‘Take my roof, give me solar power’ concept catching up in TN...

 

Industries and commercial establishments in Tamil Nadu are letting out their lands or rooftops in return for cheaper solar power.

Various speakers and participants at a solar conference held here to unveil the Tamilnadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA)-sponsored ‘Renergy 2014’ event, stressed that the so-called ‘opex model’ is fast catching up in the State.

‘Renergy’ is an annual conference of renewable energy held by TEDA. The 2014 edition of Renergy will be put together by UBM India, a company that specialises in organising exhibition-cum-conference events.

“Most companies want to use capital in their core business and not in power,” noted Pashupathy Gopalan, who heads the India, Asia-Pacific and Africa operations of the American company, SunEdison.

SunEdison pioneered the concept in the country — it put up a 100 kW solar plant on the roof of Standard Chartered bank’s captive BPO office building in Chennaiin March 2012. SunEdison is now putting up a similar 160 kW rooftop project for the Murugappa group company, Tube Investments, also in Chennai.

Refex Energy, another company that builds solar plants for others, said it has orders for over 5 MW, where again, Refex would own the assets and sell only the electricity.

While many companies — notably, textile units that had a good run with exports due to rupee depreciation — are putting up solar plants with an eye on the tax-saving ‘accelerated depreciation’ benefit, several others just want electricity.

Thus two trends are running concurrently in the State — industries owning solar power plants and consuming the power themselves, and those that have others invest in solar plants and buy only the electricity.

Incidentally, both categories of solar companies bear in mind the imminence of the ‘solar purchase obligation’ mandated by the Tamil Nadu Government. The SPO has been challenged in courts, but regardless many industries in the State want to be “seen as compliant”.

Another Chennai-based company, ARC Power Consultants, marries industries that have land or large roofs and need electricity, with other profit-making companies that need to own solar plants for ‘accelerated depreciation’.

Gopalan stressed on the two fundamental requirements for the ‘opex model’. The first is, the buyer of the power should have credibility to honour a 20 or 25-year power purchase agreement.

Second, he should inspire the trust that he would not say one day, “who the hell are you, get out of my place.”

Source

Read More...

Good response to TN solar policy...

 

The state solar policy has elicited positive res­ponse across the board with the industry also responding positively, said Sudeep Jain, chairman and managing director of Tamil Nadu En­­ergy Develo­p­ment Ag­e­ncy (TEDA).

“Many innovations ha­ve been built into the rooftop systems for the solar-powered ‘green’ houses provided to the below poverty line (B­PL) families and these systems have come out to be very well desi­gned,” Jain said spe­aking at the ‘Confe­r­ence on Solar Power Generation’ organised by the Confederation of Indian Ind­u­stry (CII) on Wednesday.

Tracing the salient points of the Tamil Na­du Solar Energy policy, Jain said powering 60,000 houses in Tamil Nadu with solar energy was the largest such pro­gramme in the cou­ntry. Recalling another initiative that involved conversion of 20,000 streetlights to solar every year, he said 20W LED lights have rep­laced incandescent bul­bs, tube-lights and CFL

Also, clusters with a centralised solar plant has also been formed which have remote mo­nitoring units, giving performance data every 30 minutes on the website, he informed.

The next step, Jain said, will be to move away from the need for battery backup, the we­akest link in the rooftop solar systems. He hoped that challenges such as maintenance of rooftop units, training of manpower, and durability of the solar systems would be overco­me through industry tie-ups.

Dr Amita Prasad, principal secretary, energy department, government of Karnataka,  req­u­ested the industry to make solar solutions affordable. Karnataka has identified Hu­bli, Dharwar and Mysore which have immense potential for solar based power generation and the state government had set a target of  2000 MW generation capacity  by 2020.

Source

Read More...

Multiple legal challenges hurting Tamil Nadu’s solar plan...

 

Multiple legal challenges are hurting Tamil Nadu’s ambitious plan of adding 3,000 megawatt of solar power by 2015, two state officials have said.

Tamil Nadu, facing one of its worst-ever power crises, is betting big on solar. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s administration has drawn up an ambitious plan to add 3,000 megawatt through this route by 2015, 1,000 megawatt every year starting 2013.

Toward this, the state had floated a 1,000 megawatt tender, India’s single biggest tender, late last year. But the going has not been smooth. “The 1,000 megawatt tender is delayed because it is hit by legal cases. We are confident of getting it cleared,” said Sudeep Jain, chairman and MD of the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, the nodal agency for solar projects, addressing a Confederation of Indian Industry conference.

Starting 2013, Tamil Nadu’s solar policy mandates, many classes of commercial buildings and factories need to meet at least 3% of their power requirements through solar. This has proved to be a controversial clause for industry.

“Some customers have gone to court against the solar purchase obligation,” said S Nagalsamy, member of Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission, the only member on board at the State regulator.

He said there have been doubts about whether the twin targets – of 3,000 megawatt of solar power in three years as also the solar purchase obligation in two years – are achievable. “Unfortunately it could not take off, but government has earnestly taken steps,” he said.
He also said cases have also been filed against the alleged discrimination between different classes of consumers. While the solar purchase obligation is a requirement for high-tension and low-tension commercial consumers, other classes such as domestic consumers are exempt.

According to a report by Mercom Capital Group, under the state tender, 52 developers have signed letters of intent (power purchase agreements are yet to be signed) for setting up solar plants with 700 megawatt of capacity. Developers have 10 months to commission these projects from the date of signing the agreements.

Source

Read More...

Temples gear up to tap solar power in Tamil Nadu...

 

A good number of ancient temples across Tamil Nadu will use gr­een power for illumination to bring down power bills and harness this benign power in consonance with the state government's solar energy policy.
 
The process of installing 10 kw and 20 kw plants, as per the requirement of the temples, has commenced and the plants will be commissioned by the end of this year. According to sources, the state Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department is in the process of installing solar power plants in 13 temples besides the office of the HR&CE commissioner here.
 
Among the temples, a 10 kw SPV power plant without battery is proposed for Sri Dha­ndayuthapani Swamy temple, Angala­mman temple, Sri Bhav­aniamman temple, Sri Balamurugan temple, Sri Bhagavathy Amma, Kanyakumari, Sri Renugambal Amman te­mple and Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, and a 20 kw plant will come up at Devi Karumariamman temple, Thiruverkadu, HR&CE office, Sri Arunachaleswarar temple and Sri Subramanya Swamy temple.
 
Besides, solar panels with 2-5 kw will be established at Sri Parth­asa­rathy temple, Vada­palani Murugan temple and Sri Kapaleeswarar temple.
 
Sources said the Tamil Nadu energy development agency (TEDA) has invited tenders for installing solar power plants at the temples and they will be grid interactive and able to provide about 30 per cent of the power requirement for the shrines. Since these projects do not entail the deployment of more manpower, temple staff will be trained to handle them.
 
Though some temples have taken up similar projects on their own, this is the first time that the HR&CE department has taken the initiative to harness solar power. "Depending upon the success, it will be extended to other temples," an official said.

Source

Read More...

Tamil Nadu Government in planning to develop solar villages...

 

The Tamil Nadu government is planning new incentives for households and enterprises engaged in solar power generation. “The Tamil Nadu Government has, in the planning stages, incentives for any household or enterprise that generates solar power on its premises,” said Sudeep Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, recently.

Speaking at a conference ‘The Business of Off-grid Lighting in India’ organised by the Institute of Financial Management and Research at the Raintree Hotel, he pointed out that the infusion of solar power generation into households and businesses across the state was a priority for the Government of Tamil Nadu.

He also added that there was a plan to establish a solar village in the State operating completely on solar power, within the next few years, in line with the wishes of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who was pushing for more extensive solar power generation.

The entry of small-scale, renewable energy based technologies into the market and the steadily escalating prices of fossil fuel have made it economically viable for the utilisation of these technologies for electricity generation, especially in rural areas.

Towards the end, the conference had as its prime objective, the showcasing of the prospects of off-grid solar photovoltaic for rural electrification in India and highlighting the business and financial models, associated challenges and discussing approaches for scaling up off-grid lighting.

“The advent of these technologies, especially solar power generation, into the market and the increase in the efficiency of the same has made them a very viable source of electricity for lighting and other equipment for small cottage industries,” pointed out Koyel Mandal, senior research manager, IFMR.

Source

Read More...

TN will remain on top in terms of Power Generation from renewable Energy Sources...

 

Tamil Nadu will continue to lead in generation of power from renewable sources with capacity addition of 7,353 mega watt by 2017, according to a Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report.

Out of the total capacity addition of 32,713 MW of renewable energy sources – wind, solar and small hydro - Tamil Nadu is expected to add 22 per cent of the total addition during the end of the 12th five-year Plan in 2017, said a CEA report, titled ‘Large scale grid integration of renewable energy sources – way forward’.

It added that Rajasthan would follow Tamil Nadu with 5,694 MW addition and Andhra Pradesh, with 4,827 MW in the envisaged capacity addition. Of the projected 32,713 MW capacity addition, about 20,432 MW would be from wind power and 10,220 MW from solar energy.

Tamil Nadu, which accounts for 40 per cent of wind-installed capacity in India, will be adding a maximum of 4,339 MW of wind power, while Maharashtra will see the second highest addition of 3,763 mw. For capacity addition in solar power, Rajasthan will be adding 3,513 MW followed by Tamil Nadu with 3,014 MW.

At present, India’s total renewable generation is 28,184 MW as on August 31, 2013. At the end of the 12th five-year Plan, the co­untry is expected to have a total installed generation capacity of 60,897 MW, the report said. The total installed capacity of renewable energy in Tamil Nadu will go up to 15,415 MW from 8,062 MW, while Rajasthan will have the second highest capacity of 9,060 MW.

A senior Tangedco official expressed hope that the state would be able to meet the renewable energy capacity addition target. “As per the state’s solar energy policy, we are planning to add 3,000 MW of solar power to the grid by 2015. We have already received bids from 52 companies who will be setting up plants with a total capacity of 698 MW,” the official said, adding that capacity addition in the wind energy sector is expected to pick up once the wind power evacuation infrastructure is improved.

Source

Read More...

TEDA launches Chief Minister's Solar scheme...

 

Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) has launched Chief Minister’s Solar Rooftop Capital Incentive scheme, which offers a subsidy of Rs 20,000 for a kilowatt capacity solar plant.
 
With the launch of the scheme, the domestic power consumer could apply for installing a grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic plant through the TEDA’s website: www.teda.in or mailing the application by post to its office in Chennai. 
 
Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission issued its order on November 13 on ‘net metering’ and ‘LT connectivity’. While a one kW solar system without battery costs Rs1 lakh, the consumer will have to invest only Rs 50,000 and the rest will be borne by the Centre subsidy of Rs 30,000 and state’s Rs 20,000.
 
The consumers power troubles too could be over as a solar system of one kW capacity can generate approximately 1,600 units a year. It works out to a saving of Rs 9,200 per year at a tariff of Rs 5.75 per kWhr. A senior official of energy department said that the subsidy will be given only to domestic consumers under ‘LT-1A’ category on ‘first come first served’ basis for the grid-connected and battery-less solar systems.
 
The consumer should purchase the system from the vendors enlisted by TEDA, the official said, adding that the consumer should also bear the cost of bi-directional meter, which will replace the existing consumer

Source

Read More...

Tamil Nadu Govt to promote solar devices among farmers...

 

A pilot project is being conducted among farmers to introduce solar-powered motors, said the state electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan while visiting the renewable energy exhibition here on Saturday. Farmers will be provided 80% subsidy for the purchase, he said.

The minister said farmers will be provided solar equipment worth over Rs 5 lakh under the scheme which is in its preliminary phase. The buyer will have to invest at least a lakh for the purchase. Subsidy is being provided by the state as well as the centre for buying non-conventional energy devices.

Viswanathan further said the government buildings in the state will gradually run on solar power. Mannaparai Government Hospital, Srirangam, and the Trichy Corporation office are now running with solar power and measures are also being taken to convert the district collectorate, said the minister.

The minister inspected the 73 stalls put up by the solar equipment traders who are showcasing their models. Some stall owners, however, said adoption of solar energy is comparatively less among the farming community since a heavy investment is required. Besides, the disbursal of government subsidy is tardy.

The stall owners are exhibiting a wide array of solar, wind and other cost-effective equipment such as LED lights. A conference on renewable energy was also held here as part of the exhibition.

The exhibition is conducted jointly by the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), Chennai, and the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA).

Source

Read More...

Tamil Nadu regulator's Order confuses solar energy users...

 

Domestic consumers who had installed rooftop solar photo vo­ltaic plants have been left clueless wi­th the energy department’s order that capital subsidy of Rs 20,000 for solar systems would be provided only to those who purchased their systems through Ta­mil Nadu Elect­ri­city Development Age­ncy.

In the government order, the energy department said that the subsidy would be given on ‘first come first serve’ basis by TEDA. The subsidy wi­ll be given only to grid-connected, battery-less systems purchased from vendors approved by TEDA.

A resident of Nungambakkam sa­id he installed a one-kilo watt rooftop so­lar system with battery in his house at a cost of Rs 1.6 lakh in May hoping to get Central and state government incentives. “I was really disappointed. Only after the state government’s annou­nce­ment of Rs 20,000 subsidy, did I opt for solar system,” he said, adding that he made several visits in vain to local TNEB office to know about guidelines before going ahead with solar system installation.

Another resident of Tambaram, who has set up a solar system in his house, said that even a year after the state government came out with its solar energy policy there is no clarity in the procedures to be followed in inst­alling solar systems. “The excess power generated in the solar system is going waste as they are not allowed to be connected to the grid,” he said.

Sources in TEDA said that the state government incentive would be given only to those who are applying for solar systems through TEDA. However, sou­rces said that they would be allowed to supply surplus po­wer to the grid once the Tamil Nadu El­ectricity Regulatory Commission comes out with its order on net metering facility.

Source

Read More...