NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India could start installing 20,000 megawatts of solar power capacity as early as April after companies pledged to support the government's drive for clean energy, an official told Reuters.
Details of the plan, which has drawn commitments from U.S., German and Chinese companies, will be announced on Friday, said Upendra Tripathy, secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
"We have got commitments from very established industry, both foreign and domestic for next year," he said in an interview at his office.
Foreign companies will be allowed to decide where they manufacture the required equipment, he said.
The rapidly falling cost of solar power, which is expected to reach parity with conventional energy by 2017, has ignited interest in its potential in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has looked to industry for help in funding what could be a 100 billion expansion in clean energy.
For its part, the government will have to find the land required to build the solar panels on.
Modi aims to make India one of the world's largest renewable energy markets, targeting 100,000 MW of output by 2022 from just 3,000 MW currently.
One megawatt can power roughly 1,000 U.S. homes although this varies widely, depending on the amount of heating or cooling needed, for example.
Despite more than 300 days of sunshine a year, India relies on coal for three-fifths of its energy needs while solar supplies less than 1 percent.
U.S.-based First Solar (FSLR.O) and SunEdison Inc (SUNE.N), Canadian Solar (CSIQ.O) and China's JA Solar (JASO.O) are among the companies keen to expand into India.
Yet analysts say India's target will be difficult to reach given the weak finances of electricity distribution companies that would buy in solar energy and the slow pace at which land for plants is made available.
"There's a lot of interest, but there are concerns as well," said Ajay Goel, chief executive of Tata Power Solar, one of India's largest solar manufacturers and a unit of Tata Power Ltd (TTPW.NS). "Who is buying the power and do they have the ability to pay?"
(Additional reporting by Aman Shah in MUMBAI and Swetha Gopinath in BANGALORE; editing by Jason Neely)
Article source: http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/02/06/india-solar-idINKBN0LA15G20150206
The post Companies set to back huge India solar expansion appeared first on Renewable Electron.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Friday inaugurated the largest PV power plant so far in operation in Latin America.Located in Chile's Copiapo municipality, the 250 million Amanecer Solar CAP plant has 100 MW of total installed capacity -- the amount of energy consumed each year by approximately 125,000 Chilean homes, or equivalent to 10% of the renewable energy generation capacity goal established by the Chilean government for 2014.SunEdison developed, built and interconnected the installation under an offtake agreement with Chilean mining and steel giant CAP Group.Located 37 kilometers from Copiapo in the Atacama Desert, the plant has more than 310,000 PV modules spread over 250 acres (101 hectares). Energy produced by the Amanecer Solar CAP plant is being injected into Chile's Central Interconnected System, lowering the net cost of grid electricity.CAP Group President Roberto de Andraca B. said the plant would generate the equivalent of 15% of the group's energy demand.SunEdison estimates that in its first year of operation, the plant will inject 270 gigawatt hours of energy into the system. (The same amount of energy using diesel would require more than 71 million liters of fuel, SunEdison points out.)"This project has changed the course of renewable energy development not only in Chile and Latin America, but throughout the world," said SunEdison President and CEO Ahmad Chatila. "Amanecer Solar CAP has become a benchmark for SunEdison in how to develop photovoltaic solar energy on an international level."Jose Perez, SunEdison's president for Europe, Africa and Latin America, added: "This plant demonstrates that photovoltaic solar energy is an ideal way of diversifying the energy matrix in Chile, reducing costs and contributing towards meeting the demand for clean and sustainable energy. SunEdison has now interconnected 150 MW in the Atacama Desert - the 100 MW Amanecer Solar CAP plant plus a 50 MW power plant in San Andres - and this is just the starting point."CAP Group General Manager Fernando Reitich added that the Amanecer Solar CAP plant was "a concrete example" of the company's strategy to use technologies and practices that are compatible with the environment and neighboring communities. "We believe that this style of mining is part of a business vision that allows for the development of our present and future activities," Reitich added.ARTICLE FROM PV MAGAZINEACCESS TO MORE ABOUT LANDPOWER SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING: SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR RACKING, SOLAR HARDWARE, PV MOUNTING, GROUND MOUNTING SYSTEMS
Neemuch Solar Power Plant, IndiaIN BRIEF US-based solar energy company SunEdison announced collaboration with India's Omnigrid Micropower Company (OMC) in setting up 250 MWe of solar power generation capacity through 5000 rural projects in India. The projects will come up over the next three to five years at an estimated cost of US800 million. OMC has already installed 36 kWe photovoltaic (PV) capacity in micropower plants across India and, with the partnership of SunEdison, the two companies aim to quickly provide electricity to 10 million people. SunEdison is already building 60 mini grids across the country, and the partnership with OMC will provide a further boost to its business in India. Solar electricity costs have come down dramatically and are continuing to drop. Further, while a 1000 MWe coal power plant can take three to four years to build, and a nuclear power plant (NPP) of similar capacity can take five to ten years to construct, a solar power plant can be built in less than a year at competitive costs, SunEdison said in a statement on 10 January at the announcement of the partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been giving a big push to the growth of the renewable energy sector, solar in particular. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has revised its target of installed solar power capacity from an earlier 20 GWe to 100 GWe by 2022. India expects over 100 billion investments in the renewable energy sector in next five years. The post SunEdison to set up 250 MWe solar capacity in India appeared first on Intersect Insight.
Source: www.garvindirect.com
BELMONT, USA: SunEdison Inc. announced the closing of a 50 million proposal financing firm with the European Originate for Transformation and Emergence (EBRD) and the Unrelated Personage Sponsorship Transaction (OPIC).
The proposal plunder leave be used to finance the construct of a SunEdison owned 23.8 megawatt (MW) DC solar power plant in the Ma'an Governate, in Southern Jordan. Construction leave develop in Q4 2014 and interconnection is ordered to keep on opinion in Q3 of 2015.
The solar photovoltaic (PV) plant leave agreement electricity to the Jordanian Countrywide Exciting Specialist Collection (NEPCO) under a 20-year power grab convention (PPA). The power plant leave connect to the grid via a substation that leave be built by NEPCO.
Jose Perez, journey of SunEdison for Europe, Interior East, Africa and Latin America, stated: "This project is a new top item of SunEdison's capacity to develop warm energy solutions correspondence bylaw desires in exceptional existence. Our big construct linked with the semi-detached with world-class cronies, such as OPIC and EBRD, limit been grim for this high point."
Al Dahya, GM of SunEdison for MENA and Fold, said: "This project leave be disapproving for Jordan to open out its renewable energy capacity and to cut its have confidence in on expensive hydrocarbon imports. Photovoltaic energy has the force to be an horrible part of the premeditated diversified energy mix in the Interior East, tumbling energy costs and causal to the embryonic energy need. This project represents moral the edge of SunEdison's normal reliance to the development of the clean energy in the area."
Origin: green-power-project.blogspot.com
SunEdison Completes Three New Astrophysical Projects for Tutor Quarter SunEdison Inc. a first solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy conveniences, and Irvine Unified Tutor Quarter, in our time announced the literal of three new solar installations at schools in Yellow Region, California. The moot realm now powers 22 schools with SunEdison solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and expects to set down an latest 5 million to 8 million in energy expenses excellent the contiguous 20 excitement. These avoided expenses carry the moot realm to hand further enriching resources for their students now and for many excitement to build up. "We're conceited to announce that we are anticipating 5 million to 8 million on avoided energy expenses excellent the contiguous 20 excitement by presentation with SunEdison," assumed Token Sontag, senior for arithmetic, science, and situation practical education at Irvine Unified Tutor Quarter. "We helpful this with zip up up-front expenses, and zip up maintenance expenses ready a power fall for dole out (PPA) with SunEdison. That latest nation cremation on top resources for our teachers and students. As the prevalent solar powered moot realm in Yellow Region with excellent 5.4 MW installed, we're rob this prospect to educate our new on the benefits solar energy can cede to the public." "The Irvine Unified Tutor Quarter is a distend triumph kind and a human being blueprint for other moot districts," assumed Sam Youneszadeh, omission senior of west coast circulated generation at SunEdison. "They're awe-inspiring to us, and we expectations many on top schools are able to expedition their manage and invest on top on education by sinking their energy side." The Irvine Unified Tutor Quarter decision be building new schools excellent the contiguous 8 excitement to cuddle an projected 1,200 new students a time. Dynasty on their triumph, the moot realm is presentation with SunEdison and their architects to addition solar all the rage the contrive of all new schools. SunEdison and its financing buddies, as well as TerraForm Weight a SunEdison Unchangeable, decision be the owner-operators of the systems. - Astrophysical Prime mover go over LEED Points
