Monthly Archives: February 2013

Economic Survey 2013: India suffered peak power shortage of 9%

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

India witnessed a peak power shortage of 9 per cent during the five years ending 2012 when over 50,000 MW new generation capacity was created, Economic Survey said on Wednesday. “During the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12), nearly 55,000 MW … Continue reading →

Posted in Renewables, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Solar power one of the fastest growing segment of Indian power sector

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

From almost negligible capacity in 2009 to 1,000+ MW today, solar power is one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian power sector, aided in good measure by enabling policies of the government. The Union government has set a target of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

TN biomass producers want electricity duty abolished, as high fuel prices are eating into revenues

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

  The Tamil Nadu Biomass Power Producers’ Association has been promised help by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board(TNEB). In a meeting called by the TNEB last week members of the Association made a strong plea, among others, for the abolition … Continue reading →

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Biomass-based power producers seek interest subvention

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Biomass-based power producers have knocked on the doors of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for lobbying with the Ministry of Finance for a 2 per cent interest subvention for the loans taken by them. The Indian Biomass Power … Continue reading →

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Low-Carbon Technology Roadmap for the Indian Cement Industry

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Following the global Cement Technology Roadmap in 2009 developed in a partnership between WBCSD CSI and the International Energy Agency (IEA), nine CSI members in India* again joined hands with IEA to develop a ‘Technology Roadmap: Low-Carbon Technology for the Indian Cement Industry’. The initiative … Continue reading →

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Cumulative deployment of various Renewable Energy Systems / Devices in the country as on 31/01/2013

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

New & Renewable Energy Cumulative deployment of various Renewable Energy Systems/ Devices in the country as on 31/01/2013 Renewable Energy Programme/ Systems Target for 2012-13 Deployment during January, 2013 Total Deployment in 2012-13 Cumulative achievement up to 31.01.2013 I. POWER … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Biomass, CPV, Crystalline, CSP, Geothermal, Hydro, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Decentralised Storage: Impact on future distribution grids – An EUELECTRIC report, June 2012

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Flush with RE sources of power, EU recognizes the risk it brings to the grid without the appropriate balance of storage.  Europe’s electricity system is undergoing profound changes. The EU is planning a decarbonisation path that will see the EU … Continue reading →

Posted in CPV, Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Thin Film, Transmission and Distribution, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mahindra’s take on the Reva Electric Car platform

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The e2O is the latest offering from the Mahindra Group, which says it will meet its “5 Cs” framework: clean, convenient, connective, clever, and cost effective. The four-seater e2O (pronounced “ee-too-oh” has already been certified as road-worthy. Its range of … Continue reading →

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M.P. Electricity Regulatory Commission – Approach paper on Fixation of norms for determination of tariff for procurement of power from Wind Electric Generators

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

MP ERC looking for suggestions on tariff setting for the next control period Earlier, the Commission had issued a tariff order for procurement of power from wind electric generators on 11.6.2004. The control period was ended on 31.3.07. Thereafter, the … Continue reading →

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Renewable Energy Revolution Hiccups: Grid Instability Has Industry Scrambling for Solutions

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Natgrp: We need to be cognizant of the dangers of too much variable renewable energy (wind especially) and once peak demand has been met, consistent storage solutions are a necessity to ensure businesses in India do not fail. Sudden fluctuations … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, Grid Storage, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Thin Film, Transmission and Distribution, Waste, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Germany’s Green Energy Destabilizing Europe’s Electric Grids – Storage a dire necessity for RE to succeed!

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

High use of renewable energy in eastern Germany driven by government green energy policies is causing instability to its own and its neighbours electric grid Germany is phasing out its nuclear plants in favor of wind and solar energy backed-up … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, Crystalline, Hydro, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Thin Film, Transmission and Distribution, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

AP Solar bidding – List of bidders, bid location and capacity details

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

[Updated: Total Bid Capacity has been updated from 1339.5 MW to 1354.5 MW owing to addition of new information which was not available previously – 15 MW bid by Swiss Park Vanijya Pvt. Ltd. added to the list]… At around 3 pm on … Continue reading →

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Risk of corruption clouds Andhra Pradesh solar bids

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

  The recent bidding guidelines launched by the Andhra Pradesh government for 1,000 MW of solar power projects, leave enough room for corruption. It’s been less than a month since the document has been put out and rumors are already … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bihar issues RFP For Setting up of 150MW Grid Connected Solar PV Projects coupled with Pisci-culture

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Click Here for the Document Total Capacity to be Procured Bids are invited for the procurement of 150 MW power at the Delivery Point, from the Grid connected solar PV projects located in Bihar, to be developed on the maun/chaur/pond where pisci-culture is … Continue reading →

Posted in Renewables | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Govt plans subsidy to boost electric, hybrid vehicle sales

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Government likely to provide subsidies of up to Rs.1.5 lakh on cars, Rs.50,000 on two-wheelers In yet another move to push sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country, the government is likely to provide subsidies of up to Rs.1.5 lakh on … Continue reading →

Posted in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Chevy Volt Gets a Second Life as a Cadillac

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Photograph by Scott Olson/Getty Images Cadillac shows off its ELR luxury hybrid at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15 in Detroit When General Motors (GM) decided to make a plug-in hybrid several years ago, there was a lively … Continue reading →

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Why nuclear is a risk, even in the USA! Legislators say Edison ignored risks at San Onofre nuclear plant

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) have sent a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requesting an immediate investigation into new information they claim reveals the operators of the San Onofre nuclear power station were aware … Continue reading →

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REC validity extended to 730 days only, the issue only gets worse

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Going against the requirements and needs of the market, CERC has only extended the validity by just 1 year or 365 days. CERC has also expressed inability to enforce RECs. This will only create an antagonistic situation where the glut … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Biomass, CPV, Crystalline, CSP, Fuel Cells, Hydro, JNNSM, Phase II, PV, Renewable Energy Certificates, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Policy, Solar Thermal, Thin Film, Waste, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rajasthan solar tender turns up lowest fixed tariff of Rs. 6.45 per KWhr with no escalation

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Rajasthan’s tender for purchase of solar power has turned up the lowest ever tariff offered for selling electricity generated by solar plants. Essel Mining, which wants to put up a 10 MW solar photovoltaic plant and supply the power to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CPV to be 30% cheaper than PV by 2016, says IMS Research

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

On-going, significant technological advances from  companies such as Solar Junction and Amonix will help drive concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) installations to almost 1.2 GW by 2016,  according to a new report from IMS Research(recently acquired by IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS)). The report, The World Market … Continue reading →

Posted in CPV, Renewables, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Doubling the Global Share of Renewable Energy: A Roadmap to 2030

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

IRENA’s working paper, Doubling the Global Share of Renewable Energy: A Roadmap to 2030, outlines the proposed process, and progress to date, of REMAP 2030 – IRENA’s global roadmap for policies and actions to double the share of renewable energy … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Biomass, Crystalline, CSP, Fuel Cells, Geothermal, Hydro, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film, Tidal, Waste, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

US challenges India’s solar program restrictions at WTO

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The United States on Wednesday filed a challenge with the World Trade Organisation over elements of India’s national solar program, which it said discriminates against foreign solar products in violation of a core global trade rule. The case comes as … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, JNNSM, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

R&D spending analysis of top 10 PV module manufacturers

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Using the latest market leader rankings from Solarbuzz for 2012, we plotted the annual spending on R&D of the top 10 ranked companies (see figure 1), since 2007. Looking at chart 2 it is immediately apparent that there is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Costs of not using Renewable Energy in excess of $ 3.2 Trillion Annually, says Study

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

It is often claimed that renewables are still too costly and not yet competitive with conventional energy sources. But what costs are incurred when renewable energies are not used? Every day during which potential renewable energy sources are not utilised … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Biomass, Coal, Crystalline, Fuel Cells, Geothermal, Hydro, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film, Tidal, Waste, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

70% Efficient Solar Cells Possible Using Silicon BC8

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Researchers at the University of California (UC), Davis state an exotic form of silicon could produce major gains in solar cell efficiency. When a particle of light hits a silicon crystal, it generates a negatively charged electron and a positively … Continue reading →

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Empa achieves record 20.4% efficiency for flexible thin film

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Scientists at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, have developed thin film solar cells on flexible polymer foils with a new record efficiency of 20.4% for converting sunlight into electricity. Empa said the cells are based … Continue reading →

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Solar Panel defect rates of 20% seen by Solar Panel Auditors

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

A worldwide glut of solar panels has slashed prices and made the technology affordable to more people than ever before. But that glut could be prompting some panel manufacturers to cut corners. SolarBuyer, a company that audits solar factories, has … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quality issues threaten to give solar a black eye: Is your project a victim

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Nearly one-fifth of installed capacity within the California Solar Initiative in 2008 was supplied by a manufacturer no longer producing modules. A University of Arizona study found annual degradation levels of 1.7% on 1,900 modules in the field for three … Continue reading →

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Germany paving the way for solar storage rollout, the next phase of renewables

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

With subsidies starting to wither away and module prices falling, opportunities for solar energy storage systems appear to be growing. As they say, as one door shuts – or several as may be the case – another one opens A … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, Grid Storage, PV, Renewables, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

IRENA publishes the most comprehensive Global Atlas for Solar and Wind incorporating all the information from multiple data platforms

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The Global Atlas is the comprehensive information platform on the potential of renewable energy. It provides resource maps from leading technical institutes worldwide and tools for evaluating the technical potential of renewable energies. It can function as a catalyst for … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, Crystalline, CSP, JNNSM, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Renewable Energy Technologies: Cost Analysis Series 2012 – Solar Photovoltaics, Wind, Biomass, CSP and Hydro

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Renewable power generation can help countries meet their sustainable development goals through provision of access to clean, secure, reliable and affordable energy. Renewable energy has gone mainstream, accounting for the majority of capacity additions in power generation today.Tens of gigawatts … Continue reading →

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Solar Panel Recycling Will Be A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

  A new report predicts the total annual recycled product value of crystalline silicon solar panels will hit USD $12 billion in 2035. While a good quality solar panel will have a lifespan of decades – some modules manufactured in … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Recycling, Renewables, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What’s next for PV technology in 2013?

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

“There are limited options today for PV manufacturers to create a differentiated proposition within the PV industry. In fact, when scanning through the alternatives on view, technology is all too often seen to take a back seat.” Figure 1. NPD … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Top 10 PV markets in 2012 – India at just 2% of global supply

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

  Adapted from the forthcoming NPD Solarbuzz Marketbuzz annual report, the Top 10 markets in 2012 accounted for 86% of global PV demand. Cumulatively, the Top 10 PV markets accounted for 86% of global demand in 2012, down slightly when … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, JNNSM, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Top 10 PV module suppliers in 2012

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Table 1. According to NPD Solarbuzz, Yingli Green Energy is confirmed as the leading module supplier by MW shipment levels for 2012. Seven of the Top 10 companies can be categorized as public-listed, vertically-integrated c-Si module makers based in China. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments