3rd Annual Conference on Solar Power in India: Technologies, Challenges & Opportunities
Hotel Royal Plaza, 9/26/2014 12:00:00 AM
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Most parts of India receive 4-7 kWh of solar radiation per sq. m. per day with 250-300 sunny days in a year. India has approximately 2647 MW of grid connected solar power installed capacity along with 174.35 MWp off-grid solar photovoltaic power plants. The Government had launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission during 2010-11; The Indian Solar installations have been driven by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) with a goal to install 20GW of solar power by 2020 & various state policies & RPO’s (renewable portfolio obligations).

The state of Gujarat is leading in solar power generation and contributes around 860 MW of PV in the country through the commissioning of Asia’s biggest solar park, roof-top solar power generation scheme and solar plants. New projects in states like Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are starting the project development process and are looking for debt financing options and a strong regulatory compliance regime for projects to be bankable. Thus, the Indian solar energy sector has been growing rapidly, in the past few years, majorly due to Government’s initiatives such as tax exemptions and import of solar products subsidies and depleting energy sources.

Solar energy including thermal and PV is second largest renewable energy source after wind energy. India was ranked 4th in the world in terms of new capacity addition during the year 2011. Installed capacity for India stands at 7.281million Sq m2 equivalent to 5082 MW till 30th October 2013. It is assumed 30% of energy consumed in industry for heating water, here is a large potential available for generating solar power using unutilized space on rooftops and wastelands around buildings. The JNNSM has set a target of installing 1,000 MW of rooftop projects in Phase-II (2012-17). Under this, Solar Energy Corporation of India has already allotted over 25.5 MW of capacity more than 15 cities.

The solar rooftop system is yet to overcome its biggest challenges from unrealistic bidding mechanisms and financing to procurement & construction. The progress of solar PV system is marred by the land needed for installation, project development, high cost of solar PV technology, energy storage, and high initial costs. The issues like absence of a robust feed in-tariff mechanism and net metering guidelines, lack of experience while handling grid connectivity of the system. Some of the issues are likely to be resolved very soon as states finalize their net metering policies. However, the issues related with energy accounting & handling grid connectivity are likely to be resolved only with operational experience.

In light of the current situation, InfralineEnergy is organizing the 3rd Annual Conference on Solar Power in India: Technologies, Challenges and opportunities, to provide a single platform for PV materials suppliers, equipment manufacturers, project developers to deliberate upon the need for using solar energy & assess new opportunities, discuss the challenges and evolve plans for the future of the industry in India.