Govt offers rebate for off-campus solar panels
For hotels and industries that have been violating the solar norms claiming installation of rooftop solar power systems is next to impossible in already-built buildings, the state government has come up with an alternative. These industries can now take on lease inexpensive land anywhere in the state and install ground-mounted solar power systems. And the power generated will be supplied to the power grid of the discom. Officials of the renewable energy department said on Tuesday the option is available only to commercial customers for now. “A hotel chain in Gurgaon has already set up a ground-mounted solar power system in a rural area. The power generated will be supplied to the grid directly,” Ankur Gupta, additional chief secretary of the department, told TOI. The discom will calculate the price for the power supplied to the grid vis-a-vis the consumption by the hotel, if it opts for net metering. Gupta said the department is also in talks with Faridabad Industrial Association for a similar project, where a group of industries will set up solar plants in rural areas where land is inexpensive. The new solar power policy 2016 mandates every new residential building more than 500 sq yards to have a photovoltaic solar power panel. The same policy also mandates all private hospitals and nursing homes, industrial establishments, commercial establishments, malls, hotels, banquets and tourism complexes with connected load of more than 50 KW to install solar power panels. Additionally, all private educational institutes, schools, colleges, hostels and universities with a connected load of 30 KW and above will also have to install the photovoltaic solar power panels, along with all government buildings, offices, colleges and universities under the policy. But TOI had earlier reported ambiguity over the policy has affected its implementation and nullified the impact. The lack of implementation is due to the delay in drafting of compliance provisions by departments concerned (Huda, HSIIDC, urban local bodies and DTCP) specifying procedure, penal action and amount of penalty for non-compliance. Darian Thompson Jersey
Tata Power becomes India’s largest renewable company with 3,060 MW operating capacity
Integrated power company Tata Power Co Ltd today said the company has become the largest renewable energy company in India with its non-fossil operating capacity reaching 3,060 Megawatt. Tata Power said its non-fossil fuel portfolio comprises 693 MW hydro, 918 MW solar, 1,074 MW wind and 75 MW of waste gas-based generation. The company added that it the company has revised its share of non-fossil fuel based capacity up to 35-40 per cent by 2025. In FY16, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power, completed the acquisition of Welspun Renewables Energy Private Limited (WREPL) to become the largest Renewable Energy Company in India. Welspun Renewables has one of the largest operating solar portfolios in India spread across ten states. It has about 1,008 MW of Renewable Power Projects comprising of about 862 MW Solar Power Projects and about 146 MW of wind power projects. In FY16, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power, completed the acquisition of Welspun Renewables Energy Private Limited (WREPL) to become the largest Renewable Energy Company in India. WREPL has one of the largest operating solar portfolios in India spread across ten states. It has about 1,008 MW of Renewable Power Projects comprising of about 862 MW Solar Power Projects and about 146 MW of Wind Power Projects. “This is one of the many key milestones in our endeavor to generate 35-40 per cent of Tata Power’s total generation capacity from clean energy sources. This mammoth leap is well in line with our aim to enhance and increase our non-fossil fuel capacity, and maintaining our value of sustainable growth,” Anil Sardana, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tata Power, said. Tata Power together with its subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities has an installed gross generation capacity of 10496 MW and a presence in all the segments of the power sector such as fuel security and logistics, generation, transmission, distribution and trading. Cameron Meredith Womens Jersey
Giant power outage hits Amsterdam rail, roads
Amsterdam was hit by a giant power outage Tuesday, causing road and rail chaos that left scores of rush hour commuters stranded, authorities said. The power cut meant no trains to or from Amsterdam’s busy main rail station, resulting in a rush of drivers onto the road and heavy traffic. “Other parts of the country are hit by the knock-on effect,” Dutch National Rail said on its website. “The power cut has since been fixed but rail traffic is still seriously affected,” it said shortly before 10:00 am (0900 GMT). The power cut was repaired by 0800 GMT, electricity provider Liander said, but it warned “problems may still occur due to the start-up process.” It did not give a reason for the cut, but The Netherlands has been experiencing sub-zero temperatures overnight. Early Tuesday, large parts of Amsterdam and its northern neighbours Zaandam and Landsmeer were hit by the massive power cut, affecting some 360,000 households and public transport including the capital’s tram service, Liander said. Dutch road safety association ANWB warned that heavy traffic jams had formed on the A2 highway between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Dutch public newscaster NOS meanwhile showed television images of commuters resignedly waiting for the problem to be fixed at Utrecht’s central station, while long queues formed at bus stops at Amsterdam Central station. A.J. Greer Authentic Jersey
Bangladesh secures more tariff cut rate in power import from India, saves Tk 128.70 million
Bangladesh has secured a negotiated cut-down rate of tariff to import around 250 megawatts (MWs) of electricity from India, officials said. The reduction is estimated to save around Tk 128.70 million for the country in power purchase from the Power Trading Corporation (PTC) of India over the next six months. The Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) secured the electricity-tariff cut to Tk 6.14 per unit (1.0 kilowatt-hour) from the previously quoted Tk 6.26 per unit, a senior power official told the FE Sunday. “We have been able to have the electricity tariff reduced for extension of the deal as the PTC would not require any additional installment cost to supply the electricity,” he said. The proposal would be sent to the cabinet committee on government purchases this week for final nod, said the Power Division official. Meanwhile, the existing deal on electricity import through the PTC would expire on January 31, 2017. The Indian PTC had sought to sell electricity at Tk 6.26 per unit to the state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB). Bangladesh currently imports around 650MW electricity from the neighbouring country under different mechanisms, devised amid electricity crunch in the recent past. Of the imported electricity, 250 MW comes from Indian government-allocated quota at an average tariff rate of Tk 2.78 per unit. Another 250MW power comes through PTC. Bangladesh imports 100 MW of electricity from Tripura at a tariff rate of Tk 6.13 per unit. Another quantum of around 40 MW come from open market at a rate of Tk 4.46 per unit. Bangladesh had initiated import of around 250 MW of electricity through PTC since July 2013 at a tariff rate of Tk 6.30 per unit under a three-year agreement. The deal was extended for a six-month period until January 2017, with the tariff rate reduced to Tk 6.26 per unit that helped save the power-purchase costs by Tk 81.70 million for six months. Christian McCaffrey Jersey
Central sector power, a burden on Gridco
Even after repeated requests to deallocate its share of power from NTPC’s Barh Super Thermal Power Station (STPS) in Bihar, the cash-starved Grid Corporation of Odisha Limited (Gridco) is forced to buy costly power from Central sector. While the average cost of power from Central thermal power stations (Odisha’s share) is estimated at `4.38 per unit, power from Barh STPS-II will cost `6.36 per unit. Tariff of Central thermal generating power stations is fixed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). With the State’s share of 14.79 per cent from the two units of Barh-II with an installed capacity of 1320 MW (2X660MW), Gridco will draw 1105.83 million unit (with Central sector loss of 1.98 per cent) during 2017-18. The total cost of power has been estimated at `704.30 crore. The State Government has been requesting the Ministry of Power (MoP) from 2012 for de-allocation of power from NTPC stations outside Odisha including the Barh-II STPS. On August 31, 2015, the MoP notified for surrendering allocated power by different States including Odisha and sought willingness from other States to avail such surrendered power. “The proposed de-allocation in favour of Odisha is yet to take effect as no alternative buyer has offered willingness to purchase power from Barh-II. Power from NTPC plan is being thrust upon Gridco in spite of any requisition to draw power from the two units,” Gridco sources said. The State trading utility Gridco has projected the energy availability from Barh STPS-II of NTPC as per the share allocation in favour of Odisha in its annual revenue requirement (ARR) application for 2017-18 financial year. This is bound to increase the power tariff in the State as Gridco will pass on the high tariff to consumers, the sources said. Earlier, the MoP had de-allocated 155 MW from New Nabinagar STPP in Bihar last year following request from the State Government. The State’s share has been allocated to Uttar Pradesh. Gridco has projected power procurement of 7371.37 million unit at estimated cost of `3227.39 crore from Central sector thermal generating station for the ensuing financial year. Chris Doleman Authentic Jersey
Bids for 750 mw Rewa solar tender may break Rs 4 per unit barrier
Solar power tariffs are expected to fall substantially below Rs 4 per unit in the bids for 750 mw Rewa solar project anticipates Bridge to India. Tariff of Rs 4 per unit is the lowest till now for any utility scale project in India. According to the solar sector analysis firm, bids for the proposed and much delayed 750 MW solar power tender in the Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh are expected to be submitted early next week. The project is being tendered by Rewa Ultra Mega Solar (RUMS), a joint venture between Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and the Madhya Pradesh government. Developers can bid for three project units of 250 MW each in a solar park being developed by RUMS. Price bids are expected to break the Rs 4 per unit tariff barrier because the tender offers large scale and enhanced bankability because power generated will be sold to Madhya Pradesh utilities and Delhi Metro Rail on an open access basis. The projects is also expected to benefit from state government payment guarantee and deemed generation compensation for grid unavailability thus significantly improving their risk profile particularly in comparison to other state government tendered projects. “There are three unique features of this tender, which has been designed by the Madhya Pradesh government with assistance from International Finance Corporation (IFC) – inter-state open access sale of about 25% of power output to Delhi Metro Rail, a state government offtake payment guarantee and deemed generation compensation for grid unavailability. All these features are being adopted for the first time in a public solar procurement tender in India and may provide a template for future,” said Jasmeet Khurana, associate director – from Bridge to India. According to Khurana the overall risk profile for Rewa tender is amongst the best in India and similar to projects tendered by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which received the lowest-ever tariff bid in India of Rs 4.34 per unit for a 70 MW project in Rajasthan in January 2016. Since then, module prices have declined by about 28%. Bidding interest in the tender seems strong with likely participants including SoftBank, Adani, ReNew Power, Enel, Engie, AES, FRV, Essel Infra, Azure Power and Hero Future Energies amongst others said a Bridge to India statement. Looking at all these factors, Bridge to India expects tariffs to fall substantially below the Rs 4.00 per unit mark, especially as there is a 5 paise annual escalation in tariffs for 15 years and the tender provides 18 months for execution in a phased manner. The Rewa tender addresses two of the most critical risks for solar project developers in India – offtake and grid availability. If the tender results are as competitive as expected, it would provide a template for other states for solar power procurement. Buster Skrine Womens Jersey
India poised for huge growth in solar energy: Piyush Goyal
India is poised for huge growth in solar energy and it won’t stop at the 100GW solar power target to be achieved by 2022, Power Minister Piyush Goyal has said. “The 100 gigawatt target for solar should not be a constraint. India won’t stop at 100 GW,” Goyal said addressing the first India-specific session at a conference in Abu Dhabi. “With the advent of new technology in storage, we are poised for huge growth. Solar growth will support landowners to derive income and solar industry to build their business,” he said as per a statement issued today by industry body Ficci which has organised the World Future Energy Summit from January 15-18. Goyal said: “With the advent of new technology in storage, we are poised for huge growth. Solar growth will support landowners to derive income and solar industry to build their business.” The minster was of the view that India should manufacture in India for India and should assess what it would take for the country to be an end-to-end solution provider for solar energy. “We can manufacture at scale. A subsidy regime is not the best way to move forward. We need to draw up a regime where government can be an enabler for manufacturing to compete at good quality and prices,” Goyal said. He added: “We need to foster partnerships with high quality technology suppliers. We will provide large tracts of land to manufacture at scale. Indian developers should also promote Indian manufacturing.” Matt Calvert Jersey
J&K:Huge power deficit
Will there be a day when we in J&K shall have the luxury of supply of electric power without interruption round the clock and of reasonably good voltage. The answer is mystifying. State’s power deficiency and erratic supply have become proverbial. The Finance Minister in his power budget speech said that investment in various power generating projects has become like water over duck back. There is no death of mind boggling figures brought out by power authorities including the Minister in charge of power pertaining to financial investments made in major as well as minor power projects in the State. One can name at least a dozen of them in line. However, no official in the hierarchal structure of PDD is able to pronounce the time frame of these projects. The only reason given by the Power Department for a big gap between supply and consumption is that either there is pilferage on very wide scale or there is transmission problem. Singing the tune of his predecessors, Dr, Nirmal Singh, the Deputy Chief Minister and In-charge of Power Department, exuded the dream of the State having large scale water resources capable of producing 20,000 MW of hydroelectric power which would not only meet our 24×7 requirement but we would also be left with surplus to sell to other states. It is a soothing dream and there is hardly a person who is not swayed by imaginary prosperity that is going to befall our people in the State. The reality is that we have been able to harness only 3263 Mega Watt till date. This is barely one-sixth of production that we enjoy. We vainly wish that our State so rich in water resources could have the good luck of making this vast resource useful to our people. If previous regimes have not been able to make any headway in this direction, the PDP-BJP coalition, too, has not fared better. We know that this time FM presented separate power budget in the Legislative Assembly and follow up action is promised, yet the bare fact is that he, too, has not been forthcoming on the question of time frame for each project. There may be cogent reasons for not disclosing the time frame but it is this component that is dearer to ordinary consumer. Though he made mention about the plans of tapping 8917 Mega Watts in future by JKSPDC, NHPC, Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd (CVPPL), which is a joint venture between JKSPDC, NHPC and PTC, in the ratio of 49:49:2, yet he failed to specify any time-frame for the same. He simply mentioned that under State Sector 23 projects with the capacity of 3867 Mega Watts will be constructed and under Joint Venture mode, four projects with the installed capacity of 2714 Mega Watts will be constructed. Similarly, he informed the House that 2 projects with capacity of 1130 Mega Watts, one project with 850 Mega Watts and 34 small projects with installed capacity of 356 Mega Watts have been planned to be constructed. The Deputy Prime Minister, Dr, Nirmal Singh expressed hope that the day was not far away when the State would become self sufficient in power because, as he said, big and small projects for gendering units were in the process of completion. It is true that many projects are in the process the point is when would these be available for use. Indefinite delay dampens the spirit and escalates construction cost. PDD’s lethargic in regard to harnessing solar power, too, has biome a joke of the day. The Minister In-charge Power also admitted failure of the Government to tap solar power potential, which has been assessed at 111 GW by the National Institute of Solar Energy. Inability of the Government to avail benefit of available solar power was exclusively highlighted by EXCELSIOR in its edition dated December 17, 2016. Great media hype was given to Leh as having considerable potential for the use of solar energy but when the cost of generating solar power was found to be exorbitant, the plan was put in cold store. Now, according to the statement of the Minister given on the floor of the House, the State PDD is approaching the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy for support in production of solar power in the State. The hard fact is that harnessing of solar energy in our State seems to be a distant dream and that is not going to give the people any consolation. The Minister has no alternative but to impress upon the PDD that expediting power generation capacity is the only and most important activity that must be pursued and brought to its logical conclusion. Derrick Henry Authentic Jersey
Odhisa:State Govt forced to buy costly central sector power
Even after repeated request to deallocate its share of power from NTPC’s Barh Super Thermal Power Station in Bihar, the cash-starved Grid Corporation of Odisha Limited (Gridco) is forced to buy costly power from central sector. While the average cost of power from the central thermal power stations (Odisha’s share) is estimated at Rs 4.38 per unit, power from Barh STPS-II will cost Rs 6.36 per unit. Tariff of central generating power stations are fixed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). With the state’s share of 14.79 percent from the two units of Barh-II with an installed capacity of 1320 MW (2X660MW), Gridco will draw 1105.83 million unit (with central sector loss of 1.98 percent) during 2017-18. The total cost of power has been estimated at Rs 704.30 crore. The state government has been requesting the Ministry of Power (MoP) from 2012 for de-allocation of power from NTPC stations outside the Odisha including the Barh-II STPS. The MoP notified on August 31, 2015 for surrendering of the allocated power by different States including Odisha and sought willingness from other States to avail such surrendered power. “The proposed de-allocation in favour of Odisha is yet to take effect as no alternative buyer has offered willingness to purchase the power from Barh-II. Power from the NTPC plan is being thrust upon Gridio in spite of any requisition from Gridco to draw power from the two units,” sources in Gridco said. The state trading utility Gridco has projected the energy availability from Barh STPS-II of NTPC as per the share allocation in favour of Odisha in its annual revenue requirement (ARR) application for 2017-18 financial year. This is bound to increase the power tariff in the state as Gridco will pass on the high tariff to consumers, the sources said. Earlier, the Ministry of Power had de-allocated 155 MW from New Nabinagar STPP in Bihar last year following request from the State Government. The state’s share has been asllocated to Uttar Pradesh. Gridco has projected power procurement of 7371.37 million unit at estimated cost of Rs 3227.39 crore from central sector thermal generating station for the ensuing financial year.
Not enough investment in renewables: IRENA
Money invested in renewable energy is not enough to reach a climate goal of limiting global warming to 2.0 degrees Celsius, an Abu Dhabi-based green energy organisation said Sunday. Investment in renewables has increased dramatically in the last decade, but “the rate of growth is not sufficient yet to meet the climate goals”, Adnan Amin, the head of renewable energy agency IRENA said. His comments come less than a week before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, a climate sceptic who has promised to “cancel” a 196-nation deal to curb global warming. The landmark climate pact signed in December 2015 sets the goal of limiting average global warming to 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels, by cutting greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels. Countries, including the United States, have pledged to curb emissions under the deal by shifting to renewable energy sources. But a recent IRENA report said the current share of renewable energies in the global energy mix of 18 percent should double by 2030 to keep global warming under 2.0 degrees. To achieve this, “investments must be scaled up from some $305 billion in 2015, to an average of $900 billion per year between 2016 and 2030,” Amin said at the agency’s annual conference. Renewable energies have become drastically cheaper thanks to recent developments in technology, he said, allowing them to become a “preferred solution”, even despite a decline in fossil fuel prices. The IRENA report said solar panels “costs — now half of what they were in 2010 — could fall by another 60 percent over the next decade”. “Off-grid renewables provide electricity to an estimated 90 million people worldwide,” it added. Jakub Kindl Womens Jersey