Updates on various developments under National Solar Mission Phase I...

 

Updates on the various developments under Phase I of the National Solar Mission were submitted by the Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

 

 

The schemes implemented by Government of India for promoting the use of solar energy in the first phase of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) are as under:

• Off-Grid and Decentralized Solar Applications
• Selection of New Grid Connected Solar Power Projects   under Batch-I, Phase-I of JNNSM
• Selection of New Grid Connected Solar Power Projects under Batch-II, Phase-I of JNNSM
• Migration Scheme for Grid Connected Projects
• Rooftop PV and Small Solar Power Generation Programme (RPSSGP)

The scheme-wise targets and achievements in Phase-I are as under:

Application Segment	Target for Phase I (2010-13)	Achievement for Phase-I
Grid solar power (large plants, roof top & distribution grid plants)	1,100 MW	1,684.44 MW (including those under state initiative)
Off-grid solar applications allotment	200 MW	252.5 MW
Solar Thermal Collectors (SWHs, solar cooking, solar cooling, Industrial process heat applications, etc.)	7 million sq. meters	7.001 million sq. meters

The total funds of Rs. 1793.68 Crore were provided in the financial years 2010-11 to 2012-13 against which funds of Rs. 1758.28 Crore were utilized in the first phase of the Mission.

The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) had filed a petition for anti-dumping duty on import of cells (wafer or thin film based) whether or not assembled into modules from Malaysia, China PR, Chinese Taipei and USA.

The petition has been filed with the Directorate of Anti-Dumping Duty and Allied Duties, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. ISMA vide a report has requested this Ministry to implement 100% domestic content requirement as per the original vision of promoting solar energy and growing solar manufacturing in India.

Government is keen to promote domestic industry in solar power. The steps taken by Government include domestic content requirement clause under Batch-I&II of Phase-I of JNNSM and Custom and Excise Duty Exemption on a large number of input raw materials required for manufacturing of solar equipments.

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Royal DSM to fulfill 50% of its energy needs from Wind Projects...

 

Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, continues to deliver on its commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations.

Following a dramatic reduction in water consumption at its engineering plastics site in Pune, India, announced earlier this year, the site will now meet 25% of its energy needs with renewable energy.

In order to achieve this significant improvement, DSM has entered into an agreement with a local wind energy producer. Over the coming years, this share is expected to increase to 50%.

The DSM site in Pune produces compounds of thermoplastic polyesters and polyamides, and has already established a strong track-record of highly efficient water management.

Thanks to increased process water recycling and rigorous monitoring of potential water leakages, the operation’s water footprint was dramatically reduced by two-thirds in 2012.

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Climate Responsive Technology Design to be implemented by MNRE...

 

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing a programme on ‘Energy Efficient Solar/Green Buildings’ which promotes the energy efficient solar/ green building designs with renewable energy applications including Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) system.

Under the programme, the Ministry promotes the energy efficient solar/green buildings by providing incentives to promotional activities, awards to urban local bodies & green buildings having maximum RE installations, incentives to Architects/Design consultants and other related activities.

This information was given by the Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

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Coal India Ltd to invest Rs. 7.6k Crore to develop Kusmunda mine...

 

State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) will invest Rs 7,600 crore to develop Kusmunda mine to a production capacity of about 50 million tonne per annum — the largest in the country. At present, India's largest mine has a total production capacity of 35 mt.

If achieved, CIL officials said this South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) mine would be one of the largest in the world. "At present, there are open cast mines with capacities of about 40 million tonne in China, but if SECL manages to expand its present capacity from 15 to 50 million tonne in the next few years, it is likely to be one of the largest globally," said a senior CIL official, requesting anonymity.

"The plan includes ramping up railway capacity for evacuating this coal. The investment figure is included in the project cost. The production capacity of 50 million tonne will be achieved through existing techniques of shove-dumper mix and in-pit conveyors, which will transport the coal from the mine to the stockyard," he added. At present, Gevra under SECL, which is a subsidiary of CIL, is the largest in India. It has a total production capacity of about 30 mtpa.

CIL has 148 projects at various stages of implementation of which 90 have already received forest and environment clearance, and 134 are expected to contribute 334 million tonne by 2017.

The company has identified 126 new projects with a targeted capacity of 438 million tonne per annum in the Twelfth Five Year Plan period. Project reports of 28 of these have already been prepared, with 60 projects expected to contribute 88 million tonne by 2017.

Coal demand is expected to grow by 7.09% till 2016-17 and total demand for coal during the period will be 980 million tonne, up from 769 million tonne during 203-14. By 2017, domestic production is likely to touch 795 million tonne of which Coal India is expected to supply 615 million tonne — 77% of total production.

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Government sanctions 14 projects under RGGVY in J&K...

 

In the state of Jammu & Kashmir 14 projects (3 projects in 10th Plan and 11 projects in 11th Plan) have been sanctioned under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), said Jyotiraditya Scindia, minister of state (independent charge) for power.

These cover electrification of 234 UE villages, intensive electrification of 3,247 Partially Electrified (PE) villages and release of free electricity connections to 79,991 BPL households. Cumulatively, as on Nov.15, 2013, the electrification works in 192 UE villages and 3,018 PE villages have been completed and free electricity connections to 64,255 BPL households have been released.

It is the duty of a distribution licensee to develop and maintain an efficient, coordinated and economical distribution system in his area of supply to provide reliable power supply in its area of operation. Supply of power to villages in Jammu & Kashmir is given by Power Development Department of Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has been designated as Nodal Agency for Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) which was launched by Government of India in April 2005. The schemes sanctioned so far cover 1,12,225 un/de-electrified villages (UEV) and release of free electricity connections to 2,76,11,469 Below Poverty Line(BPL) households in the country. Cumulatively, the electrification works in 1,07,752 UE villages have been completed and free electricity connections to 2,13,57,370 BPL households have been released under the scheme, as on Nov.15,.2013, the power minister said.

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Suzlon arm REPower wins 266-MW orders for community windfarms in Germany...

 

REpower Systems SE, a wholly-owned subsidiary of wind turbine maker Suzlon Group, has signed contracts to deliver 103 wind turbines with a total capacity of over 266 Mw for 24 community windfarm projects in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany.

In a press release on Wednesday, REpower said it signed a primary memorandum with the purchasing association 'Schleswig-Holstein GmbH Wind' in December 2012. This memorandum assured the participants from 52 projects in Schleswig-Holstein binding conditions in a model contract, it said.

While 11 wind turbines of the signed projects are already in the implementation phase and are to be commissioned quickly, the other projects will be completed by 2015, REpower said.

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Hydel power plants near Kukke may hit environment: IISc Senior Scientific Officer

 

Though the government is promoting micro hydel power plants near Kukke Subrahmanya with subsidies for those that are above 25 mega watts and waiving the requirement of environmental clearance, they are against environmental protection laws, said T. V. Ramachandra, Senior Scientific Officer, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

He was speaking to The Hindu, after delivering the keynote address as chief guest at the two-day national seminar on “Trends in biotechnology and its applications”, organised by the Departments of Biotechnology and Botany in St. Aloysius College on Tuesday.

The 24 MW hydel power projects in the area will lead to submerging of 1,700 hectares of land and the plants are against the Forest Conservation Act and in violation of the Biodiversity Act 2002.

He said, “Why displace people when they get no benefits and make them dependent on the plants?”

The area should be called a “heritage” place as it has several endemic species such as Syzgigum travancorecum and Madhuca insignis. A report on the impact of the hydel projects has been given to the local people, he said.

Algae as energy

Earlier, he said algae growing in lakes and waterbodies can provide an alternative energy source. He was delivering the keynote address as chief guest at the two-day national seminar on “Trends in biotechnology and its applications”, organised by the Departments of Biotechnology and Botany of Colelge.

Speaking on “Third generation biofuel from algae”, he said at a time when fossil fuels are reducing with increasing demand for energy, a biofuel based on micro algae could be a source of energy.

At the same time, they also clean up water as they absorb nutrients that aid in the treatment of wastewater. They can grow densely in domestic waste water. They remove nitrogen and phosphorus which are not eliminated even by membrane purifying systems. The extraction of lipid from micro algae grown in wastewater would serve the dual purpose of cost effective waste treatment and as fuel for energy.

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Government proposes to tap the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)...

 

Government proposes to tap the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) proceeds to subsidise the capacity addition envisaged in the 2nd phase of the National Solar Mission (NSM). 

The Government has approved implementation of a ‘’Scheme for Setting up of Grid-connected Solar PV Power Projects of 750 MW aggregate capacity on Build-Own-Operate basis under batch-1 of 2nd phase of the National Solar Mission (NSM) with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support to the tune of Rs. 1875crore (maximum) from the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)’’ on 3rd October 2013. 

The scheme envisages setting up of the projects on Build-Own-Operate basis, purchase of the generated power by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) at a fixed levelised tariff of Rs.5.45 per kWh for 25 years and its onward sale to willing State Utilities/ Discoms at a fixed tariff of Rs.5.50 per unit for 25 years.

The projects will be selected based on a process of reverse bidding on VGF required by the developers. Detailed guidelines for implementation of the scheme have been issued by the Ministry on 25.10.2013 and Request for Selection (RfS) document has been issued by SECI on 28.10.2013.

The closing date for receipt of proposals in response to the RfS is 28.12.2013.  This information was given by the Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

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GVK gets Australian Govt nod to develop Abbot Point Port for sea transportation of coal...

 

GVK Power and Infrastructure, on Tuesday, announced that it had received the Australian federal government’s approval for the GVK Hancock project’s Abbot Point Port Capital Dredging programme.

The move, according to GVK, finalises the Ministerial environmental approvals for its Galilee Basin coal assets and associated infrastructure. Achieving the final environmental approval from the federal government was a significant milestone towards development of the GVK Hancock Terminal 3 port facilities and coal assets including the Alpha, Alpha west and Kevin’s Corner coal projects, along with the construction of a rail network to Abbot Point.

Together with the previously received clearances for the Alpha mine, the rail to Abbot Point and the EPBC Act approval for the port, the company acquired coal mines in Queensland for $1.26 billion, and had plans to invest close to $10 billion in the infrastructure.

GVK Power chairman G.V.K. Reddy welcomed the approval, claiming that it would help protect environment besides creating jobs and economic investment in the region.

“This approval takes our projects into the final stage of development, and we look forward to successfully developing and consolidating our position as the leading Indian infrastructure development company,” company Vice-Chairman G.V. Sanjay Reddy said.

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IDFC Alternatives planning to buy the wind power assets of Orient Green Power...

 

IDFC Alternatives is discussing a large stake buy, possibly a controlling interest, in select wind power assets owned by Orient Green Power Company, a listed firm of the southern conglomerate Shriram Group.

The transaction could be valued up to Rs 300 crore, said banking sources directly familiar with the matter. The deal may involve IDFC buying into fully owned subsidiaries of Orient Green Power, and not into the listed parent.

Private equity arm of IDFC, managing assets worth $2.2 billion, has a significant presence in the wind power sector. The deal could be part of the consolidation play in India's renewable energy space.

IDFC owns privately held Green Infra, which operates 377MW wind power assets, mostly built through acquisitions. In August this year, it acquired TVS Energy, a renewable energy arm of TVS Motor, expanding its foot print in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Orient Green Power has existing 406MW wind power and 60.5MW biomass plants and wants to aggressively expand the portfolio to 1,000MW in the coming years. The company, however, is in the midst of a financial rejig, lining up some divestures in subsidiaries and turning to extra commercial burrowing (ECBs) to lessen the interest burden.

"Talks are on with several people. Nothing has fructified as yet. I cannot comment on the nature of discussions or the parties with whom we are talking," T Shivaraman, executive vice chairman of Orient Green Power, said. The company's share price closed 1.7% up at Rs 11 in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Investment bank MAPE is said to be advising on the deal, which is not yet definite, sources added. An external spokesperson for IDFC did not respond a query immediately.

Though India is the fifth largest renewable energy market by installed capacity, it has seen smaller standalone players struggling to stay afloat in a capital-intensive sector where the tariffs are tightly controlled by governments.

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