Solar Power Developers Association suggests country should tap floating solar & hybrid models
Hyderabad: India, which has been using solar panels on land in the conventional way all these years, is now exploring the use of floating solar panels. The country can use its reservoirs for this purpose. It is estimated that if one-third of the space of reservoirs is used to generate solar, almost 700 GW power could be generated, according to Solar Power Developers Association (SPDA). Today, India is witnessing about $0.8-$0.9 million per MW of investment, while executing solar projects. Land is becoming costly every year. Floating solar projects can be the solution.
Explaining the scenario, Solar Power Developers Association director general Shekhar Dutt told Telangana Today, “Dams in India stop water flow and reservoirs are used to store water. The country has several major reservoirs, which are spread across 4 lakh sq km and are larger than many European countries. All these reservoirs are owned by the government. They are all connected to grid. India is at a great advantage of utilising them. Pilot floating solar projects had been carried out in certain States of India, already.”
He added, “The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed this concept in certain States. In the next 1-2 years, we can expect these projects to be rolled out commercially. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) is also going to issue regulations in this direction soon.”
Stressing it’s a proven concept globally, Dutt said, water reservoirs in London are already generating power from floating solar panels. The power is used for its captive purposes such as purifying water. In Japan, floating solar projects are being operated to feed power to Fukushima atomic power plant, which cannot be shut, anytime. Floating solar panels are also being used in Barcelona, Spain to run greenhouses to grow vegetables.
India has a large rural population, accounting for 70 per cent of the total population. Most of the reservoirs are near the rural areas. The power that can be generated through these reservoirs can help the rural communities as well. The nation’s power per capita is one-third of the world average and this needs be improved.
From the industry point of view, Make in India cannot happen if there is no power, finance or inputs/raw material. Electricity is a core requisite for India to build manufacturing capabilities. India needs thrice the power that is currently available. So, floating panels need to be explored.
Hybrid models
Hybrid Models
India is trying wind and solar hybrid models. Thermal, nuclear, oil & gas have certain challenges and limitations. Fossil fuel based power generation has posed resource oriented constraints in the past. This has led to the evolution of renewable energy-comprising hydel, solar and wind.
Dutt said, offshore wind power also needs to be tapped in the country. The hybrid models can help in meeting the peak power demand and non-peak hours, more efficiently.
India is emerging as a major energy consuming nation. There should be deployment of every possible model and every possible mix within the renewable energy basket. Rooftop is also a big opportunity in the urban places.
Value Chain
India is aiming to generate 40 per cent of its power through renewable energy. The country today has 20 GW solar power capacity and it is inching towards 22 GW soon. Bids for another 500 MW are in progress. The sector has enthused everyone. Solar developers had already succeeded in reducing the solar tariff. Financing has also kept pace with the solar project development.
Financial institutions and banks are working closely with the project developers and all the assessments are made, and any revisions later on, can escalate the project cost. Uncertainties can impact the cost of project execution.
He explains, one continuing concern is India’s large dependency on imports. The country imports 70 per cent of solar panels and modules it consumes. The nation imports primarily from China, Taiwan and Malaysia. India has not got into large volume solar equipment production. Most of the activity is restricted to assembling. Indian equipment makers are producing cells and to an extent modules, which is the third phase of solar equipment production, unlike other countries which are producing right from material, the starting point, wafers and then modules and panels. India is losing on substantial aspects of solar equipment making.
“We are hopeful that at least by 2020-21, India should be able to begin material production. The country should not only make material and wafers for the country but also for International Solar Alliance (ISA) countries, comprising 121 member nations, opening wider opportunities,” he said.
SPDA is constantly holding dialogue between the members and the government highlighting the concerns and uncertainties in the solar sector. It is stressing the need for India to manufacture across the value chain in real sense, and not in bits and pieces, Dutt informed.
Source: telanganatoday
