CEE Oct-Dec 2012

The association of wind energy producers said that since May 25 wind mills contributed over 2,800 MW to 3,500 MW of power to the State Grid. Referring to the official statistics available with the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation, the utility handling power transmission, they said for nearly a fortnight now, the wind mills have fed 70- 80 million units of electricity daily into the State's power grid. This accounts for up to 35 per cent of Tamil Nadu's energy requirement. This supply has contributed significantly to alleviating the power shortage of about 3,000 MW in the State. While this is significant in itself, what is more important, say the wind energy producers, is that wind energy has proven the ability to consistentl y support the grid. Courtesy: Total Energy, Jul.-Aug. 2012, P22. 2% FROM SOLAR POWER IN TN FOR MAJOR e:cTI'\BI ISHMI=f'JT~ The Tamil Nadu government is planning to make it mandatory for major industries, high-rise apartment complexes, hotels and major institutions in the state to meet 2 per cent of their total energy requirement from solar power. The policy is currently under consideration by the state's environment department. The obligated entities are expected to be given certain exemptions and subsidies under the policy in order to incentivise installation of off-grid solar panels. Courtesy: Renewable Watch, Oct. 2012, P4. SOLAR PV PLANT FOR CAPTIVE POWER NE~oc Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is reportedl y planning to set up a 5 MW solar PV plant in its boiler auxiliary plant complex at Ranipet near Chennai. The plant based on crystalline silicon technology, will be used of captive electricity needs within the complex. The plant will need about 25 acres of land and will be set up wi thin the 163 acre BHEL complex. The company is expected to regi ster the project under the renewable energy certificate (REC) mechanism as well as for carbon credit benefits. The modules for the plant are expected to be sourced from BHEL's own PV module manufacturing facility at Bengaluru. Courtesy: Renewable Watch, Oct. 2012, P5. BIG INVESTMENT IN SOLAR POWER BY ABG r::Qf"\110 Mumbai-based cong lomerate, the Aditya Birla Group plans to invest Rs 60 billion in its solar power business over the next five years. The group has set up projects under the REC mechanism and bid for projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). The group has so far invested about Rs 2 billion in its solar power ventures. Essel Mining and Industries Limited , a subsidiary of the group, owns a 5 MW solar PV project at Bithuja in Rajasthan and is reportedly planning to form a subsidiary company with a target to install 100 MW of solar capacity by mid-2014. Courtesy: Renewable Watch, Oct. 2012, P6. RELIANCE TO BUILD NATION'S LARGEST p-·i1 ER A·- 'India needs mix of green and traditional power sources' The nation's largest solar power plant has been commissioned by Reliance Power in Pokharan. The plant will displace over 70,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. However, this is still not sufficient in terms of demand, as one-third of India's rural population has no access to electricity. Reliance Power plant in Pokharan 38