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Schott to provide solar modules to Premier Solar’s 20 Mw project

makarandg — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:43:44 +0000

World’s leading solar solution firm Schott Solar signed an agreement with Premier Solar to provide thin film modules for its projects of 20 Mw across various states.

The Schott will also provide basic design and preliminary engineering for the power plants. The plants of 10 Mw will be ready by the end of current calander year. These installation will be coming in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

The projects of Premier Solar in which these modules will be used are part of the “rooftop and small power plant” scheme that is part of MNRE’s prestigious Phase I of the National Solar Mission.

Host states to get 50 per cent power from central utilities

makarandg — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 06:41:48 +0000

The Union Cabinet today approved a key proposal by the power ministry to increase the share of host states to 50 per cent in allocation of electricity generated from centrally-owned thermal power plants.
It also approved a crucial amendment to the National Tariff Policy to boost green energy generation and help reduce the country’s carbon footprint.

Currently, the allocation of power generated from thermal generating stations is guided by the Gadgil formula, according to which, the host state gets 10 per cent preferential allocation, 15 per cent is kept unallocated as the central government’s quota and the balance 75 per cent is allocated to beneficiary states in the region.
While the central government’s quota, used to tide over periods of acute shortages of electricity, has been kept unchanged at 15 per cent, the share of beneficiary states in the region has been brought down to 35 per cent from 75 per cent.

“Currently, in addition to the 10 per cent preferential allocation, a host state also gets its share also from the 75 per cent allocation kept for beneficiary states in the region, making the effective share of the host state as up to 33 per cent. The
Cabinet reviewed the allocation formula and has today increased it to 50 per cent,” said a senior official from the power ministry. The government currently considers two factors before deciding the share of a state falling in the region of the host state — percentage of allocation of plan funds and the percentage of power consumption.

Enhancement of allocation to 50 per cent to the home state will help in developing power projects and increasing generation in the states or regions where there are acute shortages of power, according to a release issued by the government.

The changed power allocation regime also covers power generator NTPC Ltd’s supercritical projects to be set up in the 12th and the 13th Plan periods and all the thermal power plants of the central public sector undertakings to be set up in the future. NTPC’s 14 projects include Gadarwara, Lara, Talcher Expansion, Darlipalli and Barethi Gidderbaha. From the Barethi project, 35 per cent power would be allocated as a special dispensation to UP for the development of the Bundelkhand region, the release states.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved amending para 6.4(1) of the National Tariff Policy allowing state electricity regulators to fix Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs) for state electricity distribution companies. An RPO specifies a certain minimum amount of renewable power that a distribution company has to buy for supplying to its consumers.

The National Tariff Policy, notified by the government over four years ago, has already been amended once, in 2008. The current amendment proposal was mooted by the power ministry in 2010 and is in line with the National Solar Mission strategy.

“The solar power purchase obligation for states may start with 0.25 per cent in phase-I to ending in 2013 and will go upto 3 per cent by 2022. This would be complemented by the Renewable energy Certificate mechanism,” a release issued by the government stated.

R-Power, Lanco short-listd under JNNSM for solar thermal

makarandg — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:17:49 +0000

Around 60 companies, including Lanco, KVK Energy and Reliance Power, have been short listed for the solar-thermal collector modules project, which is part of the government’s ambitious plan to reduce the price of solar power generation.

Solar thermal collector panels gather the sun’s heat, which is then directed to heat water so that the ensuing steam energy can be captured.

For another project — involving photovoltaic technology — 300 companies have been short listed.

Solar-thermal collector-based power plants are seen as cheaper to set up, leading the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission to stipulate a lower price of Rs15.31 per unit compared with Rs17.91 promised for photovoltaic panel-based solar plants.

While Lanco Power and KVK Energy have offered a discount of Rs4.82 and Rs4.11 per unit, respectively, for 100 Mw capacities in Rajasthan for solar thermal modules, another company, Megha Energy’s discount works to Rs4 per unit for a capacity of 50 Mw, according to sources.

The Reliance Power-promoted Rajasthan Sun Technique has offered a discount of Rs3.34 for setting up a 100 Mw solar plant. Under Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission Phase-I, the discounts are much higher than anticipated by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd.(NVVNL), nodal agency for the project.

It received applications for developing 1,740 Mw of photovoltaic projects, compared with a target of 150 mw in the first batch of Phase-I.

DNA

US firm to set up 5Mw solar project in Rajasthan

gayatrir — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:49:49 +0000

Bergamo Harbinsons Energy Ltd, an Indo-American joint venture, said it will set up its first 5 Mw solar hybrid power project in Rajasthan in collaboration with Andri Urja Pvt Ltd, Delhi, at a total cost of Rs 100 crore. Subhash Shishodia, CEO Bergamo Harbinsons said this is the company’s first energy project in India, which has set up a target to execute 600 Mw solar-hybrid plants in the country. In a statement issued here, Shishodia said that the company has identified 30 acre land in Alwar district for setting up the plant. He said that the company will provide technical knowhow, latest technology, total equipment qualified and expert manpower from the US to Andri Urja to execute the project. Shishodia said that work on the project will be started in November 2010 and will be completed in 10 months. Andri Urja will pay 10 per cent upfront of the total cost of US $21.5 million to Bergamo and the rest will be paid in instalments till the completion of the project. - Agencies

NVVN to shortlist solar projects in a week

gayatrir — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:45:48 +0000

The ministry for new and renewable energy (MNRE) plans to shortlist the list of eligible players for developing solar power projects in a week. The bids from these shortlisted players will be invited in the next 15 days.

NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVN), the main agency under the Solar Mission will shortlist and inform the eligible players who will be a part of the Phase-1 projects of this Mission.

NVVN has said that it has received requests for selection (RFS) for the solar projects from major players like ONGC, Indian Oil Corporation, SAIL, L&T, Punj Lloyd, Essar Power, India Bulls, among others. The RFS was called by NVVN for developing 150 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects with a capacity of 5 MW each and 470 MW of solar thermal projects with a capacity minimum of 5 MW and maximum of 100 MW each. The last date for receiving the RFS was September 24.

Requests were received for 440 projects, of which 363 were solar PV and 77 solar thermal. The capacities for solar PVs against these solar power projects is 1,815 MW and for solar thermal 3,211 MW.

NVVN has been designated the nodal agency to procure solar power from project developers under the Mission at a tariff fixed by the regulator, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), for the first three years. NVVN, in turn, will bundle four units of thermal power with each unit of solar power to bring down the final cost of power. The tariff rates notified by the CERC for 2010-11 are Rs 17.91 a unit for photovoltaic and Rs 15.31 a unit for solar-thermal. – Business Line

Suryachakra to set up 50 Mw solar capacity

makarandg — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:18:35 +0000

BSE listed Suryachakra Power Corporation Ltd, plans to set up 50 Mw solar thermal power project in the Gujarat under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) subject to approval by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVYNL) which is a nodal agency for the JNNSM.
The Suryachakra Power which runs a power plant in Andman-Nicobar has formed a joint venture with Flagsol GmbH for equity participation and technology will set up project in the country.
The SPV are Suryachakra MSM Solar India Pvt. Ltd. for 50 Mw in Gujarat and Aasrit MSM Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd for 5 Mw in Chhattisgarh.
This is in addition to the Group’s earlier registered two projects of 5 Mw each concentrated solar thermal under demonstration scheme of government of India.
Gujarat is fast emerging as a hub of solar power generation as over a two dozen companies have firmed up their plans to come up with solar thermal and solar photovoltaic power projects in Gujarat. Some of these include names such as Clinton Foundation, Tata Power, NTPC, Adani Group, AES Solar Energy, Lanco Infratech, JSW Energy and Welspun Urja Pvt Ltd to name a few.
Gujarat government also came up with solar power policy in 2009 and later on it allotted 716 Mw of solar power capacity to 34 national and international project developers.
Recently, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL), an apex electricity company in the state, inked power purchase agreements (PPAs) with more than 20 companies to procure around 365 Mw solar power. The government is expected to take up another round of agreements for sourcing power generated from solar energy.

SunBorne to invest Rs 1500 crore under Solar Mission

makarandg — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:50:08 +0000

Gurgaon based solar power company SunBorne Energy announced that, it is planning to invest Rs 1,500 crore in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).
“The investment of Rs 1,500 crore is a part of the company’s plans to participate in the phase-1 of the JNNSM,” SunBorne’s Chief Operation Officer and Executive Director Aseem Sharma said. The company is backed by the US based private equity find General Catalyst Partners.
Under its plan, it is looking forward to set up concentrated solar power (CSP) plants in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.
SunBorne Energy is a utility scale solar power producer and wants to venture into solar-thermal and photo-voltaic (PV) projects.
In Gujarat, the company is coming up with a 15 MW photo- voltaic (PV) panels project.
“I think all the States, who we have approached will come forward for this. We are in talks with Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh for our solar-thermal power projects,” Sharma said.
“Indigenisation of solar ecosystem by localising capabilities will make India an emerging solar power,” Sharma added.
India has the potential to provide greatest amount of power, as it lies in the sunny region of the world, SunBorne Chief Engineer Gilbert Cohen said.

Solar Mission PPAs are not bankables : Banks

makarandg — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:27:57 +0000

Raising Finnances for solar power projects under the Centre’s ambitious Jawharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) is going to be difficult as banks are not happy with present structure of the power-purchase agreement (PPA).
The existing PPA structure of the national solar mission provides for a trader PPA with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar , Nigam, which passes on the risk of default by state distribution companies (discoms) to the developer.
Several banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of India and Central Bank of India, have argued that many discoms were delaying and sometimes defaulting on payments, and therefore, have called upon the Centre to contemplate a tripartite agreement between the developer, the state discom and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure the PPA bankability.
Banks said solar power remained a risky and expensive option, despite the support being provided by the Centre and the state governments.
The mission envisages an installed solar generation capacity of 20,000 Megawatt (Mw) by 2020, 100,000 Mw by 2030 and 200,000 Mw by 2050. The total expected funding from the government for the 30-year period will run to Rs 85,000 crore to Rs 1.05 lakh crore.
According to banks, another source of revenues for solar projects can be renewable energy certificates (RECs), wherein developers can forgo the preferential tariff and trade RECs on the energy exchange.
However, banks opined that the REC market was at a nascent stage and depended on the state’s renewable purchase obligation (RPO).
SBI Chairman O P Bhat said solar projects could be financed through multiple instruments, including debt, equity and special funds. However, he said SBI had invested Rs 1,000 crore in renewable projects. He added the per unit tariff of solar project continued to be higher than the ultra mega power projects.
Central Bank of India CMD V Sridhar said financing of solar projects would be possible only after carrying out techno-economic viability studies.
Bank of India Chairman and Managing Director Alok Kumar Mishra said financing of such projects would be possible, until banks get comfortable. He shared Sridhar’s view that techno economic viability study was necessary before banks took any decision.
A SBI official, who did not want to be quoted, told Business Standard: “Non-recourse financing is the preferred financing structure, where the lending institutions would provide debt to a special purpose vehicle set up for the project, and would have a lien on the project’s cash flow. However, as this structure does not provide recourse to the developers balance sheet, banks require rock solid agreements for revenues from the projects.” The official, however, noted that the financing of the solar projects can be done through Green Energy Funds, which are currently in the market and these can provide equity, quasi-equity and mezzanine financing.

Business Standard

Semiconductor body sees rapid growth in solar power

gayatrir — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:53:56 +0000

The Bangalore-based Indian chapter of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) is optimistic that by 2012-13, India will witness a solar power capacity installation of 1,100 Mw. The apex body, which represents solar, photovoltaic and semiconductor manufacturers in the country, made the forecast based on investments made by members in this sector. According to Sathya Prasad, president of SEMI, while individual project sizes will be 5 Mw to 10 Mw initially, they will be followed by medium- and large-scale projects. Cost per Mw is also expected to be reduced 10 per cent to 15 per cent, and installation will take about 12 to 18 months.

Expressing confidence about the domestic growth of the industry, Prasad indicated that strong domestic demand spurred by the ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) would provide the much-needed thrust to the industry. Announced in November last year, the JNNSM proposes to generate 20,000 Mw of electricity from solar power sources by 2022. Guidelines and incentives for this project are likely to be announced next month.

Success of the mission will depend on connectivity to the grid. The implementation procedures and guidelines are expected to provide clarity about the sale of solar electricity generated, rates and connectivity. Several public-sector banks, financial institutions and equity firms, including the State Bank of India, Mauritius-based Helion Venture Partners LLC and IFCI Ltd, have expressed interest in participating in this sunrise sector. However, these companies are seeking clarification about funding and return on investments. Prasad indicated that a panel of experts might be constituted to assist investors with funding procedures.

Prasad was optimistic that with cost-effective products and solutions and economies of scale in production, India can become a global multi-million dollar manufacturing base for solar power. Presently, India exports solar power equipment and technologies to the US and Europe.

Soalr mission guidelines to be ready by 15 May

renjiniv — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:22:23 +0000

According to the new and renewable energy minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, the guidelines for solar mission will be out by 15 May. The objective of the mission, under the brand Solar India, is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating policy conditions for diffusion across the country. The mission stipulates the target under three phases for various solar application segments including utility grid solar power. Abdullah urged the industry to look for more indigenisation of products for manufacturing of solar energy in order to reduce costs.”We want to indigenise the solar energy under the (Solar) mission. You may import them, but on the long term point of view we want more indigenisation.” To a query on conversion of solar energy for Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, he said they were working on how to reduce diesel consumptions and install solar energy in these islands.”For setting up of renewable energy in Ladakh, the ministry has already received Rs 500 crore,” he said.