capacity to reach 39.33 GW by 2025.

The global solar tracker market capacity is expected to reach 39.33 GW by 2025. The

market is growing at a CAGR of 13.8%. Rising awareness about renewable and sustainable sources of energy coupled with growing several government initiatives are projected to drive the growth of the global solar tracker market during the forecast period.

The trackers in the solar panels are used to direct the panels towards the sunlight. These trackers are designed to change the panel’s orientation through the day following the

development of scalable business solutions.”

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EA warning against stagnation of renewables.

Last year saw 180 GW of renewable energy generation capacity installed worldwide,

according to the International Energy Agency(IEA).

Although the figure is impressive, and matched the amount added in 2017, the IEA has pointed out it was the first time the volume of new renewables had not risen year on

sun’s path to capture maximum energy. Thus, solar panels are successfully increasing

year since 2001 and was not enough to keep the world on track to achieve the objectives

the power output ratio of the solar panels. Owing to this increased power output, the

defined in the Paris climate change agreement. In fact, the world saw a 1.7% rise in energy

utility sector has widely adopted the solar tracker which is boosting the growth of the

related CO² emissions last year, said the agency.

global solar tracker market. Further, favorable government initiatives such as the National Community Solar Partnership in the United States and International Solar Alliance in India are presenting a good growth opportunity for solar energy thus driving the global solar tracker market.

In 2018, China was the world’s leading nation for new renewable energy capacity, with some 77 GW of generation assets added – 45% of the global total. However the much publicized decision of the Chinese government to rein in public solar subsidies prompted an 18% decline in PV figures, with 44 GW of new solar capacity installed, versus a record

$

50 Million Climate-Smart Mining Facility Established

By World Bank To Promote Sustainable Initiatives Of Sourcing Minerals & Metals

The World Bank has established a $50 million unique fund to support sustainable and

53 GW in 2017.

With new hydropower capacity declining in China since 2013, wind was unable to make good the deficit. Wind was also on the back foot in the European Union last year, said the IEA, with new capacity falling to an extent higher volumes of PV could not compensate for.

climate-smart initiatives to source minerals and metals used in clean energy technologies

That saw the EU add 22 GW last year, down from 23 GW a year earlier.

including wind and solar power, along with batteries for energy storage and electric

Changes in support policies and other challenges saw declines in the level of new onshore

vehicles.

wind generation capacity in India and Japan, warned the IEA.

The solar PV industry already accounts for 7% of global silver demand in the world. And the industry is quickly growing. However, a solar PV module requires not just silver, but also aluminium, silicon, tin, lead, copper and glass.It fears that in the absence of climatesmart mining practices, negative impact of mining will end up impacting vulnerable communities and environment. Hence, the Climate-Smart Mining Facility will encourage sustainable extraction and processing of minerals and metals with focus on resource-rich developing nations and emerging economies.

To be deployed over a 5-year period, the $50 million facility will look into supporting projects that integrate renewable energy into mining operations, promoting forest smart mining, recycling of minerals and supporting strategic use of geological data for mineral rich regions.

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ost European Commission’s Approval To State Support Scheme For Renewable Energy in Lithuania

“The world cannot afford to press ‘pause’ on the expansion of renewables and governments need to act quickly to correct this situation and enable a faster flow of new projects,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director.

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erman Solar Association BSW-Solar & Becquerel Institute Study Solarize Africa Supported By Intersolar Europe Pegs 30 GW Solar Potential For Africa By 2030 The cumulative installed solar PV capacity of the entire African continent currently is around 5 GW, with 1 GW added during 2018. But the region carries potential to grow up to 30 GW by the end of 2030, according to a study by the German Solar Association (BSWSolar) and the Becquerel Institute.

The Solarize Africa study supported by and launched during Intersolar Europe, carries

Lithuania plans to hold its first renewable energy auction in the country on September 2,

analysis for African markets including Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Morocco,

2019 offering a total output of 300 GWh under its new support scheme for renewables.

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. It analyzes the market under three scenarios,

This will be the country’s first technology neutral auction after the European Commission granted approval to Lithuania’s €385 million ($431.5 million) renewable state support scheme.

Lithuania aims to have 38% or 5 TWh of renewable energy share in its final gross energy

namely policy-driven, business-as-usual, and Solarize Africa.

As the name suggests, policy-driven scenario is based on official roadmaps and announcements, while business-as-usual scenario envisages market development driven

consumption by 2025 under its National Energy Independence Strategy. For this, it is

by existing or lack of policies. Solarize Africa scenario assumes same kind of PV growth

targeting 50% of renewable energy to come from wind power, 20% from solar, 15% from

for Africa as the rest of the world with costs decline for PV rendering secondary role to

biofuel, 12% from hydropower and about 3% from biogas. This, according to the Ministry

policies. It allows for natural competitiveness of the technology to make its way into the

of Energy, will reduce the country’s dependence on importing electricity by 30%.

region’s energy landscape.

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 12

3.125MW

Central Inverter Solution Higher yields Lower system cost Suitable for harsh environments

Sineng Electric Co., Ltd. NO.6 Hehui Road, Huishan District, Wuxi, China

Sineng Electric (India) Pvt Ltd. Plot No. 56 & 57, Bommasandra - Jigani Link Rd Industrial Area, Bangalore, Karnataka, India w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 13

Solar Quarter • April 2019 36

In Conversation

“Hero Future Energies Has Been A Consistent Performer In The Renewable Domain With Steady Growth Balanced Between Wind And Solar Assets Creation” Mr. Raghunath Mahapatra, Head Solar Grid Business, Hero Future Energies

Please tell us the various upcoming projects initiated by Hero Future Energies?

experience gained from operational data of the plant and are more aware of the issues.

Hero Future Energies has been a consistent performer in the renewable domain with

pertinent stakeholders. Our participation on the tenders in this domain will depend on our

steady growth balanced between wind and solar assets creation. Our operational assets

integrated risk assessment that we undertake for each project.

We have been sharing our knowledge and experience with policy makers and other

are ~1200MW now. Additionally, approximately 550 MW of solar and 400MW wind capacity are in various stages of execution. Our focus lies in greening of private sector

What is your take on Safeguard Duty? What impact do you see

through open access and group captive route.

on the domestic solar industry after its implementation?

Kindly share your views on how the sector can accelerate its growth in achieving its target of 175 GW by 2022, considering that there has been a slowdown in the growth rate?

Safeguard duty (SGD) was imposed on 30 July 2018 on the imported solar modules. The

The 175GW target constitutes 100GW solar (including 40GW rooftop solar), 60 GW wind, 10 GW bio-power and 5GW in small hydro. Considering the annual installations of solar at 3GW in FY2016, 5GW in FY2017, 9.5GW in FY2018 and 7GW in FY2019 last year may

purported intention was to protect domestic manufacturers. This was imposed after a longdrawn investigation for imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD). For the upcoming bids, the developers will factor it into the bidding tariff. Ongoing projects who have considered imported modules but are yet to import should be exempted from its imposition or the increase in cost should be a passthrough under “change of law”. So, it will lead to an

be considered to be slow growth. Cumulative installation at the end of FY2019 stands at

increase in tariff.

28GW for solar, 37GW of wind and 3.4GW of rooftop solar.

The need to import of modules will continue if we must meet the target of 100GW of

The current rate of installations in all the sectors will not be enough to achieve the target.

solar by 2022 since the need per annum will be more than 15GW whereas the domestic

The reason for the slow down were a combination of different factors viz. focus on lower

production is approximately 3GW i.e. 20% of the need. A report by NSEFI stated that

unviable tariff, uncertainty in policy and taxation regime, inadequate counterparty risk

domestic modules are costing 10-20% more than imported ones even after SDG is

mitigation and cost of financing.

Being a policy driven sector, it is important that a stable policy regime is established, policy transitions are made smoother and tariff is discovered through open competition. Cap on tariff and cancellation of bids leading to rejection of discovered tariff leads to uncertainty.

Duties and tariffs that are intended to be imposed should be prospective and industry

imposed. We should see this in conjunction with the focus of government to have the lowest tariff possible since completed bids have been cancelled when the discovered price was perceived as high.

Since SGD will taper off the developers are likely to align the project execution with import

should be taken into confidence. A pipeline of bids should be available for the industry to

of module with reduced SGD. The first such reduction from 25% to 20% is due in July 2019.

participate in.

This will depend on flexibility available in individual PPA conditions for COD.

The combination of land and evacuation is evolving to become a crucial bottleneck. Land

Going forward it will depend on the view of government on the combination of factors like

acquisition, possibly, has the longest gestation period along the project value chain.

self-sufficiency in domestic production, the price of domestic and imported modules and

Revenue departments in the states need to streamline the availability, accuracy and

the consistent quest for the lowest tariff.

correction of records when necessary in a proactive manner. Connecting at higher voltage requires higher capacity plants and so larger contiguous patch of land. This is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Solar park, designed to de-risk the projects with respect to land, evacuation and compliances need to have the processes looked into so that the

What are your views on the record low tariffs discovered in the recent solar auctions?

problems do not persist after the projects are awarded to developers. Many solar parks

Tariff quoted by a developer bidder depends on several parameters viz. cost of material and

are continuing to face challenges since they are dependent on government agencies like

financing, availability of finance, execution capability and the overall portfolio need. This

state revenue departments, PGCIL and others for providing encumbrance free facilities to

is further tested during the reverse auction. Each developer has its own risk assessment

the developers.

framework to arrive at the tariff.

Current rooftop installations have reached less than 10% of the target 40GW. C&I

Factors contributing to reduced tariff are reduction in execution and financing risk through

consumers have options of installing rooftop, purchasing through open access or setting up group captive plants. Discoms fear losing subsidizing C&I consumers through OA and GC. Strong enabling policy framework is needed to encourage open access and group captive consumers.

solar parks, improved payment security etc. States with better payment history have attracted lower tariff. Recently this trend has been reversing due to uncertainties in policy and taxation regime.

Domestic consumers should be encouraged aggressively to install rooftop. The process

We believe that sustaining the initiatives and reducing uncertainties will enable the

of installing a net meter and releasing the subsidy amount should be streamlined and

developers to offer lower tariffs.

monitored for the stakeholders to gain confidence. Encouraging domestic rooftops and smart grids will democratize the solarization of economy.

From a portfolio capacity addition, which strategy suits you the most - Greenfield expansion or Brown field expansion?

As an organization we are focused on meeting our growth targets and fulfilling our commitments to our investors. Hence depending on the market conditions, the decisionmaking process for greenfield vs. brownfield is expected to remain dynamic. The outcome of our integrated risk assessment and management process determines our expansion strategy and it will continue to remain so in future.

Since your organization has commissioned the country’s maiden Solar Wind Hybrid Project in Karnataka, what is your take in participating in the Wind Solar Hybrid Tender series in the near future?

The solar wind hybrid project has confirmed us as a leader in renewable domain and

“Tariff quoted by a developer bidder depends on several parameters viz. cost of material and financing, availability of finance, execution capability and the overall portfolio need. This is further tested during the reverse auction. Each developer has its own risk assessment framework to arrive at the tariff.”

our organizational abilities to manage innovation successfully. We are gaining further

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 14

In Conversation

“We Have A Track Record Of More Than 4 Gw Of Installations Across Various Countries Around The World” Mr. Shailendra Bebortha, Managing Director India, IBC Solar

Give us a glimpse of your company presence and offering in the Renewable energy sector in India? How was your experience with your maiden Solar Project in India?

We are one of oldest solar companies in the world having established ourselves in 1982 in Germany. Globally, we have a track record of more than 4 GW of installations across various countries around the world. In India, we started our operations during 2012 and have grown in a steady and sustainable way to establish ourselves as a successful PV platform across the value chain of Project Development/Financing, EPC & Asset Management. We have completed more than 85 MW of EPC projects in India. We are undertaking comprehensive O&M services for approx. 60 MW project in India and our development pipeline comprises of approx. 140 MW of ground mounted projects.

Our first development project in India with 20 MW AC in Odisha, awarded under SECI scheme through competitive bidding, was commissioned during 2018. The project involved acquiring land, complete EPC and developing the transmission line for the project.

Odisha project is a great success story for us as well as a confidence booster, as the whole process was managed inhouse. We not only managed to do the land acquisition, project development and transmission line successfully, but also did it in a very seamless manner. We did face certain issues related to RoW, timely receipts of the local permits etc. Withdrawal of specified bank notes (demonetisation), introduction of GST, and delay in module clearances were some of the unexpected hurdles we had to face during implementation. Overall, it was a great learning experience for our operations in India and we shall leverage this experience for the other projects in our pipeline.

How different is the Indian Solar sector as compared to other international markets viz Germany, your home country?

The Indian and German markets are in different stages of evolution, so a comparison may not be prudent. However, a higher focus on the lower price of power in India compared

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

to Germany is a distinct difference. This reduces the scope of technical improvement, adoption of best practices and innovation.

Furthermore, in Germany the increase in share of Renewable Energies in the grid is possible owing to the excellent supply and demand side load management which is presently not the case in India. So the Renewable Energy growth has to be in conjunction with other stable power sources growth and not at the expense of them unless you have storage system in place or excellent demand-supply load management.

What are the main challenges solar industry in India is currently facing and do you see opportunities for overseas companies to leverage on India’s ambitious targets for the RE sector?

India has had a great solar story so far. 30 GW cumulative capacities have been added. This has been possible thanks to pro-active policies, commitment to a sustainable planet and a favourable risk return matrix.

However, of late the sector has witnessed a variety of qualitative risks. Cancellation of tenders during 2018 due to multiple reasons is one of the most discouraging development.

Artificial price caps in tenders also erode the credibility of fair price discovery. The ability and willingness of Discoms to source solar power due to financial constraints and demand also raises long term question about the risk pricing of solar projects. Other than the regular issues of land and evacuation availability, the challenge of grid stability can put a brake to the growth of the sector.

Despite the above factors, India shall continue to remain an attractive destination for overseas companies due to sheer size of the market. There are sub -segments in the markets which could be extremely attractive for specialised players. Overseas companies have to identify segments carefully, fix up a decent horizon, develop a local team and control costs to remain competitive in the market.

What has been your company’s role in enhancing technology knowledge sharing between India and Germany?

IBC is a organically grown solar company having more than 3 decades of experience.

We treat any project in India as a part of our global effort to deliver lower LCOE. Our engineering and designing centre in Germany help us deliver the most suitable design for a PV Power plant. We also regularly work with Trade bodies, Industry association and other bi-lateral platforms to share the knowledge between these two countries.

Solar Quarter • May 2019 15

In Conversation

“Today Fourth Partner Energy Is One Of The Market Leaders In The Distributed Solar Space In India” Mr. Saif Dhorajiwala, ED and Co-Founder, Fourth Partner Energy

Fourth Partner Energy was founded in 2010, how has your experience been so far in developing Rooftop Projects?

Key hurdles to this was India not having enough module manufacturing capacity and

Fourth Partner Energy will complete a decade in the industry next year and it has been a

A constantly changing policy environment including unpredictable caps or restrictions on

satisfying and challenging journey, in equal measure. Today Fourth Partner Energy is one

net-metering that vary from state-to-state, extended timelines in securing CEIG approvals

of the market leaders in the distributed solar space in India.

and limited access to credit are some of the other challenges.

We now have 10 offices across India and a workforce of over 250 people. We have an

However, despite these policy changes India continues to remain the 3rd largest solar

operating portfolio of over 160MWp of distributed solar assets installed in 23 states.

market in the world, just behind China and the US.

Our firm primarily serves industrial, commercial and government clients, helping them

It is imperative now for the industry to create a conducive environment for regulators,

reduce their cost of electricity and carbon footprint.

developers, financiers and clients to work within a stable policy framework. Better HSE

In July 2018, The Rise Fund, managed by TPG (Globally renowned Private Equity Fund with

standards, contract enforcement laws and gearing up local manufacturing capabilities will

over US$ 100 billion under management) made an equity investment of US$ 70 million

also give comfort to financiers and developers looking to enter the market.

international financiers being wary of lending to projects utilising local modules.

into 4PEL. In addition to that we have also raised project finance and debt from highly reputed Indian

What is the importance and role of Technology in Fourth

and international financial institutions.

Partner’s aggressive growth trajectory?

With this capital and a strong operating team encompassing deal origination, engineering,

Fourth Partner believes in leveraging technology to the fullest to drive operational

execution, O&M and financing, the company is now rapidly expanding its portfolio.

efficiency; this allows us to provide projects of the highest quality and at the lowest total cost of ownership to our clients, while adhering to stringent timelines to ensure all

Please tell us about the current installed capacity of the company and what are the investment plans for the ongoing financial year?

stakeholders are benefited.

Fourth Partner Energy currently has a portfolio of 160+ MWp across 23 states in India. In

At 4PEL, we have leveraged technology to develop an IOT-based solution for monitoring

the last 5 years, we have consistently not just met, but beat industry standards in terms of

and controlling our assets across the country. The solution enables our monitoring team

growth and capacity addition.

as well as clients to track real-time performance and generation of solar plants; which

We are constantly enhancing in-house capabilities and leveraging technology with the aim

in-turn helps in early identification of underperformance/malfunctioning and quicker

of expanding our footprint across India and the world, as well as offering new initiatives.

resolution.

Our revenue CAGR for the last 5 years has been 113% and our target is to grow it by

Our dedicated in-house vertical provides O&M for all projects to ensure maximum plant

another 10x in the next 4 years.

up-time and optimised power generation.

For FY20, we have a pipeline of over 350MWp, out of which we expect at least 40% of

On the engineering front, we have also developed a non-penetrative technology to mount

orders from existing clients. Our foray into open access, international markets and other

panels over tin roofs. We have also installed a number of projects with battery storage and

related growth areas of distributed energy will further cement our position in the market.

India has set a target to achieve an installed capacity of 40 GW rooftop solar by 2022, where do you think we currently stand in achieving the same?

We have tied up with all leading tier 1 Indian and International module and inverter manufacturers; and boast of a vast network of pan-India vendors.

are exploring opportunities for floating solar and other emerging market trends.

4PEL’s cutting-edge Grid Power Monitoring System and DG optimizers allows the client to monitor the electricity consumption from the grid, avoiding excessive billing or penalties by the EB (in the absence of net-meter) by ensuring power is not injected into the grid and optimal synchronization between solar power and diesel generators.

The rooftop solar market in India has shown significant and steady traction in the past 5 years with a cumulative current capacity of about 3.9 GW. The Commercial & Industrial segment has shown most potential with over 70% of installed capacity; with states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan and UP leading the country in installed capacity.

India is undoubtedly amongst the better-performing countries globally in terms of adopting solar power, but the rate of growth is not nearly enough to achieve the 40 GWp rooftop target for 2022.

To try and achieve the maximum possible of this target, it is imperative that instead of working in silos – policy makers, DISCOM/utility companies, financiers, developers, clients, tax authorities and all other stakeholders work in tandem.

In fact, it is 4PEL’s belief that the DISCOMs should be incentivized to allow for higher capacities of rooftop solar as there are enough savings for the consumer to share some of the upside of installing rooftop solar with the DISCOM. Such incentives would minimize the impact of losing a high tariff consumer for the DISCOM and lead to overall alignment of interest, thereby accelerating the pace of growth for rooftop solar.

What are some of the factors that hinder growth of rooftop solar in India and how can they be resolved?

The imposition of safeguard duties on solar modules was a serious setback and has adversely impacted capacity addition. While the industry growth reduced by 35%, rooftop solar as a subset saw a capacity addition of 47%, less than half of industry estimates.

Moreover, increase in GST to nearly 9% from 5% was a double whammy. Duty and GST

“A constantly changing policy environment including unpredictable caps or restrictions on net-metering that vary from state-tostate, extended timelines in securing CEIG approvals and limited access to credit are some of the other challenges.

However, despite these policy changes India continues to remain the 3rd largest solar market in the world, just behind China and the US.”

resulted in a 15-18% increase in the cost of projects to developers -- affecting clients, developers and the growth of the industry.

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 16

In Conversation

“We Firmly Believe In Offering Top-Quality Products” Mr. James Hou, Sales Head-South & East Asia, GoodWe

How do you see the opportunities panning out for the Inverter

over 180MW installed last year alone, we have earned faith and brand recognition from

market in India?

all of our clients. We also take pride in the fact that we are the leading supplier of string

The inverter market on the whole is a direct translation of the project opportunities in

inverters to many top Solar PV EPC companies across India. This has helped us expand our

India. Apart from the well-known slowdown due to the various uncertainties in FY 2018-

presence in India – with an office/repair center and a service network of 12+ engineers all

19, the market has been great and is now gearing up for a bright year in 2019. Overcoming

established in 2018.

a <6.5GW year, The outlook remains positive as a little over 11GW of projects tendered in 2018 which accords us with a healthy pipeline for the next two years. For the FY 2019-20, we believe the TAM stands at 8GW which includes a minimum 1GW of rooftops. Considering the fact that there are over 35 inverter brands available in the market today to address this demand, the implementation of BIS would most certainly consolidate this number in the foreseeable future. Further, the awareness among the EPCs/IPPs/Developers/investors has notably increased which helps them opt for products with the best cost-quality ratio. This doesn’t apply just to the inverter, but also to the BoS cost associated with it. This serves as a great opportunity for good quality/innovative manufacturers such as us to stand out in the otherwise crowded inverter market.

From a product mix perspective how does your company plan to

“We have a global footprint of >13GW. We’re the top string inverter manufacturer in China and among the top 3 in various markets across the globe. As a late entrant in the Indian market, we stand at the fourth

ramp up its production for Central and String Inverters?

largest supplier in the rooftop market. With

Being a string inverter manufacturer, our focus at least till early this year has been purely

over 180MW installed last year alone, we

upon the Residential, Commercial and Industrial segments. With a wide range of offerings starting from 700W and scaling up to 80kW, we are one of the very few players in the global/ Indian market with wide acceptance of such a product portfolio. Now, we have stormed into the utility scale string inverter segment with our 80kW inverter with latest technology and top-of-the-segment features. To serve the global market, our current production capacity

have earned faith and brand recognition from all of our clients. We also take pride in the fact that we are the leading supplier

lies at 9GW/Annum which would be scaled up to 12GW/Annum by the start of Q2 2018-19

of string inverters to many top Solar PV EPC

when we move into our brand new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

companies across India. “

What incremental innovations are planned in your product technology to supply to the Indian market?

We are a corporation that firmly believes in offering top-quality products. The belief is strongly supported by the fact that approximately 18% of our total workforce is dedicated to R&D which is more than 200+ engineers. In today’s price sensitive market, offering cost-effective solutions itself is an innovation in its own right which we believe we have been providing and we are already looking past just that. With valuable feedback from our clients, we have integrated various features and improved specifications of our inverters which have not only resulted in better yield, but also better maintenance of the inverter.

This would eventually increase the longevity of the inverters, with better uptime which is the ultimate attribute one looks for in an inverter. Apart from this, in recent months, many Top EPC companies and project developers expressed their exciting findings of our newly released SEMS monitoring portal (smart energy mangament system), in which we have invested heavily to make it a world-class platform that offers best solutions for monitoring large projects in multiple locations, combing & displaying all datas from different devices such as energy meter, weather sensors etc. Again, we are one of the very few manufacturers with our own portal (and servers) and one of the first to offer a high-quality interface with detailed plant analysis at zero cost. With this background, it doesn’t come across as a surprise to us that we have won the TuV all quality matters award for four consecutive

“Now, we have stormed into the utility scale string inverter segment with our 80kW inverter with latest technology and top-ofthe-segment features. To serve the global market, our current production capacity lies at 9GW/Annum which would be scaled up to 12GW/Annum by the start of Q2 2018-19

years.

when we move into our brand new, state-of-

How was your company’s performance in the last financial year – FY

the-art manufacturing facility.”

2018-19 As of today, we have a global footprint of >13GW. We’re the top string inverter manufacturer in China and among the top 3 in various markets across the globe. As a late entrant in the Indian market, we stand at the fourth largest supplier in the rooftop market. With

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 17

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(Formerly Goldi Green Technologies Pvt. Ltd.)

In Conversation

“We Promote The Use Of Solar Thermal, Photovoltaics And Energy Storage Systems” Mr. Jan Knaack, Senior Project Manager International Affairs and Research, Bundesverband Solarwirstschaft e.V. (BSW - Solar)

Please enlighten us on the role of Bundesverband Solarwirstschaft e.V. (BSW - Solar) in the world solar sector?

How different is the Indian Solar Market from International Market?

With about 800 member companies, Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V. (German Solar

As mentioned above the Indian market is highly competitive. In addition infrastructure

Association) is the interest group of the German solar energy industry. Forming a strong

might be an issue, especially for solar electricity since grids have to be available, utilities

community of companies, BSW-Solar acts as an informant and intermediary between

have to install infrastructure to control the production. In the whole value chain capacity

business and the political and public sectors. It represents the common commercial

building is needed to improve quality, which will be crucial for applications related to the

interests of businesses within the solar energy value chain. BSW-Solar exerts a decisive

production of energy for production sites and commercial applications. On the other hand

influence on creating and securing a suitable policy framework for stable growth, and thus

India has big industry consortiums that could be capable of quickly entering the market.

on ensuring investment security throughout the solar industry. Our objective is to establish

The very good mobile phone network guides the way for all sorts of smart applications

solar energy as a permanent pillar of a global energy industry. With around 35 partnerships with foreign industry associations around the world, we promote the use of solar thermal,

and demand management. There is shadow and light in the Indian solar market.

the world. Flagship projects are Solar Payback for Solar Heat in Industrial Processes (SHIP)

Solar technology is moving forward all the time, Is there anything that you’re looking forward to seeing happen in the next few years?

in Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and India as well numerous projects on quality assurance in

Solar will become a commodity for all kinds of applications. Whilst solar thermal is the

PV installations in South Africa, Morocco and Pakistan and potentially Bangladesh.

simplest form of provision of heat for all kinds of applications with a cheap storage

photovoltaics and energy storage systems. Partner associations can benefit from 40 years of lobbying experience as well as cooperation in projects and support schemes all around

medium (water) and usability for cooling processes, too, electrification, electrical storage

What are the international activities undertaken by Bundesverband Solarwirstschaft e.V. (BSW - Solar)?

I would like to focus on the only project currently taking place in India right now – the Solar Payback project. We execute the project with German partners on the technical

and gasification to hydrogen will lead the way for a clean use of all kinds of appliances, including mobility. Electric mobility will be important but in combination with fuel cell technologies and not so much by the way it has been promoted with all electric cars. The future is sunny!

side, which the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy, the German private sector bank DEG (part of KfW group) as well the communication agency Solrico. On the Indian side our partners are the Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI) and the Indo German Chamber of Commerce in Pune. The project follows a comprehensive approach to involve product and component providers of solar thermal technologies, turnkey providers and engineers, financial institutions as well as potential industries. Within the last 2.5 years all those target groups have been contacted, informed and partially involved in activities. Especially the dairy industry has shown great interest and high motivation in becoming actively involved, which is good news. But other target groups have been more difficult to approach. It took us a long time to involve some actors of the financial sector in our activities. The project is presented on www.solarpayback.com and will add important features in the next months, especially an online calculator as well as a short market study for India.

What do you think about the India Solar Market? What are the steps that can be taken to accelerate the growth of the India Solar Market?

India has made great steps forward in the use of solar energy, both PV as well as thermal.

“Partner associations can benefit from 40 years of lobbying experience as well as cooperation in projects and support schemes all around the world. Flagship projects are Solar Payback for Solar Heat in Industrial Processes (SHIP) in Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and India as well numerous projects on quality assurance in PV installations in South Africa, Morocco and Pakistan and potentially Bangladesh.”

For a country like India, solar energy makes very much sense since irradiation is very high and loads co-incide and pollution a huge problem. The national solar mission has set ambitious goals both for electricity and thermal use. Nevertheless, consciousness for quality is not very abundant and price sensitivity is very high – thus these reasons technology might have inroads on the reliability. Eventually very cheap systems might result to be more costly due to underperformance or maintenance costs and this is a big problem for market participants.

This is something which we especially also see in the Solar Payback project. In India Solar Heat for Industrial Processes has great potential, especially in Food Processing and Dairy Industry which has a very good temperature range for affordable technologies.

Other important industries with low temperature demand are textile, automotive and pharmaceuticals. At the moment it seems to be that these markets do not catch up speed due to problems in dimensioning and installation. In the project we are planning to include training activities as one of the last activities. Awareness raising is important but investors need assurance that costs for O&M can be covered and that the promised performance can be delivered for the next 15 to 20 years. So activities will focus on that in the near future. It was also difficult to bring the banks to the table, but financing is crucial, both for electricity as well as for solar thermal. Bank interests are considerably high in India, thus soft loan schemes or government guarantees that reduce the interest rate might be

“India has big industry consortiums that could be capable of quickly entering the market. The very good mobile phone network guides the way for all sorts of

smart

applications

and

demand

management. There is shadow and light in the Indian solar market.”

powerful instruments to further the use of solar technologies in India, especially if those are linked to quality standards.

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 20

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Groovy New Solar Technology May Be Future Of Renewable Energy An innovative 3D solar-cell design with a radically different architecture which drives down

internet of things, portable power generation and military applications. This technology

the costs of cell manufacture may define the future of renewable energy as it potentially

will deliver significant economic and social benefits to end users,” said Neil Spann, CEO of

reduces optical losses within a device, according to UK scientists.

Power Roll.

The scientists at the University of Sheffield and energy technology company Power Roll in the UK have demonstrated how a unique architecture based on a surface embossed with micro-grooves could also make solar power more efficient.

The innovative 3D design removes many of the manufacturing process steps required by existing photovoltaics (PV) modules and allows new materials to be used that would not usually be appropriate in regular solar cells.

“There is global interest in using solar cells to generate low carbon, green electricity.

The design of the back contacted solar module is both innovative and elegant, and can potentially reduce optical losses within the device,” said professor David Lidzey from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sheffield, who led the research.

“The

devices

we

“Researchers said other benefits of the design include removal of expensive transparent conductive oxides, the use of simple and low cost electrical interconnections and the ability to tune electrical output to match user requirements.”

Source: News Feed

have

demonstrated have a promising efficiency, whereby seven per cent of sunlight power falling onto

a

single

photovoltaic

micro-groove device is directly converted to electrical power, this is already around a third of what the best performing but expensive solar cells produce today,” Lidzey said.

Power Roll predicts that solar modules

produced

using

this design will weigh only a fraction of an equivalent-power conventional which

solar

could

module

benefit

less

developed and off grid areas of the world where it is not viable to transport heavy solar panels as well as a wide range of other applications.

Researchers said other benefits of the design include removal of

expensive

transparent

conductive oxides, the use of simple and low cost electrical interconnections and the ability to tune electrical output to match user requirements.

“Over the last 40 years, the majority of solar cells have been based on a conventional flat structure, in which layers of

different

materials

are

deposited one upon another to create the solar cell,” said Trevor McArdle, Senior Research Scientist at Power Roll.

“However, we have developed a radically different architecture to make solar cells using a surface patterned by microgrooves that individually are a fraction of the width of a human hair, McArdle said.

The in

study the

was

journal

published

Energy

and

Environmental Science.

“We believe that our patented architecture is a game changer.

The

market

opportunities

for our solar PV product are significant, including off-grid solutions,

commercial

and

domestic systems, powering the

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 21

In Conversation

“Quality Being Our Only Business Plan, It Has Made Us Stand Out Against All The Competition In The Market” Mr. Bharat Bhut, Director, Goldi Solar Pvt Ltd

What are the major technological benefits of using MONO PERC modules for EPC projects & Developer’s?

The use of 1500V system modules led to longer string lengths, resulting in use of fewer

Using Goldi Mono PERC modules gives more freedom to the EPC players in terms of

Raising the system voltage to 1500 volts allowed for 50 percent longer strings which

designing when there is constraint of space. Goldi Mono PERC panels have a higher

components compared to conventional power plants. eliminated 33 percent of the combiners and wiring in a system. The panels reduced the

energy density per square foot and perform well under low-light conditions and high

amount of total PV electrical materials by 14%, leading to a 10% decrease in the BOS cost.

temperatures. When considering total energy production rather than peak wattage, it is

Less volumes of equipment such as inverters or transformers due to higher power density

clear that Goldi Mono PERC panels are superior. Designers can utilize fewer panels to

benefited in reducing the costs of transportation and maintenance along with giving

accomplish total output goals where footprint is limited, or they can dramatically maximize

inventory flexibility.

energy output if space is not a premium. It empowers designers to be more flexible and

Larger array blocks resulted in savings on the components and on the labour. Due to less

responsive to project objectives.

equipment, costs of post-operation and maintenance got reduced accordingly.

Goldi Mono PERC modules also have more attractive temperature coefficients and less

Due to its in-house stringent quality tests, Goldi 1500V modules have stood the test of

thermal loss, thereby being more suitable for hotter climates. They perform better in low

time, eventually proving their efficiency, high performance and ruggedness.

irradiance condition, thus converting more optical energy into electrical energy.

How have you geared up for the new technology trends in the module industry?

We are one of the few companies to adopt Mono PERC technology and we have complete

What makes Goldi Solar stand apart from your competitors?

Apart from offering solar panels at competitive prices, we have adhered to our strict quality norms. Quality being our only business plan, it has made us stand out against all the competition in the market.

certifications (BIS, IEC).

3) According to Goldi Solar what are the major benefits of using PERC CELLS in modules?

Primarily the major reason of using PERC cells in modules is their superior efficiency over conventional mono / poly crystalline cells.

About Goldi Solar: Goldi Solar Pvt Ltd is a 500 MW solar PV module manufacturing company. The company manufactures PV modules in the range up to 380Wp using Poly and Mono crystalline solar cells. Its production facility is ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 & OHSAS 18001:2007 certified. The company is also a leading OEM supplier catering to many international

PERC stands for Passivated Emitter Rear Contact, where both front and rear sides are

brands across the globe and delivering unmatched quality at a competitive price.

passivated. The current technology used in poly and mono-crystalline cells is Aluminium

The company supplies its modules all over India as well as catering to the global market.

Back Surface Field (Al-BSF). This back-surface field is replaced by PERC with additional two steps which include rear side dielectric deposition and LCO processes.

It has exported its modules to U.S.A., Denmark, Germany, France, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Malawi & Myanmar. Gradually the company is increasing its reach in other countries

In this type of cell architecture, losses involved at rear side are also treated in addition to

of Europe as well. The company’s factory is located in a tribal belt in Gujarat state in the

front.

western part of India. Hence, it employs indigenous people from its surroundings and

This design enables cells to capture more than Al-BSF. Light capture is increased by

trains them into industry ready professionals. Goldi Solar modules have undergone all

reflection from back side of the cell resulting in more electron-hole pair generation and

stringent quality tests at reputed third-party laboratories like UL, along with being certified

thus cell efficiency is increased. Maximum benefit of this design can be obtained when

for PID resistance. Besides, it is one of the few companies globally to have 4mm glass

each step is well optimized.

certification

The biggest enemy for any solar cell is the recombination issues. The more the recombination of electrons with the holes, the lesser will be the efficiency. When light incidents on a solar cell, the electrons get excited and participate in the conduction of electricity. Slowly, the energy level of the electron decreases and it moves to the rear side of the cell, where it recombines with the hole and not participating in the conduction process at all. By passivizing the rear cell, this recombination is avoided and hence, the carriers continue to flow.

Higher cell efficiency results in increased module wattage and also specific power directly

“Goldi Mono PERC modules also have more attractive temperature coefficients and less thermal loss, thereby being more suitable for hotter climates. They perform

enhances manufacturing capacity.

better in low irradiance condition, thus

Would you please enlighten us regarding your business expansion plans for Indian & Global market for the financial year 2019-2020?

converting more optical energy into electrical energy.”

Our present capacity is 500MW per annum and we are adding same capacity and will be 1GW facility by end of year.

We are consistently supplying our modules to more than 12 countries and our strategy is to add more countries as well as associates/partners to cater to the international market.

Recently Goldi Solar introduced the 1500 Volt system module, will you please like to elaborate the benefits?

Offering a versatile product at affordable prices without compromising on quality has always been a priority for Goldi Solar.

With module prices and other component prices coming down and reaching economies of scale, in order to achieve the next level of cost reduction, a system level approach was required, rather than continued emphasis on individual components.

The introduction of 1500V system module by Goldi Solar helped in lowering the cost of large-scale utility projects.

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

“Our present capacity is 500MW per annum and we are adding same capacity and will be 1GW facility by end of year.

We are consistently supplying our modules to more than 12 countries and our strategy is to add more countries as well as associates/partners to cater to the international market.”

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 22

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Solar Quarter â&#x20AC;¢ May 2019 23

Technology News

B

H

elgian Scientists Announce New Solar Panel That Makes Hydrogen

yundai & Kia to fit solar panel technology in new cars from 2019

Hyundai and Kia have laid out plans to introduce ‘solar roof’ charging technology on

According to Belgian news source VRT NWS, scientists at KU Leuven, located in Flanders,

selected models from both the brands. This technology, which is likely to make it to

Belgium, say they have created a solar panel that uses sunlight to make hydrogen from

Hyundai and Kia cars by 2019, will have electricity-generating solar panels mounted on

the moisture in the air. It can produce up to 250 liters of hydrogen gas a day. Professor

the vehicle’s bonnet or roof and will be used in internal combustion, hybrid and electric

Johan Martens and his team have been working on this for a decade. At first, the amount

vehicles, with the aim of increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

of hydrogen produced was minuscule but in a recent demonstration on a cloudy day,

“When a 100W solar panel is equipped, it can produce up to 100 Wh of energy. The controller features Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), which controls the voltage and current to increase the efficiency of electricity harvested by the solar panel. This power is converted and stored in the battery, or utilized to decrease the load on the vehicle’s alternating current (AC) generator, thereby increasing vehicle range.”

Hyundai Motor Group will have three different types of solar roof charging systems.

The first-generation system is for hybrid vehicles, the second-generation for a semitransparent solar roof system in internal combustion vehicles, while the third generation has a lightweight solar roof, meant exclusively for electric vehicles.

Now, the first-generation system is made out of a structure of silicon solar panels that are integrated into a standard car roof. The system will be capable of charging 30 to 60 percent

observers could see large quantities of hydrogen bubbles appear almost as soon as the demonstration panel was rolled into the sunlight.

“It’s actually a unique combination of physics and chemistry,” Martens says. “It the beginning we had 0.1 percent yield and we really had to search for those hydrogen molecules, today you see them coming up in bubbles, so that’s ten years of work, always improving, looking for problems, so you end up with something that can work effectively.” Researcher Jan Rongé adds, “Over an entire year, the panel produces an average of 250 liters per day, which is a world record. Twenty of these panels produce enough heat and electricity to get through the winter in a very well insulated house and still have electricity left over.”

The panels are still a long way from commercial production, but a new prototype will soon be installed at the nearby home of Leen Peeters, an engineer who has turned her home into a living lab where she tests and evaluates energy conservation technologies. Her well

of the battery on a normal day but, of course, this will be dependent on weather conditions

insulated house has solar panels that power a solar water heater and a heat pump. It is not

and other environmental factors. The second-generation semi-transparent solar roof will

connected to the local natural gas supply.

be integrated with a panoramic sunroof of internal combustion vehicles. The group says

Professor Martens is excited to see the prototype panels get a full real world trial. “We

that this will help these vehicles “comply with ever more stringent global environmental laws regulating CO2 emissions.”

wanted to design something sustainable that is affordable and can be used anywhere. We work with cheap raw materials and we do not need precious metals or other expensive

The third-generation system, which is for the electric vehicle, is currently in testing and it’s

components.” One other factor? No carbon emissions from fuel oil and propane trucks or

designed to be applied to the hood and roof of pure electric vehicles to maximize energy

pumps needed to compress natural gas. Martens and his team are optimistic. “The sky’s

output.

the limit,” they say.

C

S

affeine gives solar cells an energy boost

tanford researchers create hydrogen fuel from seawater

Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Solargiga Energy in

Hongjie Dai and his research lab at Stanford University have developed a prototype that

China have discovered that caffeine can help make a promising alternative to traditional

can generate hydrogen fuel from seawater. (Image credit: Courtesy of H. Dai, Yun Kuang,

solar cells more efficient at converting light to electricity. Their research, published April

Michael Kenney)

25 in the journal Joule, may enable this cost-effective renewable energy technology to compete on the market with silicon solar cells.

They observed that the carbonyl groups (a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen) in caffeine interacted with lead ions in the layer to create a “molecular lock.” This interaction increased the minimum amount of energy required for the perovskite film to react, boosting the solar cell efficiency from 17 percent to over 20 percent. The molecular lock continued to occur when the material was heated, which could help prevent heat from breaking down the layer.

“We were surprised by the results,” says Wang, who is also a PhD candidate in Yang’s

The findings, published March 18 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrate a new way of separating hydrogen and oxygen gas from seawater via electricity. Existing water-splitting methods rely on highly purified water, which is a precious resource and costly to produce.

Theoretically, to power cities and cars, “you need so much hydrogen it is not conceivable to use purified water,” said Hongjie Dai, J.G. Jackson and C.J. Wood Professor in chemistry at Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences and co-senior author on the paper. “We barely have enough water for our current needs in California.”

research group at UCLA. “During our first try incorporating caffeine, our perovskite solar

Hydrogen is an appealing option for fuel because it doesn’t emit carbon dioxide, Dai

cells already reached almost the highest efficiency we achieved in the paper.”

said. Burning hydrogen produces only water and should ease worsening climate change

But while caffeine appears to significantly improve the performance of cells that utilize

problems.

perovskite to absorb sunlight, the researchers do not think it will be useful for other types of

Dai said his lab showed proof-of-concept with a demo, but the researchers will leave it up

solar cells. The unique molecular structure of caffeine only allows it to interact with perovskite

to manufacturers to scale and mass produce the design

precursors, which may give this solar cell variety an edge on the market. Perovskite solar cells already have the advantage of being cheaper and more flexible than their silicon counterparts. They are also easier to manufacture -- perovskite cells can be fabricated from

Groovy New 3D solar-cell Technology May Be The Future Of Renewable Energy An innovative 3D solar-cell design with a radically different architecture which drives down

solution-based precursors as opposed to solid crystal ingots. With further research, Wang

the costs of cell manufacture may define the future of renewable energy as it potentially

believes caffeine may facilitate large-scale production of perovskite solar cells.

reduces optical losses within a device, according to UK scientists.

“Caffeine can help the perovskite achieve high crystallinity, low defects, and good stability,”

The innovative 3D design removes many of the manufacturing process steps required by

he says. “This means it can potentially play a role in the scalable production of perovskite

existing photovoltaics (PV) modules and allows new materials to be used that would not

solar cells.”

usually be appropriate in regular solar cells.

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 24 24

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

The Upswing Trend - Solar Thermal India’s solar thermal industry managed to increase sales by as much as 17 % in 2018. It sold 5.85 million vacuum tubes (2017: 4.59 million), with Chinese imports increasing by 28 %. By contrast, flat plate collector sales dropped 46 % (147 MWth) below the peak year of 2017 (278 MWth). Plus, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) reported it had subsidised commercial solar heat systems with a total aperture area of 4,500 m² (2017:

Installations for solar cooking have been dominating the incentive programme since its start in 2012. Their share in the total number of applications is 63 %. Process heat is second, making up 25 % of all subsidised systems. Solar cooling and air conditioning systems are rare – standing at 13 % – but are, on average, 679 m² in size, which means they are often larger than other kinds of systems.

5,450 m²).

Solar

Solar

Solar air

cooking

process

conditioning

heat

/ cooling

Others

Total

No. of systems

153

61

13

17

244

Total collector

29,986

24,207

8,828

2,416

65,437

196

397

679

142

268

area [m²] Average system size [m²] Commercial solar thermal systems subsidised by the MNRE scheme from 2012 until January 2019.

Solar thermal cooking was the main reason for putting up new systems, contributing almost 60 % to sales, while solar heat for industrial processes came to about 30 % and cooling to 10 %.

This shift away from flat plate collectors towards vacuum tubes was the result of cost advantages of the latter, as key system materials of the former, namely copper and glass, became more expensive last year. The Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI) expected

- Mr. Jaideep Malaviya, An expert in Solar Thermal based in India.

even higher growth had it not been for the popular PV systems, which took up much of the available roof space. The flat plate collector industry consists of few manufacturers.

TABLE 1: VACUUM TUBE IMPORTS INTO INDIA IN 2018 HS Code

84199090

84199010

84191920

84191910

Total

47 x 1500

91,000

12,000

2,000

1,000

106,000

58 x 1800

1,953,000

1,907,000

480,000

173,000

4,513,000

58 x 2100

684,000

436,000

68,000

47,000

1,235,000

Net quantity

2,728,000

2,355,000

550,000

221,000

5,854,000

Figures provided by authorised agencies show that 5,854,000 vacuum tubes were imported for low-temperature applications under four HS codes from January to December 2018 (see table 1). Tubes measuring 58 mm by 1800 mm were used in 77 % of all systems sold on the market, while the size of 58 mm by 2100 mm could be found in 21 % of all installations. Table 2 shows the absorber area per tube, as per Bureau of Indian Standards specifications.

TABLE 2: VACUUM TUBE AREA IN M² No. of tubes

Area per tube

Total area (m²)

47 x 1500

106,000

0.158

16,748

58 x 1800

4,513,000

0.261

1,177,893

58 x 2100

1,235,000

0.306

377,910

Net area (m²)

1,571,551

However, commercial systems that include concentrating solar collectors or vacuum tube ones with CPCs (compound parabolic concentrators) saw their numbers fall in 2018, despite the government’s offer of a 30 % subsidy. The reasons for it were a number of attractive PV solutions occupying much of the roof space on industrial plants. Figures supplied by the MNRE show that close to 4,500 m² of collector area was commissioned last year, down from 5,643 m² in 2017. Solar thermal cooking was the main reason for putting up new systems, contributing almost 60 % to sales, while solar heat for industrial processes came to about 30 % and cooling to 10 %.

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SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 25 Solar

Product Feature

We Manufacture Modules From 40W – 350W Insolation Energy, an ISO 9001:2015 certified company has state-of-the-art 60MW fully automatic module manufacturing facility at Jaipur. We manufacture modules from 40w – 350w.

Features:Positive Power Tolerance up to 3Wp 4 BB / 5 BB high efficiency cell 100% EL tested Pre & post Lamination PID Resistant Excellent energy generation in weak light

Application:On-grid large Scale utility systems On-grid/ Off-grid rooftop residential and commercial system Net metering solutions Solar pumping applications Green telecom tower Solar street light Solar home lighting system(HLS)

Raw Materials:Mono Crystalline & Multi Crystalline Cells Low Iron tempered, AR Coated glass Anodized aluminum frame Backsheet & EVA Junction box

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 26

Product Feature

Ginlong Solis Are Committed To The Idea Of Sustainability Established in 2005, Ginlong Solis (Stock Code: 300763.SZ) is one of the oldest and largest

will display fault on the screen to inform the installer to reconnect. And Solis-(25-50)K-5G

global string inverter specialists, that manufactures string inverters for converting DC to AC

also have Leakage current suppression technology, it can reduce leakage current fault rate.

power and interacting with utility grid, which help reduce the carbon footprint of human

And the volt-watt mode can guarantee the inverter continuously generating electricity. If

society. Residential, commercial and utility scale solar market include home owners, business

the grid voltage is not stable, the volt-watt work mode ensures that the photovoltaic system

owners, utilities, solar developers and investors benefit from a complete product line of ultra-

continues to generate instead of directly turn off.

reliable, bankable, cost effective and innovative string inverter technologies, selling under

Finally, Solis-(25-50)K-5G safety is very significantly. In the new products, which own the

Ginlong Solis brands. These products are installed globally, optimzied for local markets and serviced by local experienced teams, to deliver significant long-term return on investment for stakeholders and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.

integrated anti-PID function. It with a built-in PID module, inverter will apply a positive voltage of the PV negative to ground to recover the PID effect. And we use the surge protection to enhance the inverter reliability against wore site conditions, because new 25-

The company has been awarded the title of “Top Inverter Brand” by the world famous photovoltaic authority research organization “EuPD” for four consecutive years -2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. Ginlong products have been used in high profile locations around the world including the Shanghai Expo, (Shanghai, China) and on the Eiffel Tower (Paris, France) along with other leading domestic and commercial projects.

Ginlong Solis are committed to the idea of sustainability. We sincerely promote and practice the green way of life. We are not here just to promote solar power but also to endorse energy conservation, such that coming generations may have comparatively better lives with abundant clean energy available, as well as most of nature’s bounty that is available to us today. We have set ourselves the task of not only providing our customers solar electricity but also of seeding in them the idea of a green lifestyle. We believe it is our responsibility to protect our mother planet, and as an organisation we work every day towards this goal with conviction.

At the present stage, Ginlong Solis inverter based on specific functions can be roughly divided into 5.

50K series integrate type II SPD both in inverter DC and AC side.

Technology Advancements: The most important parts of inverters are the reliability and stability. Good inverters must possess these two points then can truly save time and energy thus increasing the overall efficiency. New 5G models compared to original products, customers have more select. Now, we have 25-50K inverter, and the multiple models to match different system capacity, it have 380V and 480V voltage levels. In the efficiency test, new 5G models are larger DC/AC ratio and full power operation period than original products. And in the new products own the DPWM Technology, it will reduce 33% switching times and increase converter efficiency by 0.3%! We add the intelligent strings monitoring and IV curve scan in Solis-(25-50)K-5G. These functions will monitor PV string mismatch and increase system power generation, and independent string monitoring to reduce fault locating time. At the same time, Ginlong inverters utilize bipolar PWM control algorithm which can reduce the change rate of the common-mode voltage thus suppress the leakage current. It can effectively reduce 50% to 60% leakage current fault rate than original products.

� MINI inverter,

Targeted/ Benefited Customer Segment:

� Single-phase inverter,

Ginlong Solis is not only a string inverter R&D and manufacturing enterprises, but also good

� 5-20KW three-phase inverter,

at the development of “energy management”. As a gateway, the inverter forms the smart power grid of the family and distributes the energy in a network, and finally realizes the

� 20-40kW three-phase,

“smart energy management”. Solis-(25-50)K-5G suitable for commercial roofs, residential

� 50-70kW three-phase inverter and energy storage inverter.

roofs and other distributed scenarios, it compatible for multi-orientation rooftop scenarios.

We can supply full series string inverter from 0.7kW to 70kW.

And we own a variety of models, it helps Ginlong(Solis) to expand the market. Ginlong’s

These are the main products that ginlong was selling:

products have been exported to more than 80 countries in the world, We have set ourselves

Ginlong (Solis) have an unique USP on the solar inverter. Firstly, the high efficiency, it has

the task of not only providing our customers solar electricity but also of seeding in them the

a 0.5% higher efficiency than previous models. The solar inverter has wider MPPT voltage

idea of a green lifestyle.

range, the MPPT voltage range of Solis 5-20KW is 160-850V. Ultra-low startup at 180V, which could make the inverter start earlier in the morning and shut down later in the evening, increase the total energy generation. And Our Solis 5-20kW three-phase 4G inverters utilize the most advanced harmonic suppression technology through a perfect combination of

PRICE/ COST RANGE: Category

Advantage

Power generation gain

Efficient

DPWM control technology

0.3%

3/4 MPPT, reduce string mismatch loss

0.3%

IV curve scan, find module faults in time

0.4%

Leak current suppress technology

0.5%

Volt-watt working mode

1%

DC reverse polarity warning.

0.4%

DC/AC type II SPD

1%

Anti-PID function

1.5%

optimum topology design in hardware and improved algorithm in software.

Secondly, Solis have outstanding heat dissipation. Our Solis 5-20kW three-phase 4G inverters

intelligent

adopt external inductor structure which has independent heat dissipation. The Solis have integrated AFCI modules, because high precision arc fault sensor is used to identify arc-faults through Fourier analysis. Once detected the inverter stops generating and reduces the risk of fire, since Solis adopts 100% components from the world’s leading brands improve higher reliability for Solis inverter. And our products have built-in export power control technology.

safety

Currently, many customers have the demand for preventing PV power feeding into the grid and balancing the generation and consumption which most of traditional inverters do not support or require extra devices to realize it. We integrate the function into our inverters

Using the above technology, Ginlong products can increase user revenue by 5.4% compared

which only requires minor modifications to the circuit board. And Solis have wide range of

with other competitors

power rating, we offer multiple choices for customers.

 Cost: The Ginlong product and other competitors share the similar system configuration, and the initial investment cost of the system is almost the same.

Featured Product

 Income: Taking the 30kW project as an example, the annual peak sunshine hours are for

1300h, which can generate 2,106kWh more electricity per year! Calculated by the price

commercial roofs, residential roofs and other distributed scenarios. And Solis-(25-50)K-5G

of electricity of 0.07 dollars, the annual income can be increased by 154.56 dollars for

have many attractive technical features, which is Efficient + Wide voltage range + Multiple

users. In 25 years, the cumulative increase of income is 3864 dollar. If the solar irradiance

MPPT+ String monitoring+ Easy installation+ Fanless design. And these features also

condition and the size of the power plant increase, the revenue will increase even more!

Solis-(25-50)K-5G bring “efficient, intelligent, reliable” customer value, suitable

responded “efficient, intelligent, reliable” to customers.

Technology Specifications: Firstly, new products own wider MPPT voltage range, low start-up voltage and DPWM Technology. Therefore, Solis-(25-50)K-5G have more flexible system design. And Solis-(25-50) K-5G DC input current is 12.5A+DC/AC ratio 1.3, it suitable for Bi-facial PV modules. So, these hardware conditions have brought larger DC/AC ratio, lower reduce system and it will increase full power operation period.

Secondly, the performance of new 5G models in intelligent is very splendidly. In the new products have intelligent strings monitoring and IV curve scan. Especially, the string IV curve scanning, timely detection of module faults, hot spots and other issues. And Solis-(25-50)K-5G have Export power management, this technique adjusts the output power of the inverter by monitoring the situation of photovoltaic power generation and the power consumption of the load, so that the inverter can equal the generation as the load consumption. At the same time, the new products add the remote control technology, customer can remotely turn on/ off the inverter and remotely modify grid standard. If the DC polarity is incorrect, the inverter

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Features:  4MPPT design with precise MPPT algorithm, effective reducing string mismatch  8 strings intelligent monitoring, Smart I-V Curve Diagnosis supported  30% DC overload, 13A input for each PV string

 Over 98.8% Max. efficiency  200V-1000V MPPT voltage rangeultra low startup

 Fuse free design to avoid fire hazard  Type II surge arrester for both DC and AC

 Natural convection, Fan-Less design, longer lifespan

 RS485/Wifi GPRS interface

integration, remote upgrade supported

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter ••May May 2019 2019 27

Product Feature

SAJ Solar Inverters Has Been Awarded The Top 5 Solar Inverter Brand In China For 5 Consecutive Years

SAJ provides professional distributed solar inverter, energy storage hybrid solar inverter

5. Power quality

and monitoring solution and solar pumping system. Meanwhile, SAJ solar inverters has

Applies advanced weak grid adaptive algorithm, making the general harmonic distortion

been awarded the Top 10 solar inverter brand in China for five consecutive years. Monthly

≤2%.

average shipment of residential solar inverter (1kW-10kw) from SAJ ranks the Top 3 within the solar energy industry in domestic market. With the strategy of local service network, SAJ has more than 20 branch offices and over 80 service centers in China, and its overseas service center has expanded to Germany, Belgium, Turkey, Australia, India, Brazil and other countries. With the superior quality and comprehensive service network, SAJ has successfully applied 1 million sets of products around the world.

R5 residential solar inverter Highlights � Lightning protection , High precision leakage monitoring � Die-casting case cover , Beautiful & reliable � Low standby consumption ,High efficiency (20kw up to 98.8%) � Bluetooth APP connection ,All data at real time

Feature Product

� Remote Maintenance ,Remote Configuration

R5 residential solar inverter

� Quiet generation ,No noise pollution

SAJ R5 residential solar inverter is featured as safe and efficient, intelligent power

� Intelligent & Grid-friendly ,Active response to grid dispatch

generation, etc.Power capacity is single phase 1kw to 8kw,while three phase is from 4kw to 20kw. Among all SAJ R5 series inverters, R5-10K-T2 won the TÜV Rheinland PV Inverter for Home Use [10kw] AQM Award 2018.

R5 residential solar inverter features are presented as below:

1. Input performance Start voltage is 180Vdc; minimum input voltage is 150Vdc. This performance will be better under weak light condition and the on-grid power generation time could be prolonged.

2. Output performance Applying redundancy design and optimum software algorithm empowers it with 110% max output capacity.

3. Thermal stability It applies integrated die-casting molding and could be operated at extreme -40℃ condition while output will not reduce under high temperature (60℃) environment.

4. Conversion efficiency Innovative MPPT algorithm, with 99.9% MPPT efficiency, maximum conversion efficiency 98.53%.

With the strategy of local service network, SAJ has more than 20 branch offices and over 80 service centers in China, and its overseas service center has expanded to Germany, Belgium, Turkey, Australia, India, Brazil and other countries. With the superior quality and comprehensive service network, SAJ has successfully applied 1 million sets of products around the world.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 28

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Solar Quarter â&#x20AC;¢ May 2019 29

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Solar Energy, Storage, Electricity Distribution & Projections

Past: It has been an incredible journey for Solar PV industry during the last decade.

(vapour absorption technology) and several other process applications, for meeting

Beyond all stretches of imagination, solar energy cost has fallen below grid parity level, by

continuous demand. Even gas engines (in open or combined cycle mode) and steam

about 85% from the tariff level Rs.18 per unit, in 2009.

Future: ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ – could be a reality within the next two decades.

The Sun God, the sole energy source for the Globe (any conventional or non-conventional, indirectly!), is tipped to electrify ‘One Grid’ through the most direct conversion method,

turbo-generator systems will get synergized, with thermal storage units fed by electrical source. Process industries with roof tops and needing steam are likely to tap Solar PV & thermal storage combination.

Solar PV route, in coming years.

No doubt Battery Storages, with the leading technologies like Li-Ion, VRLA, NaS-NaNiCl

Transition: In power segment, Solar PV generation installed capacity during the last two

will dominate the Energy Storage market, in this promising transition. Proofs are already

years was more than the combined share of all other energy sources. Variable Renewable

evident, where the tariff levels with battery storage systems have started nearing the ‘grid

Energy (VRE) share in India is projected to cross 55%, by 2030. At this rate, what is in store

parity tariff levels’.

for the next decade is Energy Storage Systems, that could change the entire demography of power transmission & distribution. It may so happen that distributed solar generation units with adequate storage systems will make the transmission & distribution system

Now, the vibrant Solar PV industry is expected to take along energy storage systems, which would open up bigger opportunities for other segments like battery, thermal storage, heat

redundant.

engines, heat exchangers, combined cycle systems, pumped storage system, induction

In this transformation towards One Grid, it is predicted that some of the previous generation

furnaces, etc.,

technologies like pumped storage systems could get a revival! Thermal storage systems,

Let’s gear up for this interesting phase of Transition!

which were integral part of initial day Solar Thermal Plants, could make a re-entry, for grid - Mr. S.Balaguru, Chief Technology Officer, Avant-Garde

balancing. Induction furnaces, which are the power houses of metal industry, will become heating source for thermal storage systems, for applications like heating, air conditioning

Use Of FRP / Fiberglass Products In Solar Industries It is important to break the Myth! Many people consider that FRP / Fiberglass products

Zero Maintenance

are very expensive as compared to Conventional Materials (GI or HDGI). In some of the

� FRP needs no maintenance due to properties like non corrosive and UV stabilised

products, it is correct but if we consider the product life cycle cost then it is not. Let me share some advantages of FRP which can be important in considering requirements in

� No protective coatings are required

Solar Industry.

Eco friendly Material (indirect)

Light weight

� Electricity consumed to manufacture FRP profile is very negligible as compared to

� Very important when project type is Roof Top � Saves indirect material handling cost

100 % Non-Corrosive � Very much suitable for ground mount projects in marine region or projects coming in dessert or projects in saline environment � Very promising in areas where water logging is the problem

Electrically non conductive � Earthing requirements reduce in Ground Mount projects

manufacture metal profile

Very easy to fabricate � It is very easy to fabricate (drill hole or cut profile) on site with hand tools � As standard, we supply material in pre-fabricated material but spare profiles can be used if required on site for fabrication with normal hand tools

Non penetrative installations � Non penetrative installation for rooftop MMS and walkway for rooftop possible FRP/ Fiber glass material can be used for following applications in Solar industry � FRP / Fiberglass MMS for Ground Mount Projects

UV Protected

� FRP / Fiberglass MMS for Roof top Projects

� Unlike thermoplastics, FRP is UV protected and suitable for all harsh environments

� FRP / Fiberglass Walkways & Handrails for Roof top Projects

Flexible as compared to Metal

� FRP / Fiberglass Cable Trays for Roof top Projects as well as Ground Mount Projects

� This is a big advantage as during high wind loads it will purlins will deflect but there

� FRP / Fiberglass Cable Clamps / Cleats for Roof top Projects as well as Ground Mount

will be no sign permanent deflections after high wind loads

Life of material � As material is UV protected, Life of FRP can be considered more than 25 years

Fire retardant � Incase of any short circuit, FRP will not propagate fire. It has self-extinguishing property

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

Projects AERON COMPOSITE PRIVATE LIMITED, head quartered in Ahmedabad, is leading manufacturer of FRP / Fiberglass products. We will be happy to provide assistance to Consultants, Developers, EPC Companies, Installers, etc to understand FRP material and its feasibilities to use in Solar industry. Reach us at vishal@aeroncomposite.com with copy to info@aeroncomposite.com

Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 30 Solar

Company News

J

G

inkoSolar Wins Intersolar Award 2019 for its Swan Bifacial Module

lobal Single-Phase Inverter Market Added 11GW in 2018

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (the “Company,” or “JinkoSolar”) (NYSE: JKS), one of the

IHS Markit released its annual PV inverter market report in early May. The world

largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, today announced

grid-connected PV inverter shipments remained almost flat in 2018. While the world

that it won the Intersolar Award 2019 in the Photovoltaics category for its Swan bifacial

grid-connected three-phase PV inverter shipments were slightly down at 93,427 MW,

module with transparent backsheet from DuPont. The Intersolar Award is presented

shipments of the single-phase segment increased by 11.2% to 11,098 MW last year.

annually to companies making a substantial contribution to the success of the industry, honoring technological innovations and groundbreaking solutions using photovoltaicrelated technologies.

The growth was boosted by strong residential PV demand across the globe. SolarEdge and SMA, which remained the No.1 and No.2 single-phase inverter supplier respectively, was followed by Growatt in the third place. Growatt, a Chinese inverter brand which

The Intersolar Award Jury recognized the Company’s Swan bifacial module for its

focuses on rooftop solar inverter solutions and has been gaining market share for the

comprehensive performance quality with its Cheetah bifacial half-cut cell technology,

past three years, is close to challenge SMA for the ranking. According to Photovoltaic

as well as novel utilization of transparent backsheet, making it more lightweight than glass-glass modules. With an output of up to 400W on the front side and up to 20% energy gain from the rear side, the modules are ideal for PV power plants given that they are optimized to ensure a low levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). JinkoSolar also offers a linear 30-year performance warranty, setting a new standard for power output, energy yield, reliability and LCOE. Frank Niendorf, JinkoSolar General Manager Europe, commented, “This prestigious award is a great honor for our company and speaks to the high level of innovation that we constantly strive to achieve. Our Swan module builds on our core Cheetah cell technology and combines a number of innovations. The power increase, mounting method compatibility, lighter weight, and improved shading-response performance

Brand Lab (PVBL), Growatt is the No.1 residential inverter brand in China.

According to IHS Markit, there’s an apparent growth transition from utility-scale solar farms to distributed solar installations. This process has taken place in US, Europe and China. And in fact in Germany, the installations of utility-scale solar farms are very limited now, leaving room for smaller solar systems to be developed for residential and commercial use. Another trend in rooftop solar is the self-consumption model, which means solar storage solutions will play increasingly important role in this sector.

As the growth momentum of utility-scale solar weakens, inverter companies are looking at the rooftop market for higher growth. However, the landscape of rooftop solar are quite different. Rooftop solar systems are widely scattered and product reliability and

ensure that the module will stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Overall,

service capability really matter. Customers prefer inverters companies that provide high

this product is yet another example of our ongoing efforts to develop better solutions

quality products, local after-sales services and online service capabilities.

that address the constantly increasing demands for quality and technology in the postsubsidy era.”

O

G

riano completes 9 projects for Cleantech Solar across multiple states

oodWe: the world’s 7th largest PV inverter supplier, according to Wood Mackenzie

• 13.75 MWp installed by Oriano for Cleantech Solar across 9 projects in 7 states/UTs in

GoodWe reiterates its ranking as a major global player.

India

With a volume of more than 4 GW of capacity shipped in 2018 and more than 12 GW of

• 10 MWp solar power plant in the final stage of completion

total capacity installed all over the world, in 2018 GoodWe reached the ranking of the

• Oriano has been ranked in top 10 solar EPC players in India according to annual EPC

7th largest supplier of PV inverters on a global scale. That information according to the

rankings by Bridge to India

recently released report by Wood Mackenzie and titled Global Solar PV inverter market:

Oriano Solar further strengthened its position in solar EPC business with the completion

Market shares and shipment trends 2019.

of 9 projects totaling 13.75 MWp located across 7 states/UTs including Madhya Pradesh,

This is not the first time that according to an authoritative international institution

Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry and Rajasthan in the last

GoodWe makes it to the list of the largest suppliers of PV inverters (IHS and Bloomberg

6 months. Additionally, a 10 MWp solar PV power plant is in the final stage of completion.

on previous years have also identified us a major supplier). The fact that an organization

Oriano Solar was selected to do the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for

as reputed as Wood Mackenzie classifies our company on that ranking makes us very

these projects.

proud and it is a joy to share this with our global customers. First, the hard facts of this

“These projects were quite challenging considering multiple locations and difficult land

report: in 2018, the GoodWe shipments of PV inverters reached 4% of the global market

parcels. However, Oriano Solar with its speed of execution, commissioned the solar PV

share, which in itself is remarkable, considering how fast the global market has been

projects in a very tight schedule,” said Prashant Kothari, Director of Finance & Operations,

growing and how rapidly this trend intensified last year. In two large central regions of

Cleantech Solar.

the world, Europe and Asia-Pacific, GoodWe maintained an outstanding performance:

These plants will generate clean energy that will offset annual carbon dioxide emission of

last year, GoodWe supplied 3% of the inverters acquired by the European market, which

29,300 metric tons and have created 310+ construction jobs over a period of 6 months.

made our company the top 10 largest supplier of this continent, which also happens

Raju Shukla, Cleantech Solar Founder and Executive Chairman said “These projects will

to be the regional market with the fastest growth in the world and consequently, the

help industrial and commercial customers to have substantial cost savings without having

strongest contributor to the growth of solar in the world. In Asia-Pacific, GoodWe

to make capital investment and meet their sustainability goals. We are happy to have

reached a 5% of the market share, making our company the 4th largest supplier, which

chosen Oriano as an EPC partner to build these projects.”

is remarkable given the volumes involved and the size of the national markets of this

K.G. Vijayvarghia, Business Head – EPC, Oriano Solar, said “We have a vision to cross 1

region, that include the largest world markets of China and India and the sophisticated

GW of execution by Oriano by 2022 that can offset carbon dioxide emission of 1.2 million

market of Australia. The year of 2018 was very challenging for the Chinese solar industry,

metric tons annually and collectively contribute in India’s Solar Energy goal of 100 GW by

but GoodWe still managed to expand in the global market and the inclusion of our

2022.”

company on the Wood Mackenzie top ten list bears witness to those efforts. It is also

“Cleantech has been a key partner in our growth journey from our initial days and we

worth mentioning that the more than 4 GW volume shipped by GoodWe last year was

are proud of working with Cleantech Solar on various projects. We are thankful to our

35 times more than what we shipped in 2012 and more than double of what we shipped

partners, suppliers and developers who have trusted us in our capabilities,” said Sameer

in 2016. The Wood Mackenzie report fully illustrates that despite the challenges of last

Shah, Co-founder & Chairman, Oriano Solar.

year, GoodWe has managed to maintain a remarkable high rate of annual growth that since 2012 has averaged 100%.

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 31

Perspective

Floating Solar PV Applications In India Resource, Potential Challenges & Market Outlook

Mr. Abhinav Gupta - General Manager International Expansion & New Businesses ReNew Power Limited -

Challenges – While a floating solar installation has multiple environmental, economic and social benefits, some of the challenges facing the industry are:

 Higher capital cost, as compared to ground mounted solar  Insufficient project performance data

Floating solar technology is not very different from the ground

 Lack of clarity on technical norms for floaters technology for such projects

mount solar technology, albeit its adaptability to fit onto floating

 Absence of hydrographic data of water bodies

structures. Take a regular, ground mounted Solar project; Deduct the land, the civil works, structures and fencing; Add the water body, floater for panels and mooring & anchoring system; And you have a much more efficient solar system, a Floating one.

Market Outlook & Potential – Globally, China and Japan lead the pioneering effort for floating solar projects, with installation of more than 80% of the total global capacity of

There are steps being taken by all stakeholders, including the Government, investors, developers, technology providers, EPC companies and financial institutions, to overcome these challenges, and provide direction to the industry. As the industry matures and more capacity is installed, the day is not far when floating solar projects would compete with other energy modalities purely based on LCOE, without any external support system.

1.3 GW. Utilizing <10% of Indian dams’ surface area can generate 400+ GW, saving ~2 million acres for alternate use. In addition to dams, these projects can also be installed on reservoirs used for industries, irrigation, drinking water storage, as well as aquaculture ponds. While currently India has only a few megawatts of operational floating solar projects, there are hundreds of megawatts of floating solar projects under development, and many more tenders expected by SECI and other agencies soon. With an expected run rate of 2+ GW floating solar tenders each year over next 5 years, the industry is on the rise.

Mr. Prerak Thekadi - Category Lead - Techno Commercial - Adani Green Energy Limited

“Market Outlook & Potential – Globally, China and Japan lead the pioneering effort for floating solar projects, with installation of more than 80% of the total global capacity of 1.3 GW.”

The major areas of concern are high price of floats, few domestic manufacturing bases for float manufacturing, high cost of transportation for floats, lack of testing and standard procedures of floating solar, untested technology for long run, lack of financial resources,

Floating Photovoltaic (PV) technology is an innovative concept of solar-energy generation utilizing water surface available on dams, reservoirs and other water bodies. The major components

lack of experience and knowledge, ecological and adverse impacts on water ecosystem etc.

However, with both implementing agencies and developers both struggling with the issue of land availability, floating PV tenders are on the rise in India, which will eventually help in

of a PV floating system are Floating system (Structure + Float),

maturing the technology and overcome most of areas of concern related to the technology.

Anchoring System, Mooring System, PV System & Balance of

Following steps can support floating technology viable for Indian market:

Plant (BOP).

 Bathymetric and Hydrographic analysis with tender bidding

Owing to the growing demand for non-conventional sources to meet energy needs,

 Motivate lenders to finance Project

floating solar has also earned a lot of interest in recent times, thanks to its major

 Surface area charge waive off to promote technology

advantages like non-dependency on huge parcel of land, conservation of water through the reduction of evaporation, increased generation due to a cooling effect on the panels and

 Encourage R&D investment

requirement of lesser installation time than conventional land mounted ones. However,

 Establish Raw material standard for Quality (Correct grade of HDPE & UV content)

floating technology need to mature a lot in order to draw substantial interest from major

 Proper selection of Module - optimum output and reliability

developers and reaching the volume comparable to ground-mounted systems.

 Skill development for mooring and anchoring system

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 32

Perspective Mr. Rahul Khatri - Technical Manager – South Asia

in from the edges, and higher operating temperatures. While modules in FPV get

DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions

exposed to high humidity, conventional glass to backsheet modules are tested to

Floating PV (FPV) is certainly an interesting application and

PVF film-based backsheets have proven to perform successfully for 25+ years in

the potential seems high in India with numerous water bodies

high humid regions and are better suited for FPV applications. Also, given the

across the country.

Though the current FPV installation

uncertain nature of FPV application and high cost focus in India, use of durable

base is small in India, it is gaining momentum. Tenders of

PV materials in modules is required to withstand environmental stresses to resist

more than 1.5 GW have been released and MNRE is aiming

corrosion, humidity, salt and mechanical stresses in the duration of their operational

to install 10 GW FPV by 2022. While the application was initially conceptualized

service life. This can be enforced by incorporating tighter specifications in Bill of

because of scarcity of land in some countries in Asia, other benefits including

Materials (BoM) and technical standards for module selection.

operate in much higher humidity levels, and modules made with DuPont™ Tedlar®

better power generation owing to lower ambient temperatures, water conservation due to reduced evaporation and synergies with horticulture, are driving interest in regions including India. One of the biggest challenges of FPV is the long-term reliability and operation of projects in relatively unknown conditions. Glass-glass

“One of the biggest challenges of FPV is

module technology was a preferable choice in early installations owing to its lower water vapor transmission rates. India’s solar industry is looking to follow the same trend but the overall long-term performance of glass-glass structures needs to be considered. Many recent and old installations with double glass modules indicate serious reliability and durability issues in the technology, including breakage

the long-term reliability and operation of projects in relatively unknown conditions. “

(especially in frameless modules), power loss due to moisture retention that seeps

Mr. Ashish Kulkarni - Associate Partner Ernst & Young LLP

day, A comprehensive nation-wide potential sites for FPV with a holistic evaluation of risks associated with the sites will enable bidders/developers to bid with a realistic cost estimates and will lead to better participation in the bids.

The advent of the Floating Solar PV technology (FPV), has

The success of FPV in India also is dependent on various ministries such as marine life,

emerged as a potential solution to the availability of land and

water, environment & forests to work together with MNRE. This needs a holistic policy

substantial costs associated with the land procurement/lease.

review and amendments necessary to make the deployment of large scale FPV a reality.

Comprising of a floating system (buoyant structure and floater), FPV utilises dead water spaces to maximise the utility of resources and promotes higher efficiencies and water conservation.

FPV in synergy with the hydroelectric plants, presents a viable solution to India’s energy concerns through a Hydro-Solar hybrid energy system. As per the IEA analysis, the total renewable generation in 2030 expected to be at 919 TWh, the hybridisation presents significant energy potential in India. The hybridisation will enable FPV to produce solar energy during the day and saving water for hydroelectricity during intermittent times.

Moreover, the Hydro-station’s existing electrical infrastructure including high voltage grid access and transformation devices will lower CapEx costs, enable easy integration and faster capacity addition to the plants.

NRLD, 2017, identifies 5254 completed large dams in India, this opens up opportunities for floating solar power plants in the country. With the fast-paced development of technology leading to reduced costs, floating solar power plants could indeed help us meet the ambitious 100 GW solar PV target by 2022 and satiate the unquenching thirst for water in our country.

Use of digital technologies to a) assess the risks associated pre-construction b) during

“The advent of the Floating Solar PV technology (FPV), has emerged as a potential solution to the availability of land and substantial costs associated with the land procurement/lease. Comprising of a floating system (buoyant structure and floater), FPV utilises dead water spaces to maximise the utility of resources and promotes higher efficiencies and water conservation.”

construction and c) post construction including reduction of O&M is the need of the

Mr. Pankaj Kumar - Co-Founder and Director Quant Solar Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The concept of Floating Solar PV installations open up new opportunities for scaling up solar generating capacity in country like India which is blessed with hundreds of thousands of

knowledge of the behavior of floating structures under various static and dynamic forces of environment. Therefore, developing a good eco-system in India is imperative where more and more efforts are put into R & D activities to improvise the technology and to promote the Technology & IP driven Indian players for expanding their manufacturing base to cater to big demand.

medium to large water reservoirs, dams & lakes. With increasing difficulties in land acquisition for big scale solar plants and given the ambitious targets of solar installation in the next few years, Floating Solar sector holds a huge potential given the easy availability of open surface on water bodies.

Since the successful commissioning of India’s first Megawatt scale Floating Solar Plant by QuantSolar, Floating Solar projects of capacity over 400 MW have been allotted till date and projects of over 1000 MW are in the pipeline. Given the high volume of upcoming projects with only few players in India offering Floating Solar Technology, it’s going to be a challenging task to meet the demand. In this scenario, the obvious inclination of stakeholders will be to import floaters from China and other developed countries which has good supply base. However, the exorbitant logistics cost of importing floaters compounded with serious quality issues and least accountability of the product after commissioning is a big deterrent.

Since the plant is supposed to withstand extreme environmental conditions and to sustain for 25 years, the design and engineering of Floating system along with the deep water anchoring system for Megawatt scale projects demands a thorough expertise and

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

“Developing in

India

a is

good

eco-system

imperative

where

more and more efforts are put into R & D activities to improvise the technology and to promote the Technology & IP driven Indian players for expanding their manufacturing base to cater to big demand.”

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 33

Perspective

Impact Of GST ON SOLAR EPC PROJECTS IN INDIA

Mr. Simarpreet Singh, Founder-Director, Hartek Solar Pvt Ltd

Commenting on the issue, the GST Council has recommended that in all such cases, 70% of the gross value shall be deemed as the value of supply of goods, attracting 5% rate and the remaining 30% of the aggregate value of EPC contracts shall be deemed as the value

The solar sector has been enjoying numerous tax exemptions,

of supply of taxable service attracting 18% GST. In other words, an EPC company will now

but in view of the falling tariffs and improving market dynamics,

pay 5% GST on up to 70% of the total value of the contract, and pay 18% on 30% of the

the government has now brought it within the ambit of GST so as to make it self-sustainable in the long run. While the Centre

contract value.

has rightly classified solar equipments, devices and generating

However, the operators are not very happy with this arrangement. They want a bifurcation

systems under the lowest tax bracket of 5% to ensure that the new tax does not impede the

with 90% of the value earmarked for goods and 10% for services. Some feel the GST

growth of the solar sector by interfering with the price competitiveness of this booming

rate for works contract services involving solar projects should also be kept at 5% as an

industry, it has decided to impose 18% GST on solar projects involving civil and works

incentive to ensure the fast-paced growth of the solar sector.

contracts. This higher GST on solar EPC projects may lead to an increase in capital costs and tariffs, eroding margins in the short term. However, in the long term, the falling input costs are expected to neutralise the effect of GST on prices.

The Maharashtra Authority for Advance Ruling (MAAR) has observed in its order that solar developers who employ contractors to supply solar panels and set up their projects

The industry players also want the government to do away with the restrictions on availing tax credits on the goods and works contract services relating to power infrastructure projects. As per the model GST law, no credit can be taken on goods and services in the execution of works contract which results in construction of immovable property. Solar

are getting a service performed for them, and hence should pay 18% GST, the rate

plants are deemed as immovable property under GST.

applicable for services. As this ruling is expected to serve as a precedent for other states,

Given the government’s thrust on infrastructure projects through public-private partnership,

EPC companies are concerned about the ramifications of the new tax regime on their

it should introduce a provision for claiming internal tax credit on works contract services

businesses. A leading solar EPC contractor has filed a petition before MAAR, stating that

involving solar projects. The move will give much-needed respite to solar EPC players

the GST on supply of goods should not exceed 5%, while 18% GST can continue on the services involving the setting up of the plant, like erecting civil works and connecting transmission lines.

reeling under the impact of GST by improving their margins and ensuring their greater role in connecting solar projects to the grid.

Mr. Animesh P Manek - Director Avishakti Solar “When it comes to EPC projects, the process involves assembling

Therefore, the impact of GST is being felt differently across the industry. While the ground

a huge list of products and installation services. Out of these,

mounted EPC players are facing confusion as well as uncertainties in terms of price

some of the products attract 5% GST and some of the services

fluctuation and lack of clarity in the tax structures, rooftop solar players are finding it quite

and products attract 18% GST.

beneficial.”

For the ground mount EPC players, GST amount is a part of the total project cost. The GST rate applicable for supply of equipment for a solar power plant will be 5% which will be equivalent to 70% of the plant cost. For the installation and engineering services, EPC companies and installers will need to create a separate invoice that will be equivalent to 30% of the overall bill with an applicable GST rate of 18%.

As per an independent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to an increase in the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation by almost 6 per cent for EPC players.

What’s noteworthy though, is that GST isn’t bad news for everyone operating in the industry. If we zero it down to the rooftop segment of solar installations, for solar EPC

“The introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has led to an increase in the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation by almost 6 percent for EPC players.”

players GST amount is refundable through the input tax credit mechanism. This is possible because EPC players are not the end customer unlike those of ground mounted projects.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 34

Perspective

Exploring Rooftop & Floating Solar Resources To Accelerate The Solar Sector Growth In West Bengal Mr. Brijesh Prajapati - Managing Director - India Sofar Solar

Floating solar power energy systems are getting more popular in India because they can

Image

be built on industrial water bodies like wastewater treatment plants, cooling facilities in factories and power plants etc.The use of floating solar panels has only started to emerge

Floating solar is picking up in all over the world massively this time. Even India was the third largest solar market in the world after China and the U.S. with 8.3 GW of solar PV capacity installed in 2018. Now a day solar trend is going up with floating solar

recently. By placing floating solar panels systems many space issues are resolved. The use of floating solar has grown massively in recent years, with several countries across the world installing them. A big advantage of floating solar panels is rather than taking up

power plants ideas. However floating solar power plants do

valuable land, you can make use of wasted water bodies. As per the market reviews in the

involve a higher maintenance and installation cost. India is investing for floating solar

past seven years, industrial demand had increased by 27.22%. In fact they are ready to

plants due to the growth of population (India is leading with world’s second highest

fulfill heavy industrial demands when required. WBREDA conceived a proposal to electrify

population in the world) and to save a valuable land. Also the cooling impact of water

five villages in Sundarbans with renewable Solar Energy Systems and also Government of

allows the panels to work at a faster pace, producing more energy.The first floating PV

India sanctioned the project as per the proposal. WBREDA has already completed some

plant of 10 KW was installed in a lake in Kolkata (West Bengal) in the year 2014. And after that progressing in the same as recently a 100 KW floating solar power plant was installed in NTPC Kayamkulam in Kerala which is the largest floating Solar Power Plants in India.

Mr. Ahsim Ali- Chief Marketing Officer AlienSolar (Orrand Technologies Private Limited)

project with installation of approximately 6100 Nos. we are looking forward to develop west Bengal as largest states of india using floating solar systems.

the present policies by electricity regulatory commission. Grid-tied systems cannot be availed by residential consumers but once we see the policy change in the residential segment we can expect an increase in the number of installations in the residential sector.

The renewable energy sector in West Bengal has achieved

In certain industries lately, we have a slowdown in solar plant installations due to the

significant improvements over the years. We have seen an

change in tariff from TOD to Non-TOD once the consumer opts for net meter. This change

increase in the number of installations in the state primarily in

in tariff alone increases the energy charge by such a margin which reduces the benefit

the commercial and industrial segment, credit of which can be

that could be enjoyed because of solar installation. This change in tariff if avoided through

given to net-metering policy which helps reduce the electricity

gross metering on any other way will encourage more installations in those industries.

bills in a large way. In the near future, the numbers are going to rise exponentially but still

The state of West Bengal has a lot of water bodies in form of rivers, lakes which are spread

the volume will be on a miniature scale with respect to the requirement of the hour.

across the region. These water bodies can be utilized for installation of distributed solar

West Bengal has a lot of roof space available in the residential segment as well but the

system and the benefits can be enjoyed by locals of the region by creating an entity.

affordability of solar system does not make the system feasible to residents according to

Mr. Piyush Jaju- Chief Executive Officer ONergy Solar

thriving in the commercial and industrial sector is probing the solar power developers, EPC providers and solar organizations to offer OPEX model solution. As a leading solar enterprise in India, operating since 2009, ONergy Solar is considerably contributing in the

West Bengal has a big untapped potential for promotion of rooftop power plants. Rooftop PV targets as thought by MNRE is roughly 2,100 MW, envisaged by Government of India for West Bengal. Of these the major places of potential are Industrial Belts, factories, hospitals, hotel, schools, colleges, residential areas.

In the Solar Rooftop OPEX (Operational Expenditure) model, an investor or project developer (sometimes called Renewable Energy Service Company –RESCO) invests in the CAPEX and consumer pays for the energy consumed/supplied by the solar power project delicately developed for a particular consumer.

In West Bengal solar OPEX model is a surging market with the solar companies selling power directly to the consumers, invariably industries under bilateral contract and this growth has been fuelled by the increased availability of renewable sources at competitive costs near industrial demand centers, declining capital costs of equipment, and rising grid tariff of industrial and commercial consumers.

The inclination of solar industry towards OPEX model with the trend of solar power

Mr. Sourjya Lahiri - Chief Executive Officer Silaris Energy Pvt. Ltd.

states’ capacity of solar power generation as a major player in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Orissa in OPEX model, making considerable sense for commercial segments as the leveled tariffs are significantly lower than grid-based tariff. In the completion of its 10th year in 2019 a set of highly esteemed customers like Aditya Birla Group, NHPC, Indian Oil, Primarc, Airport Authority, JREDA, WBREDA have been developed evolving across the spectrum of industrial, social, government and corporate sectors with installation/under execution of over 15 MW of solar rooftop systems.

OPEX is the sustainable business model having huge scope in India. For industries and commercial enterprises investing in allocation of resources for solar power installation is a matter of hassle. So, for them harnessing on solar power at Zero Upfront investment is the viable option and also getting rid of all the operation and maintenance charges. The main highlight of ONergy Solar is the PPA (Power purchase Agreement) tariffs offered by us which is reflective of market dynamics and varies in different states as per the capacity.

Promotion of PV is beneficial to all it provides a massive scope of employment generation, attracting investment & business opportunities and mitigating climate change disasters.

net-metering policy, which presently does not permit facilities to individual home-owners.

However, with Rooftop being implemented in schools, institutions and housing societies, there has been a surge of Solar Energy generation growth in the region. With further

In places of high population density like West Bengal, green/ renewable energy options like Rooftop Solar and Floating solar are viable for growth in Solar Energy generation. With population vis-à-vis landmass ratio being low, there will be a time when we shall not have enough landmass left for implementation of ground mounted Solar Grid units. The local DISCOM does need to re-consider its

w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

introduction of Floating Solar, stagnant water bodies that lay in shadow free areas will also come to use. West Bengal alone is due for up-sizing its Solar Energy generation by a minimum of 200MW in recent future. If we take the Easter Region in general, NorthEast states are looking to convert to green and smart ways, as they prepare for the 2022 National Games. Thus, for the Eastern region, rooftop solar and Floating will play a major role to further the renewable energy drive.

Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 35 Solar

Perspective

Expanding The Growth Of Solar Energy In Rural Maharashtra To Accelerate Decentralized Energy Infrastructure

Mr. Arun Rao - Director - Marketing

This sounds great! So what are the challenges? Well, the biggest challenge is the cost

Magenta Power

of power delivery. Rural India has an appetite of power cost of around Rs.5-6/- per unit.

Microgrids are small self-sufficient power systems which generate,

cost of having a battery bank and the cable network for last mile connectivity, in case of a

While this is possible in a typical rooftop solar plant (with net metering), the additional

distribute and meter power consumption within a limited area.

microgrid means that the cost of power escalates beyond Rs.8/- per unit.

While the conventional power grids cater to thousands of

This is where the government needs to play a key role as their social obligation and

homes and the typical rooftop solar unit caters to a single home,

election promises of providing power to 100% homes can be fulfilled without the huge

microgrids fit into the space exactly between these two.

investments in conventional power grids. Under the Saubhagya scheme launched by the

Just imagine a rural setting where about 30-50 homes decide to become a self sufficient

GOI in 2017, an ambitious target of 100% electrification was embarked upon. Under this

producer and consumer of power. They have a centralized power generation plant (either

scheme, the Rs.16,320/- crores has been allocated for last mile connectivity to households.

solar or wind or both), a centralized battery bank storing power and a cable network

Microgrids is clearly an area where participation of private companies can play a big role. It

providing last mile connectivity to the homes. Each home pays precisely for the power that

provides a tremendous opportunity to generate employment in rural India as well as gives

they consume just like people in cities do. However in most cases this microgrid is owned

opportunities to entrepreneurs to own and distribute power as a business.

either by the community and society or by a private company.

Mr. Animesh P Manek - Director Avishakti Solar

power must be always available with the power plant functioning seamlessly with minimal requirement of technical intervention.

Around 65% of the population of India still lives in rural areas. It

For this to work out, it becomes vital that the power plant designing is done with

is important for the rural areas to accept solar energy in order to

exceptional punctiliousness. Scruffily designed plants will give rise to more problems than

achieve true decentralized energy infrastructure.

solving the existing one. Poorly performing plants that are prone to failures and damages

The rural population of India uses various forms of fuels for their

can lead to negative perceptions of solar technology and thereby low uptake of the same.

daily needs. Although electrification has been done in villages

Another significant aspect that can sway solar technology adoption is government policy.

all across India, electricity is still not the primary fuel. Candles and kerosene lamps are

Very clear guidelines explaining the policies and planning associated with solar adoption

still a common sight across the villages. The issues—unavailability continuous supply of

must be made available to the rural communities. Ambiguity in the policy will lead to

electricity and such as billing and electrical appliance as an added expenditure.

additional barriers in the process.

The rural communities aren’t closed to adopting new forms of fuels—kerosene lamps and

Last but not the least, creating the right awareness about the benefits of solar technology

wood create harmful smoke and aren’t easy to use. For solar to become a viable option,

will go a long way. The awareness campaigns and workshops must be designed targeted

the cost of electricity will have to be the same as that from grid, if not less. Also, the

for rural population explaining the basic maintenance of the solar panels and batteries.

Mr. Rounak Muthiyan, Director,

Improving Rural Grids in Maharashtra- After decade of on ground working with farmers

Kalpa Power Pvt Ltd

and rural families, Rural needs require sustainable answers for not only pumping but also

According to Maharashtra 2011 census 54.78% of its population

for making lives better.

lives in its rural areas (Census 2011). This rural population is not

As per my experience of Grid improvement and integration of renewable energy,my version

only home to the vast majority of the state’s poorest people, but

is an intelligent combination of three strategies: 1) Grid Reinforcement, 2) Use of storage

the majority is also considered to be living in energy poverty

and 3) Renewable energy curtailments. Such approach provides a solution to integrate a

having a heavy reliance on traditional fossil fuel & agriculture

maximum of renewable energy generation on low capacity grids while minimising project

waste based systems.

cost and increasing the percentage of utilisation of assets

Solar energy can provide universal modern energy services which drive development

Present Status- In the state of Maharashtra, MSEDCL and EESL efforts of grid reinforcement

and help improve living conditions, particularly in rural communities where their use as a

and local generations is worth mentioning. In this scheme across Maharashtra solar power

decentralised energy source can be viable and efficient option.

plants land around MSEDCL substations being developed by EESL. Power Generated

The Context- Modern energy is essential for nearly all aspects of rural welfare such as

through these plants been injected into several rural substations.

cooking, sanitation, , producing & processing of their harvest, and education. The rural

In view of the above facts and in order to contribute to the target set by Gol, MSEDCL is

electrical grids, responsible for providing power to rural population are weak with heavy

willing to use spare land at its substations for the generation of solar energy to mitigate its

losses and low capacity. Renewable energy represents an efficient way to generate

RPO target given by Hon’ble Commission

electricity locally.

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Solar 36 Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 36

Event Snapshots

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Solar Quarter â&#x20AC;¢ May 2019 37

INDIA’S 40 MOST PROMISING YOUNG BUSINESS LEADERS IN INDIAN SOLAR INDUSTRY 2019

ABHIJEET MORE

ABHISHEK DAS

AMOL SONAR

ANIMESH MANEK

ARJUN MEHTA

SALES & MARKETING ENGINEER

BUSINESS MANAGER- SOUTH ASIA (RENEWABLE SERVICES)

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

FOUNDER & MD

ARS SOLARTECH PVT. LTD.

AVISHAKTI ROOFTOP SOLAR PVT. LTD.

AGM - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGY

ABB INDIA LTD.

UL INDIA PVT LTD

RENEW POWER LIMITED

BHAVIN PATEL

BRIJESH PRAJAPATI

CHANDRESH JAIN

DEEPIKA SANDEEP

DR. PALASH KHAN

PARTNER

MANAGING DIRECTOR

REGIONAL MANAGER - INDIA

CEO

ELEDEA

SOFARSOLAR INDIA PVT LTD

HERAEUS MATERIAL SINGAPORE PTE LTD.

PROGRAM MANAGER, ANALYTICS AND AI

GAURAV WADHWA

GAUTAM CHOKHANI

GURDEEP JUNEJA

HITAKSH SACHAR

HEAD DESIGN & ENGINEERING

CEO & CO-FOUNDER

MANAGING DIRECTOR

RENEW POWER LIMITED

VAULTRA ENERGY SOLUTIONS

WEBDYN INDIA PVT LTD

GURU INDER MOHAN SINGH

ALIENSOLAR (ORRAND BHARAT LIGHT & POWER TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED) PVT. LTD.

DIRECTOR

AMPLUS SOLAR

ASUN SOLAR POWER PRIVATE LIMITED

DIRECTOR & COO

JITENDRA SINGH

KAPIL MAHESHWARI

KAUSHIK CHITALIYA

M. ARUN KUMAR

NAVEEN KHANDELWAL

CEO & MANAGING DIRECTOR

CEO

FOUNDER & MD

PARTNER

BELECTRIC PHOTOVOLTAIC INDIA PVT LTD

HINDUJA RENEWABLES PVT LTD

ANANYA SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES

INDUS LAW

CHIEF INVESTMENT & STRATEGY OFFICER

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HERO FUTURE ENERGIES PVT. LTD.

Solar Quarter • May 2019 38 Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••May May2019 2019 36

NITIN SABIKHI

NIVAS VALLAVAN

PANKAJ KUMAR

PRASHANT KOTHARI

PRATYUSH THAKUR

AVP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

FOUNDER & CEO

DIRECTOR, FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

INDIAN ENERGY EXCHANGE

VALKAN ENGINEERING PVT LTD

DIRECTOR QUANTSOLAR TECHNOLOGY PVT LTD

CLEANTECH SOLAR

STATKRAFT SOLAR SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED

PRERAK THEKADI

RAGHUNATH VC

RAHUL JAIN

RAHUL KHATRI

RIKHAV PARIKH

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER

DIRECTOR

AVP - NEW BUSINESSES

TECHNICAL MANAGER - SOUTH ASIA

CEO

ADANI GREEN ENERGY LTD.

SWELECT

RENEW POWER LIMITED

DUPONT PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLUTIONS

SUNSPARK ENERGY

ROUNAK MUTHIYAN

SAMEER TIRKAR

SIDDHANT AGARWAL

SISHIR GAREMELLA

SOURJYA, LAHIRI

DIRECTOR

PRINCIPAL - ENERGY DEBT

DIRECTOR

FOUNDER & CEO

CEO

KALPA POWER PVT LTD

RESPONSABILITY INVESTMENTS AG

QUANT SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED

SUNVEST CAPITAL

SILARIS ENERGY PRIVATE LIMITED

UDAY DOSHI

VIKRAM DILEEPAN

VINEET MITTAL

VIRPAL YADAV

JITENDRA, VAINSH

CEO / FOUNDER

CEO

DIRECTOR

HEAD - PROJECTS

CTO & I/C PROJECTS

EXCELSIOR ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS

SOLARTOWN

NAVITAS SOLAR

MAHINDRA SUSTEN PRIVATE LIMITED

ACVA SOLAR PVT LTD

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Solar Quarter • May 2019 39 Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• May May 2019 2019 37

One Mega Event - 4 Expo ELECTRIC

VEHICLES EXPO

Int’l Exhibition On Electric Vehicles

FAST TRACK YOUR BUSINESS IN EMERGING SOUTHERN MARKET REACH SOUTHERN REGION MARKET

October 2019

Mahatma Mandir Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India

120+ exhibitors across 3 days from pan India

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Book Your Space Now! Get Early Bird Discount!

A Hi-Tech Business Pla�orm For Indian Solar, EV, LED & Ba ery Industry

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5th

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Exhibitors Profile Annual Maintenance Contractors Banks / Financial Institutions Charge Controllers Data Logger Electrical Test & Measuring Systems Emission Monitoring Systems Grid Infrastructure /Management Grid Optimization Hybrid Systems IT & Communication Technology Installers Epc Companies Inverters / Distributors Screen Printing Equipments Metallization Equipments Silicon Feedstock Ingot & Wafer Manufacturing Research Institutions Trade Media Publishing Certification Institutes Solar Products & Technologies Solar Panels Solar Systems Provider Solar Consumer Products Solar Commercial Products Solar Drying & Desalination Systems Solar Energy Storage Solar Park Developers

SMD Mounting Machines Solar Lanterns Solar Lights / Solar LED Solar Forms / Cities / Homes / Villages Solar Street & Billboard Lighting Solar Software Solutions Solar Cells Manufacturers Photovoltaic (pv) Modules Project Consultants Manufacturing Equipment Vendors Materials And Equipment Monitor, Mounting Systems, Trackers Traffic Lights Equipment Smart Grid Technologies LED Chandeliers , Crystal Lights etc LED Displays LED Assemblies & Products LED Software Solutions LED Manufacturers LED Screen / Video Walls LED Encapsulation Materials LED Manufacturing equipment LED Machinery LED Applications & Lighting LED Signage & Displays LED Components / Chips LED Accessories & Raw Materials LED Products & Fixtures

Supporting Assocition

LED Drivers & Power Supply Liquid LED LED Neon Lights, Indicator lamps, Chandeliers, Crystal Lights etc.

LED Spot Lights / Fixtures LED Module Connectors LED Turnkey Solution Providers, etc.

LED Architectural lighting LED Automobile Lamps.

LED Bulbs / Tubes /O LEDS Solar Batteries Battery Manufacturers Battery manufacturing machines Battery vent plugs & packing jali Battery Containers Battery Raw Materials Automotive Batteries E-vehicles Batteries Battery Separator MC Battery Battery Invertor / Battery Charger Battery Lead Manufacturers Battery Terminal Manufacturers Labs & R & D Battery Chemical & Inks All Batteries Products & Technologies Deep Cycle Application Battery Battery Part Manufacturers

Official Media Partner

2/3/4 wheel electric and hybrid vehicle manufactures Commercial, Cargo, Passenger and Personal Electric Vehicle Indian/International Electric Vehicle parts and component Battery Technology companies Charger Manufacturer Accessories Manufacturer Government sector and Departments / Nodal Agencies Homologation/Testing Agencies Banks and financial Institutions Insurance Companies Research and Training Institutes Body/ Chassis Fabricators Solar Power Technology Companies Branding Solution Providers E-Vehicle Manufacturers Automotive and Parts Manufacturers Components manufacturers & suppliers Material suppliers Engineering services / Consultants Testing, R&D and Education Institutions Connectors /Cables Wires and Harness manufacturers and suppliers Manufacturer & Suppliers of Auto Ancillaries Machinery & Equipment Manufacturers Design and simulation Charging station manufacturer Power management companies

Sun Power. Infinite Opportunities!

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AUG, 2019

FOR SPACE BOOKING International / Corporates / Sponsorships / Seminars

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