EQ Magazine December 2020 Edition by EQ Int'l Solar Media Group

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INDIA DHARMENDRA PRADHAN INVITES GLOBAL INVESTORS TO BE PART OF INDIA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY JOURNEY

EV & ESS 3,000 IOT-ENABLED SMART CHARGING STATIONS TO BE INSTALLED ACROSS 5 CITIES FOR ELECTRIC TWO WHEELERS

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DECEMBER- 2020

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

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CLEANSPARK ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH SOLAR AND STORAGE DEVELOPER SYMMETRIC ENERGY

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AUSTRALIA’S FORTESCUE PLANS GLOBAL GREEN ENERGY DRIVE

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INTERVIEW Ms. SUNNY XU CEO, Kehua Tech India

66 OPINION POWER DEMAND GROWTH TO STABILISE AT 6%, SAYS JSW ENERGY’S PRASHANT JAIN

ELECTRIC VEHICLE TATA MOTORS BEGINS ‘GO GREEN’ INITIATIVE: TO PLANT A TREE FOR EVERY VEHICLE SOLD & SERVICED

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TESLA CEO SAYS ELECTRIC CARS WILL DOUBLE GLOBAL ELECTRICITY DEMAND

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10700 MW SOLAR POWER PROJECTS TO BE INSTALLED IN UP BY 2022, SAYS CM YOGI ADITYANATH Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that 10700 Mega Watts (MW) solar power projects will be installed in Uttar Pradesh by 2022. Adityanath was attending the Renewable Energy Investors Meet and Expo Invest 2020 (3rd Re-Invest) “The Chief Minister said that Uttar Pradesh is moving ahead with full commitment towards large scale unlimited solar power generation from renewable energy sources. The target is to set up 10700 MW solar power projects in the state by 2022. Efforts are on to achieve this target,” read the press statement in Hindi from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office. The press statement read, “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that our basic mantra is ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’. There should be investment in every part of the state. The projects that will be set up in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal areas, along with other facilities for those projects. the state government is working seriously for grid connectivity.” Adityanath in a tweet said, “I am confident that under the leadership of respected PM Shri Narendra Modi, the confidence with which the Ministry of Energy has organized the third Re-Invest Summit, it will surely achieve its goals. Undoubtedly, in the field of energy, our country will set a new milestone of self-reliance.” The press statement added, “The state government is determined to provide electricity to every household. Almost all the villages have been electrified by the Government of Uttar Pradesh and under the Saubhagya Scheme or Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, a target has been set to provide electricity to every household. In this scheme, solar energy also contributes greatly.”

On November 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 3rd virtual Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo (RE-Invest 2020) and expressed happiness that in the renewable energy sector, within a short time the progress from megawatts to gigawatts in generation capacity is becoming a reality. The summit is organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The theme for RE-Invest 2020 is ‘Innovations for Sustainable Energy Transition’, according to a press statement from the Prime Minister’s Office

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TELANGANA DRAFT DETAILED PLAN FOR INTEGRATION OF SMART GRID TECHNOLOGY The TelanganaState Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC) has drafted smart grid regulations to enhance the efficiency of its power generation, transmission, and distribution networks. The TSERC Smart Grid Regulations, 2020 aim to aid the integration of smart-grid technology to augment network visibility and access, enable optimal asset utilization, improve consumer service levels, and increase participation from transmission and distribution licensees across the electricity sector’s value chain. The Commission has invited comments and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft regulations. Responses must be submitted to the Commission on or before December 16, 2020.

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The TSERC said the smart grid process under its proposed regulations would include the formulation and implementation of smart grid programs, measuring their costeffectiveness, monitoring, and reporting on their progress. The regulations also hope to boost customer engagement and participation while also conducting training and capacity building programs. These regulations apply to all generating companies, transmission and distribution licensees, (including deemed distribution licensees, and those exempted from obtaining distribution licenses), and power consumers in the state of Telanganawho are connected to the state grid.

SMART GRID CELL The regulations stated that every transmission and distribution licensee would have to establish a smart grid cell within three months from the date of notification of these regulations. The smart grid cell will be responsible for conducting baseline studies, developing data, formulating smart grid programs, designing and developing smart grid projects, acquiring necessary approvals, and implementing programs. Transmission and distribution licensees are allowed to combine energy efficiency, demand-side management, and smart grid implementation within the same cell.

SMART GRID PLANS, PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS Transmission and distribution licensees will be required to submit an integrated multi-year smart grid plan for their respective areas along with a multi-year tariff petition and Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) petitions. All smart grid projects requiring investments over ₹200 million (~$2.7 million) must be submitted to the commission to approve investments. The Commission provided an indicative list of smart grid projects: 1. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) 2. Demand response 3. Micro-grids 4. Distribution supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or distribution management 5. Distributed generation 6. Peak load management 7. Outage management 8. Asset management

DECEMBER- 2020

9. Wide area measurement systems 10. Energy storage projects 11.Grid integration of renewables 12. Electric vehicle (EV) including grid-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-grid interactions 13. Smart grid data collection and analysis 14. Tariff mechanism including interruptible and dynamic tariffs, time of use, critical peak pricing, real-time pricing, among other things

The TSERC also allowed for the creation of a research and development (R&D) team to study smart grid projects in the aggregate revenue requirement (ARR) up to a limit equivalent to ₹0.01 (~$0.00014) per unit of sales of the distribution licensee. For transmission licensees and state load despatchcenters (SLDC), the limit will be 0.5% of the ARR that year. Transmission licensees and state load dispatch centers must maintain separate accounts for this fund and get the Commission’s approval before using them.

COST RECOVERY Transmission and distribution licensees are expected to identify net incremental costs associated with planning, designing, and implementing smart grid programs. Licensees are allowed to propose a methodology for recovering net incremental costs through tariffs or any other mechanism. To be eligible for cost recovery, each program must have been implemented as per the approved program plan and must have acquired prior approval.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION Smart grid programs must be monitored and evaluated based on the appropriate methodology, including key performance indicators (KPI) as decided by the Commission using suitable measurement and verification protocols identified for each program. Licensees are expected to submit an evaluation report to the Commission.

AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING Transmission and distribution licensees are expected to reserve 1% of the project cost of each smart grid project towards consumer awareness and capacity building. They must lay out a clear internal and external communications strategy that identifies project needs in their detailed project reports. Recently, the TSERCissuedan amendment to the net metering regulations for grid-connected rooftop solar systems. As per the amendment to clause 10.6 of the principal regulations, the number of electricity units exported by the eligible consumer should be measured in kWh only. Recently, Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation LimitedappointedEnzento provide artificial intelligence-driven smart grid solutions for renewable energy projects in Tamil Nadu. Enzen, in partnership with Smarter Grid Solutions, will provide real-time autonomous renewable energy generation control that will maximize the potential of wind and solar energy resources available in Tamil Nadu. Also, the Power Finance Corporation Limited hassigneda Memorandum of Association with the Indian Institute of Technology –Kanpur for training, research, and entrepreneurship development in smart grid technology. PFC had said that it would provide financial support worth ₹23.89 million (~319,891) to IIT-K from its corporate social responsibility initiative.

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INCREASING STORAGE AND DEMOCRATIZING RE DEPLOYMENT WILL BE THE NEXT FRONTIER FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Speaking at the Valedictory Session of the 3rd Edition of the Renewable Energy Expo & Conference, RE-INVEST, 2020, Shri R K Singh, Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy and Skills said “This edition of the RE-INVEST has been a huge success despite COVID19 pandemic. India has continued to innovate in Renewable Energy deployment by increasing capacities and adopting practical solutions, newer technologies and market mechanisms. Our adoption of floating solar, wind-solar hybrid contracts, peaking power, and venture into Round-the-Clock (RTC) procurement contracts are indications of such innovation. Many States of India have also supported by putting in place incentives for the increased deployment of RE. These steps will be collated and taken to the global investors.” Highlighting India’s drive to bring in more energy access with a target of 450 GW by 2030 and through reduction of prices and use of clean fuels, the Minister added, “Increasing efficiencies in Solar PV and wind modules is bringing down prices, enhancing affordability and accessibility of energy and supporting better standards of living.” As a policy, India will shift to ‘Green Ammonia’ from imported Ammonia, as well as add volumes in the usage of hydrogen.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan,Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, speaking at the Session highlighted India’s focus in developing a fast and integrated Renewable Energy Policy,“Apart from 450 GW RE capacity we will also focus on building an integrated cleangas-based economy. Driving the use of biofuels and emerging hydrogen and providing digital innovations in the RE space.” “Biofuels is not just a science, it is a mantra,” said the Minister as he elucidated how the formulation of a National Biofuels Policy has laid the path for blending fuels, ‘One Nation, One Gas Grid’ for city gas distribution, using LPG as a social change, and using biofuels in the aviation sector. His Ministry which is the national policymaker for fossil fuels is now focused on a gas-based economy in step with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s focus on a clean-energy nation.

DECEMBER- 2020

Mr Bento Albuquerque, Minister of Mines and Energy, Brazilspeaking at the august gathering said “Brazil & India are key partners in developing mechanisms for the use of ethanol. Our countries are energy powers & our association will have a positive impact on society and in the postpandemic world.The RE-INVEST is a great platform to discuss and debate with experts in the world of RE on the opportunities, issues and challenges of procuring energy from renewable sources.”

One Sun One World One Grid is also a strategy that India continues to push for at an international level. Shri UpendraTripathy, Director General, International Solar Alliance (ISA) emphasized India’s role in the world and the work that ISA continues to foster across the world. “At the COP26 next year, we plan to bring out a Glasgow charter not just for OSOWOG but also for World Solar Bank. ISA is happy to play a big role in building this together.” Shri Indus ShekharChaturvedi, Secretary, MNRE India said that 3rd RE-INVEST held virtually with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the industry partner, has helped to understand the depth and outcomes of the collective effort involving global stakeholders. Many great learning experiences, new ideas & facts that will drive the way forward for Renewable Energy in India and across the world. The 3rd Global RE-INVEST was inaugurated on 26thNovember, 2020 by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and joined by various dignitaries from India and across the world including Prime Minister of Israel, Energy Minister from UK etc. More than 41 Sessions were organised during the event leading to deliberations on various aspects of Renewable Energy.

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DHARMENDRA PRADHAN INVITES GLOBAL INVESTORS TO BE PART OF INDIA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY JOURNEY Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at 3rd Global Re-Invest 2020 invited foreign investors, developers to join India in its renewable energy journey.

I encourage global investors and innovators to join hands with Indian companies to develop innovative and scalable type ups in the solar sector. India is progressively becoming a favored destination for investment in renewable as in the last six years, over USD 64 billion investment has been made in renewable energy in India,” said Dharmendra Pradhan. “Foreign investors can either invest on their own or enter into joint ventures with an Indian partner for financial and technical collaboration for setting up of renewable energy-based power generation projects,”

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INDIA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH UNPARALLEL IN THE WORLD WITH CONTINUOUS SUPPORT FROM STATES : SAYS SHRI R.K.SINGH “India has done exemplary work in the space of renewable energy and running the largest energy access expansion plan. We have connected every household, connected whole country into one integrated grid and we are the only G20 nation which has been able to keep the temperatures within 2 degree by its actions” said Shri R.K.Singh, Minister, of Power, New and Renewable Energy and Skills, Government of India, while speaking at the Chief Ministers’ Plenary Session at the 3rd Global RE-INVEST on the virtual platform.“RE is becoming cheaper in India and I would like to congratulate all CMs for the great work but the work is just beginning and we will need to collaborate to achieve our targets. We need to continue working towards enhancing renewable energy in power production” added Shri Singh. Shri R K Singh also informed that India has attracted $ 64 Billion Foreign investment in Indian Renewable Industry in last 4 years. He added that India has emerged one of the most attractive investment destination in the world with all major Pension Funds have invested here.

Highlighting the achievements of the state of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister, said that Gujarat has been a pioneer in the space of renewable energy and in the last 3 years, the capacity of RE has increased considerably despite challenges. “We found solutions by involving people & appropriate partners and companies creating a win-win situation for RE”, said Shri Rupani. He further added that Gujarat has given subsidies to 55000 people to install solar panels and have a vision of achieving 5000 MW solar and bringing solar energy in agriculture. We are keen to take forward the Govt of India’s OSOWOG vision forward.

Echoing the thoughts, Shri Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister said “Rajasthan is the 2nd largest state in terms of investments in solar energy projects. When we started 20 years ago, cost of RE was Rs 16 and now it is Rs 2 per unit. This is sure to reduce further. It is our duty to work towards renewable energy and climate change”. He further added the incesntives that have been extended to the investors in terms of reduction in stamp duty, easy availability of land, 10 years’ electricity charge free, 90% subsidy is GST etc. Shri Gehlot added “Rajasthan has 125,000 acres of desert land across cities which have been utilised in Jodhpur and Bikaner for large mega scale solar projects”.

DECEMBER- 2020

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh said that India is an ideal country for renewable energy. “With Madhya Pradesh being a centrally located state, it has a lot of possibilities & can supply RE power to neighbouring states if needed. About 37k circuit transmission lines and service stations are being set up in the state”, he added. Madhya Pradesh is planning a 15,000 MW solar project, the cost of which is Rs 5000 crores. Besides starting work on power transmission, we have also started survey work for some other innovative RE projects, like floating solar etc. in the state. He announced that “Aatmanirbhar Madhya Pradesh’ plan is being developed and RE will play an important role”.

Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh said “Himachal Pradesh is a small state, but we are making all efforts to harness our RE potential. Our target is to achieve 24k MW of RE. So far, we produce 10K MW of Hydro Power and plan to double these numbers in the next decade”.

Speaking about the renewable energy potential of the newly formed Union territoty of Ladakh, Shri Radha Krishna Mathur, Lieutenant Governor, Ladakh said ‘Ladakh has been envisioned to become a carbon neutral Union Territory and renewable energy will play an important role in this regard. In the various assessments done Ladkah has a potential of 30GW of solar, 5GW of wind, 2GW of hydro and 300MW of geo thermal, as a beginning, a 10,000MW project in the first phase and to support it a strong transmission infrastructure is also being planned”.

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Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry in his remarks said that “it is important to concentrate on three main points: first how we can work as a country, across states and Centre, unifying our efforts to energise our people; second how we can do so in an affordable way which is also accessible to the million and billions of our countrymen and finally how India can lead with technology to leap frog the cycle and establish Itself as a global leader”. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 3rd REINVEST. The inaugural function was joined by several dignitaries from India and abroad. These included Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Government of UK, Mr. Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Denmark and several Chief Ministers and Lt. Governor of States and Union Territories. A video message was sent for the event by Mr. Mark Rutte Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

uring inaugural Prime Minister of India reminded the audience that the announcements by India in the past editions of RE-INVEST were becoming a reality. He spoke about the efforts to provide access to energy to all citizens of India. India’s RE capacity is 4th largest and is growing the fastest among all major economies of the world. By 2022 share of RE will expand to 220 GW. In the last six years we increased our installed RE capacity by two and half times and solar capacity by thirteen times. This is an outcome of commitment to fight climate change. India is among the very few countries whose achievement are 2 degree compliant. India’s approach is that of Access, Efficiency and Evolution. He spoke about the PM-KUSUM scheme in which solar power is being used to power irrigation pumps. In the next six years India wants to become a global manufacturing hub. He listed several reasons why investment should come into India. He announced that India will launch a comprehensive Hydrogen Energy Mission. He talked about dedicated Project Development Cells and Foreign Direct Investment Cells in each Ministry to facilitate investment into the country.

The Prime Minister of Israel appreciated the leadership of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, particularly in the area of Renewable Energy. He fondly recalled the visit of PM of India to Israel and his visit to India. He said that we need a world with less carbon and greener sources of energy. He further mentioned that Israel is a partner of India in this quest. He informed that coal consumption in Israel will reach zero by 2025. He said that the future belongs to those who innovate. Prime Minister of the Netherlands remarked that India is a key global player. He also said that the COVID pandemic provides and opportunity to build a greener world. He also invited India to the Global Climate Adoption Summit to be held in the Netherlands was keen to work with India. Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Government of UK and COP 26 said that countries, investors and business can drive a renewable energy revolution that will improve lives, create jobs and spur green growth. He further stated that India is at the heart of this revolution to create affordable renewables and a key partner for the UK and their COP 26 presidency in tackling climate change. Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Denmark emphasised the importance of the India-Denmark Green Strategic partnership. In this regard, he reminded the event of the words of Prime Minister of India that Denmark has the skills and India has the scale. The Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh speaking at the event highlighted India’s achievement in transforming the energy sector in the last five years which includes transition from energy deficient to a energy surplus country, having the largest expansion of electricity to connect every hamlet, village and providing electricity connection to twenty eight million households in eighteen months. He stressed that the rate of growth of renewable energy in India is one of the highest in the world. He thanked the Prime Minister of India for his inspiring leadership which had enabled these achievements.

IN A FIRST, UDHAM SINGH NAGAR TO GET SOLAR-POWER IRRIGATION SCHEMES

The Udham Singh Nagar district administration is all set to implement the integrated solar-based micro irrigation scheme across the district. Introducing the scheme, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) of the district, Himanshu Khurana, said that in the first phase, 13 such units will be introduced and in the next financial year, when budget from the Government of India is released, the scheme will be further expanded.

Talking to TOI, Khurana said, “Udham Singh Nagar is an agriculture-based district. However, the agricultural sector needs proper irrigation facilities and other amenities to reap proper benefits. The major constraint in this sector is farmers’ dependency on electric pumps for irrigation. To reduce this dependency, we have decided to introduce solar power water pumps in the district.” On a pilot basis, two such units have been developed, said CDO Khurana. “The cost of one unit will be around Rs 11 lakh with free yearly maintenance. These solar-powered pumps will be of 5KW capacity and can serve for more than twenty years at almost negligible running cost. The solar-based micro irrigation system would not only save electricity and water usage considerably but also prove to be economical for farmers,” he added.

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Khurana said that the administration will conduct drives to encourage farmers of the district for community irrigation, adding that the district administration would make available infrastructure in those areas which switch over to solar water pumps. “We hope to get a budget for this scheme in the next financial year under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme,” he further said.

DECEMBER- 2020

India

INDIA TO ACHIEVE 175 GW RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY BY 2022: AMITABH KANT

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said India is on course to achieve the target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.

“India is one of the top 5 renewable energy countries in the world by capacity. India is all set to reach a total of 175GW of renewable energy by 2022 and 450GW by 2030,” Kant tweeted.

Addressing a virtual event on solar energy, he said India is the only country among the G20 nations that is on track to meet its climate change mitigation commitments, made in 2015, under the Paris Agreement and has formulated forward-looking policies for energy efficiency measures.

SOLAR SHARES JUMP AS CONGRESS CONSIDERS EXTENDING TAX CREDITS JinkoSolar Holding Co., one of the world’s biggest publicly traded panel producers gained as much as 16%. Sunrun Inc., the biggest U.S. residential solar installer, rose as much as 7.7%. SunPower Corp. climbed as much as 12%.

ongress has debated several key bills addressing government funding and coronavirus relief. The tax package will likely include extensions for the production tax credit and the investment tax credit, which have long been major drivers for wind and solar in the U.S.

The prospect of a tax extenders package is supporting many of the clean tech stocks that are U.S.-centric, said Pavel Molchanov, an analyst with Raymond James. Fuel cell companies, which also benefit from tax credits, gained too, with FuelCell Energy Inc. climbing as much as 8.4%. Plug Power Inc. rose 5.8%.

The incentives have been extended multiple times with bipartisan support in past years and it appears “there is little resistance” to another extension, Katie Bays, an analyst with FiscalNote Markets, said in a research note

DECEMBER- 2020

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POWER CONSUMPTION GROWTH SLOWS TO 4.7 PC IN NOVEMBER India’s power consumption growth rate slowed to 4.7 per cent at 98.37 billion units (BU) in November this year amid the onset of early winters especially in the Northern part of the country. n November 2019, electricity According to the weather reports, Delhi recorded the coldest November in the consumption in the country was past 71 years. Similar situation was witnessed in other parts of the country where recorded at 93.94 BU, as per the minimum temperature dipped. The government had imposed the nationgovernment data. Power conwide lockdown on March 25, to contain the spread of COVID-19. Power consumpsumption had entered positive tion started declining from March onwards due to fewer economic activities in territory in September and record- the country. The COVID-19 situation affected power consumption for six months ed double-digit surge in October, in a row — from March to August this year. Power consumption on a year-onshowed the power ministry data. year basis declined 8.7 per cent in March, 23.2 per cent in April, 14.9 per cent in In September this year, power May, 10.9 per cent in June, 3.7 per cent in July and 1.7 per cent in August. The data consumption recorded a growth of 4.4 per showed that electricity consumption had grown by 11.73 per cent in February. It cent at 112.24 BU, compared to 107.51 BU has shown an improvement post-lockdown easing for economic activities after in the same month last year. India’s power April 20. Peak power demand met, the highest supply of power in the country in consumption grew by nearly 12 per cent to a day, in November was recorded at 160.77 GW, which is 3.5 per cent higher than 109.53 BU in October this year, as against 155.32 GW in the same month last year. The peak power demand met in Octo97.84 BU in the same month last year. Acber was recorded at 170.04 GW, 3.5 per cent higher than 164.25 GW in the same cording to experts, the onset of early winters month last year. Peak power demand in September this year recorded a growth especially in the Northern part of the country of 1.7 per cent at 176.41 GW, compared to 173.45 GW a year ago, the data showed. has affected power consumption. Economic Peak power demand met had recorded negative growth from April to August this activities are almost near normal due easing year due to the pandemic. It had dropped to 24.9 per cent in April, 8.9 per cent in of lockdown, they said adding that growth in May, 9.6 per cent in June, 2.7 per cent in July and 5.6 per cent in August. In March, power consumption would continue in comit was muted at 0.8 per cent. ing months.

GUJARAT SETS SIGHT ON 50GW SOLAR POWER BY 2030, CURRENT CONTRIBUTION IS 13% Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani participated in the Third edition of Renewable Energy Investors’ Meet and Expo, organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. The meet was held online.

During the meet, the CM said, “I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continuous support and guidance to increase the production of renewable energy and promote the same through Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, GOI. Gujarat contributes to nearly 13% of the renewable energy production in India. The state’s energy capacity is 30 Gigawatts. Out of this, 37% i.e 11 GW is produced using renewable energy.” Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also added that Gujarat’s contribution stands at 11,264 MW against India’s renewable capacity of 89,230 MW. The renewable energy sector in Gujarat is not just a means for alternate sources of energy but a thriving sector in terms of employment generation as well. The establishment of Solar Parks, Wind Parks have opened new opportunities of employment. The state has provided clean and green energy through schemes like Solar Rooftop Yojana. Under this, 1 lakh 70 thousand households have reaped benefits. Government of Gujarat, under its Atmanirbhar Gujarat Package, has provided subsidy worth Rs.190 crores to 65,000 beneficiaries under ‘Surya Gujarat Yojana.’

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rime Minister Narendra Modi, during his days as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, initiated to establish Asia’s Largest Solar Park at Charanka. Today, as the Prime Minister, he is leading from the front with the motto of ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’. An ultra-mega solar park with a capacity of 5000 MW is being established at Dholera SIR. The CM also gave details about the Kisan Suryoday Yojana which is promoting the use of solar energy for farming in Gujarat in order to pave a way for a pollution free farming. Talking about the renewable energy sector in Gujarat, the Chief Minister said, “The Prime Minister, during his days as the Chief Minister, had a vision to ensure the use of renewable energy in every household of the state. Today, the renewable energy sector in Gujarat has got a new direction under his guidance. I am confident that the state will be able to establish more than 65 GW of renewable energy by 2030, owing to its strong energy infrastructure.” Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Tripura and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh also attended the online meet and talked about the status of renewable energy sector in their respective states and union territories. More than 100 organisations talked about their technologies for the renewable energy sector. Policy makers from India and abroad, scientists, industry experts, investors etc in addition to more than 25,000 people attended this virtual meet. The Chief Minister expressed his mission to make Gujarat the leading state towards the production of Solar Energy in India.

DECEMBER- 2020

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DECARBONISING GROWTH MANAGING THE TRANSITION

For over a century now, the world has been hurtling towards a catastrophe of human making. However, it is only in recent decades that we have come to estimate its effects. COVID-19 has further emphatically proven to us that global catastrophes are not just scenarios and can actually play out. This year industry discussions have additional significance as the world is seized with the imperative of decarbonisation.

n reference to this, KPMG in India has launched a report titled “Decarbonising growth – Managing the transition” at its 11th annual energy conclave ‘ENRich 2020’ which has commenced today and will continue till tommorow which highlights the importance for businesses to identify their strategies and portfolios of technologies to meet their respective Net Zero targets. It further discusses the imperatives of decarbonisation highlighting the requirement of a system perspective that incorporates energy demand management, improves energy efficiency and increases the share of clean energy in the overall energy mix.

Sharing his views on the theme of the report, Anish De, Partner and National Head – Energy Natural Resources & Chemicals, KPMG in India said, “Global environmental damage especially over the past century have taken us close to a point of no return. Perhaps we have a small action window to contain severe and irreversible damage across the board. But for this, governments and businesses have to set and act on specific and ambitious goals with set dates. Net zero is a key goal that many nations have explicitly committed to. It helps set clear direction and pathways to the ultimate objective of preservation of the planet. Our Thought Leadership brings out the imperatives and identifies the summary actions that we need from the key actors.”

Santhosh Jayaram, Partner and Head – Climate Change and Sustainability, KPMG in India feels “Climate Change risks is now evolving as a barrier to competitiveness. Whether it is the country or business, the price of carbon will have to be internalized and is no longer an externality. The publication brings out the fact that the race to net-zero has started and it dwells into potential technological roadmaps in the journey. It concludes with the emphasis that all actors have a role to play in achieving the outcome.”

Discussing about the report, Anvesha Thakker Global Co-Head: Climate Change & Decarbonisation, KPMG IMPACT, Executive Director: Power & Utilities: Strategy and Transformation, KPMG in India said, “Net Zero pathways will require businesses to consider both demand side as well as supply side measures. In this journey, decarbonisation technologies such as renewable energy , demand electrification, CCUS, hydrogen, Biofuels may compete but will also complement with the right eco system enablers. Businesses will need to manage this interplay while considering the alignment of their investment horizons with the maturity curves of various technologies and may also need to hedge their bets across the technological spectrum. Government has to facilitate this journey through the right policy and fiscal measures.”

ITBP SETS UP SOLAR POWER PLANTS AT THEIR CAMP SITES AT NORTH-EASTERN FRONTIER BY MICROSUN SOLAR Leh Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh are the remote mountainous area of Northern and Eastern India that is located high up in the Himalayan Range. The areas, known for its pristine beauty and challenging terrain, is marked by far-flung, sparsely populated villages—a majority of which have inadequate or no energy supply as the terrain makes drawing grid lines a daunting task.

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n a first of its kind, eco-friendly Border Outpost (BoP) were constructed by Central Government at a forward location near the India-China border at a height of 18,000 feet, which comprise of central heating, roofs covered with solar panels. Our Army faces a lot of challenges in terms interuppted electricity to power their camps. Hence, MicroSun Solar Tech Pvt Ltd were chosen to Source the electricity through Solar Power Plants at camp sites.

DECEMBER- 2020

The camps are Nestled on top in the hilly region, the sheer drop of the hillside rules out the set-up of a power grid. Trekking and flying through Army Helicopters to as high as 18,000 feet to transport the solar energy equipment and set it up. It was a big task but much of fun too. Our engineers had experienced the most challenging job to Install and Execute the Projects, but we completed the task with sheer dedication. It’s been 6 years since we had Installed the Systems, and till date we are giving them Service and Support. Our Solar Solutions are successfully powering our Indian Army. We manufacture solar products to suit every power need and treat our customers by giving them quality service and support.

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WORLD-CLASS ‘RUDRAKSH’ CONVENTION CENTRE WITH A 110 KW SOLAR POWER PLANT TO BE SET UP IN VARANASI ‘Rudraksh’, a world-class convention centre, would come up soon in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is slowing gaining centrestage. Soon tourists from abroad would be able to enjoy programmes such as music, drama and exhibitions held at this convention centre.

apenese firm Fujita Corporation is undertaking all the work to set up ‘Rudraksha’ which is being funded by the Japanese company International Corporation Agency. This magnificent building has been designed by Japanbased Oriental Consultant Global. ‘Rudraksh’ would comprise a Japanese garden and a solar power plant installed with 110 KW. There are separate entrance door for receiving VIPs. Municipal Commissioner Gaurang Rathi said the friendship between Japan and India in Varanasi would further blossom with this wonderful gift which would be remembered by people all over the world. During 2015, Modi had visited Varanasi with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and laid the foundation of this grand convention centre. This convention centre named ‘Rudraksh’ would show a glimpse of the wonderful and ancient city of Kashi. In this convention centre, 108 grains of Rudraksha have been installed making it even taller. The cost of this convention centre coming up in Varanasi spread over three acres is estimated at Rs 186 crore. The centre would comprise a ground floor and a large hall starting right from the first floor accommodating 1,200 people while enjoying the programme seated together on the word-class chairs brought from Vietnam. 120 cars could be parked in the basement area.

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Special arrangements have also been made here for the differently-abled under which six wheelchairs each are available near both the entry and exit doors. A modern green room has also been built, including two conference halls and galleries, with a capacity of seating 150 people with the latest technological equipment. Modi would give a new gift to Varanasi in the coming year. The construction work for ‘Rudraksha’ had started during 2018 which would be completed by 2021. In order to keep ‘Rudraksh’ air-conditioned, Italian appliances have been installed. It has received a third grading from the ‘Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment’ keeping in view its construction and use. ‘Rudraksh’ will have a strong security network, including cameras as well as special attention has been given to fire safety equipment. Resident Supervisor (Architect) Mitsugu Tomita said there are many similarities between the Japanese and Indian culture. ‘Rudraksh’ would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Varanasi Smart City General Manager said that after Rudraksh is built, the project would be handed over to the smart cities.

DECEMBER- 2020

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MAHARASHTRA CABINET CLEARS NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY POLICY

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved a non-conventional energy policy 2020 which aims at an ambitious target of the development of projects with a generation capacity of 17,385 mw with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore by 2025. Of the 17,385 mw, solar projects with 12,930 mw are proposed, wind (2,500 mw), cogeneration projects (1,350 mw), small hydro-electric projects (380mw), solid waste (200 mw), and 25 mw from new technology-based.

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he government has proposed to provide five lakh solar power based agricultural pumps during 2020 and 2025 which is one lakh annually. Besides, 10,000 homes annually will be connected to solar power. The power will be supplied during the day to the farmers. The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency or MahaUrja will be the implementing agency for the non-conventional energy policy. Registered companies, government agencies, partnership organizations, private, co-operative societies, farmers’ groups will be eligible to set up projects under the policy. The MSEB Holding Company will select projects which will be developed with government equity participation or through subsidy. Non-conventional energy projects are classified as transmission attached and non-transmission projects. Priority will be given to developing hybrid projects by incorporating storage capacity. Projects registered during the policy period of 2015-16 will be allowed to register within 3 months. The benefit of incentives will be applicable if the project is implemented within 1 year from the announcement of the new policy. All government, semi-government, etc. It will be mandatory to inform Maha Energy about all non-conventional energy programs implemented by departments, offices, institutions.

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Funding will be available through Central Government Grants, Green Energy Fund, State Government, Special Component Scheme, Tribal Sub-Plan, Additional Electricity Tax on Sale, District Development Fund, MLA and MP Funds. It will be mandatory to get the approval of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board as per the prevailing policy as required. The scheme will be implemented on a first come first served basis.

Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said the policy will reduce the burden on conventional energy sources and increase the state’s energy generation in the years to come. “Sustainable development is the focus of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government,’’ he noted.

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EESL AND MSEDCL INAUGURATE 8 MW SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT AT DEVDAITHAN

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) commissioned a 7987 KWp solar-agro project at Devdaithan. As a part of the initiative, the DISCOM’s agri-feeders are being transformed into solar agri-feeders. The project is part of EESL’s commitment to the state under the Mukhya Mantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana, wherein it will supply the state DISCOM with 679 MW of solar power. The project is completed in six months.

ESL has already installed two solar projects in Ahmednagar district, including a 507 KW project in Ashwi and 858 KW project in Koplewadi. Under these projects, EESL has transformed feeders supplying electricity for agri-purposes into solar feeders, which are helping 3000 agricultural consumers. The initiative has also reduced 11500 tons in CO2 emissions, which will result into 2.2 Crores savings to DISCOM per year. EESL has invested 33.7 crores in this project. As a part of an MoU with MSEDCL, EESL installs, finances, operates, and maintains decentralized power plants (0.5 MW- 10 MW) in the open spaces around MSEDCL sub-stations. MSEDCL provides rented space, distributes of power generated, and undertakes metering, among other key services.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Saurabh Kumar, EVC, EESL said “We consider it as an honour to support the clean energy aspirations of MSEDCL, India’s largest distribution utility. The speed and scale of our solar energy installations in Maharashtra are setting a powerful benchmark for partnerships with other DISCOMs across the country.” EESL has completed its survey of all projected sub-stations and construction of such solar plants is already underway at most sites. 107 MW of installed generation capacity is already in place, from 108 decentralized solar plants.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr Rajat Sud, Managing Director, EESL, said “Our partnership with MSEDCL exemplifies the role of the sector in providing access to low-cost, low-carbon energy to Indian consumers. Our teams are working tirelessly to solarise MSEDCL’s unused substation land so that more and more Maharashtra customers can benefit from the initiative.”

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Speaking about the benefits of the scheme, Shri Aseemkumar Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, MSEDCL, said, “The initiative has the potential of providing a high-quality energy source to the agricultural sector and will be beneficial to millions of farmers across Maharashtra. It will also greatly benefit the state’s distribution companies. MSEDCL is exploring Ag feeder solarisation on mass basis , for which the land acquation process on lease basis from Govt and private Parties is underway, so as to provide day time power supply to the Ag consumers. Private parties can offer their land located within 5 kms periphery of the neaby substation to MSEDCL under this project on lease basis. By supporting the implementation of the Mukhya Mantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana throughout the state, we will enable the state to produce 1.4 crore units of lowcarbon electricity, while reducing CO2 emissions by 9.73 lakh ton.” Also present at the occasion were Mrs. Ranjana Pagare, Chief Engineer, Nashik Zone (MSEDCL); Mr. Dipak Kokate, EESL head of Maharashtra; Mr. Satish Karpe, Senior Consultant (EESL), and Mr. Roshan Ekka, Assistant Manager, (EESL), among others.

DECEMBER- 2020

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IIT DELHI IS CONDUCTING CUTTING-EDGE ENERGY RESEARCH, TURNING INDIA SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN IT Delhi has filed over 45 patents in the last five years in the thematic area of harnessing solar energy. In January 2012, IIT Delhi had launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered three-wheeler, ‘HyAlfa’. Many government and non-government organisations working in the area of energy have come forward to establish their Centres of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Delhi.

ue to an increase in the per capita energy consumption of our country and the national commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, the coming decades will demand an energy ecosystem, which is secure, sustainable and green. IIT Delhi, through its Industrial Research and Development (IRD) Unit, has also encouraged its scientists to carry out cutting edge research in the area of energy ecosystems. Impressed with the IIT Delhi scientists’ deep technology research outcome in the energy domain, many government and non-government organisations working in the area of energy have come forward to establish their Centres of Excellence (CoE) at the institute. ReNew Power Centre of Excellence on Energy & Environment, Yardi Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Infrastructure (CoESI) and the DST sponsored research on excellence in Energy Storage Platform on Batteries (ESPOB) are some of the research centres at IIT Delhi, which are focused on energy related research and development with an aim to make the country self-reliant.

45 PATENTS IN HARNESSING SOLAR ENERGY IN LAST 5 YEARS IIT Delhi has filed over 45 patents in the last five years in the thematic area of harnessing solar energy for different societal applications, many of which involve different types of solar pumps and their controllers. These technologies can accelerate the realisation of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan- PM KUSUM scheme of government of India, which has a financial outlay of around 30,000 cr. Similarly, the patents concerning micro-grid controllers can make remote villages self-sufficient by the integration of solar power, realising the national mission i.e. electricity for all.

NEED FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Prof V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said, “To make the country a CO2 minimal nation while ensuring energy security, we need to migrate from conventional energy sources to renewable and sustainable alternatives.” “Since these sources of energy are mostly intermittent in nature, the need of energy storage research also becomes very vital. On the other hand, the need for energy security in the mobility domain compels us to quickly move from gasoline-based IC (Internal Combustion) engines to either alternative fuel-based engines or Electric Vehicles,” he added.

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Prof SK Khare, Dean, Research & Development said, “At IIT Delhi, we have also undertaken research in the grand challenges mode to address the future sustainable energy needs. The most notable one in the energy domain is to convert the CO2 to value added products.” “Also, the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Infrastructure has ventured to achieve a net zero energy consumption building using IoT (Internet of Things) based data driven algorithms and low-cost retrofitted solutions,” the professor added.

INNOVATIONS IN BATTERY-OPERATED VEHICLES As the mobility sector consumes a lot of energy, there is a shift towards battery-operated vehicles. Therefore, one of the research focus area at IIT Delhi is also the development of battery-operated vehicle. The most critical part of the battery i.e. “Battery Management System (BMS)” is being researched at the institute’s Center for Automotive Research & Tribology (CART). Researchers at CART are working on the algorithm to measure the state of health of the Li-ion battery. Besides, they are also working towards developing frameworks for reusability of Li-ion batteries for secondary applications.

OTHER SUCCESS STORIES IN THE ENERGY FIELD IIT Delhi’s research group on “Highly Efficient Solar PV Water Pumping System” as well as “Multi-functional Fast Electric Vehicle Charger” are quite strong. The group working on the “Multi-functional Fast Electric Vehicle Charger” has also taken their research to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 8. IIT Delhi has also been doing pioneering work in the area of biogas research and as a success story the institute has developed the country’s first biogas-based car, which has run more than 50,000 kilometres on biogas in the last 6 years.

Besides, the small-scale biogas upgradation technology developed at IIT Delhi is very popular and has been licensed to 07 industries and many gaushalas. The upgraded biogas has been used as an alternative to LPG and CNG. In January 2012, IIT Delhi had launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered three-wheeler, ‘HyAlfa’. Recently, the institute’s Centre for Energy Studies has pioneered the demonstration of Hydrogen as an alternative fuel to diesel for powering a generator set. IIT Delhi’s journey on energy research continues with the institute venturing into Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB), which can be an efficient replacement to the polluting diesel generators. In October 2020, Chemical Engineering Department’s Sustainable Environergy Research Lab (SERL) successfully demonstrated the working prototype of VRFB that can efficiently store and utilize renewable energy for a wide range of applications such as rural electrification, e-vehicle charging station, domestic and commercial power back-up etc. leading to zero carbon footprint. The Highly Efficient Solar PV Water Pumping System, Multi-functional Fast Electric Vehicle Charger and VRFB by IIT Delhi are perfect embodiments of our national vision, “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.

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GUJARAT ADDS HIGHEST WIND POWER GENERATION CAPACITY The state saw installation of new wind power generation capacity of 1,468MW between April 2019 to March 2020, shows data compiled by Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association and Indian Wind Energy Association.

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hmedabad: Continuing to attract wind power project developers, Gujarat added the highest capacity for wind power generation in 2019-20. The state had also grabbed a lion’s share of the new wind power capacity installed across India in the last fiscal. The state saw installation of new wind power generation capacity of 1,468MW between April 2019 to March 2020, shows data compiled by Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association and Indian Wind Energy Association.

Gujarat was followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, which added 335 MW and 206MW respectively. A total 2,118MW of new capacity was installed in India in fiscal 2020, of which 70% was in Gujarat alone, the data further shows. With new installations, Gujarat’s total wind power generation capacity has now increased to 7,542MW, which is the second-highest installed capacity in India after Tamil Nadu (9,304MW). “Most of the projects commissioned in Gujarat during 2019-20 were auctioned by the central government. Although these projects have come up in Gujarat, the power generated will go to the central government pool,” said an industry player, who did not wish to be quoted. India’s total installed wind power capacity stood at 37,744MW as on March 31, 2020. The state continued to see more installations even in the first quarter ended June 30. The state attracted 132MW of the total 136MW installed in India during the quarter. The remaining 4MW were added in Karnataka, said industry sources. Gujarat had seen a sharp jump in wind power generation on some days in May and July. Heavy pre-monsoon winds in last week of May had pushed up average wind power generation in the state to a high of 3,947 MW on May 28.

DECEMBER- 2020

business & finance

MITSUI CHEMICALS GROUP STARTS UP INDIAN BUSINESS FOR BIS CERTIFICATION OF SOLAR PANELS

Mitsui Chemicals, announced that operations are under way at a new solar testing and certification lab built by subsidiary Mitsui Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd. (MCIND; President: Suraj Arya) in the Indian state of Gujarat. Launched Dec. 2019 with the assistance of German-based PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin AG (PI Berlin)*1 , the new business will be used by Mitsui Chemicals India to respond to the country’s growing energy demand.

he Mitsui Chemicals Group has previously built up a wide range of expertise relating to solar power generation. And based on this expertise, the group has fostered enough trust to be able to register a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)*2 testing and certification lab before any other Japanese company. This lab will now be used for testing the performance and reliability of solar panels, allowing the Mitsui Chemicals Group to launch its business for BIS certification.

TOP ESG FUND WITH 131% RETURN BUYS MORE ASIA RENEWABLE STOCKS

A top-performing environmental fund is buying more Asian stocks as governments in the region become more climate conscious and embrace renewable energy.

The BNP Paribas Energy Transition fund’s Asia allocation has increased to 18% from 11% in September, co-manager Ulrik Fugmann said in an interview. The fund, which has climbed 131% this year to beat most peers in the environmental, social and governance category, is exploring investments in China, Hong Kong, India and South Korea. The region has seen growing awareness of climate change with China, Japan and South Korea earlier this year committing to achieving net-zero emissions in the coming decades. Regional companies have also pulled ahead of North American counterparts in climate-risk reporting as Asia’s sustainable funds gather record inflows. The green ambitions provide a “unique opportunity to both deliver economic growth and turbo-charge progress on meeting our climate goals, and this could potentially translate into significant earnings growth for Asia’s energy transition companies,” Fugmann said. The fund is underweight U.S. shares as Asia is likely to have better profit and economic growth in 2021. Expectations of a weaker dollar also help, he added.

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he $1.8 billion environmental solutionsfocused fund is adding positions in Chinese companies linked to wind power generation, and has investments in solar companies and battery makers. Shares of Korean electric-vehicle battery producer LG Chem Ltd. and Hong Kong-listed wind turbine producer Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co. — part of its top holdings as of October — are up 156% and 38%, respectively, this year. China’s net-zero plan by 2060 is “incredibly appealing” and will benefit hydrogen fuel cell suppliers that have sizable operations and presence in Asia, Fugmann said. He and co-manager Edward Lees are also evaluating Indian firms that “could be the main beneficiaries in the decarbonization of the power generation system” including solar power generators, equipment manufacturers and those involved in smart grid technologies. India expects 40% of its power-generation capacity to come from non-fossil sources by 2030. Still, the U.S. continues to be the fund’s biggest country exposure with more than 40% of the portfolio allocated to companies listed there. Solar panel installer Sunnova Energy International Inc. and Ballard Power Systems Inc., a hydrogen fuel cell developer, were its top two holdings in October. Their shares are up 254% and 194%, respectively, in 2020.

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ORIENT CEMENT TO ACQUIRE 26 PC STAKE IN AMPSOLAR SYSTEMS PVT LTD

Orient Cement has entered into Share Purchase, Subscription and Shareholder’s Agreement with AMPSolar Technology Private Limited and AMPSolar Systems Private Limited for acquisition of 26 pc stake in the share capital of AMPSolar Systems Private Limited for putting up the solar power plant with capacity of 13.5 MW, under Captive Scheme.

he name of the target entity is AMPSolar Systems Private Limited (AMP), which was incorporated on May 17, 2020 in India and is a step-down subsidiary of AMP Energy India Private Limited (AMP Energy). AMP is formed for the purpose of setting up a solar power project in Maharashtra, in terms of the regulatory requirement for captive power consumption under electricity laws. AMP Energy is engaged in the business of developing, owning and operating renewable energy infrastructure for supplying electrical power generated using solar energy and other sources of renewable energy to commercial, industrial and utility customers. The acquisition is to meet the green energy needs and optimize energy cost and to comply with regulatory requirement for captive power consumption under electricity laws. The cost of acquisition is Rupees 4.05 crore approximately

PM MODI: INDIA WILL EASILY ACHIEVE PARIS AGREEMENT TARGETS AND EXCEED THEM Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has reduced emission intensity by 21 per cent over 2005 levels and it isn’t just on-track to achieve its Paris Agreement targets, but will exceed them beyond expectations. Modi was speaking at the Climate Ambition Summit hosted by the United Nations and United Kingdom to mark the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement.

Modi said: “We have reduced our emission intensity by 21 per cent over 2005 levels. Our solar capacity has grown from 2.63GW in 2014 to 36 GW in 2020. Our renewable energy capacity is the fourth largest in the world. It will reach 175GW before 2022. “ He added that India has an even more ambitious target now: 450GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, and the country has also succeeded in expanding its forest cover and safeguarding its biodiversity. Modi said the summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement: the most ambitious step in the fight against climate change. He added as the world is setting its sight to achieve higher targets, it must not lose sight of the past. “Also review our achievements against targets already set, only then can our voices be credible for future generations. India is not only on track to achieve its Paris agreement targets, but to exceed them beyond expectations”, said Modi. He added that in 2047, India will celebrate 100 years as a modern independent nation. “To all fellow residents of this planet, I make a solemn pledge that Centennial India will not only meet its own targets but also exceed your expectations,” said Modi. Citing India’s contribution on a global level to fight climate change, Modi said on the world stage, India has pioneered two major initiatives — the international solar alliance and coalition for disaster resilience infrastructure. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. The agreement was adopted by 196 parties at 21st Conference of Parties in Paris, on December 12, 2015, and was enforced on November 4, 2016.

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DECEMBER- 2020

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AYANA RENEWABLE POWER HITS $721 MILLION IN FUNDING AS CDC, NIIF AND GGEF AGREE TO INJECT FURTHER CAPITAL The fresh capital will boost India’s clean energy generation to help combat climate change. This will help to ensure clean energy reaches states across India. It reiterates the UK and India’s partnership for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), and EverSource Capital managed Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF) announced additional equity funding of $70 million / £52 million, $284 million / £212 million and $36 million /£27 million respectively in Ayana Renewable Power (Ayana), a leading Indian renewable energy platform. The proposed transaction envisages NIIF to become the majority shareholder in Ayana.

educing global carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 is essential to limit the impact of climate change. Building this green energy capacity is vital to India’s long-term economic development, decarbonise the energy mix away from coal and support the creation of jobs. Founded in 2018 by CDC Group, Ayana was launched to address these challenges in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The platform develops utilityscale renewable power solar and wind generation projects across India to build cost-effective capacity. To date, Ayana has received equity funding of $721 million / £541 million; sufficient to scale up its renewable energy portfolio to over 4GW over the next two years. NIIF, CDC and GGEF as shareholders bring complementary strengths to the platform that has been built with a strong focus on governance and compliance. Ayana currently has 1.14 GW of solar generation capacity under various stages of development/ operation across multiple Indian states, and a strong future pipeline of renewable energy opportunities. With a management team that has a track record of successful execution of renewable energy projects, it is well poised to play an important role in India’s ambition to build 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.

British Acting High Commissioner to India, Jan Thompson said, “This announcement underlines the importance of private investment in catalysing green growth. I’m delighted this investment will help Ayana scale up its green energy capacity and support India’s ambition to build 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030. This demonstrates our commitment to supporting the clean energy transition and reinforces the shared ambition of the UK and India to build a greener future.”

DECEMBER- 2020

CDC’s Head of Asia, Srini Nagarajan said, “CDC’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency was the driving force behind the creation of Ayana in 2018. Two years on and I’m delighted that we have mobilised significant commercial capital behind the cause and into Ayana. NIIF would now be the largest shareholder of a company that is delivering affordable and accessible renewable energy across India – meeting the challenge of climate change and delivering prosperity within a new, green economy. CDC’s additional capital also reiterates the UK’s commitment to investing in India and the strong partnership between our countries.”

Sujoy Bose, Managing Director & CEO, NIIF, said, “NIIF’s continuing support to Ayana demonstrates our belief in the large growth potential of the Indian renewable energy sector and our confidence in Ayana’s ability to generate stable risk-adjusted returns for our investors. With committed like-minded shareholders and a strong management team, we are confident that Ayana will become a leading player in this space, over the next few years.”

Dhanpal Jhaveri, CEO, EverSource Capital said, “The infusion of more capital into our utility-scale platform Ayana, corroborates the belief in India’s promising renewable energy sector. This investment will strengthen our commitment to ensure the transition to zero carbon power generation, creation of job opportunities and accessibility of clean energy across India.”

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CLEANSPARK ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH SOLAR AND STORAGE DEVELOPER SYMMETRIC ENERGY CleanSpark, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK)(“CleanSpark” or the “Company”), an advanced software and controls technology solutions company, focused on solving modern energy challenges, announced it has partnered with Symmetric Energy (Symmetric) to target new microgrid projects in Northern California. The objective will be to provide reliable back-up energy or off-grid power using a combination of solar PV and energy storage for both commercial and estate-level residential microgrids.

ymmetric is designing solar and storage solutions that provide “Peace of Mind” battery back-up services for residential customers and energy security at an industrial scale for commercial implementations. Symmetric is based in San Rafael, CA and serves all of the Bay Area counties including Marin, Sonoma, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, as well as the surrounding areas which have a history of fire and weather-induced power outages and demand constraints. In anticipation of the partnership, CleanSpark and Symmetric have already begun project development for off-grid residential projects to be managed by CleanSpark’s patented mPulse intelligent controls for solar and storage. Additionally, the agreement provides that mVSO, CleanSpark’s design and modeling software, is to be used to analyze upcoming projects and RFPs for Symmetric.

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Amer Tadayon, CleanSpark’s Chief Revenue Officer commented, “We are excited to announce another partnership with a well-established solar and storage developer in California. We believe that partnering with CleanSpark for design and controls software along with the co-marketing capabilities of our team will allow Symmetric to rapidly generate many more microgrid projects. With Symmetric, CleanSpark will be able to provide mPulse to a substantial number of projects through a trusted, existing relationship.

Elliott Jessup, Director of Business Development for Symmetric Energy stated, “We had identified the need to offer intelligent software and controls to provide energy security, resiliency and cost-avoidance to our long-term clientele. We analyzed a number of options and determined that CleanSpark’s control solution will best provide our clients with savings, secure backup power, and even provide off-grid capabilities when the need arises. CleanSpark will provide us with the resources, relationships and technologies to ensure that the energy solutions are properly optimized to meet the needs of our discerning residential and commercial customers.”

DECEMBER- 2020

business & finance

ADB, NNS SIGN LOANS TO BUILD MILESTONE SOLAR POWER PROJECT IN UZBEKISTAN The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and “Nur Navoi Solar” Foreign Enterprise Limited Liability Company (NNS) signed loans of up to $17.5 million for a 100-megawatt (MW) solar power plant that will be the first public–private partnership renewable energy project in Uzbekistan. The project will play a catalytic role in improving access to affordable and reliable renewable energy in rural parts of the country.

he financing package for the plant, to be built near Navoi City in central Uzbekistan, includes a loan from ADB and a loan from the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in Asia II (CFPS II), which will be administered by ADB. The 100 MW project will generate around 258.2 gigawatt-hours of clean energy annually, avoiding 157,502 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year. NNS will provide its energy output to the National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan under a 25-year power purchase agreement.

As the first major private sector renewables investment in Uzbekistan, Navoi solar is a landmark transaction in many ways, said ADB Vice-President for Private Sector Operations and Public–Private Partnerships Ashok Lavasa. “The project will significantly help the government in meeting its target of at least 25% renewable energy capacity by 2030.”

DECEMBER- 2020

Uzbekistan is reliant on fossil fuels with most of its electricity supplied by natural gas. Its aging power grid results in high transmission and distribution losses. Power deficits are especially acute in southern and western regions, where some schools and hospitals are unable to operate at full capacity due to unreliable electricity supply. ADB is also financing the construction of a highvoltage transmission line to strengthen the country’s electricity grid and the installation of advanced metering systems. The project is in line with ADB’s country partnership strategy (2019–2023) for Uzbekistan, which stresses ADB’s private sector financing support for renewable energy. NNS is a special purpose vehicle owned by United Arab Emirates-based Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company Private – Masdar, a global leader in renewable energy. Masdar has developed utility-scale, grid-tied projects, small-scale applications providing energy access to communities away from the electricity grid, and carbon abatement projects. The ADB loan package includes a concessional finance tranche, funded by CFPS II, to support a lower-than-expected power tariff for the project and will help in demonstrating the commercial feasibility of solar projects as the country shifts to clean energy. CFPS II is managed and administered by ADB and was established in 2017 by the Government of Canada to encourage private investment in climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in Asia and the Pacific. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

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international

EGYPT’S RENEWABLES CONTRIBUTE IN DESALINATING 2.9M CUBIC METERS OF SEA WATER DAILY Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker said that the ministry will rely upon renewable energy to desalinate sea water, given that renewables have become less expensive in generating electricity.

Shaker affirmed that a seawater desalination project had been launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing to convert it into potable water at a rate of 2.9 million cubic meters per day. He added that the aim of the project is to cover citizens’ needs of drinking water. The Minister of Electricity added that the cost of producing electricity from renewable energy “has become less than before, which contributes to the possibility of expanding these projects significantly to maximize their benefit in the coming years.” He further pointing out that the price per kilowatt hour of renewable energy has been reduced to 2 cents dollars for solar energy and 3 cents dollars for wind energy, which is the least expensive in the world. Shaker added that the ministry is moving at a rapid pace to expand renewable energy projects, to improve the level of service provided to citizens.

HOW WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY ARE HELPING IN INCREASING POWER GENERATION ACROSS THE WORLD Globally, we are moving towards using more and more renewable energy sources, thereby reducing dependency on coal. This is especially true for some of the big countries in the world. This effort is proving to be useful to overcome the dangerous situation of air pollution.

or instance, countries like Germany, Britain, and Australia have seen significant increases in their electricity generation using wind and solar power. Governments worldwide are significantly distancing themselves from fossil fuels and relying more on renewable sources as a significant source of electricity generation. In the first half of 2020, the share of wind and solar power has generated 10 per cent of global electricity. This figure was merely 5 per cent five years ago. This information has been revealed in Ember’s report, which is an independent climate think tank. Ember has analyzed national electricity generation for 48 countries making up 83% of global electricity production. According to the report, India is also producing 10 per cent of its electricity using wind and solar power, while the US makes 12 per cent. In contrast, China, Japan, and Brazil are producing 10 per cent of its electricity using wind and solar power. At the same time, countries like Turkey are at 13 per cent, while the European Union is at 21 per cent, and the United Kingdom is producing 33 per cent of their electricity with wind and solar power.

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DECEMBER- 2020

international

UAE TO ESTABLISH ELECTRICITY MARKET TO EXPORT POWER: ENERGY MINISTRY The UAE plans to set up an electricity market and provide power at competitive prices amid plans to export it to other countries, the ministry of energy and infrastructure said Dec. 20 on Twitter. Sharif al-Olama, an undersecretary at the ministry who made the announcement, did not disclose further details.

he UAE, which mainly consumes gas for power generation, is diversifying its energy mix in a bid to free up gas for export and other uses. It also wants to lower its carbon footprint from power generation by 70% by 2050, by which time the UAE wants to produce half of its electricity from clean sources, including nuclear. The remaining electricity generation would come from goal and gas. It will invest Dirhams 600 billion ($163 billion) until 2050 to meet its growing energy demand under its strategy. This year the UAE started its first of four planned nuclear reactors, each of which has a capacity of 1.4 GW and together will provide up to 25% of the country’s power needs once all units are operational. The UAE is also building solar power plants to take advantage of record low prices and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Dubai, the UAE’s second largest city, is building the Mohammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum Solar Park, with a planned capacity of 5 GW by 2030 and a total investment of Dirhams 50 billion ($13 billion).

IRAN: SOLAR PLANTS PRODUCE ALMOST 50 PERCENT OF IRAN’S RENEWABLE POWER

Based on the stated statistics, the total capability of Iran’s renewable power plants hit 844.59 megawatts (MG) at the end of the past Iranian calendar month (November 20).

A 28

ccordingly, wind power plants with 303.18 MW of capacity accounted for 36 percent of the mentioned figure, occupying second place in the country’s renewable energy basket. Small hydropower plants with 105.65 MW accredited for a 12-percent share in the renewable energy segment in the stated month, while biomass power plants by producing 10.56 MW had a one percent share of Iran’s renewable energy creation. Renewables, counting hydropower, accredit for seven percent of Iran’s whole energy production, versus natural gas’s 90 percent share.

DECEMBER- 2020

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international

AUSTRALIA’S FORTESCUE PLANS GLOBAL GREEN ENERGY DRIVE

Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest outlined ambitious plans to build a renewable energy business, aiming to compete with oil giants to provide low-cost green energy globally.

illionaire Forrest, who turned Fortescue Metals Group over two decades into the world’s fourth-biggest iron ore miner, said Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has already signed preliminary deals, such as in Papua New Guinea and Africa, and a team of executives is looking for other partners.

We are building a portfolio of renewable assets, energy producing assets around the world, Forrest, Fortescue’s chairman, told the company’s annual meeting via videolink from Paraguay. He said Fortescue has so far committed A$1 billion ($731 million) out to 2023 for the project, and expected also to use off-balance sheet financing. “With scale and innovation, we will be able to ramp up supply of green hydrogen and green ammonia to deliver low cost energy reliably at industrial scale to customers all over the world.” Hydrogen and ammonia fuel cells are set to be used in transport and shipping, ammonia in fertiliser and hydrogen also in steel making, he said. Forrest, whose net worth is estimated at nearly $17 billion, said the company’s initial target would be to have 235 gigawatts (GW) of installed energy capacity but did not provide a timeline. Such a target would be “extremely challenging,” said Gero Farruggio, head of global renewables at research firm Rystad Energy Farruggio. Energy major BP, by comparison, plans to produce 50GW of renewable energy by 2030. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Forrest has been touring the world and said executives have visited 23 countries to shortlist partners and plan to visit 24 more, with investments tied to human rights obligations, he said.

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Hydrogen and ammonia fuel cells are set to be used in transport and shipping, ammonia in fertiliser and hydrogen also in steel making, he said. Forrest, whose net worth is estimated at nearly $17 billion, said the company’s initial target would be to have 235 gigawatts (GW) of installed energy capacity but did not provide a timeline. Such a target would be “extremely challenging,” said Gero Farruggio, head of global renewables at research firm Rystad Energy Farruggio. Energy major BP, by comparison, plans to produce 50GW of renewable energy by 2030. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Forrest has been touring the world and said executives have visited 23 countries to shortlist partners and plan to visit 24 more, with investments tied to human rights obligations, he said.

DECEMBER- 2020

opinion

HOW SOLAR ENERGY CAN HELP THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR BOUNCE BACK BY HEDGING THEIR ENERGY COSTS INTRODUCTION: Covid -19 pandemic has brought the world into a standstill and has impacted almost every sector. Now with the unlock4.0 when the things are settling down, every industry can cope up the damage caused by the lockdown as per their capabilities and requirements. Solar energy sector has been highly affected in these unprecedented times. There is a lot of uncertainty in the industry currently and the solar energy sector should be bounced back after this crisis ends that will decide how quickly we achieve our renewable energy target of 100 GW by 2022. Solar rooftop sector has been badly affected because of two reasons: one is its labour cost and other one is its dependence on the country’s commercial and industrial sectors. Today in India the present power demand has reduced by 25-30 per cent. This decline in demand with reduced collection and slow recovery will adversely impact already stressed Distribution companies by creating a cash gap of approx. Rs. 40,000 cr. Industries invite very high fixed costs with reference to their monthly power bills. Solar power can come to their rescue by reducing their bills by Upto 80%. The reduction is dependent on the following factors:

1. Load and Consumption profile 2. State policy 3. Technology used 4. Design With Levelised Cost of Electricity at less than Rs.2 / Kwh, corporates are rising up to the challenge of coming up to speed technically and commercially towards investing in solar in-site and off-site solutions.

IMPACT DUE TO COVID -19: Due to covid-19 and nationwide lockdown, ongoing Solar projects in the country have been halted, power companies are facing disruption and developers are concerned about the delays their projects are facing because of the production slowdown in China. Even today, the solar industry is relying on China for around 80% of its requirement of solar supply. All Imports related to solar power equipment in January 2020 had declined by about 70% as compared to January 2019. Industry players have been facing delays in procurement of modules, solar cells, and other components all because of covid-19. Also, about 85% of the labour in the solar energy sector are migrants, many of which have returned to their villages and are likely to be away for some time until the lockdown will be completely lifted.

CHALLENGES POST LOCKDOWN: Once the lockdown is over, the major impact in the performance of solar energy plants will be availability of spares and manpower for maintenance. As the high wind season is approaching in the coming months planned maintenance will also become a challenge. Execution work at new projects have come to a standstill. Even though force majeure conditions will enable extension for completion period; migrant labours will take quite some time to reach project sites. Solar energy projects, unlike other infrastructure projects, hardly take 6-9 months to complete once land and evacuation facilities are available and this is only possible by deploying a large number of workforces for a shorter duration.

DECEMBER- 2020

ROLE OF SOLAR ENERGY SECTOR TO BOUNCE BACK THE ECONOMY POST COVID: The solar capacity addition in India in Q1 2020 was the lowest since Q4 2016. However, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), while renewables are not immune to the COVID-19 crisis, they are more resilient than other fuels. The agency noted that in 2021, the solar energy sector is expected to spring back up again as currently delayed projects start to come back online. In 2021, it expects to reach the same level of renewable capacity additions globally as in 2019. Renewable energy especially the solar energy sector is at the cusp of this opportunity as it delivers cheaper, cleaner electricity – with the right regulatory and policy framework, it could be the way forward when compared to conventional electricity. Moreover, the number of direct and indirect jobs that will be created as a result of the construction and maintenance of renewable assets will be an added advantage post the lockdown will be lifted to revive the economy when increasing unemployment is a concern. Renewable energy, especially from solar, has long edged past the point of grid parity and are now cheaper than conventional energy. This economic rationale would itself mean a fillip for renewable energy in the post-COVID-19 phase. The power sector is a lead indicator of economic growth. After lockdown, we expect all incremental power capacity addition to be from renewables. Thus, investment in, and capacity roll-out of renewable energy is a precursor to the health of the economy. This will add value to revive the economy of the country. This pandemic is also a lesson for the Companies to not rely solely on one country for their technical equipment and move towards being more diversified and domestic production of commodities. The construction phase of solar however, is very employment-intensive and, to some extent, operation and maintenance of solar generate significant employment in our communities. Thus, Job security and job creation will probably be the most important factors in determining how India manages to combat the economic slowdown post-COVID-19. Because thousands of people are engaged with full-time contracts in construction of assets every year, by solar developers, operations, maintenance and cleaning of solar assets result in part-time employment opportunities to several thousand people from remote and rural areas.

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opinion GOVERNMENT’S ROLE TO REVIVE THE ECONOMY POST COVID Government of India has also taken many proactive fiscal measures like Repo rate cut to 4.4 per cent, three months moratorium on principal and interest repayment for term loan and working capital facilities to revive the solar energy sector The solar industry is seeking some respite from the government so that they can stay afloat during this economic crisis and work towards meeting the long-term renewable energy targets of the country. A strong and strategic revival plan is a very important post covid for the industry to help achieve its targets on time. More targeted policy introductions need to be done to support decentralized projects such as Rooftop Solar and provide incentive to domestic production of Solar cells, modules, and other equipment. This crisis provides an opportunity to the Government of India to lead by example and create a stimulus plan which is green, efficient, and progressive. Recently, the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) Coalition for Action comprising over 100 companies in the renewable energy industry from across the world wrote to governments putting forth recommendations on how governments can ensure a rapid and sustained economic recovery of the Renewable energy sector that aligns with climate and sustainability objectives. They emphasized the role renewable energy could play in these strategies by providing reliable, easy-to-mobilize, and cost-effective electricity for essential services.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of building local manufacturing capacity while launching a 750-MW solar plant in Madhya Pradesh. His statement of a liquidity injection package of Rs 90,000 crore to power distribution companies as part of the Centre’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ economic stimulus. The Rs-90,000-crore economic package to the power sector is almost equal to the pending bills of many power-generating companies, including the solar energy sector. Post Covid, more financial aid is required to boost local manufacturing, given India relies on China for about 80% of its solar inputs. The Centre should grant more financial aid to the solar energy sector and decentralised model of solar energy development that does not endanger grasslands and desert ecosystems. Government-supported financial institutions need to step forward and take the lead in scaling up long-term investment into India’s solar energy sector.

Author Puneet Goyal

Co-Founder, SunAlpha Energy

BOROSIL RENEWABLES SPURTS ON LAUNCHING QIP ISSUE

Borosil Renewables jumped 6.11% to Rs 167.55 after the company launched a qualified institutional placement (QIP) on Monday (14 December 2020) to raise funds from institutional investors.

he securities issue committee of the board, at its meeting held on 14 December 2020, authorised the opening of the QIP issue and approved the floor price of Rs 133.19 per equity share, the company said in a regulatory filing. The floor price is at a 15.65% discount to Monday’s closing price of Rs 157.90 per share. A meeting of the board’s securities issue committee is scheduled to be held on 17 December 2020 to consider and approve the issue price for the equity shares as well as the number of shares to be allotted to qualified institutional buyers, pursuant to the QIP, the company said. On 17 December 2020, the company’s board will also consider issue of securities (equity shares and instruments convertible or exchangeable into equity shares) to P. K. Kheruka, the promoter of the company, through a preferential allotment. The value of the securities issued would not exceed Rs 25 crore.

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Borosil Renewables is engaged in the business of manufacturing of extra clear patterned glass and low iron solar glass for application in photovoltaic panels, flat plate collectors and green houses. The company reported a net profit of Rs 14.06 crore in Q2 FY21 as against net loss of Rs 2.17 crore in Q2 FY20. Net sales during the quarter zoomed 97% YoY to Rs 114.09 crore.

DECEMBER- 2020

opinion

POWER DEMAND GROWTH TO STABILISE AT 6%, SAYS JSW ENERGY’S PRASHANT JAIN Demand for power will stabilise to grow at 6% on a yearly basis after it fell to a six-month low in November, according to JSW Energy Ltd.’s Prashant Jain. “If you look at the year as a whole, the first quarter saw demand contract 16% year-on-year. The second quarter was flat while the third quarter shows 5-6% growth so far,” Jain, joint managing director and chief executive officer at JSW Energy, told BloombergQuint’s Menaka Doshi in an interview. The dip in November, he said, was largely because of low industrial demand in the festive months. “I’m quite optimistic about the power sector going forward.” Any dip seen in demand, in turn, is being absorbed solely by the thermal power plants where the environment looks gloomy, he said, pointing out that JSW Energy is focusing on adding capacity only in the renewable energy segment. Moreover, coal prices have nearly doubled to $85 per tonne, Jain said.

he cost of imported coal is likely to rise even further to $100 per tonne but the company remains insulated, Jain said. “Whatever price at which we import coal, it will completely pass through for our long term PPA.” Other companies such as Adani Power Ltd. and Tata Power Ltd. will face difficulties in maintaining profitability because they use imported coal to supply power to the already stressed distribution companies, he said. Commodity prices, however, will not be sustainable at those heights and will also stabilise at some point, Jain said.

Shift From Thermal To Renewable

Here are the other key highlights of what Jain said on India’s power sector, JSW Energy’s strategy and key challenges:

Organic Growth Ahead JSW Energy’s growth ahead is likely to be organic because of two problems. First, assets available through insolvency resolution are thermal, which the company isn’t interested in. Second, the cost of power in renewable energy space is north of Rs 3-4 a unit, ruling out their acquisition.

Debt To Double The company decreased its debt to Rs 7,700 crore as of September this year, which will further fall to Rs 7,000. However, after that, it will increase by another Rs 7,000 crore over the span of the next five years as the company participates in new projects. In the next 24 months, JSW Energy will complete projects of close to 2000 MW entailing about Rs 11,000-12,000 crore capex. All new capacity will go towards long-term PPA. Will build projects at low cost, 50% cheaper than industry standards. JSW Energy builds power plants at Rs 3.5-4 crore per MW, while the industry average is Rs 8 crore per MW. Have reduced receivables even during the pandemic.

DECEMBER- 2020

The company wants to increase capacity from 4.8 GW to 10 GW in the next five years and it will all come from the renewable power sector. The company aims to increase its renewable power capacity to 75% of total capacity in five years. Whatever incremental capacity comes in will be low cost, below Rs 3 per unit and 100% PPA tied up. Targeting an RoE of 15-17% from these power projects.

Company Strategy Don’t see too many challenges going ahead. “Power is a very easy sector provided you are on the right side of it.” Need to make sure power generation is at an extremely low cost. While building an asset or acquiring, the company sees if the power price is in the bottom quartile for the purchase basket of a particular discom company. “If yes, it’s a go for me. If it’s a no, I am neither building nor acquiring.”

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EV & ESS

SUN MOBILITY AIMS TO SET UP 100 BATTERY SWAPPING STATIONS IN BENGALURU BY 2021-END

SUN Mobility, a leading provider of electric mobility solutions and services, said it plans to set up 100 battery swapping stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in Bengaluru by the end of 2021. In a virtual event, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa formally commenced the commercial launch of the company’s swapping network in Bengaluru.

urrently, there are four swap points available at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd’s (IOCL) outlets in the city’s densely populated areas of Indiranagar, Jayanagar, Koramangala and HSR Layout. SUN Mobility also announced its partnership with MetroRide, a sustainable and environment-friendly shared mobility solution provider, to solve first and last-mile connectivity for metro rail. MetroRide’s fleet of Piaggio Ape E-City electric three-wheelers will make use of SUN Mobility’s swap points deployed at IOCL outlets.

We realise that good infrastructure is a precursor to enabling a vibrant, clean and shared mobility ecosystem in a city like Bengaluru. A great example of this is the three-wheeler market that has 1,80,000 three-wheelers, supported by 85 LPG stations, SUN Mobility co-founder and Vice-Chairman Chetan Maini said in a statement.

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The company wants to create a similar supporting ecosystem by deploying 100 swap points by the end of next year that can power and support all forms of shared mobility in the city, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and last-mile delivery trucks, he added. “Our commitment is to increase adoption of EVs in the shared mobility sector, in Bengaluru, by making refuelling faster, cheaper, more accessible and convenient (through swapping),” Maini said. Piaggio Vehicles Chairman and MD Diego Graffi said the company always believes in providing best-in-class solutions to customers in the last-mile transportation segment. “Our Ape E-City, with the swappable battery solution, will provide an easy, clean and comfortable metro station commute, which is the need of the hour for a fast, young and cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru,” he said.

DECEMBER- 2020

EV & ESS

INDIANOIL SUCCESSFULLY TESTS INNOVATIVE ZERO-EMISSION ELECTRIC MOBILITY TECHNOLOGY In a bid to promote electric mobility in the country, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. has successfully conducted a “Proof of Concept” feasibility study on “Zero-Emission Electric Mobility” at one of its fuel stations in Bengaluru.

ero-Emission Electric Mobility is a concept that allows the electric vehicle (EV) to charge using solar power thereby ensuring zero emissions. The EV charging system has been designed by M/s. Hygge Energy, a start-up incubated by Tech Mahindra, and has three main features – EVs are charged using solar power, no upgrades are required in grid infrastructure, and grid resilience is improved by the system’s architecture, especially in remote areas.

Speaking on this novel breakthrough, Mr. Vigyan Kumar, Executive Director (Retail Sales), IndianOil, said, “As part of IndianOil’s foray into alternative energy, we have already set up 54 battery charging/swapping stations for electric vehicles in partnership with various companies. We have also taken a minority stake in Phinergy of Israel to set up an Aluminium-Air battery manufacturing facility in India for electric vehicles & stationary applications.

DECEMBER- 2020

Given the challenges of grid capacity and reliability amid the uncertainty of EV adoption, we are committed to finding an integrated solution to ensure green power for EV charging at our fuel stations. This innovative solution developed by Hygge Energy has demonstrated the feasibility to address these issues. We will conduct pilot studies at more fuel stations across Bangalore. This solution is unique as it leverages the existing investment made by us in solarising our fuel stations and gives us a good basis to roll-out our EV charging initiative”, he added. The technology enables intelligent electric-vehicle charging using “hybrid microgrids”. Hybrid microgrids are created by integrating existing grid infrastructure with solar PV batteries. Zero Emission Electric Mobility is a highly adaptable system that employs artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) to ensure that charging requirements are primarily met with renewable energy from these hybrid microgrids, thereby providing 100% clean energy e-mobility. This also prevents additional load which electric vehicle supply equipment would exert on power distribution transformers that feed fuel stations. As a result, clean energy e-mobility can be accommodated without the need for additional investments in grid infrastructure.

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EV & ESS

3,000 IOT-ENABLED SMART CHARGING STATIONS TO BE INSTALLED ACROSS 5 CITIES FOR ELECTRIC TWO WHEELERS

Quick urbanization has filled versatility needs in the country, driving an expanded interest for vehicles. While it is an indication of progress, it has prompted low air quality and expanded reliance on rough oil. In order to counter the evil impacts of non-renewable energy sources, electric portability is genuinely considered as another option now.

n fact, India has vowed to diminish carbon power by 33-35% by 2030. Changing vehicles to run on inexhaustible wellsprings of energy is vital to tending to concerns over energy security and environmental change. Electric vehicles that are completely or somewhat fueled by batteries charged from the electrical lattice, consider such a progress. Note that over 80% of the total vehicles in India include 2 wheelers, as opposed to 4 wheelers in western countries. About 1.56 lakh electric 2 wheelers were sold in the country in the last financial year ending March 2020 which is 20% higher than the previous year. However, there has been a lack of sale of electric bikes and electric vehicles in general due to lack of EV charging infrastructure. To increase the demand for electric vehicles, eBikeGo, India’s leading smart electric two-wheeler mobility platform, is planning to launch its own IoT enabled smart charging stations – eBikeGo Charge. These smart charging stations will be IoT enabled where every two-wheeler can charge its vehicles. In the first phase, 3,000 Charging stations will be installed in five cities including New Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai in 3 months and in one-year, eBikeGo aims to install 12,000 to 15,000 charging stations all across the country. The company will start installing these charging stations with effect from 1st December 2020.

HOW TO CHARGE VEHICLES: In these smart charging stations, users can charge their vehicle using QR code. After scanning QR code, the charge will activate, then the user can see in their phone app how many units of electricity they consumed and even the shop owners who install these charging stations can know and monitor how much units they sold. Using IoT, eBikeGo can monitor how much battery is left in the vehicle and how much charge is required for the vehicle. Through the Battery management system, eBikeGo will notify the user about the battery percentage, nearby charging stations, when the battery is reduced, how many kilometres a vehicle will go in the remaining battery. Users can even pre-book at the charging station. eBikeGo will launch the app called eBikeGo Charge app to monitor all these systems.

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PAYMENT OPTION, CHARGES AND LOCATION: After charging the vehicle, the user can pay using UPI, credit, debit cards or cash. The cost of charging will be very low as compared to petrol prices. It will cost about 20-50 paise per kilometre to charge the two-wheelers as well as three-wheelers. The cost of the charging will be 5 times cheaper than the cost of petrol. It will be installed in densely populated market places and shops. It will also reduce the problem of battery swapping stations. In these swapping stations, users have to reduce the battery and change it on a swapping station. The cost of battery swapping is approximately the same as the cost of petrol. “We are very happy and delighted to install the charging stations in the first phase in all the prominent cities which saw higher demand for electric vehicles. This step will not only help to boost the demand for electric vehicles and its ecosystem in the country but can also help to reduce the pollution and problems of battery swapping systems. Now more people will go for electric vehicles when there are a lot more charging stations. We hope that state governments will also come forward with us to install more and more charging stations across the country to promote the eco-friendly way of commuting” said Irfan Khan, Founder & CEO of eBikeGo.

DECEMBER- 2020

electric vehicle

ELECTRIC VEHICLES A $206 BILLION OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIA BY 2030

Should India achieve its 2030 electric vehicle ambition and targets, it would present a market opportunity worth nearly $206 billion (Rs 14,42,000 crore) in the course of this decade, says an independent study released by the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance (CEEW-CEF). The study also estimates a cumulative investment need of over $180 billion (Rs 12,50,000 crore) in vehicle production and charging infrastructure until 2030 to meet India’s EV ambition.

hile India is yet to officially spell out its electrification targets for 2030, the aspiration as stipulated by NITI Aayog-government’s primary think tank, states that 70 per cent of all commercial cars, 30 per cent of private cars, 40 per cent of buses, and 80 per cent of two-wheeler (2W) and three-wheeler (3W) sales would be electric by the end of this new decade. As a result, the CEEW-CEF study says cumulative EV sales in all vehicle segments would jump to over 100 million units by FY30 – 200 times its current market size of just half a million as on March 2020.

Availability and affordability of capital for OEMs, battery manufacturers, charge point operators, and end consumers would be key to determining the pace, efficiency and cost of India’s transition to electric vehicles,” says Vaibhav Pratap Singh, Senior Analyst at CEEW-CEF and the lead author of the report. “Consistent policy support would also be critical. The recent announcements by the government to set up EV kiosks across 69,000 petrol stations in the country and permit sales and registration of EVs without batteries can give a boost to the sector. The study estimates that realising this ambition would require an estimated annual battery capacity of 158 GWh by FY30, which provides a massive market opportunity for domestic manufacturers. Even if 50 per cent of the battery manufacturing capacity were indigenous, investments would amount to as much as $6.1 billion (Rs 42,900 crore) by FY30. Further, the cumulative investments required would exceed $12.3 billion (Rs 85,900 crore) in case of 100 per cent indigenisation of battery manufacturing.

DECEMBER- 2020

The recently approved production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile and battery manufacturing sectors could help enable the right ecosystem for indigenisation and job creation in the EV sector. Another big opportunity would be in the area of charging infrastructure. India would need a network of over 2.9 million public charging points by FY30, beyond the in-home charging points, says the study. This would require investment of up to $ 2.9 billion (~ Rs 20,600 crore) until 2030. Currently, there are only about 1,800 public charging points across the country. Similar opportunities exist in the automobile loan market too. According to the study, if 50 per cent of the EV upfront costs – $103 billion (Rs 7,21,000 crore) – required through FY21-FY30 were to be financed through debt, the banking sector would have to more than triple its current advances of $31 billion (Rs 2,17,000 crore) towards vehicle loans in the next 10 years. The study highlights that distributing all the upfront costs as well as operating costs (including fuel, maintenance, and insurance) into equal annual costs – a method called annualization – would help navigate the challenge of high upfront purchase cost. The solution could help create a track record of performance and repayments and thus help with the creation of a vibrant loan market for EVs. In addition, it recommends development of policies around battery reuse, recycling, and leasing to help bring down the high upfront cost of EVs. To encourage uptake of EVs, it calls for creating state EV policies which combine incentives for EVs with disincentives for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

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interview

Ms. SUNNY XU

CEO, Kehua Tech India EQ: As the fastest growing inverter manufacturer, How do you increase brand recognition within the industry and outside of China? SX: In fact, Kehua is one of the inverter manufacturers who have the longest history in market. Since established from 1988, Kehua has over 32 years` dedication in power conversion technology which is the core tech in solar inverter. As one of the first several listed solar inverter companies in China from 2010, the current market cap of Kehua surpasses $1 billion US dollars and has over 3000 full-time employees. As an energy solution provider with nuclear product qualification, Kehua has an excellent quality system and is highly recognized. Kehua got an excellent evaluation from Dun & Bradstreet: D&B Rating: 5AFinancial Strength: 5A D&B EMMA Score: 3 Organization:4.9 Credit Health:4 Delivery:4.7 Quality Control:4.6 Productron:4.2 In renewable energy industry, Kehua has shipped over 14GW solar inverters in world. We devote to the “quality” which is seen as an important index. On top of that, following the company's strategy, we are carrying out an overseas brand promotion plan now and perform well in some markets, like in India, we got many awards and ranked NO.1 central inverter market share in Q1 2020, we keep ranking TOP10 inverter market share in Asia and is the fastest growing company. Kehua will put much more resources into marketing actions that covers both online and offline activities. We have built connections with the most influential organizations in different countries. What`s more, numerous of roadshows and regional promotion activities will be organized together with our local partners to further expand our brand reputation.

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EQ: Service is a point of great concern to the inverter industry. How does KEHUA provide service to customers? SX: The high quality and reliability products of Kehua have been highly recognized by customers. In the commitment to product quality, we also adhere to the customer-oriented with quickly response service, Kehua has a completed 3A technical service system: 32 years of experience in power distribution solutions and product O&M. Accumulation of maintenance practices for millions sets of equipment and systems. 16 technical service centers. 50 manufacturer technical service outlets nationwide and 20 overseas technical service outlets. More than 500 engineers and O&M experts. 24x7 service. One-stop supply of spare parts to minimize rush repair/operation and maintenance time. Now, Kehua has been serving more than 100 countries around the world. The core markets are equipped with dedicated service teams to fully support the needs of customers At the same time, Kehua adheres to the concept of common development with its local partners., we provide technical exchanges, seminars, webinars to train and qualify our local partners to ensure they have adequate product knowledge and capability to respond to the service needs of local customer including parts replacement .

EQ: The industry is concerned about technical issues around integrating PV with ESS. How does your product ensure a smooth integration? SX: As an energy service provider focusing on power electronics technology for 32 years, Kehua has profound technology accumulation and understanding of the industry. Our technical level ranks in the forefront of the market, and ranked No.1 ESS market share in China. Kehua already had over 14GW PV and 700+MW ESS experience in many regions, we have completed many PV+ESS integration applications, the reliable solution had gained very high customer satisfaction and nowadays, PV+ESS is one of the core competitive advantages of Kehua. Based on the deep understanding of the industry, plus the rich practices and experience, Kehua’s products and solutions will continue to solve the integrated PV and ESS technical issues, and play the important role and contribute its parts to the global renewable energy industry.

DECEMBER- 2020

Energy Storage

EDF CONTINUES ENERGY STORAGE PUSH WITH POWERUP INVESTMENT

Alongside EDF, PowerUp has received funding from its historic investor Supernova Invest as well as business angels.

he company aims to extend the lifetime and optimize the performance of lithium-ion batteries using measure, act, predict (MAP) technology. It diagnoses and measures the real state of health of the batteries, a system that it said guarantees their autonomy, and uses dynamic charging based on the battery’s health, use and environment to boost the lifetime by up to 100%. PowerUp can also predict the lifetime of batteries according to usage scenarios, which allows them to be replaced at the right time. Having previously run a trial with EDF – as well as trials with Schneider Electric, Crédit Agricole Nord Midi-Pyrénées and SNCF Réseau – PowerUp has now signed a partnership with EDF R&D to accelerate the development of more effective algorithms for predicting and diagnosing battery health. EDF R&D’s test facilities will be used for this, with Carmen Munoz, director of downstream activities at EDF R&D stating the partnership will help to “boost competitiveness”. The investment by EDF forms part of its plans to install 10GW of new storage capacity by 2035. Already it has acquired battery storage and electric vehicle charging firm Pivot Power, which announced in 2018 plans to deploy 2GW of battery storage.

DECEMBER- 2020

PowerUp said its technology will help EDF to gain a competitive edge in energy storage solutions and the execution of energy storage projects. Following this latest funding round, PowerUp intends to speed up its growth by recruiting 25 new employees in engineering and marketing and sales within the next two years, strengthen its leadership position in the French market and expand its business in Europe and North America and adapt its technology to renewable energy storage applications. Josselin Priour, CEO and co-founder of PowerUp, said: “In 2021, we will be embarking on a phase of increased production, and this capital will support our growth. “Behind this growth lies a real need: more than ever before, we need to increase the lifetime of our batteries to ensure greener energy production.”

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Energy Storage

CLEANSPARK ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH SOLAR AND STORAGE DEVELOPER SYMMETRIC ENERGY CleanSpark, an advanced software and controls technology solutions company, focused on solving modern energy challenges, announced it has partnered with Symmetric Energy (Symmetric) to target new microgrid projects in Northern California. The objective will be to provide reliable back-up energy or off-grid power using a combination of solar PV and energy storage for both commercial and estate-level residential microgrids.

Amer Tadayon, CleanSpark’s Chief Revenue Officer commented, “We are excited to announce another partnership with a wellestablished solar and storage developer in California. We believe that partnering with CleanSpark for design and controls software along with the co-marketing capabilities of our team will allow Symmetric to rapidly generate many more microgrid projects. With Symmetric, CleanSpark will be able to provide mPulse to a substantial number of projects through a trusted, existing relationship.

NEW YORK CITY WILL BEGIN DEVELOPMENT OF 100 MW BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT 174 Power Global and Con Edison announced the signing of a seven-year dispatch rights agreement for the development of a 100-megawatt battery storage project, the East River Energy Storage System, in Astoria, Queens.

174 Power Global will build and own the battery system, which is expected to be one of the biggest in New York State. The facility will be located on land owned by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and leased under a long-term contract to 174 Power Global. The new energy storage system represents a redevelopment of the Charles Poletti Power Plant property, repowering New York City’s grid with a clean energy resource. The East River Energy Storage System is designed to balance peak electricity demands and provide grid reliability by delivering reactive power, voltage support and frequency stability to the New York region, further escalating its transition to a sustainable energy future. Utility scale battery projects in New York City are necessary to include more renewable power generation currently in development. The energy storage system is expected to achieve commercial operation on January 1, 2023. The project will be permitted and constructed following applicable codes requirements in the State of New York.

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The NYPA has embarked on several energy efficient initiatives lately. In June, it launched a statewide program that aims to replace at least 500,000 streetlights with energy-efficient LED technology by 2025. And in 2019, the NYPA and the City University of New York (CUNY) partnered on $26 million in comprehensive energy efficiency improvements at the City College of New York (CCNY). Once completed, it will save 15% in electricity consumption annually and reduce maintenance costs.

DECEMBER- 2020

Energy Storage

IT’S TIME TO UNLOCK CANADA’S ENERGY STORAGE POTENTIAL IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE FIGHT The recently introduced Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act aims to achieve a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Achieving this goal will require a modernisation of Canada’s electricity system. While the federal government has taken initial steps toward this goal by phasing out coal and encouraging renewables and other zero-emission technologies, it has become clear that energy storage will need to play a much bigger role for the government’s strategy to succeed.

he election of President-elect Joe Biden south of the border gives added urgency to meeting this challenge. Biden’s platform includes “an historic investment in energy efficiency, clean energy, electrical systems and line infrastructure that makes it easier to electrify transportation, and new battery storage and transmission infrastructure that will address bottlenecks and unlock America’s full clean energy potential.” Energy storage is mentioned a number of times in Biden’s climate and energy policies, making it clear that it will be a major area of development. Many U.S. jurisdictions are already ahead of Canada in deploying energy storage to improve their energy systems. Canada may soon find itself even further behind. Energy storage provides a diverse spectrum of benefits, reducing ratepayer costs, improving reliability and resiliency of the electrical grid, and mitigating Climate Change. As electricity demands fluctuate through the Pandemic and the eventual recovery, storage can provide the cost-effective flexibility that we will need through these uncertain times. Storage can reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) by supporting increased renewables integration and optimising existing assets on the system. Technologies such as solar and wind often produce electricity at low-demand periods. Storing this energy so it can be dispatched when needed during peak demand periods will be the key to unlocking the potential of these zero-emitting sources. Storage can also improve the efficiency of existing electricity resources, including transmission and distribution (T&D) assets, to reduce the need for new infrastructure.

DECEMBER- 2020

LET’S ADDRESS THE ‘STORAGE GAP’ A study last month by the National Research Council found that in Ontario, storage investment would reduce emissions by 11% by 2030. And energy storage is highly cost-effective. According to the global financial and asset management firm Lazard, storage costs have declined across most technologies, and it is gaining traction as a commercially viable solution to challenges created by intermittent energy resources such as solar or wind. Energy Storage Canada released a valuation study this year with Power Advisory LLC, that concluded if at least 1,000MW of energy storage were fully enabled in Ontario, ratepayers would enjoy CA$2 billion in net savings over the next decade. The potential for energy storage was recognised by Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O’Regan, who recently told our Annual Conference that “few areas offer greater potential for building that safer, greener more competitive future than energy storage.” And Canadian companies have led the way and can lead the way with storage technologies such as compressed air, batteries, Power to Gas/Hydrogen, flywheels, pumped hydro solutions amongst others. However, to date federal energy and climate change programmes have maintained a blind spot when it comes to unlocking this opportunity. Addressing this “Storage Gap” – through targeted investments, and removing barriers in federal programming that discourage storage development – will be key to meeting the government’s new net-zero commitments, and to ensuring a resilient, cost effective electricity system.

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energy storage

BATTERY PACK PRICES CITED BELOW $100/KWH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2020, WHILE MARKET AVERAGE SITS AT $137/KWH Lithium-ion battery pack prices, which were above $1,100 per kilowatt-hour in 2010, have fallen 89% in real terms to $137/kWh in 2020. By 2023, average prices will be close to $100/kWh, according to the latest forecast from research company BloombergNEF (BNEF).

or the first time, battery pack prices of less than $100/kWh have been reported. These were for batteries in e-buses in China. While these were the lowest reported price, the volume-weighted average price for e-buses in China was slightly higher, $105/kWh. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) pack prices are $126/kWh on a volumeweighted average basis. At the cell level, average BEV prices were just $100/kWh. This indicates that on average, the battery pack portion of the total price accounts for 21%. BNEF’s 2020 Battery Price Survey, which considers passenger EVs, e-buses, commercial EVs and stationary storage, predicts that by 2023 average pack prices will be $101/kWh. It is at around this price point that automakers should be able to produce and sell mass market EVs at the same price (and with the same margin) as comparable internal combustion vehicles in some markets. This assumes no subsidies are available, but actual pricing strategies will vary by automaker and geography.

Price reductions in 2020 are thanks to increasing order sizes, growth in BEV sales and the introduction of new pack designs. New cathode chemistries and falling manufacturing costs will drive prices down in the near term. The prices of cathode materials have fallen since reaching a high in spring 2018, finding a more stable level during 2020.

James Frith, BNEF’s head of energy storage research and lead author of the report, said: “It is a historic milestone to see pack prices of less than $100/kWh reported. Within just a few years we will see the average price in the industry pass this point. What’s more, our analysis shows that even if prices for raw materials were to return to the highs seen in 2018, it would only delay average prices reaching $100/kWh by two years – rather than completely derailing the industry. The industry is becoming increasingly resilient to changing raw material prices, with leading battery manufacturers moving up the value chain and investing in cathode production or even mines.”

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Leading battery manufacturers are now enjoying gross margins of up to 20% and their plants are operating at utilization rates over 85%. Maintaining high utilization rates is key to reducing cell and pack prices. If utilization rates are low, then equipment and building depreciation costs are spread over fewer kilowatt-hours of manufactured cells.

Daixin Li, a senior energy storage associate at BNEF, added: “The increasingly diversified chemistries used in the market result in a wide range of prices. Battery manufacturers are racing to mass-produce higher energy-density batteries with some new chemistries such as lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide – NMC (9.5.5) – and lithium nickel manganese cobalt aluminum oxide – NMCA – set to be mass-produced as early as 2021. Lithium iron phosphate – LFP – however plays as a cost-competitive alternative, contributing to the lowest reported cell prices of $80/kWh.” The path to achieving $101/kWh by 2023 looks clear, even if there will undoubtedly be hiccups, such as commodity price increases, along the way. There is much less certainty on how the industry will reduce prices even further from $100/kWh down to our expectation of $58/kWh by 2030. This is not because it is impossible but rather that there are several options and paths that could be taken. One possible route to achieving these lower prices is the adoption of solid-state batteries. BloombergNEF expects that these cells could be manufactured at 40% of the cost of current lithium-ion batteries, when produced at scale. These reductions would come from savings in the bill of materials and in the cost of production, equipment, and the adoption of new high-energy density cathodes. In order to realize these reduced prices, the supply chain for key materials, such as solid electrolytes, not used in lithium-ion batteries today, needs to be established.

DECEMBER- 2020

energy storage

SCIENTISTS DEVELOP LOW-COST, HIGH ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES WITH NOVEL ELECTRODE MATERIAL

To pave the way for the next generation high power-high energy storage devices, scientists have developed a low-cost super capacitor device with excellent capacitive retention with a novel electrode material they have synthesized.

cientists at the International Advanced Research Center for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad have developed a facile, scalable, and cost-effective electrochemical route to synthesize electrodes. Super capacitors have gained considerable attention due to their high power density, long cycle life, and excellent capacity retention compared to their battery counterparts. Super capacitors with high capacitance and excellent capacitive retention developed from low-cost fabrication techniques are the need of the hour, considering their potential utility in the commercial market. It is made of Nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) containing nano sheet structures with incorporated oxygen vacancies as an active material, for hybrid super capacitors. These electrodes have been found to have excellent electrochemical performance. Such hybrid super capacitors combine the features of both conventional double layer super capacitors and batteries and act as high power-high energy storage devices.

DECEMBER- 2020

However, it remains challenging to design pseudo capacitor devices with redox metal oxide (MO) materials with high porosity, which exhibit high capacitance and good cycle life. It is desirable to amend the intrinsic properties of the synthesized MO to enhance its conductivity, stability, and electrochemical activity. Scientists at ARCI and IIT-H addressed these challenges and were successful in synthesizing NiCo2O4 nanostructured electrodes by a novel electrode position route. They also introduced an optimum number of oxygen vacancies by an environmentally benign chemical reduction process to make up for an active, positive electrode material for hybrid super capacitor, as reported in their recent publication in the journal “Batteries & Supercaps”. This could be an effective alternative to the existing carbon-based electrodes for super capacitors to achieve high energy density. An asymmetric super capacitor device further fabricated by the research team, using porous carbon and NiCo2O4 electrodes exhibited excellent capacity retention and stability. The device could power an LED lamp and a DC fan, as shown in the figure.

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energy storage

INVINITY FLOW BATTERY COSTS FELL 30% POST-MERGER, SAYS EXEC When two of the long-duration flow battery sector’s leaders ran into problems, a frequent partner, vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals, suggested they should discuss a merger.

The U.K.’s RedT Energy and U.S. firm Avalon completed that process in March. The synergies Bushveld identified have played out, and the new firm, Invinity, has been picking up project wins and is now focusing on cutting the cost of its systems and ramping up growth, Invinity CCO Matt Harper said in an interview. “We’re probably [at] 20 to 30 percent lower cost today than what RedT was building about a year ago,” he said. “[We’ve] dramatically increased the longevity and reliability, and we’ll continue that process.” Harper, who co-founded Avalon, said the new company is benefiting from RedT’s processing and manufacturing know-how and the system-level technology and modularization that Avalon brought to the table.

he two companies’ intellectual property has now been merged into a fresh system. A 2-megawatt install for EDF’s Pivot Power in Oxford, England will be the first project to benefit from the revamped product. These improvements mean the company can deliver profitable behind-the-meter projects. The tipping point into profitability was surpassed this year, Harper said. One such commercial project, announced earlier this week, is a 1 MW PV array paired with an 0.8 megawatt-hour vanadium flow battery (VFB) from Invinity. The project, for Scottish Water, will be completed next year and will essentially convert the commercial solar array into a fully dispatchable resource. The install will also add on-site EV charging at the water treatment center in Perth, Scotland. The firm is in the process of electrifying its fleet of 1,400 vehicles.

UNLOCKING THE UTILITY-SCALE MARKET FOR FLOW BATTERIES Next is the front-of-the-meter market. Last week the company announced the world’s largest solar-plus flow battery project so far. The Yadlamalka project in South Australia will pair a 6-megawatt solar project with an 8-megawatt-hour vanadium flow battery. The project, worth 20 million Australian dollars (USD $15 million), benefited from a grant of AUD $5.7 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. As well as shifting the load from the solar plant, the battery will also provide frequency control services to the Australian Energy Market Operator. Projects like this, as well as 8 MWh worth of systems selected for California Energy Commission projects and a host of others, all help the firm to keep traveling along that cost reduction curve as well, Harper said. “The thing that was so great for me about the Yadlamalka is that it’s the validation of the concepts that led us to form Avalon in 2013,” he said. “We’re quoting very large front-of-meter sites already, but we’re not going to be delivering a 200 MW single-site project next year; there’s a reasonable growth curve that we’re going to follow,” he added.

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FRESH INVESTMENT AND A SURGING SHARE PRICE The merger brought in around £8 million ($10.8 million) when it floated in March. Shares traded around £0.45 for the first two months after the float. In early December it issued new shares raising another £20.5 million ($27.65 million) with scope for another £2 million ($2.7 million) in an open offering under consideration. The December issue was at a share price of £1.75 ($2.36) per share. The current price is around £1.90 ($2.56). Harper said the current investment levels are sufficient for it to continue with its plans. “One of the nice things about starting to have repeatable revenue and profitable projects, which we will in 2021, is that it opens up all sorts of other avenues for the kind of growth capital we may eventually need,” he said. “We’re in a pretty good position for the foreseeable future.” One advantage of flow batteries over lithium-ion technology is that they don’t require funding to build gigafactories in order to scale manufacturing, Harper said. Systems can be assembled in four to eight months after an order is received, giving the manufacturing process the same sort of modular advantage as the vanadium flow batteries themselves. “There are no clean rooms; it looks like an assembly plant. And what that means for us is that we can be very flexible in where we build new capacity; we can build that new capacity fairly quickly and at a comparatively low capital cost,” he said. “That’s going to help us go up that scaling curve faster and hit those front-of-meter projects in fewer years than we saw with lithium.”

DECEMBER- 2020

energy storage

IN BOOST FOR RENEWABLES, GRID-SCALE BATTERY STORAGE IS ON THE RISE The twin smokestacks of the Moss Landing Power Plant tower over Monterey Bay. Visible for miles along this picturesque stretch of the Northern California coast, the 500-foot-tall pillars crown what was once California’s largest electric power station — a behemoth natural gas-fired generator. Today, as California steadily moves to decarbonize its economy, those stacks are idle and the plant is largely mothballed. Instead, the site is about to begin a new life as the world’s largest battery, storing excess energy when solar panels and wind farms are producing electricity and feeding it back into the grid when they’re not.

nside a cavernous turbine building, a 300-megawatt lithium-ion battery is currently being readied for operation, with another 100-megawatt battery to come online in 2021. Together, they will be able to discharge enough electricity to power roughly 300,000 California homes for four hours during evenings, heatwaves, and other times when energy demand outstrips supply, according to project developer Vistra Energy. These aren’t the only super-sized batteries that will soon be operating at the Moss Landing plant. An additional 182.5 megawatts produced by 256 Tesla megapack batteries are scheduled to begin feeding into California’s electric grid in mid-2021, with plans to eventually add enough capacity at the site to power every home in nearby San Francisco for six hours, according to the Bay Area utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, which will own and operate the system. Elsewhere in California, a 250-megawatt storage project went online this year in San Diego, construction has begun on a 150-megawatt system near San Francisco, a 100-megawatt battery project is nearing completion in Long Beach, and a number of others are in various stages of development around the state.

Driven by steeply falling prices and technological progress that allows batteries to store ever-larger amounts of energy, grid-scale systems are seeing record growth in the U.S. and around the world. Many of the gains are spillovers from the auto industry’s race to build smaller, cheaper, and more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. In the U.S., state clean energy mandates, along with tax incentives for storage systems that are paired with solar installations, are also playing an important role. California is currently the global leader in the effort to balance the intermittency of renewable energy in electric grids with high-capacity batteries. But the rest of the world is rapidly following suit. Recently announced plans range from a 409-megawatt system in South Florida, to a 320-megawatt plant near London, England, to a 200-megawatt facility in Lithuania and a 112-megawatt unit in Chile. The mass deployment of storage could overcome one of the biggest obstacles to renewable energy — its cycling between oversupply when the sun shines or the wind blows, and shortage when the sun sets or the wind drops. By smoothing imbalances between supply and demand, proponents say, batteries can replace fossil fuel “peaker” plants that kick in for a few hours a day when energy demands soar. Experts say that widespread energy storage is key to expanding the reach of renewables and speeding the transition to a carbonfree power grid.

DECEMBER- 2020

“Energy storage is actually the true bridge to a clean-energy future,” says Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar and Storage Association. How quickly that future arrives depends in large part on how rapidly costs continue to fall. Already the price tag for utility-scale battery storage in the United States has plummeted, dropping nearly 70 percent between 2015 and 2018, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This sharp price drop has been enabled by advances in lithium-ion battery chemistry that have significantly improved performance. Power capacity has expanded rapidly, and batteries can store and discharge energy over ever-longer periods of time. Market competition and rising battery production also play a major role; a projection by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory sees mid-range costs for lithium-ion batteries falling an additional 45 percent between 2018 and 2030.

“We’re almost entirely piggybacking on the growth of lithium-ion battery technology, which is driven mostly by electric vehicles and consumer electronics,” says Ray Hohenstein, market applications director for Fluence, an energy developer with storage projects totaling nearly 1 gigawatt (1,000 megawatts) set to come online in California within a year. The money put into research for those applications is driving down costs across the board, says Hohenstein. “It’s just like what we saw with solar panels.” In California, falling battery prices, coupled with the state’s aggressive push toward a carbon-free electrical grid by 2045, have led to a packed pipeline of storage projects. A 2013 bill set a target of 1.325 gigawatts of storage to be commissioned for the state’s grid by 2020. With 1.5 gigawatts of projects now approved — including more than 500 megawatts installed so far — that goal has already been surpassed, according to the California Public Utilities Commission. While there is no precise figure for how much storage California will require to meet its carbon-free goal — the amount depends on the future technology mix, energy use, and other changing factors — some analyses estimate that at least 30 gigawatts of utility-scale storage will be needed by 2045.’ When the gigantic Moss Landing project becomes fully operational in mid-2021, it will more than double the amount of energy storage in California. Several other states are also now embarking on major energy storage projects. Among them: New York’s 316-megawatt Ravenswood project will be able to power more than 250,000 homes for up to eight hours, replacing two natural gas peaker plants in the New York City borough of Queens. And the 409-megawatt

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energy storage

Manatee system planned for South Florida will be charged by an adjacent solar plant. Touted by utility Florida Power & Light as the world’s largest solar-powered battery system, the facility will replace two aging natural gas-fired units. Nationwide, a record 1.2 gigawatts of storage have been installed so far this year, according to Wood MacKenzie, a natural resources research and consulting firm. That number is projected to jump dramatically over the next five years, rising to nearly 7.5 gigawatts in 2025. Kelly Speakes-Backman, CEO of the U.S. Energy Storage Association, says that battery storage additions doubled in 2020, and would likely have tripled had it not been for construction slowdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite its leadership in renewable energy development, Europe has been slower to get on board with storage. “In general, Europe is a bit more conservative,” says Daniele Gatti, analyst for IDTechEx, a United Kingdom-based market research firm specializing in emerging technology. Energy storage development in Europe has been hindered by a restrictive electricity market dominated by government auctions that tend to undervalue storage. Still, some big-battery projects are now taking shape, including the 320-megawatt Gateway system to be built at a new port facility near London.’ Globally, Gatti projects rapid growth in energy storage, reaching 1.2 terawatts (1,200 gigawatts) over the next decade. Key players include Australia, which in 2017 became the first nation to install major battery storage on its grid with the 100-megawatt Hornsdale Power Reserve, and is now planning to add another 300 megawatts near Victoria. The new system will dispatch electricity between states on an as-needed basis, maximizing the efficiency of existing transmission infrastructure and reducing the need for building new power lines that would sit idle most of the time. Similar projects are gearing up in Germany and elsewhere, highlighting an emerging role for batteries as transmission tools. And Saudi Arabia has just announced plans to overtake Moss Landing’s standing as the world’s largest battery with a massive solar-plus-storage system on the country’s west coast.

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The facility will provide 100-percent renewable energy around the clock to a resort complex of 50 hotels and 1,300 homes being built along the Red Sea. With a recent report concluding that most fossil fuel power plants in the U.S. will reach the end of their working life by 2035, experts say that the time for rapid growth in industrial-scale energy storage is at hand. Yiyi Zhou, a renewable power systems specialist with Bloomberg NEF, says that renewables combined with battery storage are already an economically viable alternative to building new gas peaker plants. Pairing electricity generation with storage works especially well with solar energy, which generally follows a predictable daily pattern. In the U.S., costs have also been helped by the federal Investment Tax Credit, a 30-percent tax rebate for new solar installations. In fact, says Zhou, as more solar energy enters the grid, the cost of operating gas plants actually goes up.

“That’s mainly because they are forced to cycle on and off much more now because of solar penetration,” Zhou says. “This adds wear-and-tear, and shortens their lifetime.” Batteries are even beginning to reach a size — around 200 megawatts — that enables renewables to replace small- to medium-sized natural gas generators, Hohenstein says. “Now we’re able to truly build these hybrid resources — solar, storage, wind — and do the job that was traditionally done by fossil fuel power plants,” says Hohenstein, whose company is seeing a surge of interest in such large projects.

Adding storage also makes renewable energy more profitable, says Wesley Cole, an energy analyst with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “One of the challenges of renewable energy is the more you put on the grid, the more the value declines,” Cole says. Storage helps deal with that by soaking up excess energy that would have been lost in the middle of the day, when electricity demand is lower, and moving it to a time when it is more valuable. While energy storage is thriving in high-value markets, such as California, battery prices still need to come down more to reach large-scale global deployment. In the U.S., proponents hope the incoming Biden administration will pursue more favorable energy policies, including extending the Investment Tax Credit — which ramps down to 10 percent for commercial solar systems and ends for residential solar in 2022 — and expanding the benefit to stand-alone storage.’ Even without further incentives, however, analysts are optimistic that battery prices will eventually drop low enough for widespread energy storage use. “We see storage being a large player across effectively every future we look at,” says Cole. “And not just one or two gigawatts… but tens to hundreds of gigawatts.”

DECEMBER- 2020

energy storage

VENA ENERGY SELECTS DOOSAN GRIDTECH TO DELIVER QUEENSLAND’S LARGEST GRID-SCALE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (100MW/150MWH) Vena Energy-Australia has named Doosan GridTech as its engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner to build Queensland’s largest energy storage system. This battery energy storage system (BESS) will play a major role in improving grid stability and supporting the state’s shift to renewable energy. Located near Wandoan in the state’s southwest region, the BESS will have a discharge capacity of 100MW and deliver 150MWh— enough to provide power for 57,000 homes.

As our first grid-scale energy storage project, the Wandoan South BESS in South West Queensland required an EPC partner that carries Doosan’s expertise depth and market credibility,” said Anil Nangia, Head of Vena Energy-Australia. “We view Doosan as a long-term partner who shares our desires to accelerate the transition to renewable energy in the Asia-Pacific region and to enrich local economies and communities. Doosan’s design of one of the largest battery systems in Australia features: A customized battery building that will efficiently manage the safety, protection, and ambient temperature control for more than 20,000 lithium-ion batteries; Doosan’s cutting-edge control and monitoring software to operate the plant’s energy management system and allow the BESS’ participation in the ancillary service market; The ability to convert to battery/solar hybrid control for future system evolution.

DECEMBER- 2020

We are honored that Vena Energy has chosen Doosan to deliver Queensland’s largest battery energy storage system as the country enters a new dawn of renewable energy solutions, said Adrian Marziano, General Manager, Doosan GridTech- Australia. “The Wandoan South BESS represents a big step in building our momentum to provide high megawatt grid-scale battery storage systems. Again, we are demonstrating that competitively priced turnkey systems deployed alongside advanced and flexible control platforms are winning propositions for global renewable developers. Turnkey delivery provides simplicity of purchase and a higher degree of short-term risk management. Advanced and upgradable software ensures long-term risk management in the form of flexibility for technology options and adaptation to meet future grid needs. Doosan’s Intelligent Controller (DG-IC®) will be the operating software platform of the Wandoan South BESS. It is one of the first storage control systems built on open standard interfaces and is custom-designed to meet the Australian transmission system’s rigorous requirements. The DG-IC is the advanced intelligence of a BESS system designed to provide speedy response against complex schedules and operating modes while ensuring that power quality is maintained.

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energy storage

SWELL BAGS FUNDS FOR 200 MWH OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY STORAGE IN VPPS US distributed energy and grid solutions provider Swell Energy Inc has secured financial backing for up to USD 450 million (EUR 370.6m) worth of virtual power plants (VPPs) to be deployed across the country.

The company said last week it has formed a VPP financing vehicle in partnership with a fund managed by the Infrastructure and Power strategy of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) and Aligned Climate Capital LLC. The vehicle, structured with Swellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s utility contracts in mind, will support the construction of four newly-ordered VPPs representing over 200 MWh of distributed energy storage tied to 100 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity.

U 2023.

nder its just launched Home Energy Subscription Agreement the company will start delivering energy capacity and grid services for its first utility VPP on January 1, 2021. The portfolio will ramp up to 200 MWh of energy storage by June

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By networking these individual homes and businesses into virtual power plants, Swell is able to bring down the cost of ownership for its customers and help utilities manage demand across their electric grids, explained Suleman Khan, CEO of Swell Energy. Swell expects distributed energy systems in its portfolio to generate more than 3,000 GW over the next 20 years and customers to potentially store 1,000 GWh for later use.

DECEMBER- 2020

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energy storage

ENERGY STORAGE ROADMAP FOR UK’S NET-ZERO TRANSITION

The Energy Storage Roadmap, launched at a webinar attended by industry, academic and policy experts, assesses the role of storage in the UK’s future energy system over the next 10-15 years and sets out how British research and innovation can play a role in developing this system.

chieving net-zero targets will depend on the growth of renewable energy sources such as wind and tidal power and the take-up of electric vehicles and heat pumps. Because the energy generated by the renewable sources varies, there is an increasing need for robust energy storage technologies – for both electricity and heat – which can keep energy systems stable and supply reliable. Technologies that allow energy to be stored over hours, days and months have been recognised as essential in the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Developing these systems in a sustainable and integrated way is key to the transition to a lowcarbon energy system.

To achieve these goals, the roadmap sets out a series of key recommendations to guide future research and policy priorities, including: Strengthen research and development in electrochemical batteries. This includes building on existing strengths in electric vehicle battery research, as well as carrying out further work to assess the effects of battery degradation and other environmental effects. Continue reforms to the electricity market and its regulation to enable energy storage technologies to compete in the marketplace. Increase innovation support for large-scale energy storage technologies, including thermal and seasonal storage. Invest in Electric Vehicle manufacturing in the UK, including supporting the development of a circular economy in this sector. Ensure that policy and regulation keeps pace with technical innovation, in particular for the increasing integration of heat, power and transport. Carry out systems analysis and modelling to improve understanding of the role that energy storage can play to meet the needs of future power generation. Establish institutional competencies to allow energy storage to be operated across scales, whilst delivering a wider system benefit.

DECEMBER- 2020

Lead author, Dr Jonathan Radcliffe, of the Energy Systems and Policy Analysis Group at the University of Birmingham, said: “Energy storage will play a critical role as we continue to integrate low-carbon energy systems. In order to accelerate this transition, we need robust energy storage technologies and clear strategies for implementing them. This roadmap will be important for prioritising and guiding current and future activities.”

Professor David Elmes of Warwick Business School, who chaired the roadmap’s launch webinar, adds: “It’s great to see that the Energy Storage Research & Innovation Roadmap looks at electricity and heat together. The seasonal demand for heat greatly exceeds the UK’s current electricity demand. A roadmap that covers multiple uses of energy is essential – heating, cooling, our current uses of electricity and also the rising demand as we electrify transport through EVs.” The Energy Storage Roadmap was prepared by the Energy Systems and Policy Analysis Group at the University of Birmingham. It was supported by the Energy SUPERSTORE and the Supergen Energy Storage Network+, both funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (part of UK Research and Innovation).

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renewable energy

LARGE-SCALE RENEWABLE HYDROGEN PROJECT TO LAUNCH IN OMAN DEME International NV (Zwijndrecht, Belgium) and OQ Alternative Energy (OQ; Muscat, Oman) are announced the start of a joint project to develop a world leading, green hydrogen plant in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, Oman in cooperation with The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ).

he project fits well in the Sultanate’s renewable energy strategy fostering investments in renewable and alternative energy resources, also contributing in achieving the renewable energy targets of the Oman Vision 2040. The Special Economic Zone at Duqm provides a strategic and competitive location to develop large-scale green hydrogen production, given its centrality to global trade, the favourable wind and solar resources, the existing large port facilities and the proximity to a booming industrial zone. The facility will significantly contribute to the decarbonisation of the regional industry in Oman, as well as providing green hydrogen and/ or derivatives (such as green ammonia) to international customers in Europe. The envisaged electrolyzer capacity for a first phase is estimated between 250 and 500 MW. Following this first phase, upscaling of the installation is also foreseen. The geographic location advantage of being in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm is the availability of competitive renewable energy (solar and wind), as well as large, accessible sites. The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) is extending its full support in facilitating the implementation of the project in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. A site has been reserved with OPAZ to allow the installation of a solar and wind park on a site ideally located along the windy Omani coast and Arabian Sea. In addition, OPAZ is coordinating with all the government related entities to allow for a smart usage of the infrastructure that is being set up in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. This includes access to high voltage power lines, access to the sea water intake for the generation of demineralized water and access to the Duqm Port for the export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

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On the project, His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OPAZ, commented: “The start of this cooperation between DEME and OQ is very important, not only for the project, but towards the biggest cause of placing Duqm as hub in the Hydrogen Value chain. The step is also complementing the recently announced decision of the Public Authority of Special Economic Zones and Free Zones of dedicating 150 square km of land for green energy projects in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, in line with the Oman Vision 2040.”

Salim Al Huthaili, CEO Alternative Energy at OQ commented: “Oman is blessed with solar and wind resources and their potential for renewable energy are amongst the world’s best. OQ always looks to maximise the resources available to us, and our utilisation of these renewable resources is just beginning. The prefeasibility study has demonstrated potential for a green hydrogen project in Duqm using solar and wind resources. This has enabled the decision for OQ to enter jointly with DEME into the engineering and design phase of the project.”

Alain Bernard, Executive Chairman DEME Concessions and Deputy Chairman Port of Duqm Company: “We are thrilled to engage with OQ Alternative Energy into the next step of the ambitious HYPORT Duqm Green Hydrogen project. It is a major step in both our collaboration with the Omani Authorities as well as our partner the Port of Antwerp in the development of the Port of Duqm and related industrial and shipping activities.”

DECEMBER- 2020

Technology

The technical evolution behind the 10GW shipment milestone of LONGi bifacial modules With the delivery of 100MW of the Hi-MO5 bifacial module in mid-November 2020, the global cumulative shipments of LONGi bifacial modules reached 10GW. The value of the bifacial module has been widely recognized by the industry under LONGi’s leading promotion, furthermore bifacial module has become a mainstream solar product for utility-scale PV plants with an ever increasing market share. This paper will provide a detailed review of the development history and milestones for the LONGi bifacial module. The evolution of LONGi’s bifacial module Epoch-defining product——Hi-MO 2

he PERT and HJT bifacial module based on Ntype wafers had existed for some time, but had a limited market because of high cost. In 2017, LONGi and other PV companies released the Ptype bifacial module based on a PERC cell. The LONGi Hi-MO2 module used 2+2 mm dual glass to reduce module weight and POE encapsulation to increase reliability. The adoption of a frame avoided damage to the module during installation and long-term use, meanwhile the design of a short frame without a C-side reduced shading on the cell’s rear side, thus enhancing energy yield. The Hi-MO2 module was installed at the Kubuqi (ELION) and Golmud power station (Huanghe Hydropower Development) projects following its release, achieving outstanding energy yield performance, thus promoting the use of bifacial modules in “Third Phase Top Runner” projects to reach a share of more than 40%.

The introduction of half-cell technology——Hi-MO 3 LONGi released the Hi-MO3 module in 2018 by combining P-type mono-crystalline bifacial PERC technology with half-cell technology. Half-cell technology halves the operating current to significantly reduce internal loss and lower the module hot-spot temperature. White grid glass was used in Hi-MO3 to enhance front power, a solution proven to be more effective than transparent rear glass, based on comprehensive analysis of energy yield and BOS costs. Almost 275MWp of Hi-MO3 modules were installed at the Chinese Sihong “Top Runner” project following release.

The global bestselling M6 module—Hi-MO 4 During the second half of 2018, different larger size wafers emerged in the industry. Following comprehensive analysis of compatibility with existing equipment, the supply capacity of glass and other materials and the product’s versatility in distributed and utility markets, LONGi launched in 2019 the M6 wafer standard (166mm side length) and Hi-MO4 module, based on the M6 wafer. Front power could reach 450W, bringing BOS costs down by over 0.7c/W and making Hi-MO4 the bestselling among bifacial modules. LONGi’s adaptation of a new generation of POE encapsulation material increased the productivity of the bifacial module, narrowed the cost gap with monofacial and promoted bifacial’s wide application.

DECEMBER- 2020

Best solution for ultra large power stations ——Hi-MO 5 With the rapid development of the PV industry, new build capacity was able to reach over 100GW in 2020 and it was already feasible to look beyond the compatibility of existing capacity to design larger size modules for large power stations. After a comprehensive analysis of the entire industry chain (module cost, BOS cost, transportation, installation, module reliability and energy yield), LONGi launched the Hi-MO5 module (2.82 m2 and 32.3kg) and announced the M10 standard wafer (182mm side length) together with 6 other PV companies. The Hi-MO5 module would provide the lowest LCOE solution for ultra large power stations and reset standardization in the PV industry.

The bifacial module’s energy yield advantages and global field verification On the initial promotion of the bifacial module, the industry was unfamiliar with its potential application. LONGi carried out significant research into the mechanism of bifacial energy gain and made an enormous contribution to the technology’s popularization. LONGi research indicated that: In addition to receiving light reflected from the ground, the rear side of a bifacial module can also receive scattered light. The absorption of reflected light will be affected by the shadow of the module array, so factors such as module height, inter-row spacing, plane tilt and azimuth will also affect bifacial energy gain.

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Technology

According to the mechanism of bifacial energy gain, LONGi made a number of suggestions for PV station design using bifacial modules: The ground albedo is the most important factor affecting bifacial gain. The order by albedo of common ground is: concrete & sand > dry land > grassland >water surface (LONGi confirmed that the albedo of water surface is relatively low, and the bifacial energy gain is about 3%). The bifacial module’s minimum ground clearance should not be less than 1m. If it is unavoidable to use mounts shading the rear side of the module, the distance between the steel purlins and module should not be less than 50mm, in order to reduce the adverse effect on bifacial energy gain.

Avoid or reduce the shade of cable, combiner box or string inverter on the rear side of the module. A bifacial module can achieve over 15% energy gain by using white paint or laying a high reflectivity waterproof membrane on a flat roof. It is recommended to use bifacial modules in locations with snow, because the rear side yield gain will not be affected, and the operating heat can melt the snow on the front-side.

In order to specifically verify energy yield gain and stability of a P-type bifacial module under different scenarios and climatic conditions, LONGi cooperated with the China Electric Institute (CEI), B&V, TÜV SÜD, TÜV Rheinland, RETC and other institutions to build global pilot projects to evaluate the energy yield performance of bifacial modules. The results showed that: The energy gain of a LONGi bifacial module is consistent with theoretical expectation. Under reasonable installation conditions, the bifacial energy gain is positively correlated with the ground albedo. LONGi P-type bifacial and monofacial modules both meet first year degradation of < 2% under various scenarios and the bifaciality of bifacial modules remains stable (Confirmed the anti-LID and anti-PID performance of LONGi bifacial module).

Bifacial energy gain can be simulated by Pvsyst (Version 6.65). TÜV Rheinland pilot projects in India and Saudi Arabia have verified that the energy gain of a LONGi P-type bifacial module is very close to that of an N-type bifacial module, which proves its high cost performance.

A bifacial module has better energy gain performance when matched with a tracking system. An advanced tracking system will optimize both front and rear side irradiation to maximize the overall energy yield of the module, while the bifacial energy gain will not be affected. Bifacial energy gain will be affected by scattered light, so it is stable at noon and apparently rises in the morning and evening. It will also be affected by azimuth, with bifacial gain higher in summer and lower in winter.

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DECEMBER- 2020

technology

Power Line Communication, the most important factor for monitoring a solar system In Solar system, communication is an important part, like WiFi, ALN, GPRS, Bluetooth, RS485 and PLC etc. And what is more important is to find a proper monitoring method base on different conditions. For example, PLC is normally used in big commercial or utility scale projects because of it cost-saving characters like saving communication cable cost and O&M and system installation cost comparing with RS485, and also its convenience and stability comparing with separated WiFi or LAN communications methods.

PLC is a way to use power line to transfer modulated carrier signals, which is added into a power line system and unscrambled at the end side. Normally it is used in a load-less solar (before the signal is unscrambled) system.

GOODWE SOLUTIONS

SCB2000 integrated with PLC communication board, Datalogger board and Optical Fibre communication board together inside, is a specific solution for PLC communication requirement.

On the low-voltage side of transformer system,if there is load consumption, the isolation transformer shall be adopted loads and PLC system

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DECEMBER- 2020

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technology

1. In a fibre ring system, one of the SCB 2000 devices must be set as master device, and the other units will be seen as slaves automatically. 2. In fibre ring system, any network point loses connection, the system could continue with data transfer.

FUEL CELL, SOLAR STOCKS SURGE ON COVID BILL, CAPPING BANNER YEAR

Fuel cell and solar stocks are soaring to some of their highest levels in years after the U.S. Congress included provisions in the pandemic relief bill to extend clean-energy tax credits. FuelCell Energy Inc. jumped as much as 25% to $13.48, its highest intraday price since 2018. Bloom Energy Corp. rose 2.4%. JinkoSolar Holding Co. climbed as much as 8.7%.

lean-power stocks have been climbing for months, pushed higher by President-elect Joe Biden’s goals for fighting climate change. Plug Power Inc., which makes fuel cells for forklifts and recently jumped into hydrogen production, has seen its shares soar more than five-fold in the past six months. The roughly $900 billion pandemic relief bill now awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature extends tax credits for solar and wind power projects as well as fuel cells. The president demanded lawmakers increase the stimulus checks due to go out to most Americans to $2,000 from $600 in the same week that Congress passed the $900 billion bipartisan package. But Trump didn’t criticize the tax credits and didn’t say whether he would veto the relief bill. This month’s stock rallycomes at the end of a banner year for solar, with the U.S. projected to see a record amount of installations. Morgan Stanley argued in a research note that the bill would benefit not only companies that offer such gear but many of their customers as well, particularly electric utilities ramping up their use of renewable power.

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DECEMBER- 2020

technology

USING MIRRORS IN SPACE TO BEAM SUNLIGHT DOWN ON EARTH For this purpose, they would use giant mirrors, as these mirrors can direct sun rays to the solar panel farms worldwide. A photovoltaic power station or solar park or solar farm on a large-scale system designed for the supply of merchant power into the electricity grid.

rof Colin McInnes, along with his four researchers, quite excited with this project, remains assisted by the European Research Council. The team examines the best way to create huge solar power farms worldwide. The team will also look at whether a constellation of gossamer-thin reflectors can beam sunlight to the solar farms. There will be a big brainstorm on building the mirrors, reflectors in space with the help of 3D printers, so they are not damaged in transit. Sunlight has to travel more distance through the Earth’s atmosphere during dawn and dusk. This reduces some of the radiation and is supposed to be safer.

The idea of using mirrors in space to beam sunlight down on Earth for terrestrial electric power generation is not new. Dr Krafft Arnold Ehricke, German rocket-propulsion engineer first proposed this idea in the year 1978, under the title Power Soletta. Without a doubt, the Earth is the only planet to host life, and space science can contribute a lot to the future of global energy services being a vital challenge of the 21st century.

“Life moves so rapidly; it seems a bit blurred around the edges. Why won’t it hold still long enough for us to get a good look at it?” writes Evening Public Ledger of 10 September, 1918.

ISGF TO LAUNCH THE FIRST OF ITS KIND PROJECT IN SOUTH ASIA ON PEER TO PEER (P2P) TRADING OF ROOFTOP SOLAR POWER ON BLOCKCHAIN IN LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH

Uttar Pradesh is all set to launch India and South Asia’s first blockchain-enabled Peer to Peer (P2P) Trading of Rooftop Solar Power on 17th December 2020. Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL), Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (MVVNL) and Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) will host the first of its kind pilot project involving energy generated from solar rooftop systems installed on buildings in Lucknow. The project is being implemented by India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) along with blockchain technology partner Power Ledger, Australia and Abajyon Consulting who supported the integration of blockchain platform with UPPCL’s billing system.

he P2P trading platform is set for the launch with its first 12 participants comprising of 9 customers with rooftop solar (prosumers) and 3 customers without rooftop solar (net buyers), identified in consultation with MVVNL. The customers have been provided training through online training sessions by ISGF on various functionalities of the blockchain platform and the procedure that need to be followed to participate in the trading activities. This being a pilot project, the participants will engage in the mock trading (no money transactions) for next 3 months. During this period, ISGF will try different trading logics and test scenario is win-win for all stakeholders including the utility. The results and recommendations of the pilot project will be submitted to UPPCL and UPERC for consideration for framing regulations to promote P2P trading of rooftop solar power amongst prosumers and consumers in the state.

DECEMBER- 2020

This pilot project will demonstrate the feasibility of rooftop solar energy trading through smart contracts on the blockchain platform between prosumers with their neighbouring households. Power Ledger’s platform integrates the transaction data from the smart meters to enable households to set prices, track energy trading in real time and enable the settlement of surplus solar energy transactions,” said ISGF President, Mr Reji Kumar Pillai.

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solar projects

HINDUSTAN COCA-COLA STARTS 7 ADDITIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN INDIA Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) has started 7 additional renewable energy projects in India. These projects, installed in different factories of the company, are designed to source 23.5 million units of power by way of Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) through various state grids.

he renewable energy projects, powered essentially by wind, solar, and biomass, are likely to achieve a reduction of around 2 lakh tons of carbon emission every year. The installed annual power generation from renewable energy sources in HCCB has now increased from reached from around 70 million units in 2019 to 93 million units this year.

The success of these projects is indeed a major milestone in our quest to be a sustainable driven company. The team is fully geared up to constantly keep looking at opportunities to exploit renewable energy sources, Alok Sharma, executive director, Supply-Chain, HCCB said.

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One of the projects commissioned was a Solar Roof Top Panel at the Sanand factory in Gujarat. Executed by Tata Solar, the solar panel has an installed capacity of around 1000 KWp. The company also installed similar Solar Roof Top Panel at 2 other factories at Wada near Mumbai (1000KWp) in Maharashtra and Ameenpur near Hyderabad (800KWp) in Telangana. Besides, HCCB entered into a power purchase agreement with Slylandro Power to supply 6 million units of solar power to its factory at Vijayawada. HCCB also entered into a power purchase agreement with two separate private players for sourcing 1.8 MW of wind energy for its factory at Goblej near Ahmedabad in Gujarat and 8 million units of wind energy for two of its factories at Bidadi near Bangalore in Karnakata every year. HCCB has commissioned two Vapour Absorption Machines (VAM) for chilling operations at the Goblej factory near Ahmedabad and the Wada factory near Mumbai. Using Lithium Bromide as a refrigerant, the machines use waste steam as a green source of energy generated by briquette boilers as an alternative to the conventional grid power which was used to run the compressor. Earlier, 13 out of the total 15 factories of HCCB achieved 100 percent LED lighting in 2019. Besides, the company has also adopted CNG fuel to operate its boilers.

DECEMBER- 2020

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solar Projects

OPTIMISING EFFICIENCY OF SOLAR-POWERED PUMPING SYSTEMS BMG advises on how to optimise efficiency and extend the service life of solar-powered pumping systems by selecting the correct drives. MG’s electromechanical specialists, with extensive experience in gearing, have extended their solutions service to include solar inverters and drives, which are designed to enhance efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems.

CONTROL STRATEGY PV modules – which use daylight to generate electricity – are gaining popularity globally as a form of renewable energy that is clean, emission-free, sustainable, safe and cost efficient. Through the use of environmentally-friendly PV technology to generate electrical power, companies in South Africa are finding effective solutions to combat the country’s grave electricity crisis, explains Mick Baugh, electronics manager, BMG’s electromechanical division. “The benefits of using eco-friendly solar powered pumps for irrigation, animal farming and community water supply, include an uninterrupted water supply during the day and independence from the unreliable grid. In addition, advanced PV systems require minimal maintenance, which is an important advantage in remote areas where servicing is difficult. “ Solar-powered pumping systems, which are particularly popular in remote areas where electricity is unavailable, require a solar inverter to convert direct current (DC) generated by solar panels into alternating current (AC) for use in industrial, commercial and residential applications. A key differentiator in the selection of the correct inverter, is its ability to run the motor pump at the optimal working voltage and power ratings, to ensure solar panels deliver the highest possible power in various irradiation and ambient temperature conditions. “For optimum performance of the PV pump system, we believe it is critical for users to fully understand the control strategy of the system and to consider factors like where to install the drive, condensation issues, the temperature range and the back-up supply.”

DECEMBER- 2020

Simpler solar-powered drives for pumping applications operate as under-voltage regulators, lowering the pump speed (thus reducing the absorbed power) when the DC voltage reaches a minimum voltage set-point. This simple control mode negatively impacts performance of the PV modules, since they operate at a non-optimal voltage. In advanced controllers, the drive works to obtain the maximum power from solar panels by keeping the DC voltage at the optimum point (MPP = Max Power Point). Drives that operate at a constant DC voltage must be selected depending on the electrical characteristics of the installed PV system and should optimise the hydraulic efficiency of the pump. BMG specialists recommend the use of Vacon solar-powered drives that feature MPPT (Maximum Power Point tracking) control to ensure an optimal operation voltage for PV modules in pump applications. These highly-efficient MPPT controllers provide extended running hours, with an earlier start and later stop. Consequently, more water is pumped per watt peak (Wp) of installed PV modules, leading to reduced investment costs and a quicker payback period. MPPT controllers detect instantaneous irradiance or temperature variations and omit local maximums, which are generated in partial shading conditions or from degraded modules in the PV array.

CABINET OR OUTDOOR INSTALLATIONS Conventional solar pump inverters are usually IP20 or 21 devices that are installed inside a cabinet along with components, including fuses, a power switch, lightening protection and door-mounted LEDs/bulbs. BMG specialists do not recommend this system because cabinets need to be ventilated to avoid overheating of the enclosed elements. Overheating produces derating and reduces lifetime of the drive. Airflow though the cabinet needs to be filtered to avoid dust collection and filters must be periodically cleaned and replaced, which increases risks and adds to maintenance costs.

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solar Projects BMG’s Vacon IP66 drive solutions for outdoor installations consist of a small enclosure (replacing conventional big cabinets) which are separated from the drive – to house the mains switch and surge protection device. The Vacon IP66 drive can be installed outdoors without any reliability risk and does not require maintenance, as there are no filters to clean or replace. Drives can be mounted in the same structure of the PV modules, taking advantage of their shading to avoid overheating and thus a derating, due to direct sun on the drive. This ground-level system is fitted with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) which allow external visibility of operating conditions of the drive, including power-on, run, ready and fault. An IP66 display panel provides detailed information of the drive, like running speed and MWh readings. This enclosure, which is separated from the drive, gives the installer flexibility when designing a cabinet that is suitable to run a pump in different layouts. In conventional solar-powered pumping installations, intermittent operation during the day and internal temperatures changes between night and day, promote cyclical condensation-evaporation processes inside of the drive. IP 20/21 drives installed inside a cabinet are sensitive to internal condensation and require temperature-controlled heaters.

This can be a problem in solar-powered pumping systems because an AC grid is not normally available on remote sites. For this reason, anti-condensation solutions that do not require an energy supply, should be considered. An advantage of BMG’s Vacon IP66 IP 66/NEMA 4X drives for outdoor installations is they are well protected against the ingress of water and dust and a specially designed GORE® vent effectively prevents condensation, without the need for a heater.

TEMPERATURE RANGE Solar-powered pumping systems are normally installed in areas where high temperatures can be a problem for the PV system. For this reason, it is critical to consider the maximum ambient temperature on site when selecting the appropriate drive model. This maximum temperature should be contained in the operating temperature range for the drive – preferably in the range without derating, to avoid power losses and to extend the service life of the drive. Users should take into account that the temperature inside a cabinet where an IP 20/21 drive is installed is always higher than the ambient temperature. It is important to consider the overheating effect due to direct sunlight if the cabinet is not mounted in the shade. BMG supports its extensive range of electromechanical products with a technical advisory and support service, tailored to meet the precise specifications of contractors, designers and the end-user.

MIZORAM ENTERS COUNTRY’S SOLAR POWER MAP WITH 2 MW PLANT Mizoram earned a place on India’s solar power map with the commissioning of a two MW capacity solar power plant. Mizoram Power Minister R. Lalzirliana inaugurated the state’s first solar power plant, built at the cost of Rs 14 crore, at Tlungvel in Aizawl district.

In his address on the occasion, the minister said that with the commissioning of the 2 MW solar power plants, Mizoram has made its entry onto the solar map of the country and it was a proud moment for the state. “Besides solar energy, the hydro electric potential of the state must be harnessed to produce more power so that the vision of the government with respect to self sufficiency in power and energy can become a reality,” Power Minster said.

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Deputy Speaker and local MLA Lalrinawma praised the local community for providing land for the solar power plant and facilitating its construction. The state governmentfunded solar plant solar plant, construction of which was started in August 2018, is spread over five acres of land and has 5,340 solar modules. The plant is expected to generate 3 million units annually. Power Department officials said that a 20 MW solar power plant is currently under construction at Vankal in Khawzawl district in southern Mizoram.

DECEMBER- 2020

solar Projects

SUNGROW SECURES CONTRACT OF 90 MW UTILITY SCALE PROJECT IN GERMANY

90 MW PV Project in Gaarz, Germany

Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, will provide its central and string inverter solutions to Enerparc’s 90 MW project in Gaarz, Northeast of Germany.

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ungrow has supplied 21 units of its central inverter SG3125HV and 116 units of the string inverter SG110CX. Accompanying the inverters are the ten 7200kVA MV stations and one 3600kVA MV station. The solutions meet the field requirements of scattered sizes. The greatest advantage of the SG3125HV is its easy installation and streamlined O&M. The advanced engineering and combination of the central and string inverters will enable Enerparc to perform remote online analysis and fast troubleshooting.

DECEMBER- 2020

Armin Scherl, Systems Engineering Team Lead at Enerparc, states, “We have been using inverters from Sungrow for several years now and are very satisfied with them. To ensure the highest quality output, we are always in close contact with Sungrow, so that the development of the new generations can be aligned with our requirements. We have always had a good experience with this procedure. For us, it is a safe investment to work with Sungrow.”

Manuel Seidenkranz, Project Manager at Sungrow Germany articulates, “We have collaborated in various projects totaling over 1 GW with Enerparc in Europe and we feel delighted to know the trust Enerparc has in us and our products.” The plant is projected to generate a total yield of around 90 GWh per year. This will be then fed into the grid, based on a power purchase agreement (PPA) and partly EEG-fundings. The first batch of inverter solution delivery began in July 2020. Energization is scheduled to take place in 2021.

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solar Projects

LONGI EXCLUSIVELY SUPPLIES 200MW OF HI-MO 5 BIFACIAL MODULES FOR SOLAR PROJECT IN NINGXIA

LONGi, the world leading solar technology company, has announced that it has exclusively supplied 200MW of its Hi-MO 5 bifacial modules to the China Energy Engineering Group’s Northwest Electric Power Test Research Institute for a solar project in Ningxia. The project, developed by the Ningxia Zhongke Ka New Energy Research Institute, has already entered the construction and installation stage.

ith rapid volume production of Hi-MO 5 series modules at LONGi’s bases at Xianyang in Shaanxi Province (5GW) and Jiangxing in Zhejiang Province (7GW), the new generation product, based on M10 (182mm) standard gallium doped monocrystalline wafers, has quickly entered the stage of large-scale mass delivery and has gradually begun to be widely deployed at numerous PV projects. The topography of the project in Ningxia involves terrain undulation which limits bracket length, with each bracket only able to carry a reduced number of modules (2P fixed bracket, 13×2). The 182-size Hi-MO 5 bracket used in the project has a length of 15m, which reduces both bracket and foundation costs as well as enhancing ease of construction.

In addition to the terrain undulation which impacts on maximum power generation, the tilt angle, the height of the module from the ground and the system capacity ratio are all important factors affecting the power output of the module. The Ningxia project adopts a 15° inclination angle design and uses 535W Hi-MO 5 bifacial modules with an efficiency of 20.9% to maximize installation capacity.

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The EPC company reported that, although the size and weight of a Hi-MO 5 module has been increased to a certain extent, it can still be installed smoothly and overall installation efficiency has been improved, ensuring on schedule connection to the grid. In terms of electricity, the project uses Sungrow’s 225kW string inverter with a maximum input current of 15A, which is perfectly adapted to the 182-size bifacial module and brings cost savings on cables and inverters. Based on the larger cell (182mm) and innovative “Smart Soldering” technology, the LONGi Hi-MO 5 module made its debut in June 2020 and, after a short ramp up in production capacity, cell efficiency and production yield achieved excellent levels comparable to Hi-MO 4. At present, the capacity expansion of Hi-MO 5 modules is progressing steadily and is expected to reach 13.5GW in Q1 2021. The design of the Hi-MO 5 takes into account every parameter in each link of the industrial chain. During the module delivery process, overall installation efficiency is significantly improved, with the LONGi team able to complete delivery of this project in less than three months.

DECEMBER- 2020

solar Projects

SUNGROW SUPPLIES CENTRAL EUROPE’S 100 MW PV PLANT IN HUNGARY

Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, announced that the Company supplied its medium-voltage inverter solutions to a 100 MW solar park in Kaposvàr, south-west Hungary, which is one of the largest PV projects and biggest investment of this nature in entire Central Europe, committing to support Hungary’s climate policy targets, including energy production in a carbon-neutral way by 2050.

he plant has been constructed by China National Machinery Import and Export (CMC) since June 2019, and over 50% of its construction volume has been finished till now despite the impact of the pandemic. Expected to be commercially completed by February 2021, the project will ensure an annual power generation of 130 GWh, equivalent to eliminating carbon dioxide by 4,500 tonnes per year, satisfying the electricity demand of a city with 50,000 inhabitants. The project utilizes Sungrow turnkey medium-voltage inverter solutions, which ensure high efficiency, maximizing the yield of the plant. In addition to the inverter solutions, Sungrow also offers the advanced container integration service which ensures compatibility and system efficiency when the customer adopts the devices like Ring Main Unit (RMU), UPS, Protecta from different manufacturers, well addressing the stringent grid codes posed by E.ON, a European electric utility company. The highly integrated container design streamlines transportation and O&M, enabling cost-saving at large.

The solar park will contribute to developing a well-balanced and sustainable energy mix in Hungary and guaranteeing the country’s energy security,” said Innovation and Technology minister of László Palkovics in a statement.

Hungary continues its goal of diversifying its energy sources with a focus on solar power. We are delighted to partner with Sungrow to contribute to the national ambition to source increasing shares of its electricity from renewable sources by supplying this 100 MW landmark project. The standout technologies, responsive and professional service that Sungrow offers are paramount to our success and pumps up more joint adventures in the near future, commented Mr. Wang Guopeng, Project Chief Engineer of CMC.

DECEMBER- 2020

Sungrow is delighted to offer competitive inverter solutions to be in powering up more communities and facilities, leveraging solar assets for a more sustainable environment, fueling sizable economic growth for Hungary, Lewis Li, General Manager of Sungrow Europe. Hungary will aim at ensuring the long-term security of energy supplies and increasing the share of renewable sources in its electricity generation mix. Sungrow made its first entry to the European country a decade ago and has been providing tailored solutions and services for local customers. It’s noteworthy that the Company has hundreds of megawatts of its inverter solutions delivered to Hungary in the first three quarters of this year.

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research & Analysis

Future New Net Zero Energy (NZE) Settlements

A new completed EU-funded applicative research project proved significant cost reduction of up to 26.7% when designing settlement rather than buildings NZEs The project, names ZERO-PLUS,focused on reducing cost and net regulated energy consumption, with improved generation of renewable energy at the settlement-level instead of on single buildings. The impressive results of the project proved successful in four deployed pilot projects across Europe: UK (York), France (Voreppe), Italy (Granarolo dellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Emilia), and Cypru (Nicosia). With post occupancy evaluation, presents tenants satisfaction alongside the above-planned results of: Up to 26.7% cost reduction. Up to 123 KWh/m2/year.

ERO-PLUS is a comprehensive, cost-effective system for the design, construction and monitoring of Net Zero Energy Settlements which has been tested and implemented in four pilot projects across Europe. The project included process development to address the typical challenges in realizing NZE Settlements: Increased technological complexity, Numerous stakeholders, andcomplex design process. In addition to the reduced cost and increased renewable generation, data analysis showed high satisfaction with individual parameters (ventilation, temperature, noise, lighting, odours) and overall satisfaction with the buildings. ZERO-PLUS provides the market with an innovative, yet readily implementable combination of services and tools for designing and building NZE residential neighbourhoods that will significantly reduce both their initial and operational costs. It was born from a vision aiming to simplify the design and construction process of highly energy efficient buildings, by using an integrated, iterative and collaborative approach to design and construction management. Consequently, the ZERO-PLUS concept can achieve the following:

Housing that achieves renewable energy and energy savings targets set by the recipient at the lowest possible cost; Clear information on the trade-offs between cost and performance; Ensure that the recipient has all the information they need for optimal, cost-effective maintenance.

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The cutting-edge aspect of the ZERO-PLUS concept is its focus on the settlement-level and on integrating cost and construction considerations from the outset of building design. The level of performance required for a settlement is defined at the outset.

The targets of the pilot projects were that compared to a reference highly efficient building, the ZERO-PLUS building will achieve: 16% initial cost reduction compared to reference case calculated comparing technologies selected by ZERO-PLUS against conventional technologies that would achieve the same energy performance; Net regulated energy consumption of less than 20 kWh/m2 per year; Energy production by Renewable Energy Sources (RES) of at least 50 kWh/m2 per year. The consortium includes three major types of partners: Universities (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Cyprus Institute, Technical University of Munich, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, OxfordBrookes University, University of Perugia, Technical University of Crete). Technology providers (ABB, Anerdgy, Arca, British Gas, Fibran). Case study owners (Contedil, JRHT, OPAC38, George Vassiliou).

DECEMBER- 2020

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research & Analysis

INDIA IS THE WORLD’S FIFTH-LARGEST ENERGY ECONOMY; RANKED 3RD ON RENEWABLE ENERGY

India ranks at the fifth position among the countries of the world when it comes to the size of its energy economy, measured by the combined revenue of energy companies. The country also ranks 3rd on renewable energy investment and future plans, according to a new study by British Business Energy.

he London-based firm analysed 29 countries to find out which countries are leading the way for the energy industry. The countries were ranked by their revenue from energy companies, and in comparison to their GDP, the number of employees in the energy sector and a renewable energy score. Among all the energy companies combined, the USA takes the lead as the world’s top energy earner. Home to notable names such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Phillips 66 – the USA makes over $1 trillion through energy companies. China takes second place, earning just under $837 million and Russia in third with a much lower figure of $464 million.

As a global population we are becoming more environmentally conscious, but with the demand for energy increasing it’s important to highlight the economies which are leading the way for revenue but also employment and renewable energy production, Ian Wright, Managing Director, British Business Energy said.

Among the top countries who are investing in, partially using or have plans to use renewable energy in the near future, the USA is ranked 1 with a score of 7, followed by Brazil at 6.5 and India with a score of 6.3. Netherlands comes first when the companies are ranked based on the share of the energy industry to their GDP. The Netherlands actually sees just under half of its nominal GDP attributable to energy companies at 46.76 per cent, closely followed by Russia at 29.41 per cent. Hong Kong is the world leader when it comes to energy employment – with every 18th person out of 1,000 being employed in the energy sector. While for Russia’s working population, every 17th person out 1,000 is in an energy related job, the country also features in the top five countries for revenue and contributions to GDP.

ADM CAPITAL LAUNCHES RENEWABLE ENERGY FUND WITH $100M FROM AIIB Hong Kong-based investment management firm ADM Capital has received a seed commitment of $100 million from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to launch a USD-denominated, Asia-focused private debt fund to invest in the renewable energy industry, the firm announced

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he new vehicle – ADM Capital Elkhorn Emerging Asia Renewable Energy Fund – will be ADM Capital’s 10th direct lending private credit fund. The vehicle aims to address unfulfilled funding needs in Asia’s renewable energy sector by providing medium-term, senior and subordinated debt financing solutions to renewable energy projects and developers.

DECEMBER- 2020

“Our commitment at the outset will demonstrate to potential institutional investors the compelling opportunities in financing smaller companies working in the renewables sector in emerging Asian countries,” said AIIB director general (Banking) Dongik Lee, in a statement.

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research & analysis

EXPERTS FEEL RECORD-LOW SOLAR TARIFF ONE-OFF AND MAY NOT SUSTAIN As much as 1,665 MW of renewable power projects (Acme: 600 MW, Torrent: 500 MW, Mytrah: 300 MW and ReNew: 265 MW) have sought to terminate their power purchase agreements (PPAs) with SECI.

ven though the current environment of lower interest rates, expectations of further decline in solar panel prices and having an assured buyer have been attributed to solar tariffs falling to the record low level of Rs 2/unit in the latest SECI auction, experts warn that solar developers quoting such low rates are walking a tightrope. The equity internal rates of return (IRRs) for the projects could slip significantly to single digits if cost assumptions do not hold true, they opine.

Access to debt at rates 200-250 bps lower and a $0.03-0.04 per wattpeak (wp) drop in module pricing would enable maintenance of equity IRRs of 12-13% at the new tariff of Rs 2/unit,” Hetal Gandhi, director — industry research at Crisil, told FE. However, Gandhi cautioned that if module prices do not fall and utilisation levels of the plants are below 23%, IRRs can drop sharply to single digits, adding that, “we clearly believe that these tariffs are oneoff and may not sustain Module prices currently stand at $0.17/wp, around 13% lower than last year, and it remains to be seen if the rates have already bottomed out. Since Chinese modules — the cheapest source for Indian developers — are currently subjected to additional scrutiny and testing, timely supply of modules from import destinations would also remain a key monitorable. Modules comprise about 65% project cost for solar power plants. In the latest auction — conducted by state-run Seci for supplies to consumers in Rajasthan — Saudi Arabia-based Al Jomaih Energy and Water and Green Infra Wind Energy, a unit of Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries, quoted the lowest tariff for building 200 MW and 400 MW solar projects, respectively. State-run NTPC will be awarded 470 MW at Rs 2.01/unit.

According to initial estimates by analysts at ICICI Securities, cost for this project should range around Rs 4.2 crore per MW for NTPC, resulting in 12-14% IRRs, helped by a decline in average cost of debt falling 54 bps y-o-y to 6.37% in the first half of FY21 and a lower tax rate since the project will be set up under a new company NTPC Renewable Energy. The FY21 Union budget had extended the concessional corporate tax rate of 15%, earmarked for manufacturing companies, to new domestic electricity generation firms, effectively reducing their tax incidence by ten percentage points. Experts have claimed that the aggressive tariffs quoted by the foreign funded companies is due to their eagerness to establish themselves as serious solar players in the Indian market, where the renewable energy base is seen to quadruple in the coming decade. Sembcorp, already has a significant presence in the country’s wind sector and has recently commissioned a 300 MW project in Gujarat which it had won in the third round of the SECI wind auctions where the lowest tariff of Rs 2.44/unit had been discovered. According to a recent joint study conducted by JMK Research & Analytics and The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, equity IRR for a 250 MW solar project in Rajasthan selling power at Rs 2.55/unit comes to 12.9%. The analysis took into consideration interest cost of 10%-12% and capacity utilisation factor of 19.5%. “Earlier equity IRR of more than 14% was considered good, but now with falling tariffs and increasing competition, most developers are estimated to be getting equity returns of 12-13%, leaving very little margin for error if there are unplanned project delays or curtailments,” analysts said in this report. As much as 1,665 MW of renewable power projects (Acme: 600 MW, Torrent: 500 MW, Mytrah: 300 MW and ReNew: 265 MW) have sought to terminate their power purchase agreements (PPAs) with SECI. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the supply chain and other construction delays have been cited as a cause of PPA cancellations, but industry trackers noted that the ultralow tariff quoted by some of the firms might not be viable anymore amid time overruns, leading to termination of contracts.

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DECEMBER- 2020

research & Analysis

CHINA TURNS ON NUCLEAR-POWERED ‘ARTIFICIAL SUN’ China successfully powered up its “artificial sun” nuclear fusion reactor for the first time, state media reported, marking a great advance in the country’s nuclear power research capabilities.

he HL-2M Tokamak reactor is China’s largest and most advanced nuclear fusion experimental research device, and scientists hope that the device can potentially unlock a powerful clean energy source. It uses a powerful magnetic field to fuse hot plasma and can reach temperatures of over 150 million degrees Celsius, according to the People’s Daily — approximately ten times hotter than the core of the sun. Located in southwestern Sichuan province and completed late last year, the reactor is often called an “artificial sun” on account of the enormous heat and power it produces.

“The development of nuclear fusion energy is not only a way to solve China’s strategic energy needs, but also has great significance for the future sustainable development of China’s energy and national economy,” said the People’s Daily.

Chinese scientists have been working on developing smaller versions of the nuclear fusion reactor since 2006. They plan to use the device in collaboration with scientists working on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor — the world’s largest nuclear fusion research project based in France, which is expected to be completed in 2025. Fusion is considered the Holy Grail of energy and is what powers our sun. It merges atomic nuclei to create massive amounts of energy — the opposite of the fission process used in atomic weapons and nuclear power plants, which splits them into fragments. Unlike fission, fusion emits no greenhouse gases and carries less risk of accidents or the theft of atomic material. But achieving fusion is both extremely difficult and prohibitively expensive, with the total cost of ITER estimated at $22.5 billion.

GOLD MINERS MUST RAMP UP RENEWABLE ENERGY TO MEET CLIMATE GOALSINDUSTRY GROUP Gold miners must rapidly switch to renewable electricity generation if the industry is to curb emissions sufficiently to align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7-degree Fahrenheit) global warming target, the World Gold Council (WGC) said.

he pressure on gold miners to justify their high carbon emissions is intensifying as prices for the safe-haven metal surged this year. Gold sector emissions need to be reduced by 80% by 2050 to be aligned with the “well-below” 2C scenario, or 92% by 2040 to align with a 1.5C scenario outlined in the climate accord, the industry body has said.

Companies need to demonstrate action and awareness of the need to decarbonize their operations at the mine site, said John Mulligan, director of climate change at the WGC. Replacing 45% of both grid power and direct fossil fuel-generated electricity would place the industry on track for the 1.5C climate target, the WGC found. “However, persistent use of coal-fired electricity, either directly or via grid supply, in a few locations, is a potential obstacle to accelerating progress towards climate target alignment,” it said. The report, based on data from 158 gold mines collected by research group Wood Mackenzie on behalf of the WGC, excludes China – the world’s biggest gold producer – due to “lack of available and consistent data.”

DECEMBER- 2020

The 158 gold mines surveyed together account for about 55% of the world’s large-scale industrial gold production. The WGC projects gold production will stay more or less flat over the next decade, but energy-intensive mines will be replaced by more energy-efficient ones, helping to curb the sector’s emissions. Much of the necessary reduction in emissions, however, will depend on companies investing in renewable electricity generation and phasing out fossil fuel power sources, the WGC said. Top gold producer Newmont Corp said it is studying potential for wind and solar installations at some of its mines and would spend $500 million over five years to meet climate change targets.

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TESLA CEO SAYS ELECTRIC CARS WILL DOUBLE GLOBAL ELECTRICITY DEMAND Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said that electricity consumption will double if the world’s car fleets are electrified, increasing the need to expand nuclear, solar, geothermal and wind energy generating sources.

Increasing the availability of sustainable energy is a major challenge as cars move from combustion engines to battery-driven electric motors, a shift which will take two decades, Musk said in a talk hosted by Berlin-based publisher Axel Springer. “It will take another 20 years for cars to be fully electric. It is like with phones, you cannot replace them all at once,” Musk said in a talk streamed on the Bild. de web site, adding that around 5% of vehicles are replaced every year. Once electric cars become the norm, electricity from intermittent generating energy sources such as wind and solar will need to be stored, probably through battery technology, he said.

“Together with large battery packs, both things need to be combined, wind power with battery packs and solar energy,” Musk said. Tesla is embarking on plans to build its fourth gigafactory in Europe’s largest economy. “The best wind turbines are made in Germany,” he said. “I always have a good time when I am here. I like the engineering culture. People want to get things done.” Tesla has recently acquired a licence to trade electricity across western Europe, and the company has also been surveying customers in Germany about potentially using Tesla electricity in their cars.

ABU DHABI SECURES FUNDING TO BUILD WORLD’S LARGEST SOLAR POWER PLANT

The Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) announced it has secured funding to build the world’s largest solar power plant. The successful financial closing of Al-Dhafra Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Independent Power Producer (IPP) project was achieved alongside TAQA’s partners Masdar, EDF Renewables and JinkoPower.

he plant will be located around 35km from Abu Dhabi city, will have capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW) and will supply power to the Emirates Water and Electricity Co. (EWEC). When complete, Al-Dhafra Solar PV IPP will be the world’s largest singlesite solar power plant, using approximately 4 million solar panels to generate enough electricity for approximately 160,000 homes across the UAE. Funding for the project will be sourced from seven international banks. TAQA will own 40 percent of the project while Masdar, EDF Renewables and JinkoPower will have a 20 percent stake each.

Through this project and many others – such as TAQA’s Noor Abu Dhabi, currently the world’s largest operational solar power plant – we have established the company as a trusted integrated utilities partner that is leading the sector’s transformation in the UAE and beyond,” said Jasim Husain Thabet, group CEO and managing director at TAQA. “We have an expanded portfolio of power and water assets that we will grow further through a disciplined approach, adding value for our shareholders and delivering a diverse supply of energy for our stakeholders and the communities in which we operate. www.EQMagPro.com

EWEC CEO Othman Al-Ali said: “Reaching the financial close for a project of this scale and efficiency marks another milestone in EWEC’s commitment to developing the UAE’s renewable energy sector.” He added: “Over the past 12 months, EWEC has collaborated with international, regional and local partners during the bidding, negotiation and financial close for a number of ground-breaking projects: The world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination project at Taweelah, the UAE’s largest and most advanced gas-fired power plant in Fujairah, and now the world’s largest solar power plant at Al-Dhafra.”

Bruno Bensasson, EDF Group senior executive vice president for renewable energies and CEO of EDF Renewables, said the plant is due to start commercial operations in 2022. Partners with Hannon Armstrong to Secure $172 Million of Investment for Distributed Solar-Plus-Storage Portfolio. EQ

DECEMBER- 2020

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TATA MOTORS BEGINS ‘GO GREEN’ INITIATIVE: TO PLANT A TREE FOR EVERY VEHICLE SOLD & SERVICED Tata Motors aims to systematically reduce its environmental impact by assessing its footprint across the whole lifecycle and value chain of its products. Tata Motors, along with its channel partners, has announced the launch of its ‘Go Green’ initiative under which, the company, in association with an NGO, will plant a sapling for the sale of every new commercial vehicle and for every new customer who gets their vehicle serviced at the company’s dealer workshop and Tata Authorised Service Station. The company will take care of the sapling and the customer will be awarded a certificate and a link with the geotagged location of the plantation, thereby allowing the customer to monitor its status.

ata Motors states that the initiative will enable the best health of these newly-planted saplings, which will include a variety of diverse species of fruit-bearing, medicinal and native trees. The plantation will be spread across various locations in over 10 states of the country, thereby adding to the green cover of the country.

Environment sustainability is at the core of what we do at Tata Motors, its energyefficient manufacturing practices, and environment-friendly product offerings are a testament to this, Rajesh Kaul, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said. Tata Motors is pleased to announce this collaboration with SankalpTaru where it is actively engaging with the large base of consumers that the company caters to, in tree plantation drives. The company will continue to stay abreast of evolving needs in the best interest of future generations, constantly devising unique, sustainable, and future-ready solutions to tackle pressing problems, he added.

The company says that the recently launched BS6 product range assures significantly reduced tail-pipe emissions and it is also working towards a low-carbon strategy. As a signatory of the RE100 initiative, Tata Motors aims to source 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

INDIGRID WILL ADD SOLAR PROJECTS WORTH RS 4,000 CRORE TO ITS PORTFOLIO, SAYS CEO HARSH SHAH IndiGrid announced the acquisition of solar assets from Spain-based Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) for close to Rs 700 crore as it looks to foray into the renewable energy space from the power transmission business. In conversation with CNBC-TV18, CEO Harsh Shah said that today IndiGrid’s portfolio is about Rs 14,000 crore in size and the FRV acquisition will add another 5 percent to it. “The acquisition is small in terms of the overall size, but it is important because it is the first solar project that we have acquired. We would look to do approximately 20-25 percent solar in our portfolio which would result in somewhere around Rs 4,000 crore of solar projects in next couple of years,” he said. Shah added that the company is focused on stable cash flows. “We are focused on stable cash flows which provide long term predictability to our investors. Solar projects with central counterparties like NTPC, I believe, are fitting that requirement very well. This we believe will provide a good distribution yield to our investors in this kind of market,” he said.

DECEMBER- 2020

Shah explained that IndiGrid was also focusing on acquiring solar assets. “Solar provides far more predictability in comparison to other renewable energy assets. Therefore we have restricted our focus on solar projects,” he said. He added that the company has done a few acquisitions in 2020, but are awaiting clearances.

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CLEANTECH SOLAR COMPLETES FOUR SOLAR ROOFTOP PROJECTS FOR CARGILL THAILAND Cleantech Solar has announced the completion of four rooftop solar PV systems at Cargill sites across Thailand under long-term agreements where Cleantech Solar has funded, built, and will operate and maintain the systems. The solar power plants have a combined generating capacity of 2.4 MW and are located in different locations in Lopburi, Korat and Phetchaburi.

he four operating sites are expected to generate over 3,000 MWh of clean electricity in a year which is equivalent to reducing 1,750 tonnes of CO2, representing perceptible efforts by Cargill to cut down greenhouse gas emissions from its operations globally. Southeast Asia’s growth in electricity demand has been one of the fastest in the world and there is substantial potential for the adoption of renewable energy in the region. To meet the rising electricity demand with affordable, reliable and sustainable sources, Thailand has set a target to increase the use of renewables to 30% of the country’s overall energy consumption by 2036. The new sites will add on to Cleantech Solar’s portfolio of operating solar power plants in Thailand, which have since generated over 35 GWh of clean electricity, enough to power 17,500 Thai households per year. Cargill’s move to adopt solar in Thailand is in line with its science-based global commitment to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse emissions by 10% by 2025, measured against a 2017 baseline.

Watcharapon Prasopkiatpoka, Cargill’s Country Representative for Thailand, said “Cargill supports global actions to mitigate climate change by constantly pursuing emission-reducing technologies to minimize carbon footprint. Cleantech Solar has proven its capabilities in its field to power its customer’s operations with full turnkey renewable and reliable solar solutions. We are pleased with the project’s success and its contributions to Cargill’s global sustainability targets.”

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On top of the benefits these operating solar power plants provide to Cargill’s operations and the environment, they will also provide economic benefits in the form of cheaper-thangrid electricity. Cleantech Solar is pleased to be supporting Cargill’s commitment as its trusted partner to help the company build a stronger, sustainable future for food and agriculture,” said Raju Shukla, Cleantech Solar Founder and Executive Chairman.

DECEMBER- 2020

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LONGI SUPPLIES 273MW OF ITS SOLAR MODULES FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA’S LARGEST SOLAR PLANT LONGi, the world leading solar technology headquartered in Xi’an, China, is happy to announce that it has successfully supplied its Hi-MO 4 Series modules for Southeast Asia’s largest solar plant, Phase I of the Xuan Thien Ea Sup Project in Dak Lak, Vietnam. Commissioned by Xuan Thien Group on November 15, 2020, the 600 MWac / 831 MWp utility-scale solar plant is estimated to have an electricity output of 1.5 billion kWh per year.

ith nearly 2 million solar panels, 500 kV / 1,200 MVA transformer station and 22.2 km of 500 kV line, this is so far the largest solar power plant in Southeast Asia. The plant, which has been set up at an estimated cost of 20,000 billion dong, has been commissioned five months earlier than the scheduled date of completion due to joint efforts by the developers, logistics partners and equipment suppliers including LONGi. Construction of this plant started in April 2020 and LONGi signed an agreement to supply 273 MW of its modules to be used for the project in May 2020. LONGi completed the delivery much before the deadline. Numerous projects to build large solar power facilities are underway in Vietnam, as the country works towards bridging its anticipated power shortage with green energy. Dak Lak province, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, is blessed with ample sunshine and abundant idle land — is highly suitable for solar power generation. Xuan Thien Group, therefore, plans to scale up the capacity of this plant to 2,000 MWac / 2,800 MWp by early 2022, providing about 5 billion kWh per year for the national electricity system.

Dennis She, SVP of LONGi Solar, commented, “We are proud as well as excited to be a part of this grand project by the Xuan Thien Group, offering our trusted mono-crystalline innovations. LONGi believes that technology innovations will further drive solar power cost optimization, enabling us to drive a dramatic shift in the regional energy landscape through more such partnerships.” This landmark project indicates LONGi’s shared ambition towards the sustainability of the booming Southeast Asian market. As one of the world’s Tier 1 solar manufacturers, LONGi has joined all three of Climate Group’s RE initiatives: RE100, EV100 and EP100, as part of its green corporate responsibility in global climate action. Moving forward, LONGi seeks to promote the global energy transition with global partners and customers, by providing its high-efficiency monocrystalline solar modules around the whole world.

RENESOLA WRAPS UP PURCHASE OF 200 MW OF US SOLAR, ENERGY STORAGE Solar project developer ReneSola Ltd said it has closed the purchase of about 200 MW of distributed generation and solar plus energy storage projects in the US from Nova Development Management.

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eneSola said that instead of the all-stock deal previously announced, it has paid a gross purchase price of about USD 3.8 million (EUR 3.2m) in cash for the portfolio. The transaction gives ReneSola access to utility projects and development activities in several states, including Pennsylvania, California, New York, Maine, Illinois and Arizona. The new projects bring expertise in the development of distributed generation and solar plus battery in the US which will complement ReneSola's existing focus on community solar in the US and distributed generation in Europe. "We expect the acquisition to strengthen our position in the U.S. market and to expand our presence into small-scale utility market," ReneSola CEO Yumin Liu noted.

DECEMBER- 2020

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COALITION AIMS FOR 25GW OF GREEN HYDROGEN BY 2026 The soaring hype surrounding green hydrogen reached new heights this week, as a seven-company-strong consortium unveiled plans for a fiftyfold scale-up in production capacity by 2026. ACWA Power, CWP Renewables, Envision, Iberdrola, Ørsted, Snam and Yara launched a coalition called the Green Hydrogen Catapult with the aim of deploying 25 gigawatts of renewables-based hydrogen production capacity by 2026.

he coalition, which is linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Race to Zero campaign, is also hoping to halve the cost of green hydrogen production, cutting it to less than $2 per kilogram. A January 2020 report from industry group the Hydrogen Council suggested this price could be a tipping point for green hydrogen and derivatives such as ammonia to become “the energy source of choice across multiple sectors,” according to a Race to Zero press release. These sectors could include steel and fertilizer production, power generation and long-range shipping, the coalition said. Green hydrogen could supply up to 25 percent of global energy needs by 2050, it added. The coalition also cited Goldman Sachs research indicating that the addressable market for green hydrogen could be worth 10 trillion euros ($12 trillion at current exchange rates) by 2050.

From an industry perspective, we see no technical barriers to achieving this, so it’s time to get on with the virtuous cycle of cost reduction through scale-up, said Paddy Padmanathan, CEO of ACWA Power, in the release.

ALIGNING GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION WITH CLIMATE GOALS “Catapult is a global coalition and will be engaging partners from other countries to participate going forward,” Kieran Coleman, energy and industry lead at the COP26 Global Climate Action Champions unit, said in an email. “Membership will grow from both [the] demand and supply sides.” The Green Hydrogen Catapult said it aims to align the production and use of green hydrogen with a trajectory that displaces fossil fuels at a rate consistent with achieving net-zero global emissions by 2050 and limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Robert Castek, energy analyst and project manager at Edinburgh, Scotland-based Delta Energy & Environment, said in an interview that linking green hydrogen build-out to global climate goals is a noteworthy development. “It is especially encouraging to see players from utilities through industrial companies to infrastructure developers coming together to drive this forward, with the global 1.5-degree Celsius temperature target front of mind,” he said.

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“The Green Hydrogen Catapult initiative represents a strong signal of intent from the private sector to support the deployment of zero-carbon hydrogen.” But in a sign of just how much interest in green hydrogen has taken off in recent months, Castek also said the Green Hydrogen Catapult coalition might not necessarily be seen as a game-changer for the industry. ACWA Power, one of the coalition partners, is already working with Air Products & Chemicals of the U.S. on a $5 billion green hydrogen plant in Saudi Arabia that will be powered by 4 gigawatts of wind and solar and will produce 650 tons of the gas per day. And Iberdrola, another coalition partner, is planning to install 800 megawatts of electrolyzer capacity for green hydrogen production in a $2.1 billion partnership with fertilizer and industrial chemicals firm Fertiberia.

SURGING INTEREST AS THE INDUSTRY ENTERS THE “DECADE OF HYDROGEN” lsewhere, Plug Power last month raised about $1 billion in a bought equity transaction to fund a plan to build what could be the first U.S.-wide network of green hydrogen production facilities to supply fuel-cell-powered vehicles, including its own, with carbon-free fuel. In August, Wood Mackenzie predicted the 2020s will be the “decade of hydrogen.” The analyst firm estimates that the cost of green hydrogen will fall by as much as 64 percent by 2040, on a level with traditional forms of production from fossil fuel feedstocks. As green hydrogen production costs are forecast to fall with lower renewable electricity pricing and increased electrolyzer utilization rates, increasing natural gas prices could drive up the price of hydrogen from steam methane reforming, currently the cheapest production option, by 82 percent outside China by 2040, WoodMac estimates.

The cost of green hydrogen relative to its more carbon-intense alternatives has always been a hindrance, said Juergen Wollschlaeger, CEO of German crude oil refinery Raffinerie Heide, in an email. “Collaborative efforts like this, where industry, international organizations and nonprofits are aligned on a common goal, will have a meaningful impact on the development of the green hydrogen economy.” Economies of scale through increased production capacity, combined with supportive regulation and investment, “will get green hydrogen off the ground,” Wollschlaeger said.

DECEMBER- 2020

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SOFAR SOLAR Inverters First Obtaining BIS and Completing Market Layout in India India’s energy storage market, largest around South Asia, is presenting a very active trend driven by the construction boom of large-scale renewable energy power generation projects and power grid infrastructure upgrading. In recent years, not only largescale energy storage projects on grid side and user side have been started in India, but also a tremendous amount of PV power station projects have launched bidding and purchasing plans for energy storage system. As the global leader of energy storage inverter and battery, SOFARSOLAR follows the market development trend and rapidly begins its layout in India’s energy storage market.

L the market.

ately, SOFARSOLAR India Team announced that its energy storage inverters were the first to obtain BIS (R-41156892) Certification, completing the overall layout of the energy storage market in India ahead of schedule. This not only establishes the leading position of SOFARSOLAR in the Indian energy storage inverter market, but also sets up a new quality benchmark for

Since 2015, SOFARSOLAR has been laying out the Indian market and branches, storage centers, sales centers and service centers have been set up aiming to provide customers with more perfect services. In 2019, over 100 MW inverters has been provided for Gujarat region alone; in 2020, major breakthroughs have been made in several market segments of India, with the total installed volume reaching a new high and the leading position occupied in the inverter market of many regions. With the completion of the energy storage market Mr. Brijesh Prajapati, head of SOFARSOLAR India, layout, a new growth point will be added for the said that the new energy storage inverters obtained India market share of SOFARSOLAR. Mr. Brijesh Prajapati introduced that the energy storage invertIndia BIS Certification (R-41156892), taking the lead ers were the first to gain BIS Certification thanks in getting the admission ticket for new standard of to the recognition of our technology and products implementation in India, which laid a solid foundagiven by the certification authority. In the future, tion for the further expansion of the energy storage we will adhere to our original intention to market market of SOFARSOLAR and meanwhile provided more efficient, more stable and more reliable PV strong market support and quality assurance for local and energy storage inverters, so that thousands partners, further deepening the cooperation space of households in India can enjoy the green and and intensity. healthy life brought by clean energy.

India, Vietnam likely to sign key pacts at summit

India and Vietnam are expected to sign agreements in defence, energy and development projects and take forward an arrangement to supply high speed patrol vessels to the Southeast Asian nation during a virtual summit

he virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc will cap a string of highlevel exchanges between the two sides this year. The meeting is being held at a time when countries are grappling with China’s aggressive actions in the region. India is locked in a military standoff with China in Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) while Vietnam has major differences over Chinese claims within its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. The two leaders will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues and are expected to issue a “joint vision” to guide the development of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity.

DECEMBER- 2020

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HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS ARE THE FUTURE LONG HAUL TRANSPORT – MEET THE COMPANY BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE Hydrogen fuel cells will have a significant role in the evolving transportation industry, mainly because they have significant advantages over battery electric vehicles, especially in long haul segments (trucks, buses). Nikola has a $14 billion backlog of hydrogen truck orders. Hydrogen fuel annual commercial vehicle sales are expected to grow exponentially, but the USA is lacking fueling stations.

ntil now, the lack of hydrogen fueling stations in the U.S. have been a key impediment to hydrogen vehicle growth. That is about to change. PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp is currently building out the U.S. hydrogen fueling station infrastructure…

The CEO of PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp, Raghu Kilambi, is available to discuss why hydrogen fuel cells are the true future of transportation technology for long haul transportation, and why they have a significant advantage over battery electric alternatives that often get a lot of hype in the press. Raghu’s Comments: With the expectation that President-elect Biden will take office in January 2021, the USA clean energy industry has reacted with enthusiasm and hope. President-elect Biden has stated that the federal government will invest significantly in clean energy and related infrastructure, including hydrogen infrastructure. As the US federal government has previously invested in the PowerTap technology, the company is optimistic they will have a seat at the table when USA clean energy/ hydrogen infrastructure spending initiatives are designed. Battery electric vehicles are completely impractical for long-haul trucking, which will require a more sustainable energy source to be able to make their cargo runs in a timely and efficient manner.

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PowerTap is leading the charge in building an extensive network of hydrogen fueling stations across the nation. This has been its most significant limitation in the past, but is rapidly changing. Hydrogen fuel cells have a longer range than battery electric overall, and they take mere minutes to fully charge, while battery electric can take an hour. Adding several hours to a long-haul trip means a tremendous amount of lost revenue to trucking companies in the long-run.

THE MAJOR POINT: With all the buzz that battery electric powered vehicles are getting in this day and age, hydrogen is the more sensible, sustainable, and advanced form of energy which would have tremendous benefit if adopted by the trucking industry. It means faster transportation time, money saved, and a healthier environment. Raghu can discuss in further detail why companies like his are revolutionizing the transportation industry, and his plan on bringing that technology to the massive and crucial trucking industry.

DECEMBER- 2020

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AMAZON BECOMES WORLD’S LARGEST CORPORATE PURCHASER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

The addition of 26 new utility-scale wind and solar projects in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, the UK, and the U.S. bring Amazon’s total number of renewable energy projects to 127. Company’s total renewable energy investments to date will supply 6.5 GW of electricity production capacity — enough to power 1.7 million U.S. homes for one year

mazon announced 26 new utilityscale wind and solar energy projects totaling 3.4 gigawatts (GW) of electricity production capacity, bringing its total investment in renewable energy in 2020 to 35 projects and more than 4 GW of capacity — the largest corporate investment in renewable energy in a single year. These new projects will make Amazon the largest-ever corporate purchaser of renewable energy. Amazon has now invested in 6.5 GW of wind and solar projects that will enable the company to supply its operations with more than 18 million megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually. This is enough to power 1.7 million U.S. homes for one year. These projects will supply renewable energy for Amazon’s corporate offices, fulfillment centers, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers that support millions of customers globally. They will also help advance Amazon’s goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions across its business by 2040. Part of that commitment is powering Amazon’s infrastructure with 100% renewable energy, and the company is now on a path to achieve this milestone by 2025, five years ahead of the initial 2030 target.

Amazon is helping fight climate change by moving quickly to power our businesses with renewable energy, said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. “With a total of 127 solar and wind projects, Amazon is now the biggest corporate buyer of renewable energy ever. We are on a path to running 100% of our business on renewable energy by 2025 — five years ahead of our original target of 2030. This is just one of the many steps we’re taking that will help us meet our Climate Pledge. I couldn’t be more proud of all the teams across Amazon that continue to work hard, smart, and fast to get these projects up and running.” The 26 new wind and solar projects announced are located in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S. The new projects are Amazon’s first in France, Germany, Italy, and South Africa. In the U.S., Amazon has now enabled wind and solar projects in California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. Amazon has a total of 127 renewable energy projects globally, including 59 utility-scale wind and solar renewable energy projects and 68 solar rooftops on fulfillment centers and sort centers around the globe.

DECEMBER- 2020

Private sector investment is essential to scaling renewable energy at the pace necessary to drive global climate action, said Miranda Ballentine, CEO of Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA). The U.S.-based projects alone make Amazon’s announcement 270% larger than the largest corporate procurement announcement from a single off-taker to date, and showcase the company’s leadership and commitment to a clean and prosperous energy future.

On behalf of the renewable sector, we applaud Amazon for its unprecedented contribution to the renewable energy transition this year. With an impressive 35 major new renewable projects in 2020, Amazon deserves tremendous credit for its leadership in the global shift to renewable energy. Procuring more than 4,000 MW of new renewable power in a single year is an incredible achievement, and it marks big progress toward Amazon’s goal of being powered by 100% renewable power. We are immensely grateful to Amazon for their efforts to help us stay within shouting distance of the greenhouse gas emission reductions scientists say are needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, said Gregory Wetstone, President and CEO, American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). Last year, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reach the Paris Agreement 10 years early and be net-zero carbon by 2040. The pledge now has 31 signatories, including Unilever, Verizon, Siemens, Microsoft, and Best Buy. To reach its goal, Amazon will continue to reduce emissions across its operations by establishing a path to power its operations with 100% renewable energy, five years ahead of the company’s initial target of 2030; delivering its Shipment Zero vision to make all shipments net-zero carbon, with 50% net-zero carbon by 2030; and purchasing 100,000 electric delivery vehicles, the largest order ever of electric delivery vehicles.

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SOLAR PV MODULE IMPORTS TO FACE 40% CUSTOMS DUTY, CELLS 25%

India plans to impose new tariffs on imports of solar cells and modules from 1 April 2022, power and renewable energy minister Raj Kumar Singh said. The finance ministry will issue an order to impose a basic customs duty of 40% on modules and 25% on solar cells as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India strategy, Singh said in an interview. The customs duty will replace a 15% safeguard duty that is being imposed on imports from China and Malaysia.

Such a move will make solar cells and modules imported from China expensive and is being seen as part of an economic response to the violent face-off with China along the Ladakh border. Along with leveraging its growing green energy market to boost manufacturing, India is looking to play a larger role in global supply chains. “Earlier we said it will be imposed from next year. From 2021— that’s the way we had sent the trajectory,” Singh said in an interview.

hile the budget had okayed an enabling mechanism for imposing a basic customs duty of 20% on cells and modules, challenges related to adequate domestic production capacity and how clean energy projects that have been bid out based on lower equipment costs will be treated prompted the Centre to rethink the plan. There were also discussions about whether the duty will be compliant with World Trade Organization rules. The market for solar components is dominated by Chinese firms. A surge in imports prompted the government to impose a safeguard duty from 30 July 2018 on solar cells and modules imported from China and Malaysia. The safeguard duty, which was set to expire on 29 July, has been extended by a year. Earlier, the ministry of new and renewable energy was in favour of imposing basic customs duty from 1 April 2021. As part of the plan, India was looking at grandfathering the previous bids that were awarded by allowing a pass-through in power tariffs for projects awarded before the basic customs dutywas to be imposed to protect solar project developers. The plan was later dropped.

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“We will announce it now,” Singh said. “Since we have manufacturing capacity for modules, so more BCD has been levied on that (modules). On cells, we have a manufacturing capacity of only 2,000MW. Our actual consumption that is going to happen progressively will almost touch 20-30GW per year. That is going to be our requirement at the rate I am going. So, cells have to be imported as we only manufacture 2,000MW here.” This will also help attract foreign firms exploring a Chinaplus-one strategy for production. India imported $2.16 billion worth of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells, panels and modules in 2018-19. “The demand is here. We are the fastest growing (market),” Singh said. An investment of ₹4.7 trillion has been made in India’s renewable energy space in the past six years, with an expected ₹1 trillion investment opportunity annually till 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India’s aim is to end its dependence on import of all equipment. The government has come out with a production-led incentive scheme that offers manufacturers in 10 sectors, including those for highefficiency solar modules, benefits worth ₹1.97 trillion.

DECEMBER- 2020

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ADANI’S BID TO BUY OUT AES FROM ODISHA POWER FALLS APART The Odisha government has scuttled the plans of billionaire Gautam Adani-controlled Adani Power Ltd to acquire a 49% stake in Odisha Power Generation Corp (OPGC) from New York-listed AES Corp. The state government, which owns 51% of the power producer, has exercised its ‘right of first refusal’ to effectively disallow Adani Power from buying the 49% stake, the company said in a stock-exchange filing

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n June, AES had agreed to sell its 49% stake in OPGC to Adani Power for $135 million in cash. OPGC manages a 1,740 MW power plant in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district. The American company’s stake will now be acquired by the stateowned Odisha Hydro Power Corp. AES is exiting the venture 22 years after it first associated with the state government-promoted company. The New Indian Express newspaper said earlier this month that following the state government’s decision to exercise its right of first refusal, the share transfer had been stuck pending an approval by the Competition Commission of India, the country’s antitrust atchdog. The deal marks the end of the road for AES in India’s thermal power sector, where only a handful of foreign companies have entered in the past three decades despite the government’s efforts to attract overseas investment. CLP India Pvt. Ltd and Sembcorp Energy India Ltd are the only significant foreign players in the sector. In June, AES said that the stake sale was part of its global strategy to reduce the share of coal in its portfolio.

DECEMBER- 2020

AES had entered India in 1992 and had set up some wind power projects, too. It sold its wind energy projects to Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd in 2013. Last year, AES again joined hands with Tata Power as well as Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp for a 10-MW grid-scale battery-based energy storage system in Delhi. Adani Power had earlier said that the proposed acquisition would mark its foray into Odisha. Adani Group, via its various units, has made a number of acquisitions in the energy, ports, logistics and other sectors to expand rapidly over the past few years. In January this year, for instance, Adan Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd agreed to acquire a 75% stake in the Andhra Pradesh-based Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd for an enterprise value of around $1.9 billion. Also in January, Adani Capital Pvt. Ltd snapped up Essel Finance’s micro, small and medium enterprise loan business The group has also roped in a couple of high-profile foreign investors in recent months. In October last year, French energy giant Total SA agreed to buy a 7.4% stake in Adani Gas Ltd for as much as $868.5 million. Two months later, Qatar Investment Authority sealed a deal for a 25.1% stake in Adani’s Mumbai power distribution business for about $450 million.

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PV Manufacturing

THE WAY TO BEST LCOE (I) – SYSTEM VALUE ASSESSMENT FOR TRINA 600W+ VERTEX BIFACIAL-DUAL-GLASS MODULE WITH SINGLE-AXIS TRACKER Since establishment from 1997, Trina Solar has been driven by innovative, reliable quality and customer value. Since the release of the first advanced Vertex 210mm modules in February 2020, the product line has been stacked with different products including Vertex S 400W, and the Vertex series of 500W, 550W and 600W and beyond, which fit well with the applications of residential, commercial and large scale power plant, as well as multiple scenarios of agriculture and fisheries .

n the era of grid parity, the Vertex series have a prominent edge in Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE). Foreign and domestic leading design institutes and well-known third-party organization DNV GL have evaluated the LCOE advantage and value of Vertex 210mm modules, notably the bifacial dual-glass Vertex series. The report finds that the 545W bifacial dual-glass Vertex module has the best Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), and performs significantly better than the conventional 166mm, 450W and 182mm, 535W modules in terms of BOS costs. High-power, high-efficiency modules are getting inevitably popular in the era of grid parity. With its top-notch research and development of ultra-high-efficiency modules, Trina Solar has led the industry into the 600W+ era, with a host of highpower, high-efficiency, high-yield and highly reliable products. More discussions are surrounding how ultra-high-power modules can best preserve customer value by reducing cost. Trina Solar’s innovative “low voltage, high string power ” design concept has drawn attention from the industry. To further prove this as the best LCOE reduction strategy, Trina Solar invited DNV GL to evaluate such design in terms of BOS costs and LCOE. Through the comprehensive and objective evaluation system and methodology by an independent third party, the design concept of “low voltage, high string power” can be demonstrated to the industry and customers.

COORDINATES OF THE PROJECTS

LOCAL WEATHER INFORMATION In these locations, DNV GL compared the BOS costs and LCOE of the bifacial dual-glass 166mm, 450W module, 182mm, 535W module, and the Vertex bifacial dual-glass 210mm-545W module, based on fixed 100MW AC capacity, with the same DC/AC ratio design at the power station. In terms of system design, the projects adopted a single-row, one portrait mounted, single-axis (1P) tracker, equipped with a string inverter. The ground cover ratio (GCR) is fixed to ensure the consistent shadow occlusions on the bifacial module. Such design aims to maintain control over climate and project design, while objectively comparing merely to impact on costs and LCOE based on a different module. To make the comparison more meaningful, the trackers and inverters used are all mainstream products. The costs of the three tested sytem are based on local costs so that it is consistent, comprehensive and objective when comparing the on-grid tariff as well as the costs of operation and maintenance.

ASSUMPTION FOR ASSESSMENT To fit different solar projects, the assessment took place in typical photovoltaic sites in Spain and Texas, US, with the coordinates and climate as follows:

Parameters of power station design and 3D simulation diagrams as below: 1. Layout design of the power station in Spain. 2. Layout designof the power station in the US. 3. Parameters of the power stations.

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DECEMBER- 2020

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