Gayatri Ramanathan

How does the National Solar Mission fare compared to other emerging economies? Are there similar initiatives among the BRIC/ BASIC countries?
India is one of the few countries in the world which have announced a long term policy to support development of solar energy by launching the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The objective of the National Solar Mission is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy, by creating the policy conditions for its diffusion across the country as quickly as possible, and make solar power competitive to conventional grid power. The mission aims at setting up of 20,000 Mw grid solar power and 2,000 Mw of off-grid solar power including 20 million solar lights by 2022. In addition, it aims at installation of 20 million square metres of solar thermal collector area by 2022. The mission will be implemented in three phases. In the first phase, up to 1,100 MW grid-connected solar plants, including 100 Mw capacity plants as rooftop and small solar plants will be set up. In addition, 200 Mw capacity equivalent off-grid solar applications and 7 million square metres of solar thermal collector area, including roof-mounted solar systems, are proposed in the first phase of the Mission, till 2012-13.

Given that the solar industry is in its infancy, how does the government plan to meet developmental challenges in terms of building capacity in the short time scale envisaged by the mission?
India has a vibrant solar industry for manufacture of solar cells and modules and also for solar thermal collectors for water heating applications. The Indian solar industry regularly exports products to various countries including the EU and the US markets. I am sure that as the domestic demand increases the local industry will find the domestic market as the market of first choice.

As power is a concurrent subject, what initiatives would you expect from the states in order to implement the mission?
In order to kick start the process, the NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NWN), the trading subsidiary of NTPC, has been identified by the government to be the nodal agency for purchase of 1,000 Mw capacity of grid solar power (connected to 33 KV and above grid). NWN will buy solar power from the project developers at a tariff fixed by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) for purchase of solar power. NWN will sign a PPA with each project developer at this rate for a period of 25 years as fixed by CERC. For each Mw capacity of solar power for which PPA is signed by NWN, an equivalent Mw capacity of thermal power shall be allocated to NWN by the ministry of power from the unallocated quota of NTPC stations. Thus, for every unit of solar power, about four units of thermal power will be sold by NWN to the utility. The utilities shall be allowed to adjust this purchase against their RPO obligations for renewable power. The States are excited and motivated at this unique arrangement.

The policy talks about promoting off-grid applications for meeting rural needs. What specific applications are likely to be promoted? Is there a timeline for these initiatives? How will the government promote these applications? Will it involve local entrepreneurs?
The mission will support off-grid solar applications for both rural and urban needs. In the first phase, the mission will consolidate the ongoing initiatives and also promote development of new initiatives and business models. A number of applications, such as solar water heating, solar lights, diesel replacement systems, power for remote villages, and power for rural telecom systems have the potential to expand very fast. However, this can happen only with the participation of a large number of stakeholders including local entrepreneurs, NGOs, private sector and government agencies.

Also Read

• Government to award 100 Mw of solar projects by August
• Solar Mission project allotment from September
• India to add 100 Mw solar power capacity
• Huge potential for off–grid solar power in India: SEMI
• Renewcon: India still in learning phase in solar

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