|
27th June 2011
Hello everyone,
Welcome to another edition of the EAI newsletter.
Some of the policymakers and regulatory agencies are contemplating about making changes in the existing renewable energy guidelines/policies, which is expected to have a significant influence on the growth of the renewable energy industry in India.
First of all, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is planning to make changes in the guidelines for the selection of solar projects under the next phase of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). Towards that, MNRE is inviting stakeholders to provide their suggestions for drafting the new selection guidelines. More details are available here.
On the other hand, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) is proposing changes to the Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) trading price range. The proposed reduction in the prices ranges from 7% to 11% in case of non-Solar REC and about 19% in the case of Solar REC. In this case, the CERC is inviting suggestions/feedback on these proposed changes. The details can be found here.
As mentioned earlier, these changes are significant and it is to the credit of MNRE and CERC that they are involving the stakeholders in drafting the guidelines.
On another note, for renewable energy professionals and enthusiasts, the second annual Renewcon India will take place from 27 to 30 September 2011 at Holiday-Inn, Mumbai. For more details, click here.
I am signing off on that note. You will find updates from the Indian renewable energy and details of some of the upcoming conferences in the sections below.
Take care
Madhavan Nampoothiri,
EAI – Energy Alternatives India @ www.eai.in
Mob: +91-98848-29214
Email: madhavan@eai.in
More about me here
India Renewable Energy Updates
India – The Hot Spot for Solar PV Investors
Solar energy has unarguably become one of the favorites with venture capitalists worldwide, but the latest buzz word among the renewable energy investors is “India”. Private equity firms putting their money on solar components such as modules, cells and BoS are slowly moving away from the advanced EU markets and are looking up at India as an emerging and promising destination.
The fact that as much as $100 mn has flowed into India's solar energy sector in the past 18 months with $45 mn in 2011 alone, sums up the attractiveness of India. With World Bank's private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) eyeing India's solar sector, one can expect a number of financial institutions to invest big on the growing Indian solar industry.
For more information
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-a-hotspot-for-solar-VCs/Article1-712522.aspx
Orb Energy and Acumen Fund Collaborate to Provide Rural Electrification
Orb Energy Pte Ltd. (Orb), one of India’s leading providers of solar energy systems, and Acumen Fund, a nonprofit global venture firm, have announced a partnership to address energy needs for millions of rural communities without access to electricity. Acumen Fund is making a significant equity investment to help Orb extend its household lighting systems to more rural customers, to scale its manufacturing, and to develop innovative products to meet the needs of its low income customers.
For more information
http://investinindia.com/news/orb-energy-and-acumen-fund-enter-energy-partnership-deal-india-35b9
Biomass to bail Tamil Nadu from power crisis?
With Tamil Nadu in critical power crisis and the government resorting to frequent power outages, the need to tap an alternate source of energy in the state is becoming critical than ever before. The state has almost tapped all its existing wind energy potential and solar is yet to take off in a big way. In such a scenario, the environmentalists believe that biomass could be the genuine savior. Indigenous species such as ‘Melia Dubia’, (known as ‘Malai Vembu’ in tamil), has shown a good rate of growth under the existing climatic conditions and soil fertility in the state. Experts feel that this tree and a few more native trees that are attractive in terms of growth rate and calorific value could be ideal for generating biomass power so as to meet the existing power demand.
For more information
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/biomass-bail-tamil-nadu-crisis-106
Caparo Energy Secures Funding from India Infra Fund to Develop 750MW Wind Energy Project
Caparo Energy has secured the first tranche of Rs 3.5 bn fund from India Infrastructure Fund managed by IDFC Project Equity Company. The second tranche of this funding is expected to be finalized in the next few weeks. Caparo Energy expects to develop around 700 MW of wind projects through the funds. The company has already agreed on the locations for the 750 MW of projects, with Suzlon Energy. The project will be fully commissioned and connected to the grid by March 2013, 400 MW of which is expected to be commissioned and connected to the grid by March 2012.
For more information
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/caparo-energy-secures-rs-350cr-funding-from-india-infra-fund/731295.html
CLP Holdings Ltd. to Invest in Solar Project
CLP Holdings Ltd., one of India’s largest wind farm owners, is planning to diversify into the solar sector and is all set to invest in its first solar project in India next year. The company has begun collecting sun irradiation data at Indian wind farms so as to evaluate the possibility of installing solar panels. Building solar plants alongside wind farms can be more efficient because the projects can share infrastructure, such as power lines and manpower.
By the end of this year, the company expects to identify the site and proceed with investment. CLP did not bid for licenses in India’s first solar auction because the government limited the size of photovoltaic projects it awarded to 5 megawatts. As MNRE is considering about changing the rules in India’s second solar auction and revising the size restrictions, CLP is likely to bid for license in the second phase.
For more information
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-23/clp-may-invest-in-first-indian-solar-project-by-next-year-director-says.html
|
Topic of the week
Energy Efficiency Adoption - Why So Slow?
In contrast to renewable energy (both renewable power and renewable fuels) - many of which are economically unsustainable without government subsidies and even after such subsidies have long payback periods - energy efficiency and conservation concepts have much better RoIs and payback periods. Some of these energy efficiency measures have payback periods of less than a year! It is thus surprising that most Indian companies (especially those running factories) have not implemented as many of these as possible. What could be the reason for such a slow adoption when someone could show them the money? What measures could be taken to increase the adoption rate? Your thoughts are welcome
view more
Upcoming events
Date : December 14-16, 2011
Place : BEC, Mumbai.
Intersolar promotes the development of businesses throughout the global solar industry. Intersolar shows are organized every year in 4 cities across the world - Munich, San Fransciso, Mumbai and Shanghai.
Since its establishment in the Intersolar India in 2009, the conference has developed into a premier platform for the solar industry in India. Intersolar India focuses on photovoltaics and solar thermal technologies. Exhibitors include PV cell, module and inverter manufacturers, components and mounting systems suppliers, manufacturing system suppliers, service companies as well as manufacturers of solar thermal applications including heating and cooling, among others.
There are 250 exhibitors and 6,000 visitors expected at the 2011 edition. The accompanying conference expects 700 attendees. Intersolar India 2011 takes place from December 14-16 at the BEC, Mumbai.
More details of the events are available at http://www.intersolar.in/ .
More events can be found at http://www.eai.in/360/events
EAI 360 - All Updates on Indian Renewable Energy
Follow us
   
  |
