Arunachal village to tackle power crisis with solar energy…

 

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Environment & Forest department has distributed solar energy equipment to about 25,000 households in Mayudia village. The package includes one solar panel, one chargeable multipurpose battery unit, one table lamp and an emergency light.

‘It would be of great help to our villagers who have been suffering due to the power crisis. Despite such limitations, they are actively supporting wildlife conservation in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary,’ village headman Napi Umpo said. The people of Tiwari Gaon, a fringe village adjacent to Mehao Sanctuary, have been supporting the bear conservation and rehabilitation project and Hoolock Gibbon Translocation project for the safety of wildlife.

The distribution was done during ‘Interaction for Conservation Awareness & Distribution of Solar Equipment’, an event organized by WTI in collaboration with Department of Environment & Forest, Arunachal Pradesh, with support from Europaeische Tierschutzstftung (ETS).

‘The community living around any protected area is the first layer of the protection shield. In order to consolidate the shield, we need to understand the psychology and the needs of the people. The distribution of solar sets will further bridge the conservation support and confidence for the ongoing Asiatic Black bear rehabilitation project and Hoolock Gibbon Translocation Project in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary,’ said Sunil Kyarong, deputy director and regional head, Wildlife Trust of India.

Source

Read More...

Chinese power firms in India under pressure due to rupee…

 

Chinese power generations companies which rapidly expanded operations in India in recent years are complaining of pressure due to depreciation of rupee and appreciation of China's currency RMB, saying it has eroded their profits.

Indian rupee devalued about 20 percent at one stage in 2013, while the RMB appreciated five percent, eroding 25 per cent of the gross profit margin, Xu Huadong, Chairman of Chinese machine and generator manufacturer Power HF said.

"We are forced to improve management efficiency and lower operation costs. But there is a limit. Our price advantage is diminishing, and we are considering opening production plants globally," he told state run Xinhua news agency.

Power HF, based at Weifang City in east China's Shandong Province, has exported 38,500 engines to India for use in telecom base stations across the country.

If those base stations break down, more than 100 million Indian mobile users will be affected.

The firm has also set up a network of 174 service stations employing more than 1,500 local people across India to provide 24-hour maintenance services.

Its business in India started in 2007, when the Reliance Group, one of the top three telecom companies in India, ordered the engines.

The Indian market now comprises more than 30 per cent of the total revenue of Power HF, which now has bigger plans.

"Currently we mainly provide maintenance services for the engines of the telecom base stations. In future, we hope to offer maintenance of air-conditioners, antennas and other equipment at the stations, based on our established network," Xu said.

The firm is eying other countries and regions, with Africa as the next key market.

"We want to copy the successful model in India, but adjustments must be made according to the situation in different countries," Xu says.

When Power HF entered India, the enterprise redesigned its products according to the hot and humid environment.

Since India has stricter noise restrictions, it also adjusted their engines to reduce noise.

"Now we are entering Egypt and we must take the heat, wind, sand and dust into consideration," says Xu, adding skilled workers were harder to find in Egypt than in India. So training maintenance workers will be given priority.

"The quality of Chinese machinery is already world level. But Chinese machinery manufacturers must focus on service if they want to go abroad," Xu said.

Source

Read More...

Suzlon to list REpower on LSE this year: Sources…

 

Debt-ridden  Suzlon Energy is looking to list its 100 percent owned German subsidiary REpower on the London Stock Exchange this year. IPO size is likely to be around USD 600-750 million, with Suzlon diluting 40-50 percent of its total stake.

This pegs REpower’s expected valuation at USD 1.2 billion. Sources say Suzlon Energy will use the proceeds from the IPO to repay German banks and domestic lenders. REpower owes as much as 750 million euros to German banks, who have ring-fenced the company’s finances.

This has been Suzlon’s biggest challenge as the wind turbine maker is unable to access the Germany subsidiary’s cash reserved to repay its debt. Suzlon's total debt stands at Rs 14,155 crore, of this, Rs 9500 crore is getting restructured under the Corporate Debt Restructuring (CDR) cell.

The company had repaid its first tranche of FCCBs worth USD 360 million in July 2012. It is understood that the company is now looking to settle another USD 500 million worth FCCBs with the bondholders.

Suzlon has been reporting losses for the past 3 years Suzlon Energy had acquired REpower in 2007 for Rs 8000 crore.

The German subsidiary accounts for nearly 40 percent of Suzlon’s total order book of USD 7.1 billon. Key bankers like SBI had earlier suggested that the company merge REpower with itself to reduce debt.

Source

Read More...

Peak power deficit in India rises to 4.2 per cent in December: CEA…

 

India's peak power shortage increased to 4.2 per cent, or 5,547 MW, in December from a month earlier due to lower hydroelectric and wind power production, according to official data.

Electricity demand in the country last month was 1,32,786 MW, of which 1,27,239 MW was met, data with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) showed.

The peak power deficit, or shortfall in electricity supply when demand is at the maximum level, was 3.7 per cent, or 4,803 MW, in November, according to the CEA.

"The prime reasons for increased power shortage is decrease in hydel and wind generation and increase in load, mainly in north India, due to winters," a CEA official told PTI.

The northern states of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were the worst affected with a deficit of 7.1 per cent, or 2,912 MW. Electricity demand in the region was 40,812 MW and supply was 37,900 MW.

The northeastern region of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram recorded a deficit of 5.9 per cent. The demand for power was 2,009 MW and supply 1,890 MW.

The eastern states were the least affected with a 1.5 per cent peak power shortage. The electricity requirement of states including West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand in December was 13,814 MW and supply was 13,604 MW.

The western region, which includes Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa, reported a power shortage of 1,031 MW, or 2.5 per cent, on demand of 41,335 MW.

The peak power deficit in the south -- Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and Puducherry -- was 3.7 per cent, or 1,275 MW, with demand at 34,816 MW.

Source

Read More...

JNNSM Phase II: Solar developers show preference for imported equipment…

 

The latest round of bidding for solar projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) has attracted an overwhelming response from solar project developers — bids were received from 68 companies for 122 projects for a total of 2,170 MW, against the allocation target of 750 MW.

The US-headquartered Azure Power (200 MW), Welspun (160 MW), IL&FS (150 MW) and Essel Infra (100 MW) are among the major bidders.

Under the ‘JNNSM Phase II’, rolled out for bidding by the Government-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India, project developers bid for a capital grant from the Government, or ‘viability gap funding’. Winning bidders will be those who ask for the least amount of funding for selling their power at a fixed tariff of Rs 5.45 per kWhr to the Corporation.

The Phase II process also split the 750 MW on offer equally into those projects for which the developers would need to use locally made equipment, and those that had no such restriction. Accordingly, 375 MW were on ‘domestic content requirement (DCR)’ route, and the other 375 MW under ‘open’ category.

Bidders showed a marked preference for the ‘open’ category. As many as 86 projects worth 1,470 MW were bid for under the ‘open’ category, where the requirement for ‘viability gap funding’ is expected to be very low. Under the DCR category, bids were submitted for 36 projects for a total of 700 MW. Of the 68 companies, 13 have submitted bids under both categories.

How much VGF each bidder has asked for will be known on February 20, when the Corporation opens the financial bids.

Source

Read More...

Jammu & Kashmir Government to install solar power plants in 18 ITI’s…

 

Minister of State for Technical Education (Independent charge), Power, Information and Rural Development Department, Vikar Rasool Wani inaugurated 66.24 KW capacity Solar Power Plant constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.62 crore at Women’s Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Pampore here today.

On the occasion,   Vikar said that Plant is first of its kind in Valley which is funded by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission scheme and constructed by Tata Power Solar Systems Bangalore.

He said that Solar Power Plants will be installed in 18 more ITIs across the State at a cost of Rs 32.20 crore, which could provide 24 hours power supply to these technical institutions, an official statement said.

The Minister said that government is committed to make maximum use of this technology and various public institutions are being provided this facility. He said that the Solar Power Technology will go long way in overcoming power crisis in the State.

Referring to the steps taken by government for popularising skill development and also for inculcating scientific temperament among students ,  the Minister said that the government left no stone unturned in extending technical education facilities to both boys and girls by opening up of a chain of polytechnics and ITI’’s in all the three regions of the State.

He said that central govt as well as State govt are jointly working hard to make new generation technically sound so that they will not go behind government jobs only instead they will setup their own income generating units with financial and technical support of State govt.

Appreciating private sector in setting up of technical institutions in the State,   Vikar said that govt alone cannot solve the problem of providing livelihood with honour and dignity to the youth, adding that the private partners can play a pivotal role in making the society rich by extending their helping hand to the government.

The Minister was accompanied by Director Technical Education, Kashmir,   Jaipal Singh, Principal Women’ s  ITI Pampore,   Mohsin Ali Khan, representative Tata Power Solar System,   Javed Ahmad and other concerned officers.

Source

Read More...

Tangedco keen on settling contracts for three thermal projects…

 

With the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests issuing environmental clearance for the 1,320-MW (megawatt) Ennore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) thermal power project early this month, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) is keen on settling contracts for three thermal power projects of 3,300 MW before the Election Commission announces the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections by late February or early March.

Else, the power utility may have to wait for three or four months before proceeding further on the tenders for the projects, sources say.

Of the three projects, the Udangudi and Ennore SEZ thermal power projects have the capacity of 1,320 MW each. Technical specifications provided by bidders for these projects are under scrutiny.

In both these projects, three Chinese firms and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) have participated in the bids. In respect of the 660-MW ETPS (Ennore Thermal Power Station) expansion project, the authorities are negotiating with the lowest bidder, Lanco Infratech, which has submitted the price bid. The projects – Udangudi and ETPS expansion project – received the environmental clearance in October last and June 2009.

Among the specific conditions laid down by the Union Ministry in respect of the Ennore SEZ project are the formulation of a vision document, specifying perspective plan, within six months; harnessing solar power through roof-top installations; no transportation of imported coal by road and carrying out a long-term study on radio activity and the presence of heavy metals contents in coal through a reputed institute. No waterbodies including natural drainage system in the area should be disturbed due to activities associated with the setting up/operation of the power plant.

Source

Read More...

India Draws Bids for Triple Solar Capacity Offered for Phase II of National Solar Mission…

 

India received bids for almost triple the 750 megawatts of solar capacity offered after enticing developers with grants for the first time that will cover part of the cost of the plants.

The state-run Solar Energy Corp. of India received 58 bids for 2,170 megawatts in the country’s first national auction of photovoltaic licenses in two years, Tarun Kapoor, joint-secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said in an interview today in New Delhi.

The technical bids will be opened today to check whether companies meet the qualifications to build plants, Rajendra Nimje, managing director of Solar Energy Corp., said in an interview. The financial bids will be opened in about a month after the initial evaluation is finished, he said.

The tender offers improved revenue security to investors seeking a foothold in a market, where the cost of sun power may equal that of other sources within three years.

The government is set to provide as much as 18.75 billion rupees ($303 million) in grants for the projects. That will reduce construction costs, allowing the winning developers to sell the electricity they generate at about the same price as conventional power.

The tender may be the “least risky” of at least nine national and state-level auctions held so far in India, said Bharat Bhushan, New Delhi-based solar analyst for Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Source

Read More...

Cabinet clears SPV for Neemrana model solar power project…

 

A cabinet panel Monday approved the formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for implementing a model solar power project at Neemrana in Rajasthan.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the formation of a SPV for implementation and operation of the model solar power project at Neemrana, Rajasthan as a 100 percent subsidiary of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation," an official statement in National Capital said.

The government estimates an expenditure of about Rs.35.34 crore on the project, of which the equity component is Rs.13 crore and the debt component is Rs.22.34 crore.

The project, to be implemented in association with the Japanese government, proposes using cutting-edge technology from the Asian country, the statement said.

The power generated would be sold to state-run NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam at a tariff of Rs.8.77 per unit, it added.

"The tariff applicable to industrial consumers will be determined at the time of signing the Power Purchase Agreement by the SPV with users," the statement said.

The project demonstrates the integration of solar power with industrial diesel generator sets. The statement added among the benefits it is expected to yield is the "production of green power while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by cutting down diesel consumption."

Source

Read More...