500 MW of NSM bids in Andhra Pradesh to close below INR 5.37/kWh

Photo Credit Greentech Lead

First round bid results have been released today for the 500 MW National Solar Mission (NSM) tender in Andhra Pradesh. Bids were submitted for over 5.5 GW by 30 developers with tariffs ranging between INR 5.21/kWh and INR 6.45/kWh. 28 developers have been selected to move to the second round of electronic bidding and the highest qualifying bid to move into the second round stands at INR 6.01/kWh.

• The winning bids in the online bidding tomorrow will be INR 5.37/kWh or lower
• If there was no requirement for these projects to be inside a solar park, the cost-adjusted maximum tariff could have been INR 5.11/kWh
• BRIDGE TO INDIA believes that in view of around 5 GW of projects due for auction in the next 3 months, such aggressive bidding is unlikely to continue

Trina Solar is believed to have quoted the lowest tariff of INR 5.21/kWh, followed by developers such as First Solar at INR 5.35/kWh, SunEdison at INR 5.37/kWh, Energon at INR 5.39/kWh, Renew Power at INR 5.39/kWh, Aditya Birla at INR 5.45/kWh, Essel Green at INR 5.49/kWh and Tata Power at INR 5.49/kWh, all quoting tariffs below INR 5.50/kWh. SoftBank, whose bid has been anticipated for some time now, played relatively safely with a tariff of INR 5.65/kWh. Some of the other prominent bidders who have moved to the second round include Reliance at INR 5.52/kWh, JSW Power at INR 5.71/kWh, Azure at INR 5.73/kWh, Fortum at INR 5.75/kWh, Acme at INR 5.89/kWh, Welspun at INR 5.90/kWh, SkyPower at INR 5.94/kWh and Hero Future Energies at INR 6.01/kWh. Suzlon is one of the two bidders who will not move into the second round of the bid.

With the entire 500 MW getting subscribed by just three bids at and under INR 5.37/kWh, the winning bids tomorrow will definitely close below INR 5.37/kWh. In this second round of bidding tomorrow, bids are likely to go down even further. However, BRIDGE TO INDIA is of the opinion that tariffs below INR 5.25/kWh will move into the realm of being unattractive investments.

There are two schools of thought on how to interpret these tariffs for future guidance. The first is that because Andhra Pradesh solar park has relatively very high solar park charges (refer) and most of the bidders will end up being unsuccessful, future bids in Rajasthan and Karnataka will be even more aggressive, probably breaching the INR 5.00/kWh level. The second school of thought is that the tariffs have already reached unsustainable levels and competition in this tender is higher because this is the first NSM tender after a long time. But as several new tenders are on the anvil, we will see some rationalization of tariffs in the next few months.

We will find out which school of thought is correct in the days to come.

Original Post: bridgetoindia

Make in India, don’t just make do in India

An Indian woman about to marry a Chinese man was warned by a friend, "Don't do it, he won't last". The joke was doing the rounds at a time in the '90s when cheap and flimsy Chinese products had flooded the Indian market. Like all good jokes, there was a hint of truth in the punch line. Smuggled Chinese torches fell apart after a few blinks of light, cheap cordless phones looked good but rarely worked, as did digital watches, sports shoes, electric pumps and bicycles. The rush to imitate the world's material goods and resell them was a dismal public relations phenomenon for China. People across the globe suffered the indignity of second-rate Chinese products. The bad publicity however was an essential introduction to the country's developing abilities, and ensured the Chinese their future prospects in the global market. Things could only get better. 

They did. After a decade of poking fun at the Chinese, Indian ridicule has turned into admiration. Both the quality and range of items improved so much that they began to draw outsiders to China's celebrated markets for a bonanza of international sales, export and clever marketing. In fact, two years ago when designing an office building in Bangalore, our client insisted that all the construction finishing material be procured from there. A trip to Guangzhou's construction material warehouses spared me the tedious detail of shopping and haggling for lights, plumbing fixtures, wiring, flooring and plaster boards in a variety of markets spread over Bangalore. Instead, a golf cart whisked me through miles of displays, while I made the selection. At the end of the day, the shipment was on its way to Chennai. 

If there are any lessons to be learnt from the 'Made in China' model, it is the necessity of following the rigorous path of imitation, self-assessment, invention and application. The Modi Make in India campaign however is meant merely to promote industrial growth. Cheap Indian labour and skills are to be directed towards producing cars, chemicals, textiles, electronics and inviting foreign companies for mining, tourism, aviation and biotechnology. The objective of improving GDP growth by attracting foreign capital makes India nothing more than a destination for product outsourcing. There is little incentive to plough funds into the important arena of research and development. Foreign companies that do invest in research direct their work primarily to the home market. Indian companies barely use a tenth of their profits for new experiments; consequently India — despite being one of the largest economies — ranks a lowly 76 on the Global Innovation Index. 

By their own admission, even industrialists say that their immediate goals are merely to increase profits and production. While upscale cars like BMW and Audi begin manufacturing operations in India, Indian car makers themselves only promote expensive models. In cities with dangerous pollution levels, shouldn't a zero-carbon car or solar bus be part of the Make in India campaign? Many builders construct luxury villas and million-dollar vacation homes. Does this make sense in a country with a shortfall of over six million urban homes in the low and mid-level housing sector? The campaign's promotion of the tourism industry similarly overlooks the structure of Indian domestic travel and seeks large scale high-end hospitality. When 60 million Indians are on the move annually, wouldn't a restructuring of domestic hotel and travel facilities make more sense? 

Most countries rely on their own initiatives to create effective solutions. The pod hotel — where guests are literally inserted into a drawer bed for the night — is the outcome of a Japanese requirement to reduce hotel space. Japan's Kochofucu factory came up with an air-conditioned jacket. Rather than cooling a whole room, the wearer merely dons the jacket in summer and plugs in to the nearest socket. A Swedish inventor, while in Africa, constructed a device that absorbs harmful dust particles in a 50-foot radius. In parts of West Africa, rural schools are assembled from pre-fabricated parts in a matter of days. There could be no better market for all four devices than India. Yet the Indian mind — and Make in India in particular — promotes ideas and projects that are neither relevant to Indian conditions, nor promise any gain in innovation. 

Unless the Make in India campaign can put its mind to making life less of a struggle for Indians through innovations for rural schools, latrines, urban transport, housing, water supply, cooking fuel and energy, it will peter out into a hollow slogan. The campaign's unspoken agenda should not only lift millions out of poverty, but provide an enriching physical landscape for their lives. That however would require some serious seasoned thinking beyond the scope of mere economics and GDP. 

The writer is an architect.

Original Post : TOI

World's First Solar Powered Portable AC in India

An innovative air conditioner is soon going to be available to the Indian consumers, allowing them to make their summer cool, relaxing as well as pleasant in a cost-effective and eco-friendly manner. A Russian company has developed this portable air conditioner that promotes personal hygiene and a great indoor air quality. The company is planning to launch the air conditioner in the Indian market any time next year. 

The CEO & Co-founder of the Company, Eugene Dubovoy reveals, “Evapolar consumes very less energy and we have both types of ACs to be run on electricity and solar batteries. The solar version of Evapolar has especially been developed for the Indian region that has a significant solar power potential.” He, however, didn’t disclose the price of the AC at which it will be available to the Indian consumer. “It will be available at a reasonable price, besides it will bring a long-term cost savings because of its energy efficiency,” he states.  

In India, where the summer season is invariably very long, this portable air conditioner can make people’s life comfortable and healthier. The country receives sunshine throughout the year and hence a solar-powered air conditioner will prove a more viable as well as a cheaper option for the Indian population. Moreover, in the present scenario of global warming and climatic change, an energy-efficient and eco-friendly AC will not affect the environment as well. Besides, solar batteries make Evapolar a real portable air conditioner to enjoy personal air conditioning anywhere and at any time. 

Evapolar has gained a worldwide popularity since its very pre-launch. This small size AC is going to redefine the ways people use to enjoy the air conditioning. This plug-and-play air conditioner can be placed on a table, desk or anywhere to enjoy a cool breeze of air to create a relaxing environment. People in India will possibly be able to get the product next year to enjoy their summer with a great personal air conditioning experience. To know more about this portable and solar-powered personal air conditioner, one may visit the website http://evapolar.com/. 

original post: thehansindia

India’s NTPC tenders for 400MW of solar projects in Telangana

Indian utility National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has issued another tender for 400MW of solar projects to be located in the Indian state of Telangana.

The two requests for selection, which will go through a reverse bidding process, come under India’s National Solar Mission, the country's flagship programme for deploying solar capacity.

The first tender is for 350MW of capacity, made up of ten 35MW projects in the open category. The second is for 50MW made up of ten 5MW projects to come under Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) rules, which require the project developer to use locally produced cells and modules.

It should be noted that in August, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled against India in a long-running dispute instigated by the US over the inclusion of the DCR in its India's national solar programme, however, the ruling has yet to be enforced.

Having procured the power from the private developers, NTPC plans to bundle 2MWh of solar power with 1MWh of thermal power.

In August, NTPC announced plans to build 15GW of solar projects, which will be made more competitive by bundling the electricity produced together with electricity from some of India’s oldest coal-fired power plants.

Jasmeet Khurana, senior consulting manager at analyst firm Bridge to India, told PV Tech: “India now has a healthy pipeline of new allocations and is on its way to become a 5-10GW a year market in the next couple of years. This will provide significant opportunities to new developers as well as help existing developers ramp up their asset portfolios.”

He added that the tally of open tenders in India has now reached 5,120MW.

India targets 100GW of solar capacity by 2022 and recently submitted its INDC aiming to have 40% of its energy mix coming from alternative sources by 2030

Original Post: PV Tech

Germany promises 1 billion euros for India's solar projects

Giving a thrust on clean energy, Germany today pledged about one billion euros (Rs 7,300 crore) assistance for India's solar projects as part of the bilateral cooperation in energy sector. 

The joint statement issued after the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said both the countries will continue to intensify their cooperation in developing climate-friendly and sustainable solutions for India's expanding energy needs. 

The implementation of Green Energy Corridors Partnership, with an overall German commitment of 1.15 billion euros in the last two years, is progressing well, it said. 

"Both countries welcomed the MoU on an Indo-German solar energy partnership based on concessional loans in the range of one billion euros over the next 5 years," the statement said. 

India and Germany recognise that renewable energy and the efficient use of energy are most effective approaches to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in both the countries, it added. 

It further said that Germany welcomes India's intention to transform its energy sector by increasing the share of renewable energy, particularly solar, in electricity generation, consistent with its goal of 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2022. 

The two sides expressed their readiness to work together to reach an ambitious and universal climate agreement under the Convention, it said. 

"They reaffirm that the protocol, another legal instrument or agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all parties shall address in a balanced manner, inter alia, mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building, and transparency of action and support," the statement said. 

India and Germany also recognise that science, technology and innovation play a crucial role for the development of affordable, accessible and adaptable solutions in the areas of low carbon development and renewable energy generation, it added. 

The statement further said that the Indo-German Climate and Renewables Alliance shall intensify cooperation on climate and energy technology issues, including within the already existing fora established for this purpose. 

"It shall foster stronger integration of all actors concerned with bilateral cooperation on climate and energy technology issues, and for this purpose will encompass progressive public and private sector entities from both countries," it added. 

Both countries, it said, will intensify their ongoing cooperation on climate and renewables technology under the new Indo-German Climate and Renewables Alliance, including on next generation solar technology, renewable energy storage, super-efficient appliances and buildings, energy-efficient rail and water infrastructure and off shore wind. 

Both countries affirm that several already established bilateral dialogue structures, such as the Indo-German Energy Forum and the Indo-German High-Technology Partnership Group are already doing important work for the transition to low-carbon economies.

Original Post: Business Satandard

Capital to soon get solar autos

NEW DELHI: The capital is likely to get solar-powered autorickshaws soon. Delhi transport minister, Gopal Rai, on Thursday flagged off a new prototype of a solar-powered autorickshaw, which he said could be used to replace the old petrol-based ones.

These autorickshaws are being manufactured by a Bengaluru-based company, Alfa Bravo Motors, which will also run pilot projects in three other cities. A few days ago, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari flagged off the first prototype at Nagpur.

"This autorickshaw will run from Delhi Secretariat to ITO initially. If the feedback is good, we will look at introducing it on other stretches," said an official from Rai's office.

The autorickshaws can run on battery that can be charged with grid electricity or with solar panels fitted on top of the vehicle. "The cost of operating an autorickshaw on petrol is Rs 4.50 per km, while it is only Rs 1.50 per km for this rickshaw," added the official.

Original Post: TOI

Majority of India's 13 GW solar projects to wrap up by early 2017

India currently has 13 GW of solar projects in progress, most of which are to be hooked to the grid by end-2016 or the start of 2017, according to estimates by consultancy firm Bridge To India.

The calculations include both photovoltaic (PV) schemes with secured power purchase agreements (PPA) and projects for which tenders have already been signed. In other words, the country may triple its installed solar capacity in just one year, putting it among the leaders on the global market.

Over 8.8 GW of the capacity falls under the state solar policies of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka alone. In turn, central allocations such as the second phase of the National Solar Mission programme are responsible for 3.6 GW.

The fight against growing power deficits and limited power transfer from other regions have pushed South India in the leading position in terms of solar development. Nearly half of the cumulative solar capacity planned for 2017 will be in four southern states, namely Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. This means that they could surpass the current leaders Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Original Post: by Militsa Mancheva

State coal mining firm plans 1GW of solar in India

State-owned coal mining company Coal India Limited (CIL) plans to develop 1GW of solar power projects across India in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint.

Nagendra Kumar, technical director of CIL, told PV Tech that the company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to carry out the solar projects. SECI was recently renamed Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI) as it became a commercial entity.

Kumar said: “We are trying to locate new states, but at the first stage we are looking at Madhya Pradesh.”

CIL plans to complete at least one 250MW project within one year in Madhya Pradesh. Kumar added that to complete 1GW of installations there is a problem with land acquisition currently. Land in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and Chhattisgarh were cited as potential options.

Kumar said the entrance into the solar market is “one step” the company is taking to reduce its carbon footprint.

Yesterday multinational conglomerate Aditya Birla Group also announced its partnership with private equity investor Abraaj Group to develop utility-scale solar power plants in India. The new renewable energy platform, Aditya Birla Renewables Limited, plans to bid for projects tendered in both state and national auctions in India. For example, there are state auctions coming up in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

Original Post :Tom Kenning

Solar power is booming in India. But will it reach those who need it most?

Original Post: Global voices/ pro.org

The sun is shining on India, and India is poised to take advantage of it, with massive investments in solar energy facilities to help meet the needs of a population that is expected to grow to make it the planet’s most populous nation by 2022. But will the power go to the people who need it most?

With its large land mass and tropical location, many experts consider the country particularly suitable for solar power. In fact, a recent study by Deloitte and the Confederation of Indian Industry estimated India’s solar power potential at 749 gigawatts — nearly three times the country’s entire installed electrical capacity in 2012 — and reported that not even 1 percent of this potential is currently tapped.

The Indian government is making aggressive moves to accelerate the country’s solar energy supply. According to Bridge to India, a Delhi-based solar energy firm, India’s solar industry is expected to grow 250 percent this year, putting the country on track to become one of the top five solar countries globally. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has just approved a plan to develop 50 solar cities. The world’s first airport that runs entirely on solar power was recently built in the southwestern Indian state of Cochin. And India is soon to have the world’s largest solar power station.

Describing solar energy as the “ultimate solution,” Modi pledged to give all Indians access to electricity and called on the country’s scientists to develop more efficient solar energy equipment.

India’s opportunity of a lifetime

“Solar power is India’s opportunity of a lifetime. It has the power to address not only India’s development problems, but it could also be a game changer for global climate change,” says Tobias Engelmeier, director of Bridge to India. “Reaching a capacity of 100 gigawatts in 15 years is realistic,” he says.

According to the Delhi-based think tank The Energy and Resources Institute, 300 million people in India have no access to electricity. Solar power could make it easier for schoolchildren to do homework after dark, help residents connect to the world through mobile phones and more. However, Engelmeier says, it will be a challenge for solar power to filter to the urban poor:

"Decisions regarding the solar power investments are very politically driven and erratic. Even those who have access to electricity in cities regularly suffer from power cuts. Especially without centralized power systems and with the unpredictable nature of politics, it’s difficult to anticipate what will happen."

That said, many initiatives intend to make India’s urban poor benefit from the solar power boom. Through the project “Lighting a Billion Lives,” The Energy and Resources Institute has already illuminated more than half a million households not just in India, but also in 11 other developing countries. Similarly, the Small-Scale Sustainable Infrastructure Development Fundprovides financial, technical, and business support to small enterprises that provide solar infrastructure. Established in 2012, the Australia- and India-based social business Pollinate Energy has sold micro solar grids in more than 1,000 communities.

“It will be the [non-profit] sector and the individuals from communities who will leverage the solar power boom to slums,” says Katerina Kimmorley, founding director of Pollinate Energy.

The future ahead

However, even at subsidized rates offered by social businesses such as Pollinate Energy, a solar power unit costs Rs. 5500 (US$83), whereas a daily wage of a construction worker can be as low as Rs. 200 (US$3). Many urban dwellers work in volatile sectors, such as construction, where jobs are cut during the rainy season, which means many households would likely find it difficult to afford such solutions.

Not only that, but electricity is not the energy upgrade India’s poorest residents need most. By far the greatest use of energy in slums is for cooking food and sterilizing water — a need currently met by biomass fuels, which pollute the air and cause health problems, and which cannot easily be met by micro-solar photovoltaics because of the relatively small amount of electricity they produce. Nevertheless, micro-solar grids can benefit households to a certain degree, especially when it comes to satisfying smaller everyday needs, such as illuminating houses and charging mobile phones.

There’s little doubt that it will take many years, if not decades, for consumer demand and rising market competition to make solar power affordable enough for all. However, with the right steps, policies, and the heavy involvement of the nonprofit sector, solar may indeed play an important role in helping India’s 300 million current power-less people gain access to electricity.

West Polluted World' for 150 Years, and India Says It Won't Pay

Original Post: Anindya Upadhyay

“You made the mess -- you clean it up” may well be India’s attitude at the coming international climate-change talks in Paris.

“It’s the West which has polluted the world for the last 150 years with cheap energy,” Indian Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in an interview. “I can’t tell the people of India that we’ll burden you with high costs because the West has polluted the world, now India will pay for it. Not acceptable to us.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has sent mixed signals about its stance toward climate change, adopting aggressive targets for adopting renewable energy while at the same time pointing the finger of blame at richer nations for causing global warming.

Indian officials coordinating climate policy have met with their U.S. and Chinese counterparts in recent weeks to discuss the December talks in Paris, and India has said it will make a pledge in the near future for how it will act under the deal that is due to emerge. It isn’t clear whether India will commit to a date to start rolling backgreenhouse gas emissions, and U.S. officials have said they don’t expect such a pledge from India this year.

“India doesn’t take responsibility for the problems that the world is facing because ofthermal coal,” Goyal said in the interview in New Delhi Sept. 8. “Our pollution out of carbon emissions is still very, very low compared to the world.”

PRECISION SCREENS FOR SOLAR CELL PRINTING

Fourth-Largest Emitter

India is the fourth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, behind China, the U.S. and the European Union. India emitted about 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2014, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. That is about one quarter the amount of China and one third the amount of the U.S.

India said in August that its national proposal to the Paris talks will cover mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology. So far, almost 50 countries constituting more than half the world’s emissions have submitted their plans -- formally known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs.

The government of India is likely to present its proposals by Sept. 27, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change said Sept. 15 in Brussels.

India’s climate change plan may see a bigger renewable target for 2030 than the current goal of 175-gigawatt capacity to be built over the next seven years, Goyal said. The country needs cheap power to aid development, he said.

He will add large hydro-power projects to expand the renewable target, he said.

Hydropower, LEDs

"I want to reignite the interest in hydro-electric investments," he said. India intends to almost quintuple its clean energy installations to 175 gigawatts by 2022 with wind, solar, biomass and small hydro projects.

India allowed development of offshore wind projects up to 200 nautical miles into the surrounding seas earlier this month to help achieve its climate-change goals.

As part of the government’s energy-efficiency program, Goyal aims to save 100 billion kilowatt-hour units of power consumption annually by eliminating less efficient incandescent and CFL bulbs over the next three years.

“Our target is to do 770 million LED bulbs in the country, eliminating the CFLs and the incandescents in three years," he said.

Reaching for the sun: India’s thrust for renewable energy

Original Post: Gurjit Singh, Jakarta | Opinion

Among the various initiatives launched by the government of Prime Minister Modi in India is the thrust on renewable energy particularly solar energy. 

The initiatives for Smart Cities, Skills Development, Clean Ganga, Digital India and others are also linked to the Renewable Energy Mission to be integrated since low carbon emission is part of the plans for India’s further development.

In June it was decided to enhance renewable generation to 175 GW, of which solar power generation will increase to 100 GW in seven years. This would be about a third of India’s total power generation capacity. 

This target of 100 GW of solar energy is based on the assessment that in several zones of the country sunshine is available for about 260 days annually. There is no doubt this will require a massive investment of Rs. 600,000 crores (US$90 billion) particularly since the current production is about 4,000 MW.  

What is interesting is that much of this expansion is going to be off grid through stand-alone mechanisms with the solar rooftop arrangements contributing nearly 40,000 MW.  

As per targets established by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, ground mounted installations, which can be grid connected, will increase to 57,000 MW by 2022. 

 Rooftop solar installations are expected to leap from 2,000 MW in 2015 to a production of 40,000 MW by 2022. Analysis by the Solar Energy Cooperation of India and the Institute for Energy, Economy and Finance believes that the seven-year program for rapid increase in installation is feasible.

The Indian Railways, one of the largest corporations, is also joining this effort and experimenting with solar powered locomotives and stations by using large tracts of land that the Railways own. They hope to alter the energy mix by shifting to solar energy in a big way. 

The Delhi Metro is expected to go completely solar and have surplus to provide to the central network in this period. Cochin International Airport in Kerala has become the first airport in the world to be entirely operating on solar power, an example to be followed by others.

SOLAR MODULE MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT

As many as 27 solar cities have been earmarked to undertake efforts to reduce conventional energy and showing a greater utilization of renewable energy. In these cities rooftop solar installations will play a major role. At least 13 states in India have already established policies regarding rooftop solar installations.

One of the major challenges in solar energy generation is the use of land particularly to avoid use of arable or functional land.  In India the main focus has been on degraded land and rooftop utilization. 

Another important area is financing. The price of solar powered generation equipment has fallen by 75 percent in the last decade. Large scale plants today can bring solar generation to an affordable price reducing the requirement of subsidies. In India investment schemes encourage foreign companies to also invest in solar parks. 

Of the 300 proposals for setting solar power generation projects, there are several international companies who are likely to meet about 20 percent of the proposed generation. Fiscal incentives including issue of tax free bonds, which proved successful for other infrastructure projects, are on the anvil. 

Commercial banks have earmarked up to Rs. 15 crores ($2 million) for lend to this priority sector. Solar plants on top of roofs can avail of the tax incentivized home loan system of commercial banks. A recent bid for a 648 MW plant in Tamil Nadu anticipates an investment of $750 million at a bid rate of US 11 cent/kwh for 25 years

India is ready to share its experience and initiative with Indonesia as both countries need energy initiatives particularly renewable energy. 

An interesting experiment has been started by the Embassy of India which provided “scholarships” to eight rural women from the regencies of Sikka and NTS in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). 

These rural women participated in a 6-month program at the Barefoot College in Tilonia in India and returned as confident solar engineers. They returned to their villages and were provided equipment and support by the Wadah Foundation and its associates.  

In early July I had the privilege of switching on solar lights in the village of Pomat and Wolo Mude in Sikka and Kommunitas Koa in NTS in the presence of the regents and other community leaders. These women solar engineers have become community facilitators and enthused the community to build their workshops which are funded by the Wadah Foundation. They stock their equipment and spare parts as well as charging stations and have installed solar panels on the rooftop of every participating household.  

Each house there now has lights at night and the workshop has become a community centre where people can meet at night and hold classes, meetings etc. Portable solar lanterns are also provided and each participant contributed Rp 30,000 ($2.1) to the workshop for providing maintenance services. In most of these villages there was no electricity at all and it was a moment of joy to the people of these villages.

In the fishing village of Wuring Lembah which had electricity, solar lanterns have been provided to all the fishermen who have replaced their expensive kerosene lanterns. 

Earlier they used to spend Rp 60,000 for kerosene lanterns but now they contribute Rp 30,000 each to the workshop for maintenance. This project has shown the validity of solar power in remote villages and has also served to empower women.  

Now that this cooperation is in place, cooperation for large size power plants can be undertaken to tap solar energy and reduce both cost and application of fossil fuels.

Global solar photovoltaic manufacturing production slows in recent years

The US Energy Information Administration’s new ‘Today in Energy’ brief looks at the slowdown in the growth rate of global solar panel production:

Global solar photovoltaic manufacturing production is slowing. 

The brief shows that growth in solar photovoltaic (solar PV) module production has slowed in recent years to 4% annually from 2011 to 2013 after increasing by an average of 78% from 2006 to 2011. In addition, the gap between global solar PV module manufacturing capability and production has grown, leading to lower utilisation rates of manufacturing facilities.

The utilisation rates of solar PV module manufacturing facilities (in terms of actual production as a percentage of maximum throughput) peaked in 2011, when production was 36.6 gigawatts (GW) and capability was 52 GW, giving a utilisation rate of 70%. In 2013, although production and capability increased slightly, the utilisation rate of manufacturing facilities declined to 66%.

Unfair trade practices

Sales of solar PV panels made in China into North American and European markets at extremely low prices have led to complaints of unfair trade practices. Based on an investigation that found Chinese solar PV modules were being dumped or subsidised in the US market, the US Department of Commerce established anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on PV modules from China. In Europe, the European Commission and the major Chinese manufacturers reached an agreement on minimum prices and shipping volume.

The market is reacting to the slow growth of module production and the decreased utilization of PV manufacturing capability by downsizing and consolidating PV manufacturing companies. For example, Germany reported to the International Energy Agency that there were a total of 11,000 employees working in 40 PV companies operating in Germany at the end of 2013, compared with 32,000 employees in 62 companies at the end of 2008. 

Similar trends were reported in China, with Chinese PV module and cell manufacturers decreasing from 300 companies to fewer than 100 companies.

China the biggest maker

Despite the consolidation of Chinese manufacturing companies, China continues to be the largest producer of solar PV modules, manufacturing 23 GW in 2012 and 26 GW in 2013, or more than 60% of annual global PV module production in those years, mainly to serve export markets. China ranks just ahead of the US as the sixth-largest installer of solar photovoltaics. However, China has announced a goal of installing 100 GW by 2020, almost as much as the 2020 targets of Germany, Italy, and Japan combined.

Future demand for solar PV will be affected by major countries' goals for installed solar capacity. More than 50 countries have established national solar targets, amounting to more than 350 GW by the year 2020. 

The current top six countries in terms of total installed solar capacity—Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, France, and China - represented 76% of installed capacity in 2012, but only 61% of the global target total for 2020. 

Reaching 350 GW by 2020 would require average annual installments of 40 GW from 2013 through 2020, which is equivalent to manufacturing production in 2013 and well within current PV manufacturing capability of 60 GW per year.

In some cases, national targets are not indicative of a country's future solar PV market. For example, the US doesn’t have a national target. Instead, several individual states have established renewable portfolio standards, some with separate targets explicitly for solar.  Furthermore, countries tend to adjust their targets. For instance, India recently increased its solar target from 20 GW to 100 GW by 2022.

And although the UK has not officially reduced any solar PV commitments, the Government is causing grave concern by rowing back on a number of subsidies to various renewable energy forms, including both large scale and domestic solar PV. 

Original Post: Eia