ReGen Powertech targets wind power producers with hybrid solution

Wind turbine maker ReGen Powertech is looking at captive wind power users as well as other segments for its wind-solar power hybrid solution, said a senior official on Saturday.

"We are focussing on all the market segments - captive users as well as independent power producers. While there is immense interest in the solution, the market is awaiting for a government policy on the hybrid renewable power project," Archit Khemka, head-solar business, told IANS.

He said the company is talking with the state and the central government to come out with a policy framework and the tariff for hybrid power models.

Khemka said as the solar power plant can be connected to an existing windmill/farm there is a question mark on what would happen to the existing power purchase agreement signed by a windmill owner with the state power utility.

"These things need to be clarified by a proper policy framework," he added.

ReGen has set up a 200 kw solar power project connecting it to to its own 1.5 MW wind turbine located near Coimbatore, some 500 km from here.

Both the projects share common infrastructure while power is generated separately thereby bringing down the overall capex.

With the sharing of infrastructure and major equipment like inverters between wind and solar power plants, the overall cost of a hybrid project is lower by around 15 percent as compared to stand alone wind and solar projects.

Khemka said wind and solar power complement each other. While wind power generation peaks at night, solar power generation peaks during the day.

The solar power capacity linked to ReGen's 1.5 MW windmill can go up to 750 kw.

The plant load factor of a hybrid power project is around 37 percent while that of wind turbine alone is around 28 percent. The power generation efficiency is higher in the case of a hybrid project, officials had earlier told IANS.