SolarQuarter February Issue 2019

SPECIAL FOCUS - BOS SYSTEMS

SOLAR QUARTER

www.solarquarter.com

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Volume 09. l Issue 2

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February 2019

1.5 GW+

OF SOLAR CONNECTED TO GRID

POWER SYSTEMS

ROOFTOP SOLAR

POWER DISTRIBUTION PRODUCTS

Making your Future Powerful

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IN CONVERSATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS Solar-Plus-Storage: Another Big Year Ahead for Energy Storage

Mr Sushil Virmani, Managing Director, Socomec “Socomec Is Globally Renowned For Their Reliable And Durable Solutions With A Timeless Appeal.”

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Cover Story- Selecting The Right BOS Systems For Indian Solar Projects 21 GST On Renewable Energy Devices – Clouds Are Not Clear Yet!

Selecting The Right Electrical Components ...............................16-17 Selecting The Right Inverters .............................................................18 Selecting The Right Structures............................................................19

Quote Mr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power

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CCEA approving the second phase of gridconnected rooftop solar programme for achieving cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from such projects by 2022

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Product Feature:  Ginlong Solis - Wonderful case sharing of

Ginlong Solis ......................................................................................22

Perspective  Take On Union Budget 2019.............................................................14

 Sanelite - Sanelite Solar Has Recently Launched

The Half-Cut Cell PV Modules .......................................................23

 Goldi - Goldi Mono PERC Module ..............................................24

Company Feature:

....24-25

 Saatvik - Saatvik’s Mission Is To Lead The Global

Transition To Renewable Energy In India ....................................31

 Longi Solar - Longi Solar Sets New Bifacial

Mono-Perc Solar Cell World Record At 24.06 Percent ........... 28

 Waree - Doublet module – The magic of two! .......................28  Raychem RPG - Raychem RPG (Technology Partner -

Dynapower)Can Assist You In Selecting The Optimal System For Your Existing Or New PV Array ........................................34-35

 Avant-Garde - Power And Renewable Energy Is Our

Core Market Strength .......................................................................31

 WATTKRAFT- WATTKRAFT works with products

from well-known global manufacturers of solar modules and inverters ...........................................................32

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India News

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CEA Approves Proposal For Setting Up 12,000 MW GridConnected Solar Photovoltaic Power Projects

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s proposal for implementation of the Central Public Sector Undertaking Scheme Phase-llfor setting up 12,000 MW gridconnected Solar Photovoltaic Power Projects, by the Government Producers with Viability Gap Funding support of Rs. 8,580 crore for self-use or use by Government or Government entities, both Central and State Governments.

Tata Power Solar comes with a successful background of executing World’s largest Rooftop at a single location and India’s largest carport at Cochin International Airport. Recently, Tata Power Solar joined hands with Cricket Club of India and installed the World’s largest solar powered Cricket Stadium Mumbai, in a record period of 100 days.

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overnment Of India Has Been Making Concerted Efforts For Developing Energy Storage Technologies

The Government of India has been making concerted efforts for developing energy

The 12,000 MW or more capacity of grid connected solar power projects will be set up by

storage technologies for managing the variable generation from renewable energy

the Government Producers in 4 years period, i.e. 2019-20 to 2022-23, as per the terms and

sources, including solar power.

conditions specified in Government Producer Scheme.

In this regard, an Expert Committee chaired by Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable

The Scheme will mandate use of both solar photovoltaic cells and modules manufactured

Energy, has proposed draft National Energy Storage Mission that strives for leadership in

domestically as per specifications and testing requirements fixed by MNRE.

the energy storage sector by encouraging manufacturing, deployment, innovation and

With the implementation of the above mentioned Scheme, 12,000 MW or more of grid

cost reduction.

connected solar PV power projects would be set up by Government Producers in 4 years

As per International Energy Agency’s report “Energy Storage – Tracking Clean Energy

i.e. 2019-20 to 2022-23, thereby creating investment of about Rs. 48,000 crores.

Progress”, the utility scale deployment for storage technology excluding pumped hydro

The Scheme will also help in giving a push to “Make-in-lndia” by encouraging Government

storage in the year 2017 was 620 MWh and the cumulative energy storage volume

Producers to procure solar cells and modules from domestic manufacturers. The Scheme

including pumped hydro storage was 15.3 GWh. Australia, China, Japan, Germany, Korea

will create sufficient demand for domestically produced solar PV cells and modules for

and United States are the leading countries in deployment of energy storage technology.

next 3 to 4 years.

Through various bilateral engagements, India has been encouraging technological cooperation on energy storage. A specific proposal on designing research programme

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IAL Inaugurates 3.35 MW Rooftop Solar Power Plant

Bangalore International Airport Limited – operator of the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru – today inaugurated its rooftop solar power project. This solar plant will generate 3.35 MW of power for BLR airport and an annual solar generation of around 4.7 million units.

The plant is installed across 8 rooftops within the airport premises at Menzies Bobba, Air India SATS, Coolport and several BIAL office buildings. It is expected to generate around

and collaboration projects has been proposed under the India- United Kingdom Energy for Growth Partnership.

This was informed by Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shri R. K Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

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olar Industry Wary Of Government’s Product Localization Norms

The concerns come in the wake of cabinet’s nod to 12GW of forthcoming grid-connected

47 lakh units of clean electricity every year and will contribute to reduce 3,800 tonnes of

solar projects

CO2 emission annually. The contemporary design of the solar panels ensure that the glare

The move by the cabinet will lead to an investment of Rs 48,000cr and will support

of the sun is not reflected, thus avoiding any visibility intrusions in aircraft operations.

Sunshot’s engineering team has ensured that the solar structure is lightweight, leak proof, corrosion free and can withstand high wind conditions with ease.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL said, “As a role model for sustainable progress, the BLR Airport is well on course towards achieving its goal of becoming 100% powered by renewable energy by 2020. To that end, these solar projects will help BIAL reduce the carbon footprint and achieve energy neutrality. The Airport’s consumption from solar power stands at 50 million units through on-site and off-site solar Power Purchase Agreements to meet 67% of its annual energy requirements.”

Mr. Rahul Dasari, MD & CEO, Sunshot said, we are proud to be a part of BIAL’s sustainable initiative and this is one of the most prestigious and complex project Sunshot has executed. Multiple roof types, roof orientation and being a high security zone made this a challenging project for Sunshot, which I am glad our team could execute as per world class quality, safety standards and within the stipulated timelines. We have used high efficiency Mono PERC Modules which provide approx. 14% higher electricity generation in the given space. High performance multi MPPT inverters, quality structures from PVFix

domestic manufacturers The solar industry is wary about the government rules regarding use of only locally made products in 12 gigawatts of forthcoming solar projects as these may run foul of World Trade Organization rules. Various industry leaders said that they are studying the announcements before making any investment.

The concerns come in the wake of the Union cabinet approving, earlier this week, a plan to award 12GW of upcoming grid-connected solar power projects that will be powered exclusively by locally manufactured cells and modules and set up by government producers over a four-year period, from 2019-20 to 2022-23. The project will be implemented with viability gap funding of Rs 8,580 crore.

The move will lead to an investment of Rs 48,000 crore and will support domestic manufacturers of solar cells and modules, according to a government statement.

The project would provide direct employment to around 60,000 people for about one year in pre-commissioning activities/construction phase and around 18,000 people for about 25 years in the operation and maintenance period, the government said.

and Sunshot’s state-of-the-art, cloud-based energy management system for real time

In addition, more than 120,000 additional employment opportunities will be created

performance monitoring of the plant – are some of the salient features.

for people involved in setting up solar power projects and also in manufacturing locally produced cells and modules.

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ata Power Solar Now Launches An Extensive Residential Rooftop Solution At Chennai

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Successfully launched residential rooftop solution in Delhi, Mumbai, Ajmer,

Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru and Cochin �

Annual saving is expected up to INR 50,000 for 25 years

Tata Power Solar, India’s largest solar energy company, and Tata Power’s wholly-owned subsidiary has launched a complete residential rooftop solution in Chennai. Senior dignitaries from the government and key decision makers from the corporate industry also graced the launch event with their presence. The residential rooftop solutions are expected to save up to Rs 50,000 annually for 25 years.

Tata Power Solar expertise on developing strong consumer relationship by providing quality products, world class customized solutions and extensive service support has helped in

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iyush Goyal Dedicates To Nation 1,000-MW Thermal Power Project Of NTPL

Coal Minister Piyush Goyal Monday dedicated to the nation a 1,000-megawatt (MW) thermal power project of Neyveli Tamil Nadu Power Ltd (NTPL) and a 150-MW solar power projects of NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) in Tamil Nadu.

“Piyush Goyal...has dedicated the 1,000 MW coal-based thermal power station of Neyveli Tamilnadu Power Ltd (NTPL), Thoothukudi,...and 150-MW solar power projects of NLC India Ltd situated at Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar districts...on March 4,” the coal ministry said in a statement.

The 1,000-MW coal-fired thermal power project of NTPL is a joint venture between NLCIL and TANGEDCO with an equity participation of 89:11.

exceeding customer satisfaction. Tata Power Solar brings forth India’s most trusted and

“Tamil Nadu is the sole beneficiary of the 150 MW renewable power plants of Virudhunagar

dependable rooftop solution. A votary of reducing carbon footprint, Tata Power Solar’s

and Ramanathapuram districts commissioned and dedicated to the nation today,” the

residential rooftop solution decreases use of diesel generators, hence leading to more

statement said. So far, NLCIL has installed 591 MW of solar power and 51 MW of wind

fuel savings. Apart from this, the consumers can avail a chance to earn from their idle

power plants in various parts of Tamil Nadu.

rooftop space. To further, ease the beneficiaries’ expenses, the proposition comes with

Also, 759-MW solar power projects are under execution in Tamil Nadu, the statement said.

government subsidy. The company already has a robust 150+ sales and service channel

NLCIL has an installed capacity of 4,784.50 MW of power. Further, 2,980 MW of thermal

partners across India, which provides its valuable consumers with financing options.

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power plant and 776.5 MW of solar power plants are under construction.

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••February February2019 2019 8 8

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Asia News

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oogle Is Building A Solar Power Project Above Fishing Ponds In Taiwan, Its First In Asia

Google unveiled an ambitious plan eight years ago to build a wind energy project in the Atlantic Ocean running all the way from New York to Virginia. That massive “underwater spine” has been slow to progress, but Google is moving ahead with its first water-based renewable energy project — it is just a little smaller in scale: Solar panels atop a series of fishing ponds in Taiwan. The deal marks Google’s entry into the Asian renewable energy market.

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, recently became the first company to make a purchase under the 2017 Taiwan Electricity Act, which allows non-utility companies to purchase renewable energy. For the 10-megawatt solar array in Tainan City, Taiwan, Google will install poles, with solar panels at the top of them, above fishing ponds.

The idea of building solar projects sited on water — known as floating photovoltaics, or “flotovoltaics” — is becoming more popular.

Last year China built the world’s largest floating solar farm on a lake that used to be a coal mine, one of several flooded mine sites in China used for solar projects. It includes 166,000 solar panels and has a capacity of 40 megawatts, which can power 15,000 homes. The World Economic Forum reported that China is expected to add 40 percent of the world’s new solar panels by 2020. Japan is the world leader in floating photovoltaic installations, with more than 60 projects built since its first in 2007.

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orld Bank Group Arm IFC Sees US$20 Trillion Worth Of Green Investment Opportunities In India, Asia-Pacific

IFC’s climate related investments accounted for 36 percent out of the US$23.3 billion invested in 74 countries in fiscal 2018 – an all-time high. International Finance Corporation, a sister organisation of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group, is set on climate related investments, with US$20 trillion worth of opportunities in Asia-Pacific and India by 2030.

According to the IFC, 60 percent of the area expected to be urban worldwide by 2030 is yet to be built, as emerging countries develop and migration to cities heightens. This will provide opportunities for US$29.4 trillion of climate-related investments in sectors from renewable energy to electric vehicles, of which nearly 70 per cent will be in East Asia, the Pacific and India.

“The whole sustainable investment space has now demonstrated it is a profitable business, so this is where we think it makes sense to put capital to work,” said Vivek Pathak, IFC’s regional director for East Asia and the Pacific. IFC focuses on investment in sectors like renewable energy, agriculture, green buildings, electric transport and water management.

For the year ending June 2018, a record 36 percent of IFC’s US$23.3 billion investments made in 74 countries were in green projects. In East Asia and the Pacific, China took the largest chunk of US$3.4 billion. It is not just IFC that has set its sights on such investments.

Tokyo-headquartered MUFG is among international banks focusing on Asean countries with total investments of US$10 billion over the past six years, making it the biggest foreign bank in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. The bank, which has assets of US$2.9 trillion, is also one of the major green bond underwriters. “We are very much committed to environmental issues and our strength is in project finance,” said Takayoshi Futae, MUFG’s senior managing executive officer and regional executive for Asia.

HSBC, meanwhile, has identified 37 stocks from its climate solutions database, with minimum market capitalisation of US$500 million in sectors where innovations are helping cities better function. A total 60 per cent are from emerging markets, particularly China.

China is ahead in adopting green transport. The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen now boasts the world’s first all-electric public bus fleet, as the country strives towards green development.

The financing is part of a $25 million commitment of senior and junior debt that OPIC had entered back in September 2018. The OPIC commitment could help catalyze other impactfocused investors to achieve a target fund size of $85 million.

Since OPIC has committed to the financing, Calvert Impact Capital and Ceniarth have also committed $7.5 million (~INR 533.54 million) and $5 million (~INR 355.69 million) loans respectively. The IKEA Foundation has also provided a grant of $5 million (~INR 355.69 million) as catalytic capital for the fund, bringing the total raised to $42.5 million.

“This project will advance OPIC’s mission of empowering people in some of the world’s poorest countries by bringing affordable electricity to remote areas that are not connected to an electricity grid. As we have seen from the additional financing raised, it is also a testament to OPIC’s ability to mobilize additional investment,” said Ray W. Washburne, President and CEO of OPIC. According to estimates, the Solar Energy Transformation Fund is expected to improve energy access for three million people and mitigate 480,000 tons of carbon emissions annually over the nine-year life of the fund.

“SunFunder has now closed over $100 million (~INR 7.11 billion) in diversified solar debt funds, and the Solar Energy Transformation Fund opens up new opportunities. As our largest fund and with a 9-year tenor, the Solar Energy Transformation Fund increases both the range and size of debt capital offerings that we can provide, especially for productive use solutions and commercial projects,” said Ryan Levinson, SunFunder founder and CEO.

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hina’s Renewable Energy Output Leaps

By the end of 2018, China’s installed capacity for renewable energy reached 728,000 megawatts (MW), up 12 per cent on a year-on-year basis. It took up 38.3 per cent of the total installed capacity, growing 1.7 percentage points year on year, demonstrating that the alternative role of renewable energy has become increasingly important.

The data were released on Monday (Jan 28) during a media briefing held by the National Energy Administration (NEA). The installed capacity of hydropower stations, wind power stations, photovoltaic (solar) power stations and biomass power stations in 2018 reached 352,000 MW, 184,000 MW, 174,000 MW, and 17,810 MW respectively, growing 2.5 per cent, 12.4 per cent, 34 per cent and 20.7 per cent year on year.

“The utilisation rate of renewable energy is constantly going up,” said Li Chuangjun, deputy director of the new energy department of the NEA. According to the NEA, in 2018, power generated by renewable energy totalled 1.87 trillion kilowatt-hours, 170 billion kwh higher than the previous year. Renewable energy generated 26.7 per cent of the total power, up 0.2 percentage point year on year.

Hydropower generation grew by 3.2 per cent year on year to 1.2 trillion kwh, and wind power generation surged 20 per cent to 366 billion kwh. Meanwhile, photovoltaic power and biomass power generation reached 177.5 billion kwh and 90.6 billion kwh, growing 50 per cent and 14 per cent year on year respectively.

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MW Solar PV Tender Open For Prequalification In The Maldives

Government of Maldives announced the installation of 5MW Solar Photovoltaic system in the Capital city Male’.

This is an initiative of the Government of the Republic of Maldives, on a plan to transform the electricity sector through private sector investments in renewable energy development on a large scale. The government of Maldives has opened applications for prequalification to a 5MW

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right Future For Floating Solar Panels In South-East Asia

Solar power companies in South-east Asia that are competing for land with agriculture, industry and expanding populations have found an innovative alternative - to put floating panels in lakes, dams, reservoirs and the sea.

Grid-tied Solar Photovoltaic Installation tender in the Greater Male’ region (Male’ – capital city of Maldives). This is the second from a series of subprojects planned under the Accelerating Sustainable Private Investments in Renewable Energy project of Maldives implemented with assistance from the World Bank. According to the prequalification document published on the

Earlier this week, state utility Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) said it would submit a proposal for a 45MW floating solar plant in the Sirindhorn dam in the country’s north-east.

website of Ministry of Finance, the selected developer will enter a Power Purchase Agreement

Egat plans to invest in about 16 such projects across nine dams in the country, deputy governor Thepparat Theppitak told reporters.

facets of the project and must meet a minimum generation output specified in the bidding

Elsewhere in the region, Singapore is developing one of the world’s largest offshore floating solar systems in the Strait of Johor to the north of the island.

bidder upon commissioning of the plant. The exact allocation of the subsidy amount and its

“In land-scarce countries like Singapore, the widespread use of PV (photovoltaic) systems is hindered by space constraints and limited roof space,” said Mr Frank Phuan, chief executive of Sunseap Group, which is building the system.

The platform has to be “more robust” than systems in reservoirs or lakes to withstand tougher conditions on the open sea, and to overcome barnacles that may grow on it, he added.

It was also difficult to find a spot in the sea that was not frequented by shipping vessels, he said.

with STELCO (the largest state-owned power utility in the country), for a twenty year period.

Selected bidder is responsible for the design, build, finance, own, operate and transfer of all document. A capital subsidy in the range of USD 1-1.9 million is to be provided to the winning corresponding requirements will be disclosed at the Bidding stage.

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atest Inverter Technology For Large-Scale Solar Park In Nepal An award winning solar project is supporting education and power supply in Nepal using

German knowhow. An 8 MW solar park in Nepal will contribute to a stable electricity supply and benefit a school through a lease agreement. The installers are using the latest technology from inverter manufacturer KACO new energy as well as the German company’s system design expertise – and were delighted to win the Solar Shark Tank Competition. The Nepalese

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PIC Provides Initial Financing for SunFunder’s $85 Million Solar Energy Transformation Fund

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has made an initial investment into SunFunder’s $85 million (~INR 6.04 billion) Solar Energy Transformation Fund. The fund supports electricity access through the use of solar power in Sub-Saharan Africa and India.

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government has taken up the cause of expanding grid-connected solar projects. The goal is a better electricity supply, from which the country’s economic development should benefit.

As part of the initiative, a solar park with an output of 8 MW is planned for the city of Bhrikuti and its neighboring villages in the south-western lowlands of Nepal. Project developer First Solar Developers Nepal chose Solar Solutions Pvt. Ltd as EPC [engineering, procurement and construction] contractor.

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Global News

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undberg Family Farms Announces Major Expansion Of On-Site Solar Arrays

Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev, who participated in the opening ceremony,

Lundberg Family Farms, a national leader in organic rice, rice products and US-grown

Koshanov noted 33 large investment projects worth one trillion tenge (US$2.7 billion)

quinoa, today announced that the company has installed and deployed three new

are being implemented in the region. Seventeen projects are being executed with

solar arrays at its Richvale headquarters – expanding its onsite generation by more

foreign participation and some of the investors have already expressed a desire to

than 250% and increasing its annual offset of energy use to 25%, up from 10%. The

continue cooperation with Kazakhstan.

company now owns and operates six solar arrays throughout the facility.

The project builds on Lundberg’s commitment to invest in clean, renewable power.

The new system comprises three separate projects – the largest covering the roof of the company’s new Snacks facility, offsetting 45% of that facility’s annual usage. The second largest, installed at the Harvest Building and Farm Shop, will help offset some 60% of the energy for equipment used to dry and store rice. Finally, rooftop panels in the Administration Office are expected to generate nearly 80% of its energy needs.

Together the three projects are sized at 1.15 MW DC and is projected to generate roughly 1,880,000 kWh annually.

Lundberg has long been committed to be a good steward of the land by using resources wisely and by reducing environmental impacts whenever possible. On this new solar initiative, Lundberg partnered with Carlson Electrical Services, Brighter Solutions Energy Consulting and Pacific Gas and Electric.

The energy generated by Lundberg’s new solar panel system is equivalent to the energy needed to drive a mid-sized car 44 million miles. It will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 24,660 tons over the next 25 years, which is comparable to planting more

called on investors to build wind power plants as well.

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arguerite Fund Buys Stake In 100 MWp Of Spanish Solar Projects

Pan-European equity fund Marguerite has acquired an 80% stake in two solar photovoltaic projects totalling 100 MWp in Spain from OPDEnergy, the Spanish renewable energy company announced on Wednesday.

Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

The two projects, located in the regions of Extremadura and Andalusia, are part of a portfolio awarded to OPDEnergy in the last renewable energy auction in Spain.

However, OPDEnergy has signed a long-term power purchase agreement with UK energy company Centrica plc for the output of the plants, which is expected to reach 200 GWh per year.

Following the sale, OPDEnergy remains in charge of the engineering, procurement and construction, and will also provide operations and maintenance services as well as manage the technical and commercial activities of the plants after the commissioning.

than 1 million trees.

The construction phase is expected to be finalised by the end of 2019, when the

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enough electricity to meet the demand of 52,000 households.

olar Power And AMIF Sign An Alliance In Benefit Of The Solar Industry In Mexico

AMIF was founded in Guadalajara in 2013 with the purpose of bringing together key photovoltaic industries within national territory, as well as seeking foreign alliances to

commissioning is planned to take place. Once in operation, the plants will produce Marguerite and OPDEnergy plan to expand the solar portfolio by an additional 100 MWp later this year, the press release said

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in benefit of the environment, along with ensuring that product and services from each

tandard Solar To Acquire 27 Megawatt Portfolio Of Distributed Generation Solar Projects In New York And Rhode Island From Freepoint Solar

project not only hold the best quality but adhere to the regulations in force.

Standard Solar, Inc., a leading solar energy company specializing in the development

Solar Power Mexico will be the most specialized event that has taken place in the

and financing of solar electric systems nationwide, today announced it has signed

make them a common force.

Among AMIF’s objectives is the development and positioning of photovoltaic systems

country. It will be the first B2B event, from March 19-21, held at the Citibanamex

an agreement to acquire 27 megawatts of distributed generation solar projects in

Center in Mexico City. Decision makers and the key companies from the industry will

New York and Rhode Island from Freepoint Solar LLC. Standard Solar will engineer,

be coming together.

build, finance, own and operate all five projects which are expected to commence

The German Deutsche Messe AG, organizer of the most important industrial fair in the

construction over the next six to nine months.

world – Hannover Messe chaired by Jochen Koeckler – will be responsible for bringing

The three DG projects in Rhode Island, totaling approximately 13 MW, are part of

Solar Power Mexico to the country in partnership with Sunshine Energy International

the states’ Renewable Energy Growth Program. Rhode Island’s REG Program supports

Limited of Shanghai, China, and Solar Power International, from Virginia in the USA.

the development of 560 MW of new renewable energy projects in the state between

Sunshine Energy Limited International organizes the SNEC PV Power Expo, an event

2015 and 2020 and enables customers to sell their generation output under long-term

of 200,000 m² which attracts more than 2,000 exhibiting companies, and Solar Power

tariffs at a fixed price.

International is the organizer of SPI, the largest solar energy fair in North America, with

Similarly, New York state is making solar energy more accessible to homes, businesses

more than 20,000 visitors and 700 exhibitors.

and communities through its NY-Sun Program. Both projects purchased in New York,

Furthermore, SPI is organized simultaneously with the ESI, which focuses on

totaling 14 MW, are community solar projects. Community solar offers local, clean

International Energy Storage, the largest energy storage event in North America.

Solar Power Mexico will exhibit the best of solar thermal technologies; PV technology systems, components and equipment; and grid infrastructure and storage along with information, communication and services.

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entral Asia’s Largest Solar Power Plant Opens In Karaganda Region

The Karaganda region began large-scale transition to green technology by opening a solar power station in Saran, the largest such facility in the Central Asian region.

“The head of state set us a task to bring the share of alternative energy up to 30 percent by 2030. Today, we have taken a big step towards achieving this goal. The solar power plant launched today has 100 megawatt power. To understand the power, this

energy that can often offset a greater portion of a home, or communities’, or business’ electric bill with predictable rates and terms without having to install solar on their building.

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ion One Metals To Build Hybrid Solar Power Plant For The Tuvatu Gold Project In Fiji

Local Gym Promotes Environmental Health B3 Gym a Gainesville based, 5 star gym which specializes in helping their members become the happiest and healthiest version of themselves.

B3 offers personal training, group classes, and CrossFit. Power Production Management had the opportunity to install a 22.4 Kilowatt Photovoltaic system that is powered with 70 Sun Power panels and two Fronius Inverters optimized for better performance.

energy will be enough for 10 small cities. I’ll add that two more solar power stations

B3 Gym a Gainesville based, 5 star gym which specializes in helping their members

with a total capacity of 90 megawatts are under construction in our region,” said Akim

become the happiest and healthiest version of themselves. B3 offers personal training,

Yerlan Koshanov on Jan. 23.

group classes, and CrossFit. Power Production Management had the opportunity to

The plant has 307,000 voltaic panels on ​​164 hectares which will convert the sun’s

install a 22.4 Kilowatt Photovoltaic system that is powered with 70 Sun Power panels

energy into electricity, according to the region’s administration press service.

The panels, manufactured without metal borders, are part of the latest generation of solar cells. As a result, they do not accumulate snow and rain flows to the ground without harming them. The panels, which have a 40-year life expectancy, will even be able to generate about 10-15 megawatts of electric energy in cloudy weather.

The solar energy plant is a completely private project, as a group of European companies has invested $137 million. A substation was built and all electric lines installed to insure the panels operate in the most efficient manner.

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and two Fronius Inverters optimized for better performance. Just as B3 focuses on your health by supplying the tailored experience, PPM focused on tailoring a system that would fit the lifestyle the gym promotes. The electricity generated onsite is projected to completely offset the energy use of the facility, thus making it energy independent.

From their start in 2009, “B3 Gym has always prided ourselves on being an eco-friendly gym. We have a recycling program, reverse osmosis purification for our water, and plenty of bike-racks to reduce our carbon footprint.” - said CEO and Owner Chris Marhefka.

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••February February2019 2019 12

3.125MW

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

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

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

Solar Quarter • February 2019 13 Solar Quarter • January 2019 9

Company News

G

S

rowatt Receives ‘Most Valuable Inverter Brand’ in India

ungrow Shipments to India Hits 3 Gigawatts

On Jan 30 Growatt received ‘MOST VALUABLE INVERTER BRAND FOR THE YEAR 2018’ at

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

Annual Solar Awards 2019 in Maharashtra, India. The award highly recognizes Growatt’s

at a function in New Delhi, that the Company surpassed 3GW of inverter shipments,

brand equity in terms of brand awareness, market share, product quality, customer service etc.

Growatt has been supplying India market with a comprehensive range of solar inverters with capacity from 1KW to 80KW since 2011, and has become a leading inverter brand

announcing it is accelerating its expansion to the booming Indian market after reaching this milestone. Remarkably, contracts totaling over 1GW have been signed already and are under shipped recently.

in the rooftop sector. According to BridgeToIndia, Growatt is the Top 3 PV inverter brand

The Company, which has offices in Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, has tripled its

in India’s rooftop sector. “We’ve been here in India for over eight years now and we

inverter shipments within 2 years, making fundamental efforts for India’s renewable energy

are doing a great job. Especially when it comes to the rooftop sector, we are very well

adoption acceleration. Furthermore, Sungrow launched its first inverter manufacturing

recognized and clients think highly of our products and services,” said Rucas Wang, Growatt Regional Director.

As we learned from Wang, Growatt focused on residential and C&I PV solutions since its foundation. With its comprehensive product lines, technology advantages and reliable

base outside of China which is of 3GW annual capacity in Bengaluru in 2018, significantly enhancing its delivery capability to both the India and other markets like the North America, while stimulating job creation at large in the famous global tech-city.

product and services, it has now grown into a global leading inverter brand. In China,

Main products being sold are the Company’s central inverters such as SG3125HV inverter

it’s the No.1 Chinese Residential PV Inverter Supplier. According to IHS Markit, it has

station. Likewise, Sungrow is also introducing its featured C&I string inverters and energy

become the global TOP 10 PV inverter supplier. “By now we’ve shipped over 1.33 million

storage products to better serve the local customers.

inverters globally and more than 200,000 Growatt inverters have been running for over five years. And we are proud of our achievements,” shared Wang.

When asked how Growatt attain continuous business growth in India, Wang said, “We

“India has huge potential as a proliferating solar market, Sungrow is always committed to optimizing all kinds of resources to better meet our customers’ needs with its unmatched

keep adapting to the changing market. For instance, recently we introduced a new C&I

technical innovation,” said Hu Yukun, Country Manager of Sungrow India. “We’re making

inverter model, Growatt MAX into Indian market. This development is based on the

continued efforts to maximize the ROI to pave the sunny path to grid parity in India as

changing market environment. As the technology develops, the inverter is expected to

well,” he added.

have more functionalities and become smart. Therefore, MAX is designed with quadcore architecture that will greatly enhance its capability to handle all kinds of tasks. With our Online Smart Service (OSS) platform, MAX will be able to monitor, record, diagnose

As a result of strong performance in established markets like India, China, Japan, US, Europe as well as the emerging solar markets such as Vietnam, Brazil and Egypt, Sungrow

and update the PV system etc from our PC or mobile devices. Additionally, this year the

witnessed rapid growth in 2018, with accumulated inverter shipments over 79GW since

rooftop market is expected to be dominated by C&I solar and MAX has got capacity

1997. The Company will accelerate its pace to global market in 2019 to further realize its

from 50 to 80kW, which is suitable for both large rooftop and utility scale power plants.”

mission of “clean power for all”.

U

L Issues World’s First IEC CB 2016 Certification for Solar PV Modules to India Customer Premier Solar

Increase global market access by showing compliance with the latest international standards and UL UL, a leading global safety science company, announced today that it completed solar photovoltaic (PV) module testing and certification for its India-based customer Premier Solar as per the latest International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. This is the first certificate of its kind issued in the world following the revision of the IEC Standards in 2016. This IEC certification enables Premier Solar to access markets in Latin America, Europe and Africa, where adoption of the standards is critical to increase market penetration.

The new IEC standards – IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 – were revised in March 2016 to reflect the emerging requirements of the solar industry in the face of evolving technology and dramatic variations in climatic and other environmental conditions around the world. The latest edition of the standards differs from its predecessor in multiple ways, signaling changes in the test procedure, sequence, duration and methodology for evaluating structural safety and performance of solar modules manufactured with crystalline silicon and other thin-film technology.

For instance, the new standards call for an increase in cycle time from 15 days to 120 days to account for the rising UV radiation in the atmosphere. IEC has also introduced a requirement that classifies PV modules as per their ability to perform at varying degrees for outdoor pollution to better assess panel damage. Finally, the criteria for visual inspection are more stringent in the 2016 revision as are the requirements for functioning safely at higher voltages.

Commenting on the accreditation, Mr. Suresh Sugavanam, UL’s vice president and managing director for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa said, “With over 40 years of expertise in the solar field, UL leads the market in catering to the sector. As one of the earliest organisations accredited by the IEC, we have been at the forefront of expanding our capabilities and expertise to service our customers for meeting the changing requirements.

Compliance with IEC standards are imperative to gain increased market share around the globe. India has a significant share of PV module manufacturers in India who cater to the global market and they can gain competitive advantage by partnering with us to gain the IEC certification to ensure wider market entry and faster time to market.”

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C

leantech Solar Commissions Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation’s 9.8 MW On-Site Solar PV System

Cleantech Solar, a leading provider of renewable energy to corporations in Asia, celebrates the launch of an on-site solar PV system for Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation (CMIC), which owns and operates the most advanced cement factory in Cambodia.

The whole system includes a 2.8 MW floating solar power plant deployment on CMIC’s reservoir, and the remaining 7 MW installed across multiple rooftops of the facility.

Through a long-term partnership agreement, the project is expected to generate 297 GWh of clean energy, avoiding 197,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions across the system’s lifetime. The system will contribute to CMIC’s sustainability efforts by substituting a portion of the large plant’s electricity consumption with solar PV. This will also help CMIC reduce operating costs without having to make the capital investment, nor having to take the performance risk of the solar system. In addition, the deployment of the floating solar system will shield the reservoir from wind and the direct hot midday sun which is expected to reduce water loss through evaporation, contributing to CMIC’s water conservation efforts.

Mr. Meng Leang, Chairman of Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation said, “Here at Chip Mong Insee Cement, we are committed to be a trusted company that is both environmentally and socially responsible. Producing cement in Cambodia to substitute imports creates jobs and opportunities for Cambodians and adopting solar is an additional important step for us to help meet our energy requirements whilst at the same time reduce our CO2 emissions. We have selected Cleantech Solar based on their extensive track record, strong technical as well as financial capabilities. This, together with our shared values on safety and quality, has delivered a very successful solar project and solidified our partnership with Cleantech Solar.”

Mr. Raju Shukla, Cleantech Solar Founder and Executive Chairman said, “It is very satisfying to see the state-of-the-art Chip Mong Insee Cement production plant now benefiting from our high-quality solar PV solution that combines rooftop and floating elements. In addition to environmental and social benefits, such as cutting emissions and promoting corporate social responsibility, the economic benefits of sourcing renewables will also include cost savings, long-term price stability and security of supply. We will like to extend our hearty congratulations to Chip Mong Insee Cement on achieving another milestone in their sustainability journey.”

Renew Power Secures Additional OPIC Debt Funding Of Up To $350 Million ReNew Power Limited, India’s largest renewable energy IPP in terms of total energy generation capacity*, today announced that it has secured fresh debt financing of up to USD 350 million from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the US Government’s development finance institution.

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 14

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Solar Quarter • February 2019 15

Perspective

Take On Union Budget 2019 Mr. Jaideep N. Malaviya, Secretary General – Solar Thermal Federation of India A fixed target similar to 40 GW of solar rooftop for promoting solar agriculture pumps under the KUSUM scheme could had been advantageous in meeting the Solar Mission targets.

Appropriate concessions would accelerate this market and help mitigate the import of fuel oil and reduce transmission losses. They can also be connected to grid and any excess energy can be fed back to the grid, which can become additional source of income for farmers.

Unless domestic manufacturing is not made attractive renewable energy will be last in the race for creating jobs. Higher anti-dumping duty, easy finance from lending institutions and tax rebates to individuals can boost demand hence facilitate domestic manufacturing.

In order to attract the solar roof-top markets a plan to remove cross subsidisation of electricity tariffs would have proven prudent.

Unfortunately the solar thermal is grossly ignored and it would be prodigious if aggressive demand is created for industrial process heat since it has the potential to reduce the fuel oil thus save on precious foreign exchange.

Mr. Vineet Mittal, Chairman Avaada Group The Union Budget 2019 has a strong focus on long term

manufacturing sector, will help transform the ‘Make in India’ vision into a reality, leading to

sustainable growth. An effort has been made to bridge the

significant increase in job opportunities.

urban-rural divide. Fiscal prudence has been maintained

It is good to see government’s continuing push for renewables to become a major source

by the government even though we are in lead-up to elections. Vision 2030 elaborates the government’s focus on key sectors, that should help India transform into a global power - physical infrastructure, clean & green India, rural industrialization are some of the key work areas. Boost to

of energy in India. This will help ensure India’s energy security as well as meet our climate change goals. Through continued support for renewables, EVs will benefit. India might set a precedent in EVs being powered predominantly by renewable energy, as compared to coal based thermal power.

I see a holistic and inclusive approach taken by the government.

Mr. Ratul Puri. Chairman, Hindustan Power Projects A fiscally prudent budget targeted towards India’s long-term growth and development.

The 2019 interim budget is fiscally prudent and thankfully without any negative surprises. There is no doubt that the forward looking, progressive budget has India’s growth and development in mind. Since infrastructure is the primary growth driver in India’s path to global economic success, the 15 percent increase in the budgetary allocation for the sector is a welcome step towards national growth and development.

Even though major announcements were not made for the energy sector, we appreciate the government’s reinforced focus on renewables, particularly the solar sector. That the renewable energy sector is estimated to create 3 million new jobs by 2020, in the solar and wind energy space is a clear indication that the sector will lead to more opportunities both for the economy and citizens. Though the Rs 3,004.90 crore allocated for the development of solar power projects next financial year (2019-20) is only a 1 per cent increase over the likely expenditure of Rs 2,969 crore for solar projects this fiscal,

it guarantees steady financial flow.

The concerns over the issue of rise in oil imports are definitely valid and we welcome the recommended actions towards cutting down the country’s crude oil import. Along with the that, the vision of creating transport revolution through the use of electric vehicles and enhancing energy security through energy storage solutions, is definitely a positive step towards meeting India’s power sector needs.

It is important to note that the government is also confident of meeting its universal household electrification targets by March 2019. On the other hand, Ujjwala Yojana, which has already provided free LPG connections to 60 million rural beneficiaries, can be rightfully expected to reach 80 million households by 2020.

That being said, the highlights of the interim budget are definitely the PM Kisan Nidhi Yojana, the tax rebate and the pension scheme for the unorganized sector. While the kisan yojana will bring relief to the farmers of the country, the full tax rebate for individuals up to an annual income of 5L and the pension scheme targeted towards the unorganized sector can be expected to benefit the individuals and by extension the overall economy.

Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Fortum India “Today’s interim budget by the Hon Minister Piyush Goyal

providing domestic & clean energy sources. As Fortum India, increases its presence in

is indicative of the government’s vision of inclusive growth

India in partnership to building and operating a bio-refinery with Numaligarh Refinery

for India. Fortum India appreciates the government’s focus

Limited (NRL) and Chempolis, we look to support the country in its path to sustainable

on clean and renewable energy sources. We especially

development. Lastly, we wish to highlight the governments’ vision for 2030 paving a way

applaud the steps taken in the past years by Government of

for Electric Vehicles with renewables becoming a major source of energy supply. The aim to

India, for improving the investor’s sentiments and helping

have 30% Electric vehicles in India will surely boost the economy and put us on the world

company like Fortum to bring investment in India and also

map. Together with the government, we at Fortum, look forward to work collaboratively

to increase the usage of bio fuels, as that solves many critical

by contributing towards technology and provide smart solutions to support India in its

issues, like saving foreign exchange, waste management and

journey and make it an energy reliant country”.

Mr. Amarthaluru Subba Rao, Executive Director – Finance & Strategy, CLP India “As a longstanding and committed partner to India, CLP India

the steps taken in the past few years by the government to enhance and expedite the

agrees with the government’s vision of inclusive growth for

growth of the sector including the exponential growth in solar power sector which has

the country as has been outlined by the Honorable Minister

also led to creation of jobs. As we move forward, we look forward to continued focus of all

in the budget speech today. Energy is the backbone of a

stakeholders in taking energy value chain to the next phase of development with focus on

nation and its development directly impacts all other sectors

clean energy and energy innovation.”

as well as the quality of life of people. We appreciate all

Mr. Rahul Walawalkar, President, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) "In line with the vision to make India pollution free, the Government of India has once again shown its commitment to encourage and implement electric vehicles and clean fuel energy. Announcements of tax rebates on the import of EV technology, including batteries and motors ranging from

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10 to 25 percent, and incentives for local battery manufacturing will speed up the EV revolution. We are happy to see the continuing support of the GoI in realizing India’s EV dream. We urge the Government to take swift action in launching the National Energy Storage Mission in order to support the development of an R&D and manufacturing ecosystem for energy storage and EVs."

Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 16

In Conversation

“Socomec Is Globally Renowned For Their Reliable And Durable Solutions With A Timeless Appeal.”

Mr Sushil Virmani, Managing Director, Socomec

Socomec is known for its reliable, efficient and trustworthy products and services. Could you please share Socomec’s key highlights of the year 2018?

Socomec is globally renowned for their reliable and durable solutions with a timeless appeal, resulting in overwhelming customer interest and trust that they repose in our products.

Our high performance PV switching solutions accounted for almost 3GW of new capacity addition in utility scale solar last year. Thanks to our privileged participation at REI 2018, it was made possible to have a very purposeful interaction with leading solar PV BOS players and key decision maker, as part of solar value chain. During last year, we had re strategized and proactively targeted untapped market segments, resulting in very good growth in our core business of Power conversion as well as in Power switching. This had also been facilitated on account of a symbiotic business management across various functions and product groups within Socomec. Finally the end users also deeply appreciate the underlying value proposition of Socomec products, related both to the high quality, reliability and robustness, as well as a professional and customer friendly training | supervision and service support.

We are witnessing huge advancements in electrical sector each year.

What are the new products we can expect from the company?

All our products are engineered and developed for optimal performance across wide usage profile, their key attributes being: contemporary design, user friendliness, lower energy footprint as well as connectivity. For 2019 and beyond we are already working on state of art products with emphasis on design Modularity and Operator safety. There will be new offerings for the renewable energy sector as well. Quite a few innovative products are undergoing validation trials that I wish to reiterate is quite an integral part of Socomec methodology wherein, it is the back stage efforts that are always inextricably linked to product marketing, all this to reassure our customers that we will always be at the fore front of innovations for benchmarked product quality, performance and reliability. Since beginning of last year there had been a pal[able market shift from 1000v dc to 1500Vdc system majorly for ground mounted system. Our globally proven expertise in 1500Vdc switching domain, came in handy compensating sluggish pace of projects.

What have been some of the recent developments at your organization and what are your growth plans for the Indian market?

Current emphasis is to offer the very best of our global switching product range for AC as well as PV applications, to bring that closer to the Customer doorstep by way of indigenization efforts, as part of make in India initiative. Clearly the market is heading toward more reliability and user friendliness, not to undermine role of a proactive service support. This is absolutely in conformity with Socomec core thinking, accordingly we are poised for sustainable growth

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Primarily on account of our Product USP and extensive pre as well as post-Sales support coupled with exceed level of interactive service support we are expanding our reach as well as quality of customer interaction. In addition, our deliverables have witnessed outright success due to emphasis on design localization.

Whether Socomec has got a foothold in the high stakes renewable business space?

Socomec has been actively engaged in providing highly reliable PV switching solutions across a diverse usage spectrum, encompassing both ground mounted large utility installations as well as for strategic RESCO model roof top endeavors. Year after year our products and services have been appreciated and benchmarked against stiff performance standards, resulting in quite a strong presence I would infer, with a dedicated product portfolio in the Solar PV balance of plant space – both Manual On load Switching range, along with Modularized execution with Motorized as well as Trippable units. These are all available in a wide spectrum of Current ratings, from 25A through 3200A, no of poles from 2pole to 4pole and in DC voltages, 600V, 1000Vdc as well as 1500Vdc all compliant to latest IEC standards. Complimented by a plethora of user-friendly accessories, the sub system ensures compliance to the safety and performance standards that act as a benchmark for critical PV plant performance under standard as well as adverse operating conditions encountered in Roof mounted as well as Grid connected ground-based systems.

What is so unique and technologically advanced with regard to Socomec make of PV Isolators?

Socomec brand is synonymous with integrated solutions incorporating patented technology enabling exceed performance amidst extreme operating thresholds, including competent performance metrics with minimal deration characteristics. Attributes like managing to withstand onslaught of Critical current on account of our unique arc abatement concept has helped bolster our performance curve into realms of sure-footed ability traversing precipitous inclines of performance. Thanks for bringing up this important topic, so integral to the Socomec PV offering, on to the discussion table, since the very basis of our PV isolators design ( and that is patented ! ) is the unique Architecture, Design, along with the Performance testing and validation process. All this ensures a Dimensionally compact, Low watt loss, on load Isolating device that is amenable for rated performance even under adverse ambient temperature conditions. The smallest part, including the attributes of the operating handle, bear testimony to the innovative spirit and that pioneering concept behind the Socomec range of Switching products.

Solar Quarter • February 2019 17

Cover Story

Selecting The Right Electrical Components for Indian Solar Projects Mr. Chandan Singh Managing Director Stäubli Tec Systems India Pvt. Ltd Minimizing risk, maximizing return.

Bankability is today critically important in the PV business and

As a pioneer and global market leader for connectors, Stäubli Electrical Connectors has amassed over 20 years of experience in the photovoltaics industry. To date, we have more

has become an essential benchmark with substantial influence

than 230 GW of installed photovoltaic capacity, amounting to approx. 50 % of the global

on investors, banks and other financing institutions. In order to ensure the deciding factors

cumulative PV capacity that had been successfully connected using our original MC4

for the long-term success of a PV system, bankable project partners must be acquired.

connectors. This figure demonstrates the reliability and highest quality of our products.

Careful selection of bankable products and components to be built into the system is also a core topic, as these have considerable impact on the bankability of the PV project.

I would say, “A minimal investment in high-quality components can have a big impact on a

The core of all Stäubli products is the innovative MULTILAM advanced contact technology.

Thanks to their constant spring pressure, MULTILAM louvers ensure continuous contact

project’s bankability, improving the safety and efficiency of an installation and protecting its

with the contact surface and constantly low contact resistance. This provides for safe and

long-term health.”

long-life operation whilst reducing downtime and service cost significantly. Furthermore,

The components for cabling (connectors, junction boxes, cables) often play only a

risks for power loss and hotspots or fire that may lead to enormous reconstruction costs

minor role in the calculation as they amount to less than 1% of the total initial costs,

are reduced to a minimum.

for connectors an even tinier percentage (approx. 0.003 %). In sum, potential savings are small – but choosing low-end over quality products may have serious consequences for

By choosing Stäubli, you benefit from profound expertise, extensive support by a global

the profitability of a PV system.

network of trained staff and experts as well as long-life components that keep your PV

Those apparently minor components can have an ultimately decisive influence on the risks

installation up and running efficiently and safely. Stäubli therefore is your reliable partner

and on the return on investment respectively the LCOE of a PV project. Saving a few dollars

when it comes to fulfilling the requirements of bankability and guaranteeing a sustainable

in the short-term could greatly increase a project’s operations and maintenance costs.

return on investment in the long term.

Furthermore, the risk for power losses, a (partial) system failure/downtime, or even a fire may increase significantly during the operation phase.

Mr. Amit Thussu Vice President Power-One Micro Systems Pvt. Ltd. The first thing to know about inverters is that NOT all inverters

b. At what efficiency will the inverter perform after 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of operation?

are created equal.

4. OVERLOADING (DC side): this is one of the most misunderstood concepts of solar PV

In a solar system, inverter is the only component that has the

installation. It is not just about how many additional panels can be added over and

capability to talk back.

above the inverter capacity, but at the same time, we also need to acknowledge that

In order to choose the right kind of inverter, we need to first understand what kind /type

if an inverter offers 30% to 50% overloading, it has the capacity to take that brunt. So

of Inverter would suit our requirement and at the same time check for its operational

it will most probably have a higher shelf life as the components used would be of a

and economic feasibility.There are however, a few points that we need to pay a special attention to while choosing the inverter for Indian market. India is a country with different climatic conditions; so in our case, we cannot have one size fits all. Therefore, whenever

higher grade. Questions to ask here: a. What is the maximum DC overloading allowed?

we choose an inverter, the following points must be considered based on the location and

b. Does the DC overloading give any additional AC side generation benefit?

the design of the project:

c. Is my warranty void if something happens to the inverter in case the inverter is

1. SHELF LIFE: Solar panel manufacturers give a promise of 25 years for the working of the panels, so the inverter should be able to keep up as well; therefore, we have to first look at the SHELF LIFE of the inverter. YES, it is the SHELF LIFE and not the warranty I am talking about. Inverter manufacturers give a warranty in the range of 5 to 12 years.

The questions we need to ask are: a. At what efficiency will the inverter perform after 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of operation? b. What kind of service is available after warranty is over? c. Also, ask for original certificate of warranty document, specifically if the inverter is being billed by a distributor or a channel partner and d. Get in writing the conditions under which warranty is void from the OEM. 2. HEAT MANAGEMENT: The inverter converts DC to AC and in the process generates heat. As per the international standards, the output of an inverter is the power it can

overloaded?

5. MPPT: Yet another misunderstood concept in world of solar. Today, we have inverters with single to about 12 MPPTs depending upon the capacity of the inverter.

Both single and multiple MPPT options have their benefits and drawbacks. It is very important to know which system suits our requirements best and would make more economical sense. For example, a single MPPT system would give a higher generation on a flat roof without shadows. A multiple MPPT system would be more effective in case of different orientations and shadow zones, but it does not mean that more the MPPTs better the inverter. We need to choose the inverter wisely depending on the site location and orientation.

Some of the other points to consider while choosing an inverter in India are:

generate at 500C ambient. The point to note here is that the ambient temperature of

a. Service availability (replacement or repair).

the city is not usually the ambient temperature of the inverter. As the inverter generates

b. How is the monitoring (level and ease of access)?

its own heat, the ambient temperature of the inverter is relatively higher as compared to the surroundings. So the questions to ask are: a. At what temperature does the inverter derate? b. Ask for the temperature deration curve, preferably certified by a third party as a proof. c. While comparing inverters make sure that the capacities are compared at the same temperature.

3. EFFICIENCY: There are two efficiencies mentioned on an inverter catalogue – Max efficiency and European efficiency. The main questions to ask here are: a. What is the efficiency deration of the inverter year by year?

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c. OEM or original. d. Certifications. e. Installation Base f. Display (what information can be accessed). g. Regional inverter stock availability (when can inverter be delivered after placing the order) h. Remember that any extra warranty claims from the dealer or sub dealer or channel partner are not valid at all unless or until there is a written proof from the OEM.

SolarQuarter Quarter• •February February2019 2019 1818 Solar

Cover Story Cover Story Mr. Girish Vaze CEO & MD Elcom International Pvt Ltd

In India, most of the Solar Power plants are preferred to be

� long term outdoor application

installed in remote areas in order to avail the land at cheap rates.

� resistance against age and UV endurance

In that case, the reliability of power plant totally depends upon the accessibility and availability of quality Solar BoS (Balance of Systems) including solar

� Minimal heat generation and hence avoiding any accidental fire

connectors. The failure of the same can lead to a prolonged downtime of the system.

� Engineering plastic, UV-compliant and flame-resistant

Additionally, poor quality connectors can lead to increased O&M work load and hence

Even though, a number of suppliers are available in the market, selling imported Solar

more time and money would be spent on repairs or encounter frequent breakdowns.

Cable connectors at a very cheap prices, but having the TUV approved connectors, along

It is imperative to select your system components, PV Cable connectors, in particular,

with the customization capability on cable assembly front makes the manufacturers the

carefully, keeping in mind the long term performance of the system and to ensure fast and

most sought after supplier in the Indian market. An ideal connectors supplier should be

easy replacement of the same without causing any downtime.

able to offer efficient and durable products with a 25 year guarantee of performance.

The most preferred solar connectors offer TUV approved connectors with low contact

There are vendors in India, such as Elcom, who have developed solar connector with TUV

resistance thus maximizing total system performance. Additionally, it should be easy to

certificate for 1500 VDC - as per the latest version of IEC 62852:2014 standard. While

assemble using the standard tools available in the market, and which are suitable for

selecting the vendor for solar components, such as PV cable connectors, Branch connectors,

� Crystalline panel manufacturers � Thin-film panel manufacturers

and cable assembly, one should keep in mind that the manufacturer should be having the required infrastructure and scale capabilities to meet any volume of requirement with minimum lead time to avoid any delays in the projects. Its always preferable to select local

� System installers

vendors (domestic) instead of imported ones who have standardised the manufacturing

Other preferred features of a good solar connector are:

process over a period of time and are in compliance with Integrated Management Systems

� IP68 complied, lower contact resistance ≤0.35 mΩ

(IMS) certifications including ISO - 9001:2015 - Quality Management System and ISO

� Silver plated pure grade copper terminals � “snap-in” safety locking tabs to lock two mating connectors � quick, easy, robust and weather-proof � excellent housing material

-14001:2015 - Environmental Management.

Thus, even though, the solar connectors make a very small portion of the overall system, it plays a very critical role in providing sustainability to the solar systems installed in those remote areas. Hence, select your component vendor very carefully,keeping the above factors in mind.

� complying with UL94-V0 fire safety

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Solar SolarQuarter Quarter••February February2019 2019 19

Cover Story

Selecting The Right Inverters for Indian Solar Projects

Mr. Frank Qiao Co-founder and Sales Director Growatt Solar inverter is the very important part of PV system. Though its main function is to convert the direct current generated by the solar panel into alternating current, nowadays the inverter also undertakes the function of detecting solar panel, the grid and wire running status, data communication, system protection etc. In order to ensure the stable operation of PV system, there are 3 key factors that we should consider when selecting inverters for a solar project:

Quality To evaluate the quality of an inverter, here are the key factors: the selection of major components, product features, product functionalities, innovation and reliability.

Each factor is very important. For inverter manufacturers, the most important thing is establishing a fully comprehensive and controllable product quality system. Then they need to ensure that the inverter could adapt to the harsh working environment and that the inverter lifespan reaches up to 20 years. As a reliable leading inverter brand, Growatt has introduced a comprehensive quality control system with FIVE stages from design to mass production: project kickoff, functional prototype, engineering sample, pilot run and mass production. Its whole product development cycle would last 6 to 18 months depending on the technology requirements. During this process, members from across R&D, QC, marketing, customer service, product testing and manufacturing would work as a whole team and strictly follow the FIVE quality engineering process: design engineering , component engineering, testing engineering , reliability engineering ,manufacturing engineering. They bear in mind that quality is the life of the company and do their best to develop the inverter solutions.

Easy Maintenance and Configuration Inverter configuration and monitoring are critical for a solar system and they can ensure maximum generation and stable operation of the PV system.Ttraditional ways for configuration and monitoring include RS232, RS485, RF, LAN etc. Now it’s time to see

some innovations! Here comes the Growatt’s brand new MAX series inverter. See below chart and check how comprehensive it is. You’ll have multiple options to monitor the system locally or remotely. MAX 50-80KTL3 LV(MV) inverter has powerful Human Machine Interface that can clearly indicate the operating status of inverter as well as easily achieve local and remote communication along with daily maintenance.

Technical Innovation In a solar system, though inverter takes no more than 5% of the total cost, it takes numerous responsibilities in managing the voltage, current, power capacity and generation, and even the solar panels and DC cables, such as the functions of string monitoring, I/V curve scanning, DC arc detection and panel’s PID recovery.

Keep going beyond the limit, now Growatt MAX series inverters even have the capability to monitor the PV panel status and grid quality with its comprehensive diagnosis functions.

With those functions you can easily locate the failure and resolve the problem by doing it remotely on Growatt monitoring cloud, which means you don’t even need to go to site.

This is huge cost and time saving!

Environment adaptability In most part of India, it can be very hot in summer and temperature can reach nearly 50 degree Celsius. This is a great challenge for the inverter performance. Usually in such hot weather inverter will derate its output capacity. However, this is not the case with Growatt Max. With optimized component layout, cooling route and component selection, Growatt Max series inverter is able to output full power at the environment temperature of 50 degree Celsius, while at low temperature it can even output up to 15% extra capacity which can bring much higher yield to the system owner.

Mr. Brijesh Prajapati Managing Director Sofar Solar Solar Inverter is Heart of the Solar PV System. It’s convert DC to AC & Controlling & Monitoring entire SOLAR PV Systems.

1. Well-designed inverter cases: die-casting housings go through anti-corrosion and anti-rust

There are different types of grid tied solar inverters – micro, string and central.

2. WIDE Display Screen.

A) Micro inverter :- A microinverter consists of a small box located on the back of or situated very close to a solar panel systems . Its role is to convert the DC electricity produced by a single solar panel. Small rating voltage system.

B) String inverters :- A string inverter is the type most commonly used in home and commercial solar power systems. It is a large-ish box that is often situated some distance away from the solar array. Depending on the size of the installation, there may be more than one string inverter present. Medium Rating voltage system.

C) Central inverter:- Central inverters are designed for applications such as large arrays installed on buildings, industrial facilities as well as field installations – they are basically just a very large string inverter. Its in high rating voltage systems.

Hybrid Inverter & Storage inverter is now new concept in Solar market.

Needed important points of string inverter systems.

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protection processes 3. Support RS485/WiFi/GPRS/Ethernet for data upload.

4. Built-in SD card with long memories data storage capacity for inverters.

5. Support web portal for online monitoring and APP for mobile phones.

6. Support zero export solution and PID solution.

7. Local technical support for whole India market.

8. Net metering facility.

9. Anti-Islanding protection for grid connected inverters.

10. IV Curve scanning.

11. Long Years reliable products warranty (SOFAR SOALR Offering 7 Years warranty in INDIA Market)

Solar Quarter • February 2019 20 Solar Quarter • February 2019 20

Cover Story Mr. Naveen Jangra Head – Technical (India) TBEA Xi’an Electric Technology Co. Ltd. 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 is a part of TBEA group, and inherits the engineering & manufacturing excellence of 70 years’ experience having a professional R&D team. India being second largest solar market globally focus on Utility scale projects followed by commercial & rooftop scale segment and TBEA proudly supports both having Central inverters and String Inverters in its product basket. TBEA have always focused on product quality and customer services being fruitfully awarded and have more than 2GW Inverters Supplied in India.

Solar projects executed in India are majorly Utility scale having smooth, undulated land surface having same PV module orientation and configuration which reduces the mismatch losses. So, in these conditions we learned from our long time experience that central inverters are the best choice for utility scale projects. However we do have both kind of solutions in our product portfolio – string as well as central inverter solutions.

TBEA have 2 types of central inverters – Containerized & Outdoor Solution. Containerized

Why to choose TBEA Inverter Solutions! � TBEA inherits an engineering experience of 70 years having highly experience & professional R&D team. � Inverter solutions manufactured by TBEA are based on 3 level topology to provide maximum efficiency and power generation reducing the switching losses. � TBEA is the only brand manufacturing the highest capacity of central inverter of 5MW single unit, which saves the BOS cost of the customer. � TBEA manufacturer’s plugin type solution which supports the critical short span project commissioning trends of India. � Company have a world-class manufacturing facility in China which meets the globally acceptable quality standards. Company use TIER 1 components in its inverter solution which enhances the life cycle of the inverter providing a sense of peace to the customer.

Inverters are ready to plugin solution provided within IP protected container kept in

� TBEA have always focused on product quality and customer services being fruitfully

open air without any requirement of separate housing. Rather, Outdoor Solution is most

awarded with more than 2GW of inverter installation base in India serving almost all

preferred & suitable solutions according to Indian projects. Complete outdoor solutions

major Big & Small Project developers & EPCs namely ACME, Renew Power, Adani, L&T,

are smaller in size, easy to maintain, have better IP protection level and reduced cost of foundation & saves time.

Commercial scale projects are increasing with focus on uneven surface, differentiated shadow pattern and different PV module orientation for Rooftops or Hilly areas. TBEA supports with its wide range of multi MPPT string inverter having higher efficiency and easiness to commission and maintenance.

Avaada, Azure Power, BHEL, KEC International, OPG Energy, KC Solar, Enrich Energy, Maheshwari Mines, Rays power expert, Rays Power Infra, etc. � TBEA achieved 29% of sales in Q3 2018 against other competitors, according to the report generated by Bridge to India.

The overall performance of inverters is remarkable leading to reliability over the brand & technology capabilities of TBEA.

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Solar Quarter • February 2019 21 Solar Quarter • February 2019 21

Cover Story

Selecting The Right Structures for Indian Solar Projects

the latest version of IS 875 allows for a reduction in the wind pressure up to 20 % it also demands that the coefficients considered in calculation of wind loads normal to the module plane considers the eccentricity effect also as suggested in the foot note to Table 8. Hence any reduction in wind pressure must be backed by considering the most critical effect on eccentricity.

For example, basic wind speed in Rajasthan is 47 m/s. For a design life of 25 years k1 = 0.9,

Ms. Monika Rathi

Mr. Tejvinder Sondhi

k2=1, k3=1 & k4=1. This implies Vz=47x0.9 = 42.3 m/s. Pz = 1.073 kN/m2. With kd =0.9, ka=1

Head Business Development

Design Manager

& kc =1, Pd= 0.966 kN/m2. However further 20 percent reduction would mean the design

Mahindra Susten

Mahindra Susten

2018 has been a roller coaster ride for the Indian solar industry, where the ups included the increase of installed capacity to 25.21 GW as of 31 December 2018, while the downs included the higher GST rate and introduction of safeguard duty. While falling prices and generation of 101.83 billion units of renewable power in 2018 is definitely good news for the industry, it has also put tremendous pressure on the developers and EPC to optimize costs.

With the constant decrease in the tariff prices it becomes more important that the system design must be optimised vis a vis costs, generation, land utilisation and most importantly the asset quality. One of the prime drivers in the asset valuation of a solar power plant is the Module Mounting Structures (MMS) which is a key ingredient in the successful running of a solar power plant. While most of the BoS components such as inverter DC cables junction boxes transformers, etc. are readily bought from the equipment suppliers the workmanship and the expertise of an EPC contractor is reflected mainly through module mounting structures and its design.

wind pressure (pd) = 0.772 kN/m2. So any optimisation in tonnage from 0.966 to 0.772 kN/ m2 is on account of applying a reduced wind pressure and not by way of any better design.

IS 875 also has laid down coefficients in table 29 which are to be used for force calculation on individual exposed width of the members of an MMS. Many a times these forces are not considered leading to under design of the structures. These forces are to be considered acting in combination with the pressure & suction forces normal to the surface of the module.

The coefficients mentioned in table 8 are calculated from wind tunnel tests, some designers insists on conducting site specific wind tunnel test to study the laminar flow of wind on closely spaced rows with variations resulting from row spacing and the collector width. More important wind tunnel test results are valid only if the ground slope is less than 3 degrees. For ground slopes more than 3 degrees the factor k3 must be increased suitably.

B) Structure design: Structure design for steel structures is governed by IS 800-2007 for HR members while IS 801-1975 for cold formed structures. In earlier days, structures were two-

The design of module mounting structure depends largely on site location, wind speed and soil type. As a PV plant is expected to last more than 25 years, it is important that the mounting structure remains intact until the lifetime of the project, and also sustains the natural phenomenon which are not prevalent but could happen during its lifetime including storms within design speed, and water logging as per site conditions. Let’s look at some of the salubrious principles which must be adhered to ensure that the plant runs smoothly and efficiently for its desired service life.

poled and were not strong enough to bear various loads, however, soon were the days, when industry moved toward single pole structure for topographic modularity, reduction of foundations and subsequent efforts, labour and energy associated with it. It is extremely important to consider the correct effective length of buckling in calculation of actual stresses in vertical post.

With markets flooding with high strength steel, and in the race to reduce the consumption of

Wind Loading: Wind loading in India is governed by the provisions of the IS 875 Part III – 1987 revised in 2015. The main factors pertaining to an MMS are as follows.

steel/MW many a times the designers are tempted to increase the permissible yield strength to arrive at a lower weight section. However, it is a well-known fact from the inherent nature of material steel, any increase in yield strength will invariably lower the ductility of the material.

A) Basic wind speed – The basic wind speed data is contained in the wind map of India which specifies the wind speed inn m/s for a 3s gust at a height of 10m from the ground level for 50 years return period. It is different for different regions based on the Latitude and Longitude of the location. � k1 - probability factor- While the basic wind speed accounts for 50 years return period, k1 factors out this basic speed into design life of 5, 25, 50 or 100 years. Generally, for an MMS k1 is considered for a 25 years life. � k2 - terrain roughness and height factor is how closely spaced are the obstruction around the structure for which this factor is being calculated. Generally, MMS category lies in between category 2 & category 3. � k3 - topography factor considers the general level of site above sea level

Ductility ensures the structure remains flexible under effect of cyclic loading under wind. Hence in considering use of high strength steel a proper account of the stress strain curve is a must to ensure that the material remains below its permissible yield strength.

C) Corrosion Protection: Mounting structure life is highly affected by corrosion and it is important that structure galvanization should be sufficient to protect it from corrosion.

The typical structure galvanization thickness is kept of the order of 80 Microns HDG for Horizontal Rails and 550 GSM Pre-galvanized for Cold Form Rails. In case of purlin the structure can be cold formed steel with a lesser galvanization thickness of the order of 80 microns. As the solar penetration is increasing, more and more solar parks are coming in tougher terrains where water logging is expected. In such scenarios, the corrosion protection of the structure needs to be suitably increased to ensure life cycle of >25 years for the structure.

To summarize, a good structure design can significantly reduce structure weight per MW,

� k4 - importance factor for the cyclonic region is applicable only if the site is situated within a fetch distance of 60kms from the nearest coast.

however this should be done considering proper design criteria and safety margins. Moreover structure with an integrated wiring management system can be developed so that cables can run through perforated sections, which will help save the overall BoS cost.

� Kd – Is 875 P III-2015 allows for consideration on directionality factors which is considered as 0.9 since generally the MMS is made up of lattice structures.

With over 3.2 GW of Solar projects, Mahindra Susten ensures provision of a structure that could last for the lifetime of a plant, a structure which does not sag due to thermal expansion and a structure whose resilient design and integrated wiring management depicts its strength

Other coefficients that depend on the tilt of the module is calculated from Table 8 of IS. While

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and durability.

SolarQuarter Quarter• •February February2019 2019 2222 Solar

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

Solar-Plus-Storage: Another Big Year Ahead for Energy Storage Solar-plus-storage, or the pairing of solar panels with batteries to store excess energy

alternative energy sources can be good business for them, too. CleanTechnica reveals that

for future use, was a big topic in 2018. Many industry analysts predicted that the energy

“energy storage is now becoming more integrated into resource plans,” at the utility level.

storage market in the United States would triple, and despite a few obstacles, it was a

UtilityDive forecasts that “as more utilities incorporate storage into their systems, it will

record-breaking year for new solar-plus-storage deployments. This trend is expected to

change the way utilities think about how much intermittent renewable resources their

continue in 2019 and beyond as energy storage becomes a vital component of consumer

systems can integrate, particularly in regions that are expecting substantial amounts of

and utility solar installations.

retirements of older resources, such as coal and nuclear power plants.” The buy-in of utility

There are now 5 states with publicized energy storage targets. Their efforts, along with

companies will have a major effect on the energy storage market, enabling even more

growing adoption of solar-plus-storage systems by utility companies, will continue to

rapid growth and innovation and resulting in even better technology and lower prices for

highlight the security and stability benefits of energy storage. Let’s take a look at what the

all solar-plus-storage consumers.

year ahead may hold for the solar-plus-storage market.

A Powerful Case Study Prices Decline as Technology Advances

One great example of the potential impacts of solar-plus-storage adoption is underway

For consumers who are interested in achieving greater energy independence and security,

in Kaua’i, Hawaii. PV Magazine writes “those who cast doubt on the ability of renewable

there has never been a better time to invest in energy storage. Prices continue to decline

energy to supply the demands of our civilization” like to say that “the sun doesn’t shine

as storage technology advances, and major battery suppliers such as Tesla and SunRun

and the wind doesn’t blow all the time.” But, “As it turns out, they don’t have to. Because

are creating more efficient and effective products. As Energy Storage News notes, “from

with batteries, photovoltaics can supply electricity after sundown. And this is not theory;

residential to commercial to utility-scale, vendors and developers are ‘pitching pre-

it is being done.”

designed solar-plus-storage [solutions] with increasingly competitive prices compared to

The proof? The world’s largest solar-plus-storage “peaker” - which means that “it will meet

standalone solar.’”

peak demand typically served by the use of natural gas-fired power plants.” The Lāwa’i

Why should solar adopters embrace solar-plus-storage? Consumers seeking to cut the

Solar and Energy Storage plant will provide for 11% of the island’s energy needs, replacing

cord from utility companies, use more of their own energy, or even sell stored energy

3.7 million gallons of diesel fuel each year and bringing Kaua’i’s total solar contribution to

back onto the grid find that today’s battery systems add tremendous value to their solar

34%. In addition, it is capable of “black-starting” the island’s grid in the event of a system

installations. In addition, stored solar energy can allow residential and commercial energy

outage or natural disaster. How much does it cost? Just 11 cents per kilowatt-hour.

producers to avoid peak demand charges and greatly increase their energy savings.

This example is proof that solar-plus-storage installations will continue to make a major

Utilities Come On Board

impact, from consumers to utility companies and back, by providing more efficient, more reliable, and less expensive power.

The cost of producing and storing solar energy dropped low enough in 2018 to compete

Credits: Mr. Bob Solger, Specialist- Innovative Design and Application of Solar Energy

favorably with natural gas-generated power, awakening utility companies to the fact that

Technology

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 23

Product Feature

Wonderful Case Sharing Of Ginlong Solis

On inverter selection of Ginlong Solis in Guanyin Village Agricultural-photovoltaic hybrid PV plant achieved double - leadingscale and performance.

Ecological benefits, poverty alleviation, Double income Recently, CCTV reported that Ginlong Solis assisted Guanyin village (located in Wangji town, Yicheng city, Hubei province) to build a photovoltaic power station with an investment of 30 Million USD, by adopting a typical model of “Agricultural-photovoltaic hybrid PV plant“, and achieved the goal of “ecological benefits” for all villagers, which aroused the warm response of broad masses of the people in Guanyin village.

Walking into the photovoltaic power station, it will be usurped by the vast blue sea…If look closely, you’ll be surprised to find large areas that aren’t covered entirely by photovoltaic panels, there are awe-inspiring view of green vegetables spread all over under the panels amazes countless visitors.

This is the Guanyin Village’s ground photovoltaic power station of “Agricultural-photovoltaic hybrid PV plant “, which is responding to national policies of “targeted poverty alleviation” and “photovoltaic poverty alleviation” with an investment of 30 Million USD, which tracker mountings adopted from Tonking New Energy Group, inverters adopted Solis-50kW inverters from Ginlong Solis. Advantages of choosing Solis inverter are: 1. for its relatively small volume has saved a lot of cost for transportation and provided convenient installation; 2. 4 MPPT design with precise MPPT algorithm, each rated output power is 28.5A, compatible with high-power components, more flexible design, sufficient redundancy design ensures long life and reliable operation of inverter.

Yi Weiping, general manager of Tonking New Energy Group told reporters:‘“Our main advantage is tracking, we have 500 trackers in this project that can track automatically, which is often said of ‘photovoltaic panels follow the sun. Comparing with other power stations, they are fixed; our power generation will increase by 20% year on year. “We don’t destroy the land,” he added. “The tracker mountings we usually see are probably the type of pile driving, but ours tracker mountings are attached to the concrete block and they’re placed directly on the surface of the land, and free to move around “This installation method is uniquely and safe, has obtained the strong supports from farmers’.

According to the villagers, the main crops here include rhizoma polygonati, platycodon, peanut, konjak and etc. Among them, the value of rhizoma polygonati is particularly outstanding. Rhizoma polygonati, as a kind of precious medicine, likes shade and cool, which growth cycle is 2-3 years, but it’s very valuable and gives them a pretty good return.

Therefore, photovoltaic panels not only absorb solar energy, but also play a role in shading crops.

This typical model of “Agricultural-photovoltaic hybrid PV plant “ in Guanyin village of Wangji town uses less investment to obtain more benefits, realizing the “ecological benefits” of “photovoltaic poverty alleviation” and giving local farmers a fixed income every year. According to statistics, the annual income of an acre of land is 7,500 USD, and

Walking into the photovoltaic power station, it will be usurped by the vast blue sea…

If look closely, you’ll be surprised to find large areas that aren’t covered entirely by photovoltaic panels, there are awe-inspiring

annual per capita income is over 3,700 USD.

view of green vegetables spread all over

In recent years, the “photovoltaic poverty alleviation” policy adopted by the state has

under the panels amazes countless visitors.

become more and more popular, enabling a number of farmers to get rid of poverty and become rich. We also hope that more farmers can take advantage of “Agriculturalphotovoltaic hybrid PV plant “to get rid of poverty and achieve common prosperity.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 24

Product Feature

Sanelite Solar Has Recently Launched The Half-Cut Cell PV Modules Sanelite Solar, a green initiative from Sanelite Group, is a pivotal company in the area of

Recent development in the evolution of PV technology has been the introduction of PV

renewable energy providing end-to-end solar PV solutions from manufacturing solar PV

modules with half-cut cell. These innovative new options for solar PV systems have the

modules to solar EPC installations. The company carries with it many years of experience

potential to further boost power output and reduce overall costs. We actually tested

in solar industry and a strong financial background from Sanelite Group.

similar product earlier last year for some of our solar pump installations where there was

Sanelite Solar is a leading manufacturer of high-quality PV modules of capacity 40Wp to

a need for higher voltage, and it had received a very good response.

335Wp. The state-of-the art production line is carefully designed ultra-modern line with high efficiency automatic laminator and auto-tabber & stringer machines. The company

Technology Specifications

also offers end-to-end solar EPC solutions, grid-connected solar PV systems, off-grid solar

Half-Cut Cell Modules have a fresh layout with better performance under the sun and

PV systems, solar power plants, rooftop solar PV systems as well as integrated PV systems.

when there is no or little sun. These modules are made from half-cut cells increase the

Being a channel partner of GEDA and MNRE and with growing market of domestic solar

modules efficiency by reducing resistance through the module, exposing more cell area to

rooftop in the state of Gujarat, the company channelized the efforts through one-of-its-

sunlight and increasing the amount of light absorbed.

kind franchisee network. Over past 2 years, Sanelite has grown its franchisee network in Gujarat to more than 25 in numbers, and it’s still growing. In a similar way, for channelizing

Technology Advancements

the sale of PV modules and other products, the company is expanding its dealership

A solar cell when cut in half will produce

network to reach the farthest corners of the country. The dealer network shall be utilized for the sale of some innovative products like Solar DIY kits for Solar Rooftops and Solar Pumps in addition to our high-efficiency PV modules.

Featured Product: Half-cut Cell PV Modules In a technological advancement, the company has recently launched the Half-Cut Cell PV Modules.

Exceeding all trade standards and certifications, our Hal-Cut Cell panels square measure out there in white (higher power) and all-black (sleeker aesthetic) PV back sheet variants. It comes with a standard quality & 25-years of warranty, which guarantees maximum performance throughout the lifetime of the PV system. Features of Our Half-Cut Cell Modules are: � Increased Efficiency with reduced electrical losses

half as much current and one fourth as much resistance. This lower resistance reduces electrical losses and improves panel efficiency. The decreased electrical losses can increase the output of a panel by up to 3% over what it would be with full size cells.

Targeted Customer Segment The innovation offers a lot to its beneficiaries. With a little increase in

� Exceptional performance under shadows and low-light conditions

cost, this product can save the day for

� Superior aesthetics and hot-spots free structure with automated stringing

any EPC player. Especially for the projects where shadows are unavoidable or where

Product Introduction

there are space constraints, introducing

As demand for PV products continue to flow, solar module manufacturers have continued

these modules can help increase overall

innovating their offerings. From smart PV solutions to Passivated Emitted Rear Cell (PERC) modules, these new products provide more options for end users to optimize their solar PV systems and expedite return on investment.

efficiency of the plant. In fact it can also help overcome glitches in real-time project execution for normal projects.

SQ-Sep-3G-10x8inches.pdf 1 2019/2/12 15:54:10

3GW+ C

in Global Shipments from 2015 to 2017

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 25

Product Feature

Goldi Mono PERC Module PERC technology – A brief introduction Various solar cell manufacturing technologies exist from decades but only few of them have been adopted for mass manufacturing.

PERC technology has attracted the attention of manufacturers all around the world and many of the manufacturing lines have been converted/upgraded from Al BSF to PERC. PERC stands for Passivated Emitter Rear Contact, where both front and rear are passivated. The current technology used in poly and mono-crystalline cells is Aluminum Back Surface Field (Al-BSF). This back-surface field is replaced by PERC with additional two steps which include rear side dielectric deposition and LCO processes.

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

This design enables cells to capture more than Al-BSF. Light capture is increased by reflection from back side of the cell resulting in more electron-hole pair generation and thus cell efficiency is increased. Maximum benefit of this design can be obtained when each step is well optimized.

Higher cell efficiency results in increased module wattage and also specific power directly enhances manufacturing capacity.

Why is PERC more efficient than conventional cells?

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

Benefits of using Goldi Mono PERC modules for EPC & Project Developers.

Using Goldi Mono PERC modules gives more freedom to the EPC players in terms of designing when there is constraint of space. Goldi Mono PERC panels have a higher energy density per square foot and perform well under low-light conditions and high temperatures. When considering total energy production rather than peak wattage, it is clear that Goldi Mono PERC panels are superior. Designers can utilize fewer panels to accomplish total output goals where footprint is limited, or they can dramatically maximize energy output if space is not a premium. It empowers designers to be more flexible and responsive to project objectives.

Goldi Mono PERC modules also have more attractive temperature coefficients and less thermal loss, thereby being more suitable for hotter climates. They perform better in low irradiance condition, thus converting more optical energy into electrical.

Salient features: � Higher module conversion efficiency (Up to 19.12%) � Loss minimization due to excellent temperature co-efficient � Better performance even at low irradiance condition � Higher specific yield � Reduces BOS cost in 1500 VDC system by connecting more modules in a string � IP67/ IP68 rated junction box for long-term weather endurance � Ammonia corrosion resistant (IEC 62716) � Certified for hail resistance � Certified for IEC & BIS � More freedom to project developers � Reduces Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) � Integrates back-surface passivation � Front surface advanced passivation � Anti-light induced degradation technology

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 26

Product Feature

Longi Solar Sets New Bifacial Mono-Perc Solar Cell World Record At 24.06 Percent LONGi Solar has announced that it has achieved a new monocrystalline silicon PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) world record conversion efficiency using commercial wafer (M2) dimensions that exceeds 24 percent for the first time, according to tests carried out by the National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic Product Quality (CPVT) in China.

LONGi Solar’s latest breakthrough bifacial (double-sided) PERC solar cells tested by CPVT achieved a conversion efficiency of 24.06 percent. LONGi Solar had previously reported verified record PERC cell conversion efficiencies of 23.6 percent in February 2018.

CPVT tested monocrystalline silicon PERC cell in standard wafer dimension (156.75x156.75mm2) (M2) provided by LONGi Solar. The sample cells were measured under standard test conditions for current-voltage characteristics as a function of load.

“LONGi Solar has made great strides in setting world record PERC solar cell conversion efficiencies as we demonstrate the continuing ability to provide high-efficiency products to the global solar market,” stated Li Wenxue, President of LONGi Solar. “Our latest record solar cell conversion efficiencies also endorse the success of our R&D investments, which have set the benchmark for the industry in recent years.”

In April 2017, based on selective emitter technology, which has been widely used in practical mass production, LONGi Solar reported a monocrystalline silicon PERC cell conversion efficiency of 22.17 percent (tested by CPVT), which effectively supported

23.26 percent and tested by CPVT, which was the first to break through the 23 percent efficiency barrier.

In August 2018, LONGI Solar achieved the highest efficiency of P-type mono-PERC

the supply requirements of the Phase 3 requirements of China’s ‘Top Runner’ solar

bifacial solar cells in China with a conversion efficiency of 23.11%.

installation program.

“This is the first time that the efficiency of monocrystalline PERC solar cells in

In October 2017, LONGi Solar broke the world-record efficiency of monocrystalline

commercial dimensions have exceeded 24 percent,” remarked Dr. Li Hua, LONGi

silicon PERC cell in commercial dimensions with 22.71%, while the original record was broken by Fraunhofer-ISE with 22.61 percent. In the same month, in accordance with the MBB (Multi Busbar) technology, the cell conversion efficiency was increased to

Solar, Vice President of Cell R&D. “In the last three consecutive years LONGi Solar has developed three generations of ‘Hi-MO’ products based on PERC technology, which are setting the efficiency and reliability benchmark of high-efficiency PERC technology within the industry.

Committed To Everyday Sustainability.

We at Mahindra Susten, believe in creating a sustainable tomorrow by enabling innovation today. With a portfolio of over 3.2 GWp, projects at various stages of execution, we are one of the leading solar solutions company in India.

Our focus on quality, innovation and ensuring our customers get the right solutions at the right time for all things solar is proof of our commitment towards our customers and also the environment.

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

3.2 GWp + Utility Scale Solar Portfolio

671 MWp International Solar Portfolio

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Solar 27 Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 27

Technology News

F

S

loating solar reaches new territories

In

Cambodia,

Singapore’s

Cleantech

olar power a smart choice for energy savings

is

Solar energy isn’t just the way of the future, I

building a 10 MW solar plant including a 2.7

truly believe it’s what we as homeowners should

MW floating section, and in Lithuania, state-

all be striving for today. Not only is harnessing

owned utility Lietuvos Energija is deploying a floating plant at the Kruonis pumped

renewable resources to power our homes a smart way to combat rising energy costs, but it

storage hydroelectric power plant. Although located at different latitudes and on different

also removes our reliance on non-renewable resources. My daughter, Sherry, is due to have

continents, Cambodia and Lithuania now share the distinction of joining the list of nations that have embraced reservoir-based floating PV. Singapore-based renewables company Cleantech Solar has announced the completion of a 9.8 MW solar installation that includes 2.8 MW of floating PV and will power Cambodian cement manufacturer Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation (CMIC). The solar facility, Cleantech said, includes a 7 MW rooftop with the floating section on CMIC’s water reservoir. The project was designed and financed

by Cleantech and will sell power to the cement provider under undisclosed terms.

“The plant will help CMIC reduce operating costs without having to make [a] capital investment, nor having to take the performance risk of [a] solar system,” the developer said. “In addition, the deployment of the floating solar system will shield the reservoir from wind and the direct, hot midday sun, which is expected to reduce water loss through evaporation, contributing to CMIC’s water conservation efforts.”

Cambodia’s solar push

her first child this year, and I want this planet to be around for my new granddaughter for a long time. Paired with a well-sealed, energy-efficient home, solar panels can harness more energy than you need to power your home. Some municipalities even offer a buyback program for solar energy, where you can sell back your extra power for a credit. Solar panels have a big upfront cost, but will pay off in the long run. I understand that it’s not realistic for everyone to be able to make the switch today. As more of us start to adopt the technology, we should see solar panels become more affordable technology for everyday homeowners. I’m always going to argue in favour of solar energy (and harnessing wind and water power), but the fact is, you have to do it right.

The Ideal Solar Home Now, you don’t need to meet every requirement here, but it’s important to know that you’ll get good value out of your solar panels. The best home for solar panel installation is a south-facing, sloped roof, at a 45-degree pitch, usually with asphalt or metal as the roof material. While you don’t need to have this exact roof to be a perfect candidate for solar,

The reservoir section of the project is Cambodia’s first megawatt-sized floating PV

it could affect the efficiency of your panels.

installation. The country has so far seen limited development of solar power with a 10

Your roof’s orientation has a major role to play. An east or west facing roof will produce

MW solar park connected to its power network, although a 100 MW project is currently

upward of 30-per-cent less solar power than a south-facing roof. In a climate that doesn’t

being tendered. In October, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) urged the

get a lot of sun, it could make all the difference.

Cambodian government to use solar to drive down electricity prices which are among

I prefer a metal roof for a lot of reasons, but it’s the best choice for solar panelling because

the highest in Southeast Asia. “The government is on the verge of committing to an expansion of its hydropower program and coal plants, and this will limit the scope for solar

it’s so long-lasting. With a metal roof, you’re looking at a lifespan of 50 years. Most solar panels are built to last for about 30 years (though some will last longer than that), meaning

development and potentially lead to additional social and environmental consequences,”

that in most cases you’re not going to have to redo your roof during your time with the

the UNDP said at the time.

solar panels.

H

ow China’s Space-Bound Solar Installation Will Beam Power Down to Earth Researchers in China are planning a solar farm in space, an ambitious project that could deliver energy at six times the intensity of installations

on Earth. The project, which made the front page of China’s Science and Technology Daily last week, would orbit in space and beam down energy to a receiver.

The station would reportedly orbit 22,000 miles above the Earth and benefit from harvesting energy without any complications from seasonal changes or atmospheric

G

roundbreaking Solar Panels Use Space Tech to Double Efficiency

new solar technology promises to offer double the efficiency of conventional residential panels, by using an optical system to concentrate the light on tiny cells typically reserved for space satellites. Insolight, a new solar startup founded by three former students from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, claims its panels can offer yields of up to 29 percent. By comparison, many panels on the market offer yields around 17 to 19 percent.

conditions, providing energy 99 percent of the time. It’s expected to weigh a staggering

It’s the latest in a line of big movements from the solar industry, which has seen a number of

1,000 tons, around 600 tons more than the International Space Station, so the researchers

innovative launches amid lowering costs. The startup, which outlined its technology to its

are exploring alternatives like using robots and 3D printers to build the construction in

former university on Tuesday, decided to use highly efficient cells normally used to power

space. The idea is nothing new: NASA started researching the idea in the mid-1970s during

satellites. These cells are incredibly expensive, so to keep costs down the team developed

the Arab oil embargo, and even devised bold concepts like the SunTower:

a layer of optical lenses, held in place with a frame and covered by protective glass, that

Most concepts for space-based solar energy involve using either lasers or microwaves to

focuses the light onto the cells by a factor of 100. That means the cells themselves, which

beam the energy back to Earth. Laser satellites costs around $500 million to get started and

measure one square millimeter each, only take up around half a percent of the surface

orbit at a lower height of around 250 miles, with the added benefit of simple and cheap receiving stations on Earth. Unfortunately, they only beam around one to 10 megawatts per satellite, and the safety concerns around lasers could make it too risky.

area of the panel. Horizontal movements ensure the lenses stay aligned by shifting a few millimeters per day. The team claims its technology can reduce overall energy bills by 30 percent in sunny regions. The lens layer can also provide benefits for existing systems, focusing the light on regular panels to boost their yields. Mathieu Ackermann, CEO of

An alternative approach is microwave-based installations. These satellites can send up to

Insolight, said in a statement that “this hybrid approach is particularly effective when it’s

one gigawatt of energy to a receiver, with a steady stream of power through a safe beam

cloudy and the sunlight is less concentrated, since it can keep generating power even

that works through the rain and clouds. Unfortunately it also needs to sit around 22,000

under diffuse light rays.” The breakthrough comes at an exciting time for the solar industry,

miles away, and as the Chinese researchers note, that makes initial setups and repairs

which has seen rapid growth in the United States. Around 929 megawatts were installed in

tricky. It would also require a giant receiver several miles wide. While the initial setup for both seems tricky, it could help capture the approximately 30 percent of solar energy that gets reflected back by the atmosphere.

China’s plan is to complete tests of the power transmission and wireless energy in the next

the country in 2010, a figure that rose to 11 gigawatts in 2018. Installation prices have also dropped over that same period, from $6.65 per watt to $2.89.

A number of firms have seen the benefits of this renewed interest. Roberto Rodriguez Labastida, senior research analyst for Navigant, told Inverse in December that Tesla’s solar business, as well as Sunrun and Vivint Solar, all achieved profitability by the third quarter of

10 years, with the construction of an experimental plant already started in Chongqing. The

2018. This, Labastida said, is “perhaps the most important milestone that residential solar

team then plans to build a megawatt-level space solar test station in 2030. Researchers

providers have achieved so far,” as “it gives them freedom to choose their future strategy

plan to build the final gigawatt-level station before 2050.

instead of relying on the will of investors.”

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 28

Quote

Tata Power On The Outlook & Possibility Regarding The Latest Positive Development In The Rooftop Solar Industry The Second Phase Of Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar Programme Approved By CCEA

“

Tata Power welcomes this decision. The approval for the second phase

of grid-connected rooftop solar (RTS) programme will give a big push for achieving a total targeted installation of 40 GW of rooftop solar (RTS) by 2022.

The second phase that seeks to extend financial support of between 20-40% of the cost depending on the size of the installation is a crucial element of the

Quote byMr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Power Solar

policy decision by the government announced today.

Heavy

front-ended

investment of RTS has been the single biggest challenge holding back its deeper penetration, particularly in rural and semi-urban

parts

of

the country. RTS not only

offers

a

cleaner

source of energy to the masses but also helps in reducing

transmission

and distribution losses in

the

Indian

power

sector, which is currently around 20%.

The

latest

initiative

policy

that

offers

financial assistance for Group Housing Societies and Residential Welfare Associations should also help better adoption of RTS among residential power consumers, which is only around 9% to the total RTS installed in the country (against almost 70% by industrial and commercial users).

As a leading in RTS service

provider,

nearly

3

with

decade

of

experience (since 1991), the company’s services are

already

available

in

Delhi,

Mumbai,

Ajmer,

Ahmedabad

Bangalore,

,

Hyderabad,

Kochi, Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar cumulative

with

a

installation

of over 250 MW and plan to expand across India in FY20.”

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Solar 29 Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 29

Product Feature

Doublet Module – The Magic Of Two! With the widespread adaptation of solar energy in early 21st century, it was clear that solar

in case of shadow. A typical

Figure 1: Traditional full cell module (on left) and half

photovoltaic (PV) shall be the next big source of energy in world’s energy mix. While its

split type JB consists of three

cut cell based Doublet module (on right) by Waaree

advantages were obvious, the global energy market started seeking out a more superior

separate

Energies

PV module. Efforts were made in almost all the field, right from adopting the more efficient

current from separate strings.

solar cell already developed in labs, using glass with an ARC coating, enhancing backsheet

This primarily leads to better

or improving the properties of encapsulant. Other than upgrading the bill of material (BOM)

dissipation of heat from the

of a solar PV panel, sincere efforts were made in upgrading the electrical equipment’s which

JB. Further the split type

directly and/or indirectly upgraded the overall output from the solar plant. While all these

junction boxes have reduced

changes were being implemented, the design or construction of a solar module remained

cable length at their output

more or less the same i.e. 60 or 72 full cells interconnected in series with each other (Figure

i.e. around 0.5 meter from

1 left side). However with a deeper technological drive to obtain more power output the

the 1.2 meter cable length

available resources, a simple yet and a novel design upgradation in the design of solar

of traditional JB. Also as

module was developed. The upgraded design of the solar PV module utilized half cut cells

discussed in previous section,

instead of full cells. Further these half cut cells were not all inter-connected in series but a

the doublet module keeps

set of series connected half cut cells were interconnected in parallel with other. To simply,

performing even when in

the doublet module (Figure 1 on right) consist two module of half cut cell connected in

shade. This enables the bypass

parallel with each other. With such novel arrangement the final output of such module

to be less active as compared

remains almost the same thus making the module being installed without making significant

to traditional modules. This

changes to the plant’s balance of system. However, other than this, the doublet modules

could overall enhance the

have numerous advantages which are mentioned as below.

life of the bypass diode and

boxes

collecting

Figure 2: Resistive losses in doublet module

further the solar module.

Significant reduction in resistive losses

Waaree

The current output from a solar cell is dependent on the number of light particles (photons)

understood the advantages

falling on it which further depends on the area of the cell. Thus increasing the area of cell

of half cut cell module and

directly increases the current output of solar cell. The doublet module uses half cut cell

have introduced their half cut

which directly halves the current output from the cell. Halving the current from the cell has

based doublet module both

a significant effect on the resistive losses of the module. The resistive power loss is directly

in mono/multi crystalline and

proportional to the square of the current flowing through (or generated by) the cells. Halving

PERC based solar cells.

Energies

have

the current reduces the resistive losses of the module by one fourth (refer Figure 2). Primarily this reduction in resistive losses directly reduces the nominal module operating temperature

Figure 3: The path travelled by exited

Figure 4: Effect of shadow on traditional

(NMOT) (NMOT denotes the operational temperature of the module when under operation

electron in traditional module (on left) and

and doublet module

in the field). Further, such decrease in the resistive losses directly leads to an increase of

doublet module (on right)

efficiency of module by around 1%. Additionally, such gain is improved significantly with increase in irradiance as the current output of the module is directly proportional to the irradiance.

Advantages of enhanced design The constructional changes of the half cut cell based doublet modules are numerous. Firstly as mentioned above, the doublet module have significant reduction in resistive losses.

Further the doublet module has increased open area when compared to the traditional module. This allows more light to be reflected into the module from the backsheet which enables enhanced power generation from the module. Further the compared to the traditional module, the exited electrons in the doublet module have to travel almost half the distance before they are connected at the module’s junction box (JB). Comparing to traditional module, the electron faces less resistance which further increases the power output of the module (refer to Figure 3). Further such constructional change also enables the module to perform better in shade which is explained in the next section.

With the given advancements in solar module

Better performance in shade The solar modules are installed in such a way that their generation is not hampered by shadow at any point of time. However within its lifetime of 25 years, there may be times when a module or the string experiences shadow. Such shadow may be due to many reasons such as expansion of nearby building, shadow due to nearby trees, bird shit, cloudy atmospheric conditions etc. which may be temporary, for few days or even permanent. Shadow even

Figure 5: A typical split type JB

technology, we believe that it’s time when the end customer gets the maximum energy output. Additionally, our stringent quality checks also ensures that the reliability of the module is not compromised at any stage in manufacturing or when performing in the field.

if on any cell(s) in the string hampers the generation of the string and hence the solar module. Longer exposures to shadow causes hotspots and thus the modules are fitted with

Let us all pledge to make solar energy the

reverse protection bypass diodes (read our blog on “Mismatch in Solar Cells & Modules”

primary source of energy in the near future.

for further information). Considering normal operation, both the traditional and doublet module produces the desired power output. Let us now consider that the lower half of solar module is in shadow. All the strings of the traditional module are under performing and hence all the 3 bypass diodes of the module are activated resulting in zero power output from the module. In case of doublet module, the bypass diode is in between the two strings of upper and lower half of module. While the lower half is under shadow, the upper half of the module is continuously generating power. Hence, none of the bypass diode is activated and the module generates half of its rated power.

Mr. Sunil Rathi Director- Sales and Marketing Waaree Energies Ltd.

Advantages of using split junction box A junction box (JB) houses electrical interconnection within the string of the module. It also houses bypass diode(s) (reverse biased) which protects the module from generating hotspot

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 30

INDUSTRY Industry Insights INSIGHTS

GST On Renewable Energy Devices – Clouds Are Not Clear Yet! Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, in the inaugural Renewable Energy Global Investors

our experience in dealing with solar companies, we understand that the rationale for

Meet 2014 - 2015 (Re-Invest) has described the ‘seven horses of energy’ of which the

deriving the 70-30 ratio could be the breakeven point between the output taxes and input

Country then was focusing only on four energy sources i.e. thermal, hydro, gas and

taxes borne on various procurement of goods and services.

nuclear. However, he stressed on the rising importance of the other three energy sources i.e. solar, wind and biomass. Probably, this led to formation of International Solar Alliance which now covers more than 120 Countries with abundant solar energy. At the global level, international conglomerates are contemplating increasing use of unconventional energy to power their corporate offices and thereby contributing in reduction of carbon footprints. Today, it is clearly evident that the world at large is taking a substantial shift

As the Government’s intent is to develop the entire renewable sector especially solar and wind over a short span of time, it is vital to clarify the scope of coverage of renewable energy devices considered within the lower tax bracket. Since the legislation has not defined the coverage of devices within its purview for lower tax brackets, different taxpayers are taking different tax positions in the course of their business. The unanswered question is whether

in energy generation from conventional to unconventional energy sources. Being a vast

the benefits are restricted only to those goods falling with specified chapter heading or

Country, India is having enormous potential to grow unconventional energy sources like

to cover all goods intended to be used for such purpose. To answer this, reference can be

solar, wind, hydro, biomass etc. Presently, India is fifth largest in terms of renewable energy

drawn to recent decision of Madhya Pradesh High Court wherein while dealing with similar

generating capacity and intends to be at third position by the year 2022.

matter for the erstwhile VAT regime, it was clarified that all goods including equipment

To capture this opportunity, Government has always provided extra impetus to grow the

used for evacuation and upliftment of power so generated from renewable source to

renewable energy sector by formulating investment friendly policies including grant of

increased voltage electricity meant for general use, would be covered for the purpose

subsidies, lower tax brackets etc. From indirect tax perspective, Customs Duty provides for

of benefit. Though the High Court has clearly laid down the position however the same

concessional rate on importation of products meant for unconventional energy devices

needs to be clarified in GST regime considering new levy and possible interpretation of

subject to certain documentation. Similarly, erstwhile Excise Duty and VAT legislation (in

such benefit to only generating systems and not for processes thereafter.

few States) provided for exemption from the payment of tax on manufacture and sale of such renewal energy devices and parts thereof respectively. Goods and Service Tax (‘GST’) was introduced effective July 2017 with an intent to eliminate most of the exemptions on goods and services and hence, renewable energy devices has been placed in the lowest tax bracket of 5%. Lower tax on such supplies may not affect the suppliers since input tax credit on procurement of goods and services will be eligible for offset against the output

Powering through unconventional methods of energy is one of the effective methods to reduce the carbon footprints and thereby reducing the effects of global warming. In light of this, it would be ideal to see the resolution of major tax issues of renewable energy sector which can pave the way for our Country to attain the desired goal of reaching third position in the world in terms of renewable energy generating capacity.

liabilities.

To develop renewal energy projects, various contracting mechanisms have evolved over a

Authors: M. S. Mani is Senior Director, Deloitte India; and

period of time. The most common amongst all methods is the Engineering, Procurement

Hardik Shah is Senior Manager with Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP

and Construction (‘EPC’) method. EPC method requires the contractor to design the entire project, procure the goods and services for the said development and erect and install such devices in the form of ready to use facility.

To determine the taxability of EPC supplies, GST legislation prescribes that any contract involving composite supply of goods and services which results into an immovable property is considered as works contract. Such contracts are generally leviable to GST @ 18% except for certain specified projects. From the perspective of solar projects, it is pertinent to know whether the installation of the solar modules to the foundation can be considered as either movable or immovable property. In this reference, determination of portability of the installation may change the complete taxability of the contract. This has been a subject matter of discussion for GST Advance Ruling authorities across the Country. The rulings given by the authority suggests that the revenue’s approach is to treat such solar installations as immovable property thereby treating these contracts as works contract liable to GST @ 18%. The rationale for determining such contracts as immovable property is the test of permanence i.e. the solar installations are not intended to be moved from its place for a considerable period irrespective of its capabilities to be moved without any permanent damage to the structure at the time of its relocation. Had these contracts been considered as supply of composite goods and services resulting in movable property, the applicable GST rate could be 5%. Higher tax rate on EPC contracts has created various issues for contractors including higher working capital requirements, risk of litigation with the authorities on the determination of applicable GST rate on such supplies etc.

As a breather to the issue, the GST Council has clarified the value in reference to the taxability of contracts involving supply of goods and services for renewal energy devices would be undertaken considering 70% of the overall contract as supply of goods liable to GST @ 5% and the remaining 30% of the contract value to be treated as supply of services liable @ 18%. This amendment has reduced the effective rate of GST on EPC contracts from 18% as discussed above to 8.9%. Though the intention of the Government is clear but it is interesting to note that the manner in which the amendment has been brought in the legislation may not put the works contract theory for taxing such projects to rest.

For the development of the overall sector, it is crucial for the Government to clarify whether such installations having portable capabilities be considered as movable property or immovable property to set the course of taxability of such transactions. Assuming that these projects would still be considered as immovable property, then also it is advisable to clarify that all projects irrespective of portability of the devices should be valued as per 70-30 ratio so that every taxpayer in this sector is having a level playing field. Practically, the value of goods supplied in such projects range from 80% to 90% of the overall project costs and hence, industry has represented to sync the ratio with industry standards. From

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SolarQuarter Quarter••February February2019 2019 31 Solar

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Product Feature

Sofarsolar Has Officially Released A New 3-6Kw Power Storage And Hybrid Converter

The Solar Group subsidiary SofarSolar has recently launched their new hybrid inverters.

What Can the Hybrid Inverter Be Used For?

This new series of products is said to use only the latest energy-saving inverter technology

The latest hybrid inverter can be easily combined with a number of different existing

and makes use of what’s known as the “black technology” of SofarSolar. Its launch has already greatly enriched existing product lines of the company and has enabled a solid foundation to be established for the subsidiary’s eventual international layout.

systems depending on what needs the consumer are looking to meet. The range can be combined with the following: the photovoltaic off-grid system, off-grid energy system, photovoltaic grid-connected energy storage system, micro-grid energy storage system,

SofarSolar is aiming to establish a firm presence throughout the international storage

and more. All of these systems can be found within industrial and industrial-intensive

market, which will come as a result of a comprehensive industry layout and company

factories, which makes the hybrid inverter the perfect fit for the industrial sector.

expansion.

The price of self-use electricity is much more expensive than that of the offered internet

This appearance is one of the first elements of a new product range that draws the

technology, and so the peak price is also much higher than that of the wave price. This

attention of potential consumers. This new line of technology boasts a milky-white design

is just one of the reasons as to why the hybrid inverters are so beneficial – along with

featuring a simple, smooth, rounded shape, complete with a fully functional LCD interface

providing the leading technology, they’re also going to save consumers money.

display. The all-aluminum body with one-time die-casting and rounded edges presents a

SofarSolar is currently focused on increasing its core technology R&D investment in grid-

different surface texture and showcases its generous craftsmanship. The products have been developed to provide the most convenient operating experience for users – which is why the built-in LCD is such a notable inclusion of the latest range.

connected inverters, energy storage inverters, and its charging pile. With this in mind, they aim to improve the competitive advantages of their core product range, and provide further valuable service to their customer base. Their sole aim has always been having the

The full imported internal components of the products provide only the utmost

company established as a trusted partner, and it’s well on its way.

professional quality and ensure great product lifespan. Likewise, its rational design has

The New Hybrid Inverters:

been constructed to reduce any losses. As the inverters use the heat source layout to decentralize the overall design, this allows the technology to improve its general heat dissipation and adds further thermal pasting.

To provide consumers a sense of comfort, all the products also come with an IP65 protection level, with free choice of installation to make their experience even easier.

Not only does the new hybrid inverter line from SofarSolar have an elegant appearance with a functional design, but it also makes use of the latest leading industry technologies.

The new hybrids use what’s known as “black technology” – something that SofarSolar has a reputation for specializing in.

This technology consists of things such as: off-grid and grid-connected systems with flexible switching, advanced battery management, two-way flow control of electric energy, sound and light alarms, MPPT tracking and I/V curve scanning, and remote intelligent monitoring.

This latest hybrid inverter also uses the most advanced storage inverter technology that SofarSolar offers. It’s another notable breakthrough achievement for the extensive Solar Group subsidiary in regards to the market’s product research and development. Overall, SofarSolar has now secured their place as being the industry’s leading company for each and every one of their product niches.

With such a great reputation and such a big name on the line, SofarSolar makes it their responsibility to ensure the stability, efficiency, and reliability of every single one of its products. To be able to do this, the company strictly controls and monitors the production and development of the various product lines. They also carry out industry tests and ensure the standards of the components used within the machinery to consolidate stability.

w ww ww w. s. so ol al ar q r qu ua ar tr et er .r c. co om m

� Offer high-yield technology � Real-time, precise MPPT algorithm for maximum power generation � Wide input voltage operation range � Independent dual MPPT tracking with flexible solar roof system design � Safety and reliability � High efficiency with low energy loss � Low maintenance requirements � High frequency isolation between battery and PV grid � Advanced battery management technology to prolong and protect battery life � Easier operation � Free site placement selection due to IP65 � Modern, easy-to-read 4-inch LCD display � Easy remote phone and web monitoring � Numerous working modes selection: auto, time-of use, timing, passive, etc. � PV & storage all in one, which increases self-consumption to 80%+, decreases electrical grid reliability, and reduces costs � Stand-alone mode available and ensures safe operation of energy loads � Intelligent grid management � Reactive power capability � Limits AC output when grid frequency is out of normal ranges � Limits AC output when grid voltage is out of normal ranges � Optional built-in zero export function

Solar SolarQuarter Quarter• •February February2019 20193232

Company Feature

Saatvik’s Mission Is To Lead The Global Transition To Renewable Energy In India Saatvik is a new age solar technology company, which is an arm of a group involved into

process, ensuring the highest quality product for its esteemed customers. Further, Saatvik

manufacturing and processing of edible oils and oleo chemicals, with a top line of $150

is also manufacturing glass-glass and bifacial PV modules. All module ranges have been

Million. Saatvik is involved in the manufacturing of high quality solar modules with an

certified to highest global quality standards, through a global certification body, TUV

annual capacity of 500 MW. Since its inception in 2016, Saatvik has successfully delivered

Rheinland.

solar PV modules for multiple rooftop and ground mounted projects across various states

Not only does Saatvik comply with ISO, but it has also implemented SAP H4 HANA

and for few international projects.

Strategy

which helps in automating a lot of manual processes, for superior records and quality implementation. If your people and processes are sorted, precision comes naturally, and we are a very quality conscious company, hence precision plays a very important role.

Saatvik’s mission is to lead the global transition to renewable energy in India. Our part

To assist our people and processes, we have all necessary quality control/inspection

to play in that transition is to deliver cost effective utility scale solar energy solutions

equipment both in-line and in the laboratory, to ensure precision in our production for

to customers and governments through the set of cohesive company principles. These

highest quality products.

principles are the foundation of everything we do at Saatvik: Integrity. Safety. Innovation. Sustainability. Teamwork. Strategy. Respect.

Team & Management

At Saatvik Green Energy, we actively support the global effort to energise the world

Chairman of Saatvik Green Energy is an experienced industrialist and a pioneer in edible oil

through alternate and greener sources of energy, by manufacturing and distributing world class solar photovoltaic modules, globally. We seek to attain and establish our position as the most reputed, customer centric, significant solar module provider to Solar Industry.

Saatvik wants to be a one stop solution for solar technology and services, and it is moving

and oleo-chemical industry. His vision for cleaner energy sources helped him select a team of young and dynamic professionals. With a horizontal organizational structure, Saatvik believes in smaller team and greater efficiency. This way, every person working for Saatvik feels a sense of ownership.

towards the ambitious goal, step by step. As it has made a mark as a rising star in solar

Customers & Projects

module manufacturing, Saatvik wants to further move towards its goal by providing its

Saatvik has been able to make a good portfolio of customers already, including India’s

products internationally.

leading IPPs and solar developers, apart from regional and national EPC companies.

Saatvik solar modules have been successfully installed at various government buildings,

Business Concept

government utilities, railway stations, hotels and universities, such as Delhi Jal Board,

The current product portfolio includes solar modules of all ranges starting from 40Wp up

DMRC, Western Railways, Ambala Airforce Station etc.

to 350Wp. Saatvik uses both poly-crystalline and mono-crystalline cells to assemble these

Saatvik’s constant strive towards quality, delivery and commitment has made its products

solar modules, coupled with multiple rounds of testing during and after the manufacturing

lucrative to many clients, and will continue to do so in future.

Power And Renewable Energy Is Our Core Market Strength Avant-Garde is a 28 years professionally managed Engineering Consultancy organisation based in Chennai founded by a group of technocrats and we have served projects in more than 36 countries. Power and renewable energy is our core market strength. In Solar, our overall cumulative projects are more than 150 numbers and cumulative capacity is more than 2250 MW globally. Our highest capacity projects are Three of 250MW Solar Plant each in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, one in Anatapuram, AP and one in Kadappa AP. We have provided our expertise / engineering services to Sun Edison, India; AES, US; MAS Holdings, Sri Lanka; Sime Darby, Malaysia; Wind Force, Sri Lanka; and leading clients of India like Sprng; CleanMax; RattanIndia; NTPC; LANCO; Vikram Solar; ReNew Power; Sterling & Wilson; Greenko; Mytrah; Suzlon etc., “Avant-Garde” the terminology itself meant for “New and Experimental ideas and methods”.

We at Avant-Garde with our professional cognizance provide our quality services in timely manner and hence ensuring our Clients to achieve some value addition their projects.

Avant-Garde ensure the value to our clients by firstly understanding what drives value for clients; secondly understanding our value proposition; thirdly to identify the client segments where we can create more value relative to others. Our Engineering specialisation includes proper selection of technology for the project at optimal cost and ensuring the quality in place which provides a decent return of investment to the Owner.

Our detailed engineering team ensures the Layout optimisation and hence the loss minimization and to achieve maximum generation for the selected site using latest proven software. Our value added engineering services always understands the operational constraints of the plant personnel and keeps the design operational friendly. Our design validation verifies the detailed design and calculations to ensure the quality and the expenses in balance. Our state of art Project management team ensures the overall Schedule in control and does the required escalations whenever needed. In a nut-shell Avant-Garde ensures the overall engineering responsibility on the project and provides the best services at all times with continual improvement.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 33

Company Feature

WATTKRAFT works with products from well-known global manufacturers of solar modules and inverters WATTKRAFT stands for efficiency, solution orientation and flexibility. Together with our team, we are very experienced in wholesale and distribution of key photovoltaic components. Our employees come from different geography with a variety of specialized expertise in business and technology areas, which ensure a high level of competence at all times. A cohesive team comprising from various parts of the world brings natural advantage of sourcing technically supreme along with the cost optimum solutions, systems and components. According to our company policy, the full satisfaction of our customers and the individual fulfilment of their business requirements are our highest goals. We are constantly working to optimize business structures, systems and processes so we can provide our customers with cost-effective and high-quality results. WATTKRAFT works with products from well-known global manufacturers of solar modules and inverters.

Service Pledge �

By banking on strong partnership with world class manufacturers

�

Supply of Tier-1 bankable PV Modules and Inverters

�

Sound technical and financial experience

�

Swift service for commissioning, after sales technical support and troubleshooting

�

On Site and Remote Technical support to minimize MTTR (Minimum time to Repair)

and improve plant availability.

What The Company Does: �

System integration & Solutions provider with services including (Design & Layout

Organization Structure: Wattkraft Group

service for customers, Yield simulation & system comparison and Detailed engineering

�

Parent Company: Wattkraft Solar GMBH, Germany

service for special solutions.

�

Subsidiary: Wattkraft Industries Private Limited, India

� Establishing individual Energy Storage Systems (ESS) as well as Micro-Grids with both solar PV only and hybrid diesel genset-solar PV-ESS solutions

�

Project Planning support / layout service support/ project consultancy support

�

On Site and Remote Technical support to minimize MTTR (Minimum time to Repair)

and improve plant availability.

Strategy Vision Statement: As a wholesaler of solar components, WATTKRAFT offers its customers a multitude of interesting and innovative advantages. Thanks to secured module allocations and a proven sales network, delivery dates can be met reliably and promptly. By taking over a selection of well-known manufacturers, WATTKRAFT can sell modules, inverters and other components at very competitive prices. The product portfolio is constantly updated and expanded to ensure that customers can source the most valuable components from a single source. We offer our esteemed customers a single stop solutions.

Mission Statement: To bring value for the customers’ investment and long-term investment protection with quality solutions

Business Goals & Objectives To expand and deepen the market share for Huawei and Phono solar in the renewable energy sector to plethora of customer base by providing customers by providing a single stop solutions.

Business Strategy: WATTKRAFT has built up a reliable network of fast response manufacturers at the highest

WATTKRAFT has built up a reliable network of fast response manufacturers at the highest technical level. WATTKRAFT has concentrated on Huawei and Phono Solar only. This is a completely different approach than other large solar companies, but they want to spread the risk, and instead of trying to understand the product in depth, they choose to expand their portfolio, and change products quickly if they do not succeed in little time.

technical level. WATTKRAFT has concentrated on Huawei and Phono Solar only. This is a completely different approach than other large solar companies, but they want to spread the risk, and instead of trying to understand the product in depth, they choose to expand their portfolio, and change products quickly if they do not succeed in little time.

At Wattkraft we think that HUAWEI and Phono Solar have fantastic product lines, and expanding the portfolio would increase the risk because of not so good quality. Thus we concentrate, perseverate, and succeed. With such perseverance Wattkraft is number one DISTRIBUTOR FOR HUAWEI INVERTERS IN EUROPE with over 1000 MW delivered until mid 2018.

Business Concept Products & Services � �

Distributor, System Integrator, Solution Provider & Partner We offer value added services, engineering and plant design support, service for

commissioning, after sales technical support and troubleshooting �

Basic and detailed engineering service for special customers

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The product portfolio is constantly updated and expanded to ensure that customers can source the most valuable components from a single source. We offer our esteemed customers a single stop solutions.

Solar Quarter • February 2019 34

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Solar Quarter • February 2019 35

Product Feature

Raychem RPG (Technology Partner - Dynapower)Can Assist You In Selecting The Optimal System For Your Existing Or New PV Array NORTH AMERICA currently has tens of gigawatts of installed utility-scale PV generation with many more gigawatts under construction. Utility-scale solar will only reach its fullest

Figure 1

financial and energy generating potential with the addition of energy storage, however. The majority of utility-scale PV base could expand energy production and increase revenues with the addition of energy storage. Choosing the right topology is critical to maximizing the impact of coupling energy storage with utility-scale solar installations.

In this post, Dynapower will examine the coupling of energy storage with utility-scale PV by defining and comparing three principle methods: AC-coupled, DC-coupled, and Hybrid solar-plus-storage inverters. We will also consider all possible revenue streams of solar plus storage and their availability based on available systems for coupling storage.

In addition to this overview, Dynapower has detailed papers on each topology as well as proprietary modeling software to determine the optimal topology for utility-scale solar plus storage installations to help installation developers and owners determine which approach will provide the greatest ROI when adding energy storage.

A recent NREL report examined the economics of each topology to determine which approach provided the greatest ROI.

Solar Plus Energy Storage Revenue Streams The addition of energy storage to an existing or new utility-scale PV installation allows system owners and operators the opportunity to capture additional revenues only available with the addition of energy storage. They include:

CAPACITY FIRMING — Turn Solar into a Dispatchable asset

RAMP RATE CONTROL — Modulate Power for Continuous Grid Connection required by utilities and ISOs for PV and wind systems

the ability to bid firm capacity into merchant markets. That is storage makes PV generation

to mitigate the impact of a

a dispatchable revenue generating asset.

sudden injection of power

Depending on the available local energy market, this may translate to higher kWh rates for

onto the grid or a sudden

firm capacity during dispatchable periods.

loss of generation due to the

ENERGY TIME SHIFTING — Utilize Generated PV Energy When Its Value is Highest

generation sources.

PPA rates in peak periods, or to allow utilities to address daily peak demand that falls outside periods of solar generation.

CLIPPING RECAPTURE — Maximize Value of PV Generated Energy Given common inverter loading ratios of 1.25:1 up to 1.5:1 on utility-scale PV (PVDC rating: PVAC rating), there is an opportunity for the recapture of clipped energy through the

systems with high DC:AC ratios

Ramp rate control is often

For certain time periods during the day the availability of storage gives the system operator

Energy Storage allows bulk energy shifting of solar generation to take advantage of higher

Figure 2: Clipping recapture opportunity on

intermittent nature of both A ramp rate of 1MW/ minute, for example, has been required by HECO in Hawai’i to limit the rate at which a large array can Figure 3: Graph of clipped energy over a year

addition of energy storage.

Using a simplified system for illustrative purposes, consider a 14MWDC PV array behind a total inverter capacity of 10MWAC. Depending on your location and type of racking, the total clipped energy can be over 1,000,000 kWh per year.

With storage attached to the array, the batteries can be charged with excess PV output when the PV inverter hits its peak rating and would otherwise begin clipping. This stored energy can then be fed into the grid at the appropriate time.

Without energy storage, these kWhs are lost and revenues stunted.

CURTAILMENT & OUTAGE RECAPTURE — Continuous Uptime and Revenue Generation When storage is on the DC bus behind the PV inverter, the energy storage system can operate and maintain the DC bus voltage when the PV inverter is off-line for scheduled or unplanned outages. When the PV inverter is offline the energy from the array can still flow to the batteries via the DC-DC converter ensuring energy can be harvested for later use.

The same uptime capabilities apply when a large utility-scale array is curtailed by the ISO or utility. Curtailment is sometimes seen in areas of high solar penetration — such as California — when there is overall excess production on the grid. With a DC-coupled energy storage system, energy production can continue with energy being stored and available for discharge when curtailment ends.

LOW VOLTAGE HARVESTING — Make Money On The Edges PV inverters typically require a minimum threshold DC bus voltage to operate. On a 1,500VDC nominal system, this ‘wake up’ voltage may be around 500VDC. As a result of this minimum voltage threshold, the available generated energy in the morning and evening when voltage on the array is below the PV inverter ’wake up’ threshold is not captured. Adding energy storage through a DC-to-DC converter allows for the capture of this generated energy from the margins.

This phenomenon also takes place when there is cloud coverage. In both cases, this lost energy could be captured by a DC-coupled energy storage system.

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Solar Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 36

Figure 6: hybrid solar plus storage inverter

come up to power or trail off in the event of cloud cover.

A storage system coupled with PV can monitor PV inverter output and inject or consume power to ensure the net output remains within the ramp requirements allowing for continuous energy injection into the grid. Additionally, with this ramp rate control benefit, energy otherwise lost when a PV inverter would self-regulate during a ramp up (by manipulating the I-V curve to curtail power output) can now be stored for later use.

AC-Coupled Solar Plus Storage System In AC-coupled systems, there are two inverters, one for the battery and another for the solar PV system. With this system configuration, the power to the grid can be maximized

Figure 7: DC-Coupled power system for solar plus storage

by discharging both the battery and PV at maximum power. They can be dispatched independently or together.

This configuration does pose integration challenges for microgrid operations. Dynapower offers AC-coupled solar plus storage inverters and fully-integrated systems at both behind the meter and utility-scale levels.

DC-Coupled Solar Plus Storage System Primarily of interest to grid-tied utility-scale solar projects the DC-coupled solution is a relatively new approach for adding energy storage to existing and new construction of utility-scale solar installations.

Distinct advantages here include reduced cost to install energy storage with reduction of needed equipment — one set of inverters, MV switchgear and other balance of plant costs, higher efficiency than both AC and hybrid options, and increased PV energy generation — from clipping recapture and low-voltage harvest. DC-coupled solar plus storage allows for increasing the panel to inverter (DC/AC) ratio to much higher levels than solar-only plants.

Solar plus storage can be contracted under a single PPA.

Hybrid Solar Plus Storage System Hybrid solar plus storage inverters have two DC inputs; one with maximum power point tracking for PV, and the second is bidirectional and intended for use with battery energy storage. This type of system is ideal for microgrids as integration is no longer required between two separate inverters.

At Hopewell Valley Central High School, Dynapower teamed up with PSE&G to deliver a 1 MW project using two of Dynapower containerized solar plus storage systems.

This project generates solar energy which is self-consumed by the school and also features Dynapower’s proprietary backup power capabilities in the event of a grid disturbance.

SYSTEMS COMPARISON Dynapower has successfully delivered all three system architectures for our customers in both grid-tied and microgrid applications. When evaluating which of the system architectures is optimal, the options must be compared across a variety of metrics including cost, efficiency, reliability, and flexibility. Dynanpower has created industry-validated tools to model new and existing solar plus storage installations for the optimal system topology and sizing to determine which approach will maximize investment in energy storage.

With over a decade of experience in solar plus energy storage and over 425MWs of inverters/ converters deployed worldwide, Dynapower can assist you in selecting the optimal system for your existing or new PV array.

“Raychem RPG and Dynapower have signed an agreement to bring Dynapower Energy Storage inverters, DC-DC converters and fully integrated Energy Storage Systems to India.”

Figure 5: AC-Coupled solar plus storage system

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Solar 37 Solar Quarter Quarter •• February February 2019 2019 37

SolarQuarter Event Snapshots

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Solar Quarter • February 2019 38

28 Feb ruary t o 2 March 2019 Bhrikuti Mandap Exhibition Hall Kathmandu, Nepal. th

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ATTKRAFT

COMPLETE SOLUTION FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE !

WATTKRAFT INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD. Tel : +91-11-66172410 | s.adhikari@wattkraft.com www.wattkraft.com w w w . s o l a r q u a r t e r . c o m

Solar Quarter • February 2019 42