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Promoting Renewable Energy :

Global Technology Cooperation, Innovation and Investment

1st World Renewable E n e r g y T e c h n o l o g y Congress and Expo held at Hotel LeMeridien New Delhi from 18th to 20th March 2010 was a grand success. The congress was attended by 410 national and international delegates f r o m 3 0 c o u n t r i e s .

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Organised by

FOCUS ON THEFUTURE

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Supported by

Ministry of New and Renewable EnergyGovernment of India

World Re-EnergyTech-2011 SecretariatF1-F2, Pankaj Grand Plaza, CSC Complex, Mayur Vihar - I, Delhi - 110091, India • Tel: +91 11 24538318. Fax: +91 11 43019379

Dr. Anil K Garg, President - World Renewable Energy Technology Congress & Expo-2011

Cell : +91 9971500028 / 9999071071 / 9910135500 • E-mail : [email protected], [email protected]

Punit Singh : +91 9213901510 • E-mail: [email protected]

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India

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from the editor’s desk

Chief PatronDr Farooq AbdullahMinister for New and Renewable Energy,New Delhi

PatronDeepak GuptaSecretary, MNRE, New Delhi

EditorArun K TripathiMNRE, New Delhi

Editorial BoardN P Singh, Chairman Bibek BandyopadhyayPraveen SaxenaB BhargavaD K KhareParveen DhamijaB S NegiD MajumdarR K Vimal

Production teamMadhu Singh Sirohi, Suparna Mukherji, R Ajith Kumar, R K Joshi, and T Radhakrishnan, TERI, New Delhi;N Ghatak, MNRE, New Delhi

Editorial officeArun K TripathiEditor, Akshay UrjaMinistry of New and Renewable EnergyBlock No. 14, CGO Complex, Lodhi RoadNew Delhi – 110 003Tel. +91 11 2436 3035, 2436 0707Fax +91 11 2436 3035, 2436 2288E-mail [email protected] Web www.mnre.gov.in

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Publisher and PrinterMinistry of New and Renewable Energy,New Delhi

DisclaimerThe views expressed by authors including those of the editor in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the MNRE.

Volume 3 • Issue 4 P February 2010

Published, printed, and edited for and on behalf of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, from B-14, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, by Dr Arun Kumar Tripathi. Printed at M/s Brijbasi Art Press Ltd, E46/11, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase II, New Delhi – 110 020, India

Dear Reader,

The NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change), launched on 30 June 2008, in India points out, ‘India is a tropical country, where sunshine is available for longer hours per day and with greater intensity. Solar energy, therefore, has great potential as the future energy source. It also has the advantage of permitting the decentralized distribution of energy, thereby empowering people at the grassroots level.’ While launching the NAPCC, Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, mentioned, ‘Our vision is to make India’s economic development energy efficient. Over a period of time, we must pioneer a graduated shift from economic activity based on fossil fuels to one based on non-fossil fuels, and from reliance on non-renewable and depleting sources of energy to renewable sources of energy.’ This indicates the interest and commitment of the Government of India to bring renewable energy in the mainstream of the country’s energy supply chain. The JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission), one of the eight missions under the NAPCC, has an ambitious target of installing 20 000 MW of grid-interactive solar power, 2000 MW off-grid solar applications, and 20 million sq m of solar collector area for thermal applications by 2022. The JNNSM, launched in November 2009, is gradually taking shape. This will create a huge market for solar energy in the country, and the whole world is looking forward to this opportunity. The task is gigantic and challenging. This will also help to mitigate the increasing gap between demand and supply of energy, particularly in the case of electricity in the country. This should be seen as a great opportunity and all stakeholders should come forward and join hands to convert this into a reality. The villages which are beyond the reach of power grids can meet their electricity needs through distributed generation of solar power plants. The JNNSM with its target of off-grid solar applications can address this issue. However, the role of corporate houses, non-government organizations, private entrepreneurs, and ESCOs (Energy Service Companies) is crucial for setting up such power plants in remote villages that follow a sustainable business model. Our endeavour is to keep you abreast with every step of the JNNSM, and in this issue, a detailed insight about the JNNSM has been presented. In this context, this issue of the magazine is dedicated to solar energy. I hope you will find it interesting, useful, and informative. Please do send your reaction, suggestion, and contribution to make Akshay Urja a meaningful and useful magazine for one and all.

With best wishes

ARUN K TRIPATHI<[email protected]>

A bi-monthly newsletter of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy,Government of India(Published in English and Hindi)

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 42 FEBRUARY 2010

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Since the last three years, my child has been giving me his environmental studies book to read out to him. I realized then that India, as a developing nation, has to balance our eco system. So now I am trying to open a small business of solar products, which would somewhat, if not fully, reduce the load on electricity generated by polluted means. I would be marketing as well as spreading awareness about solar energy and other energy saving products. Last week, I chanced upon Akshay Urja, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s bimonthly magazine, and I am thoroughly impressed and humbled by the enormous amount of useful information in it, which can be used as a guiding tool for people like us.

Krishna M Pamidi83, off. C H Street,

Near Marine Lines flyover,Mumbai–400 002

You have been kind enough to send a complimentary copy of Akshay Urja Volume 3 Issue 1 August 2009 issue for the use of our studious students, brilliant faculty, tireless researchers, and dedicated professionals in the pursuit of their curriculum and research activities. Since your bi-monthly newsletter is very useful and relevant to our clientele, kindly continue its supply to us by including our name in your mailing list. In case some issues of volume 2 are still available, please mail them to us.

Pravin Naidu75, Kalpataru Housing Society,

Om Nagar, Kalmana Road, near new water tank,

Ranala (G P), Kamptee, Dist. Nagpur–441002

I have been working as the Director and Chief Executive Officer of

Dear Reader,

Thank you very much for your encouragement. The editorial team of Akshay Urja will make every effort to make this newsletter highly informative and useful to all our readers. We welcome your suggestions and valuable comments to make further improvement in terms of content and presentation.

EditorAkshay Urja

TREDA (Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency) for more than three years. And I am deeply impressed by the publications of MNRE’s (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) newsletter Akshay Urja, under the leadership of Dr A K Tripathi, Director, MNRE. The editorial written by Dr Tripathi in the last issue has given me deep thoughts which are valuable. I have developed a keen interest in the different programmes of the MNRE on NCES (non-conventional energy sources) and up-to-date achievements, future programmes, and so on. In fact, I want to be associated with the development of renewable energy sources in India and abroad, even when I shall not be working in TREDA in the future.

Subhash ChowdhuryDirector and CEO, TREDA

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egkohj vkQklkss ikVhyeq- iks ukag.kh] rkyqdk f”kjksd

ftyk dksYgkiqj] egkjk’Vª

I am a professor of Mechanical Engineering in AVIT (Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology). I have gone through your newsletter, Akshay Urja, and found it interesting and informative. The reading of this news bulletin is very much necessary for the

engineering student community. The faculty and students enhance their knowledge by reading Akshay Urja.

Prof. K V Krishna SastryProfessor and Head of Department,

Mechanical Engineering Department,AVIT, Vinayaka Missions University,

Chennai

Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering is a centralized training institute under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, which imparts training to the electrical department officers of the Indian Railways. Your esteemed publication titled Akshay Urja is being received regularly. The readers/members of this institute have got immense benefit out of the articles published in the magazine. It is very useful for project work, research study, and provides latest technical know-how and information on current affairs related to various aspects. It is preserved carefully in our library for future use as reference to be used by the trainee officers of the Indian Railways and others.

P K BadhyopadhyayLibrarian/Assistant Librarian and

Information Officer, Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering

Nasik Road, Maharashtra—422101

GREEN INITIATIVES Installation of biomass gasifier

in Village Sondra, Siltara, Raipur, by Arpee Ispat Pvt. Ltd . . . 37

Raj Bhavan Kolkata goes green . . . 38

Volume 3 • Issue 4 P February 2010contents

I n t e r n a t i o n a l IBM’s kesterite solar cell beats

efficiency record . . . 9

US renewable energy industries say long-term growth reliant on government action . . . 9

US geothermal energy capacity increased 6% in 2009 . . . 9

More needed to promote renewable energy in Jordan ... 10

Offshore wind farm sites set out in Scotland . . . 11

R E N E W S

N a t i o n a l India and Japan to jointly

develop Solar City . . . 4

NTPC to foray into solar power projects ... 4

CLP Power to invest $800 million in renewable energy by December 2010 . . . 4

Minister urges researchers to come up with cheaper means to store solar energy . . . 5

RE TECH UPDATE Glitter-sized solar PV may revolutionize the

way solar energy is collected and used ... 14

FEATURE ARTICLE Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar

Mission: towards building solar India ... 15

Solar Energy Conclave ...23

Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference 2010 ... 28

Energy forever: IREDA’s solar financing schemes ... 30

Quantum structured photovoltaic cell: design and advancements ... 33

14

23

28

33

1537

RE EVENTS India–Iceland Workshop on

Renewable Energy ... 39 Third World Future Energy

Summit at Abu Dhabi ... 39 The first national conference

on GRIHA ... 40 Tenth DSDS ... 41 Workshop on energy-efficient

solar/green buildings ... 41 Indo-Australian Solar Energy

Workshop at Amity University Campus, Noida ... 42

CHILDREN’S CORNER . . . 44

BOOK REVIEW . . . 45

BOOK / WEB ALERT . . . 46

FORTHCOMING EVENTS . . . 47

RE STATISTICS . . . 48

RE News

India and Japan to jointly develop Solar City

A Japanese delegation led by Kazuhiro Haraguchi, Minister for

Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan, recently met Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, India. The meeting discussed the various aspects of cooperation between the two countries in the field of renewable energy. The two sides decided to jointly develop one city in India as ‘solar city’.

The Solar City project aims to reduce a minimum of 10% of its projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years through energy efficiency measures and generation from renewable energy installations. The Indian government has, so far, given in-principle approval to 34 cities in the country to be developed as Solar Cities.

Japan wants to promote ‘Midori no Bunken’, which aims at changing centralized society to community-based society so as to enhance self-sufficiency within a region through maximizing natural resources (forest, sea, food) and energy, with emphasis on not relying on electricity generated by others. It focuses on renewable energy like solar, wind, micro-hydel, and biomass energy. The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in Research and Development

for promoting renewable energy. As part of the exchange programme, a 10-member delegation from India will participate in the Japan-India New and Renewable Energy Seminar in Tokyo later this month. The delegation will include representatives from the central government, state governments, and nodal agencies.

MNRE

NTPC to foray into solar power projects

The NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) is set to enter the solar

power generation field in a big way with

a plan to develop four grid-connected solar thermal power projects. The total capacity of all the four proposed projects is 320 MW (megawatt). Two of the projects were coming up in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The one in Uttar Pradesh, with a capacity of 25 MW, would be the biggest ever solar project in the country. WISE (World Institute of Sustainable Energy), a non-profit organization, is preparing a feasibility report for one of the four projects for the NTPC.

Meanwhile, the state government is likely to hold a meeting with renewable energy project developers in the wake of the dissatisfaction expressed by the developers over some of the clauses in the recently brought out renewable energy policy.

The developers have opposed the mandatory clause for providing 5% equity in the projects to farmers who will lose their land to projects, though farmers’ leaders and social science experts have welcomed the equity provision as a move that would provide some kind of regular income to farmers. The developers are also opposed to the provision which stipulates the hand over of the project to the government after a period of 30 years and the ‘high fee’ being charged for granting the various clearances.

THE HINDU

CLP Power to invest $800 million in renewable energy by December 2010

CLP Power India Pvt Ltd, a Hong Kong-based CLP Group company,

will invest $800 million to augment its power generation capacity from renewable resources to 650 MW by the end of this year.

Out of the total target, 346 MW is under construction, while 104 MW is operational. The company has also identified locations for building the remaining capacity.

‘We hope to take this capacity to 650 MW by the end of this year,’ said Mahesh Makhija, CLP Power India Vice-President Renewables, adding that the company would pump in $800 million for the same.


national news

CLP Power has identified locations in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu for setting up these renewable energy projects. The projects would be funded through a debt and equity ratio of 70:30. The company is in talks with various banks and financial institutions for loans and with various international companies for sourcing equipment for the power projects.

‘We are talking with two German companies for buying equipment for 200 MW capacity,’ he said. Out of the 650 MW, equipment for 350 MW have been sourced from Germany-based Enercon, and another 100 MW from the Danish company Vestas.

Apart from the company’s renewable energy portfolio, it is also developing a two 660 MW thermal power project at Jhajjar in Haryana at an investment of Rs 60000 million. The first unit of this project would be commissioned by the end of 2011.

BUSINESS STANDARD

Minister urges researchers to come up with cheaper means to store solar energy

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy,

has called for research targetted at reducing the cost of storing solar energy in the context of the JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission), which aims to generate an installed capacity of 20 000 MW of solar energy by 2022.

Inaugurating the CO2 (carbon

dioxide) Research and Green

Technologies Centre and the Rajeswari Towers (Staff Quarters-II) at the VIT

(Vellore Institute of Technology) University recently, Dr Abdullah said that under the JNNSM, in the next three years, the Government of India hopes to add

1300 MW of solar energy, of which 1100 MW would be grid-connected

and 200 MW would be utilized for providing electricity to villages which have not seen any electricity so far.

‘Here comes the problem of storage of energy. Today, we store energy in batteries, using distilled water. But there are a number of villages in Jammu and Kashmir which are at a height of 8000–9000 feet above the sea level where they do not have distilled water. They have to use the available water in the canals and streams, as a result of which the batteries would stop functioning. Batteries that do not use water are expensive, and therefore, we have to reduce the prices of such batteries,’ he said.

Dr Abdullah said that till date, there was no answer to the question of finding an inexpensive means of storing energy. Under these circumstances, institutions such as VIT University should undertake research to find out ways of storing energy at the right voltage.

The MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) would provide all the help to the institute in undertaking such research. He has told the windmill manufacturers to produce windmills which could be easily transported to hilly areas. He also called for research on the production of power from the abundant kitchen wastes in the country. He would hold a meeting with architects in Chennai to discuss with them the ways of constructing energy-efficient buildings.

Referring to the proposal of the Government of India to install micro-hydel projects in the villages, especially those which did not have electricity, the minister stressed the need for using cheaper technology. ‘The products must be good and cheap. Unless you produce cheaper products, they cannot be used by ordinary people,’ he said.

THE HINDU

No-pollution three wheelers unveiled in New Delhi

With the recent unveiling of eco-friendly three wheelers powered

by non-polluting hydrogen, India will soon have ‘no pollution’ vehicles running on its roads.

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, drove a hydrogen-run trial-based auto, ushering in an era where vehicles running on the road with the renewable and non-polluting fuel will be a common sight. The vehicles were showcased on the sidelines of the first day of the three-day World Hydrogen Technologies Convention.

These three wheelers, powered by hydrogen fuel, will run at the speed of 50–70 km per hour and can ply in sub-zero temperature up to –30 oC. A vehicle that runs on fossil fuel can be changed into a hydrogen one by simply installing hydrogen conversion kits.

5VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4FEBRUARY 2010

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About 20 scientists and engineers worked for seven years to develop these vehicles. ‘Today, we are working at experimental and research levels as the prices are high. World over, research is going on how to reduce the cost of production of hydrogen, yet reduce the carbon footprint of production of hydrogen. I am very sure that the cost will become comparable in the next 5 to 10 years,’ said Anand Kumar, Director, Research and Development, Indian Oil Corporation. He added that to make hydrogen fuel easily available and affordable for commercial purposes, the government should subsidize it.

India hopes that one million hydrogen-fuelled vehicles, mostly two and three wheelers, will ply on the road by 2020. The three wheelers have been developed by automobile makers Sonalika Group, in cooperation with the Banaras Hindu University.

WWW.THAINDIAN.COM

Nasheed: India can provide the lead in using renewable energy

India has the intellectual capacity, strength, and ability to fuel the next

industrial revolution, said Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed at the recent edition of the Partnership Summit, organized by the CII

BHEL to focus on transmission equipment, renewable energy

With competition intensifying in the power generation equipment

business, BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd) is planning to step up focus on other areas of operations, including the transportation sector, transmission equipment, and renewable energy. The state-owned firm is planning to form SPVs (special purpose vehicles) for increasing the focus on some of these businesses, company officials said.

A bevy of competitors has begun to enter into the high-end power equipment business, including the L&T-Mitsubishi Heavy Electric combine, Bharat Forge-Alstom, Toshiba-JSW, Italian firm Ansaldo, and a host of Chinese firms.

Despite the increasing competition in its mainstay power equipment business, BHEL expects to revise upwards its Rs 45 000-crore turnover target for 2011/12, backed by an increasing thrust on its other business areas.

BHEL is already working on plans to invest close to Rs 2000 crore to set up a 250 MW solar PV (photovoltaic) production facility for processing silicon wafers, solar cells, and PV modules. The facility will be set up in a joint venture with Bharat Electronics Ltd. It is also in

(Confederation of Indian Industry). He called for partnership among Asian countries to take on global challenges, and said that India could provide the lead in using renewable energy to combat climate change.

‘We did not advance out of the Stone Age because we ran out of stones,’ he quipped. The world could not assume that there was still a future with fossil fuels. ‘We believe in business over bureaucracy.’ The government’s rightful place in the globalized world was in regulation, environment protection, and provision of social security nets, he added.

THE HINDU


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the process of tying up technology for high-end wind turbine sets.

WWW.THEHINDUBUSINESSLINE.COM

Siemens to invest $346 million in India’s renewable sector

In order to expand its presence in the country, Siemens plans to invest

$346 million in India’s renewable sector over the next three years. About a third of the new investment would be directed towards the development of wind turbine technology with an expected product launch by 2012. Some of the money will go towards solar development as well. ‘We are taking advantage of the Indian growth opportunity and adding specifically tailored products. These are in addition to our high-end technology global portfolio,’ said Peter Loscher, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens.

WWW.SILICONINDIA.COM

Airvoice plans 13GW renewable energy project in India

Mobile phone and commodity export firm Airvoice Group has

joined hands with Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam to build 13GW (gigawatt) of solar and wind capacity in India. The companies plan to invest $50 billion over a period of 10 years, claiming it to be the largest single renewable energy project in the world.

The majority of the capacity planned – 10GW – will be generated through photovoltaic installations, and the remainder through wind farms. Sanjay Kapoor, Chairman and Managing Director of Airvoice Group, told the Hindustan Times that his company had identified 12 potential sites for the solar installations and four districts in Karnataka.

The first phase – 100MW of solar and 200MW of wind capacity – is

expected to be commissioned in the next 36 months. Tendering for the 1.5MW wind turbines is to begin shortly and the company is already in talks with Eurowinds and Suzlon. Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam has 48% equity in the new company.

WWW.SILICONINDIA.COM

Indian PV market to reach 2575MW by 2015

Analysis from Frost and Sullivan’s India Solar Photovoltaic Market

finds that the aggregate module production capacity in the Indian market was 972MW in 2008 and estimates this to reach 2575MW in 2015.

The Indian solar PV (photovoltaic) market has come of age in the last two to three years, with the market growing from a ten-member sector to a well-organized market with more than 30 world-class PV module and cell suppliers. The aggregate module production capacity rose from less than 60MW in 2005 to more than 1000MW in 2009, setting India up as a possible major manufacturing hub for the global solar PV market.

The market can look forward to large-scale private investments across

the PV value chain, especially in the production of polysilicon feedstock, silicon wafers, PV modules and cells, as well as balance of system components.

‘Successive reforms in the power sector and a plethora of policies initiated at the central and state levels to control greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy has restored investor interest in the solar power industry,’ says Frost and Sullivan industry analyst Hemanth Nayak. ‘Several private firms are expected to make large investments to avail financial incentives and leverage the cost advantages of solar PV production in India.’

‘The Indian solar PV market is likely to grow in terms of PV modules and cell exports to various developed nations in the world,’ notes Nayak. ‘In fact, up to 75% of the total module production in India is anticipated to find its way to different solar markets in the European Union in the next two to three years.’

Investors in solar power stand to gain greatly from the implementation of a renewable energy credit trading system, since it could significantly augment the chances of the development of solar farms, which are currently dependent on government subsidies. Participants can be hopeful


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about the future, as the solar PV market has already achieved global standards. In terms of quality, the PV modules and cells manufactured in India are considered at par with those manufactured in the developed nations. ‘India, with its advantages of lower labour costs, offers domestic PV suppliers opportunities to manufacture economical, yet high quality modules and cells, enabling them to gain an edge in the world market,’ observes Nayak.

WWW.EETINDIA.CO.IN

Three new facilities initiated at Solar Energy Centre

Under a new initiative of academia–industry–government partnership,

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union minister of New and Renewable Energy, recently laid the foundation stone for three more technical facilities in the R&D (Research and Development) campus of the Solar Energy Centre. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Abdullah emphasized the need for such intense indigenous research and development in the area to establish India as a global leader in solar energy.

The initiated facilities include the Solar Thermal Testing, Research, and Simulation facility being developed by a consortium led by the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Bombay.

The facility would have a grid-connected solar thermal power plant of 1 MW capacity. This will also include a test setup to enable companies and research institutions to test the performance of different solar concentrator options, coatings and materials, components, and systems for a solar thermal power

plant. In addition, the IIT Bombay-led consortium is also developing a solar power plant simulator to simulate the performance of the actual solar thermal plant through component and system models based on appropriate mathematical equations. The consortium members of this unique facility include Tata Power, Tata Consulting Engineers, Larsen and Toubro, Clique, KIE Solatherm, and the Solar Energy Centre.

The second facility is a pilot project based on an indigenously developed solar concentrator technology that promises delivering low cost thermal energy. Megawatt Solutions, a Chennai-based company, has partnered with the Solar Energy Centre to demonstrate technical and commercial viability of the technology that can harness solar energy through the thermal route for various applications like industrial process heating, air-conditioning, and power generation.

The consortiums in both these pilot projects for development of solar thermal energy represent a new model for academia, industry, and government partnership for techno-logy development and research. Reliable and

cost-effective PV (photovoltaic) modules and robust engineering of a PV system are extremely important for the widespread utilization of solar PV technology.

Dr Abdullah also laid the foundation stone of a 20 kW solar PV power plant for validation of various design configurations. The configurations of the plant have been designed by the Centre and are being installed by Solar Semiconductor Private Ltd with power-conditioning units supplied by Optimal Power Synergy India. The PV module reliability R&D facility of the Centre has recently been expanded and enhanced through a cooperative research project with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan. The facility works on long-term performance evaluation of different technology PV modules to determine module life times, expected degradation or failure rates, through testing under actual field conditions. Shri Deepak Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, stated that the efforts of the Solar Energy Centre are well in line with the objectives of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission that envisages setting up Centres of Excellence in the country for solar energy research.

MNRE


Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, during the foundation stone laying ceremony for new technical

facilities at the Solar Energy Centre.

international news

IBM’s kesterite solar cell beats efficiency record

IBM Research demonstrated kesterite solar cell with 9.6% efficiency, beating

the previous efficiency record of 6.8% for similar structures. This brings kesterite closer to the efficiency of established solar cell formulations.

abundant elements such as zinc and tin, IBM aims to lower the BOM cost for solar cells and enable mass production of kesterite PV devices, which are based on copper, tin, zinc, sulphur, and selenium.

To move from indium to tin and zinc, however, IBM had to invent a new deposition technique since zinc does not mix well into solutions. The new method reduces the zinc to nanoparticles that can be dispersed in a solution with the copper and tin, then spin-coated and heat-treated in the presence of sulphur or selenium vapour.

Last year, a Japanese research group at Nagaoka National College of Technology used a kesterite-based formulation to achieve thin-film cell that exhibited 6.8% efficiency. IBM says it was able to improve that by 40%.

IBM plans to optimize the architecture further, in hopes of raising its efficiency above 11% in order to beat both CIGS and CdTe formulations. The team will also experiment with alternative to spin coating, such as dip coating, spray coating and slit casting.

WWW.EETINDIA.CO.IN

US renewable energy industries say long-term growth reliant on government action

Thanks to the stimulus package, US (United States) geothermal and

solar industries achieved record growth

in 2009. However, both industries say long-term growth relies on more clean energy public policy being passed.

Money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will continue to flow into alternative energy sectors in 2010. Nevertheless, trade associations such as the Geothermal Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association say that there are particular actions that the government needs to take in order to continue to develop a green economy, ranging from the faster processing of project applications to the passing of a renewable energy standard and a clean energy bill.

WWW.ENERGYBOOM.COM

US geothermal energy capacity increased 6% in 2009

Despite the recession, the US geothermal energy capacity

expanded by a robust 6% in 2009, due to six new geothermal plants which came online, adding 176.68 MW (megawatt) of capacity.

Three projects came into service in Nevada, with one apiece in California, Oregon, and Utah. According to the GEA (Geothermal Energy Association), the total online capacity in the US reached 3152.72 MW, as of August 2009. Geothermal also added 750 full-time jobs and 2827 construction-related jobs, thanks to the $800 million investment in the technology.

Thin-film solar cells hold the promise of low-cost, renewable energy source that could make fossil fuels obsolete. But so far, the cells’ reliance on rare elements and expensive vacuum deposition manufacturing has impeded their progress. IBM Research has proposed solutions to both stumbling blocks by demonstrating a kesterite PV (photovoltaic) cell that uses common, abundant elements and is produced using an inexpensive nanoparticle- and spin-coat-based ‘printing’ technique.

‘Enough sunlight falls on the Earth in one hour to power the whole planet for a year, but solar cells currently contribute less than a tenth of a per cent to our electricity supply, mostly because of their high cost and the short supply of key elements,’ said David Mitzi, IBM researcher and manager of PV science and technology. ‘We want to lower the manufacturing cost and increase the supply of the elements needed for thin-film PV devices.’

Today, thin-film solar cells are based on chalcogenides, such as CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-selenium) and CdTe (cadmium telluride). Indium and tellurium are rare elements, and the former is already in short supply because it is used to make transparent transistors. By substituting more-



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Currently, 144 new geothermal plants are under development. The accelerating growth of geothermal projects could bring the nation 7000 MW of new baseload geothermal power in the next few years, raising the prospects of 10 GW of geothermal power in the coming years. At that level, geothermal power will satisfy the needs of over 10 million people and still have tremendous growth potential. New technology advances will continue to expand the recognized power potential of geothermal resources. The DOE (Department of Energy) officially recognizes a near-term potential of at least 20 GW, or 5% of US power needs, with longer-term possibilities well over 100 GW. And the number of states with geothermal power will reach double digits in 2010.

The stunning progress of the geothermal industry this year has been propelled by state and federal policies. The two largest geothermal producers, California and Nevada, each raised their renewable standards—California to 33% by 2020 and Nevada to 25% by 2025. Utilities in those states are looking at geothermal energy to fill these needs.

In addition, the DOE’s loan programme for innovative technologies

to geothermal technology and the loan guarantee programme for renewable projects using commercial technology; the sale of land by the Bureau of Land Management which resulted in the sale of 255 355 acres of land and total revenue of approximately $9 million; the allocation of $338 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of new geothermal fields and research into advanced geothermal technologies; and so on contributed to the growth of geothermal. The US also took major steps towards advanced geothermal

technology through investment in EGS (Enhanced Geothermal Systems).

WWW.ENERGYBOOM.COM

‘More needed to promote renewable energy in Jordan’

Despite progress with the recently endorsed Renewable Energy Law,

more needs to be done to encourage green energy projects at the local level in Jordan, experts announced recently.

In the final recommendations of the National Dialogue on Renewable Energy, participants called for incentives in the temporary legislation to be expanded to include small businesses, public facilities, and individuals. They issued various recommendations to ensure that Jordan achieves the national energy strategy’s goal of 10% of its energy mix coming from renewable sources within the next decade.

As part of the recommendations, President of the JRES (Jordan Renewable Energy Society) HRH Prince Asem Ben Nayef stressed that the private sector should not wait for large projects to begin investing in the sector. Experts also called for a programme to certify Jordanian companies that have

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experience in the sector to ensure that international companies are aware of the available local subcontractors and encourage the use of local firms and materials. As part of the qualification process, incentives granted in the law would be restricted to companies that have a minimum of five years experience in the renewable energy field and have produced facilities with at least 10 megawatts capacity.

Among the recommendations, experts called for authorities to launch an awareness campaign to promote the law’s incentives for investors in the sector, develop specialized university courses on renewable energy based on the British model, and produce a special programme to organize various companies working in the industry. They also recommended the development of the capacities of companies working in the sector, issuing a green building code in order to improve thermal insulation, encouraging the adoption of energy-saving and renewable energy technology, and establishing a ‘green bank’ in Jordan.

Under the Renewable Energy Law, the National Electric Power Company will be obligated to purchase any and all electricity produced by renewable energy power plants and cover the cost of connecting renewable energy projects to the national grid. The law also sets guidelines for net metering, allowing citizens with solar power or wind turbines to sell electricity back to their electricity provider.

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Offshore wind farm sites set out in Scotland

Plans to build 10 wind farms off the coast of Scotland moved a step

forward after the Crown Estate gave companies the green light to explore the sites.

Scottish Power and E.ON are among the nine firms to be awarded ‘exclusivity agreements’ for locations, which include the Solway Firth and Wigtown Bay. This will allow developers to begin surveying the sites, while a government environmental assessment is conducted. The wind farms have the potential to generate 6GW (gigawatt) of power if approved.

Rob Hastings, Director of the Marine Estate at the Crown Estate, said that the deals were good news for Scotland. He added, ‘We very much look forward to working with the companies on the development of these sites and the realization of the enormous potential that these sites have to offer.’

Jason Ormiston, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said, ‘Today heralds an exciting phase in the progress of the renewable energy industry in Scotland. The combined capacity of these projects will make a massive contribution to Scotland’s efforts in tacking climate change, helping to deliver reliable and affordable supplies of electricity to consumers and, very importantly, the Scottish economy.’First Minister Alex

Salmond said that the windfarms would boost the government’s green energy ambitions. He said, ‘Scotland has a fantastic competitive advantage in developing offshore renewables—with up to 25% of Europe’s offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy potential, and a world-class scientific capacity and skills base. The Scottish government has set targets to meet 50% of electricity demand from renewables by 2020.

BBC

USTDA to promote renewable energy in MENA

In a bid to improve the energy scenario in MENA (Middle East and

North African) region, the USTDA (United States Trade and Development Agency) has decided to sponsor ‘MENA Power–2010’ in Egypt during 24–26 May 2010.

The forum will take place with a view to highlight the US president’s commitment of supporting growth in the MENA by deploying new and innovative renewable energy technologies. It is slated to match policymakers and project sponsors from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, the West Bank, and Yemen with US-based technology and financing options to help meet the region’s growing energy needs. It will promote long-term strategic and commercial relationships between the Middle East, North Africa, and the US power industry.

‘We look forward to bringing together key power sector stakeholders and technology providers from the region and the US to facilitate ongoing collaboration,’ said Leocadia I Zak, USTDA’s Acting Director. ‘While these opportunities are good for the environment, they also create jobs and spur growth and development,’ said Zak.


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The two-and-a-half-day conference agenda will focus on sector development, policy issues, and financing options, as well as project opportunities in areas such as gas-fired combined cycle, cogeneration, solar, wind, hydro, biomass, integrated desalination/power, rural electrification, transmission and distribution upgrades, smart grid, and regional interconnections.

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100% renewable energy for Australia by 2020?

Australia currently has a target of 20% of the electricity supply

to come from renewable energy sources by 2020. Beyond Zero Emissions, a climate change solutions research group, recently released details of its ZCA2020 (Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Project). The project is a costed, with detailed blueprint for a transition to 100% renewable energy in 10 years using proven, commercialized technology.

Australia has the best solar resource of any developed country and considerable wind energy resources.

Baseload solar power is now a reality. While solar electricity was previously limited to when the sun was shining, solar thermal systems now operate 24 hours a day, thanks to cheap energy storage methods utilizing molten salt.

The group says that 60% of the electricity supplied by a 100% renewable stationary energy sector could be provided by concentrating solar thermal with molten salt heat storage and 40% by wind power. Rooftop solar power systems could also produce electricity during sunny periods, and hydroelectricity and crop residual biomass would provide back-up energy when needed.

The ZCA2020 Stationary Energy Sector Report states that AU$35–40 billion per year investment would be required over a 10 year period in order for Australia to turn to a 100% renewable stationary energy sector. The investment required for ZCA2020 implementation over the 10 years would be 3%–3.5% of the GDP (gross domestic product).

WWW.ENERGYMATTERS.COM.AU

Obama’s biofuels boost

EPA finalizes rule to implement renewable fuels standard of

36 billion gallons by 2022 Recently, US (United States)

President Barack Obama announced a series of steps that his administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence, while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new industries and millions of jobs. At a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors from around the country, the President laid out three measures that will work in concert to boost biofuel production and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.

First, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has finalized a rule to implement the long-term renewable fuels standard of 36 billion gallons by 2022 established by Congress.

The Renewable Fuels Standard requires biofuel production to grow from last year’s 11.1 billion gallons to 36 billion gallons in 2022, with 21 billion gallons to come from advanced biofuels. According to the administration, increasing the use of renewable fuels will reduce the dependence on oil by more than 328 million barrels a year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than 138 million metric tonnes a year when fully phased in by 2022. For the first time, some renewable fuels must achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions – compared to the gasoline and diesel fuels they displace – in order to be counted towards compliance with volume standards.

Second, the US Department of Agriculture has proposed a rule on the BCAP (Biomass Crop Assistance Program) that would provide financing to increase the conversion of biomass to bioenergy. The President’s Biofuels Interagency Working Group released its first report, Growing America’s



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Fuel, authored by group co-chairs, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and EPA Administrator Lisa P Jackson. The report lays out a strategy to advance the development and commercialization of a sustainable biofuels industry to meet or exceed the nation’s biofuels targets.

Third, President Obama announced a Presidential Memorandum creating an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage to develop a comprehensive and coordinated federal strategy to speed the development and deployment of clean coal technologies. The President calls for five to 10 commercial demonstration projects to be up and running by 2016.

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‘Hydrogen Highway’ in South Wales to promote renewable fuel

Conservation of non-renewable source of energy and saving the

environment has become one of the greatest concerns for all countries. As per the reports, the government of United Kingdom has made a

significant effort to boost the use of alternative fuel. Peter Hain, Welsh Secretary, recently said that they have planned to introduce hydrogen route in South Wales.

According to the reports, M4 route of South Wales will start to operate as ‘hydrogen highway’ for encouraging the news of alternating fuel. The authorities have planned to locate refuelling stations in different points of the highway so that people do not have to face any inconvenience for filling their cars with the alternative fuel.

It has been reported that the aim behind this effort is to increase the use of electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Peter Hain, after announcing the decision to open ‘hydrogen highway’, said that the less number of replenishing stations has been one of the major obstacles in the development of renewable fuel. To overcome the obstacles, their future aim would be to establish a link between replenishing

points with London and Swindon. It has also been reported that the authorities are considering an extension till Midlands. By 2015, the highway is expected to have complete infrastructure for running environment-friendly cars.

THAINDIAN

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Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-programme laboratory operated by

Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, for the United States DOE’s (Department of Energy) National Nuclear Security Administration. And its scientists have developed tiny PV (photovoltaic) cells that may revolutionize the way solar energy is collected and used.

The cells can turn a person into a walking solar battery charger if they are fastened to flexible substrates moulded around unusual shapes, such as clothing. The solar particles, fabricated of crystalline silicon, may have a variety of applications. They are expected to be eventually less expensive and have greater efficiencies than current PV collectors that are pieced together with 6-inch square solar wafers. The cells are fabricated using MEMS (microelectronic and microelectro-mechanical systems) techniques common to today’s electronic foundries.

Sandia lead investigator Greg Nielson said that the research team has identified more than 20 benefits-of-scale for its microphotovoltaic cells, including new applications, improved performance, potential for reduced costs, and higher efficiencies. ‘Eventually, units could be mass-produced and wrapped around unusual shapes for building-integrated solar tents and maybe even clothing,’ he said. This would make it possible for hunters, hikers, and military personnel in the field to recharge batteries for electronic devices. In addition, such microengineered panels could have circuits imprinted that would help perform other functions customarily left to large-scale construction. According to Vipin Gupta, Sandia field engineer, ‘PV modules made from these microsized cells for the rooftops of homes and warehouses could have intelligent controls, inverters, and even storage built in at the chip level.

GLITTER-SIZED SOLAR PV MAY REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY SOLAR ENERGY IS COLLECTED AND USED

RE tech update

may turn off entirely.’ Because flexible substrates can be easily fabricated, high-efficiency PV for ubiquitous solar power becomes more feasible, said Okandan.

Each cell is formed on silicon wafers, etched and then released inexpensively in hexagonal shapes, with electrical contacts prefabricated on each piece, by borrowing techniques from integrated circuits and MEMS. Electricity can presently be harvested from the cells with 14.9% efficiency. Off-the-shelf commercial modules are 13%–20% efficient. A widely used commercial tool, called a pick-

and-place machine, can place up to 130 000 pieces of glitter per hour at electrical contact points pre-established on the substrate. Also, the placement takes place at cooler temperatures, which cuts down the cost of production.

Solar concentrators – low-cost, prefabricated, optically efficient microlens arrays – can be placed directly over each cell to increase the number of photons arriving to be converted into electrons. Due to the small cell size, cheaper and more efficient short focal length microlens arrays can be fabricated. High-voltage output is possible directly from the modules because of the large number of cells in the array, reducing the costs associated with wiring. Other possible applications for the technology include satellites and remote sensing.

The project combines the expertise from Sandia’s Microsystems Center; Photovoltaics and Grid Integration Group; the Materials, Devices, and Energy Technologies Group; and the National Renewable Energy Lab’s Concentrating Photovoltaics Group. The work is supported by DOE’s Solar Energy Technology Program and Sandia’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development programme.

Such an integrated module could greatly simplify the cumbersome design, bid, permit, and grid integration process that our solar technical assistance teams see in the field all the time.’ The manufacturing and installation costs would also be reduced, as microcells require relatively little material to form well-controlled and highly efficient devices.

From 14 to 20 micrometers thick, they are 10 times thinner than conventional 6-inch-by-6-inch brick-sized cells, yet perform at about the same efficiency. As per Sandia researcher Murat Okandan, ‘they use 100 times less silicon to generate the same amount of electricity…Since they are much smaller and have fewer mechanical deformations for a given environment than the conventional cells, they may also be more reliable over the long term.’ Moreover, the cells can be fabricated from commercial wafers of any size. And if one cell proves defective in manufacture, the rest still can be harvested, while if a brick-sized unit goes bad, the entire wafer may be unusable.

‘The shade tolerance of our units to overhead obstructions is better than conventional PV panels,’ said Nielson, ‘because portions of our units not in shade will keep sending out electricity where a partially shaded conventional panel

Representative thin crystalline-silicon PV cells that are 14–20 micrometres thick and 0.25–1 millimetre across. (Image by Murat Okandan)

SOURCE: SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES


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The NAPCC points out, ‘India is a tropical country, where sunshine is available for longer hours per day and in great intensity. Solar

energy, therefore, has great potential as future energy source. It also has the advantage of permitting the decentralized distribution of energy, thereby empowering people at the

TOWARDS BUILDING SOLAR INDIA

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION

grassroots level’. Based on this vision, a national solar mission is being launched under the brand name ‘Solar India’.

The JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission) is a major initiative of the Government of India and state governments to promote ecologically sustainable growth, while addressing India’s energy security challenge. It will also constitute a

major contribution by India to the global effort to meet the challenges of climate change.

OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS The objective of the JNNSM is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for its diffusion across the country as quickly as possible. The

‘Our vision is to make India’s economic development energy-efficient. Over a period of time, we must pioneer a graduated shift from economic activity based on fossil fuels to one based on non-fossil fuels and from reliance on non-renewable and depleting sources of energy to renewable sources of energy. In this strategy, the Sun occupies the centre stage, as it should, being literally the original source of all energy. We will pool our scientific, technical, and managerial talents, with sufficient financial resources, to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people. Our success in this endeavour will change the face of India. It would also enable India to help change the destinies of people around the world.’—Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, during the launch of India’s NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) on 30 June 2008



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Mission will adopt a 3-phase approach.P Phase 1: the remaining period of

the Eleventh Five-year Plan and the first year of the Twelfth Five-year Plan (2012/13)

P Phase 2: the remaining period of the Twelfth Five-year Plan (2013–17)

P Phase 3: the Thirteenth Five-year Plan (2017–22)

At the end of each plan and mid-term during the Twelfth and Thirteenth Plans, there will be an evaluation of progress – review of capacity and targets for subsequent phases – based on the emerging cost and technology trends, both domestic and global.

The immediate aim of the Mission is to focus on setting up an enabling environment for solar technology penetration in the country, both at centralized and decentralized levels. The first phase will focus on capturing the low-hanging options in solar thermal; on promoting off-grid systems to serve populations without access to commercial energy; and modest capacity addition in grid-based systems. In the second phase, capacity will be aggressively ramped up to create conditions for upscaled and competitive solar energy penetration in the country. The Mission targets:P To create an enabling policy

framework for the deployment of 20 000 MW of solar power by 2022.

P To ramp up capacity of grid-connected solar power generation to 1000 MW by 2013; an additional 3000 MW by 2017 through the mandatory use of the RPO (renewable purchase obligation) by utilities backed with a preferential tariff. This capacity can be more than doubled – reaching 10 000MW installed power by 2017 or more – based on the enhanced and enabled international finance and technology transfer.

P To create favourable conditions for solar manufacturing capability, particularly solar thermal, for indigenous production and market leadership.

P To promote programmes for off-grid applications, reaching 1000 MW by 2017 and 2000 MW by 2022.

P To achieve 15 million sq m solar thermal collector area by 2017 and 20 million by 2022.

P To deploy 20 million solar lighting systems for rural areas by 2022.

MISSION STRATEGY (PHASE I AND II)The first phase will announce a broad policy framework to achieve the objectives of the JNNSM by 2022. This will create the necessary environment to attract industry and project developers to invest in research and domestic manufacturing and development of solar power generation, creating the critical mass

for a domestic solar industry. The Mission will work closely with state governments, regulators, power utilities, and local self-government bodies to ensure that the activities and policy framework being laid out can be implemented effectively. Since some state governments have already announced initiatives on solar, the Mission will draw up a suitable transition framework to enable an early and aggressive start up.

A. Utility connected applications: constructing the solar gridThe key driver for promoting solar power would be through a RPO mandated for power utilities, with a specific solar component. This will drive utility-scale power generation, whether solar PV (photovoltaic) or solar thermal. The Solar Purchase Obligation will be gradually increased, while the tariff fixed for solar power purchase will decline over time.


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B. The below 80 0C challenge—solar collectorsIn its first two phases, the Mission will promote solar heating systems, which are already using proven technology and are commercially viable. The Mission is setting an ambitious target for ensuring that applications, domestic, and industrial, below 80 °C are solarised. The key strategy of the Mission will be to make necessary policy changes to meet this objective: P Make solar heaters mandatory,

through building byelaws and incorporation in the National Building Code

P Ensure the introduction of effective mechanisms for certification and rating of manufacturers of solar thermal applications

P Facilitate measurement and promotion of these individual devices through local agencies and power utilities

P Support the upgrading of technologies and manufacturing capacities through soft loans to achieve higher efficiencies and further cost reduction

C. The off-grid opportunity—lighting homes of the power-deprived poorA key opportunity for solar power lies in decentralized and off-grid applications.

The Mission plans to:P Provide solar lighting systems

under the ongoing remote village electrification programme of the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) to cover about 10 000 villages and hamlets. The use of solar lights for lighting purposes would be promoted in settlements without access to grid electricity, and since most of these settlements are remote tribal settlements, 90% subsidy is provided. For other villages which are connected to grid, solar lights would be promoted through market mode by enabling banks to offer low cost credit.

P Set up standalone rural solar power plants in special category states and remote and difficult areas such as Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Ladakh. Border areas would also be included.

P Encourage the promotion of other off-grid solar applications, including hybrid systems to meet power, heating, and cooling energy requirements.

The Mission would consider up to 30% capital subsidy (which would progressively decline over time) for promoting such innovative applications of solar energy and would structure a non-distorting framework to support entrepreneurship, up-scaling, and innovation.

The government will provide budgetary support for a soft refinance facility, which would be provided through IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency). IREDA would, in turn, provide refinance to NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) and banks, with the condition that it is on-lend to the consumer at rates of interest not more than 5%. The Mission would provide an annual tranche for the purpose, which would be used to refinance operations for a period of 10 years, at the end of which, the funds shall stand transferred to IREDA as capital and revenue grants for on-lending to future renewable energy projects.

D. Manufacturing capabilities: innovate, expand, and disseminateTransforming India into a solar energy hub would include a leadership role in low-cost, high quality solar manufacturing, including balance of system components. Proactive implementation of SIP (Special Incentive Package) policy, to promote PV manufacturing plants, including domestic manufacture of silicon material, would be necessary.


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An incentive package, similar to SIPS, could be considered for setting up manufacturing plants for solar thermal systems/devices and components. The SME (small and medium enterprise) sector, which forms the backbone for manufacture of various components and systems for solar systems, would be supported through soft loans for expansion of facilities, technology upgradation, and working capital. IREDA would provide this support through refinance operations.

E. R&D for Solar India: creating conditions for research and applicationA major R&D (research and development) initiative would be taken up to focus on:P improving efficiencies in existing

materials, devices, and applications and reducing costs of balance of systems, establishing new applications by addressing issues related to integration and optimization

P developing cost-effective storage technologies to address both variability and storage constraints, and targetting space-intensity through the use of better concentrators, application of nanotechnology, and use of better and improved materials. The Mission will be technology neutral, allowing technological innovation and market conditions to determine technology winners. A Solar Research Council will be

set up to oversee the strategy, taking into account the ongoing projects, availability of research capabilities, and resources and possibilities of international collaboration.

An ambitious human resource development programme will be established to support an expanding

and large-scale solar energy programme, both for applied and R&D sectors. In Phase I, at least 1000 young scientists and engineers would be incentivized to get trained on different solar energy technologies as a part of the Mission’s long-term R&D and HRD (human resource development) plans.

Pilot demonstration projects would be closely aligned with the Mission’s R&D priorities and designed to promote technology development and cost reduction. The Mission, therefore, envisages the setting up of the following demonstration projects in Phase I, in addition to those already initiated by MNRE and those, which may be set up by corporate investors: 1. 50–100 MW solar thermal plant

with 4–6 hours’ storage (which can meet both morning and evening peak loads and double plant load factor up to 40%).

2. A 100-MW-capacity parabolic trough technology-based solar thermal plant.

3. A 100–150 MW solar hybrid plant with coal, gas, or biomass to address variability and space constraints.

4. 20–50 MW solar plants with/without storage, based on central receiver technology with molten

salt/steam as the working fluid and other emerging technologies.

5. Grid-connected rooftop PV systems on selected government buildings and installations, with net metering.

6. Solar-based space-cooling and refrigeration systems to meet daytime and summer season peak load. These could be installed on selected government buildings and installations.

PROPOSED ROADMAPThe aspiration is to ensure large-scale deployment of solar-generated power for grid-connected as well as distributed and decentralized off-grid provision of commercial energy services. The deployment across the application segments is envisaged as follows:

POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKThe objective of the Mission is to create a policy and regulatory environment which provides a predictable incentive structure that enables rapid and large-scale capital investment in solar energy applications and encourages technical innovation and lowering of costs.


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Although in the long run, the Mission would seek to establish a sector-specific legal and regulatory framework for the development of solar power, in the shorter time frame, it would be necessary to embed the activities of the Mission within the existing framework of the Electricity Act 2003. P Specific amendments would

be made to the Electricity Act 2003, given the magnitude and importance of the activities under the JNNSM.

P The National Tariff Policy 2006 would be modified to mandate that the state electricity regulators fix a percentage for purchase of solar power. The obligation may start with 0.25% in phase I and go up to 3% by 2022. This could be complemented with a solar specific REC (Renewable Energy Certificate)

mechanism to allow utilities and solar power generation companies to buy and sell certificates to meet their solar power purchase obligations.

P The guidelines for fixing feed-in-tariff for purchasing solar power issued by the CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission) will be revised on an annual basis.

In order to enable the early launch of Solar India and encourage rapid scale up, a scheme is being introduced in cooperation with the Ministry of Power, the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd), and the Central Electricity Authority, which would simplify the off-take of solar power and minimize the financial burden on the government.

Solar power will be bundled with power out of the cheaper unallocated quota of central stations and sold to state distribution utilities at the CERC-regulated price. This will bring down the gap between the average cost and the sale price of power. For the purpose of bundling, power has to be purchased by an entity and re-sold to the state power distribution utilities. Such function can be done only by trading companies/Discoms, as per the existing statutory provisions.

The NTPC has a wholly owned subsidiary company engaged in the business of trading of power—NVVN (NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd). NVVN will be designated as the

nodal agency by the MoP (Ministry of Power) for entering into a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) with solar power developers to purchase solar power fed to 33 KV and above grid, in accordance with the tariff and PPA duration as fixed by the CERC. The MoP shall allocate to NVVN the equivalent megawatt capacity from the Central unallocated quota from the NTPC power stations, at the rate notified by the CERC for bundling together with solar power. NVVN will undertake the sale of the bundled power to state utilities at the rates determined as per the CERC regulations. The above arrangement would be subject to review by the government in case of significant price movement in the market. The above arrangement will be limited to utility-scale solar power generated from a maximum anticipated capacity of 1000 MW in the first phase. When NVVN supplies the bundled power to state utilities at the rates determined as per the CERC regulations, the state utilities will be entitled to use the solar part of the bundled power to meet their RPOs under the Electricity Act 2003. The CERC may issue appropriate guidelines in this regard. At the end of Phase I, well-performing utilities with proven financial credentials and demonstrated willingness to absorb solar power shall be included in the scheme, in case it is decided to extend it into Phase II.

The requirement of phased indigenization would be specified while seeking the development of solar power projects under this scheme. The size of each project would be determined, and the tariff and tax regime for key components and segments would be suitably fine tuned.

The Mission will encourage rooftop solar PV and other small solar power plants, connected to LT/11 KV grid. It is envisaged that distribution utility will pay the tariff determined by the State

Table 1 JNNSM TARGETS

Application segment Target for Phase 1 Target for Phase 2 Target for Phase 3 (2010–13) (2013–17) (2017–22)

Solar collectors 7 million sq m 15 million sq m 20 million sq mOff-grid solar 200 MW 1000 MW 2000 MW applications Utility grid power, 1000–2000 MW 4000–10 000 MW 20 000 MW including rooftop


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Electricity Regulatory Commission for the metered electricity generated from such applications (whether consumed by the grid-connected owner of the rooftop/ground-mounted installation or fed into the grid). A normative Generation Based Incentive will be payable to the utility, which would be derived as the difference between the solar tariff determined by the CERC for the concerned solar generation technology less an assumed base price of Rs 5.50/kWh with 3% annual escalation. Funds will be disbursed through IREDA. The distribution utilities will be entitled to account such electricity generated and consumed within their license areas for the fulfillment of RPOs. The metering and billing arrangements between the utility and the rooftop PV operator will be as per the guidelines/regulations of the appropriate commission.

State governments would also be encouraged to promote and establish solar generation parks with dedicated infrastructure for setting up utility-scale plants to ensure ease of capacity creation.

Fiscal incentivesIt is also recommended that custom duties and excise duties concessions/exemptions be made available on specific capital equipment, critical materials, components, and project imports.

SOLAR MANUFACTURING IN INDIAOne of the Mission objectives is to take a global leadership role in solar manufacturing (across the value chain) of leading-edge solar technologies and target a 4–5 GW equivalent of installed capacity by 2020, including the setting up of dedicated manufacturing capacities for poly silicon material to annually make about 2 GW capacity of solar cells. As there is no indigenous

capacity/capability for solar thermal power projects currently, new facilities will be required to manufacture concentrator collectors, receivers, and other components to meet the demand for solar thermal power plants. To achieve the installed capacity target, the JNNSM recommends the following: P Local demand creation: The 20 GW

plan, supported with right level of incentives for solar generation coupled with large government pilot/demonstration programmes, will make the Indian market attractive for solar manufacturers.

P Financing and incentives: SEZ

• Incentives under SIP policy to set up integrated manufacturing plants (i) from poly silicon material to solar modules and (ii) thin film-based module manufacturing plants. Under the SIP scheme of the Department of Information Technology, there are 15 applications in the domain of solar PV, which includes cell manufacturing (both crystalline and thin film) and poly-silicon manufacturing among others. The combined capacity projected by these 15 companies could result in the production of 8–10

(special economic zones) like incentives to be provided to the manufacturing parks which may include:• Zero import duty on capital

equipment and raw materials, and excise duty exemption

• Low interest rate loans, priority sector lending

GW solar power by 2022, which would be sufficient for meeting the Mission targets even after accounting for exports.

• It is also recommended that solar components be covered under the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s star rating programme to ensure high standards.


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Similar incentives will be required for manufacturing CSP (concentrated solar power) systems and their components. A committee may be set up to formulate a policy for promoting solar thermal manufacture in the country. P Ease of doing business: In consultation

with states, create a single window clearance mechanism for all related permissions.

P Infrastructure and ecosystem enablers: Create 2–3 large solar manufacturing tech parks consisting of manufacturing units (across the solar value chain), housing, offices, and research institutes. These will have 24×7 power and water supplies and will need to be located near large urban centres, with good linkages to ports and airports to ensure rapid access to imported raw materials and high quality engineering talent.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTThis Mission will launch a major R&D programme in solar energy, which will focus on improving efficiency in existing applications, reducing costs of Balance of Systems, testing hybrid co-generation, and addressing constraints of variability, space-intensity, and lack of convenient and cost-effective storage. The R&D strategy would deal with five categories—i) basic research with long-term perspective for the development of innovative and new materials, processes, and applications; ii) applied research aimed at improvement of the existing processes, materials, and the technology for enhanced performance, durability, and cost-competitiveness of the systems/devices; iii) technology validation and demonstration projects aimed at field evaluation of different configurations, including hybrids with conventional power systems for obtaining feedback on the

performance, operability, and costs; iv) development of R&D infrastructure in PPP (public-private partnership) model; and v) support for incubation and start ups. To support the R&D strategy, the Mission may include the following: P Setting up a high-level research

council to review and update the technology roadmap to achieve more rapid technological innovation and cost reduction. It would comprise of eminent scientists, technical experts, and representatives from academic and research institutions, industry, government, and the civil society to guide the technology development strategy. The council may invite eminent international experts in the field to support its work.

P A NCE (National Centre of Excellence) shall be established to implement the technology development plan formulated by the research council and serve as its secretariat. It will coordinate the work of various R&D centres, validate research outcomes, and serve as an apex centre for testing and certification and for developing standards and specifications for the solar industry. It is envisaged that the Solar Energy Centre of the MNRE will become part of the NCE.

P The research council, in coordination with the NCE, inventorize existing institutional capabilities for solar R&D and encourage the setting up of a network of Centres of Excellence, each focusing on an R&D area of its proven competence and capability.

P The NCE will provide a national platform for networking among centers of excellence and research institutions, including foreign R&D institutions and high-tech companies.

P The NCE will serve as the funding agency to support performance-

linked solar R&D programmes. This will include funding, or co-funding, of pilot demonstration projects in areas relevant to Mission objectives. Funding will need to be adequate, predictable, and should typically cover a time frame extending from 5–10 years.

P The NCE will be the main interface with international research institutions, research groups from foreign countries, high-tech start-up companies, and multilateral programmes (such as those which may emerge from current negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). It will encourage joint projects between international partners and Indian centres of excellence, with sharing of IPR (intellectual property right), as also encourage the setting up of R&D bases in India by advanced high-tech companies from abroad.

P The NCE will coordinate with the IMD (Indian Meteorological Department), ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), and other concerned agencies for the detailed mapping of ground insulation, particularly in high potential solar regions of the country.

P In drawing up the Solar Technology Development Plan, the research council will review ongoing and proposed R&D initiatives of the MNRE, the Department of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and other agencies and institutions, and incorporate them, as appropriate, in its plan.

The Mission could tie up with institutions like CIIE (Centre for Innovation, Incubation, and Entrepreneurship) based in IIM (Indian Institute of Management) Ahmedabad to incubate solar energy start-ups


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and SMEs in India through mentoring, networking, and financial support. A fund could be established to aim at supporting at least 50 start-ups developing and deploying solar-related technologies across India over the next five years and would be managed by a professional entity. The initiative shall be structured ideally in a PPP model to be able to provide risky capital to the aspiring entrepreneurs. It would also attract contributions from private stakeholders, amounting to, at least 10% of that of the government. The returns generated on the government support to the fund shall be ploughed back for further promoting incubation activities in this space. The Mission would also explore the possibility of collaborating with the CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) to launch an Open Source Solar Development initiative on similar lines as the Open Source Drug Discovery platform of the CSIR.

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTThe rapid and large-scale diffusion of solar energy will require a concomitant increase in technically qualified manpower of international standard. It is envisaged that at the end of Mission period, the solar industry will employ at least 100 000 trained and specialized personnel across the skill spectrum. The following steps may be required for HRD:

P IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and premier engineering colleges will be involved to design and develop specialized courses in solar energy, with financial assistance from the government. In addition, a countrywide training programme and specialized courses for technicians will be taken up to meet the requirement of skilled manpower for field installations and after sales service network. The Directorate General of Education and Training under the Ministry of Labour has agreed to introduce training modules for course materials for the technicians.

P A government fellowship programme to train 100 selected engineers/technologies and scientists in solar energy in world-class institutions abroad will be taken up. This may need to be sustained at progressively declining levels for 10 years.

P A National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education at IIT, Mumbai, will be set up, drawing upon its Department of Energy Science and Engineering and its Centre for Excellence in Nano-electronics.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE MISSIONThis Mission will be implemented by an autonomous solar energy authority

and/or an autonomous and enabled Solar Mission, embedded within the existing structure of the MNRE. The authority/mission secretariat will be responsible for monitoring technology developments, review and adjust incentives, manage funding requirements, and execute pilot projects. The Mission will report to the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change on the status of its programme.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONStrategic international collaborations and partnerships aimed at meeting the priorities set out under the Mission would be developed, along with effective technology transfer mechanisms and strong IPR protection.

FINANCING THE MISSION ACTIVITIESThe fund requirements for the Mission would be met from the following sources or combinations:P Budgetary support for the activities

under the JNNSM established under the MNRE;

P International funds under the UNFCCC, which would enable upscaling of Mission targets

The MNRE has already issued draft guidelines for rooftop PV and other small solar power plants connected to distribution network (below 33 kV) under the JNNSM; for selection of new grid-connected solar projects under Phase 1 of the JNNSM; and for migration of existing under-development grid-connected solar projects from existing arrangements to the JNNSM.

We hope that the JNNSM is a great success and helps to provide power even to the remotest part of our nation.

For more, visit the MNRE website (www.mnre.gov.in).


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On 11 January 2010, the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), along with FICCI (Federation of Indian

Chambers of Commerce and Industry), organized the ‘Solar Energy Conclave 2010’ at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The conclave provided a common platform to share the experiences of various stakeholders, including that of the NRIs (non-resident Indians), in promoting solar energy in India and making the JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission) targets a reality.

The one-day conclave was attended by speakers and icons from central and state governments, experts from academia and research institutions, key industry representatives, NRIs, and other related organizations.

With the launch of JNNSM, India is set to harness its huge solar potential. The event showcased the opportunities and the potential of solar energy development in the country. It provided a common ground for NRIs and Indian stakeholders to join hands to make the JNNSM a success and facilitate further expansion.

The words of Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India‘I am very happy to be here today to launch the highly innovative JNNSM under the brand name ‘Solar India’. This national solar mission has the pride of place in India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change. Its success has the

Solar energy conclave

Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India; Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of Environment and Forests; Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, and other dignitaries during the Solar Energy Conclave.

potential of transforming India’s energy prospects and contributing to national as well as global efforts to combat climate change. This Mission is one of the major priorities of the second term of our government and I congratulate Dr Abdullah and my other colleagues, particularly Shri Shyam Saran, for the work they have done in bringing this to fruition.

Increased use of solar energy is a central component of our strategy to bring about a strategic shift from our current reliance on fossil fuels to a pattern of sustainable growth based on renewable and clean sources of energy. I sincerely hope that this solar mission

will also establish India as a global leader in solar energy, not just in terms of solar power generation but also in solar manufacturing and generation of this technology.

The importance of this Mission is not just limited to providing large-scale grid-connected power. It has the potential to provide significant multipliers in our efforts for transformation of India’s rural economy. Already, in its decentralized and distributed applications, solar energy is beginning to light the lives of tens of millions of India’s energy-poor citizens. The rapid spread of solar lighting systems, solar water pumps, and other solar power-based rural


applications can change the face of India’s rural economy. We intend to significantly expand such applications through this Mission. As a result, the movement for decentralized and disbursed industrialization will acquire an added momentum, a momentum which has not been seen before.

The target of 20 000 MW (megawatt) of solar-generating capacity by the end of the Thirteenth Five-year Plan is no doubt an ambitious target. But I do sincerely believe that the target is doable and that we should work single-mindedly to achieve it as a priority national endeavour.

The carefully crafted regulatory and incentive framework that has been unveiled today has several innovative features. We expect that it will lead to a rapid scale up of capacity. This will encourage technological innovation and generate economies of scale, thereby leading to a steady lowering of costs. Once parity with conventional power tariff is achieved, there will be no technological or economic constraint to the rapid and large-scale expansion of solar power thereafter.

Clearly, technological innovation will be a key factor in ensuring the success of this Mission. We will need to find ways of reducing the space intensity of current solar applications, including through the use of nanotechnology. Cost-effective and convenient storage of solar energy beyond daylight hours will be critical to its emergence as a mainstream source of power. In the meantime, we may need to explore

hybrid solutions, combining solar power generation with gas, biomass, or even coal-based power.

It was the vision of Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru that enabled India to create world-class scientific and technological capacities in the field of atomic energy and space sector. It is these strengths in science and technology that eventually have created the IT (information technology) revolution in India and made it a global power. I am convinced that solar energy can also be the next scientific and technological frontier in India after atomic energy, space, and IT.

There exists in our country immense talent and research capabilities already engaged in the solar energy field, both in the private and public sectors. It is clear that a large number of ministries and authorities will have to work in tandem if we are to make a success of this important Mission. The Solar Mission should evolve as a single national platform for coordination among our scientific, industrial, and regulatory establishments in a synergetic manner.

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National Solar

Mission’s success

has the potential of

transforming India’s

energy prospects

and contributing

to national as well

as global efforts

to combat climate

change.


I am happy that the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry has been associated with this event. The role of industry in this Mission’s success will be critical. Eventually, if the ambitious rollout of the Mission is to become a living reality, we will have to create many ‘Solar Valleys’ on the lines of the Silicon Valleys that are spurring our IT industry across the four corners of our country. These valleys will become hubs for solar science, solar engineering, and solar research, fabrication, and manufacturing. I urge the Indian industry to see the National Solar Mission as the huge business opportunity that it is going to be.

The Sun has long been recognized as a primal source of all energy on earth. In an ancient civilization like India, the Sun has been worshipped as the God who bestows life and sustains it. The bounty of the Sun is truly inexhaustible, renewable, and free. It is to this source of energy that humankind must turn to meet the twin challenge of energy security and climate change.

With these words, I wish the JNNSM every success.’

The words of Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister, MNRE‘This Mission is named after India’s first and visionary Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. For him, India’s development needed to be anchored in its mastery over cutting-edge technologies. The Solar Mission is very much in line with his vision, which has made India today, a leading nuclear and space power. He would have been equally keen and proud to see India attaining the same level of advancement in solar energy. I am confident, that under the leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, we shall make India a global solar power as well.

This mission on solar energy is one of the eight National Missions which comprise India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change. It has the twin objectives of contributing to India’s long-term energy security and ensuring its growth in an ecologically sustainable manner. We are living in a world of rapidly depleting fossil fuel resources where access to conventional energy resources such as oil, gas, and coal is becoming increasingly constrained. For the security of our energy needs, the deployment of renewable energy sources in our energy mix is imperative. Also, we cannot be oblivious to climatic and environmental dangers inherent in the large-scale use of fossil fuels. In this context and in view of the high solar radiation over the country, the rapid development and deployment of solar energy applications provides an effective and sustainable solution. Sir, your presence on this occasion demonstrates the commitment of the Government of India to develop and adopt clean energy technologies for the development of modern India.

The long-term policy vision of the Solar Mission has been put together as a document, which has been enriched

by stakeholder discussions and inputs. I would like to thank all my ministerial colleagues for their valuable inputs and support, as also Mr Shyam Saran, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister. The Solar Mission will be implemented in three stages, leading to an installed capacity of 20 000 MW by the end of the Thirteenth Five-year Plan in 2022. It is envisaged that as a result of rapid scale up as well as technological developments, the price of solar power will continue to decline and attain parity with grid power at the end of the Mission, enabling accelerated and large-scale expansion thereafter.

Quite obviously, in order to set the stage for achieving this ambitious target, what we do in the next three to four years will be critical. Our policies and programmes in the first phase of the Mission will be critical to guide and decide the future course of action. As we all know, today, the initial cost of solar is very high, especially for grid power generation. We aim to bring down the cost as quickly as possible. This will allow us to provide power to our villages and rural homes. We have planned three major initiatives under the National Solar Mission to achieve

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The Solar Mission

will be implemented

in three stages,

leading to an installed

capacity of

20 000 MW by the end

of the Thirteenth

Five-year Plan in 2022.

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this (i) create volumes which will allow large-scale domestic manufacture, (ii) announce a long-term policy to purchase power; and (ii) support R&D (research and development) to reduce material consumption and improve efficiency and develop new materials and storage methods.

The implementation of the Mission will proceed on the basis of the technology advancements and cost reduction, which will be necessary for rapid scale-up and to achieve the target of 20 000 MW.

The Mission has decided to establish an investor-friendly mechanism which reduces risk and at the same time, provides an attractive, predictable, and sufficiently extended tariff for the purchase of solar power. The focal point, for the next three years, will be the NVVN (NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam), which is the power trading arm of the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd). The NVVN will purchase solar power at rates fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission and for a period specified by the latter. When the state utilities purchase solar power from the NVVN, they will get an equivalent amount of thermal power from it. The bundling of more expensive solar power with cheaper thermal power will enable a much cheaper tariff for the consumer, estimated at about Rs 5 or less per unit,

and this will also enable concerned states to meet their renewable power purchase obligation, which is now mandatory.

I wish to record my deep appreciation and grateful thanks to my senior Cabinet colleague, Shri Shinde ji, who as the Minister of Power has made this arrangement possible. I am confident that with the investor-friendly arrangement put in place for grid-connected solar power, we should be able to achieve the ambitious targets set out by the Solar Mission. I am happy to inform you, Sir, that we have already taken the first steps in this regard and that 2MW each of solar power plants have recently been commissioned at Asansol, West Bengal, and at Amritsar, Punjab.

There are several off-grid solar applications which are already commercially viable or near viability, where rapid scale up is possible. Solar thermal heating applications, such as water heaters, fall in this category. We can go for a rapid scale up in a short time, and considerably reduce the burden on our grid. By 2022, we aim to install 20 million sq m solar thermal collectors in the country and save about 7500 MW power generation capacity. We are conscious that the achievement of this target requires regulatory and incentive measures as well as an extensive awareness campaign. We are working together with financial institutions, industry, as well as user groups to put together the correct set of incentives that will enable the achievement of these targets. I would like to take this opportunity to request all state governments to aid this process by taking appropriate regulatory measures such as making the use of solar water heaters mandatory for certain types of consumers.

Solar lighting systems for rural and remote areas are also being purchased


The bundling of more

expensive solar power

with cheaper thermal

power will enable a

much cheaper tariff

for the consumer, and

enable concerned

states to meet their

renewable power

purchase obligation.


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commercially in several parts of the country. Large-scale use of solar lights can save substantial quantities of kerosene and also subsidy. We want 20 million solar lights to be installed by 2022, which would result in a saving of about 1 billion litres of kerosene every year. We are working with banks, especially rural banks, to offer soft loans to consumers for this purpose. My ministry will help the banks do this through refinancing or interest rate subsidy. We are aware that there are areas in the country such as the island states and border areas which are still dependent upon diesel for power generation. In such areas, we propose to provide up to 90% support for setting up solar power plants. In many other solar applications, where the initial cost is still very high, we are considering proposals for providing up to 30% grant-in-aid.

Sir, I have already mentioned about R&D being one of the key endeavours of the Solar Mission to bring down costs and promote deployment of solar technologies. In pursuance of this goal, we in the ministry, have embarked on a focused R&D programme which seeks to address the India-specific challenges in promoting solar energy. We are adopting a technology-neutral approach. Instead of backing a particular technology, we are trying to address the current drawbacks in using solar energy; for instance, the evolving of a cost-effective and convenient storage for solar power is high on priority in our R&D efforts. We shall also work, in parallel, on accelerating the process of development of the domestic solar industry. We believe that economies of scale, indigenization, and cutting-edge research shall together lead to the cost reductions that are necessary for the rapid scale up and deployment of solar technologies. I am proud to inform you sir, that only yesterday, we laid

the foundation stone of three major research projects, including one in PPP (Public-Private Partnership) mode in our Solar Energy Centre at Gurgaon, near Delhi.

Research and deployment needs skilled and trained manpower. Under the Solar Mission, we aim to address this issue as well. We would involve various stakeholders in human resource development and other capacity-building efforts. As the first step, we have decided to offer fellowships to research students to work at our premier research centres and train them in solar energy technologies.

Sir, in launching the National Action Plan on Climate Change, you had given a pride of place to the Solar Energy Mission. You have a vision of India emerging as a world leader in this sector. On our part, we are working in close coordination with all other stakeholders, especially the states, to translate your vision into a practical, measured, and cost-effective plan of action. I would like to assure you once again that we are fully committed to translate your vision to make solar energy affordable and to make India a global solar power.

To sum upThe event highlighted the impact of the policy framework announced by the government and provided a platform for exchange of ideas. The event also stressed upon the changing solar technology for both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal applications, and the need to take proactive measures for capacity building in advanced technologies and mass production of solar power.

The sessions covered the JNNSM; solar photovoltaic technology and applications; solar thermal technology and applications; investment and financing opportunities in solar energy; Indian policies, R&D (research and development); human resource development; and knowledge sharing.

The event helped to gain a better understanding of the mutual needs and strengths. It provided exposure to state-of-the-art technologies and acted as a platform for sharing of experience. In addition, it fuelled technology and R&D collaborations, and offered business and networking opportunities among the members of the solar community.


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The Indian delegation participating in the Ministerial Session of WIREC (Washington International Renewable Energy

Conference) 2008 announced that the Government of India will host the 4th DIREC (Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference) in 2010. Following this, necessary steps have been initiated by the government and the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) to host the conference from 27 to 29 October 2010 at New Delhi/NCR (National Capital Region).

DIREC 2010 is part of the initiative taken at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, acknowledging the significance of renewable energies for sustainable development, especially for combating poverty

and for environmental and climate protection. The Delhi Conference – an international platform for government, private sector, and non-governmental leaders – is the 4th global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following the successful editions at Washington in 2008 (WIREC), Beijing in 2005, and Bonn in 2004.

The DIREC 2010 comprises of multiple events—a global ministerial-level meeting; a trade show; a business conference; and official side events. DIREC 2010 will bring together the industry, financers, policy-makers, scientists, decision-makers, buyers, and sellers in a bid to develop and drive new initiatives, provide insights, showcase sustainable product development and green business opportunities, and facilitate interaction between entities from all over the world. This would elicit

practical applications that are most relevant globally at this juncture.

The international forum will endeavour to address the goal of advancing renewable energy for sustainable development. The cabinet-level government functionaries from a number of countries will join the civil society partners and private sector leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of rapid deployment of renewables globally. DIREC 2010 will also provide policymakers from all levels of government a robust menu of policy options and practical measures

Delhi international renewable energy ConferenCe 2010


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that have been proven successful in accelerating the diffusion of renewable energy technologies.

The participants will address and showcase key drivers of renewable energy production and applications, including the following.P Upscaling global effort for joint R&D

(research and development) and technology transfer models.

P Innovative financing and funding for mainstreaming renewables. Addressing trade and investment barriers for upscaling renewables. Sustainable renewable energy business models for grid-integrated/decentralized applications.

P Policy initiatives that can facilitate rapid scale-up of adoption of renewables

DIREC 2010 aims to provide a platform for technology displays, new

VENUE AND ACCESS

Inaugural Plenary SessionVigyan Bhawan Auditorium

Maulana Azad RoadNew Delhi–110 001

Conference and ExhibitionIndia Exposition Mart Ltd

Plot No. 25, 27, 28, 29, Knowledge Park–II, Greater Noida

Uttar Pradesh – 201 308

applications, and innovations; to display global R&D with respect to climate change and green environment; to demonstrate the sectoral strength of the global renewable energy industry; and to facilitate: (i) buyers and sellers matching (ii) one-to-one meetings for setting up of joint ventures in the renewable energy sector, and (iii) to

provide an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the best-in-industry and benchmark products and services in order to enhance global competitiveness. The conference will ultimately lead to renewed commitment, with concrete proposals in support of activities at the country level.

Packed with a full-scale trade show with press conferences and product launches; an exciting multi-track business conference; side/parallel events/presentations/interactive sessions, held over three days, on each of the key technologies (wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, and biomass/biofuels/waste energy); and cross-cutting sessions on markets, finance, and policy, the DIREC 2010 will build on the success of the previous conferences with support of national and international sponsors.

Beside participation in the conference, side events, sectoral sessions, and trade show, the event will provide opportunity for one-to-one meetings for on-the-spot discussions/interactions within the conference premises to entrepreneurs seeking collaborations, technology transfers, setting of joint ventures, and investments. Arrangements for such meetings shall be made on request from the concerned parties.

DIREC 2010 will be hosted by the MNRE in association with partner organizations and managed by M/S Exhibitions India Group, New Delhi.

REN21 – the Renewable Energy Network – will be a key partner in the conference. With more than 9000 delegates/participants, over 250 industry leading speakers, and 600 exhibitors from 40 countries, the event is expected to be the premier renewables gathering ever held in India.

For more information, visit http://direc2010.gov.in.


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Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national economy – agriculture, industry, transport, commercial, and domestic – needs inputs of energy. Thus, consumption of energy in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country.

In this background, there is urgent need for the country to develop a sustainable path of energy development. Promotion of energy conservation and increased use of renewable energy sources are the two best options for the same.

The MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) has been implementing comprehensive programmes for the development and utilization of various renewable energy sources in the country. And helping the ministry in this endeavour is IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd), a leading organization that provides efficient and effective financing in renewable energy and energy efficiency/conservation sectors.

IREDA, established in 1987 under the administrative control of the MNRE, aims to promote, develop, and extend financial assistance for renewable energy and energy efficiency/conservation projects. The motto is ‘energy forever’. The agency gives financial support to specific projects and schemes for generating electricity and/or energy through new and renewable sources, and conserving energy through energy efficiency. It aims to improve the efficiency of services provided to customers through continual improvement of systems, processes, and resources.

IREDA provides financial assistance to several sectors, including solar energy. It has three main schemes— Solar Photovoltaic Market Development Programme; Solar Thermal Programme; and Solar Water Pumping Programme.

ENERGY FOREVER IREDA’S SOLAR FINANCING SCHEMES

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC MARKET DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMESchemes applicableIREDA provides soft loans under the following categories.

Direct users: Directly approach IREDA to get loan for SPV (solar photovoltaic) system. Minimum loan amount is Rs 5 lakh.

Intermediary: Any financial institution, bank, manufacturer, NGO (non-governmental organization), and the like can become an intermediary of IREDA for on-lending soft loan to different end users. Minimum loan amount is Rs 10 lakh.

Incentives availableAccreted depreciation: 80% on the first year.

SOLAR THERMAL PROGRAMMESchemes applicableIREDA is providing soft loan under two different categories—direct user scheme and intermediary scheme.


Direct user scheme: Directly approach IREDA to get loan for SPV (solar photovoltaic) system. Minimum loan amount is Rs 5 lakh.

Intermediary scheme: Any financial institution, bank, solar thermal manufacturer, corporate body, NBFC (non-banking financial company), state nodal agency, reputed NGO can become intermediary of IREDA for on-lending soft loan to different end users for different kinds of application. Minimum loan amount is Rs 10 lakh.

Incentives available Interest subsidy is available to the end users for both domestic and commercial application.

Depreciation: 80% on the first year.

SOLAR WATER PUMPING PROGRAMMESchemes applicable The programme is open to all categories of users, including individuals, farmers, NGOs, cooperative societies, corporate bodies, autonomous institutions, research organizations, banks, and state/central government agencies, subject to the condition that the beneficiaries give an undertaking to the implementing agency that they do not own a SPV water pumping system and the present system would be utilized for water lifting applications.

Incentives available Accreted depreciation: 80% on the first year.

GUIDELINES FOR GENERATION BASED INCENTIVE

Grid interactive solar power generation projectsWith a view to develop and demonstrate technical performance of grid interactive solar power generation and achieve reduction in the cost of grid connected solar systems and solar power generation in the country, the MNRE will support grid interactive solar power generation projects as demonstration projects in the country. The MNRE will consider support for a maximum capacity up to 50 MW during the Eleventh Five-year Plan period. IREDA will assist the

MNRE in fund handling, monitoring, and other associated activities in this regard.

1. Eligible organizationsAll existing registered companies, central and state power generation companies, and public/private sector PV power project developers, who have set up or propose to set up a registered company in India, will be eligible for consideration of generation based incentive. Individuals, NGOs, financial institutions, societies, and other unorganized investors are not eligible to participate directly.

2. Eligible projects and eligibility criteriaP Grid interactive SPV power generation

plants of a minimum installed capacity of 1 MWp (megawatt-peak) per plant at a single location will be eligible for generation based incentive. Modular units can also be set up for achieving the same.

P A maximum cumulative capacity of 10 MWp of grid interactive SPV power generation projects can be set up in a state.

P Any project developer who fulfils the procedural requirements and the guidelines specified by the MNRE. The developer can set up projects up to a maximum of 5 MWp in the country, either through a single project or multiple projects of a minimum capacity of 1 MWp each.

P The projects will be undertaken on ‘Build Own and Operate’ basis.

P Setting up of captive grid interactive SPV power plant or captive utilization of SPV power is not covered.

P Project developer desirous of availing the accelerated depreciation benefit for the project under section 32 of the Income Tax Act 1961 would not be eligible.

3. Generation based incentivesWherever the state electricity regulatory commissions have fixed a separate tariff for solar power or has fixed tariff during the period for which the MNRE is providing incentive, the utilities will offer a minimum of that tariff to the SPV grid interactive power projects in their respective states. In the absence of such tariff orders, the utilities will offer the highest tariff for purchasing power to the PV power project developers, which is being offered by the utilities for purchasing power in their respective states on medium term, or the highest tariff being provided for purchase of power from any other energy source for which orders/guidelines are already issued for that state. The PPA (power purchase agreement) would draw reference to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s order in this regard and enclose copies of the same. The Ministry will not consider proposals that do not follow these guidelines on PPA.P The MNRE may provide, through IREDA,

a generation-based incentive of a maximum of Rs 12 per kWh (kilowatt hour) to the eligible projects which are commissioned by 31 December 2009, after taking into account the power purchase rate (per kWh) provided by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission or the utility for that project.

P The maximum amount of generation based incentive applicable for a project will be determined after deducting the power purchase rate for which the PPA has been signed by the utility with a project developer, from a notional amount of Rs 15 per kWh. In all cases, the maximum amount of generation-based incentive shall not exceed Rs 12 per kWh.

P Any project that is commissioned after 31 December 2009 would be eligible for a maximum incentive with a 5% reduction and ceiling of Rs 11.40 per kWh.


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P The generation-based incentive will continue to decrease, as and when the utility signs a PPA at a higher rate. The proposed annual escalations agreed with the utility, as in force, should be reflected in the PPA.

P It may be available for a maximum period of 10 years from the date of approval and regular power generation from that project, provided the utility continues to purchase power from that grid interactive PV power plant.

P The incentive will be released by IREDA to the eligible PV power project developer on quarterly basis.

4. Progress reportThe project developers of all approved projects will be required to submit annual progress report about the project and the annual report of the company, which has set up and own the grid interactive PV power plant.

Grid interactive solar thermal power generationWith a view to develop and demonstrate technical performance of grid interactive solar power generation and achieve reduction in the cost of the grid connected solar systems and the cost of solar power generation in the country, the MNRE will support grid interactive solar power

For further information, application format, details of incentives, and other related guidelines, visit the IREDA website (www.ireda.in) or the MNRE website (www.mnre.gov.in). Order no.32/61/ 2007-08/PVSE for grid interactive solar power generation projects and 8/1/2007-08/ST for grid interactive solar thermal power generation.

generation projects as demonstration projects in the country. P The MNRE will consider support for a

maximum capacity of 50 MW (including SPV as well as solar thermal power generation) during the Eleventh Five-year Plan period. IREDA will assist the MNRE in fund handling, monitoring, and other associated activities in this regard.

P The generation based incentive for solar thermal power generation project will be limited to a maximum of Rs 10 per kWh. The same method to determine the eligible incentive will be adopted in this case.

P The broad guidelines specified for grid interactive solar power generation projects will also be applicable for grid connected solar thermal power generation projects.

P The technical performance optimization parameters will change as necessary.

Inviting articles for Akshay UrjaThe need to have a sustainable supply necessitates the exploitation of available energy sources, and among these, renewable resources are at the forefront. It is now an established fact that RE (renewable energy) can be an integral part of sustainable development because of its inexhaustible nature and environment-friendly features. RE can play an important role in resolving the energy crisis in urban areas to a great extent. Today RE is an established sector with a variety of systems and devices available for meeting the energy demand of urban inhabitants, but there is a need to create mass awareness about their adoption. Akshay Urja is an attempt to fulfil this need. 20 000 copies are being disseminated in India and abroad.

Akshay Urja publishes news, articles, research papers, case studies, success stories, and write-ups on RE. Readers are invited to send material with original photographs and statistical data. The photographs should be provided on hard copy or as high resolution (minimum 300 DPI) files on a CD. Akshay Urja will pay suitable honorarium for each published article of about 1500 words and above to the authors. The publication material in two copies, along with a soft copy on CD/floppy/e-mail may be sent to

Editor, Akshay UrjaMinistry of New and Renewable Energy, Block – 14, CGO Complex,Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003Tel. +91 11 2436 3035 • Fax +91 11 2436 3035 • E-mail [email protected]

w w w . m n r e . g o v . i n


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This review article looks at the novel approach to high efficiency PV (photovoltaic) cells, which are based on the use of quantum properties

of materials that arises when material is reduced to nano domain. These include tandem cells; hot-carrier solar cells; solar cells producing multiple electron-hole pairs per photon through II (impact ionization); multiband and impurity-band solar cells; and TPV (thermo-photovoltaic)/thermo-photonic cells. In solar cells, using semiconductor QDs (quantum dots), slow hot carrier cooling

QUANTUM STRUCTURED

PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL DESIGN AND ADVANCEMENTSSamarth JainSilhouette Rainbows, Kailash Turn, Sikandra, Agra—282 005

can be achieved, thus producing either enhanced photocurrents through II or enhanced photo voltages through hot electron transport and collection. The advantage of incorporating QW (quantum wells) in PV cells is the flexibility offered by bandgap engineering. Efficiency up to 70% can be reached using these concepts.

Working principleThe maximum thermodynamic efficiency for the conversion of unconcentrated solar irradiance into electrical free energy in the radiative limit assuming

detailed balance and a single threshold absorber was calculated by Shockley and Queissar in 1961 to be about 31%. As conversion efficiency is one of the most important parameters that need to be optimized for implementing PV and photochemical cells on a truly large scale, several schemes for exceeding the theoretical limit have been proposed by various research groups and are under active investigation. Here we will discuss only hot carrier and II solar cells and the effects of size quantization on the carrier dynamics that control the probability of these processes.A major factor limiting the conversion efficiency in single-bandgap cells to 31% is that the absorbed photon energy above the semiconductor bandgap is lost as heat through electron-phonon scattering and subsequent phonon emission, as the hot photo generated carriers relax to their respective band edges. The main approach to reduce this loss in efficiency has been to use a stack of cascaded multiple p-n junctions with bandgaps better matched to the solar spectrum. In the limit of an infinite stack of bandgap perfectly matched to the solar spectrum, the ultimate conversion efficiency at one-sun intensity can increase to about 66%.

Another approach is to use the hot carriers before they relax to the band edge via phonon emission. There are two fundamental ways to use the hot carriers for enhancing the efficiency of photon conversion. One way produces an enhanced photovoltage and the other


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produces an enhanced photocurrent. To achieve the former, the rates of photo-generated carrier separation, transport, and interfacial transfer across the contacts to the semiconductor must all be fast compared to the rate of carrier cooling. The latter requires that the rate of II (that is inverse Auger effect) be greater than the rate of carrier cooling and other relaxation processes for hot carriers.

Hot electrons and hot holes generally cool at different rates because they generally have different effective masses; for most inorganic semiconductors electrons have effective masses that are significantly lighter than holes and consequently, cool more slowly. Another important factor is that hot-carrier cooling rates are dependent upon the density of the photogenerated-hot carriers (viz, the absorbed light intensity).

In recent years, it has been proposed and experimentally verified in some cases that the relaxation dynamics of photogenerated carriers may be largely affected by quantization effects in the semiconductor (that is in semiconductor QWs, quantum wires, QDs, superlattices, and nanostructures). When the carriers in the semiconductor are confined by potential barriers to regions of space that are smaller than or comparable to their deBroglie wavelength or to the Bohr radius of excitons in the semiconductor bulk, the hot-carrier cooling rates may be dramatically reduced, and the rate of II could become competitive with the rate of carrier cooling. However, the solar spectrum contains photons with energies ranging from 0.5 to 3.5 eV (electronvolt). Photons with energies below the semiconductor bandgap are not absorbed, while those with energies above the bandgap create electrons and holes (charge carriers) with a total excess kinetic energy equal to the difference between the photon energy and the

bandgap. This excess kinetic energy creates an effective temperature for an ensemble of photogenerated carriers that can be much higher than the lattice temperature. Such carriers are called ‘hot electrons and hot holes’ and their initial temperature upon photon absorption can be as high as 3000 oK (degree Kelvin), with the lattice temperature of 300 oK.

In bulk semi-conductors, the division of this kinetic energy between electrons and holes is determined by their effective masses, with the carrier that has the lower effective mass receiving more of the excess energy. However, in QDs, the distribution of excess energy is determined by the quantized energy level structure in the QDs and the associated selection rules for the optical transitions between the hole and electron levels.

In the Shockley–Queissar analysis, a major factor limiting the conversion efficiency to 32% is that the absorbed photon energy above the semiconductor bandgap is lost as heat through electron-phonon scattering and subsequent phonon emission, as the carriers relax to their respective band edges (bottom of conduction band for electrons and top of valence band for holes) and equilibrate with the phonons.

The main approach to reduce this loss and increase efficiency above the 32% limit has been to use a stack of cascaded multiple p–n junctions in the absorber with bandgaps better matched to the solar spectrum (Fig 1). In this way higher-energy photons are absorbed in the h i g h e r - b a n d g a p s e m i c o n d u c t o r s and lower-energy

photons in the lower-bandgap semiconductors, thus reducing the overall heat loss due to carrier relaxation via phonon emission.

Relaxation Dynamics of Hot Exciton’s in QDsAs discussed, slowed hot-electron cooling in QWs and superlattices that is produced by a hot phonon bottleneck requires very high light intensities to create the required photogenerated carrier density of greater than about 1×1018cm-3. This required intensity, possible with laser excitation, is many orders of magnitude greater than that provided by solar radiation at the Earth’s surface maximum solar photon flux is about 1018cm-2s-1; assuming a carrier lifetime of 1 ns and an absorption coefficient of 1×105cm-1, this translates into a photoinduced electron density of about 1014cm-3 at steady state. Hence, it is not possible to obtain slowed hot carrier cooling in semiconductor QWs and superlattices with solar irradiation via a hot phonon bottleneck effect; solar concentration ratios greater than 104 would be required, resulting in severe practical problems.

However, the situation with three-dimensional confinement in QDs is potentially more favourable. In

Figure 1 Carrier relaxation dynamics in semiconductor


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the case of QD, slowed hot-electron cooling is theoretically possible even at arbitrarily low light intensity; this effect is simply called a ‘phonon bottleneck’, without the qualification of requiring hot phonons (a non-equilibrium distribution of phonons). Furthermore, it is also anticipated that the slowed cooling could make the rate of exciton multiplication (inverse Auger effect) an important process in QDs. PL (photoluminescence) blinking in QDs (intermittent PL as a function of time) has been explained by an Auger process whereby if two electron–holes pairs are photogenerated in a QD, one pair recombines and transfers its recombination energy to one of the remaining charge carriers, ionizing it over the potential barrier at the surface into the surface region. This creates a charged QD that quenches radiative emission after subsequent photon absorption; after some time, the ionized electron can return to the QD core and the PL is turned on again. Since this Auger process can occur in QDs, the inverse Auger process, whereby one high-energy electron–hole pair can generate two electron–hole pairs, can also occur in QDs. The following discussion will present a discussion of the hot carrier cooling dynamics.

Multiple Exciton Generation in QDsThe formation of multiple electron–hole pairs per absorbed photon in photoexcited bulk semi-conductors is a process typically explained by II. In this process, an electron or hole with kinetic energy greater than the semiconductor bandgap produces one or more additional electron–hole pairs. The kinetic energy

can be created either by applying an electric field or by absorbing a photon with energy above the semiconductor bandgap energy. The former is well-studied and understood. The latter process is less studied, but has been observed in photoexcited p–n junctions of Si, Ge, and InSb (Silicon, Germanium, and Indium antimonide).

However, II has not contributed meaningfully to improved quantum yield in working solar cells, primarily because the II efficiency does not reach significant values until photon energies reach the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. In bulk semiconductors, the threshold photon energy for II exceeds that required for energy conservation alone because, in addition to conserving energy, crystal momentum must be conserved. Additionally, the rate of II must compete with the rate of energy relaxation by electron–phonon scattering. It has been shown that the rate of II becomes competitive with phonon scattering rates only when the kinetic energy of the electron is many times the Eg (bandgap energy).

However, in QDs, the rate of electron relaxation through electron–phonon interactions can be significantly reduced because of the discrete character of the electron–hole spectra.

The rate of Auger processes, including the inverse Auger process of exciton multiplication, is greatly enhanced due to carrier confinement and increased electron–hole Coulomb interaction. Furthermore, crystal momentum need not be conserved because momentum is not a good quantum number for three-dimensionally-confined carriers. Indeed, very efficient multiple electron–hole pair (multi-exciton) creation by one photon was reported recently in PbSe (Lead Selenide) nanocrystals by Schaller and Klimov. They reported an excitation energy threshold for the formation of two excitons per photon at 3 Eg, where Eg is the absorption energy gap of the Nanocrystal (HOMO-LUMO [highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital] transition energy). Schaller and Klimov reported a QY (Quantum Yield) value of 218% (118% II efficiency) at 3.8 Eg; QYs above 200% indicate the formation of more than two excitons per absorbed photon. Other researchers have recently reported a QY value of 300% for 3.9 nm diameter PbSe QDs at a photon energy of 4 Eg, indicating the formation of three excitons per photon for every photoexcited QD in the sample. Evidence was also provided to show the threshold for MEG (multiple exciton generation) by optical excitation is 2 Eg (not 3 Eg as reported previously for PbSe QDs), and it was also shown that comparably efficient MEG occurs also in PbSe nanocrystals.

A new possible mechanism for MEG was introduced that invokes a coherent superposition of multiple-excitonic states, meaning that multiple excitons are essentially created instantly upon absorption of high-energy photons. Most recently, MEG has been reported in CdSe (cadmium selenide) QDs and PbTe (lead telluride) QDs, and seven excitons per photon were reported in PbSe QDs at 7 times the bandgap. The

Figure 2 Multiple quantum dots with varying bandgaps arranged for full spectrum conversation


researchers report a QY of 300% for 2.9nm diameter PbSe QDs when the energy of the photon absorbed is four times that of the bandgap. But multiple excitons start to form when the photon energy reaches twice the bandgap. QDs made of PbS (lead sulphide) also showed the same phenomenon.

QW and SuperlatticesQWs are thin layers of lower bandgap material in a host material with a higher bandgap. Early device designs placed the QWs in the doped regions of a p–n device. But superior carrier collection is achieved when an electric field is present across the QWs. More recent QWC designs have employed a p–i–n structure with the QWs located in the intrinsic region; a schematic bandgap diagram is shown in Figure 2.

The carriers escape from the QWs thermally and by tunnelling. The photocurrent is enhanced in a QWC (Quantum Well Cell) as compared to a cell made without QWs (also known as barrier control), and experimentally, it is observed that the voltage is enhanced as compared with a bulk cell made of the QW material. Hence, QWCs can enhance the efficiency if the photocurrent enhancement is greater than the loss in voltage. The number of QWs is limited by the maximum thickness of the i-region maintaining an electric field across it.

QWCs have been investigated quite extensively on GaAs (gallium arsenide) and InP (Indium phosphide) substrates. Historically, the first p–i–n QWCs were in the material system AlGaAs (aluminum gallium arsenide)/GaAs (barrier/well) on GaAs. AlGaAs is closely lattice matched to GaAs and the bandgap can be easily varied by changing the Al fraction up to about 0.7, where the bandgap becomes indirect.

QWCs have practical advantages due to both quantized energy levels

and the greater flexibility in choice of materials. In particular, this allows engineering of the bandgap for a better match with the incident spectrum. The absorption threshold can be varied by changing the width of the QW and/or by changing its material composition. This flexibility can be further increased by employing strain-compensation techniques. This way, longer wavelengths for absorption can be achieved than what is possible with lattice-matched bulk material, allowing optimization of the bandgap. For TPV applications, the same concept of strain compensation can be applied to extend the absorption to longer wavelengths. This is important for relatively low temperature sources combined with appropriate selective emitters, for example based on holmia or thulia. Several studies indicate that QWCs have a better temperature dependence of efficiency than bulk cells.

ConclusionThe relaxation dynamics of photo-excited electrons in semiconductor QDs can be greatly modified as compared to the bulk form of the semiconductor. Specifically, the cooling dynamics of highly energetic (hot) electrons created by absorption of supra-bandgap photons can be slowed by at least one order of magnitude (4–7 ps [physical slot] versus 400–700 fs [sampling frequency]). This slowed cooling is caused by a so called ‘phonon bottleneck’ when the energy spacing between quantized levels in the quantum dot is greater than the LO-phonon (longitudinal optical–phonon) energy, thus inhibiting hot electron relaxation (cooling) by electron–phonon interactions. In order to produce the slowed hot electron cooling via the phonon bottleneck, it is necessary to block an Auger process that could bypass the phonon bottleneck

and allow fast electron cooling. The Auger cooling is blocked by rapidly removing the photogenerated hole before it undergoes Auger scattering with the photogenerated electron, or by injecting electrons into the LUMO level (conduction band) of the QD from an external electron donating chemical species and then, exciting these electrons with an infrared pulse. Slowed electron cooling in QDs offers the potential of using QDs in solar cells to enhance their conversion efficiency. Slowed cooling in QDs could lead to their use in solar cell configurations, wherein II (the formation of two or more electron–hole pairs per absorbed photon) or hot electron separation, transport, and transfer can become significant, thus producing enhanced photocurrents or photovoltages and corresponding enhanced conversion efficiencies with thermodynamics limits of 66% (one sun).

The primary advantage of incorporating QWs in PV cells is the flexibility offered by bandgap engineering by varying QW width and composition. The use of strain compensation further increases this flexibility by extending the range of materials and compositions that can be employed to achieve absorption thresholds at lattice constants that do not exist in bulk material. In a tandem or multi-junction configuration, QWCs allow current matching and optimizing the bandgaps for higher efficiencies. Light-trapping schemes are an important technique to boost the quantum efficiency in the QWs. DBRs (distributed Bragg reflectors) are particularly suited for QWCs in multi-junction devices, allowing light transmission to the lower bandgap junctions underneath.

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Arpee Ispat Pvt. Ltd is situated at Village Sondra, Siltara (Phase II), is a manufacturer of cast iron castings. It used to burn

huge amounts of coal to dry the casting molds. However, this not only wasted a lot of energy, but also caused a lot of pollution. On the advice of CREDA (Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency), it decided to adopt the clean energy process and install a biomass gasifier.

In October 2008, the company installed a biomass gasifier of 300 kW thermal power capacity. The gasifier has been manufactured by S R Biofuels, Raipur. Wood chips are fed into the gasifier. The producer gas is then burnt in the present mold heater. This has considerably enhanced the efficiency of the process of mold heating. It has not

INSTALLATION OF

biomass gasifier IN VILLAGE SONDRA, SILTARA, RAIPUR, BY ARPEE ISPAT PVT. LTD

only reduced fossil fuel consumption, but has also prevented pollution. A reduction of 4–5 hours has been observed in the mold-drying process. In addition, the company also saves more than 3 tonnes of coal use every day.

Encouraged by the success of this project, the company installed another SR Gasifier of 300kW (thermal) capacity in May 2009. The company now saves more than 6 tonnes of coal every day, that is, more than 2000 tonnes per year. This effort of R P Ispat Pvt. Ltd and CREDA is also avoiding the emission of more than 4000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and 900 kg of sulphur dioxide every year. This is their major contribution towards the environment and energy conservation.

Courtesy: CREDA

green initiative


It is now widely accepted that renewable sources of energy help achieve socioeconomic development, while ensuring environmental protection. In this

regard, the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) has recently launched a scheme to utilize different renewable energy devices like solar photovoltaic power system, solar thermal system, and energy-efficient devices at places of national and international importance for India. The main aims are to publicize renewable energy technologies and systems and to disseminate information about them.

The Raj Bhavans of India are also part of this scheme. And the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata has become the country’s first Raj Bhavan to launch a solar power project for supplying energy to the building. On 8 December 2009, Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pratibha Devisingh Patil, launched the project by switching on 12 solar

RAJ BHAVAN KOLKATA

goes green

energy-operated LED (Light Emitting Diodes) fixtures in the Bhavan.

Green initiativesThe Raj Bhavan in Kolkata has, in recent years, taken several initiatives to make it a ‘green’ and energy-efficient building. In 2008, an audit of its energy consumption was carried out to initiate corrective steps and necessary developmental measures. Accordingly, several changes have been made. This includes reduction in electricity and fuel consumptions; reduction in maintenance expenditure; recycling of papers; setting up of rainwater harvesting projects; introduction of herbal garden; conservation of biodiversity through plantation of saplings of tree species that once existed; and so on.

The solar projectThe latest step in this regard is the Rs 1 crore project that envisages building a 50 KW grid-interactive solar

photovotaic power station in the Raj Bhavan, along with a 2000 litre solar water heating system. Use of LED lights is also part of the project. The grid-interactive solar power plant would export power to the focal power grid and remain live in the absence of grid power. It will cater to 30% of the energy needs of the Raj Bhavan. The expected annual energy output of the power station would be 60 000 kWh (kilowatt hour). This initiative will not only reduce the electricity consumption, but will also lead to significant reduction in carbon dioxide emission due to the reduced consumption of coal. ‘Once the project is complete, the Raj Bahvan can save on an average Rs 5 lakh annually on electricity bills. Also, coal consumption will be reduced by 600 kg a day,’ said S P Gon Chaudhuri, Managing Director, West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation.

The proposed renewable energy activities in Raj Bhavan are expected to be completed by March 2010 and work in this respect has already been started. The initial phase to illuminate the front pillars of the Bhavan has been completed. The entire project has been approved and funded by the MNRE and the scheme is being executed by the West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Ltd.

During the inauguration ceremony, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, said that his ministry has set aside Rs 1 crore for each of the Raj Bhavans in the country to implement similar solar projects. He thanked Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi for pioneering the Raj Bhavan scheme. He said that there are plans to include heritage sites like the Victoria Memorial and the old temples located in various parts of the country in a bid to popularize renewable energy. And the Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, has paved the way for such initiatives in the country.

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The MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) recently organized the India–Iceland

Workshop on Renewable Energy, with focus on development and utilization of geothermal energy and small hydro power. The workshop discussed issues related to cooperation between India and Iceland for the development of geothermal sector in India by assessing the geothermal resources and its utilization for power generation and thermal applications. It also deliberated on cooperation in the area of small hydro power sector. About 100 delegates from India and Iceland participated in the workshop.

The chief guest at the inaugural session of the workshop was Dr Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland. Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy; Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs; and Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and Chairman of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), also participated in the workshop.

India–Iceland Workshop on Renewable Energy

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, addressing the Indo-Iceland Workshop on Renewable Energy in New Delhi on 15 January 2010. Dr Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland; Preneet Kaur, Minister of State of External Affairs, India; and Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General, TERI, are also seen.

Dr Farooq Abdullah said that bilateral cooperation with Iceland is essential to make progress in the area of geothermal energy development. He listed out areas likely for cooperation between the two countries including technology transfer on deep drilling, reservoir assessment, and setting up of geothermal demonstration power plants.

‘Iceland being well-recognized by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) to provide training in geothermal energy development should consider training a group of Indian engineers and scientists on all the aspects of geothermal energy utilization’, said Dr Abdullah.

Third World Future Energy Summit at Abu DhabiDr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, participated in the discussions at the Energy Minister’s Round Table during the plenary session of the Third World Future Energy Summit at Abu Dhabi, UAE (United Arab Emirates). In his remarks, he highlighted India’s energy strategy aiming at efficiency and security, and the achievement of an optimum, environment-friendly mix of primary resources for energy generation.

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Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, addressing the GRIHA National Conference in New Delhi on 04 January 2010.

‘We are working for the development of renewable energy sources using the latest technological developments for around three decades now to meet our energy requirements from these energy sources as much as possible. Compared to many other countries our progress is good. Millions of decentralized energy systems, solar lighting systems,

irrigation pumps, aero-generators, biogas plants, solar cookers, biomass gasifiers, and improved cook stoves are now being used in the country. India today stands among the top five countries in terms of renewable energy capacity, with an installed base of over 15 gigawatt, which is around 10% of India’s total power generation capacity, and contributes over 3% in

the electricity mix…India is open to any research collaboration to achieve this objective with any of you. Our talented pool of manpower, our diversity of climate, our tradition of pursuit of wisdom and our firm commitment to achieve a sustainable energy future would make any collaboration fruitful. We extend our hands of cooperation to all of you.’

The first national conference on GRIHA

Recognizing the importance of green buildings, GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) Secretariat, with the help of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) organized the first GRIHA National Conference. Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy was the chief guest for the event. Other dignitaries present on the occasion were Deepak Gupta, Secretary, MNRE; Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General, TERI; and Siva Kishan, Chief Executive Officer, GRIHA

Secretariat. The one-day conference on GRIHA and Green Buildings included an exhibition of Green Building Materials and Technologies.

Inaugurating the event in New Delhi, Dr Abdullah said that the new buildings should be functional, aesthetically beautiful, as well as energy efficient. Emphasizing the need to consider regional conditions while planning, the minister said that it is time to work towards a world free of fossil fuels. He said, ‘Either we wake up now or sleep forever.’ While giving his special remarks, Deepak Gupta said,

‘The ministry has incentivized GRIHA to promote large-scale design and construction of green buildings that include re-imbursement of registration fee, cash awards, and so on. The Government of India now proposes that all its new buildings must be GRIHA 4 Star compliant, subject to site conditions. We now have to go beyond buildings and develop green habitats, so that all new urban complexes or cities adhere to these principles. The ministry, along with TERI and other stakeholder institutions, are preparing a comprehensive capacity building programme.’

Explaining the importance of green buildings, Dr R K Pachauri said, ‘There is a building boom in India that is only going accelerate and we need to build in a way that does not get locked in inefficiency. To bring about a major change, ratings based on solid scientific principles, architectural techniques, and methods that stood the test of times are essential. TERI has been at the forefront of this and is fortunate to get MNRE’s support and encouragement in this process. GRIHA is suited to Indian conditions than any other overseas ratings.’

ADaRSH, a platform to facilitate a pan-India, ongoing interaction and networking between building professionals, developers, and

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government officials was formally launched. In addition, to make green building a household name, computer games for school children on green buildings were inaugurated during the conference.

More than 300 participants – architects, engineers, developers, government officials from Central

Public Works Department, National Building Construction Corporation, National Thermal Power Corporation, and the likes – attended the conference. The conference sought inputs of leading design professionals and industry people in developing GRIHA guidelines for the entire range of development activities and to

frame guidelines for existing buildings and large agglomerations like special economic zones and townships, as GRIHA currently provides guidelines only for new buildings. The conference will now be annual affair to provide a platform for exchange of ideas and thoughts for various stakeholders in this industry.

Tenth DSDS

The message of the three-day 10th DSDS (Delhi Sustainable Development Summit) , held

under the aegis of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute), sent out a clear message to the global community—while the impacts may vary, the nations need to come together as a part of the global community to combat the effects of climate change.

Themed ‘Beyond Copenhagen: new pathways to sustainable development’, the DSDS 2010 saw the participation

of more than 300 delegates—key stakeholders from various parts of the world comprising the Heads of State, ministers, representatives from multilateral and bilateral development organizations, governments, corporate sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, and research institutions.

Providing a platform for 34 leading exhibitors to showcase their cutting-edge climate change technologies and projects to a global market, TERI

organized the third International Climate Change Exhibition on the sidelines of DSDS 2010. Inaugurating the exhibition, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, hailed it as an excellent platform for companies to showcase their new environment-friendly technologies that facilitate low carbon growth, and for the public to become aware of such technologies that can contribute towards effective adaptation to climate risks.

Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, and other dignitaries at the inauguration of the DSDS 2010



On 25 February 2010, the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) and UPNEDA (Uttar

Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Authority) jointly organized a one-day Workshop on Energy-efficient Solar/Green Buildings with various stakeholders at Hotel Radisson, Noida. The workshop was attended by policy-makers and heads/senior officials of various interested sectors like architects, builders, banks, government, and so on. The participants deliberated on the development of energy-efficient solar/green buildings in different types of residential and

non-residential dwellings. The workshop helped to enable stakeholders to utilize these concepts in the existing and proposed buildings. Representatives from TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and user organizations, along with senior architects, shared their views on energy-efficient green buildings. While various manufacturers gave presentations on solar water heating systems, technology providers spoke about kitchen waste treatment plants. In addition, there was a presentation on solar hybrid technology for green buildings.

The event was attended by Dr A K Tripathi, Director, MNRE; Siva Kishan, CEO (Chief Executive Officer), GRIHA Secretariat, TERI; Prof. K C Chari of Birla Institute of Management and Technology; Vidhur Bhardwaj, senior architect and Director of 3C Company; Anurag Bajpai of Green Tree Building Energy Pvt. Ltd; Yashwant Thakur, Technical Director, Suryakiran Technologies Inc.; Amit Kumar of TATA BP Solar; Ajay Aggarwal of Mailhem Enterprises; and Atul Saxena, CEO, Growdiesel. The workshop concluded with an interaction with participants.

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Indo-Australian Solar Energy Workshop at Amity University Campus, Noida

Amity Institute of Renewable and Alternative Energy, Amity University, organized a two-

day Indo-Australian Solar Energy Workshop beginning 9 February 2010 at the university’s campus in Noida. Supported by Department of Science and Technology, Delhi, the workshop witnessed speakers and delegates from the IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) of Chennai, Kanpur, Guwahati, Delhi and Roorkee. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr Lachan Strahan, Acting High Commissioner, Australia.

In his inaugural address, Dr Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President of Amity Universe, promised that the projects developed out of the discussions and deliberations during the two-day workshop would be commercially utilized. Dr Chauhan

formally announced the launch of the Amity Indo-Australian Commerce Science and Technology Foundation. The foundation will work in the areas of commerce, science, and technology and thereby, attempt to bring credit to both the countries.

Dr Strahan said, ‘The challenge before us, as a planet and as a race, is to find a living which is in harmony with the planet. I agree that IT has opened up wonderful new ways of communication but there is no substitute for coming together and meeting each other face to face. It has been two months that the Copenhagen conference took place where the world community grappled with the challenge of climate change. We all acknowledge that it was a difficult conference and agreement to so many issues was not reached.’

Talking about the solution to the problem, Dr Strahan added, ‘We also know that technology must be a part of the solution to climate change; we must find ways of developing cleaner sources of energy. Solar energy must be a part of that solution. The two governments – Indian and Australian – have recognized the fundamental importance of solar energy. India has its own solar energy mission; it has sets its ambitious targets for solar power generation. The Australian government has set its own renewable energy targets of 20% by 2020. This conference will strengthen the expanding relationship between India and Australia.’ Most of the speakers pointed out one common and important fact that India and Australia are blessed with abundant solar

Workshop on energy-efficient solar/green buildings


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energy, which should be utilized to the fullest extent.

Dr C K Prahlada, Chief Controller, DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization), said, ‘Both the countries have abundant sun to play with. Normally, the DRDO deals with missiles, aircrafts, torpedoes, and so on. But off late, we have started looking at solar energy for various reasons. For example, we do develop unmanned air vehicles but now we are talking about solar-powered unmanned air vehicles which can keep roaring for days and days. The need of the hour is low-cost, low-weight solar batteries made of plastic or polymer. The DRDO is encouraging institutes and students to carry on research in this area, and in the next 10 years, a lot of opportunities exist for this in the solar energy sector.’

Dr V K Jain, Director, Amity Institute of Renewable and Alternative Energy, and Chairman of the workshop, said,

‘India is blessed with 300 sunny days in a year, which means over 5000 trillion kilowatts of solar energy in a year. But the cost of solar energy needs to be reduced to make it a viable source of energy’.

While addressing the distinguished gathering during the valediction of the workshop, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, said, ‘We will give some grants to the institutes to undertake fundamental research in this area. Mutual cooperation is very important between nations. I am disappointed from the Copenhagen Summit; it did not come up to my expectations. We need easy technology transfer between countries. We should talk less and have easy access to scientists and ideas of other countries. I will request Dr Chauhan to send your students from the Renewable Energy Institute to the R-Park in Gurgaon

which is run by the Ministry [Ministry of New and Renewable Energy], you will see there what research has been done by the Government of India itself. Amity University should promote the use of solar energy in its hostels and all its institutions. We need people, engineers…human resources in this area and Amity will provide us the same.’ Dr Chauhan promised the Dr Abdullah to establish an Amity campus in Jammu and Kashmir, so that the students there can access the best of education.

The topics discussed during the workshop included ‘Silicon Solar Cells/New Technologies’, ‘High Efficiency Flexible Solar Cells’, ‘Dye Sensitized Solar Cells’, ‘Solar Thermal Systems’, and ‘Phase Change Thermal Storage for Solar Application’. The workshop had a very good representation from educational institutions, research laboratories/institutions, industries, and ministries.

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, India, speaking at the Indo-Australian Solar Energy Workshop, organized by Amity University, Noida.

FEBRUARY 2010

children’s corner

Send in your answers to the following address. The first three correct entries will be published in the next issue of Akshay Urja.

The Editor, Akshay Urja Room No. 1009A, 10th Floor, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex

Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003 E-mail [email protected] or [email protected]

Unscramble the 12 word puzzles, one letter to each square, to make words that will help you to find the answer.

India recently launched……………

UNS _____ _____

OHRDY _____ _____ _____ _____

ACENL _____ _____ _____

HATELRM _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

WEELNRAEB _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

EMNEATH _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

IINAD _____ _____ _____ _____

AEFS _____ _____ _____

SREEU _____ _____ _____ _____

DNWI _____ _____ _____

AONCBR _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

YNEEGR: _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Answer here: a National

Green scramble


book review

Energy-Efficient Buildings in India and Sustainable Building: Design Manual

(Vol. 1 and 2) are two novel publications related to green/sustainable buildings in India. Published by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute), these publications bring to fore the various aspects of sustainable building in India. While Energy-Efficient Buildings in India has been developed under the aegis of TERI and the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), Sustainable Building: Design Manual is part of a project involving Institut Català d’Energia, Spain; INSTITUT CERDÀ, Spain; London Borough of Merton, United Kingdom; Sustainable Energy Action/Renewable Energy in the Urban Environment, United Kingdom; Haryana State Energy Development Agency, India; and TERI.

Let us first review Energy-Efficient Buildings in India. Covering 41 projects from India’s various climatic zones, this book provides thorough insights into the context, techniques, and benefits of energy-efficient buildings. The projects highlight design responses to varied climatic conditions, appropriate materials and construction methods, implementation of energy-efficient systems, and effective utilization of renewable energy to reduce pressure on grid power. Edited by Mili Majumdar, Associate Director-SBS, GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment), the book is the result of a comprehensive survey of

ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGS IN INDIA and SUSTAINABLE BUILDING: DESIGN MANUAL

several energy-efficient buildings. This book will inspire and benefit architects, designers, urban planners, engineers, municipal authorities, policy-makers, students, and concerned citizens to build for a better tomorrow. The book serves as a handy reference document and a guide to correct our building concepts and practices.

Sustainable Building: Design Manual is available in two volumes. Its first volume – titled Policy and Regulatory Mechanisms – proposes an approach based on policy strands, to be applied in tandem, with good practices and regulatory controls that can be easily implemented in Gurgaon. It provides a set of international real-time case studies, with experiences of local authorities; issues, gaps, and barriers to policy implementation; market mechanisms to drive sustainable development; self-reinforcing policy tools, pricing policy packages, energy services, and so on; and recommendations for amendments in the by-laws of Gurgaon. Volume two – titled Sustainable Building Design Practices – targets practitioners and focuses on an integrated approach to sustainable building design processes. It serves as the technical base for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals through appropriate strategies. Its focal points include sustainable site planning; water and waste management; solar passive building design; building materials and technologies; embodied energy

and lifecycle analysis, and sustainably managed alternatives; efficient energy systems; and sustainable design checklist.

The two publications, therefore, cater to the needs of architects, builders, planners, and all key stakeholders involved in the process of designing, planning, and constructing buildings. The books aim to demonstrate the available knowledge and technologies to contribute to the design of better, more efficient, and more sustainable buildings.

Reviewed by Suparna Mukherji, TERI Press

ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGS IN INDIAEdited by Mili Majumdar 2002New Delhi: TERI and MNRE ● 252 pp.ISBN: 81-85419-82-5 ● Price: Rs 860

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING: DESIGN MANUAL (Vol. 1)New Delhi: TERI ● 145 pp.ISBN: 81-7993-052-1 ● Price: Rs 501

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING: DESIGN MANUAL (Vol. 2)New Delhi: TERI ● 301 pp.ISBN: 81-7993-053-X ● Price: Rs 501

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book / web alert

The solar electricity handbook 2009: a simple, practical guide to using electric solar panels and designing and installing photovoltaic solar pv systems

Michael Boxwell.2009UK: Code Green Publishing

Solar electricity is a wonderful concept—take free power from the Sun and use it to power electrical equipment. No ongoing electricity bills, no reliance on an electrical socket—‘free’ energy that does not harm the planet. The Solar Electricity Handbook is a practical and straightforward guide to using electric solar panels. Assuming no previous knowledge of solar panels, the book explains how solar panels work, how they can be used, and the steps you need to take to successfully design and install a solar electric system from scratch using photovoltaic solar panels. Accompanying this book is a solar resource website containing lots of useful information, lists of suppliers, and on-line solar energy calculators that will simplify the cost analysis and design processes. The book is suitable for enthusiastic novices and professionals. Clear examples, diagrams, and example projects are given to demonstrate the true capabilities of these systems. It is one of the most comprehensive books on solar electric systems available today.

ISBN: 978-1-907-21501-8 • Price: $13.49

Power Trip: from oil wells to solar cells—our ride to the renewable future

Amanda Little.2009New York, US: HarperLuxe

In the tradition of Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Thomas L Friedmam’s Hot, Flat, and Crowded, prominent journalist Amanda Little maps out the history and future of America’s energy addiction in a wonk-free, big-picture, solutions-oriented adventure story. The author embarks on a daring cross-country power trip and describes, in vivid, fast-paced prose, the most extreme and exciting frontiers of America’s energy landscape. At her side, we visit an offshore oil rig, the cornfields of Kansas, the Pentagon’s fuel-logistics division, the Talladega Superspeedway, New York City’s electrical grid, and laboratories creating the innovations of a clean-energy future. Little illustrates how abundant oil and coal built the American superpower, even as they posed political and environmental dangers to the nation and the world. More importantly, we learn how the same American ingenuity that got us into this mess can get us out of it. With next-generation candor and optimism, Little explores the most promising clean-energy solutions on the horizon, arguing that everything we know about our past teaches us that we can solve the problems of our future. Hard-hitting yet forward-thinking, Power Trip is a lively and impassioned travel guide for all readers trying to navigate our shifting landscape and a clear-eyed manifesto for the younger generations who are inheriting the Earth.

ISBN: 978-0-061-88514-3 • Price: $25.99

Internet resources

SOLAR WEBSITESSolarwebsites.com contains a veritable gold mine of information on the subject of solar energy and is packed with every kind of solar power website that you can imagine. Whether you are looking for a solar power system for you home, cabin, or boat, or you are seeking information on telemetry systems, water pumping, solar refrigeration, or anything to do with solar energy, this is the right place. It covers solar power for homes and businesses; solar panels for RVs, boats, and cabins; solar energy for military and industrial applications; solar energy information for students, engineers, architects, and hobbyists; solar power for villages; solar water pumping, lighting, computers, and appliances; and so on. Have all your questions concerning solar power answered on this website. You will learn everything from how to make your own solar panel to what is involved in building your own multi-megawatt-sized solar energy farm. Learn which technologies are ready for prime time and which technologies are just lab curiosities. Learn how to size, choose, finance, and get the best deal on a solar system. Learn the secrets that some solar dealers would rather you did not know. Simply put, find everything there is to know about solar right here on this website.

India SolarAs the name suggests, Indiasolar.com provides all the information on the solar power sector in India. It aims to encourage and motivate, educate and create awareness, instill respect and appreciation for renewable sources of energy and the environment as a whole in the minds of the people of India. It also hopes to promote, spread, and increase investment, business, and entrepreneurship in renewables in India. It not only gives a general overview of the renewable sources of energy in India, but also provides information on the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the nodal agencies of India. It covers solar photovoltaics, solar water heating, Solar Cookers, and so on. It is loaded with the lists of manufacturers, suppliers, and inputs. Along with these, it features a survey on solar water heater users in India and the test centres. It also contains links to websites and events, and market and business opportunities.

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forthcoming events

2nd PV Summit Asia 15–16 April 2010 Beijing, China Tel: 86 21 624788 98 Fax: 86 21 624788 38 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.merisis-asia.com/pv2010

SolarTech’ Leadership Summit 21–22 April 2010 San Ramon, California, USA Tel: 1 408 844 7122 Fax: 1 408 844 9470 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.calsolarsummit.org

Thin-Film Industry Forum 22–23 April 2010 Berlin, Germany Tel: 49 30 726 2963 00 Fax: 49 30 726 2963 09 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.solarpraxis.de

PHOTON’s 8th Solar Silicon Conference 27 April 2010 Stuttgart, Germany Tel: 49 241 4003-102 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.photon-expo.com

5th European PV-Hybrid & Mini-Grid Conference 29–30 April 2010 Barcelona, Spain E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.otti.de

Photovoltaics Summit 2010 3–5 May 2010 San Diego, California, USA Tel: 1 207 781 9635 E Mail: christopher.smith@pira- international.com URL: www.photovoltaicssummit.com

SNEC PV Power Expo 2010 5–7 May 2010 Shanghai, China Tel: 86 159 21921158 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.snec.org.cn

Power Gen India and Central Asia21–23 April 2010 Bombay Exhibition Centre Goregaon, Mumbai URL: www.power-genindia.com

Empower India 201025–27 June 2010 Chennai Trade Centre URL: www.empower-india.com

Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference27–29 October 2010 Expo Centre - Expo XXI, National Capital Region of Delhi URL: www.direc2010.gov.in

International Green Energy Expo Korea 2010 7–9 April 2010 Daegu, South Korea Tel: 82 53 6015 082 Fax: 82 53 6015 372 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.energyexpo.co.kr

International Conference on Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems 7–9 April 2010 Freiburg, Germany Tel: 49 0761 4791448 Fax: 49 0761 4791444 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.cpv-conference.org

ENERSOL Expo 2010 7–10 April 2010 Tunis, Tunisia Tel: 216 71 79 0830 Fax: 216 71 79 4200 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.exposervicestunisie.com/ enersol

6th International Congress & Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources 14–16 April 2010 Sofia, Bulgaria Tel: 359 32 9 45459 Fax: 359 32 9 60012 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.viaexpo.com

Solarexpo and Greenbuilding 2010 5–7 May 2010 Verona, Italy Tel: 39 0439 849855 Fax: 39 0439 849854 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.solarexpo.com

Solar Maghreb 11–12 May 2010 Algiers, Algeria Tel: 44 207 099 0600 Fax: 44 207 900 1853 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.greenpowerconferences.com

Solar 2010 17–22 May 2010 Phoenix, United States Tel: 1 303 443 3130 Fax: 1 303 443 3212 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.ases.org

2010 International Renewable Energy Fair 18–20 May 2010 Poznan, Poland Tel: 48 618692-552 Fax: 48 618692-952 E Mail: [email protected] URL: greenpower.mtp.pl/en

Semicon Singapore 201019–21 May 2010 Singapore Tel: 1 408 94379-87 Fax: 1 408 94379-15 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.semiconsingapore.org

PV America 24–26 May 2010 Tampa, Florida, United States Tel: 1 202 628 7745 Fax: 1 202 628 7779 E Mail: [email protected] URL: https://events.jspargo.com

4th Renexpo Central Europe 2009 27–29 May 2010 Budapest, Hungary Tel: 49/7121/3016-0 Fax: 49/7121/3016-200 E Mail: [email protected] URL: www.renexpo-budapest.com


renewable energy statistics

Renewable energy at a glance in India

MW – megawatt; kW – kilowatt; MWp – megawatt peak; m2 – square metre; km2 – kilometre square

Achievement as on S.No. Source/system Estimated potential 31 March 2010

I Power from renewables

A Grid-interactive renewable power (MW) (MW)

1 Wind power 45 195 11807.002 Bio power (agro residues and plantations) 16 881 861.003 Bagasse cogeneration 5 000 1338.304 Small hydro power (up to 25 MW) 15 000 2735.425 Energy recovery from waste (MW) 2 700 65.006 Solar photovoltaic power — 10.28 Sub total (A) 84 776 16817.00

B Captive/combined heat and power/distributed renewable power (MW)

7 Biomass/cogeneration (non-bagasse) — 232.178 Biomass gasifier — 122.149 Energy recovery from waste — 46.7210 Aero generator/hybrid systems 0.99 Sub total (B) — 402.02 Total (A+B) — 17219.02

II Remote village electrification — 5554 villages/hamlets

III Decentralized energy systems

11 Family-type biogas plants 120 lakh 41.85 lakh12 Solar photovoltaic systems 50 MW/km2 120 MWp i. Solar street lighting system — 88 297 nos ii. Home lighting system — 550 743 nos iii. Solar lantern — 792 285 nos iv. Solar power plants — 2.39 MWp

v. Solar photovoltaic pumps 7247 nos13 Solar thermal systems i. Solar water heating systems 140 million m2 3.25 million m2

collector area collector area ii. Solar cookers 6.72 lakh14 Wind pumps 1347 nos

IV Awareness programmes

15 Energy parks — 511 nos16 Aditya Solar Shops — 302 nos17 Renewable energy clubs — 521 nos18 District Advisory Committees — 560 nos

For further information and updates, visit the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy website

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JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL SOLAR MISSIONTowards building solar IndiaThe JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission) is a major initiative of the Government of India and the state governments to promote ecologically sustainable growth, while addressing India’s energy security challenge. It will also constitute a major contribution by India to the global effort to meet the challenges of climate change.

The Mission phases• Phase1:theremainingperiodoftheEleventhFive-yearPlanandthefirst

yearoftheTwelfthFive-yearPlan(2012/13)• Phase2:theremainingperiodoftheTwelfthFive-yearPlan(2013–17)• Phase3:theThirteenthFive-yearPlan(2017–22)

The Mission targets• Tocreateanenablingpolicy framework for thedeploymentof20000

MWofsolarpowerby2022.• Torampupcapacityofgrid-connectedsolarpowergenerationto1000

MWby2013;anadditional3000MWby2017throughthemandatoryuseoftheRPO(renewablepurchaseobligation)byutilitiesbackedwithapreferentialtariff.Thiscapacitycanbemorethandoubled–reaching10000MWinstalledpowerby2017ormore–basedontheenhancedandenabledinternationalfinanceandtechnologytransfer.

• To create favourable conditions for solar manufacturing capability,particularly solar thermal, for indigenous production and marketleadership.

• Topromoteprogrammesforoff-gridapplications,reaching1000MWby2017and2000MWby2022.

• Toachieve15millionsqmsolarthermalcollectorareaby2017and20millionby2022.

• Todeploy20millionsolarlightingsystemsforruralareasby2022.

Application segment Target for Phase I Target for Phase II Target for Phase III (2010–13) (2013–17) (2017–22)

Solar collectors 7 million sq m 15 million sq m 20 million sq m

Off-grid solar applications 200 MW 1000 MW 2000 MW

Utility grid power, including rooftop 1000–2000 MW 4000–10 000 MW 20 000 MW

RNI No. DELENG/2007/22701

Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference 201027–29 October 2010 • Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida (National Capital Region of Delhi, India)

Upscaling and Mainstreaming Renewable Energy for Energy Security, Climate Change and Economic Development

India is hosting the next International Renewable Energy

Conference (DIREC, 2010) during October 27–29, 2010 at

New Delhi. The Conference in Delhi is a part of initiative taken

atthe 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in

Johannesburg acknowledging the significance of renewable

energies for sustainable development – especially for

combating poverty and for environmental and climate

protection.

The Delhi Conference is the fourth in the series, following

events at Washington in 2008, Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in

2004 and is expected to be the premier all-Renewables

gathering in India ever, with an attendance of over 9,000

delegates, over 250 industry leading speakers, experts,

academicians, Government leaders, financial institutions

and around 500 exhibitors from all over the world, which will

make it the largest event of its kind.

DIREC 2010 aims to showcase India as an investment

destination for renewable energy; to provide a platform

for technology displays, new applications and innovations;

to display global research & development with respect to

climate change and green environment; to demonstrate

the sectoral strength of the global renewable energy

industry; and to facilitate: (i) buyers and sellers matching

(ii) one to one meetings for setting up of joint ventures in the

Renewable Energy Sector and (iii) to provide an opportunity

to Indian Renewables Manufacturers to benchmark their

products against the best in the world and enhance their

competitiveness. The Conference will ultimately lead to

renewed commitment, with concrete proposals in support of

activities at the country level.

The DIREC 2010 will build on the success of the previous

conferences with the support of National and International

Sponsors. REN21 — the Renewable Energy Network — will be

a key partner in the DIREC, 2010. Cabinet-level government

functionaries from a number of countries will join civil society

partners and private sector leaders to discuss the opportunities

and challenges of a global, rapid deployment of renewable

energy. The conference will bring together ministers, highlevel

decision makers and policy level thinkers from a number of

participating countries. DIREC, 2010 offers industry leaders

the ability to share their insights, strategies, technologies, new

products and staff capabilities with their audiences.

For further details, visit

www.d i rec2010.gov . in

Organized by Supported by Managed by

Ministry of New and Renewable EnergyGovernment of India

Exhibitions India Group

promoting renewable energy - biomasspower.gov.in · indian railways institute of electrical...

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