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Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)'s corporate R&D division is planning to step up its ongoing efforts in the renewable energy sector, including development of a hybrid system that integrates wind, solar and biomass-based power generation.
"We are looking for partners to develop this hybrid system as people who are entering the wind energy sector are also looking to create solar and bio-mass capacity in a single project," S Sekar, general manager of BHEL corporate R&D division said on Tuesday.
Besides the wind-mill generators, BHEL is also producing mono crystalline panels for solar power projects at its Bangalore facility while the R&D division is working on several new projects aimed at improving the product capabilities. These also include the development of a new material based on nano-technology for use in solar cells.
Solar power projects built by BHEL come with rich engineering capabilities, he said. "Even compared with cheaper imports from China, our products stand competitive in the overall sense as it involves several other components, not just the solar panels alone," Sekar said in response to a question on the project costs. NTPC had recently awarded the establishment of a 20Mw solar power project to BHEL, according to him.
The company has executed orders worth about Rs 35,000 crore related to projects of up to 10,000 Mw in conventional power generation. The corporate R&D division is also working on improving the technology and designs of these projects.
During 2012-13, the company's overall R&D spend stood at Rs 1,248 crore and the turnover from in-house developed products and services stood at Rs 9,643 crore. The R&D division filed 385 intellectual properties (IPs) comprising patents and copyrights, highest in a year, according to Sekar.
