Reliance Power, Lanco seek higher tariffs for the Concentrating Solar PV Projects...

 

Solar power plants of Reliance Power, Lanco and others, are seeking higher tariffs saying that the data on solar radiation provided by the government was faulty which has led to lower generation.

Several companies have filed petitions before the central regulator, seeking higher tariffs jut as a panel chaired by Deepak Parekh recommended compensation for Tata and Adani's higher costs of generation.

At least three solar thermal power project developers with mandate to commission total 250 mw of capacity have moved petitions before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) seeking higher tariff.

Reliance Power subsidiary Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy, Lanco Group's Diwakar Solar Projects and Godawari Power and Ispat owned Godavari Green Energy, in their respective petitions, claimed that the solar radiation data shared by ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) are incorrect and solar thermal projects may not be able to generate power as per the projection.

According to an executive with one of the petitioners, the government's flawed data may take a toll on the viability of all the existing and upcoming solar power projects in Rajasthan, which has emerged as a solar hub of the country. The regulator is yet to admit these petitions. India's solar power generation capacity is largely concentrated in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

"At the time of bidding under the Centre's Solar Mission, we banked on ministry of new and renewable energy's data on 'direct normal irradiance' for Rajasthan.

However, it turned out 15%-20% less than ministry's projections for solar radiation, which is the only fuel for our kind of projects.

It means, our project will have that much less electricity generation and hence return on investments," said the executive requesting anonimity. He added that weak Rupee too shot up project cost. Under solar mission's first bidding round held in 2010, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam selected seven developers to commission 470 mw of solar thermal projects for tariff of .`0.49-12.24 per unit. Reliance Power and Lanco Group quoted .`11.97 and .`10.49 per unit and bagged 100 mw projects each, which are under commissioning.

Godawari Power that quoted .`12.20 per unit announced commissioning of its 50 mw project mid-last year.

Earlier in September 2013, the Association of Power Producers also wrote to the union minister Farooq Abdullah requesting the necessary support by offering compensatory tariff to the project developers.

"The bidders had no other source of verifying the DNI data and could base the bid on DNI range provided by MNRE only," read a letter from the association director general Ashok Khurana. He stated that the developers could find the actual DNI only after their data could be independently collected after the projects were awarded.

DNI is the amount of solar radiation received per unit area by a surface that is always held perpendicular to the rays that come in a straight line from the direction of the sun at its current position in the sky. As per the original deadline, developers were expected to commission their projects by May 2013, which was extended by 10 months by the ministry.

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AREVA has achieved first steam production at R-Power's CSP Plant in Rajasthan...

 

AREVA has completed a major milestone in the commissioning of its concentrated solar power (CSP) plant by achieving the first steam production.

This solar plant, which integrates AREVA’s compact linear Fresnel reflector technology, is Asia’s largest CSP installation. Located at Dhursar in the state of Rajasthan, it will be operated by Reliance Power Limited.

Reliance Power Limited, a part of Reliance Group, is India's leading private sector power generation company.

The initial steam operation is a critical step in the plant’s connection to the electrical grid as part of the ongoing commissioning. Commercial operation is planned for March 2014.

“The project is part of India’s energy program which aims to install 20,000 MW of solar power capacity in the country by 2022,” said Sam Shakir, CEO of AREVA Solar. “This plant built by AREVA will avoid approximately 557,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year compared to a similar sized coal-fired power plant.”

AREVA is a global supplier of CSP solutions for large-scale standalone power plants, power augmentation of fossil-fired power plants and solar hybrid applications.

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Pre-commissioning of RPower's 100 MW CSP Project started; commissioning by March-14...

 

Reliance Power said it has begun pre-commissioning activities at its 100 MW CSP (concentrated solar power) project in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.

The project based on CLFR (compact linear Fresnel reflector) technology by AREVA and is being built at a cost of Rs 2,100 crore, adjacent to a 40 MW solar photovoltaic plant commissioned by the company last year.

The project is set to be commissioned by March 2014, RPower said.

The project is financed by multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development Bank, US Exim Bank, FMO of the Netherlands and Axis Bank.

Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Power, was awarded the CSP project in December 2010 by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (a subsidiary of NTPC) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.

The total power generated by the plant will be supplied to NVVN for a 25-year period.

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GSECL to set up 50 MW Solar Thermal Project (CSP); issues "Expression of Interest" for consultancy services...

 

Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL) is planning to set up a solar thermal plant of about 50 MW capacity in the state and is seeking for the consultancy services from the interested parties for the same.

Exploring the possibilities of installing solar thermal power plant, GSECL intends to provide 24 hours uninterrupted power supply at Kutch Lignite Thermal Power Station, Gandhinagar Thermal Power Station in addition to any other suitable location within the state.

To this end, GSECL has invited offers from eligible bidders for providing consultancy services for carrying out the feasibility study and preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) for setting up of the proposed project with storage facility so that generation can be made available throughout the day.

The brief scope of work shall include carrying out feasibility study, preparation of DPR including collection of all data regarding solar system, solar radiation condition & metrological parameters etc in addition to site selection for project, estimating the land requirements for project. It includes:

• To carry out feasibility study and to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for installing Solar Thermal Power Plant of about 50 MW Capacity with storage facility so that generation can be made available throughout the day (i.e.24 Hrs) at Kutch Lignite Thermal Power Station / Gandhinagar Thermal Power Station / Any other suitable location within the state of Gujarat; including collecting all data regarding solar system i.e. solar radiation condition & metrological parameters etc., Site selection for project, Land requirements for project, Suggestion and recommendations for suitable option, Solar Technology applicable for the above along with the estimates and cost-benefits analysis, payback period for each case, detail technical specification of the equipments etc..
• The scope specified in this specification outlines the services generally expected from the consultant. It is not the intent to specify minute details of services expected. All the items/services which are required for the preparation of Feasibility Study / DPR are deemed to be included in the scope of services whether specifically mentioned or not. The consultant shall render necessary, comprehensive and effective services required in all respects to ensure smooth and timely completion of the services.
• Interested consultancies are requested to submit their credentials along with the in-house facilities, description of similar assignments executed by them/ experience of similar jobs executed along with the copies of Orders, performance certificates of their clients (along with their contact persons, E-mail IDs, Phone & Fax Nos), financial capabilities along with audited Accounts of last 3 years, CV’s of Key personnel and other relevant details, proposed action plan along with likely duration for carrying out the work for each unit.

This apart, the intending bidder shall also be responsible for evaluating the solar technology applicable along with the estimates and cost-benefits analysis, payback period for each case, detail technical specification of the equipments etc.

Notably, the interested bidders shall submit their bids latest by December 31, 2013.

The CALL FOR ‘EXPRESSION OF INTEREST’ can be viewed here.

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Godawari Solar Thermal Plant Generates Above Expectations...

 

Godawari Power & Ispat Ltd.’s solar-thermal plant, Asia’s biggest, is generating more power than expected, allaying criticism that the technology was failing in India, a government official said.

Godawari’s 50-megawatt project is at times generating 10 megawatts more than its stated capacity, said Tarun Kapoor, head of solar policy at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
“People were saying that solar thermal was not going to work out in India,”

Kapoor said at the Intersolar conference in Mumbai today. “That has now been proven wrong.”

Godawari’s plant is the first of seven solar-thermal generators planned in India. The remaining six have had their deadlines extended to February from May, Kapoor said. Plants by Reliance Power Ltd. (RPWR) and Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd. should be finished soon, he said.

Solar-thermal technology focuses sunlight on liquids to produce steam to run conventional turbines. The other way to generate power from sunlight is to use photovoltaic panels to convert the rays directly to electricity.

To contact the reporter on this story: Natalie Obiko Pearson in Mumbai at npearson7@bloomberg.net

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Solar Steam Generators At India's First CSP Plant Now Online...

 

Godawari Green Energy Ltd. has fired up India's first grid-connected concentrating solar power (CSP) plant. The 60 MW Godawari facility, located in the Jaisalmer district, employs a steam generation system from Denmark-based Aalborg CSP & Sojitz Corp. Godawari expects its CSP plant to produce 130 GWh of electricity per year.

Aalborg CSP says its steam generator is designed to perform with a high gradient of up to 9 degrees C per minute, allowing a rapid ramp-up every morning and after transient clouds. The company says this capability can result in more than 30 minutes of extra operations during a normal nine-hour day, thereby increasing energy production by 5%.

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