Page 11 - Solar Energy

Land set aside for India's first solar expressway in Uttar Pradesh

The solar project will cater to the energy needs of the houses along the expressway and serve as a foundation for e-mobility and local socioeconomic development

Current solar cycle intensity's peak in 2024, may impact Earth's satellites

The current ongoing solar cycle is likely to peak its intensity in 2024 and can potentially impact Earth's space weather, according to researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata. It is known that roughly every 11 years, the intensity of solar activity reaches its peak, which manifests as violent disturbances in space weather such as solar magnetic storms or coronal mass ejections, impacting Earth's satellites and telecommunications. "During intense solar storms, the Earth's upper atmosphere expands outwards, thereby introducing friction on the low-Earth satellites. The friction can lead to a decay in the satellites' orbits and reduce their lifetime. Thus, they are able to live in space for a much shorter time than they were originally supposed to," Dibyendu Nandy, the study's corresponding author and Professor of Physics and Head, Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India, IISER, Kolkata, told PTI. The researchers also said that the mos

SJVN inks pact with Solar Energy Corporation to supply 200 mw wind power

State-owned power producer SJVN Ltd on Thursday said it has signed a pact with Solar Energy Corporation of India to supply 200 MW of wind power. The power producer has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 200 MW grid-connected wind power project with Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI), SJVN Chairman & Managing Director Nand Lal Sharma said in a statement. Sharma informed that SJVN Green Energy Ltd (SGEL) -- its wholly-owned subsidiary -- had participated in the tariff-based competitive bidding process conducted by SECI for the selection of wind power developers for setting up 1,200 MW grid-connected wind power projects anywhere in India. SGEL bagged 200 mw at a tariff of Rs 3.24 per unit on a build-own and operate (BOO) basis in an open competitive tariff bidding process. He further said the 200 MW wind project will be developed by SGEL anywhere in India through an EPC contract. With the allotment of this project, the wind portfolio of SJVN now stands at 497.6 .

Rooftop solar potential could be critical to energy transition in India

Over 25 crore households across India have the potential to deploy 637 GW of solar energy capacity on rooftops, according to a new independent report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) released on Thursday. The CEEW report said that deploying just one-third of this total solar technical potential could support the entire electricity demand of India's residential sector (about 310 TWh). However, the technical potential reduces to one-fifth (118 GW) after factoring in the current electricity consumption of households. "Most residential consumers fall into low-consumption slabs and solar may not be economically feasible for them without financial support even though it is technically possible. "The potential reduces further to 11 GW when no capital subsidy is considered, the payback period for rooftop solar is restricted to five years and we factor in consumers' willingness to buy rooftop solar," the report said. Currently, India has installed 11 GW of rooftop sol

Asian economies must ramp up wind and solar power: Report on global warming

To meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), nine major Asian economies must increase the share of electricity they get from renewable energy from the current 6% to at least 50% by 2030, according to a report by a German thinktank released Wednesday. Nearly a third of that renewable energy should come from wind and solar power, said the report by researchers of Berlin-based Agora Energiewende. A fifth would be hydropower and other clean sources and the remainder, fossil fuels. The study analysed energy plans of both developing nations like Indonesia and Vietnam, where demand for energy is growing rapidly, and wealthier places like Japan and South Korea, which have among the highest burdens of per capita greenhouse gas emissions. It did not include China, the world's biggest emitter of carbon, or India, another major contributor. A global temperature increase of 1.5C (2.7F) since pre-industrial times is considered a critical climate ...

Global solar projects set to win more than $380 bn investment this year

Investment is increasing in the global solar energy projects, and is expected to be more than USD 380 billion this year, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Director General Dr Ajay Mathur has said. Mathur made these remarks on Monday on the sidelines of the Singapore International Energy Week. The good thing is that investment flow is increasing. It was about USD 310 billion for the whole of last year, and USD 235 billion investment has come in during the first half of this year, Dr Mathur told PTI. We expect it to be more than $380 billion this year. Elaborating on ISA work, he said, Our goal is that in every member country, we make solar the energy of choice. ISA will have 120 member countries by the end of this year, up from 116 currently. The challenge is to get investments for small solar plants to reach out to the remote regions as approximately 74 per cent of the investment so far has gone to large-scale projects in the OECD and China, Dr Mathur informed. All of Africa

Star rating programme for solar PV modules to help consumers: R K Singh

Like home appliances, consumers will soon be able to choose solar panels with higher efficiency under the government's star rating programme for solar photovoltaic module, which was launched on Friday. Union Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy R K Singh launched the initiative which provides ratings from 1-5 stars on the basis of the efficiency of modules. In his address, Singh said that now consumers can make an informed decision. The ratings will help consumers choose the best of the panels while getting solar installations from vendors. "Like the appliances where there is star ratings you know which appliance is better in terms of energy efficiency. Similarly, now the consumer will not be at the mercy of the seller for solar installations. By checking the star ratings one can select the more efficient panels," the minister said. This will also help build consumer confidence and give a push to solar installations in the country, he added. The programme is voluntary for

'Industrial coup': How China grabbed pole as the world kept napping

Was it happenstance, or reflective of an already acquired manufacturing might, or strategic foresight, or that the West was caught napping? The full story is that it is all of these, writes T N Ninan

RSOLEC to invest $300 million into solar manufacturing venture in India

Renaissance Solar and Electronic Materials on Tuesday announced its solar manufacturing venture and a plan of USD 300 million investment in India. "Renaissance Solar and Electronic Materials (RSOLEC), an innovative solar enterprise with operations in India and the USA, today announced its official launch and establishment, accompanied by a significant planned investment of about USD 300 million," a company statement said. With global reach and expertise in differentiated solar and electronic materials manufacturing, RSOLEC is set to revolutionise the industry with a strategic focus on Solar Crystal Growth and Wafering, it stated. The launch of RSOLEC aligns with India's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" mission, showcasing the country's capabilities in the state-of-the-art solar value chain. The company's primary focus for the next five years will be on crystal growth and wafering in India, contributing significantly to the country's strategic solar manufacturing capacity, it stated. Over the

Solar and wind set to power two-thirds of India's growth by 2032: Analysis

Solar and wind energy are poised to drive two-thirds of India's power generation growth by 2032 if the nation successfully attains its renewable energy targets, according to a new analysis conducted by the global energy think tank Ember. Solar power in India has evolved significantly since 2017 when it accounted for only 1 per cent of the country's power mix. Should India meet its solar targets outlined in the 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14), its share is expected to surge from 5 per cent to 25 per cent during the financial year 2022-2032, marking a period of rapid expansion. This suggests that India's power generation growth, which was predominantly coal-driven over the past decade, could shift toward solar and wind sources in the next ten years, provided that India stays on course to achieve its NEP14 objectives, as per Ember's analysis. Meanwhile, as India's adoption of solar energy broadens, there is an increasing demand for significantly greater storage capacity to manag

Adani plans to build 10 GW integrated solar manufacturing capacity by 2027

Billionaire Gautam Adani's group is planning to build 10 GW of integrated solar manufacturing capacity by 2027, as it looks to capture energy transition business, sources close to the company said. Adani Group currently has a solar manufacturing capacity of 4 GW. Adani Solar has a confirmed order book of over 3,000 MW in exports that are to be serviced over the next 15 months, they said, adding Adani, recently, raised USD 394 million for solar manufacturing from Barclays PLC and Deutsche Banks AG through a trade finance facility. While India scaled up its solar energy generation from 2.63 GW in March 2014 to 71.10 GW in July 2023, the manufacturing ecosystem did not match the pace. To change, the government adopted a two-pronged strategy - used trade and non-trade barriers, such as safeguard duty, an approved list of module manufacturers (ALMM), and a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. This gave Indian solar manufacturing the necessary impetus to encourage private players l

Cement cos' green power mix likely to rise to 42% by FY25: Report

Cement companies' green power mix is likely to jump to 40-42 per cent by FY25 from 35 per cent in FY23, which will lead to savings of 140-160 basis points by way of lower energy cost, a report said on Monday. Major cement players are looking at reducing their emissions by 15-17 per cent over the next 8-10 years by increasing the share of blended cement, which uses less clinker and, consequently, less fuel, Icra Ratings said in the report. This, in turn, will help increase the share of green power intake through a mix of solar, Wind and Waste Heat Recovery System (WHRS) capacities, as per the report. There is also a move to shift to alternate fuels, the report said. The rating agency estimates that the share of green power will account for 40-42 per cent of the total power mix for cement companies by March 2025 from around 35 per cent in March 2023. According to Anupama Reddy, vice-president at the agency, capital outlay towards green power investments by major cement makers for th

UK firm secures lucrative order to supply Indian solar facility in Gujarat

A small cleantech firm in south-east England has secured a GBP 4 million order to supply its technology to a projected 2.0-gigawatt solar facility in Mundra, Gujarat, according to a top company official. Gas Recovery and Recycle Limited (GR2L), an MSME (micro small and medium enterprise) business in Surrey, claims to have developed, patented and exported cutting-edge technology to reduce the energy consumption, carbon footprint and cost of manufacturing solar panels. It was backed by UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK government's export credit agency, with a GBP 475,000 guarantee issued under its Bond Support Scheme that helped secure the Indian order. Building on our existing export successes, support from Lloyds Banks and UKEF helped us to secure this latest growth opportunity and further develop our established international presence. I look forward to commissioning our machinery by the end of 2023, said Rob Grant, CEO and founder of GR2L. With production of brand-new argon creati

Centre slashes solar imports from China as domestic manufacturing thrives

In a departure from global trends, India has recorded a substantial 76 per cent drop in solar module imports from China during the first half of 2023 which reflects New Delhi's resolute shift towards self-sufficiency in solar manufacturing, a new report said on Thursday. Year-on-year, India's solar module imports from China plummeted from 9.8 GW in the first half of 2022 to a mere 2.3 GW during the corresponding period in 2023, the report by global energy think tank Ember said. This strategic shift, coupled with the imposition of tariffs, underscores India's determination to minimise dependency on imports and prioritise the development of its domestic manufacturing capacity. Neshwin Rodrigues, an India Electricity Policy Analyst at Ember, said, "India's dependence on China for solar module imports is well and truly reducing post-2022. Domestic manufacturing is gaining momentum, thanks to recent policy interventions." "As India edges closer to self-sufficiency in solar manufacturing

Open access solar capacity addition falls 3.6% to 712 MW in Apr-Jun: Report

The country recorded a 3.6 per cent decline in new installations of open access solar capacity to 712 megawatt (MW) in the June quarter, according to a report by Mercom India. India had added 739 MW of open access solar capacities in the year-ago period, the research firm said in its 'Q2 2023 Solar Open Access Market Report'. However, on a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis, the capacity addition was 24 per cent higher than the 577 MW in the January-March quarter, the report said. Open access enables consumers with more than 100 kW sanctioned load to buy cheaper power from the open market. In the January-June period, India added 1.3 GW of open access solar capacity, down almost 18 per cent compared to 1.6 GW installed in the year-ago period. "In the period under review, the green energy open access regulation has been a major enabler for increased solar capacity addition under open access, even though lack of uniform rules in states was a challenge. "Hybrid power projects with a ..

TPREL to set up 12 MW on-site solar project for Tata Motors in Maharashtra

Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL) will set up a 12 megawatt (MW) on-site solar project at Tata Motors' commercial vehicle manufacturing facility in Maharashtra. In a statement, TPREL said it has already signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tata Motors in this regard. "Tata Motors and Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) have entered into a PPA to develop a new 12MWp on-site solar project at Tata Motors' commercial vehicle manufacturing facility in Pune," the statement said. The project will generate 17.5 million units of electricity per annum mitigating over 12,400 tonnes of Co2 per annum. "Signing of 12MWp PPA with Tata Motors underlines our critical step forward on the shared goals for a sustainable future. We are committed to support the energy transition of our C&I consumers through a bouquet of our clean energy solutions," said Ashish Khanna, CEO, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd. The latest order follows a 28.12-megawatt green energy plant for Sanyo ...

Solar installations see 3.2% growth at 872 MW in January-June: Mercom

Rooftop solar installations in the country grew by 3.2 per cent to 872 megawatt (MW) during January-June period of 2023, Mercom India said. In H1 or first half of 2022, 845 MW of rooftop solar capacities were installed in India, the research firm said. India's cumulative rooftop solar capacity reached 9.6 gigawatts (GW) at the end June 2023, the 'Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report' said. In the second quarter, 387 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar capacity was added, which is 20 per cent higher compared to January-March 2023, and marginally down by 0.5 per cent over April-June 2022. "Rooftop solar did not meet expectations in H1, even with falling component prices and growing demand. We see a much stronger second half as installers holding out for better margins start ramping up installations and meeting demand at a much quicker pace" said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. The capacity additions by residential consumers accounted for 54 per cent, industrial consumers 25

India sees record demand for rooftop solar as companies seek clean energy

Companies are on pace to install 4 gigawatts of panels on top of buildings in this financial year ending March 31, nearly doubling the previous record

PM Modi hails Indian Railways' increase in harnessing of solar power

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the Indian Railways' increase in harnessing of solar power, saying it shows commendable progress in the commitment towards a greener future. Modi tagged a post on 'X' by the Ministry of Railways in which it said, "Marching towards #MissionNetZero Carbon Emission by harnessing Solar Power. Capacity increased 54x in the last 9 years. Solar power capacity commissioned:- Till March 2014: 3.68 MW. 2014-23: 200.31 MW." Modi said, "Shows commendable progress in our commitment towards a greener future. In just nine years, we have enhanced our capacity significantly, taking significant strides towards Mission Net Zero Carbon Emission." "Let us continue this journey, ensuring a brighter and sustainable tomorrow for India," the prime minister said.

Tata Power arm to set up 4.4 MW solar energy project for ANANG Group

Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) on Tuesday said it has signed an agreement with automotive components maker ANAND Group to set up a captive 4.4 MW solar project. In a statement, the Tata Power arm said it will facilitate the generation of 10 million units of clean energy and eliminate 5,500 tonnes of carbon emissions annually as part of the agreement. TPREL has signed a power delivery agreement (PDA) for 4.4 MW AC with the ANAND Group, it said. "This group captive project highlights our commitment to support the automotive industry in becoming more sustainable and environmentally focussed," Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited CEO Ashish Khanna said. Previously, Tata Power and the ANAND Group collaborated for a 10.1-MW Solar PV park power project, located in Maharashtra. TPREL's total renewables capacity is at 7,787 MW including 3,655 MW projects under various stages of implementation. It has an operational capacity of 4,132 MW, which includes 3,139 MW solar and 993 MW