SolarQuarter July Issue 2019

SOLAR PV MODULE TECHNOLOGY

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 3

IN CONVERSATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS Global PV Installations Will Return To Double-Digit Growth — Record Volumes To Be Installed In The Fourth Quarter Of 2019

Mr. Manu Bishnoi, Director, Jltm Energy India Pvt. Ltd. (Technique Solaire, India)

15 12

“We have been continuously ranked in top 3 in this category since past few calls for tenders.”

Mr. Simarpreet Singh, Director, Hartek Group “We Have Connected More Than 1.5 Gw Of Solar Projects To The Grid For Independent Power Producers”

14

Renewable energy : regional trends

19

Company Feature  Ginlong won the “Solar PV Inverter of 2019” ........................26

Product Feature  TBEA - TBEA offers the Highest Capacity Inverters & reached 3GW+Supply in India ..................................................................30 Supporting a just and inclusive energy transition

24

 GoodWe - GoodWe Presents Its A4 Paper Size Mini InverterXS Series .......................................................................................... 31

Perspective

Digitalization Of The Grid Continues To Be A Megatrend For The Power Sector, And In The Solar Industry

27  Is the Safeguard Duty An Effective Policy Measure to Support the Indian Module Manufacturers? ..................................20 Where Are The Weak Links In Ensuring Good Quality



Rooftop Solar Project Construction? ................................................23

 What Are The Latest Global Trends & Innovations In Module Technology ? ...........................................................................................28

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 5

India News

I

ndia is the cheapest solar energy producer; beats China, UK, US among others

India is now the forerunner in producing solar power at lowest cost globally and is far ahead of other nations in low average production costs, a report said. Beating countries

Mahajan said that the estimated investment per megawatt is slated to be 4.45 million (~$6.42 million) with a total installed capacity of 500 MW. A committee headed by the executive director of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) is currently scrutinizing the detailed project report and drafting the tenders.

like China, which usually is the cheapest manufacturer of everything, India has also

be as low as $793/kW in India in 2018, the report by the International Renewable Energy

T

Agency (IRENA) said. India’s neighbour China also saw very competitive installation costs

In the first quarter (Q1) of the calendar year (CY) 2019, the Indian solar sector received

of $879/kW compared to the highest rate of $2,427 per kW in Canada. Among European

investments totaling $2.8 billion (~195.4 billion). The figure includes both manufacturing

countries, Italy saw very competitive installation costs for 2018 at $870/kW.

funding (upstream) and project funding (downstream) investments.

“India was estimated to have the lowest total installed costs for new utility-scale solar PV

The investments in Q1 2019 were 12% lower year-over-year (YoY) when compared to $3.17

projects that were commissioned in 2018 at USD 793/kW, 27% lower than for projects

billion (~221.2 billion) in Q1 2018. Investments increased by 55% quarter-over-quarter

commissioned in 2017,” IRENA. Also, India is the only country where the cost of setting up

(QoQ) when compared to $1.81 billion (~126.3 billion) invested in the Indian solar sector

left behind the US, UK, Canada and France among others. While the global average of installing utility-scale solar PV projects was $1210 for a kilowatt, the same was found to

solar PV projects between 2010 and 2018 have dropped dramatically and at the fastest pace by 80% compared to other eight major markets including China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.

I

ndian government tenders another 1.2 GW of solar The Solar Energy Corporation of India has invited bids to set up 1.2 GW of grid-connected

solar under the fifth phase of its national interstate transmission system program. The projects – to be established on a build, own, operate basis – will be awarded through e-bidding and a reverse auction with a tariff ceiling of Rs2.65/kWh. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has tendered a further 1.2 GW of interstate transmission system connected solar. The central government body will sign 25-year PPAs with successful bidders with a maximum tariff of Rs2.65/kWh ($0.038). Power from the projects will be sold to utilities.

The last 1.2 GW solar auction saw four companies – Ayana Renewable, ReNew Power, Azure Power and Mahindra Susten – secure a combined 1.15 GW of generation capacity at Rs2.54/kWh. Avaada Energy secured the remaining 50 MW at Rs2.55.

B

HEL Seeks Module Cleaning System Supplier for 129 MW of Solar Projects in Telangana

otal $2.8 Billion Of Investment in India’s Solar Sector in Q1 2019

in Q4 2018.

Both upstream and downstream investments surged QoQ mainly due to an increase in corporate funding, of approximately $800 million (~56 billion) in Q1 2019, a substantial increase compared to $217 million (~15billion) in Q4 2018.

The total investments in downstream activity reached almost $989 million (~69.04 billion), up by 4% compared to $951 million (~66.3 billion) in Q4 2018.

I

ndia Targets 500GW renewable Energy by 2030.

India announced an ambitious aim to set up 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030 in what could potentially help the country reshape the global energy market dynamics. The plans were revealed by the ministry of new and renewable energy secretary Anand Kumar at the 17th meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) council in Abu Dhabi.

India currently has an installed renewable energy capacity of around 80 gigawatts. “India would have installed 175GW of RE (renewable energy) capacity by 2022 without taking into account large hydro and 225GW including large hydro.

The government plans come in the backdrop of the NDA government’s agenda of

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a public sector undertaking, has floated a tender

providing reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity to the masses in its second term

for the supply, instrumentation, and construction (I&C) of a module cleaning system for

and focusing on changing the energy mix towards green energy sources. Also, as part of

129 MW of solar photovoltaic projects located at Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in Telangana.

BHEL is setting up these projects at four locations. The sites where the projects are being developed include, 10 MW project at Pegadapally, 30 MW capacity at Manuguru, 50 MW at Ramagundam, and 39 MW at Yellandu. This was then the largest solar project order won

by BHEL with a value of 5.65 billion (~$ 79.79 million).

The vendors who bid for the project will be involved in the design, supply, I&C for the module cleaning system for the projects. In any project, the solar modules get easily impacted by dust and other harmful particles and require timely cleaning for optimum power generation. Periodic cleaning of the solar modules is necessary to maintain the efficient performance of the installations.

U

ttar Pradesh Aims To Achieve 1.5 GW Of Commissioned Solar By Next Year

the new hydro policy, large hydropower projects have been declared as renewable energy sources, making them a part of the renewable purchase obligation, which requires power discoms to buy a fixed amount of renewable energy to cut reliance on fossil fuels.

E

U Partners India To Step Up Standard Operating Procedures And Monitoring Tool For Indian Solar Parks

The European Union delegation in India and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have jointly launched standard operation procedures and monitoring tool for Indian solar parks. Solar parks are key for India to achieve its target of 100 GW from solar energy by 2022, contributing to this target with 40 GW. The EU has been collaborating closely with India in deployment of climate friendly energy sources including solar energy.

Developed as part of the EU-India cooperation in Clean Energy and Climate Partnership Project, the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) and monitoring tools were launched

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh expects to commission 1,500 MW of solar power plants

by Praveen Kumar, the Additional Secretary of MNRE, and Friederike Tschampa, Charge

by next year in pursuit of its target to have 10,700 MW of renewable energy capacity by

d’Affaires, Delegation of the European Union to India. Developed under the European

2022. Uttar Pradesh aims to have 4,300 MW of rooftop solar installations and that 150 MW

Union programme ‘Technical assistance for the implementation and management of

of solar plants are already running success

identified solar parks.

The 1,500 MW of targeted solar installations for this year have already been tendered.

Through the so-called Uttar Pradesh Solar Energy Policy 2017, the state is looking to encourage the private sector to participate in solar projects. Another objective of the policy is to help achieve the target of 8% solar renewable purchase obligation (Solar RPO) by 2022, the minister has said.

N

ew Manufacturing Linked Tender of 2GW Issued.

The central government has issued a new tender for solar power equipment manufacturing capacity totaling 2 gigawatts, the latest attempt to spur its domestic industry after two

F

our Of Maharashtra’s Dams To Soon Get Floating Solar Projects

The state of Maharashtra will soon have four floating solar power projects at four of its dams. The announcement was made by the Maharashtra Water Resources Minister, Girish

earlier efforts failed to rouse investor interest. The new tender, issued by the stateowned Solar Energy Corp. of India, seeks four projects for module, cell, ingot and wafer manufacturing with annual capacity of 500 megawatts each, with each plant accompanied by up to 1.5 gigawatts of generating solar capacity.

Mahajan, during the Legislative Council meeting held recently.Girish Mahajan has said that

New to this tender is the option to propose lower capacities for the associated generation

the backwaters of Wardha, Bebala, Khadakpurna, and Pentakli dams have been selected

projects. The tariffs paid would be capped at 2.75 a kilowatt-hour for 25 years, similar to

for setting up the floating solar panels as per the Swiss Challenge method.

the previous tenders.

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 7

Asia News

B

angladesh Power Development Board Issues Re-Tender For 100 MW Solar Power Development

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has issued a notice inviting bids for 2

D

ubai Airport Terminal 2 Gets 5 MW Solar Plant

A 5 MW solar power system with 15,000 PV panels has been installed at Terminal 2 of

solar power projects with 50 MW capacity each. It will be developed on a build, own &

Dubai International, under the government’s rooftop solar program, Shams Dubai initiative.

operate (BOO) basis at 2 sites near 132/33 kV substations in Chuadanga and Netrokona.

Successful project installation was achieved by Dubai Airports along with Etihad Energy

The agency is seeking bids from project sponsors to develop these grid tied projects that need to be in operation for 20 years. To participate in the tender proceedings, interested companies need to submit technical, commercial and financial proposals. Financing for the 100 MW capacity needs to be arranged by the winners.

China auction allocates subsidies for 22.7 GW of solar with lowest bid of $0.0407/kWh China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) approved 3,921 PV power projects with a total generation capacity of 22.78 GW in the country’s first solar energy auction.

The NEA had pre-selected 4,338 projects with a combined capacity of 24.55 GW for the procurement, with 1.77 GW worth of projects missing out on a public subsidy. Of the approved projects, 366 facilities with a combined capacity of 18.12 GW were large scale solar plants. The remaining 4.66 GW was represented by 3,555 distributed generation projects.

D

NV GL For 50 MW Floating PV Project In Singapore

Services Company (Etihad ESCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

Dubai Airports says this is the largest solar power capacity installed at any regional airport.

Power generated by the solar plant is expected to be around 7,483,500 kWh annually, which will reduce the existing Terminal 2 load by approximately 29%. It will also lead to savings worth AED 3.3 million ($0.90 million).

The plant will transfer excess power generated to DEWA’s grid, while Etihad ESCO will provide maintenance services to the plant for a period of 7 years. Etihad ESCO is aiming to retrofit 30,000 buildings by 2030 to enhance energy efficiency and is currently preparing to implement AED 400 million worth of projects, and expanding beyond building retrofits to include industrial retrofits and solar projects, said Etihad ESCO CEO Ali Al Jassim.

2

00 kW Hybrid Floating PV Plant Online In Philippines

A 200 kW floating solar power project in the Philippines has been commissioned by

DNV GL has been roped in by the National Water Agency PUB of Singapore as

Norwegian floating solar specialist Ocean Sun using GCL System Integration (GCL-SI)

technical advisor for the planned 50 MW floating solar PV plant for Tengeh Reservoir. The

modules. The project is located on Magat reservoir that is spread over a 1,170-hectare

Norway based technical advisory firm said this is the first large-scale public tender for

surface area.

floating PV technology in Southeast Asia.

This is just the pilot facility and first non-hydro project for local renewable energy company

In June 2019, PUB issued a request for proposal for a 50 MW floating solar PV system with

SN Aboitiz Power-Magat (SNAP). Power generated by the facility will initially serve in-

the electricity generated to be used to its power water treatment plants.

house load requirements of SNAP’s Magat hydro. The project will go through a pilot test

As the technical advisor, DNV GL will support PUB through tender preparation, bidding,

for 10 months post which SNAP may opt to scale it up.

design, construction and operational phases of the project that will comprise a ‘pioneering business model’ consisting of both conventional and renewable energy components.

K

AUST Researchers Declare 21.09% Conversion Efficiency For Perovskite Single-Crystal Solar Cells

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) have announced achieving a power conversion efficiency of 21.09% for perovskite single-crystal solar cells.

To reach this stage, they used high-aspect ratio, single-crystal films of methylammonium lead-triiodide perovskites instead of existing polycrystalline thin films.

Terming polycrystalline thin films used in existing perovskite solar cells as highly disordered and defective and restricting the device from achieving optimal performance, KAUST’s team produced the new crystal films by starting the crystallization between 2 polymercoated substrates which they said would physically restrict crystal growth to 1 dimension under heating.

S

audi Arabia’s REPDO Launches 1.4 GW Solar Power Tenders

S

outh Korea Announces 2.1 GW Floating Solar Project

South Korea has approved what could be the mother of all floating solar power projects in the world touting a capacity of 2.1 GW as a single plant. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) gave its stamp of approval to the project to come up on Saemangeum Lake.

The capacity of the plant will make it 14 times larger than today’s world largest floating solar project, a 150 MW floating PV project in China and equivalent to 1.6 times the installed capacity of 1.3 GW of global cumulative floating PV capacity in 2018, said MOTIE. Construction on the project is expected to start in 2020 once all regulatory approvals are secured, including environmental impact assessment. It is likely to make use of over 5 million solar modules and bring in KRW 4.6 trillion ($3.9 billion) in private investment while also opening up opportunities for the local solar industry.

E

lectricity demand drives Bangladesh

The government of Bangladesh wants to generate 10%, or 2 GW, of its electricity from

Saudi Arabia will launch 6 new renewable energy tenders in the months of July and August

renewables by 2020. The current generation from renewables is around 580 MW, of which

2019, as part of the kingdom’s plan to tender 12 renewable energy projects in 2019.

almost 350 MW comes from solar. A good number of solar power plants, both small and

Together, the 12 projects represent over 3 GW of capacity, according to the Renewable

utility scale, are now under construction. Some of them are expected to come online this

Energy Project Development Office (REPDO).

year and next.

Projects have been divided - in Category A with projects with 100 MW or less capacity and

In Bangladesh, presently 5.5 million solar home systems (SHS) are providing electricity to

Category B projects larger than 100 MW. The ‘small’ scale projects are designed especially

20 million people. These are off-grid arrays and have a capacity of over 290 MW. From

to enable greater opportunities for local companies to participate in the National

solar sources, less than 55 MW is connected to the grid.The recent introduction of a

Renewable Energy Program (NREP).

net metering system has encouraged many to invest in solar power. They are setting up

Together all these 6 projects are expected to generate investments of close to SAR 5.2

rooftop solar systems to offset electricity costs.

billion ($1.4 billion) from the private sector. The projects will have a minimum percentage of local content to be calculated according to the mechanism defined by the Local Content & Government Procurement Authority (LCGPA).

J

apanese Firm Commissions 40MW Vietnamese Solar Plant Yet another solar power plant has come online in Vietnam to profit from attractive

feed-in-tariffs (FIT) before they expire on June 30, 2019. This one has been energized

by Japanese renewable energy developer Pacifico Energy K.K.. The 40 MW Mui Ne Solar Power Plant was commissioned on June 12, 2019 in Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan province of the country. Pacifico partnered with Vietnamese asset manager Dragon Capital Group for this project.

The project is spread across 38 hectares of land and will generate around 68 million kWh of electricity annually. It was built by TTCL Vietnam Corporation Limited (TVC) a subsidiary of TTCL Public Company Limited as the EPC contractor. Pacifico Energy will provide longterm asset management services.

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ambodia approves four PV projects totaling 140 MW

Cambodia’s council of ministers announced that it has approved four new large-scale solar power projects with 140 MW of total capacity.A 20 MW solar park will be located in the Bavet province, while another 60 MW project will be built in Battambang province, and two additional 30 MW facilities will be installed in the provinces of Pursat and Banteay Meanchey.

The Cambodian government also revealed that the 60 MW solar park in Kampong Chhnang, which was tendered at the beginning of this year, may reach completion in August. The project is the first phase of a 100 MW National Solar Park project that was launched in June 2017.

All of these projects are part of the government’s strategy to respond to the country’s increasing energy demand. According to Cambodian authorities, electricity demand in the country is expected to grow from its current 1.5 GW to 2.3 GW by 2020, and 2.8 GW megawatts by 2021. So far, power imports from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand are helping the country meet its growing demand.

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 9

Global News

1

.4 GW Solar Energy Auction In Portugal Attracts Over 10 GW Bids From 64 Companies,

A

frican Energy Live Data Sees 1,097 MW Net Addition Of New On-Grid Power Generation Capacity In Africa

More than 10 GW of new capacity has been offered by companies interested in the

African Energy Live Data, a data platform of business consultancy African Energy, shows net

development of solar power projects in Portugal during the country’s solar energy auction.

additions of on-grid power generation capacity for the quarter ended March 2019 was at

Tha means the auction was oversubscribed by a factor 7.

its lowest levels since 2011 in Africa with 1,097 MW installed. On-grid solar’s contribution to

Portugal finally had 64 companies competing to win a share of the pie. As the Environment and Energy Transition Minister Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes said investors had offered over 10 GW of new capacity. Most of the interested investors are foreign companies.

1

0 MW Solar Power Plant In Cuba Partly Financed Under IRENA/ADFD Project Facility

A 10 MW solar PV power plant has been energized in Cuba that was financed by the Abu

this number was the highest at 556 MW which is almost double the annualized equivalent in 2014 when an average of 233 MW per quarter was installed.

Close to 776 MW was added by new independent power producers (IPP) during Q1/2019 compared with 283 MW of state-owned capacity and 64 MW of rental.

It is believed that the focus of the region has shifted to transmission and distribution leading to a slowdown in major procurement programs, but at the same time they are hopeful that activities pick up during the later part of the year as large state-owned plants start operations. These will bring capacity additions closer in line with recent years, they explained.

Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) under the second project facility of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and ADFD. The grid connected plant was inaugurated

by Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.

Under the IRENA/ADFD project facility, the plant received $15 million from ADFD with the remaining money coming from the Government of Cuba. Power generated will be enough

N

ew Solar PV Additions In Germany Continue Downward Spiral With 228.8 MW Installed In May 2019

After German solar PV installations started with a bang beginning January 2019 with over half a GW installed in one month, the huge excitement is somewhat fizzling out or so it

for some 7,000 homes.

seems. In the month of May 2019, new solar PV installations dropped down to 228.8 MW.

Cuba aims to increase the share of renewables in the total energy mix to 24% by 2030.

Even though the number for May 2019 is higher than the 194 MW added a year back, it is the lowest Europe’s largest solar market has reported since January 2019. In April 2019, the

F

ortune Business Insights Estimates Global Cumulative Solar PV Capacity To Grow To 4,766.82 GW By 2026.

Continuous research and development (R&D) of solar PV technology is bound to spur the

installations were previously calculated to be 304.67 MW, but now the agency has revised it downward to 293.9 MW.

680.22 GW in 2019, and increase exponentially to 4,766.82 GW or 4.77 TW by 2026.

C

According to Fortune Business Insights, growth of the industry will come from increasing

The Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy has published new bidding rules for its next

awareness about solar and how it makes business sense for end consumers, including

renewable energy auction. The procurement exercise will be open to new renewable energy

households, businesses and government organizations. As solar’s popularity grows, there

projects with more than 5 MW of generation capacity, with every project having to provide

growth of this industry globally and will enable the total market to grow to a total level of

will be more investment in the technology by companies as well as governments. Solar PV

olombia to award longer PPAs in renewables auction

electricity during three different pre-defined blocks of time to ensure security of supply.

manufacturing companies are also keen on investing more on their R&D efforts to gain an

Contracts will be drafted on a ‘take or pay’ basis, with the buyer obliged to purchase

edge in the ever changing market dynamics.

contracted energy regardless of whether it is used and the generator having to supply a fixed amount of electricity. Successful projects will secure a 15-year power purchase

A

ustralia will need 15 GW of utility scale storage by early 2040s

agreement (PPA) and projects must come into operation by January 1, 2022.

60% of the energy mix within 20 years and has highlighted the importance of optimizing

G

investment in new generation capacity and networks while adopting technologies such as

Poland has launched a new rebate scheme to encourage the uptake of residential solar

rooftop solar, demand response and electric vehicles.

PV. It committed a budget of PLN 1 billion ($262 million) for the program it calls Mój Prąd

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is leading the way to renewables supplying

In the first of a series of insights papers which will precede the second version of its Integrated System Plan (ISP) – due for release in mid-2020 – AEMO has provided deeper analysis of the role of storage. The study assumed 4.1 GW of storage capacity would be installed by 2030 and found the associated need for storage to help energy shifting would reach an unprecedented level a decade later.

The energy market operator forecast the need for utility scale storage would top 15 GW by the early 2040s, with opportunities for six and 12-hour storage facilities to complement deeper, utility scale solutions such as 2 GW pumped hydro Snowy 2.0 project and Tasmania’s Battery of the Nation.

G

lobal Demand For Solar PV Panels To Grow 16% YoY In 2019

EnergyTrend, a division of Taiwan’s market intelligence firm TrendForce, believes 2019 will see global demand for solar panels rising to 125.5 GW, growing 16% over 108.2 GW in 2018. And the good news is this growth trend is expected to persist into 2020 as well.

overnment Of Poland Launches Solar Rebate Scheme Mój Prąd For Residential PV Systems.

or My Electricity. The program will support 2 kW to 10 kW PV systems with up to 50% of installation costs and up to PLN 5,000 ($1,309) per system.

The government is hoping systems installed under the program to generate approximately 1 TWh of clean power. The program targets less urbanized areas.

Small scale solar PV installations in the country till the end of 2018 were reported to be more than 54,000, an 88% YoY increase and 235% more than in 2016. Total installed capacity of these systems reached 343 MW by end of 2018. In Q1/2019, Poland installed 72 MW of small scale solar power capacity, which is the highest increase in this category so far, taking the total to exceed 415 MW till March 31, 2019 with well over 65,000 systems installed.

Z

imbabwe Awards License For 100 MW Solar Project

Regulatory approvals have come for a proposed 100 MW solar power plant in Zimbabwe as the country’s Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has cleared a license request by Matshela Energy (Private) Limited to construct, own and operate the plant.

The Matshela Energy—Gwanda Timber Farm Solar Power Plant will be located in Gwanda,

In 2019, the world’s GW-scale markets will increase from 16 in 2018 to 21 in 2019 with

Matabeleland South. Matshela Energy will raise private funding for the plant but exact

China, US, India, Japan and Australia leading as the top 5. Europe will seek more panels

details aren’t yet known.

growing the business to 21.8 GW in 2019 compared to 11.9 GW in 2018. EnergyTrend sees

The team will be on site in August 2019 and first power will be delivered to the grid within

this demand from Europe to keep up and grow to 24 GW in 2020. Apart from Europe, it

12 months. The 100 MW project will be accompanied by 240 MWh of advanced battery

counts South America, the Middle East, Africa and other emerging regions that haven’t

energy storage system. Matshela Energy says it has ringfenced $100,000 per annum

been identified to have each at least 2 to 3 countries with GW-scale markets.

annually for 20 years for the project.

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 10

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 11 Solar Quarter • June 2019 11

In Conversation

“We have been continuously ranked in top 3 in this category since past few calls for tenders.”

Mr. Manu Bishnoi, Director, JLTM ENERGY INDIA PVT. LTD. (Technique Solaire, India)

5 MW Solar plant at Maheshwari village was the first project commissioned by JLTM Energy in India. How has your experience been working in the Indian solar energy market so far?

Julien Fleury and Lionel Themine. We are amongst the top Rooftop solar developers in

JLTM Energy India Pvt Ltd, is a subsidiary of Technique Solaire, France. TS is a French SME

We have a portfolio of approx.. 100MW and at present we have more than 100MW in

which started in 2008 and is a prominent player in rooftop segment in France. We have been continuously ranked in top 3 in this category since past few calls for tenders. In India, we started in 2014 and started assessing the market owing to ambitious target set by the Government of India. We won our first project in Uttarakhand state tenders which is a 5MW project located in village Maheshwari, Bhagwanpur, Uttarakhand. The project got commissioned in March 2017 and is fully operational. Being an SME, we wanted to first develop this project before jumping on to the next one. With the success of our first project, we participated in Maharashtra State tenders in early 2018 and won 20MW project.

This project is under construction and will be commissioned by the end of August 2019.

The experience has been good so far with minor ups and downs mainly because of the intense competition seen in the tendering. For us the immensely low tariffs quoted are not viable. Therefore, we have to carefully do our selection of tenders to participate. The goal of the Indian Government is huge and we are seeing numerous tenders coming these days so there is room for almost everyone. The Developers need to be patient and extra careful

France and have significantly moved from small kW segment to MW size category of solar projects. We are working on Carports/Truckports/Greenhouses/Agricultural/Industrial projects in France. Also, in France we do our own EPC. Apart from Solar, we are also working on Biogas projects in France. pipeline which will be completed in the next 1 year. So, you can see the growth we are taking. And, a significant part of this growth will come from India where we can imagine to develop bigger size ground projects at competitive rates.

In November 2017, two of the prominent French banks/institutions namely BPIFRANCE and Crédit Agricole Régions Investissement took up a small shareholding in our Parent company. This gives us confidence that our historical financial partners are supporting us as we are growing.

Apart from France and India, we are also in the early stages of project development in Netherland. We are also looking at expansion to other countries if we come across a good opportunity.

If you were to rate the top three challenges in Indian solar project development, what would they be?

while bidding otherwise it will lead to bad asset quality in the end.

There are numerous challenges in solar industry similar to all other industries in India.

Please let us know the progress of 20 MW MSEDCL project?

the top challenges would be Land acquisition, ease of local finance and timely payments

MSEDCL project was awarded to us in June 2018 and PPA was subsequently signed in July 2018. That was the same time when the Safeguard duty had come in and therefore the confusion was there on the reimbursement of the duty as our bidding was conducted prior to the duty announcement. So, it was difficult to make a choice on the modules.

The timeline for commissioning for this tender was 13 months from the PPA signing. We realised it while working that this is quite tough due to so many approvals and process involved for Land acquisition, transmission line approvals for which we have to deal with State TRANSCO, MSETCL and so many other works. In the next set of tenders by MSEDCL, the timeline has been increased to 18 months which is a very good move. However, for us

Different States have different challenges inherent with any infra projects. However, for me by off-taker.

Land is a crucial subject. If the project is a part of the Solar park scheme then it shouldn’t be a challenge otherwise timely identification of the land parcel and getting a grid connectivity approval in time remains a key challenge.

Arranging local debt is not easy and is a time taking process. The Lenders look at the project holistically keeping in mind DISCOMs and their payment history.

MNRE is taking positive steps in the direction for timely payments from DISCOMs which is a positive move. It is very important for a developer to get his dues in time for the project to be a success.

is on track and the construction is going on in full swing and we are working actively to

Do you think the India solar industry is too competitive today?

deliver the project in time.

Yes. The Indian solar industry has become too competitive but I think there is room for

it is still 13 months so our commissioning is end of August 2019. Nevertheless, the project

everyone. The unnecessary competition is mainly because of aggressiveness shown

What are your plans for future projects in India? What are your expansion plans?

Being an SME, our appetite is smaller in comparison to a lot of big players in the market and we see a good room for us in the Indian solar market. We are increasing our project sizes step by step. We are taking up projects for which we are confident of the financial closure which is not so easy presently.

There are not many French developers in India. Perhaps, we are the only French SME. Others being quite big players such as Engie & EDF-EREN. So, it’s encouraging to see that we have the capability to develop a project in India starting from participating in tenders to winning the project and then subsequently financing and commissioning in time. And most importantly, delivering a quality project.

We were awarded the Best French SME in India in October last year by Indo French

by few developers to get more market share. This in turn leads to unviable tariffs and subsequently, low quality assets. Like every other industry, the prices should come down at its own pace.

Because of the low tariffs, the developer has to cut down on the cost. Solar Panel costs will come down only minutely or it can even increase like we saw in the past one year and then financing terms are not getting better. So, in the end developers are looking at BOS cost optimisations and cost cutting on quality which will lead to bad asset. The EPCs, Inverter manufacturers and all other BOS providers are working on thin margins. It is not sustainable. I believe the goal of Indian government for solar development is huge and everyone can have a share of it as per their appetite. Competition will always be there but it should be a viable one.

month by CCI France (French Chamber of Commerce and Industry). All these recognitions

With stricter financial norms for banks & NBFCs, do you think financing projects in the near future could be a challenge for the industry?

motivate us to work harder and deliver more and more.

I think the financing of solar projects in India is already a challenge. Because of a few bad

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), Business France and The Embassy of France in India. And most recently, we were awarded the Best Franco-Local Partnership award last

We want to develop around 200-300MW in the next 3 years in India. And globally, Technique Solaire is looking at 1GW milestone in the next 5 years.

NPAs in other sectors and some of the recent instances of institutional failures, the lenders have become extra cautious and in this scenario the financing of even good projects suffers. In an already competitive tariff environment, the room for such adverse financing

Kindly give us a glimpse of the other international activity undertaken by your parent company Technique Solaire?

conditions is near zero hence solar industry is in dire need of low cost financing with good

Technique Solaire was started in 2008 in France by three founders - Thomas De Moussac,

true sense for this sector to grow and achieve the ambitious target set by our government.

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terms. The government and PSU banks should step in to drive this.

Also, in India Project finance is not common. In the end, the lender will ask for a corporate guarantee or a collateral which doesn’t make sense. We absolutely need Project Finance in

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 12

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 13

In Conversation

“We Have Connected More Than 1.5 Gw Of Solar Projects To The Grid For Independent Power Producers” Mr. Simarpreet Singh, Director, Hartek Group

What according to you is the biggest strength of your company in the solar industry and how do you plan to leverage this strength in the Indian solar sector?

The Hartek Group’s diversified portfolio and proficient project execution in the rooftop and solar EPC domains is one of its biggest strengths. We have connected more than 1.5 GW of solar projects to the grid for independent power producers, reflecting our exemplary project execution capabilities. As an established EPC player with expertise

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

Solar energy presents a great opportunity for developing countries to phase out fossil fuel and its growing expenses while transforming the country with industrial, social,

in executing high-voltage and extra high-voltage substations and transmission lines,

and economic growth. The future of solar energy in India largely depends on achieving

we have commissioned more than 150 projects for industries and utilities.

the ambitious solar power generation target of 100 GW by 2022. With the cumulative

Our solar division, Hartek solar, provides complete rooftop solar solutions. We aim

solar capacity going up to 36.36 GW, as on June 30, 2019, the market sentiment is

to systematically build infrastructure and products in this particular domain. Our

upbeat because of the record number of installations.

entire focus is to work very closely with the customers and provide them with the

The growth of the sector witness a slowdown in tender and auction activity last year.

right technology solutions. We are constantly working on the latest technologies and

However, the impact of a few policies like safeguard duty, which were initially thought

integrating them into the infrastructure to provide smart solutions to our customers.

to be of great help to the domestic industry, eventually presented huge hurdles for the

Leveraging this strength, we have introduced customised rooftop solar kits, which

growth of the Indian solar industry.

come with an option of a unique remote sensing technology tailor-made for smallscale solar plants. The remote sensing technology has broadly remained confined to large rooftop solar installations owing to its non-viability for small-scale solar from the commercial viewpoint. Hartek Solar has now made this technology commercially feasible for small-scale plants as well by linking remote sensing with consumers’ Wi-

The solar sector can accelerate its growth by focusing on manufacturing by supporting domestic solar panel manufacturing industry with sizeable investments will help India scale greater heights like China, which penetrated foreign markets by undercutting their market prices. By working overtime on its solar panel manufacturing capacity,

Fi or GPRS SIM card to get alerts on cleaning and maintenance as well as real-time

China was able to support its own solarisation, ring in revenues from exports and

data on energy generation and savings. The remote sensing technology aids lower

create jobs. India needs to follow a similar roadmap.

downtimes and has quicker fault detection tools aimed at optimising generation.

While on the one hand we need to promote solar projects based on domestic

We are among the first companies in India to launch 2-10 kWp plug-and-play kits,.

manufacturing capacities to make ourselves self-sufficient, the Central and state

Our small-scale solar installations cater to both net metering and gross metering

governments should take care not to put the auction process on hold in the expectation

consumers. These kits can be installed in a matter of hours and have been specifically

of a further drop in prices. Otherwise, the 100-GW target will continue to elude us.

designed for RCC roofs. Their non-invasive structure design with roof protection pads rules out any damage to the roof. Simple to install, easy to maintain, weatherproof, minimum, our standardised solar kits act as a safeguard to constantly rising costs of

What has been your growth story during FY18 and what is the forecast for FY19?

electricity.

While we consolidated on our growth in FY 2018, particularly in the solar EPC and

The company has installed 25-MW rooftop plants so far. Within just a year of launching

rooftop solar domains, FY 2019 will throw open more business opportunities for us.

its customised small-scale solar solutions, Hartek Solar has executed rooftop projects

With the tender process picking up pace in FY 2019-20, we have a lot to look forward

in more than 150 households in Chandigarh alone.

to this year.

eco-friendly and optimally designed to keep the labour and maintenance costs bare

How does your company stand out from its competitors?

We are looking to accelerate our growth by cashing in on the favourable investment scenario, the remarkable upsurge in private participation in the power sector and the government’s thrust on renewable energy. In sync with the country’s solar overdrive

Our emphasis on building our business on a collaborative and partnership model is

in pursuit of the 60-GW target for ground-mounted projects, we are matching our

what makes us stand out from our competitors. In fact, most of the partners we had

growth with that of the industry.

25 years ago are still with us. Building up on the collaborative model of doing business through licence agreements with global industry giants, we tied up with Schneider Electric in manufacturing high-voltage electrical panels and other power distribution

We will also build on our rooftop portfolio in the commercial, industrial and residential segments. Pursuing a 40-GW target, the government is all set to give a big push to

products. While people view the Hartek Group as a diversified one with five business

the rooftop segment through favourable policies like net metering, and we are ready

units, we see it as one core business model going for forward and backward integration

to make the most of it.

to add value for the end consumer, and this has turned out to be one of our biggest strengths.

Where do you see the Solar Energy industry in India poised for the next 10 years?

Vision 2030 envisages India as a $10-trillion economy in the next 10 years. It is power generation which will hold the key to the unprecedented growth India needs to register to get to this magic figure. Fuelling the ever-growing needs of practically all the other key sectors, the power sector forms the backbone of our rapidly expanding economy.

Since sustainability is at the heart of all development efforts directed towards building a New India, the country is aiming at increasing the share of renewables in the total installed power capacity to 50% by 2030 with a major chunk coming from solar energy. This is in tune with another dimension of Vision 2030 which foresees India as a

We are looking to accelerate our growth by cashing in on the favourable investment scenario, the remarkable upsurge in private participation in the power sector and the government’s thrust on renewable energy.

pollution-free nation with green environs and blue skies. Renewable sources in general and solar power in particular can make all the difference here as a major source of energy supply.

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 14

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Global PV Installations Will Return To Double-Digit Growth— Record Volumes To Be Installed In The Fourth Quarter Of 2019 This year will be the first year since 2011 that annual photovoltaic (PV) installations will grow in all six global regions. Europe, the Middle East, North America, South and Central America, Africa and Asia-Pacific will all contribute to 18 percent year-on-year growth.

The first year global PV installations grew at only single-digit levels was 2018. This slower growth was largely caused by declining demand in two of the three top markets: China and the United States. Expected and unexpected policy changes, and uncertainty around trade disputes, led to softer demand.

A return to much stronger global growth in 2019 will occur, thanks to increases in a wide range of markets. In fact, nearly ninety countries will increase annual PV installations this year, with nine of them forecast to grow by more than 500 megawatts, compared to 2018. This widespread growth has been aided by declining prices for PV technology, with average PV module prices falling 32 percent, and average PV inverter prices falling by 18 percent, in the past two years. Even as many regional markets contribute to growth, the evolution of the PV market in China will yet another year determine the final installation levels for 2019, as further highlighted in trend.

The fact that Spain will be the fastest growing market in 2019, in terms of the absolute increase in annual installations, is clear evidence that lower prices are igniting additional demand. A large pipeline of projects will be built this year, the majority of which will compete with wholesale electricity prices, supported by the security of guaranteed minimum prices

via

Government

tenders.

As

a result, Spain will return to being a “gigawatt market” for the first time since 2008, when a highly generous, shortlived feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme enabled the country to dominate the global market.

Under current projections, a record 34 GW of global PV installations will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2019 alone, exceeding the current quarterly installation record of 28 gigawatts (GW) set in the final quarter of 2018. This record growth will be driven by a large number of countries ramping up throughout the year. Even with new manufacturing capacity coming online throughout the year, predicted demand levels are right at the upper limit of what the PV module supply chain can deliver, meaning tight supply is likely throughout the second half of the year.

A return to much stronger

global

growth in 2019 will occur,

thanks

to

increases in a wide range of markets.

2018.

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 15

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Mono Vs. Poly – An Introspective Simulation Study! – Part 2 The first part of the article “Mono vs Poly – An introspective simulation study!” introduced the types of crystalline technology, the need for this study, the methodology we followed

Cold & Sunny climatic zone

and detailed discussion of 4 climatic zones. This part would educate its readers on the

Power plant based on fixed area

results of the remaining two climactic zones.

Deemed to be the ideal region for installing a solar power plant, cold and sunny zone are found at specific location in Northern India (around Leh) & the Aravalli range in Western

Cold & cloudy climatic zone Power plant based on fixed area The climatic zones discussed in our

India. They are identified with pleasant summers and extreme winters with fairly clear

Figure 1: Division Of Climatic Zones In India (Source: Iit Bombay)

sky throughout the year. While plants at other location performed better during winters, the plant installed at cold & sunny location was found to be maximum in summers and

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT

previous article i.e. hot & dry, warm & Technology

Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)

Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)

Performance Ratio (in %)

heavy rains. Few zones had extreme

Annual Generation (in kWh)

Mono crystalline

322,055

4.68

13.85

86.78%

weather conditions which resulted

Poly crystalline

273,766

4.51

14.64

83.68%

humid, composite & moderate were relatively warmer with moderate to

in higher generation during winters and lower generation in summers.

monsoons due to its clear weather. In winters however, the reduced irradiance coupled

The remaining two climatic zones

with the cloud in the region results in the drastic reduction in the energy output (as high

which are discussed in this article are

as 32%). Comparing the results for fixed

relatively cooler (throughout the year).

area, we find that the overall generation

Found mostly in Northern and few

utilizing mono crystalline module is 48

North-Eastern (refer Figure 1) regions

MWh more than poly crystalline module.

of India, cold & cloudy climatic zone

Further the temperature loss in a mono

could be significantly identified by cool

crystalline plant stays at 13.85 kWh/kWp,

summers and extreme winters with a

which is 0.79 kWh/kWp less compared

cloud cover throughout the year. Despite such cool climate close to the ambient operating

to that in a poly crystalline based plant.

temperatures of solar module, mono crystalline technology is found to perform better

The PR gain by utilizing mono crystalline

under both fixed area and fixed power conditions. Considering the case of fixed area first,

module is 3.10% more than that of poly

poly crystalline module loses 6.25% higher energy than the mono crystalline technology

crystalline module.

Figure 4: Energy Generation In Cold & Sunny Zone – Power Plant Based On Fixed Area

based power plants. Overall an energy boost of around 17.25% in summer can be realized while utilizing mono technology. Performance Ratio (PR) of a mono based power plant is found to 87.10%, which is 3.07% more than that of poly based plants. Energy injected

Power plant based on fixed capacity

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT

Technology

Annual Generation (in kWh)

Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)

Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)

Performance Ratio (in %)

Technology

Annual Generation (in kWh)

Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)

Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)

Performance Ratio (in %)

Mono crystalline

279,511

4.06

9.30

87.10%

Mono crystalline

1,684,771

4.59

167,488

85.10%

Poly crystalline

238,186

3.92

9.92

84.17%

Poly crystalline

1,674,903

4.56

176,434

84.65%

into the grid by mono based plant is Figure 2: Energy generation in cold deemed to be 17.34% or 41.3 MWh & cloudy climatic zone – power plant

Comparing the results of fixed power plant, the difference in the energy pushed to the grid

higher (refer Figure 2) which directly based on fixed area enhances the plant’s financial returns.

Further, an approximate of 8.32% in winters and an overall average of 5.86% of energy could be saved from temperature losses if

Figure 5: Energy Generation In Cold & mono crystalline modules are utilized. The Sunny Climatic Zone – Power Plant Based power plant during summers experiences On Fixed Capacity

Power plant based on fixed capacity

a boost in PR up to 0.52% while an overall

Considering the case of a power plant

boost of 0.45% is expected. Overall, a

under fixed area, a power plant in cold

boost in specific energy yield of 0.03

& cloudy zone is expected to perform

kWp/kWh could be obtained by utilizing

best during winters owing to reduced

mono crystalline module.

temperatures. Both the power plant on an

While, part 1 and part 2 covered the technical analysis of the study, the final

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER PLANT Technology

by a mono based power plant is 0.57% or 9.8 MWh more than the poly crystalline plant.

Annual Generation (in kWh)

Average specific yield (in kWh/ kWp/day)

Daily average temperature loss (in kWh/kWp)

Performance Ratio (in %)

Mono crystalline

1,466,728

3.99

112,484

85.72%

Poly crystalline

1,457,906

3.97

119,483

85.22%

average generate from 14.59 to 14.70% more in winters compared to summers. However when comparing both the plants, it was found that mono based power plant annually generates 8.8 MWh more. Further an annual boost of 0.50% is realized while utilizing mono crystalline technology over poly

Figure 3: Energy Generation In Cold & crystalline technology. The difference Cloudy Climatic Zone – Power Plant Based in temperature losses follows a similar On Fixed Capacity pattern to the generation curve i.e. the difference is lower during and around monsoon season (average of 519 units) and higher during other months (average of 628 units). A total savings in temperature losses of 7 MWh was

part will explain the financial aspect of the same.

Comparing

the

results

of fixed power plant, the difference in the energy pushed to the grid by a mono based power plant is 0.57% or 9.8 MWh more than the

MR. SUNIL RATHI Director- Sales & Marketing Waaree Energies ltd

poly crystalline plant.

realized in power plants utilizing mono crystalline modules (refer Figure 3).

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SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 16 Solar

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

While Prices For Solar PV Continued To Fall In 2018, Onshore Wind Took An Interesting Turn PRICE TRENDS

Onshore wind prices:A sharp decrease in average global prices between 2013 and 2017,

While prices for solar PV continued to fall in 2018, onshore wind took an interesting turn.

Both technologies showed a downward price trend from 2010 to 2017, but the price decrease for solar PV was more marked, reflecting the greater maturity of onshore wind technology at the start of the period. The global average prices dropped from around USD241 to USD66/MWh for solar PV (-73%), while onshore wind prices dropped from around USD 79 to USD 46/MWh (-36%). Between 2017 and 2018, solar PV prices continued

followed by a slight increase in 2017-2018. The increase is due chiefly to the fact that countries with higher prices constituted a larger share of the wind volume auctioned globally in 2017-2018, and the prices resulting from those auctions lifted average prices globally. The countries in question include some newcomers, for which prices typically start out higher than in markets with established auctions, as well as countries with generally higher prices (see Figure 5 for factors affecting prices). Moreover, the period has seen an

to fall, albeit at a slower pace, reaching USD 62/MWh in 2018. Onshore wind prices edged

increase in prices in some countries including Brazil and Germany.

slightly upward, reaching USD 55/MWh.

When analysing the price results for both solar PV and onshore wind auctions carried out

As analysed in IRENA’s Renewable Energy Auctions: Analysing 2016, many factors shape

in 2017- 2018, one important factor is the trade-off that has been considered by policy

the prices that emerge from auctions. They can be grouped into four categories: 1)

makers between obtaining low prices and achieving other objectives. Auction designs may

country-specific conditions such as resource availability and the costs of finance, land

have prioritised other criteria (specific benefits).

and labour; 2) the degree of investor confidence (clear targets, credible off-taker); 3) other policies related to renewable energy (grid policies, priority dispatch, local content rules); and 4) the design of the auction itself,

Source: © IRENA 2019

taking into consideration the trade-offs between obtaining the lowest price and achieving other objectives

Empowering Solar

Solar PV prices: A sharp decrease in global average prices for solar PV was observed between 2010 and 2017, followed by more stable price trends in 2017-2018. One possible reason

with Quentys™ encapsulant film and PP based compounds for producing backsheets

for the stability of prices could be the maturity of the sector and consolidation among its players. The decrease in prices between 2010 and 2017 was driven mainly by a steady decline in the price of solar panels, which fell to a quarter of their opening price over the period. Increases in investor confidence, developers’ experience, and competition in auctions also contributed to the decline. That said, once the most profitable projects, such as those at the best sites, have been awarded, prices

naturally

tend

to

plateau. © istockphoto

Nevertheless, some opportunities for further cost reduction may be found – for example, through economies of scale. Another reason global average

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prices stabilised in 2017-2018 is that newcomers (allowing for differences in macro-economic context, energy policy, and auction design, among others) constituted a considerable share of the solar PV volume auctioned, and

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Examples include Greece and Poland. As many of the newcomers are countries with lower levels of sector development, bidders and financiers may require a higher rate of return. In this context, the risks of investing in countries that may not yet have a fully robust institutional, economic and political framework are reflected in auction prices.

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08.07.19 17:47

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 17

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Ensuring Timely Project Completion

Although auctions are recognised for their potential for price discovery and their ability

In South Africa, of the 53 bids received in the three rounds of the Renewable Energy

to achieve objectives beyond decreasing prices, they are also associated with the risk

Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), only 28 were accepted,

that projects may be delayed or never come to fruition.The likelihood of timely project

which led to significant under contracting: only 649 MW of the 1 850 MW of wind capacity

completion can be raised through the use of appropriate auction design of the auction,

and 627 MW of the 1 450 MW of solar capacity demanded were ultimately awarded.

but this requires the presence of an enabling environment capable of supporting project

This result can be attributed partly to requirements for socio-economic development that

development.

some developers, mostly foreign, found problematic

This section looks at the status of project completion in various contexts and countries – among them Brazil, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico and South Africa. It investigates

CONSTRUCTION STAGE

cases of underperformance resulting from auctions for solar PV, CSP and onshore wind.

During construction, underperformance can be associated with delays in project

Underperformance occurs when an auction’s objectives are not met at any of the various stages, starting with the announcement of the auction and extending through the processes of bidding, contracting, constructing and operating the assets specified in the power purchase agreement.

BIDDING STAGE

completion or cancelation of projects, also known as underbuilding. Underbuilding often occurs when awarded projects encounter obstacles in construction or grid connection, leading to delays. The extreme case is when the project never comes online. In general, the maximum delay that can occur before the project is written off and another project selected is specified in the auction documents. Looking at some of the projects awarded through auctions for solar PV, Germany has had the highest share of timely completion

Starting from the day the auction is announced until the contracts are signed,

(i.e. not delayed and not cancelled), at almost 65% of the capacity awarded, followed by

underperformance can occur in the form of under subscription which occurs when the

South Africa (60%), Mexico (53%), Brazil (26%) and India (14%) (Figure 10).The high rate

auction does not receive enough bids to meet the volume of the demand. This can be

of timely completion in Germany can be attributed to the compliance rules in place, in

an indication that the auction was not able to attract enough bidders, possibly owing to

addition to flexibility in site location for projects up to 10 MW (Hannen, 2017). Delays

low investor confidence in the market, lack of an enabling environment, or unfavourable

occurred in Brazil (63% of projects awarded), India (54%), South Africa (40%), Mexico

auction design (e.g. strict compliance rules, low ceiling price, permitting requirements).

(37%) and Germany (23%). With respect to projects being cancelled (or where the project

Onshore wind auctions in Germany, for example, have been undersubscribed since 2018,

status is unknown), India has the highest rate (32%), followed by Brazil and Germany

when the design of the auction was changed to require projects to obtain permits in order

(11%) and Mexico (10%). Part of the capacity listed as abandoned in Brazil was voluntarily

to bid. At the same time, the permitting process became harder and lengthier, taking

uncontracted by the government in an effort to reduce system oversupply: the country

700 days in 2018, up from 300 days in 2016 (WindEurope, 2018). Developers have also

launched a “decontracting auction” in 2017 to undo some of the commitments it had

become more reluctant to bid, since, even after obtaining a permit, they could be exposed

previously assumed in the wake of a Brazilian economic crisis.

to legal challenges owing to shortcomings in the regional sitting plans that determine the location of wind farms. By 2019, at least 750 MW of wind farm projects were mired in legal proceedings (WindEurope, 2019). Under Subscription can have implications for prices, as an auction that fails to attract enough competition does not fulfil its full potential for price reduction. The average prices resulting from the German wind auctions rose from EUR 38/ MWh in May 2017 to EUR 62.6/MWh in October 2018 before stabilising at EUR 61/MWh in February and May 2019 (Figure 8). Notably, onshore wind has competed with solar PV in three auctions to date – all three have been won by solar, with a drastic difference in the prices offered

CONTRACTING STAGE Under Contracting occurs when, after the bidding process is completed and the winners

OPERATIONAL STAGE Aside from delays, failure to deliver the quantities promised in the bid can occur at many levels. On the technical level, in instances when the generation load is predetermined (e.g. in Mexico), the actual production from the generators can deviate from the generation profile required. Failure to deliver as bid may also entail a failure to meet the socioeconomic objectives promised. In such cases, the monitoring of project performance can be complicated. For instance, when reporting on local jobs created, one may encounter ambiguity in the delineation of the sector, in what is considered a newly created job, and in assessments of the quality of the jobs created. Moreover, monitoring the jobs created should consider qualitative dimensions such as the duration and meaningfulness of employment for individuals

selected, the contracted amount is lower than quantity demanded. This can be an indication that some of the bidders were bidding speculatively, a practice known as underbidding, and were not serious about closing the contract if selected. The implications of under contracting are directly linked to volumes not being contracted and renewable energy targets not being met. India has seen several cases of under contracting, which were partly due to holding negotiations with bidders after the auction in an effort to further reduce prices. The L1 awarding mechanism, for example, whereby bidders could advance only if they were willing to match the lowest bidder, discouraged several winners, who decided not to build their projects because they were not economically feasible at the lowest price. This issue continues to be a problem in India, as policy makers have sought ever-more-competitive solar power contracts, leading them to set excessively low prices incommensurate with developers’ costs and risks assumed.

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AUCTION DESIGN ELEMENTS TO ENSURE TIMELY PROJECT DELIVERY As part of the qualification requirements, a balance must be struck between imposing overly harsh requirements that may limit the pool of potential bidders (and thus increase the risk of under subscription) and relaxed requirements for qualification and documentation that may lead to underbuilding and delays. This is also the case for compliance rules related to the allocation of risk and the remuneration of sellers. Stringent compliance rules are meant to ensure that, once the winners are selected, contracts will be signed, projects will be completed on time, and the risks of under- or overperformance will be reduced. However, overly strict rules may deter small and new players and even lead to undersubscribed auctions.

SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 18 Solar

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Renewable Energy : Regional Trends

Additional countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific adopted auctions in 2017-2018, with a focus on solar PV and onshore wind. Europe remains focused on technology-specific auctions for large scale projects, while Latin America continues to pioneer and innovate in auction designs, with a continued preference for technology neutrality.

Most of the African countries that held auctions in 2017-2018 are newcomers. Their selection of auctions to support their energy transition is driven principally by two characteristics of auctions: 1) their potential for price discovery; and 2) the ease with which they can be tailored to a particular context or policy purpose. Along these lines, the positive experience that pioneers such as Morocco, South Africa and Zambia have had,

The increased adoption of renewable energy auctions in a region with abundant fossil fuel resources demonstrates the potential of the instrument to result in competitive prices when designed properly.

provide many lessons that can be shared (IRENA, 2013 and 2018). Auctions in Africa were dominated by solar PV, with Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Zambia playing the major roles.

Most countries in the Americas have considerable experience with auctions. In Latin America, Brazil and Peru were early adopters; more recently, Argentina, Chile and Mexico have joined the trend of innovating with auction designs. Driven by the success of auctions in neighbouring countries and the conducive structure of its power market, Colombia is the latest country to adopt this instrument. Canada and the United States of America continue using auctions, with increased scope at the subnational level. In terms of technology, the availability of biomass (Brazil), hydro (Brazil) and biogas (Argentina) allows for a variety of technologies in auctions in the Americas.

Across the Asian continent, countries’ experience with auctions is varied. In terms of technology, the focus is on onshore and offshore wind, dominated by Turkey’s 1 GW auction, followed by solar PV. Most countries in Central and Western Asia are newcomers, but Jordan, Kazakhstan and the UAE have significant experience. Auctions in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are setting the pace for replication in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, notably for CSP (IRENA, 2019a). The increased adoption of renewable energy auctions in a region with abundant fossil fuel resources demonstrates the potential of the instrument to result in competitive prices when designed properly.

South and East Asia and the Pacific also contain dynamic and heterogeneous markets with a diverse mix of newcomers and countries with established auction experience.

Efforts to fuel economic growth have encouraged many newcomers in South and East Asia seeking to take advantage of abundant solar resources and cost competitive PV technology. Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam are good examples (IRENA, 2018b). Japan has also adopted auctions in an effort to reduce the cost of support for solar PV. Meanwhile, China and India, the region’s renewable giants, have been holding at least ten renewable auctions per year. In terms of technology, the region is mainly focused on solar PV, followed by onshore wind and, recently, a boom in offshore wind.

In Europe, auctions were adopted by a large number of newcomers in 2017-2018, including Contracting Parties of the Energy Community (e.g. Albania and Montenegro), as well as by countries with extensive experience with auctions (e.g. Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain). Contracting Parties to the Energy Community, like the Member states of the European Union, are required to follow the European Commission’s Guidelines on State Aid for Environmental Protection and Energy for 2014-20, which establish auctions as the main instrument of support. The Guidelines are characterised by competition between renewable technologies and assignment to bidders of a larger share of project risks.

Source: © IRENA 2019

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SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 19 Solar

Perspective

Is the Safeguard Duty An Effective Policy Measure to Support the Indian Module Manufacturers?

Mr. Anupam Mathur, Founder & Ceo, Anmol Green Energy OPC Pvt. Ltd. Directorate General of Trade Remedies recommended 25%

far outstrips the domestic production, import of Chinese modules has continued

safeguard duty on solar modules/cells imported from China and

unabated.

Malaysia for the first year from 30th July 2018, in a phased-down approach. After 12 months, it will reduce to 20% and in the latter half of the second year, it will further reduce to 15%.

However, this levy has not helped modules and cell manufacturers as expected. This has happened because of:

3. Modules manufactured by manufacturers with imported cells in SEZs have to pay safeguard duty as well. A large part of capacity of Indian modules’ manufacturers falls in SEZs; their produce is treated at par with Chinese imports.

4. Manufacturing capacity of solar cells, which require a high degree of technical competence, larger investments and continuous infusion of large funds to be at the

1. Short duration of 2 years. It takes 12-18 months to commission 250 MW a green-field project. Developers are ready to wait out for the 4-6 quarters before ordering modules.

The duty will reduce to 15% and Chinese manufacturers, with their manufacturing volumes and tacit support from Chinese Government can offer cheaper modules to Indian developers.

cutting edge of technology, is very limited. There are absolutely no incentives for any small or medium sized manufacturer to venture into cell manufacturing.

If government wants the domestic module industry to succeed and provide employment opportunities to thousands of Indians, it has to provide financial incentives to cell & module manufacturers, allow SEZs units to be considered as domestic units even if local

2. No financial support has been given to local manufacturers. As a result, hardly any investments have flown into new manufacturing units. Since the demand for modules

cells are not used and extend the safe guard duty, without phase-down approach, for another 36 months.

Mr. Praveen Hariram, Partner, Asterix Energy Yes, it definitely helps the Indian module manufacturers. With the

Indian manufacturers to establish themselves in the market. Also, the prices of modules

Governments Make in India Policy in place, it can lead to new

have stabilized from a free fall after the introduction of this duty.

players in the market. It can also be a chance for revival of the existing players who were finding it difficult to compete. The duty is supposed to be only for a period of 2 years and we are not sure if it will get another extension. It is a good opportunity for the Indian manufacturer’s to prove their quality and service during this period of 2 years. This will be an opportunity for

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When it comes to EPC players like us, we tend to look at Good Quality modules at the most competitive rates and if an Indian module manufacturer is able to satisfy this criteria we will definitely choose one. Most of the projects which we are executing during this period, we are considering Indian modules only.

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 20 20

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

PV Evolution Labs (PVEL), Published The 5th Edition Of Its PV Module Reliability Scorecard In Partnership With DNV GL PV Evolution Labs (PVEL), published the 5th Edition of its PV Module Reliability Scorecard in partnership with DNV GL. As the most comprehensive publicly available comparison of PV module reliability test results, the Scorecard ranks PV modules and manufacturers using independent test data.

Despite improved performance in some areas, over 30% of the module Bills of Materials (BOMs) assessed for this year’s report failed one or more test criteria. The trend of poor damp heat performance observed in 2018 continues and is due in part to unexpectedly

Since PVEL launched its PV Module PQP in 2012, it has tested over 300 BOMs from more than 50 module manufacturers. More than 75% of the

high degradation from select modules with PERC technology.

current Bloomberg NEF “Tier 1” manufacturers

The annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard summarizes the results of independent testing

have participated in the Program. PQP

conducted as part of PVEL’s Product Qualification Program (PQP) and identifies the PV module models that achieved top performance. Highlighted findings include:

participation is now a common requirement by

� >30% of eligible Bills of Materials (BOMs) failed one or more test criteria

downstream buyers around the world.

� 10% of BOMs had at least one safety failure � Performance increases: percentage of thermal cycling and potential-induced degradation Top Performers rose by 42% and 29% respectively versus historical results � Performance decreases: percentage of dynamic mechanical load sequence and damp heat Top Performers fell by 37% and 38% respectively versus historical results The PQP is a unique protocol of tests that generate empirical performance and reliability data, contributing to critical technical due diligence, energy forecasts and financial models utilized by solar investors and project developers.

“We look forward to PVEL’s PV Module Reliability

Scorecard

every

year.

Consulting the Scorecard alongside PVEL’s detailed PQP reports provides Clearway with a listing of companies that prioritize module reliability, confirm that contemporary module technologies such as bifacial can achieve or extend the reliability of more conventional modules tested previously, and promotes the value of extended reliability testing which is essential for utility-scale project execution in the U.S.,” commented Scott Stephens, Head of Technology of Clearway Energy.

Since PVEL launched its PV Module PQP in 2012, it has tested over 300 BOMs from more than 50 module manufacturers. More than 75% of the current Bloomberg NEF “Tier 1” manufacturers have participated in the Program. PQP participation is now a common requirement by downstream buyers around the world.

“According to Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), PV module prices have dropped by

25%

in

the

last

year

alone,”

commented Dana Olson, Solar Segment Leader of DNV GL. “Oversupply and regulatory uncertainty are intensifying the cost pressure PV manufacturers face. It is incumbent upon buyers to thoroughly vet the products they source or else face greater risk of economic underperformance down the road.”

Source: DNVGL

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SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 21 Solar

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 22

Perspective

Where Are The Weak Links In Ensuring Good Quality Rooftop Solar Project Construction?

Mr. Rahul Mishra, CEO, Rays Power Infra

Mr. Niket Shah, M.D., Mechatronik Solar

The rooftop solar market is expected to grow to a market size of 20 GW by 2022 with larger contribution coming form OPEX model.

India is well poised to witness growth in the rooftop segment which is increasing year on year and organized players needs to be part of this industry to make it successful. Given the small size of projects, geographic spread and resource requirement,“quality of construction” and “safety” are key criteria differentiating best among

Solar industry in India is one of the most growing industries in India for at least the next 10 years. As per data in September 2018, India achieved 26 GW of solar installations in the country. This number surpasses the initial target of 20GW by 2022 announced at the launch of National solar mission in 2010 by GOI. Still we have a long way to go to achieve this target but as per current

equals .

demand and supply ratio, we as a solar community achieve this very easily.

Rooftop PV project’s construction by virtue of its nature is complex than a ground mount Project due to its safety aspects which are comparatively lesser in case of a ground based project.

For solar rooftop, as per recent update the solar rooftop market in India grew by 70%

Safety of manpower working still remains an area of prime concern even if PV plant installation is taking place on a RCC roof. Safety guidelines should be marked and displayed at various locations to avoid any hazard in case a cold or hot job is performed at site.

only 9% of its targeted rooftop capacity addition of 40 GW by 2022.

Hot work involves working with a source of ignition, like sparks or an open flame, in an environment with potentially flammable or explosive atmosphere. Cold work refers to a working situation in which there are no sources of ignition present. Tool box talk by a qualified Health and Safety personnel on a daily basis prior to work provides better understanding and reduces chances of accident.

A good Rooftop Project construction is mainly dependent on Engineering, material quality and construction quality. More than engineering it’s the material and construction quality which decides the lifetime of a Rooftop Project. � On RCC based Projects quality of civil work, quality of MMS (Module Mounting Structure), Conduits/ trays decides and rules life time of a Project. Material durability is hugely dependent on site and weather conditions. � Conduits for an example is supposed to be the lesser important material when a Solar Rooftop BOQ is prepared. A non UV stabilized conduit may impact site Generation as PV strings might get affected due to degradation of non UV stabilized conduits that’s why HDPE (High density Polyethylene) which is UV stabilized should be used keeping 25 years operation in mind.

which is commendable demand in solar industry for rooftop market. However, rooftop installations still only make up 12% of total solar installations and the country has achieved Recently, GOI has announced safeguard duty on solar cells and modules so it will boot local manufacturer in this huge demand.

As India looks to meet its energy demand on its own, which is expected to reach 15,820 TWh by 2040, renewable energy is set to play an important role. By 2030, renewable sources are expected to help meet 40 per cent of India’s power needs. New investments in clean energy in the country reached US$ 11 billion in 2017. In the first half of 2018, investments in clean energy in India reached US$ 7.4 billion. The non-conventional energy sector received a total FDI equity inflow of US$ 7.83 billion in FY19.

For solar rooftop, as per recent update the solar rooftop market in India grew by 70% which is commendable demand in solar industry for rooftop market.

� On a Metal shed basic challenge comprises of manpower safety along with roof safety.

At times we might cover all bases related to Construction and Material but an accident or roof leakage during construction can ruin all. A happy client aspires both i.e. benefits of generation and hassle free installation at site. � Lack of SOPs, Regulations also plays a key role. In Solar Industry apart from PV modules and PV inverters there is scarcity of SOPs, luckily Module and Inverter manufacturers provide installation guidelines and rest BOS is installed mainly on the skill of I&C. � Quality of I&C Partner also plays a critical role in defining life time of a Project. A skilled I&C will follow all necessary I&C practices and will deliver a quality site. Cost comparisons often leads to selection of lesser skilled I&C which eventually degrades plant quality. � Apart from these a site is also dependent on skill and resolve of Site Engineer who is supervising, when a Project is under execution, a skilled Engineer will bring better skills to the table with in-depth knowledge of Design considerations, Material quality, execution methods and last but not the least site will be executed keeping Operations and Maintenance requirements in mind Poor quality construction if not brought under control will affect all Installers and eventually will lead to Projects getting unviable due to lesser Project life and lower revenue.

Mr. Sanjay Naik, Head - Solar Business, Abellon CleanEnergy Limited A chain is only as strong as its weakest link- best stresses the need for perfection of every small job in roof top solar construction. � Grouting of the structure: Normally, dead load is used to protect the structure from wind.However, looking at changing weather scenario it is better to grout the structure, that too, using chemical anchoring .Chemical anchoring reduces possibililty of water seepage considerably as compared mechanical anchoring. � Material of construction of structure: Solar roof top structures are meant to stay in open facing rain, extreme Sun light and other adverse weather conditions. 80 micron HDGI structure will ensure the life of approx. 25 years in non-coastal areas. So, HDGI structures should be used invariably. � Earhing: Proper and separate earthing for AC and DC side is ignored many times but doing this ensures safety of the installation and the customer.Proper earthpit and proper size of cable is a must. � Sizing of AC cable :The cable from inverter to discom DB should be chosen of proper size to contain the cable loss (Less than 2 %) which will be there for ever. � Balance of strings: For a given MPPT, strings connected to it should have equal no. of modules per string. Same logic goes on for MPPTs. Lesser the difference in modules per strings in MPPTs, better.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 23

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Supporting A Just & Inclusive Energy Transition

Although auctions can yield an economically efficient allocation of resources from a competitive market perspective, their outcomes can be less than optimal from other perspectives. For example, they may not produce a diversified landscape of actors or generate the shared benefits envisioned for a just and inclusive transition (Fell, 2019) - when such objectives are not integrated in their design. Indeed, purely price-centric auctions may lead to geographical clustering, crowding out small and medium project developers, centralising market power, and excluding communities from decision making processes (Fell, 2019; del Río and Linares, 2014). While auctions evidently have limitations, multiple design options are available to policy makers to reconcile deployment objectives with broader development goals. This section analyses auctions as one way of pursuing a just and inclusive energy transition. It evaluates design elements intended to foster the development of local industries, create jobs, include small and new players, engage communities, and contribute to subnational development. These design elements, effective as they may be, are only part of a broader policy framework to ensure a more just and inclusive transition (IRENA, forthcoming)

INCLUSION OF SMALL AND NEW PLAYERS Among the weaknesses of auctions is their tendency to favour large players that have the capacity –financial and reputational (i.e. related to past experience) – to compete, leaving out small and new players.

Design elements can support the participation of such players, including newly established or small companies, communities, and co-operatives . Under the auction demand category of design elements, a share of the total volume auctioned can be set aside for small/new players. An upper limit on project size may also increase their chances, in cases where they do not have the capacity to develop large projects. In the Indian state of Punjab’s 2013 solar auction, for example, a portion of the demand (50 MW) was reserved for relatively small-scale projects (1-4 MW) for which only newly established companies could compete.

The remaining 250 MW was reserved for well-established companies with project sizes of 5 to 30 MW (IRENA, 2015). Under the same category, technology-focused auctions, which limit the pool of eligible projects, can encourage the participation of small-scale actors. In Germany’s technology-neutral auctions, in which solar PV and onshore wind went head to head, solar PV projects were the winners, with price results of USD 46.7/MWh in April and USD 52.7/MWh in November 2018. At that time, wind contracts were being awarded in wind-specific auctions at prices in excess of USD 60/MWh. Another reason why siteand project-specific auctions may be more attractive to small players is that they require less documentation. In terms of qualification requirements, site-specific documentation such as building permits may represent an obstacle for small-scale actors, which are more to participate in auctions where these requirements are relaxed. Part of the success of Germany’s 2017-2018 wind auctions in attracting the participation of communities can be attributed to the relaxation of permitting procedures such that bidders could participate in the auctions before obtaining permits (Bundesministeriums für Umwelt Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, 2017). Among the design elements falling under the category of winner selection, selection criteria that go beyond price may crowd in smaller players. Smallscale developers may obtain higher scores for high percentages of community control and cooperation, diversity in the project development consortium, and partnerships with local organisations. In the South African REIPPPP, qualified bids are evaluated based on price (70%) and economic development (30%) criteria.

Inclusion of small/new players can also be promoted by limits on the number of projects or total volume that can be awarded to a single player. Colombia’s auction used a HerfindahlHirschman Index (HHI) – a common measure of market concentration – to detect high concentrations of bids from a small number of players. In addition, small players and communities can be encouraged to participate by a preferential price rule for payment.

In the German onshore wind auction, community projects are awarded a clearing price equivalent to the highest successful bid (while other bidders receive the price they bid).

Ceiling prices above which bids are not considered may exclude small and new players by

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not offering them the chance to participate in the bid, even if, once all design elements are considered, they might have a chance of prevailing.

DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL INDUSTRIES Among the main strengths of auctions is their potential to serve broader socio-economic development objectives in addition to the deployment of renewable energy capacity. The secondary objective most commonly sought is to foster local development through new industries and supply chains. This is perceived as especially important in a time when structural changes such as those promised by the energy transition disrupt traditional sectors, with implications for the economy and communities. To support nascent industries and to maximise local value creation by stimulating demand for locally sourced equipment and services, developers of large projects are often required or encouraged (through incentives) to employ a minimum threshold of local goods and services (UNCTAD, 2014). Local content requirements (LCRs) have been introduced as part of the auction’s qualification requirements to restrict participation to developers who comply to a predefined minimum threshold of local content (Steinhilber & Rosenlund, 2016).This has been the case in Brazil (as a requirement to receive development loans), Morocco, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, among many others, and they have had a mixed outcome depending on policy design, potential, implementation and context. South Africa, for example, has had success in the wind tower segment, but has faced more challenges with turbine manufacturing, which is more technically demanding (IRENA, 2017). Morocco has created much of the local content in the form of construction jobs. LCR measures can be designed to be more or less flexible. In Argentina, foreign technology imports are permitted only where no local alternatives exist. For projects in which at least 60% of the materials are sourced locally, tax certificate regimes exist. LCR measures are most effective when included as part of a broader mix of policies related to trade, labour and strengthening of local industries (IRENA, 2014). Auctions can also support local industries through their criteria for winner selection. Multi-criteria auctions can attribute higher scores to participants willing to draw on local value chains (Steinhilber & Rosenlund, 2016), as in China and South Africa.

LOCAL JOB CREATION Job creation has emerged as one of the key indicators in the world’s accelerating energy transformation. As more and more countries manufacture, trade and install renewable energy technologies, the sector has grown to employ 11 million people worldwide (IRENA, 2019b). This number could reach 40 million by 2050 under the IRENA roadmap to scale up renewables.

SUBNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS The geographical distribution of renewable energy capacity is to a large extent determined by the location and abundance of the underlying resources. Consequently, clusters or hotspots in regions rich in these resources tend to form. Although the overall macroeconomic effects of low-carbon transitions are almost universally seen as positive, the regional concentration of projects can leave some stakeholders heavily disadvantaged.

Auction design can facilitate the development of renewable energy projects in regions with sub-optimal resource endowments. In addition, auction design can encourage the participation of communities so as to maximise benefits, improve regional development and enhance the equity and inclusiveness of the low-carbon energy transition. Regional development and community participation should go hand in hand.Renewable energy projects accompanied by processes to ensure community participation in planning convey procedural fairness and result in planning processes that are perceived as more transparent (Firestone et al., 2018). Steps like these can enhance the social acceptability of renewable energy projects while also yielding economic and social benefits for the community.

SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 24 Solar

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 25

Company Feature

Ginlong won the “Solar PV Inverter of 2019” From 2019 June 24th to 25th, the 5th International Photovoltaic Energy Storage Conference

was

held

in

Seoul, South Korea. As the world’s leading photovoltaic inverter company, Ginlong Technology

has

been

exported products to more than

80

countries

and

regions. Ginlong won the “Solar PV Inverter of 2019” by iterative update, excellent product outstanding

quality

and

achievements

in the global market.

Embracing photovoltaics is the inevitable development of the Indian power market. For China’s PV companies, the Indian market is promising.

Solis Training in India and Summary

TOP 10 market share in India’s inverter suppliers

Recently, Ginlong (Solis) training in India which covered a series of sessions on provide

India Solar Rooftop Map 2019, March Issue (source from Bridge to India) released the top

EPM solutions and troubleshooting during installation, Zero export power limit function

10 rankings of market components, inverters and EPC companies in India market by the

and setting, AC couple solutions during installation, ect.

end of Q1 of 2019.

With the rapid development in Indian commercial and industrial markets. Solis focus on 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.

More than 100 local customers, big distributors and installers attended these event in 20th June at Hyderabad, India 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.

Solis fifth generation technology platform has released in this training!

Ginlong Solis will continue to tour around the world to carry out technical training of photovoltaic inverter products to deeply cultivate the overseas market to understand the technical principle, installation, design and after-sales, operation and maintenance of string inverters, so as to obtain more power generation and facilitate the healthy and long-term development of the photovoltaic industry.

SOLIS BECOME TOP 2 MARKET SHARE OF INDIA’S INVERTER SUPPLIERS. (SOURCE FROM:BRIDGETOINDIA) As the second-most-numerous nation in the world, coal power is the main energy source

Customer Questions: Q1: Which are the New 5G inverter ratings solis be offering for India market.

of Indian at present. Economic development has led to a sudden increase in demand

25K~50K & 50K~110K & 125K-EHV

for electricity, but India has always suffered from insufficient power supply and serious

Q2: What is new feature added in 5G series

environmental pollution. Reliable generation and supply is crucial to address India’s power shortage and environmental problems.

String monitoring, IV curve scanning, leakage current suppression technology, volt-watt mode.

Q3: What is zero export solution solis offer for single phase and three phase configuration.

Just a CT required for single phase & three phase zero export can be done vis EPM box.

Ginlong (Solis) attend at Renewable Energy India EXPO 2019 in 18th to 20th September at New Delhi, our booth No. 5.172

GROWTH OF ROOFTOP SOLAR IN INDIA (SOURCE FROM:BRIDGETOINDIA) India has unique lighting conditions and low electricity costs. There are 250 to 300 sunny days per year in most parts of India, solar power generation emits 4.0-7.0 KWh/m2 per day, effective illumination time is 1700h+ per year, and the annual radiation of illumination is about 1600-2200 KWh/M2

Solis New Case in India: Solis three phase inverter have high efficency, it over 99% Max, and own 4 MPPT input,each rated current is 28.5A, compatible with high power module. THDi < 2%, low harmonic distortion against grid.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 26

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Digitalization Of The Grid Continues To Be A Megatrend For The Power Sector, And In The Solar Industry

There will be 11 million new connections to the Internet of Energy from solar systems in 2019.

Digitalization of the grid continues to be a megatrend for the power sector, and in the solar industry. IHS Markit forecasts an average of 30 thousand new connected PV inverters will be shipped each day in 2019, which is approximately 11 million in the full year. In 2019, there will be a growing focus on ways to generate value with this data. Connecting devices and collecting data isn’t useful on its own, but the implementation of complete IoT solutions with clear outcomes could be transformational.

IHS Markit defines an IoT solution to have 4 key pillars: � Connect - how is the data brought from the device � Collect - what measurements are taken and by which device? � Compute - how/where is the data analysed � Create - what insight do you produce/action from that data do you take?

Given that nearly all solar inverters are communicating in some form, the solar inverter

An IoT solution is only as strong as its weakest pillar, and collecting data means nothing, unless insight is created and action is taken. In the case of solar energy, PV system maintenance is a particular application that will be predictive.

will play a critical role in connecting PV systems to the internet of energy. The United States even mandates this type of communication through grid regulations. An IoT solution is only as strong as its weakest pillar, and collecting data means nothing, unless insight is created and action is taken. In the case of solar energy, PV system maintenance is a particular application that will be predictive. This action would involve monitoring connected inverters, to show system performance over time, which can help O&M providers and asset owners to diagnose problems quickly (or even before they occur), in order to minimize downtime.

Industrial giants demonstrate all-encompassing industrial IoT platforms as the future solution for all software applications, such as Ability from ABB, EcoStruxure from

In 2019, there will be a growing focus on ways to generate value with this data.

Connecting devices and collecting data isn’t

Schneider Electric, and Mindsphere from Siemens. As each individual sub-system becomes increasingly connected, the next logical step is to combine data into overall utility management packages. For example, combining customer metering data, solar inverter output and weather information could allow utilities or grid operators to compute and overlay energy requirements and better manage the grid. While convergence of these different applications into a single platform may be on the long-term horizon, the picture for 2019 is much more fragmented. Discrete applications will be solved by various software

useful on its own, but the implementation of complete IoT solutions with clear outcomes could be transformational.

solutions across the utility departments – from metering residential customer energy consumption to monitoring and operating grid-scale solar farms.

Source: IHS Markit ©

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SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 27 Solar

Perspective

WHAT ARE THE LATEST

Global Trends & Innovations In Module Technology ?

Mr. Kapil Kumar, Head - Technology, Solar, Fortum Photo-Voltaic Module Technology is ever evolving since its inception with some proven Technologies like Mono and polycrystalline saw a great deal of market with good response while only a few handful of players could manage to develop

Another development is migration away from multi-crystalline to mono-crystalline PV Modules, although this migration is very slow in some price sensitive markets like India.

Most of the Tier-1 Manufacturers have started investing in expanding production capacity

competitive Thin Film Technology. And some technologies like

of Mono Crystalline cells with aim of achieving higher efficiency.

Amorphous Silicon based PV Modules phased out of the market

Half-cut cell Technology is also getting traction world-wide with increased power output

due to the constraints related to efficiency improvement. Currently we are witnessing the

and reducing BOS cost. Along with push for Half-cut Cells, bifacial cells, n-Type cell options,

evolution of already proven Technologies with different variables aiming to increase the efficiency of PV Modules.

Most notably, we are witnessing the shift to PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) Technology.

heterojunction (HJT) technologies and multi-busbar configurations in module technology, are gradually increasing foothold in the market.

PERC address the losses caused by the rear-side contacts through a dielectric passivation

While the recent buzz is all about multi-to-mono swing, but the next move should be cell-

layer on the rear. The full-area contact previously used is reduced to points or lines where

process driven. While multi-crystalline took PV Modules into the low-cost manufacturing

the coating is removed locally before metallization.

age, it will now be mono that would help to further decrease the LCOE.

Mr. Bharat Kumar Makkapat, Country Head - India, Znshine PV-Tech Co.Ltd In 2018, ZNSHINE SOLARs’ 12BB double-glass graphene module, 5BB standard and double-glass graphene modules and other new products were introduced. With many differentiated core competencies such as superior transmittance, super hydrophilicity and unique self-cleaning, these modules have become the focus of attention in the industry.

As the largest photovoltaic power generation company listed on the New Third Board, ZNSHINE SOLAR has always adhered to the concept of technological innovation and dares to explore in technological innovation. In addition, relying on strong and solid technological innovation ability, the graphene series of high-efficiency modules have been developed.

The biggest feature of graphene is that it can improve the glass transmittance and glass self-cleaning ability, thus achieving a module power gain of about 0.5%. In terms

of self-cleaning ability, standard module technology often only has super-hydrophilic or photocatalytic effects, and only the graphene technology is the perfect combination of these two technologies. After one year of outdoor empirical comparison tests, graphene high-efficiency modules generate about 3% more power than standard modules.

Based on the traditional single and double glass module production technology, ZNSHINE SOLAR Graphene Multi-Busbar Module combines existing multi-busbar cell technology and graphene application technology with current cutting-edge technologies such as PERC, TOPCon, HJT and Black Silicon, which accelerates the PV industry to reduce cost reduction and increase efficiency . ZNSHINE SOLAR will adhere to technological innovation, explore market demand and help reduce the cost of photovoltaic power through continuous breakthroughs in order to provide customers with better products and service.

Mr. Dinesh Salem-Natarajan, Co-Founder, SootLess Energy Private Limited “The global scenario over the last five-year period has witnessed a rapid capacity buildout that went from 40GWp in 2013 to nearly 120GWp pa in 2018, with a major share being allocated to polycrystalline technology. The entire industry skewed towards

and novel module manufacturing methods (split junction box, seamless soldering, etc); harnessing a higher yield per unit of installed area with use of technologies like bifacial modules and cells using n-type wafers with lower temperature coefficients; while spawning

polycrystalline technology with price optimization being the

commercialization of low-yield BIPV technologies. In addition to the technology change,

singular focus. The distribution of the capacity buildout over this

or rather, in spite of it, the major driver for firming up prices over the next five-year period

period, however, has been disproportionately determined by the economics of punitive

will be the punitive tariff wars that seem to have just started. We are likely to witness

tariffs imposed by the likes of USA and the EU. This period also witnessed an equally

deployment of cell and/or manufacturing capacity localized , and right sized, to major

impressive price drop of about 90% from the end of 2012. With this backdrop, the trend over the next five-year period are likely to indicate a firming of the prices as the global capacity retools and adjusts to moving away from polycrystalline technology; achieving

demand pockets or tariff bubbles to reduce adverse impacts from uncertainties related to the tariff wars. This issue, while having a chilling effect on realizing the full potential

much higher module level efficiency gains of 40-50% with use of bigger wafers, half-

of price optimization will likely lead to more global partnerships between the global and

cut cells, new cell technologies (like M-PERC, TOPCon, HJT, etc) matched with innovative

local market players.”

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 28

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

The Race For The 400 Watt (W) PV Module Will Heat Up As High Efficiency Products Gain Share Of The Market Solar PV has become a highly competitive energy source, as the average price of a solar panel has fallen by over 80 percent in the last decade. However, these cost improvements have been aided by ongoing improvements in cell and module efficiencies, which have increased by approximately 25 percent during the same period.

Improvements in module performance are not only important to lower the cost of panels on a per watt basis, but they also contribute to lower balance-of-system (BOS) costs. More powerful modules lead to fewer required modules for a given system size, so fewer BOS components are required, which ultimately helps drive down the critical metric of levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for the entire system.

The trend of using monocrystalline cell technology is an increasingly important factor, when it comes to increasing average efficiency. In particular, PERC cells are becoming a mainstream technology, accounting for half of global cell production in 2019, compared to just 14 percent in 2016.

The possibility of 400 Watt peak (Wp) modules using p-type PERC cells reaching mass production in 2019 is now under discussion. Until now, these power ratings were only achievable using n-type cell technologies, with have a higher production cost and make

products is not anticipated until 2020, when more pilot projects have been installed and

up a minor share of the industry, but new technology developments with p-type cells may

a better track record has been established to provide certainty for financial institutions.

make it possible to break the 400 Wp threshold this year. Longi, Jinko Solar, Canadian

#7 10% 11% 12% 13% 14% 15% 16% 17% 18% 19% 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Solar and other tier-one manufacturers have recently announced planned products that

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Blended Average Mono Multi Average crystalline

will reach this level, through different combinations of technology, including half-cells and

PV module efficiency (%)

slightly larger cell and module sizes, in some cases.

The production of bifacial modules for utility-scale projects is yet another development helping the industry reach 400 Wp this year. However, significant growth for bifacial

Source: IHS Markit ©

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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

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SolarQuarter Quarter••July July2019 2019 29 Solar

Product Feature

TBEA offers the Highest Capacity Inverters & reached 3GW+ Supply in India TBEA Xi’an Electric Technology Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise affiliated to TBEA Group that specializes in R&D and Manufacturing of Turnkey Smart Power Conversion Solutions (Central and String inverters), Power Quality Management Solutions, ESS(Energy Storage System), Micro-grid Solutions, and Smart TB-eCloud SCADA & Analysis System. The company is committed to the exploration of energy internet technologies in clean energy power generation, flexible power transmission, smart power distribution, and flexible electricity use, to accelerate the technological advancement of the energy industry and drive innovation in energy technologies.

Since its establishment in 2000, company has been developing based on technological innovation, and has established a world-leading energy internet and power electronics laboratory, GigaWatt PV system key equipment digitized production workshop; built a professional R&D team with more than 300 people led by overseas experts, set up 2 R&D centers in China and Germany. The Company has successively undertaken more than 10 major scientific research projects such as the National 863 Program and Science and Technology Support Program, presided over the drafting of many national standards and won more than 300 patents of various kinds.

In the field of smart PV power generation, the Company has led the industry concept and technology direction of photovoltaic power generation, and independently developed a full range of 3kW-5000kW grid-connected inverters, and launched a one-stop smart photovoltaic power station solution which can be applied in various environments such as large-scale ground, water, complex mountainous terrain and rooftops. The Company’s products have been used in more than 1000 centralized and distributed photovoltaic

� Continuous output of 208KW up to 50degC ambient temp.

power stations, with business in more than 26 countries on four continents. The cumulative

� IP65, adapt to salt spray, corrosion, humidity applications.

global operating performance has exceeded 25 GW.

Products featured in India by TBEA

� Refined string level detection, intelligent IV diagnosis. � Communication type: RS485, PLCC, Wi-Fi.

TS208KTL-HV : TECHNICAL PARAMETERS

TBEA Xi’an Electric Technology Co. Ltd. is one of the global leaders in Solar Inverter manufacturing having its Global Headquarters in Xi’an, China. Company inherits the engineering & manufacturing excellence of 70 years’ experience having a professional R&D team. India is the second largest solar market globally after China. TBEA has always focused on product quality and customer services being fruitfully awarded and has more than 3GW Inverters Supplied in India. And now, the company has established R&D Centers

TBEA Xi’an Electric Technology Co. Ltd. has a wide range of Solar Inverter Solutions of

MPPT String Inverter which is the biggest string inverter in the market that fits in different

Max. MPPT Current 26 A

No. of MPPTs 12

MPPT Range

Communication Protocol MODBUS

Ingress Protection Level

Compliance IEC & CEA 2019

IP65

Central Inverters capacity ranging from 500kW to 5MW and String Inverters from 33kW

TS208KTL-HV – TBEA offers Optimal LCOE Solution, newly launched 1500V 208kW Multi

Max. DC voltage 1500V

Max. Efficiency 99.03%

10GW.

TBEA offers the Highest Capacity String Inverter in the market

Max. Power 230kW up to 40degC

550V – 1500V

and GW production bases in Xi’an and Hami, whose annual capacity is able to be beyond

to 208kW.

Rated Power 208kW @ 50degC

Served/Benefited Customers TBEA Xi’an Electric Technology Co. Ltd. has a huge customer base and served around 60% of the industry by associating with almost all major key players Big & Small in the market namely ACME, RENEW, AZURE, AVAADA, NHPC, NLC, AAI, OPG, BHEL, Rays Power Infra, Rays Power Expert, KEC, L&T, ENRICH, KC Solar etc., contributing to a total of 3GW+

Utility scale block sizes 5MVA, 6.25MVA, 7.5MVA and 10MVA. TS208KTL-HV operates on

Inverter supply record in India.

3-Level Topology offering the maximum efficiency of 99.03%, which maximizes the ROI

Some noteworthy Solar projects commissioned with TBEA inverters

and also helps to lower down BoS cost. TS208KTL-HV have various features like Anti-

� ACME 900MW of supply for their several projects in Andhra Pradesh, Uttarkhand,

PID function on sub-matrix level, DC Overloading capability up to 160%, SVG Function and offer communication accessories eliminating the SCADA cost. The maximum output power reaches upto 230kW making it the highest capacity String Inverter in the market.

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Punjab, etc. with 1000V Solution. � Azure has been served with 1500V Outdoor solutions which successfully commissioned & running at their 10MW site in Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh),

Reasons to choose TS208KTL-HV

� OPG 62MW in Karnataka with 1000V Solution.

� Biggest capacity String Inverter in the market.

� L&T 150MW in Karnataka with 1000V Solution.

� Fits in different block sizes including most popular 5MVA, 6.25MVA, 7.5MVA & 10MVA.

� BHEL 20MW in West Bengal with 1000V Solution.

� Lowers down BoS Cost.

� Rays Power Infra 100MW

� Maximize ROI. � Offers one stand solution for communication accessories. � Smart TCMC support upto 10MVA block � I-V Curve Scanning. � Eliminates SCADA and saves project cost.

Advantages of TS208KTL-HV � 12MPPT, Max 36 DC inputs. � No DC Junction Box required; inbuilt MC4 Connectors. � No fuse design, make sure safety and reliability of the system. � DC overloading capability 160%, increase plant revenue. � Anti-PID function on sub-matrix level, extends module life. � SVG function (DC side isolated).

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

in Karnataka with 1000V Solution. � KEC 5MW in Himachal Pradesh

with

1000V

Solution. � Rays

Power

Expert

50MW in Rajasthan with 1000V Solution. � AVAADA 5MW in Kanpur with

1500V

2.5MW

Inverter Solution. � ACME 200MW in Bhadla with 1500V 3.75MW and 5MW Inverter Solution.

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 30

Product Feature

GoodWe Presents Its A4 Paper Size Mini Inverter-XS Series GoodWe simply can’t get enough! Having the quality requirements of a large spectrum

input oversizing, significantly

of installers and end-users as a source of inspiration, GoodWe is pleased to introduce the

enhancing the potential of

brand new XS residential inverter.

the installations in which it

Since its inception, GoodWe has been a very strong designer of high quality residential

is used. Likewise, by making

solar inverters and the company is never tired of improving, of trying to conceive better products for the comfort of its customers. Technologically speaking, one of GoodWe’s main principles is its non-conformant attitude when it comes to better value and that it is exactly what the GoodWe’s new residential inverter XS is all about: more technological power in a smaller size.

The XS is an ultra-small single-MPPT, single-phase residential inverter that is even lighter and more compact than GoodWe’s NS inverter, saving installation space and easing the whole commissioning process. GoodWe has unbelievably miniaturized the XS inverter to have the size of an A4 paper, illustrating again the company´s leading cutting-edge technology. The XS weighs only 5.2kgs, making it also one of the most compact residential inverters available in the market.

Cannot emphasize enough the significant logistical advantages and the lower associated costs, which light weight and compact size of the XS represents more inverters can be loaded into pallets, reducing the cost of shipping it to destination from origin, at both international and domestic shipping levels. For installers, this is a blessing as with the XS they can significantly increase efficiency and profitability. And for users, handling the XS is something as simple as just putting it on a suitcase and taking it home.

It is available on 0.7kW, 1kW, 1.5kW and 2kWs. This represents also a wider range of options than GoodWe’s NS inverter, whose lower power range was of only 1kW. The XS broader scope of options and the fact that its lower power is as low as 0.7kW, makes this inverter a very suitable option for mini residential systems in which only two or three solar panels are installed, especially large social housing projects. The user of this kind of PV system won’t need to consider anymore installing two expensive micro-inverters because now the XS can do a better job at a lower cost.

Something noteworthy on the XS is that its small size is not a contradiction and does

use

of

sophisticated

and

patented topology developed

by GoodWe, the XS does not

jeopardize

efficiency,

delivering as much as 97.5% of European efficiency.

Its super low start-up voltage of 50V represents also an improvement over GoodWe’s NS inverter, permitting in this way longer electricity generation hours, something that

definitely

is

another

clear advantage over other alternative inverters in this segment.

As opposed to other inverters with single communications options, the communications of the XS are diversified, offering LAN and Wifi, which is perfect to meet the special requirements of different kind of users. For those groups such as old age groups or dwellers of social housing projects that may be inconvenienced by the setting up of Wifi or Wifi’s reconnection issues, the XS LAN communication system is perfect. Alternatively, WiFi connections are also available.

To conclude this list of attributes, design wise, the XS is a very stylized inverter, conceived to maintain the aesthetical harmony of the whole setting where it is installed. It´s is quite certain that many users will recognize it as a pretty cool solar appliance.

not compromise its technological muscles. The XS is mini but it still offers 30% of DC

4th Annual ASEAN Solar + Energy Storage Congress & Expo 2019 has made its name as the largest congress focusing on solar and energy storage market in ASEAN region.

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Event Overview 4th Annual ASEAN Solar + Energy Storage Congress & Expo 2019 is a government-backed regional energy event, which was officially endorsed by the Philippines’ Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, National Power Corporation and the Manila Electric Company.

The event roots in Southeast-Asia market with enormous solar & storage potentials since 2016. It acts as a business guide to assist you to look into ASEAN renewable energy markets and identify the key issues in ASEAN’s context.

Totally 1200+ participants, 100+ governments/utilities/developers and 50+ medias will gather on the site and to discuss the regional trend and how to facilitate international cooperation between ASEAN countries and other regions.

Key Topics Understand policy & regulations that can hold for ASEAN's RE transition Seize the Imperative trend of floating solar and energy storage Gain deep insights and practical applications for island and isolated areas Unlock investment benefits of the booming market Foresee comparative challenges of ASEAN's regulated and wholesale Market

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 31

Technology News

E

W

liminate hydrogen for better battery performance, scientists say

aste heat is not cool, say US scientists

Engineers at the University of Utah have developed a tiny device which they say could

Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara who are working with sodium-ion

increase the performance of PV panels and other electronic devices by converting energy

batteries have found that the unintended presence of hydrogen is to blame for many of

lost as heat back into electricity.

the technology’s shortcomings in terms of degradation and performance loss. Keeping

How to harness the excess heat solar panels generate alongside electricity is an increasingly

hydrogen out of the materials throughout production could allow sodium-ion batteries to

important question for the industry.

In most PV installations that heat is not put to any purpose and reduces power output and long term performance stability – although researchers in Saudi Arabia revealed a device that can use it to power water distillation without hindering generation levels.

Waste heat is also a major problem in consumer appliances, with a University of Utah team which believes it has found a way to reduce limits on thermoelectric generation citing estimates as much as two thirds of energy consumed annually in the U.S. is wasted as heat.

Different strategies exist for dealing with such waste heat, most still at the research stage.

One possibility is thermoelectric generation, which can produce electricity from differences in temperature. A theoretical limit for the process – the blackbody limit proposed by Max Planck more than a century ago – was believed to limit its usefulness. Several studies in recent years, though, have found ways around the blackbody limit to achieve higher rates of thermal energy transfer.

achieve performance levels competing with their lithium-ion counterparts.

As lithium-ion battery manufacturing continues to grow exponentially, the potential problems with sourcing the materials needed for the batteries, including lithium itself, become more prominent. And while recycling will likely lessen the impact, batteries made from more abundant materials could be both cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Replacing lithium with sodium is an option favored by many in the research community.

And while tentative attempts at commercializing this technology are underway, sodium batteries tend to degrade and lose their capacity even faster than lithium technologies.

Since degradation and performance loss is already a problem in lithium-ion technology, switching to a chemistry known to degrade even faster could prove to be a hard sell.

Scientists from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) calculate that much of the degradation in sodium manganese oxide, a common cathode material, is caused by the presence of hydrogen in the materials. They also theorize that similar mechanisms could negatively affect the performance of lithium-ion batteries, though more research is needed to prove this.

Breakthrough

As the most abundant element in the known universe, hydrogen can get into the materials

The latest such research comes from the University of Utah. The scientists describe a chip

at many stages of fabrication, and its effects on various materials used in renewable

measuring 5x5mm comprising two silicon wafers less than 100 nanometers apart. With

are an important area of research. The calculations from UCSB show that the presence

the chip held in a vacuum, one of the surfaces is heated and the other cooled, generating

of hydrogen in the manganese oxide layer reduces the amount of energy needed for

electricity from the heat flux.

manganese atoms to break loose and dissolve.

R

C

ussian scientists send organic PV into orbit

lean water and electricity from one system

Scientists at Russia’s Skoltech Institute of Science and Technology have demonstrated a

While solar cell efficiencies continue to climb it remains a fact much of the sunlight hitting

solar cell with record high radiation stability. The scientists say the cells, based on an

the panels is converted to heat rather than electricity. In most PV installations that heat is

organic polymer compound, could be a strong candidate to meet the requirements of

not put to any purpose and can impair both the performance and operational lifetime of

powering satellites in lower earth orbit.

solar cells.

A team led by the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) in Moscow

Scientists at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi

has demonstrated an organic solar cell able to withstand 6,000 gray units (Gy) of gamma

Arabia said they have demonstrated a system that uses the heat generated to purify water

radiation, an achievement the institute says is a record high.

without affecting a system’s electricity output.

The performance raises hopes the cell could power satellites in near-earth orbit, where the

The article describes a device incorporating commercially available Sharp solar cells which

researchers theorized the device could deliver operational lifetimes well beyond 10 years.

also has a multi-stage membrane distillation device attached at the rear of the solar cell,

The devices are based on a blend of carbazole-based polymers and fullerene derivative.

with latent heat from the sun recycled at each distillation stage. The sides of the device are

Testing showed a composite film of those materials maintained more than 80% of its

sealed with low-thermal-conductivity polyurethane foam to reduce heat loss.

initial conversion efficiency after exposure to a maximum absorbed dose of 6,500 Gy. The

The researchers reported the device can stably produce clean water to meet the standards

researchers noted, NASA estimates satellites in geocentric Earth orbit are exposed to an

set by the World Health Organization at a rate better than 1.64 kg per square meter, per hour

average annual radiation dose of 160 Gy, making the organic compound tested by the

while PV panels continue to generate electricity at 11% efficiency, a rate the article reports

Skoltech team a strong candidate to operate effectively in such an environment for more

is the same as that recorded on the same panels without the membrane distillation device.

than a decade.

Other pluses

Cell options Peng Wang, professor of environmental science and engineering at KAUST told pv magazine

“Deploying space solar sails made of flexible plastic solar cells represents an enticing

the choice of solar cell was based only on convenience and the system is compatible with

opportunity for ramping up the power of photoelectric converters on the satellites,” said

modern, more efficient products. “For our ongoing and second generation device we are

Skoltech professor Pavel Troshin, who led the research group.

using more of state-of-the-art cells,” Wang said.

The same group recently evaluated a group of lead based perovskites for similar

The KAUST paper said if all the near 1 TW of solar capacity expected to be operational by

applications and found the cells quickly degraded under exposure to 5,000 Gy of radiation.

2025 was fitted with the distillation device it could, in theory, produce at least four billion

A Chinese research group, meanwhile, discovered the lack of moisture in oxygen 35km

cubic meters of freshwater per year – enough to meet 10% of the world’s drinking water

from the Earth’s surface played to perovskite’s advantage.

consumption, based on 2017 figures.

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Solar Quarter • July 2019 32 32

Company News

S

G

ungrow Reaches 4 GW Milestone in Indian Market

rowatt Looks to Expand Business in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, announced recently

Growatt and 3S Solutions held a conference in Telangana of India on July 5 with a large

that the Company’s performance in India has reached 4 GW, establishing it as a major

crowd of installers, EPCs and system integrators from across the region. Mr. Neelam Janaiah,

contributor to the decarbonization of fast-growing Indian economy.

managing director from TSREDCO (Telangana State Renewable Energy Development

Stand with the renewable trend

Corporation Ltd.) attended the event. Mr. Neelam Janaiah showed high recognition of Growatt’s products and outstanding achievements in India.

India is undoubtedly one of the dynamic solar hubs in the world on account of ample

Growatt entered Indian solar market back in 2011 and its focus on product quality and

sunshine, magnitude of demand of power as well as the incentive policy - the Indian

technological innovation had driven its strong sales growth in Indian rooftop sector over

government has pitched for 100 GW PV installations by 2022, and called to build climate resilient communities across the sub-continent.

Sungrow is taking the lead in supporting the Indian energy transition and is witnessing a standout performance with optimal products and established service networks. In particular, the Company ranked No.1 in utility-scale applications in 2018, sourced by Bridge to India, an authoritative research institute.

Pioneering the road not taken The Indian solar market offers huge untapped potential while with that comes an array of challenges. Sungrow provides the industry’s most proven and reliable product line-up in response to a huge geographic spread and tough climatic conditions.

With current offices sited in four different cities, Sungrow can take on-the-ground commitment to meet diversified criteria. The Company also received award of Best Service Network Solar Inverter Company in India.

Furthermore, the newly-established manufacturing base in Bangalore with annual capacity of 3 GW eminently enhances the delivery capability while stimulating job creation at large

the past eight years. Introducing to the audience, Growatt regional director Rucas Wang said, “Growatt is a global leading brand in solar inverter industry and we’ve shipped over 1.33 million inverters worldwide. According to IHS Markit Growatt has become the TOP 3 world single-phase PV inverter supplier by 2018.”

Speaking at the event, 3S Solutions managing director Mr. Suresh Bhavani said, “3S Solutions is committed to providing high quality solar products and services. Growatt inverters can perfectly work at high altitudes, dusty locations and hot & cold areas. We are pleased to collaborate with Growatt and help bring its reliable PV solutions to the Indian solar industry.”

In a step to further strengthen its market position, at the event Growatt launched its most up-to-date residential inverter MIN 2500-6000 TL-X in India. “Our new inverter MIN has got very impressive features. For instance, at first glance a lot of customers like its compact design and elegant looking. It comes with OLED display and touch button, which has a longer lifespan and can last over three million clicks! MIN uses ‘aerospace grade’ flameretardant lightweight materials, making it easy to carry and install. Overall, customers will

in the global tech-city.

have a better user experience. ” Wang presented at the product launching ceremony.

“We’re evolving and innovating as we move forward,” said Mr. Hu Yukun, Country Manager

To expand business across India, Growatt has built a strong local service team with over

of Sungrow India. “An updated product portfolio will be unveiled at REI (Renewable Energy

15 experienced service engineers. “Customer service is at the center of our collaboration

India) 2019, which we expect to create significant buzz in the industry,” he added.

with our clients.

J

G

inkoSolar recognized for Frost & Sullivan 2019 Global Solar PV Technology Leadership Award

oodWe confirms why it is good investment for C & I projects

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

2018 was a brilliant year for GoodWe in the global market and this is now starting to be

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

reflected in international rankings, where the position of the company has continued to

was recognized for augmenting solar PV efficiency in a cost-effective manner with the

move up, confirming the positive trends built over the years and heralding a bright future.

Frost & Sullivan 2019 Global Solar PV Technology Leadership Award.

The good news to share today is that according to the PV Inverter Market Tracker recently

After extensive analysis of the global solar PV market, Frost & Sullivan recognized JinkoSolar for its leadership in developing and leveraging solar technologies that offer significant customer value.

“JinkoSolar’s unwavering focus on technology and innovation has propelled it to the top of the global market,” said Mr. Gautham Gnanajothi, Global Research Director of Frost &

released by IHS,

GoodWe has become the world’s 4th largest supplier of three-phase

inverters for use on Commercial and Industrial (C & I) applications.

Only five years ago GoodWe was not even on the Top 10 list but the growth has been consistent and thanks to our technological improvements and the contribution of our international teams, our sales of this kind of inverters have accelerated. Last year the company shipped more than 2GW of three-phase string inverters, allowing for a significant

Sullivan. “It launched the solar industry’s first 158.75 big wafer which is embedded into its

rise in the world ranking.

flagship Cheetah series that are up to 410 watt. Today, Cheetah modules are broadly being

The expansion of GoodWe in this segment has been particularly visible across large

applied to utility, commercial and residential segments all across the world. JinkoSolar’s

strategic markets, such as India, where in just a few years the company has almost tripled

technologies have helped facilitate the transition for developers and investors from a focus

its shipments. Other outstanding markets where the growth has been remarkable are

on price towards performance. The size of the 158.75 big wafer has now become the new

Australia and the Netherlands, which are mature and sophisticated solar markets and the

industry benchmark and is setting the standards for the future. This award is in recognition

great giant of South America, Brazil, where we are witnessing an explosion in the market of

of JinkoSolar’s capabilities to develop and commercialize advanced technologies that

DG, in which many C & I users are starting to look at GoodWe as a very competitive choice.

serve as a cornerstone for establishing industry standards.”

Other markets of significant growth are Turkey, Mexico and Argentina.

“JinkoSolar clearly understands the high-standards global customers require thanks to

In the Chinese domestic market, the GoodWe three-phase commercial inverters are also

its expansive global presence. JinkoSolar is poised to lead the industry into the nextgeneration of solar PV technology. Its Cheetah product portfolio, commitment to sustained innovation, and a track record of successful commercialization of new technologies present a strong case to establish it as a vendor of choice in the post-subsidy era.”

“We are extremely honored to have been recognized with this prestigious award by Frost & Sullivan,” commented Mr. Kangping Chen, CEO of JinkoSolar. “Leveraging the extensive experience we have acquired through our global operations, we have developed significant competitive advantages and the ability to rapidly commercialize new products. We are

present in all kinds of projects: from installations to supply solar energy to urban tram systems, to solar parking lots all the way to farms, technological companies and poverty alleviation projects in which our inverters help to support communities, achieve savings and contribute to clean the environment.

At present the portfolio of GoodWe three-phase C & I inverters consists of our models SDT, SMT and MT. Since last year the company has launched the Second Generation of these inverters and it’s certain that the better technology and the new functionality that GoodWe offers have been an important part of the explanation of the success achieved domestically and overseas. Another important GoodWe improvement not to forget and

ideally positioned for the post-subsidy era where investors and developers are shifting

that has also contributed to this success is the establishment of service teams that have

their focus towards high-performance technologies that make every dollar invested count

helped the company to give assurance to our C & I customers and provide timely technical

rather than relying on subsidies.”

support.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• July July 2019 2019 33

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Solar Quarter â&#x20AC;¢ July 2019 34

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