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					</table>Solar module maker <a href="https://www.jasolar.com/html/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JA Solar</a> has signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the Ordos Municipal government in China’s inner Mongolia region to build a low-carbon industrial park for the photovoltaic (PV) industry cluster.
The company plans to invest ¥40 billion (~$5.9 billion) for the cluster. The PV industry cluster, once complete, will have facilities to produce 10,000 tons of silicon, 20 GW each of ingots and wafers, 30 GW of photovoltaic cells, and 10 GW of solar modules.
The company said signing the agreement with the city municipal government aligns with JA Solar’s strategic future production capacity planning.
The solar module manufacturer said they would use the local resources while taking advantage of the policies in place to expand the company’s production capacity, broaden its presence in the photovoltaic industry and enhance its core competitiveness.
JA Solar also said it would build a technology research and development center and a facility for smart manufacturing.
The company expects this will improve its technical capabilities and build a demonstration base for the regional photovoltaic industry.
Ordos Municipal government will be responsible for all the relevant environmental impact and other safety assessments, land use, and approvals for setting up the facilities. The municipal government will also implement the project under the “One Enterprise, One Policy” program to expedite the commencement of the project.
JA Solar recently <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ja-solar-supply-modules-875-mw-solar-project-qatar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> a deal with Samsung C&amp;T, a South Korea-based construction and engineering company, to supply photovoltaic modules for the largest solar project in Qatar. It is likely to be operational in 2024. Under the agreement, JA Solar will supply over 1.6 million DeepBlue 3.0 modules to the project.
The company was one of the leading module suppliers to the Indian solar market in the first half of the calendar year 2022, according to Mercom’s recently released <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-leaderboard-1h-2022-market-shares-and-profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Market Leaderboard 1H 2022</a>.

JA Solar to Build $5.9 Billion Polysilicon, Module Cluster in China

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					</table>Technological innovations are very important for the growth of the solar sector in the country. We have new technological advancements every two to three years, making incumbent technologies obsolete.
India has a unique need to balance the need for competitive pricing and adopt advanced technologies to reduce the levelized cost of energy. The rest of the world has adopted larger size modules (M10 and M12), bifacial, n-type, and TOPCon. But in India, monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules still dominate the market.
Monocrystalline occupied a significant market share in 2021, while technologies like thin-film, bifacial, and HJT make up around 2%.
The two-day <a href="https://mercomindia.com/event/solar-summit-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercom India Solar Summit 2022</a>, which began on July 28 in New Delhi, discussed critical issues, opportunities, and emerging trends in the industry, including the government&#8217;s push for local manufacturing, its aggressive solar installation goal of 280 GW by 2030, supply chains, technology, and financing.
The event featured a session, &#8216;Solar Technology Innovations Poised to Take Over the Market&#8217; on July 29, which discussed solar technologies beyond polycrystalline and monocrystalline passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) that can take over the market.
The panelists were Deepak Ushadevi, MD &amp; CEO, <a href="https://ciel-et-terre.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ciel et Terre</a>; Sishir Garemella, Head – International Business Development, <a href="https://www.pvel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PVEL</a>; Rahul Khatri, Sales &amp; BD Leader – South Asia, <a href="https://www.dupont.com/solar-photovoltaic-materials/about-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions</a>; and Honey Raza, Head – Sales India, <a href="https://www.ginlong.com/us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solis</a>.
The session was moderated by Priya Sanjay, Managing Director, Mercom India.
The panelists discussed new advancements, technologies, and products that can deliver cost savings that the solar market sorely needs.
Floating solar and other evolving technologies
Speaking on the economic feasibility of floating solar projects, Deepak Ushadevi noted, &#8220;Floating solar has been accepted as a viable alternative, and is fast picking up. In 2018, we had a total solar capacity of 1.5 MW -2 MW, but now it has increased to 200 MW of solar capacity. We have abundant water bodies in India and can use them for floating solar projects.&#8221;
&#8220;There are challenges in setting up a solar power project. These include access to water bodies and suitable materials for developing floating solar projects. We developed a 92 MW floating solar project in Kayamkulam in saline and humid conditions. A 600 MW floating solar park is also coming up on the Omkareshwar reservoir. We have set up a factory and are making floaters for the floating solar projects ourselves. The shortage of machines is also a factor, but we need to improvise to meet the demands,&#8221; he said.
Sharing his views on the technologies shaping the solar landscape, Ushadevi said that learning was essential for growth. There is scope for R&amp;D in the Indian solar sector. &#8220;We are spending a lot on floating solar projects. We have converted lands into ponds for R&amp;D purposes and are moving in the right direction. We have limitations in the solar supply chain, but we must grow from that,&#8221; he added.
Sishir Garemella concurred. &#8220;In the last five years, there has been a significant shift in the module technology market. There is a greater interest in mono PERC, half-cut, n-Type, TOPCon, and heterojunction technology (HJT). Technology is changing rapidly, and tracking the ever-evolving technological landscape isn&#8217;t easy. We have tested TOPCon, but HJT will be a bigger jump.&#8221;
&#8220;One important thing to note is that one technology may not be suited to varying climatic conditions. India is a big country, and climatic conditions vary significantly from one part of the country to the other. So, while deploying new technology, weather conditions must be taken into account. In the backdrop of changing weather patterns, the efficiency of modules and degradation factors acquire greater significance,&#8221; added Garemella.
The next step up in technology would be TOPCon and HJT. They are still in the nascent stage and expensive to manufacture and will continue to remain a niche or premium product until manufacturing processes improve for prices to drop.
Rahul Khatri noted, &#8220;Over the last three years, module technology has changed a lot, and it has changed the module manufacturing business significantly. One of the biggest changes in the recent past is the shift from monofacial to bifacial. Solar is such a technology that you invest in it for 25-30 years. We were stuck with obsolete technologies in the solar sector for quite a long time. But things are changing, and bifacials are more in demand.&#8221;
&#8220;Bifacials are the future, and their popularity is bound to grow with time. Now, transparent backsheets are in vogue, and soon we will have backsheets that can work in all conditions. TOPCon and HJT are also going to gain popularity soon. HJT will take some time, but the popularity of TOPCon is going to grow in the near future. The demand for transparent backsheet is also bound to grow, and the availability of glass will affect the production of transparent backsheets,&#8221; added Khatri.
Khatri said that the Indian market was a bit different from other markets. Nearly 80% of the installations were in the last five years. Most of the defects have occurred during the same period. &#8220;We need to focus on this and examine the modules&#8217; quality aspect. It&#8217;s all about testing and taking the field conditions into consideration,&#8221; he said.
Shared his thoughts on the solar inverters market, Honey Raza said, &#8220;The demand for string inverters is growing, and we are well-equipped to cater to the market&#8217;s demand. There is a bit of uncertainty in the market, and the industry is moving toward 12-inch fabrication. The wattage capacity of modules is increasing, so we have to concentrate on the current level, which is around 17 Amp-19 Amp. The right combination of inverters and modules can help reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and increase the project&#8217;s overall efficiency.&#8221;
&#8220;The most critical component is the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) which can handle the current capacity so that the inverter can perform at its optimum level. So, to take care of the current capacity and heat management, IGBT is required. We need to have a reliable IGBT supplier who can cater to the demands,&#8221; Raza added.
Challenges in technology  adoption
The main impediments to the development of the Indian solar market still lie in the policy and regulatory environment, unavailability of R&amp;D infrastructure, and the fact that India is a cost-sensitive market.
Garemella said, &#8220;The solar supply chain is facing many issues, and India is also facing challenges due to supply chain disruptions. India will develop into a manufacturing hub in the next few years, and other countries are looking at India as a manufacturing base. There have been many policy flip-flops in the United States in the past few years, which puts India in a driving position as far as manufacturing is concerned.&#8221;
&#8220;Currently, the production and supply of polysilicon, wafers, and cells are controlled by one of two countries, and other countries are looking at India as a big market. There is a strong push by the government to make India a big manufacturing hub. After China, India is going to be the next manufacturing center. There is a need to focus on the quality of materials in the downstream market. There is a lot of volume to sell in India, and quality alignment is necessary. There will be a lot of capital flowing into India, so we must get our act together,&#8221; he added.
Highlighting the challenges in the solar inverter segment, Raza said, &#8220;In India, climatic conditions vary after every 500 km, and we must take care of the climatic conditions while designing the inverters. We must keep innovating whether we supply to utility-scale or residential projects. It&#8217;s a learning process, and we should ensure that these things are adequately tackled. Developers are now moving toward bifacials and thin-films, and we should be open to new technologies.&#8221;
&#8220;As of now, we are trying to optimize the product range, including the residential and commercial segments. In the last 12-18 months, the prices of raw materials have shot through the roof, and we are trying our best to strike a balance between the financials and sustainability of the projects,&#8221; Raza said.
Ushadevi predicted that renewables would be the next big thing, and climate change would drive it forward. &#8220;Currently, everyone is focussing on clean energy. I think renewables will have a big say in power generation in the coming years. By 2050, 50% of power has to come from renewable sources. The government is doing its bit to take the sector forward, and we must do our bit. Commodity pricing is important, but we must face it and move forward.&#8221;

India Has to Keep Pace With Technological Innovations to Unlock Solar’s Potential

The President of India has given his approval for the continuation of renewable energy research and technology development (RETD) program for implementation during 2017-18 and 2019-20 at the cost of ₹1.75 billion (~$24.70 million). The program comes under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The objective of the program is to promote indigenous technology development and manufacture for widespread applications of renewable energy such as solar thermal systems, solar photovoltaic systems biogas systems, waste to energy systems, wind energy systems, hybrid systems, storage systems, hydrogen and fuels cells, geothermal, etc. aimed at increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix of the country.
It is also expected to make the renewable industry more competitive along with self-sustainable and profitable. The RETD has listed R&amp;D priorities of various areas and their technology gaps. For example, technology gaps in solar PV and import dependence for wafers, cells, and modules, mass manufacturing of cells and modules, and availability of alternative options in emerging technologies. In the case of wind energy, it mentions the technology gaps and import dependence on technologies for offshore wind deployment, modeling, and simulation to ensure accurate forecasting.
Proposals from academic institutions, universities, research institutes, government, and nonprofit research organizations would be eligible for 100 percent financial support in the total project cost. Whereas, financial support to the private research organizations would be restricted at up to 50 percent of the project cost.
Considering the size scope and the goals to achieve 175 GW of renewables by 2022, a $25 million budget for R&amp;D is a pittance.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-invites-proposals-rd-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recently</a>, Mercom reported that <a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a> had also invited project proposals for research, development, and demonstration in areas of new and renewable energy from R&amp;D organizations or institutions, universities, and industries.
The <a href="https://aeda.assam.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Assam Energy Development Agency</a> had also invited proposals from independent institutions and organizations to set up a research and development facility in the state. The facility will be in the field of renewable energy and will be supported by the Science and Technology Department of the Government of Assam.
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MNRE Gets ₹1.75 Billion for Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development

The <a href="https://www.weforum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Economic Forum</a> has released a white paper titled  ‘Accelerating Sustainable Energy Innovation’ that argues the pace of innovation in sustainable energy is not adequate to address the challenges of climate change.
Two-thirds of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are from energy consumption and production activities and it is imperative that innovation in sustainable energy systems is accelerated. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) only solar PV, onshore wind, energy storage, and electric vehicles are technologies mature enough for large scale deployment.
The report highlights that though there is a significant increase in funding for cleaner technologies, investment in research and development (R&amp;D) have seen no growth in the past couple of years. Carbon capture and utilization, hydrogen, advanced nuclear, advanced biofuels, efficient heating and cooling are some of the technology areas with great potential. However, high costs, low returns, system inertia, and long lead times make it challenging for the innovation to match the pace needed for climate mitigation.
A multi-stakeholder approach, that includes innovation systems, transition studies, environmental and ecological economics can create a balance between economic growth, energy security, and system reliability during a complex energy transition.
Regulatory policies, public R&amp;D funding programmes, and innovation alliances are fundamental necessities to accelerate energy innovation, as market economics often do not support newer technologies. It is up to the government to incentivize and create a credible regulatory framework that supports investment in sustainable energy technology innovations. ARPA-E (USA), Kopernikus Program (Germany), and KIC InnoEnergy (EU) are some examples of public funding programs to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in nascent technology areas.
The paper proposes setting up an independent international fund to finance energy technology projects to accelerate this innovation. It could be financed through interested governments, the private sector, and climate philanthropists. It could be a win-win arrangement for funding countries, as it will provide better market access to newer technologies at a much lower cost.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/sandia-laboratory-design-cheap-solar-energy-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercom recently  reported</a> that the United States Department of Energy (DoE) is giving $10.5 million to Sandia National Laboratories to research and design a cheaper and more efficient concentrating solar energy system.
Image credit: Flickr

Sustainable Energy Innovation Needs to Grow at a Quicker Pace: World Economic Forum

With the Indian renewable sector lacking new technology development, The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a draft Technology Development and Innovation Policy (TDIP) for New &amp; Renewable Energy to further research, development and demonstration (RD&amp;D) efforts with an eye to promote indigenous technology development and manufacturing, quality improvement. The draft is open for comments and suggestions up to October 20, 2017.
The MNRE wants to double the budget for technology development efforts in new and renewable energy for the current three-year plan period.
The TDIP aims to set up a comprehensive framework and ecosystem for implementation of the Technology Development Program (TDP). It will involve increased interaction among researchers, innovators industries, scientists, related stakeholders and departments and policy makers sharing knowledge and expertise for working in consortia. Innovation ideas will be encouraged with cash prizes and further support for translating ideas into prototypes and then for scaling up.
The strategy would be based on supporting project proposals in focused areas for pilot plants, technology, process development, demonstration, and commercialization, taking into account scalability and bankability, and also to encourage the exploration of new ideas and concepts to achieve long-term goals.
A strong institutional mechanism for collaboration is expected to be established to encourage research and for the efficient transformation of knowledge into technology, and to monitor technology development and innovation to meet the technology needs of the country.
Innovative ideas will be rewarded with cash prizes. The winners will be provided with a support mechanism for transforming their ideas and prototypes into commercial products as start-ups for entrepreneur development. For technology development and demonstration, the MNRE may provide up to 100% financial assistance as core support to R&amp;D, academic, government, and non-profit institutions for prototype, process, system, and technology development to strengthen and set up specialized centers of excellence in new and renewable energy.
The centers of excellence will be funded in the form of TDI projects with an aim to strengthen the expertise of the research groups for pursuing research in advanced areas for technology development and demonstration, and for promoting R&amp;D in the area in the country by conducting trainings and workshops. In the case of proposals to carry out studies of policy issues and analysis purported to renewable energy, 100 percent of funding will be supported by MNRE.
Financial assistance for projects including technology validation and demonstration projects that involve partnerships with industry and private institutions including engineering colleges should normally be restricted to 50 percent of the project cost.
Projects from private academic institutions, including engineering colleges accredited by a government accreditation body will be eligible for 50 percent support. The balance of funds will be met by institutes and industries. Projects aiming at applications of R&amp;D and demonstration of technology and systems will be supported up to 50 percent of the project cost. Innovative projects will be supported through start-up support mechanisms, which will involve an investment agreement with investors.
Image credit: Fraunhofer ISE

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