Rewa Solar Project is recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is Asia’s largest 750 MW solar power project. It is located at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh.
The Solar Park was developed by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL), a Joint Venture Company of Madhya Pradesh UrjaVikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN), and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Central Public Sector Undertaking.
Q. What is its significance?
- The Rewa Project has been acknowledged in India and abroad for its robust project structuring and innovations.
- Its payment security mechanism for reducing risks to power developers has been recommended as a model to other States by MNRE.
- It has also received World Bank Group President’s Award for innovation and excellence.
- The project is also the first renewable energy project to supply to an institutional customer outside the State, i.e to Delhi Metro, which will get 24% of energy from the project with remaining 76% being supplied to the State DISCOMs of Madhya Pradesh.
- The Project also exemplifies India’s commitment to attain the target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by the year 2022, including 100 GW of Solar installed capacity.
Q. What is India’s renewable energy targets sector-wise?
A. India’s commitment to attain the target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by the year 2022, including 100 GW of Solar installed capacity ,60 GW from solar photovoltaic and 40 GW from rooftop solar.60 GW from Wind Energy ,10 GW from Biomass and 5 GW from Small Hydro.
Q. What are types of solar energy grid?
Solar for grid connected electricity:
Grid interactive solar energy is derived from solar photovoltaic cells and concentrated solar power Plants on a large scale.
Solar for off-grid solutions:
While, the areas with easier grid access are utilising grid connectivity, the places where utility power is scant or too expensive to bring, have no choice but to opt for their own generation.
They generate power from a diverse range of small local generators using both fossil fuels (diesel, gas) and locally available renewable energy technologies (solar PV, wind, small hydro, biomass, etc.) with or without its own storage (batteries). This is known as off-grid electricity.
Q. What are few advantages of solar energy?
Advantages
- Solar Energy is available throughout the day which is the peak load demand time.
- Solar energy conversion equipment’s have longer life and need lesser maintenance and hence provide higher energy infrastructure security.
- Low running costs & grid tie-up capital returns (Net Metering).
- Unlike conventional thermal power generation from coal, they do not cause pollution and generate clean power.
- Abundance of free solar energy in almost all parts of country.
- No overhead wires- no transmission loss
Q. What are some of challenges in its adoption?
A. Challenges in adoption
- India’s solar industry largely depends upon imported products.
- India’s domestic content requirement clause is facing legal challenge at WTO.
- India is facing challenge to balance prioritising domestic goals and WTO commitments.
- The dumping of products is leading to profit erosion of local manufacturers.
- Indian domestic manufacturers aren’t technically and economically strong to compete with Chinese companies.
- China’s strong manufacturing base is giving stiff challenge to domestic manufacturer.
- Land availability in India for solar plant is less due to high population density.
- India's solar waste is estimated to be around 1.8 million by 2050 also needs to be tackled.
Q. What are some of Government’s initiatives to boost solar production?
- India was at forefront in the formation of International Solar Alliance
- Ministry of new and renewable energy is the nodal agency to tackle India's renewable energy issues.
- Sustainable rooftop implementation of Solar transfiguration of India (SRISTI) scheme to promote rooftop solar power projects in India.
- National Solar Mission is a major initiative of the Government of India and State Governments to promote ecologically sustainable growth while addressing India's energy security challenge.
- The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is a Non-Banking Financial Institution under the administrative control of this Ministry for providing term loans for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
- Establishment of solar parks and ultra-major solar power project and enhancing grid connectivity infrastructure.
- Suryamitra programme to prepare qualified workforce.
- Renewable purchase obligation for large energy consumer customers.
- National institute of solar energy is created as autonomous institution under MoNRE is apex body for R&D.
- National green energy programme and green energy corridor.
Q. What are some of International Initiatives for same?
- The establishment of International Solar Alliance (ISA) of more than 122 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn to promote solar energy.
- To mobilise more than US $ 1000 billion of investments needed by 2030 for massive deployment of solar energy, and pave the way for future technologies adapted to the needs.
- India’s commitment as part of INDC at Paris climate deal to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level.
- To achieve about 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030, with the help of transfer of technology and low cost international finance, including from Green Climate Fund.
Q. What is SECI in this regard?
A. Solar Energy Corporation of India ltd (SECI) is a CPSU under the administrative control of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), set up on 20th Sept, 2011 to facilitate the implementation of National Solar Mission and achievement of targets set therein. It is the only CPSU dedicated to the solar energy sector. It was originally incorporated as a section-25 (not for profit) company under the Companies Act, 1956.
In the present outlook of the RE sector, especially solar energy, SECI has a major role to play in the sector’s development. The company is responsible for implementation of a number of schemes of MNRE, major ones being the VGF schemes for large-scale grid-connected projects under National Solar Mission, solar park scheme and grid-connected solar rooftop scheme, along-with a host of other specialised schemes such as defense scheme, canal-top scheme, Indo-Pak border scheme etc. In addition, SECI has ventured into solar project development on turnkey basis for several PSUs. The company also has a power trading license and is active in this domain through trading of solar power from projects set up under the schemes being implemented by it.
