Meeting solar energy needs

The fifth edition of India’s premier solar-focused technology and business event, SOLARCON India 2013 was held recently in the City.

Organised by SEMI India and supported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL), and the Government of Karnataka, the conference had “Balancing Energy Supply & Demand in the Region-The need for a complete PV eco-system from materials to power generation” as its theme.
Addressing the delegates, Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy called for large scale solar projects in India.

“Solar power has the immense capacity to bring in stability to the fluctuating electricity tariffs in India as it is cheaper than thermal and domestic coal. States have realised that solar sector is positive as most solar radiation in the worst part of India is better than the best part of Europe. Solar is a serious area to work for large scale projects in India. We can add large capacities to rooftop solar projects and I am glad that states have understood the momentum of the big future of the grid connected roof tops”, he said.

Continuing, he said, “Developing manufacturers, system integrators, entrepreneurs was the mission of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) Phase I. With initiatives and implementations in Phase II we would take India abreast of the first five countries in the world in terms of solar power production. States are taking a better lead today. For Phase II, 800 MW is the off-grid target. The thrust areas include energy access, diesel replacement, telecom towers, new innovative product, cooling, cold storage, water purification, space heating and water pumping.”

Speaking on the plans for off grid projects, he said, “JNNSM – II envisages development of cumulative capacity of 1,000MW for off-grid solar power and target of 15 million sq mt collector area. The targets include improved energy access in remote areas, heating or cooling applications that would encourage employment generation opportunities, replacement of diesel and kerosene: Telecom Towers, solar cities and solar cookers and steam generating systems”.

Concurring with this, Magsaysay Award winner and MD, SELCO India Harish Hande was of the opinion that “off grid is the market for India. Innovation, resilience, guts to fight the challenges are the key takeaways for the solar industry leaders. Social engineering will alone make this industry succeed.  Solar power industry can apply the insights taken from the business models existing in other industry sectors”.

Prof Pradeep Haldar, professor at the State University of New York (College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering) and CTO of the US Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium added, “Innovation and entrepreneurship are to be encouraged at social level. Solar industry needs to innovate and create market opportunities to survive with the impending challenges. Government support is highly critical. Supply chain across the solar industry segment needs to be kept intact.”

K Subramanya, chairperson, SEMI India PV Advisory Committee also agreed: “Standardisation of the solar products is necessary. Bankers need to be involved to increase budgetary support. Technology up gradation is essential. Respectability for the sector needs to be attained. As investors are looking for uncertainty, solar lobbying is required to be made,” he urged.

SOLARCON India, now in its fifth year, is the event of choice for the solar industry in India. It brings together the entire supply chain with a focus on PV manufacturing and technology and attracts equipment and materials suppliers; cell and module manufacturers; balance of systems suppliers (inverters, batteries, tracking and mounting systems, intergrators); project developers; academia and researchers; utility-scale developers and government agencies.

For more information, visit:  www.solarconindia.org