Welcome to Current Edge, your weekly roundup of energy sector news in India.
TL;DR
1. India’s ground-mounted solar power stands at >3300 GW, 4 times the 2014 estimate of 748 GW, with Rajasthan leading the charge.
2. Sunsure Energy has commissioned an 82.5 MW solar plant in Jhansi. The company is also advancing into solar + BESS solutions for round-the-clock clean power.
3. The Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg has become India’s 1st expressway to generate solar power, with panels installed at two locations.
4. North Central Railway demonstrated using GPS-enabled drones with water tanks & nozzles to clean solar panels in Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh).
5. Envision Energy begins work on a Rs 500 crore wind turbine blade plant in Gujarat, while also expanding into BESS & green hydrogen.
The Government revises India’s solar potential from 749 GW to 3343 GW.
A study by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) shows that India’s cumulative potential for solar power is more than 3300 GW, compared to the government’s projection of 748 GW in 2014. The study conducted by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) under MNRE’s administrative charge, offers a comprehensive evaluation of India’s ground-mounted solar PV potential by integrating data from multiple sources, including satellite imagery, meteorological records and land use database. Amongst the states, Rajasthan leads the solar potential in India. Top 5 states by solar potential is as follows:
1. Rajasthan with 828.78 GWp
2. Maharashtra with 486.68 GWp
3. Madhya Pradesh with 318.97 GWp
4. Andhra Pradesh with 299.31 GWp
5. Gujarat with 243.22 GWp
The first national-level exercise, conducted by NISE in 2014, estimated that India had a deployable solar potential of around 748 GWp. While groundbreaking at the time, it was constrained by data availability. NISE, after identifying all feasible regions suitable for ground-mounted solar installations, calculated the solar PV capacity based on improved satellite mapping.
Sunsure Energy becomes the largest clean energy developer in Uttar Pradesh.
The company has commissioned an 82.5 MWp open access solar power plant in Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), its 10th plant in the state. This achievement further solidifies Sunsure Energy's position as a leading renewable energy provider in Uttar Pradesh, with 260 MWp open access solar plants operating in Agra, Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi & Chitrakoot, supplying power to industries across FMCG, ceramics, metals & chemical sectors. The new 82.5 MW Jhansi plant will supply power to Haldiram's, APL Apollo, etc.
Sunsure has evolved from basic solar power projects to integrated solar + BESS solutions offering utilities & industrial consumers round-the-clock (RTC) clean power, effectively addressing peak hour demand and ensuring cost-efficient & reliable power supply.
Samruddhi Mahamarg becomes the 1st expressway to generate solar power.
Solar power generation along the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway (also known as Samruddhi Mahamarg) has begun at two interchanges. In the initial phase, these solar panels have been installed at interchanges in Buldhana & Washim districts.
There are plans to generate 204 MW of solar energy across various interchanges along the 701-km expressway.
Indian Railways deploys drones for cleaning solar panels.
The North Central Railway zone of Indian Railways has conducted this exercise at Subedarganj Railway Station, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh). The use of drones for maintaining solar panels promises to enhance solar efficiency & reduce costs.
GPS-enabled drones equipped with 10 litre water tanks and 4 nozzles were demonstrated.
Envision Energy starts construction at a wind turbine blade factory in Gujarat.
Envision Energy has performed the ground-breaking ceremony for its blade manufacturing facility in Kalyangadh, Ahmedabad District (Gujarat). The facility marks the company’s third manufacturing site in India. The plant will manufacture blades for 3.3 MW & 5 MW wind turbines and support wind energy projects across five districts in Gujarat.
Envision Energy specializes in developing wind turbines that combine advanced control systems, data analysis, active performance control and reliability prediction capabilities. Apart from manufacturing wind components, the company has also forayed into battery energy storage systems (BESS) & green hydrogen.
Key Takeaways:
India’s renewable energy sector is witnessing major advancements: MNRE has revised the country’s solar potential, with Rajasthan leading in capacity. Sunsure Energy has become the largest clean energy developer in Uttar Pradesh. The Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway has emerged as India’s first solar-powered expressway. Indian Railways is leveraging drones for cost-efficient solar panel cleaning & maintenance. And Envision Energy has begun constructing a Rs 500 crore wind turbine blade facility in Gujarat.
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Stay Energized,
Nimit Arora (Team Kazam)
