The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : Solar power on your bag

The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : Solar power on your bag

U. Suren Vikash of Thunk in India with the solar charger back packs developed by him, in Coimbatore, on Friday. —Photo: K. Ananthan

For those on the move, recharging their mobile phone or tablet computer is made easier by Thunk in India. The product developed by it is wealth generated out of not just waste but also from green power.

A company that was started in December 2008 has a design studio here, Thunk in has developed back packs and sling bags made of rubber tubes. These have solar panels connected to batteries. The battery can be used to recharge mobile phones or tablet computers in the bag.

U. Suren Vikash, product designer at Thunk in, told The Hindu on Saturday that Thunk in develops products from materials that cannot be recycled. For instance, it launched two years ago bags woven with fabric made of polythene covers. Then it came out with back packs and sling bags made out of rubber tubes.

Now, after six months of conceptualisation, design, and product development, Thunk in has launched solar-powered bags.

Solar panels (six watt each) that are imported from Japan are attached to the bags. The bags are designed in such a way that the panels are exposed to direct sunlight when the bags are carried outdoors. The panel is connected to a 5,500 mAh battery in the bag. This recharges the mobile phone or tablet that is kept inside.

Thunk in usually launches one or two collection of products a year. It plans to make 1,000 back packs and 1,000 slings bags with the solar panels.

Some of its earlier products were sold through select retail outlets.

It has started accepting orders online on its website from customers in India and abroad for the solar bags. It will also be able to take up bulk orders from institutions. “We will be able to deliver the products in August – September. The response has been encouraging so far,” he says.

U.S. Solar Industry Posts Solid Q1 With 506 MW Installed

New Hampshire, USA -- For all the turmoil surrounding the American solar industry, the U.S. followed up its record fourth quarter of 2011 with its second-strongest quarter yet.

According to new figures released by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), 506 megawatts (MW) of new installations came online during the first quarter of 2012. That robust figure followed the American industry’s record-setting 780 MW that came online between October and the end of December, and it puts it on pace to easily surpass last year’s installation mark.
The new numbers are increasingly meaningful as the industry looks to assess the fallout from a string of potential market disruptions. The Section 1603 grant expired at the end of 2011 and the low-cost Chinese panels driving much of the U.S. industry were recently hit with hefty tariffs, the largest of which dates back to February of this year.
But so far, so good from an installation perspective as an 85 percent growth over the first quarter of 2011 has increased confidence that the industry will maintain its momentum through 2012. The better-than-expected first-quarter figures has led GTM Research to bump up its 2012 projections by about 15 percent to 3.3 gigawatts (GW), which would represent a big leap over the 1.8 GW installed in 2011. From there, the projected growth is relatively flat in 2013 as the impacts of the 1603 expiration and the new tariffs finally catch up with the industry. But strong growth is still projected for 2014 (about 5.3 GW), 2015 (about 6.6 GW) and 2016 (about 8.4 GW) as the U.S. emerges as a global market leader.
The readjusted 2012 outlook, coupled with expected declines in the European market, would push U.S. market share into double digits at nearly 11 percent. This would be up from 7 percent in 2011 and 5 percent in 2010, and it’d make the U.S. the fourth largest global PV market. The upward trajectory would also make it one of four large-scale international markets with expected long-term growth, with the others being China, India and Japan.
Two major factors helped fuel U.S. installation in the first quarter, according to the report. At least 1 GW of modules were “safe harbored” at the end of 2011, a common strategy used to qualify modules and inverters for the 1603 grant ahead of its expiration. Many of those modules were deployed during the first quarter of 2012. While the smaller countervailing duty was announced during the first quarter, the much larger anti-dumping tariff wasn’t announced until May. The first quarter was marked by uncertainty and new strategies to avoid penalties. The report notes that anecdotally, some Chinese suppliers became the importer of record, so they could absorb the tariff themselves and sell “tariff-proof” modules. Still, many developers have shifted some procurement to non-Chinese producers.
The role of American panel manufacturing has taken center stage in the political fight surrounding the solar industry. From that perspective, the first quarter proved to be disappointing as U.S. solar panel production amounted to 160 MW, less than half the amount produced during the first quarter of 2011.

Other key takeaways from the report include:

• New Jersey was the largest state market, with 174 MW of installations in Q1 2012.
• Blended module prices for Q1 2012 were down to $0.94/W, a staggering 47 percent lower than Q1 2011 levels of $1.78/W.
• Installed prices fell in every market segment year-over-year compared to Q1 2011. Residential installed prices fell 7.3 percent, commercial installed prices fell 11.5 percent, and utility prices fell 24.7 percent over Q1 2011. The overall blended average installed price
  fell 17.2 percent year-over-year.
• Utility-scale installations, which accounted for more than half of the 2011 fourth-quarter figures, represented a much smaller percentage in the first quarter of 2012. Utility installations reached 124 MW in the first quarter. Most of the utility-scale installation is expected to come during the second half of the year, and GTM Research is 1.8 GW to come online by the end of the year
• Cumulative operating PV capacity in the U.S. now totals 4.4 GW.
• A total of 1.1. GW of concentrating solar power (CSP) is now under construction.
• Abengoa’s Solana Generating Station received a $125 million investment from Capital Riesgo Global, a subsidiary of Banco Santander, for an equity stake in the CSP project.
• Construction of the CSP power tower at the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project was completed in February 2012.

Oh No, Not Another Renewable Energy Conference!

You might have about REaction 2012, the renewable energy meet organized by EAI and to be held in Chennai, Jul 26/27 (http://www.eai.in/reaction2012 )

If you are telling yourself, ”Oh No, Not another Renewable Energy Conference”, Hang on…

Other Renewable Energy Events Tell You What Everyone Already Knows

REaction 2012 Lets You Know of Opportunities that Few Know Today

Ask Yourself if You Knew the Following

Energy efficiency products and services present a MUCH LARGER opportunity for SMEs than the entire solar power industry.
A product called the Back-pressure steam turbine could be used in thousands of manufacturing units to utilize wasted heat and pressure in steam, and has a payback period of just one year. The market for this product alone in India is about 5000 crores per annum
India requires over 250,000 skilled professionals in renewable energy by 2020. Less than 1% of this number is available in the country. Can you imagine the business opportunity for training and knowledge solutions that this represents?
Did you know that the market for solar products such as solar lanterns and solar streetlights is as large as the solar power plants?
Have you heard of the concept of Upcycling? This is a more powerful extension of recycling. While recycling transforms a waste material into its original form, Upcycling transforms the waste material into a product that is FAR MORE valuable than the original product. This is an exciting green opportunity for creative entrepreneurs.
Did you know that the opportunities for IT and Software industry in Indian renewable energy and clean technology are already a billion dollar opportunity?
India could become the world’s second largest electric scooter consumer in the world in just three years from now? Electric scooters currently form just 1% of the total two wheeler market in India, and there are only a handful of strong competitors in this market.
An energy efficiency solution for Indian data centers alone is a Rs 850 crore market.
Algae-based biofuels represent the only known possibility for replacing all of the world’s oil with bio-based fuels. And India represents the best place to grow algae owing to the abundant sunshine large land areas available, and economical labour costs.
In Green Buildings, there are significant opportunities available for about 20 diverse industries. Can you believe it? This includes industries such as furniture, steel, software development, doors and windows, energy auditors, architects, solar panel makers, cooling system providers, organic farm product suppliers, waste management companies, manufacturers of smart energy meters and more
If you thought fuel cells are still in research stage in the Indian context, here’s some news for you. Some telecom towers in India have already started piloting fuel cell based energy generation. Given that fuel cells have a wide range of applications – from telecom towers to transport to various small-scale industrial applications, the potential for success for an early mover in this field is not hard to imagine.

Fuel cells, back pressure steam turbines, renewable energy training, electric scooters, upcycling, software opportunities, algae fuels, green buildings…

Don’t you agree that you are looking at a NEW, NEW WORLD? A world you have not seen before?

Become a delegate at REaction 2012. Get to know opportunities beyond solar and wind power plants.

REaction 2012 will be held at Chennai, Jul 26 & 27, 2012

Talk to Karthik – 09944667345, karthik@eai.in , he will help you get onboard

Free Seminar in Chennai on 'Diesel to Renewables'

Is your company keen on finding a solution to replace diesel or furnace oil with sustainable and renewable energy sources? The D2R Interactive Seminar is a Must Attend for you.

Replacing diesel with more sustainable sources is the need of the hour. All Indian companies know this – they have been using high cost, high polluting diesel as a back-up power source for a long time.

It is in this background that the REaction 2012 team at EAI is organizing the first ever Diesel to Renewable
Interactive Seminar in Chennai, on Jun 23, at Palmgrove Hotel, between 10 AM and 1 PM.

• The event will have an interactive presentation from EAI on the potential and possibilities for companies to shift from diesel to renewable energy sources.
• The event will also have experts from the solar and biomass power industries provide details on how these renewable sources could partially or fully replace diesel for power generation.
• Finally, the event will have a networking session where the delegates can network with experts from the industry.

We expect over 150 industry professionals and renewable energy experts to attend this important event.
All industry professionals, academicians, researchers and policy makers keen on understanding the trends and opportunities in the diesel to renewable energy sources are invited to attend this seminar.
Entry to the seminar is free, but as seats are limited, allocation will be on a FCFS basis. We request you to send in your request for invitation to reaction2012@eai.in with the term D2R in the subject line.
This seminar is conducted as part of REaction 2012, India’s largest renewable energy networking meet, to be held in Chennai, Jul 26/27. More about REaction 2012 from here – www.eai.in/reaction2012

EAI is organizing a free seminar in Chennai, Jun 23rd (Sat), 10 AM – 1 PM on avenues for companies to shift from diesel to renewable energy sources.

Experts from EAI and renewable energy industry will share their inputs. Organized as part of REaction 2012, India’s largest renewable energy event.

Interested? Talk to Muthukrishnan – muthukrishnan@eai.in , 09952910083.

Register Now - http://www.eai.in/reaction2012/diesel-to-renewable-interactive-seminar-chennai/

Germany's Day in the Sun: Solar Hits 22 GW Mark

New Hampshire, USA — With the sun beaming overhead and the nation hard at work, Germany turned to solar like never before last Friday and Saturday as the nation's PV installations fed 22 gigawatts of electricity into the grid at one point, providing nearly half of the country's energy needs.

In doing so, Germany answered some critical questions as it reshapes its policy away from nuclear power and toward renewable sources like solar, wind and biomass. Chief among the concerns is how much intermittent solar Germany can seamlessly integrate into its grid without causing major disruptions.

During one 24-hour period, Germany’s PV accounted for nearly a third of the nation’s energy needs on midday Friday when the nation’s factories and offices were humming along, and then it approached 50 percent midday Saturday as residents enjoyed a sun-filled weekend.

The milestone comes at a critical crossroads for a country that is eager to move on from its dependence on nuclear power, but has been increasingly at odds over which path to take. If nothing else, the achievement is certain to add to the growing confidence that solar can fill much of the nuclear void. Germany currently gets about 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources, with solar contributing about 4 percent annually.

According to the International Economic Platform for Renewable Energies in Muenster, the power produced at its weekend peak was greater than the capacity of 20 nuclear power plants. The timing of the peak is particularly important since it comes during times when energy use is at its highest.

"It is often underestimated that the sun brings significant power if and when it is needed most. In the peak time for lunch," said institute director Norbert Allnoch. Because of this, the group says that expensive peak load power plants are increasingly rare or no longer used.

Germany is by far the world leader in installed PV capacity with more than 26 GW. Last year alone, the nation added nearly 8 GW and it has continued its rapid expansion through the start of 2012. Concerns over the speed of installation and the growing cost of government support pushed legislators to adopt a steeper than expected cuts to the Feed-in Tariff that is credited with fueling the installation boom in recent years. That cut, however, has run into some political barriers and a separate mediation panel is now charged with finding a resolution.

President Obama Calls on Congress to Invest in Clean Energy

Welspun plans 500 MW of solar power projects

CHENNAI, MAY 17: 

The Welspun group plans to put up 500 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity by 2016-17, the rating agency CARE has said.

CARE, which recently rated a debt instrument of one of the Welspun group companies, said the group today has a capacity of 30 MW under various special purpose vehicles.

Last week Welspun successfully bid for a 125 MW solar energy project in a tender floated by the Madhya Pradesh Government, quoting a tariff of Rs 8.05 a unit.

In the first two rounds of bidding under the National Solar Mission, Welspun had won 50 MW and 5 MW of solar photovoltaic projects each.

The Welspun Group has diversified business interests with a presence in power generation, exploration and production of oil and natural gas, steel pipes, home textiles, retail and infrastructure.

In addition to 500 MW of solar projects, the group intends to own 1,000 MW of wind power capacity. The group has said it would invest Rs 15,000 crore on renewable energy in the coming years.