Future with solar power in Andhra Pradesh

Wednesday, May 22, 2013: The government of Andhra Pradesh has planned to invest 20 per cent of the total subsidy along with 30 per cent of the subsidy of union government of India to encourage solar units in the state. The common household will get the facility to sell extra power from the sun at a pool cost.

Reportedly, AP state government along with industry and trade bodies, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry has plans to conduct a solar exhibition. The aim of the solar exhibition is to highlight the advantages of solar energy and its uses in several industries and in general public. Business entrepreneurs will be discussing on the benefits of such solar power strategies during the exhibition.

The principal secretary of the state, M Sahoo has made the statement that the accent is inclined on harnessing solar powers by encouraging industries and other entities set up solar power plants. It will not only increase the captive consumption through the set up of solar plants but also improve the state of the third party sale inside the state. Bids for the procurement of around 100MW of the solar power have been invited by the AP Transco. In return, AP Transco received 1730MW. Having the benefits of a captive power plant system, the AP Transco has given a green signal to the connectivity for around 779MW of the solar power associated with the several industries.

First solar to expand its business in India

Thursday, May 23, 2013: India might be a country struggling with an endemic crisis in its power sector but rich demographics mixed with the strength of its burgeoning middle class has meant that it is a delectable option for solar companies looking makes their fortunes.

One such company is First Solar. An equipment maker, based in US, the company has announced its plans to make India a focus of its business, and is supposed to be scouting for partnership possibilities to expand its horizons in the country.

“India is a growing and is a big market (for solar power) in the long time to come,” says James A Hughes, CEO, First Solar. “Besides India, other markets that are lucrative right now include the United States and China,” he says. First Solar already has some presence in India and was an equipment supplier for over 360 megawatt installed solar energy capacity. “The cost of electricity in these markets (emerging) tends to be high relative to rest of the world. We think solar (energy) is very appropriate for markets and economies where much of the energy is imported, which again fits India. These characteristics make emerging markets, India in particular, attractive,” Hughes says. At present, First Solar has captured about 20 per cent of the relevant Indian solar power market.

The primary challenge according to Hughes with the solar energy offtake will be the fact that there is still a paucity of funds in the sector. “The single largest challenge in the Indian market is availability of capital, particularly debt capital. Our focus is to have broad financial relationships as possible,” he says.

Nevertheless, his company, he says is looking at the creation of an industry that allows open access contracts. Some of the new age technology that they are eyeing include industrial roof-top diesel replacement, and the off grid energy access.

Solar energy corp plans to invite proposals for four pilot projects

Sunday, May 26, 2013: Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is planning to invite proposals for four pilot solar thermal power projects in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. The projects require an investment of around Rs 2,555 crore. The newly formed company has sanctioned the viability gap funding (VGF) of Rs 1,020 crore and is likely to select the bidders, who will seek the least amount of funding.

SECI is likely to invite international competitive bidding in a year’s time and target a tariff of Rs 5.83 per kWhr that will remain fixed for a 25-years duration.

The new projects will be of different technologies and based on SECI’s directive to boost the development of technology in the selection regions. While Gujarat project will seek to work at higher operating temperatures, the Rajasthan project will experiment with a hybrid cooling system. The remaining two plants will aim at developing technologies for extended hours of heat storage.

Unlike Solar PV, solar thermal focuses sunlight over a point or a channel having a special oil, which makes it hot. This heat is utilized to generate steam that turns the turbines. Solar PV, on the other hand, generates power when sunlight comes in contact with the panels. Solar thermal projects have been facing a tough competition from solar PV projects, as the cost of PV panels has reduced drastically over the past few years.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has awarded seven solar thermal projects of total capacity of 500 MW through a competitive bidding. These projects must have completed by this month, but they are nowhere near completion.

There is an opportunity in over supply of PV modules

A vast excess of capacity and consequent over-supply has forced manufacturers to cut prices of their modules. India, however, continues to sleep as the opportunity to promote the use of much-needed solar energy at cheaper prices, passes us by

Despite the fact that most leading photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers have been operating at a loss, established capacity globally was expected to grow at 22 per cent in 2012 and a further 18 per cent in 2013!

The average industry-wide PV module prices for PV applications were forecast to drop 52 per cent in 2012, while the idle capacity was expected to decline just 14 per cent from a huge 77 per cent in 2011 to 63 per cent in 2012.

The last thing the PV industry needs right now is more capacity. Strangely, some global (Chinese) producers are adding capacity with the hope of lowering their costs through economies of scale. Some are improving capacity productivity, while others are upgrading manufacturing technology, such as adopting hydro-chlorination, to reduce power consumption and increase scale.

Total polysilicon wafer capacity is estimated to exceed 385,000 tonnes in 2012. Seventy per cent of it is used by a small number of top producers. Thus, they alone can satisfy all polysilicon demand

What is more important for India?

The solar panel glut in China has forced its manufacturers to slash the prices of their PV modules. In this situation, should we be protecting our weak PV module industry or focus on expanding the use of much-needed solar energy by promoting ‘distributed’ town-level plants and roof-top off-grid solar plants—making use of cheaper high-quality PV modules from large Chinese producers at throwaway prices? What makes greater sense?

There is a chance to scrap subsidies and plug the associated loopholes. At 50 US cents a watt or lower, the cost of solar power today is below Rs 6 per kWh based on depreciating investment over 15 years. With that, India can scrap the subsidies.

Chinese gloom, but India could be smiling

Unless there’s an unexpected dramatic increase in polysilicon requirements, many of the 57 tier II and tier III producers globally are likely to exit the industry within the next 18 months. Indeed, even a few of the less-experienced tier I makers may not survive over the next couple of years.

Average polysilicon prices are forecast to start to stabilise in 2013 at around US$ 21/kg, as the remaining players rationalise utilisation rates in line with end market requirements while ensuring that selling prices remain above their cash costs, which is indeed below 50 US cents!

States’ Solar  Power Targets
State	Target	Year
Rajasthan	10,000 MW	2023
Tamil Nadu	3000 MW	2015
Andhra Pradesh	1000 MW	2017
Chhattisgarh	1000 MW	2017
Gujarat	500 MW	2014
Karnataka	200 MW	2016
Uttar Pradesh*	500 MW	2017
*Draft policy; Source: Reconnect

Scientists Stop Photosynthesis To Generate Solar Power

They interrupted the process before plant converts electrons into sugars and generated electricity from them.

Plants are believed to make optimum use of solar energy by functioning at almost 100 percent efficiency level, which seems to have inspired many curious scientists since ages. The process of making food by plants is termed as Photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is a process in which the plants use sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which generates electrons. These electrons help plants to produce sugars or ‘food’ that help them live and reproduce. 

A team of scientists from the University of Georgia interrupted the process just before a plant converts electrons into sugars and succeeded in generating clean form of electricity from them. 

The process involves extracting 'thylakoids' (structures present in the plant cell) and altering the proteins which store solar energy. The next step involve scientists intercepting the electrons with the help of a scientifically designed carbon nanotube backing that pulls them away before they are used in generating ‘sugar’ or food for plants.

The team is led by Ramaraja Ramasamy, assistant professor in the UGA College of Engineering, who explained in his paper how he along with his team - UGA graduate student Jessica Calkins and postdoctoral research associate Yogeswaran Umasankar, manipulated biology for human advantage.

Though the study involves further research to use this technology in the market, the developments can play a significant role in enhancing the functions of solar panels, remote sensors and similar electronic equipment. “Clean energy is the need of the century. This approach may one day transform our ability to generate cleaner power from sunlight using plant-based systems,” says Ramasamy.

The developments can help us get rid of noisy generators, turbines, or coal-fire stations while using green energy produced from natural resources.