Germany’s Siemens wins tender for Turkish wind power project

04.08.2017

Turkey picked Germany’s Siemens as the winning bidder for a $1 billion wind power project on Thursday, a sign Ankara wants to keep business separate from the widening diplomatic row between the NATO allies.

Relations have deteriorated amid the crackdown that followed the failed coup in Turkey last year. The arrest last month of 10 rights activists, including a German, prompted Berlin to say it would review arms deals with Turkey.

Ankara has sought to reassure German investors, saying their business in Turkey is not at risk. Germany was Turkey’s top export destination, buying $14 billion worth of Turkish goods in 2016, according to IMF data.

A consortium led by Siemens was awarded the tender for the project – which includes the construction of a 1,000 MW power plant and wind turbines – after beating out eight other bidders, Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said.

The award will mark an “important contribution” to bilateral relations, he said.

The Siemens consortium, which includes Turkey’s Kalyon and Turkerler, submitted a bid of $3.48 cents per kilowatt-hour, beating Chinese firm Ming Yang, Germany’s Enercon and Denmark’s Vestas .

The turbines were due to come online by 2019, Albayrak said, adding the project will increase Turkey’s wind energy production by 17 percent.

Turkerler Chairman Kazim Turker said that 35 percent of the project would be financed through international sources.

Source: reuters.com

Industry Hopeful for Solar-Storage System VAT Cut

04.08.2017

energy-storage — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

Solar-storage technologies could be about to enjoy a significant price cut, after the Solar Trade Association (STA) declared a partial victory for its campaign to secure a VAT cut for domestic solar-storage systems.

The trade body announced yesterday it has been informed by HMRC that battery storage systems that are installed alongside a new solar PV system will be charged a five per cent VAT rate, in line with the rate for standalone solar PV systems.

Energy storage technologies currently face the standard VAT rate of 20 per cent, which prompted the STA to submit evidence arguing solar-storage systems should qualify for the five per cent rate levied on energy-saving technologies and energy bills.

The paper called on HMRC to clarify the status of solar-storage systems, and urged the government to consider leveling a five per cent VAT rate on all battery storage systems, whether installed at the same time as a PV system or retrofitted to an existing PV system.

In a response, HMRC told the trade body integrated solar-storage systems where solar panels and batteries are installed at the same time would qualify as an energy saving technology and as such should meet the criteria for the five per cent VAT rate.

However, it also argued batteries that are sold separately should continue to be charged the standard 20 per cent VAT rate.

The STA welcomed the move, but confirmed it will continue to push for all storage technologies to be granted the five per cent rate, including those that are retrofitted to existing solar arrays.

Seb Berry, STA’s vice chair and head of external affairs at Solarcentury, said the move was “a helpful and welcome decision by the Treasury following a major lobbying effort from the Solar Trade Association”.

“Reduced VAT on new systems will encourage homeowners to embrace storage technologies alongside solar,” he said. “Solar remains a good investment and storage means householders can now take even greater control of their energy bills. All STA members will be delighted by this win.”

The fledgling market for solar-storage systems is widely tipped for rapid growth as falling solar and storage costs make the technology increasingly financially attractive.

The latest news comes in the same week as Solarcentury announced its partnership with IKEA has extended to providing solar-storage systems, while US clean energy giant Tesla confirmed its first solar tile systems have been deployed as part of its push to provide integrated solar and storage technologies.

The Treasury was considering a request for comment at the time of going to press.

Source: businessgreen.com

London to Double Size of Electric Car Charging Network in 2018

04.08.2017

London’s network of on-street electric vehicle (EV) charge points will almost double to around 1,500 by the end of 2018 as part of a new £4.5m investment programme.

The Mayor’s Office confirmed yesterday that new funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles will see 25 boroughs provided with up to £300,000 each to expand the availability of standard charge points in their neighbourhoods.

The funding comes in addition to plans to deploy a new network of 150 fast charge points, which will be deployed over the next two years to support the roll out of a new fleet of plug-in taxis.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the “substantial investment in electric charging points will make a real difference, making electric vehicles an easier and more practical option for Londoners across our city”.

“We have a bold ambition to make London’s transport system zero emission by 2050, and working with boroughs to roll out more charging infrastructure is a vital part of making this a reality,” he added.

The Evening Standard reported the Mayor’s Office hopes the expansion of the charging network will make it easier for people with no off-street parking to make the switch to EVs. It added more funding could be made available if the roll out proves successful.

Councils are now expected to identify sites for the new chargers with some of the cash earmarked for new technologies, such as chargers that can be installed in lamp posts.

The move comes a week after the government announced plans to step up support for EVs and ban the sale of new internal combustion engine cars and vans from 2040.

However, Khan slammed the proposals for not going far enough in tackling London’s air pollution, arguing Ministers should introduce a new diesel scrappage scheme to help accelerate the switch to cleaner vehicles.

Source: businessgreen.com

Australia Plans to Set the Record for Electric Vehicle Highways

04.08.2017

Electrical vehicles (EVs) are the next evolution in personal transportation. A large-scale shift toward the technology has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of simply getting around, leaving our reliance on gas powered vehicles behind.

However, given that the technology is in its relative infancy, the lack of established infrastructure to support a major shift to EVs remains a significant roadblock to adoption. EVs are limited by their range, and while developing the technology does continue to lengthen the range, many models are best suited for shorter trips.

In order to combat the range obstacle and begin establishing the infrastructure necessary for supporting an expansion of EV usage, Australia is setting up “EV highways,” equipped with numerous fast-charging stations along the way. The project, dubbed the Electric Super Highway, is planned to be a series of charging stations located in 18 cities and towns, spreading across nearly 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) of the road from the Gold Coast in the south to Cairns in the north. And, according to the (aptly named) state’s acting roads minister, Steven Miles, “They will be available for use at no cost for the initial phase of the super highway so we can encourage as many people as possible to start using them.” The government claims that this sets a new record for length of electric highway in one state.

Source: futurism.com

Roads Could be Covered with ‘Tunnels’ to Absorb Pollution

04.08.2017

Major roads could be turned into tunnels covered with pollution-absorbing material in an effort to cut emission fumes and improve air quality.

Highways Agency officials are studying a Dutch scheme in which cantilevered canopies are constructed over the most polluted sections of road to prevent local residents breathing in noxious car fumes.

Poor air quality is reported to kill as many as 40,000 people a year prematurely in the UK, and levels in many areas regularly breach European legal limits. The government has twice had its plans to tackle the issue ruled illegal by the courts.

The tunnel plans are outlined in an air improvement strategy plan to help reduce pollution. Officials say they are investing millions of pounds in new technology to improve air quality around roads in the next five years. The Department of Transport predicts traffic volumes are expected to increase by 55 per cent between 2010 and 2040.

“The best solution to accommodating the extra traffic on our roads, without negatively impacting on air quality, is cleaner low-emission vehicles. In the meantime we are investing £100m to test new ideas including less-polluting fuels and road barriers which can absorb harmful emissions,” said an agency spokesman.

“We have identified that a cantilever barrier or canopy, which is a tunnel-like structure designed to prevent vehicle emissions, might be a possible solution, though the air quality benefits of this are still to be fully understood. We are now working with the Dutch Roads Authority to measure air quality around an existing cantilever barrier on their network.”

Highways officials said they have also trialled two different types of barriers. The first, featuring wood panels 4 metres and 6 metres high, were fitted to the M62 near junction 18 in Manchester.

A second trial, which is ongoing, features a 3 metre high fence coated in a mineral polymer material capable of absorbing nitrogen dioxide. “The results from the monitoring of this trial will help us understand if this has been a success with the potential to implement it on the rest of our network,” said a Highways Agency spokesman.

A Highways England spokesman said on Wednesday they were also carrying out emission testing from a range of diesel vehicles using a new type of fuel believed to help improve emissions on both motorways and urban driving.

To help boost electric car use they will aim to ensure that 95 per cent of the roads network will have a vehicle charging point every 20 miles.

Source: businessgreen.com

100 Major Companies Have Officially Pledged To Switch To 100% Renewable Electricity

04.08.2017

Obnovljivi grad — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Since 2014, the RE100 initiative has been working behind the scenes with businesses and organizations of all sizes and sectors to negotiate transitions to 100 percent renewable electricity. The reason is simple: shift to 100 percent renewable electricity and you massively reduce the amount of carbon pollution you produce as a company.

The initiative has seen a steady stream of successes as companies that have committed to the pledge include Coca-Cola, Apple, IKEA, Google, Starbucks, and Walmart. But on July 10, something big happened as RE100 announced that 100 companies had officially pledged to transition to renewable electricity.

Not only is this an important step towards a cleaner future, 100 major companies that millions rely on every day transitioning to 100 percent renewables – and succeeding – sends a signal that the shift to a clean energy economy is truly on and proves to other companies and organizations that they can make the switch as well.

The importance goes beyond statements. With 100 leading companies committing to renewables, someone’s got to provide that power – which means growing jobs in a clean-tech sector that already employs some 2.8 million Americans. Plus, with more demand and more capacity coming online, renewable electricity keeps getting cheaper. So it’s easy to see why this movement is quickly gathering steam (er—that is, solar and wind) as a smart financial decision for global businesses.

Our own initiative, 100% Committed, is targeted at helping communities, businesses, and schools shift to 100 percent renewable electricity. Renewable energy helps fight the climate crisis, generate jobs, and even save money – in more and more regions of the US and around the world, energy from renewables is as cheap or cheaper than dirty fossil fuel energy. As a result, it’s easier and more affordable to switch than most people realize. Already, we’ve helped communities like Salt Lake City in Utah, Boulder and Aspen in Colorado, and Shandanken in New York make the commitment, as well as universities such as Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, Plymouth State University, and Hampshire College.

However, there’s a dark side to 100 as well. For instance, an alarming 100 companies are responsible for 71 percent of global emissions. Some of the big names on the list are ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell – all companies that deal in fossil fuels. Chinese coal companies are collectively the number one producer, churning out an estimated 14.32 percent of global emissions between 1988 and 2015. However, with China’s increasing shift away from coal to low and zero-carbon energy, that picture is changing and #RE100 has shown that progress can be made, even with big names.

The CEO of Shell, Ben van Beurden, recently urged Big Oil to begin transitioning to cleaner energy, and is a strong advocate for implementing carbon taxes. Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, urged President Trump to remain in the landmark Paris Agreement. Big Oil knows that it has to adapt to the changing energy scene, or it risks becoming obsolete.

You can help us, and #RE100, further the movement for clean energy, too. Read our blog here to learn how you can make the transition to renewable energy at home, or how to attend one of our Climate Reality Leader trainings and learn how to advocate for a cleaner future directly from our founder and chairman, former Vice President Al Gore.

Source: cleantechnica.com

New Details On State Of Larsen C Ice Shelf

03.08.2017

iceberg-antarctica — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Now that a couple of weeks have passed since the Larsen C ice shelf calved one of the largest icebergs of all time (observed by humans over the last few hundred years, that is), researchers have had some time to investigate what exactly has happened since then. There are interesting things to report.

As expected, the iceberg calving event — which saw the Larsen C ice shelf lose 10% of its total area — was accompanied by the calving of some 11 other icebergs. Despite being considerably smaller than the largest one, these were still up to 13 kilometers long.

Interestingly, the remaining cracks in the ice shelf, from amongst those that precluded the calving event, have continued growing.

Dr Anna Hogg, an ESA Research Fellow in the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM) at the University of Leeds, commented: “The satellite images reveal a lot of continuing action on Larsen-C Ice Shelf. We can see that the remaining cracks continue to grow towards a feature called Bawden Ice Rise, which provides important structural support for the remaining ice shelf.

“If an ice shelf loses contact with the ice rise, either through sustained thinning or a large iceberg calving event, it can prompt a significant acceleration in ice speed, and possibly further destabilisation. It looks like the Larsen-C story might not be over yet.”

As a reminder, following a similar event that saw the calving of a large iceberg back in 2002, the Larsen B ice shelf completely collapsed over a relatively short period of time — the calving event serving as the destabilization that set the whole collapse in motion.

Here’s more from an email sent to CleanTechnica: “Since the 12 July 2017 breakaway Dr Anna Hogg, from the University of Leeds and Dr Hilmar Gudmundsson, from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), have continued to track the iceberg — known as A68 — using the European Space Agency (ESA) and European Commission’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite.

“Their observations show that since the calving event, the berg has started to drift away from the Larsen-C, with open ocean clearly visible in the ~5 kilometer gap between the berg and the ice-shelf.

“Ice-shelf retreat on the Antarctic Peninsula, has been observed throughout the satellite era — about 50 years. Large sections of the Larsen Ice Shelf A and B, and the Wilkins1 ice-shelf collapsed in a matter of days in 1995, 2002, and 2008, respectively. Geological evidence suggests that ice-shelf decay of this magnitude is not unprecedented, however, prior to 2002 the Larsen-B ice shelf remained intact for the last 11,000 years.”

Source: businessgreen.com

IKEA Teams Up with Solarcentury for Solar Battery Storage Range

03.08.2017

IKEA and Solarcentury have teamed up to launch a new range of Solar Battery Storage products in the retail giant’s stores, claiming the offering will help cut homeowners’ electricity bills by up to 70 per cent.

Designed to work alongside existing home solar panels or as part of a new combined solar panel and battery storage system, the range of products will enable homeowners to use more of the electricity generated by the solar panels by using the battery to store excess power for later use.

The two companies said the new offering would help homeowners make “huge savings” on their electricity bills, while also increasing the rate at which they can reap benefits from their investment in solar panels.

Available to purchase online via the IKEA UK website, IKEA Solar Battery Storage prices can start at £3,000 including VAT, while prices for homeowners who already have solar and want to add a battery start from just under £5,000, depending on installation costs and the number of new or existing solar panels.

Both quoted prices also include a 15 per cent discount available to IKEA Family members.

Installation can take around three weeks and customers can receive a free cost estimate by using the Solarcentury calculator on the IKEA UK website.

Having first started selling solar panels in stores last year, Hege Saebjornsen, country sustainability manager for IKEA UK & Ireland, said the new offering would further help customers cut both bills and carbon emissions.

“We know that our customers want to live more sustainably and together with Solarcentury we will help them to get more value from their solar panels and do just that,” she said. “With energy bills already going up 15 per cent this year there’s never been a better time for customers to take back control of their electricity bills and maximise their savings by switching to solar and solar storage.”

An average solar-panelled home in the UK typically consumes around 40 per cent of all the solar electricity generated, but the proportion of power used on site can be significantly lower if occupants are out of the house during the day. Excess power is typically sent back to the grid with households failing to secure the full financial value of the power they have generated, IKEA said.

The home furnishings giant claims that by adding battery storage, unused solar electricity can be stored and used at a later time, potentially doubling the proportion of solar power used by the average solar home to 80 per cent.

With the average household electricity bill estimated at £584 a year, IKEA claims adding solar panels can reap homeowners £380 in savings during the first year if they use 40 per cent of the energy generated by the panels. And, by combining the solar panels with battery storage it estimates savings of around £560 a year from using 80 per cent of the solar energy generated.

IKEA estimates that when buying solar panels and adding on battery storage at a cost of £6,925 in total, homeowners can pay off the capital invested in the system in roughly 12 years, at a six per cent annual return.

Susannah Wood, head of residential solar at Solarcentury, said the developer’s partnership with IKEA represented a significant step forward for the renewable energy industry.

“The cost of solar installations has dropped considerably in recent years and is in fact 100 times cheaper than it was 35 years ago,” she said. “We believe IKEA and Solarcentury are bringing the most competitive package to the market yet so more people than ever before can profit financially and environmentally by producing their own energy.”

Source: businessgreen.com

India Begins Anti-Dumping Investigations On Imported Solar Modules

03.08.2017

As India and China face off at the troubled international boundary around Tibet, India has opened anti-dumping investigations against Chinese solar module imports. Along with Chinese modules, those imported from Taiwan and Malaysia will also be covered under this investigation.

The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties, under the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, announced that it shall undertake anti-dumping investigations into solar modules imported from three countries — China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. The investigation will look at the period between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017, however, data for three previous years shall also be looked at.

The petition to initiate investigation was submitted by the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association, on behalf of four module manufacturers — Indosolar, Websol Energy Systems, Jupiter Solar Power, and Jupiter International.

Indian solar module manufacturers have reported very poor financial health and utilization of production facilities despite the rapid increase in India’s solar power market. While the government increased the installed capacity target from 22 gigawatts to 100 gigawatts by 2022, Indian manufacturers have completely failed to garner any significant share in the market. These manufacturers seem to have filed this petition as no other relief from the government was coming through.

Indian business daily Economic Times has reported that the Ministry of Finance has refused to approve a Rs 20,000 crore ($3.1 billion) relief package for the solar cell and module manufacturers. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy had proposed this incentives program in order to help Indian companies compete with foreign manufacturers.

Chinese modules, whose prices have collapsed sharply over the last several months, continue to dominate the Indian market.

According to Mercom Capital, project developers imported solar modules worth US$763 million between April and August 2016, an increase of 53% from imports worth US$497 million during the same period last year. Share of modules from China also increased sharply. Chinese modules accounted for 85% of the total modules imported in India, followed by Malaysia at distant 9%; modules from Taiwan, the US and Singapore accounted for 3% to 1% each.

In financial year 2014-15 (April 2014 to March 2015), India imported 161.5 million with 70% of them coming from China. During the preceding financial year, the share of Chinese modules in total imports was 65%.

This is the second time that such anti-dumping investigations have been initiated by India. In 2013, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry proposed to levy duties ranging from $0.11 to $0.81 per watt on modules imported from the US, China, Malaysia, and Chinese Taipei. However, this recommendation did not find favor with other ministries, including the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. The proposal was thus rejected by the Ministry of Finance.

Levying an anti-dumping duty on Chinese modules now could suck the steam out of India’s rapidly growing solar power market. Tariff bids have collapsed to new record lows and to sustain these tariffs, and keep solar power an attractive alternative to thermal power, cheaper solar modules are essential.

Source: cleantechnica.com

University of Northampton Opens £6.5m Biomass Energy Centre

03.08.2017

University-Energy-Building — Foto: northampton.ac.uk

The University of Northampton has officially opened a £6.5m Biomass Energy Centre that will help deliver heat and hot water via a district heating network at its Waterside campus.

The project saw the institution work with energy specialists Vital Energi and construction consultants Mace to deliver the 1MW biomass plant, following the completion of the 1.6km district heating network that will provide heat and hot water to 16 buildings around the 58-acre city centre campus.

In addition to the biomass boiler, the energy centre contains three 4W gas fired boilers and a 120m3 thermal store.

The project has been designed to produce fewer emissions than traditional biomass systems, and will initially help reduce the University’s carbon emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes a year.

When the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engine is added to the system, however, it is estimated emissions reductions will increase to 2,200 tonnes a year, or the equivalent to taking 431 cars of the road annually.

Mike Cooke, regional director at Vital Energi, said the biomass energy centre was “a great example for industry”.

“Creating a renewable energy solution for a new city centre campus is an ambitious objective,” he said. “However the University have achieved this while demonstrating their commitment to sustainability.”

Officially unveiled on Tuesday, the energy centre also features a 27 square metre LED screen on the flue shaft to “enhance the visual architecture of the building”, the University’s project director, Bob Griggs, said.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to develop the University’s commitment to its sustainability agenda and environmental infrastructure has been a key factor in the planning and construction of the Waterside Campus,” said Griggs. “By working with Vital Energi we have a sustainable, future proof heating network which will service the campus well.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Tesla Battery Requested for US Wind Energy Project

02.08.2017

wind-power-plant — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Deepwater Wind has announced a request made to Tesla Energy to supply what would be the world’s biggest offshore wind-battery proposal to date.

The company has proposed a 40-megawatt-hour battery system to help turn a proposed 144-MW Revolution Wind farm off the Massachusetts coast into a dispatchable energy resource. If the project goes ahead to completion it will dwarf the 2 MW lithium ion system Dong Energy plans to build

If the project goes ahead to completion it will dwarf the 2 MW lithium ion system Dong Energy plans to build a 90 MW wind farm by year’s end, and the 1-MW battery Statoil plans to build next year to support its 30-MW Hywind wind farm.

Tesla’s batteries would be called upon to help shift megawatt-hours’ worth of energy production to times of peak demand.

The March request for proposals (PDF) from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and the state’s investor-owned utilities requires that projects “contribute to a reduction in winter electricity price spikes,” when rising demand for heating electricity, combined with cold-related power plant problems, can drive emergency-level imbalances like those of the 2014 polar vortex.

Deepwater Wind, developer of the first US 30-megawatt offshore wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island, would build the new battery-backed wind farm adjacent to its existing 90-megawatt South Fork Wind Farm, which serves Long Island.

New Bedford, Massachusetts would serve as the assembly and construction hub, with power delivered to the state’s big utilities, National Grid and Eversource. If approved, the project could begin construction in 2022, and be up and running by 2023.

Source: powerengineeringint.com

French Utility Engie May Buy Out Equis Energy India Assets

02.08.2017

photovoltaic-solar — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Indian media outlets have reported a new development on the market buzz that Equis Energy, a renewable energy IPP in India, is looking to sell its assets.

Business daily Mint has reported that French utility Engie may be looking to acquire the Indian assets from Equis Energy. Equis Energy operates its India assets through two companies – Energon and Energon Soleq. Energon has operational assets of 414 megawatts while Energon Soleq has operational and under-construction assets of 560 megawatts. Equis Energy recently entered a new agreement with the government of Haryana which will enable the company’s expansion into markets other than the utility-scale solar market.

Equis signed an agreement with the government of Haryana to set up canal-top solar power projects. Under the agreement, Equis would invest $150 million to develop an undisclosed number or capacity of canal-top solar power projects.

In June, another company — Hero Future Energies — was reported to be in talks with Equis Energy to acquire these assets. No new development has been reported in this regard since.

Engie, through its subsidiary Solairedirect, is a major participant in the rapidly growing India solar power market. So acquisition of Energon Soleq could prove to be a logical expansion of Solairedirect’s portfolio as the latter missed out on several power projects in competitive auctions.

Solairedirect has grand plans in India.

Chief executive officer at Engie Isabelle Kocher recently stated that the company is looking to secure at 400 megawatts of solar power capacity every year with a planned investment of $1 billion over the next five years in India.

Solairedirect has been very competitive in reverse auctions across India.

In January 2016, the company nearly tied for the lowest solar power tariff in India at that time. The company secured rights to develop 140 megawatts at the Bhadla solar power park in the state of Rajasthan; it placed a winning bid of Rs 4.35/kWh (6.7¢/kWh).

Solairedirect won rights to develop a 250-megawatt solar power project in the Kadapa solar power park being developed in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The company placed a winning bid of Rs 3.15/kWh (4.8¢/kWh), 4.5% lower than the previous record of Rs 3.30/kWh (5.1¢/kWh) levelized tariff set in February 2017.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Indian Wind Tender 3X Oversubscribed, New Record Low Tariff Expected

02.08.2017

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), responsible for conducting wind energy auctions in India, has seen a tremendous response to the latest 1 gigawatt tender.

According to media reports, project developers have placed bids to set up a total of 2,898 megawatts against an offered capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The actual auction will take place soon, following some clarifications from the central regulator. This is the second wind energy auction undertaken in India at the central government level. The first auction took place in February this year.

The tender was oversubscribed with total 13 developers submitted bids equivalent to 2.6 gigawatts in comparison to 1 gigawatts bids called for. Bids were received from major giants including Adani Power, Hero Future Energies, Renew Power and Inox Wind. Most of the developers i.e. 69% bid to set up projects in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The first-ever wind energy auction in India yielded the lowest-ever tariffs of Rs 3.46/kWh (5.2¢/kWh). Four companies – Mytrah Energy, Green Infra (owned by Sembcorp), Inox Wind and Ostro Energy were awarded 250 megawatts capacity each while Adani Green Energy secured rights to develop 50 megawatts capacity. This tariff is significantly lower than the tariffs currently being paid by various power distribution companies across India.

At least four developers that won projects in the first auction — Inox Wind, Green Infra, Mytrah Energy, and Adani Green Energy — have submitted bids to set up 250 megawatts of capacity each in the second auction as well. Some of the other major players in the Indian market to have submitted bids include ReNew Power Ventures, Orange Renewable, Continuum Energy, and Hero Future Energies. Enel Green Energy is also believed to have submitted a bid.

All but two project developers have reportedly mentioned Tamil Nadu or Gujarat as the host state for the projects.

With such a huge response to the tender, experts believe that tariff bids could drop to a new low. With the success of such competitive auctions the state governments have also decided to launch their own auctions. Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have launched their respective tenders under the state government’s policy to meet renewable purchase obligation.

With the sharp fall in tariff bids compared to the prevailing feed-in tariffs for wind energy projects, several state governments have refused to sign power purchase agreements with under-construction or soon-to-be-commissioned wind projects.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Indian Rooftop Solar Developer CleanMax Will Receive $100 Million Investment From Warburg Pincus

02.08.2017

In a major, and much-needed, boost for the Indian rooftop solar power market, a US-based private equity firm will invest $100 million in one of the leading rooftop solar developers in India.

CleanMax Solar recently announced that it will receive $100 million in investment from the private equity firm Warburg Pincus. These funds will be used by CleanMax to further expand its presence in the Indian solar power market and explore expansion opportunities in select international markets.

An investment by Warburg Pincus in the rooftop solar power market in India possibly indicates where the investor comfort lies. The utility-scale solar power market in India is extremely competitive. Earlier this year we saw tariff bids falling by 26% in large-scale solar power auctions held between February and May. Margins are really tight in the utility-scale business due to low tariffs, and are highly dependent on availability of low-cost debt and support from regulatory bodies.

The rooftop solar power market, on the other hand, is yet to take off. There are several options available for project developers, including competitive auctions. Developers can directly approach industries and commercial establishments to set up rooftop solar power systems to replace grid supply. With the fall in solar module prices, several private sector institutions and organizations have opted to switch to rooftop solar replacing a part of their grid import.

Similarly, the Opex or Resco model is also available to rooftop project developers, which offers significant potential for profits. This is the model used for setting up rooftop solar power systems at Chennai Metro, an urban rail system.

The Opex or Resco model wherein Chennai Metro will not have to make any upfront investment. CleanMax Solar will make the entire capital investment to set up the power systems. CleanMax and Chennai Metro would enter a long-term power purchase agreement.

After recovering the capital investment in a few years, the revenue from the sale of electricity to Chennai Metro will be profit for CleanMax Solar. Chennai Metro, too, expects to save around Rs 1.5 crore (over $230,000) every year, and Rs 37.5 crore ($5.8 million) over a 25-year period.

This investment by Warburg Pincus is a major milestone in India’s rooftop solar power market. This could hopefully spur additional investment in the sector helping India increase the rooftop solar power capacity to 40 gigawatts by March 2022, as has been targeted by the government.

Source: cleantechnica.com

DRAGAN MARINKOVIĆ: The Commitment of the City’s Authorities to Environmental Protection in Kragujevac

02.08.2017

Kragujevac is one of the cities which invests a lot in ecology, as evidenced by the investments in the construction of Recycling centre, as well as the procurement of the equipment for the waste collection and implementation of environmental projects. We talked to Dragan Marinković, the Head of the Department for Environmental Protection of Kragujevac about this year’s plans in the field of ecology and environmental protection.

EP: The city of Kragujevac has envisaged 44,442,000.00 dinars from the Budget for the environmental protection for 2017. In what way do you plan to use these funds?

Dragan Marinković: The Budget Fund of Kragujevac city has existed since 2010, and natural persons pay environmental tax. Since this year, the changes have been introduced so the environmental tax will also be paid by legal entities and thus we expect more funds than last year. The money for monitoring of air, surface waters, soil, pollen, noise, greening and cleaning up illegal dumps is allocated from the Budget Fund. Public Utility Companies such as PUC ‘Zelenilo’ and PUC ‘Čistoća’ are also subsidized from these funds.

EP: Do you plan to allocate these funds for setting up containers for the separation of waste?

Dragan Marinković: Kragujevac has wire containers for the disposal of PET packaging, but still there are no funds for the purchase of special containers for paper, glass, metal, plastic, etc. The citizens are interested in recycling a lot, we have a good response and the need for larger number of these containers. As for the separate collection of waste, there is a problem with waste collectors who steal goods because it has a market value.

EP: The construction of the Recycling centre in Kragujevac began last year. When is it expected to be put into operation?

Dragan Marinković: The Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection has provided 45 million dinars for the development of project documentation and the construction of the Recycling centre, and this year the investment of 30 million dinars has been envisaged by the Budget Fund of Kragujevac. The facility was built, but for its equipping it is necessary to construct the access roads, and after that the facility will be put into operation. We expect that in spring this year.

EP: Do you plan some other projects in the field of environmental protection and waste management during this year?

Dragan Marinković: Last year we allocated 2.6 million dinars for projects of associations that are implemented in the field of environmental protection, and in the forthcoming period we expect a new announcement of the competition. Also, at the end of last year we purchased new containers through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and in March this year new garbage trucks arrived which the city didn’t have. Anyway, Kragujevac is one of the few cities in Serbia which has a plant for wastewater treatment. The plant is located in Jovanovac and in the following period it is necessary to perform its optimization. In addition to that, the city supports environmental projects, such as “School Biological Centre” whose implementation should start in March 2017.

Interview by: Sandra Jovićević

This interview was originally published in our bulletin “Energy Efficiency” in April 2017.

The Rising Price Of Chinese Modules Could Jeopardize New Indian Solar Plants

02.08.2017

Solarna-energija — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

As top executives of some of the leading Indian and international project developers slugged it out for more than 24 hours at a stretch in May of this year to outbid one another in some the fiercest of competitive solar auctions in India to date, the winners would have hoped that they have overcome one of the biggest challenges. Now, it seems the winners could face another uphill task of keeping the project costs in check.

According to media reports, the price of Chinese modules has increased by more than 47% from the price project developers of India’s cheapest solar power projects had assumed during the competitive auctions in May. According to business daily Mint, project developers bidding for 750 megawatts of capacity at Bhadla solar power park had assumed a cost of modules at 23¢ per watt. These prices have now increased to 34¢ per watt for delivery scheduled in August.

An increase of 47% in the cost of a component that comprises of a big majority of the project cost of a solar PV power plant is a matter of deep concern for a developer, to put it mildly! The concerns become a huge problem and challenge when the developer has quoted a tariff as low as Rs 2.44/kWh (3.8¢/kWh), the lowest-ever in India.

The rapid decline in solar power tariff bids in India has been fuelled, in a large part, due to the falling prices of Chinese modules which hold an overwhelming share in the Indian market.

Since February 2017 this year, four major solar power auctions have taken place in India with the lowest tariff bids falling by as much as 26% between the first and the latest auction.

Over the years, dependence on Chinese imports has increased significantly.

Source: cleantechnica.com

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