AprilJune 2016

The Complete Energy Magazine

Volume 4

Issue 3

Gautami Palanki
Director, US Green Building Council

Annual `800

The Most Comprehensive Annual Data Diary and Yearbook on

Indias Energy Sector and Its Impact on Environment
`1995/Only

TERI
Energy & Environment
Data Diary and
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2015/16
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Exploring Every Aspect of

Indian Energy Sector that
You Will Like to Know

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Key features
Exhaustive compilation of data from energy supply and demand sectors
Recent data along with data for the past years covered in the form of structured and
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Energy and environment: an overview, Commercial energy balance tables and conversion factors
Energy supply: Coal and lignite, Petroleum and natural gas, Power, Renewable energy
sources and technologies Energy demand: Agriculture, Industry, Transport, Household energy
Local and global environment: Environment, Climate change Energy and environment
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From the editors desk...

Nowadays, there is a clamour to transform into a smart city. It has intensified in India
after the Government of India launched its Smart Cities Mission. Recently, 20 cities were
selected in the first round. But what does one mean by a smart city? At the very first
instance a smart city is perceived to be an urban habitation that banks on information
and communication technologies (ICT) to make it smart. Perhaps this thinking originated
from IBMs Smarter Planet initiative in 2008 conceptualized around digital technology,
big data, cloud, and mobile connectivity. However, ICT will always remain a mean to
reach somewhere, to achieve something; ICT in the context of a smart city is not a goal
in itself. Against the backdrop of rapid urbanizationwith ever increasing pressures on
urban infrastructurethe needs for making cities smart could include: (i) Providing better
services to the residents thereby facilitating better lifestyle; (ii) Fostering more inclusive
and equitable growth; and (iii) Making the city more adaptive and resilient to climate
change. These needs, in turn, translate into goals, such as optimal utilization of resources
particularly energy and water; pursuing a trajectory that is significantly less carbonintense; becoming self-reliant through locally available resources; and provision of overall
good governance.
Thus, a smart city would essentially have many initiatives converging to affect the
desired outcomes. These would comprise, for instance, increased reliance on renewablesbased decentralized, distributed energy generation; use of efficient appliances with twoway communication with the utilities; rational use of energy in commercial and industrial
sectors; a clear shift towards public and non-motorized transport along with greater use
of electric personal vehicles; and, waste minimization on one hand and reuse of waste on
the other. The point to be noted is that a smart city transformation is actually a process
or continued evolution especially since technologies are changing so fast. Indeed todays
smart could turn unintelligent tomorrow if technological advances of the day are not
exploited for the betterment of the city. The energy future is intrinsically linked to such
evolutionary processes, in terms of how the energy is generated and also, how that energy
is utilized, even at a city level.

Amit Kumar

Dean (Distance and Short-term Education),

Department of Energy and Environment,
TERI University

Editor: Amit Kumar Radheyshayam Nigam

Printed and published by Dr R K Pachauri for The Energy and Resources Institute,
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The Energy and Resources Institute. All rights reserved.

JanuaryMarch 2016

teripress@teri.res.in
Letter to the Editor
The Complete Energy Magazine
Volume 4

Issue 2

Annual `800

I read the JanuaryMarch 2016 issue of Energy Future. The Cover Story titled,
Momentous Paris Agreement and the INDCs appropriately summarizes the significant
takeaways from the Paris agreement. It is heartening to note that a goal of keeping
warming well below 2C has been set at the world climate conference. After reading
about Indias INDCs and the International Solar Alliance, jointly launched by India and
France, I am sure that the future is bright for renewable energy utilization not only in
India but all across the globe. Such initiatives and efforts by the Government of India
deserve appreciation!
Deepshikha Joshi
Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Vishal Pandya
Co-founder and Director
REConnect Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd

I very much liked reading the Case Study published in the January 2016 issue of Energy Future,
Green ICT Reduces Literacy Barriers in India. It is reassuring to know that information technology
is playing a pivotal role in energy and education requirements of our rural folk, particularly the
children. SELCO Foundations success story is also a heart-warming one as their intervention has
enabled rural schools to be grid-independent. The solar-powered computer overcomes the issues of
inconsistent grid power. The use of I-slates should be encouraged in rural areas all over India.
Hrishikesh Gupta
New Delhi

Thank you very much for your

encouragement. The editorial
team of Energy Future will ensure
that the magazine caters to your
information and knowledge needs.

The January-March 2016 issue of Energy Future makes for a good reading. The articles
on COP21 and Indias INDCs are very balanced in their approach and provide a very
nice overview of the climate change conundrum. I hope that Indias preparations
to tackle climate change also keep moving in the right track as the author has very
rightly pointed out that there is a challenging road ahead for India as the country
also has to tackle issues, such as plaguing poverty, food security, healthcare for all the
citizens, and disaster management.
Arunima Bandyopadhyay
Bengaluru, Karnataka

We welcome your suggestions and

comments to further improve our
content and presentation.
Email: teripress@teri.res.in
Editor
Energy Future

I am a Class XIIth student and I aspire to become a solar energy engineer one day.
I regularly read the Solar Quarterly section of Energy Future. I must say that reading
the articles of this section has made my resolve even more strong. I had read about
the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) earlier also but I must admit that the exhaustive
information given by the author in this article is really remarkable. I expect publication
of more such articles on the current solar energy technology in your magazine.
Vasant Prabhakar
Pune, Maharashtra

NEWS

COVER STORY
12
Energy Consciousness in Smart
City Movements
FEATURES
22
Generation of Green Power
and Manure from Surplus Crop
Residues
26
Innovative Approaches for Smart
Cities of India
34
Indias Smart Cities Mission
THE SOLAR QUARTERLY
40
Tracking the Sun for a Gainful
Purpose
ENERGY INSIGHTS
48
The Future of Renewable Energy:
A Clean Sweep
SUCCESS STORY
52
Harnessing Solar Energy for
Niche Real Estate
SPECIAL EVENT
58
The 7th GRIHA Summit 2016
VIEWPOINT
60
Smart People Make Buildings
and Cities Smarter
65
68
70
72
74
75
76

ABSTRACTS
PRODUCT UPDATE
BOOK ALERT
TECHNICAL CORNER
INDUSTRY REGISTRY
EVENTS
RE STATISTICS

EWS

NDIA

I
METHANE LIGHTS UP BENGALURU CITY PARKS
The twin benefits of getting rid of garbage and generating
gas to light up parks and high-mast lights in the city is saving
crores of rupees in Bengaluru. Eleven methane generating
turbines are successfully functioning in Bengaluru and the
gas produced is being used in lighting up public places.
The latest of such turbine was commissioned in Domlur
recently and is supplying the lighting requirement of the
park. Similar gas plants are functioning at South End Circle
in Jayanagar, a park in Koramangala near the Forum Mall,
KCDC Centre near HSR Layout, Begur, KR Market, Nagapura,
Matthikere, Kuvempu Nagar, and Gandhinagar.
This way, the Bengaluru civic body is not only
biodegrading the difficult-to-dispose of garbage of the
city, it is also saving for itself a whopping `20 crore in
electricity bills annually, according to its officials. Each of
these gas plants requires around five tonnes of cow dung
a day, along with other biodegradable waste to generate
1012 cylinders of biogas and around eight tonnes of highquality liquid organic manure. A total of `79 lakh is spent
towards the construction of each plant. An engineer revealed that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) spends `120
crore annually on electricity bills and around `20 crore per year shall be saved because of these biogas plants. A five-tonne
capacity plant requires 1,825 metric tonnes (per annum) waste material to be processed at full capacity to function while it
can generate 192,000 units of electricity per year.
Source: www.bangaloremirror.com

CANADAS CDPQ COMMITS $150 M TO INDIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR

Canadian institutional fund manager Caisse de dpt et placement du Qubec (CDPQ) has set up its Indian operations and
announced a commitment of $150 million to the renewable energy sector, its first in growth markets.Over the next three to
four years, CDPQ will use its commitment to target hydro, solar, wind, and geothermal power assets, with investments likely
to take the form of select partnerships with leading Indian renewable energy companies, it said in a statement. The move
comes at a time when the Government of India has set up a goal of 100 GW of solar capacity and 60 GW of wind power by 2022.
CDPQ has named former World Bank executive Anita Marangoly George as Managing Director, South Asia, effective
from April 1, 2016. Based in Delhi, Ms George will head CDPQ India, with the objective of finding the best investment
opportunities across all asset classes in South Asian markets. CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity,
infrastructure, and real estate. We believe India stands out as an exceptional country to invest in, given the scope and
quality of investment opportunities, the potential for strategic partnerships with leading Indian entrepreneurs, and the
current governments intention to pursue essential economic reforms, said Michael Sabia, President and Chief Executive
Officer of CDPQ.
Source: www.thehindu.com

BHEL COMMISSIONS 270 MW UNIT OF PUNJAB POWER PLANT

State-run equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has commissioned a 270 MW generation unit at the
Goindwal Sahib Thermal Power Project of private producer GVK Power & Infra in Punjab. The unit has been commissioned
at the upcoming 540 MW (2270 MW) Goindwal Sahib coal-fired Thermal Power Project of GVK Power & Infra Ltd, located in
the historic city of Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran district, near Amritsar in Punjab, BHEL said in a statement.
Thermal sets of 270 MW rating are in-house improvisations of the 210/250 MW sets supplied by the company earlier,
which currently form the backbone of the Indian power sector and have been performing much above the national average
as well as international benchmarks. All the operational sets of 210270 MW class in Punjab have been supplied, erected, and
commissioned by BHEL, i.e., six units of 210 MW at Ropar, two units of 210 MW, and two units of 250 MW at Bhatinda, besides
270 MW Unit at Goindwal Sahib. In addition to coal-based thermal projects, BHEL also has a significant presence in the states
hydro sector, with around 95 per cent share in the hydroelectric generating capacity of the Punjab State Power Corp.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

COAL INDIAS 1,000-MW SOLAR PROJECT MAY

HELP IT SAVE 30 PER CENT POWER COSTS
State-owned miner Coal India has embarked on a project
to generate 1,000 MW of solar energy to save 30 per cent of
its power and fuel expenses. Coal India paid a `2,347 crore
power bill in 201415 and another `1,860 crore during
AprilDecember 2015. Coal Indias power costs have risen
seven per cent during the first three quarters of the financial
year 201516 in comparison to the year-ago period. Under
the present cost structure, once completed, the solar power
project is likely to help save Coal India at least `750 crore a
year. Further, through a recent viability-gap funding scheme,
a one-time grant of `1 crore per MW of solar power will be
provided for this project by the centre. A memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with the Solar Energy Corporation
of India (SECI) has been signed, which is guiding Coal India
through the process. However, the company is yet to take
a call on issues, such as power banking, distribution of the
solar output, policies on power sourcing from distribution
companies, and other processes. Presently, Coal Indias
potential solar-power areas are in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh,
Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Assam.
The projects are likely to come up in these areas.
Source: wap.business-standard.com

energy future

apriljune 2016

EWS

NDIA

I
SINGAPORES SEMBCORP TO DEVELOP 1 GW
WIND ENERGY PROJECT IN INDIA
The Government of Madhya Pradesh recently signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singaporebased Sembcorp Green Infra for the development of 1 GW
wind energy capacity. The Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy (MNRE), Government of India has signed the
agreement with the company on behalf of the state
government. The size of the capacity addition is expected
to be huge. Madhya Pradesh is among the leading states
in terms of installed wind energy capacity in India and
is expected to see significant growth in its installed
capacity over the next few years. According to the MNRE,
Government of India, Madhya Pradesh may add 6.2 GW
of wind energy capacity as its contribution to the 60 GW
installed wind energy capacity target for 2022.
The improved policy and economic environment in
India has attracted several international investors to the
renewable energy market. The likes of Goldman Sachs,
GE Energy Financial Services, Global Environment Fund, and
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority have invested in Indian
renewable energy companies over the last few months.
Source: www.cleantechnica.com

NEW DELHI STATION TURNS TO WASTE POWER

Now, the waste generated at New Delhi Railway Station will not only be recycled but also be used to produce electricity
to light up the station. The Delhi Division of Northern Railway is going to set up a waste-to-energy plant, that will turn the
garbage and other waste collected at the station into electricity and manure. Waste generated at the New Delhi Railway
Station will be segregated into bio-degradable and recyclable waste. Biodegradable waste will be converted into electrical
energy and manure. Electrical energy will be utilized by the Railways, most likely at the New Delhi Railway Station itself.
It is yet another green initiative by the Northern Railways Delhi Division and the bio-methanation plant at the New Delhi
Railway station will be ready by June 2016, said Delhi Divisional Railway Manager Mr Arun Arora.The municipal solid waste
(MSW) handling capacity of the plant at New Delhi will be 15 tonnes per day, he added. The Railway Board has nominated
RITES as the nodal agency for tendering for the waste-to-energy plant.
Approximately, 2,000 units of electricity produced (three phase, 415V) in the waste-to-energy plant per day will be
purchased by the Railways from the contractor at the rate at which electricity is supplied to local municipal domestic users.
Additionally, the Railway may also procure manure from the contractor. Nearly 15,000 m2 of land will be required for this
project, as well as 50 kW of electric power supply and 12 kl water per day at chargeable basis for operation of the plant.
Source: www.thehindu.com

CPWD TO GENERATE 42.50 MW SOLAR POWER BY SEPTEMBER 2016

By September 2016, several Government buildings across the country will be solar energy efficient with the Central Public
Works Department (CPWD) setting up rooftop solar panels on them besides replacing conventional electrical fittings. The
environment-friendly move will help the CPWD to generate 42.50 MW of solar energy across the country by September
2016 and in a total savings of `115 crore per year. The CPWD earlier signed a pact with the Solar Energy Corporation of India
(SECI) for installation of grid connected rooftop solar photovoltaic panels in all government buildings maintained by CPWD
across the country for generation of solar power. Consequently, SECI awarded works to 14 bidders for undertaking works in
16 States.
Ten MW of solar power will be generated in Phase-I covering Delhi (3 MW), Uttar Pradesh (2 MW), North-East, and Union
Territories (UTs) (2 MW) and 1 MW each in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. In Delhi, solar panels have already
been installed for a total capacity of 1.50 MW in six government buildingsNirman Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, East Block and
Sewa Bhawan (RK Puram), Pushpa Bhawan near Sheikh Sarai, and CGO Complex, Lodhi Road.
Source: www.dailypioneer.com

MAHINDRA INAUGURATES ITS BIO-CNG PLANT IN

MAHINDRA WORLD CITY (MWC), CHENNAI
The Mahindra Group has announced the inauguration of its all new
Bio-CNG plant in Mahindra World City (MWC), Chennai. A joint CSR
initiative between Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) and Mahindra
World City Developers Limited (MWCDL), the Bio-CNG plant was
inaugurated by Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Minister of State
(Independent Charge)Power, Coal, and New and Renewable Energy,
Government of India, in the presence of Dr Pawan Goenka, Executive
Director, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and other dignitaries.
Spread over an area of 1,000 m2, the Bio-CNG plant aims to create
a carbon neutral ecosystem at Mahindra World City (MWC), Chennai.
The Bio-CNG plant will convert eight tonnes of food and kitchen waste
generated daily at MWC, into 1,000 m3 of raw biogas. Further, the raw
biogas can be enriched to yield 400 kg/day of purified compressed
natural gas (CNG) grade fuel which is equivalent to a 200 kW power
plant. As a byproduct, four tonnes of organic fertilizer will be produced
per day. The green energy (bio-CNG) can be effectively used to replace
CNG as automotive fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking
purposes as well as to power street lights at MWC. The organic fertilizer
will be used by farmers to enhance soil fertility. Overall, it will create
an end to carbon neutral ecosystem, wherein even the waste will
be utilized for the benefit of the farmers. Hence, MWC has rightfully
claimed the title of being Indias first food-waste free city.
Source: www.mahindra.com

energy future

apriljune 2016

EWS
HELIATEK SETS NEW ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAIC
WORLD RECORD EFFICIENCY OF
13.2 PER CENT
Heliatek R&D teams reached a record conversion
efficiency of 13.2 per cent for an OPV multi-junction cell,
setting a new world record for the direct conversion of
sunlight into electricity using organic photovoltaic
cells. Thanks to the low light and high temperature
behaviour of the organic semiconductor, the electricity
generation of the newly developed cells corresponds
to the output of conventional solar cells with 1617
per cent efficiency when both are under real world
conditions.
The world-record cell is a multi-junction cell combining
three different absorbers. Each of them is dedicated
to efficiently convert green-, red- or near-infrared
light of the wavelength range between 450 and
950 nm into electricity. These absorber molecules have
been developed and are patented by Heliatek. The new
record efficiency was measured at simulated AM 1.5
illumination and was confirmed by the Fraunhofer Center for Silizium-Photovoltaik - CSP.
Source: www.renewableenergyfocus.com

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA SOLAR POWER PLANT INAUGURATED

The Government of Caribbean islands Antigua and Barbuda together with the UK-based clean energy provider PV Energy
Limited officially inaugurated the 3 MWp solar power plant at the V C Bird International Airport of Antigua. The sun2live
solar plant installation at the V C Bird International Airport, Antigua, developed and constructed by PV Energy Limited, plays
a pivotal role in the clean energy strategy for Antigua and Barbuda. More than 12,000 top-tier polycrystalline photovoltaic
panels generate up to 4.645 MWh per year and therefore save a substantial amount of CO2 emissions during the same period
and thus contribute to the goal of reducing the carbon footprint of the twin island state.
The use of renewable energy sources shows the commitment of Antigua and Barbuda to defend and promote the values
of sustainable development, to protect and respect the environment, and to preserve it for future generations. We are proud
to support the Prime Ministers supreme vision of creating a greener environment. With this pioneering project, Antigua and
Barbuda will set an example for the whole of the region, said Mr Peter Virdee, Chairman of PV Energy Limited. The 3 MWp
solar power plant at the V C Bird International Airport is the first step on the path towards environmental sustainability on
the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda, and further steps have already been initiated. Another PV solar power plant
with a total capacity of 4 MWp will be installed in the Bethesda area on Antigua, as well as a 1 MWp solar power plant in the
neighbouring island Barbuda, which will be soon installed by PV Energy Limited.
Source: www.renewableenergyfocus.com

CHINA OUTSTRIPS GERMANY IN SOLAR CAPACITY AFTER RECORD ADDITIONS

China, the worlds largest consumer of energy, surpassed Germany as the country with the most installed solar capacity after
record additions in 201516. The nation added 15.1 GW of new solar in 2015, bringing the total to 43.2 GW. Chinas solar
capacity has surged almost 13-fold since 2011, according to data from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Germany had
38.4 GW of power supply from the sun at the end of 2015, while the US had 27.8 GW, according to BNEF. The worlds biggest
emitter of global-warming pollution wants to develop solar energy as a means to help meet its pledges to cut emissions.
Additionally, a more robust domestic market is helping China, the worlds biggest supplier of solar panels, downplay its
reliance on the export market. The north-western region of Xinjiang led the effort last year to install new solar capacity,
followed by Inner Mongolia and Jiangsu.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

MIT RESEARCHERS TURN WASTE GAS INTO

LIQUID FUEL
Turning the emissions of power stations, steel mills, and
garbage dumps into liquid fuels has been demonstrated by
MIT researchers using engineered microbes. The process has
been successfully trialled at a pilot plant in China and a much
bigger facility is now planned. Energy-dense liquids are vital
to transport but are currently derived from oil, a fossil fuel,
and transport produces about a quarter of the global carbon
emissions driving climate change. Biofuels have been seen as
possible replacement, but current biofuels compete with food
production and have been blamed for driving up food prices.
Using waste gases to create low-carbon liquid fuels would be
a major advancement in the battle against global warming
if they could be made at low cost and large scale. Another
company expects to be using different microbes to produce
fuel from steel plants in Belgium and China in 2017.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) process
uses bacteria to convert the waste gases into acetic acid
vinegarthen an engineered yeast to produce an oil. The
patents for the process are owned by MIT and have been
licensed to GTL Biofuel Inc.
Source: www.theguardian.com

energy future

apriljune 2016

EWS

US ARMY BUYS 65 MW OF WIND, SOLAR FOR FORT HOOD

The US Army has signed a contract for its biggest renewable-energy project yet, picking Apex Clean Energy Inc. to provide
65 MW of solar and wind energy at Fort Hood in Texas.
The Defense Logistics Agency signed a 30-year contract with Charlottesville, Va. based Apex for 15 MW of solar and 50 MW
of wind, the company said in a statement. The Army will pay closely held Apex as much as $497.4 million over the life of the
deal, about $168 million less than what it would pay for power from the traditional electricity grid. The solar plant will be built
at Fort Hood, located about 60 miles north of Austin. The wind farm will be built off-site in Floyd County, Texas. The agency
expects 28 years of energy production from the farms, starting next year. The Army has as much as 600 MW of contracted
renewable-energy projects in its portfolio. It also has 22 MW of rooftop solar and another 40 under development.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

SWEDEN INVESTS 20 MILLION FOR CLEAN ENERGY IN ZAMBIA

Swedens development agency will finance a 20 million ($22 million) fund to develop clean energy in Zambia through
2018. The Vienna-based Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) said it will also work with Power
Africa and other partners to roll out the project. The programme will probably focus on off-grid solar systems in the first year.
It plans to install small hydro power plants and mini-grids later on.
REEEP will implement the projects and be responsible for the contracting. Power Africa, an initiative set up by the
US President Mr Barack Obama in 2013 to boost electricity access, will provide an advisory role. The Swedish embassy in the
Zambian capital of Lusaka will help with collaboration and local government relations. The group aims to bring renewable
electricity supplies to 167,000 households, reaching 1 million people. About 95 per cent of rural Zambians do not have
access to energy.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

PAKISTAN PARLIAMENT BECOMES FIRST IN WORLD TO RUN ENTIRELY ON SOLAR POWER

Pakistans Parliament has become the first in the world to completely run on solar power. The Prime Minister of Pakistan
Mr Nawaz Sharif switched on solar-powered building of the Parliament in capital Islamabad. First announced in 2014, the
venture has been funded by the Chinese government, with the solar power plant costing around $55 million. This is the
first time since independence (1947) that the Parliament has become self-sufficient in electricity through solar power. Other
institutions in private and public sector need to follow it, Mr Sharif said.
According to the speaker of National Assembly Mr Ayaz Sadiq, the parliament solar panels will generate 80 MW power.
He said 62 MW will be sufficient for the Parliament while 18 MW will be given to the national grid. Officials said that currently
there are some parliaments like the Israeli Knesset which partly run on solar power.
Source: www.deccanherald.com

WELINK SIGNS $1.6 BILLION UK SOLAR DEAL

WITH CHINESE COMPANY
China National Building Materials Ltd signed a 1.1
billion-pound ($1.6 billion) agreement with a UK unit
of Hong Kong-based Welink Global Ltd to develop
solar power projects and energy-efficient housing in
the UK. China Triumph International Engineering Corp.,
a technology unit of China National Building Materials,
will also work with British Solar Renewables in the deal
to deploy more than 130 MW of solar panels in 2016,
according to a statement from Welink Energy.
The companies plan to build 4,000 houses by 2018
using the energy-efficient Barcelona Housing Systems
approach, designed by architects Cesar Martinell &
Associates. They will feature rooftop solar panels, wasteto-energy and power storage technologies, according
to the statement by Welink. A further 4,000 houses
could be built after 2018 depending on demand.
Given the scalability of our BHS solution and the
near zero energy buildings that are constructed in
combination with the engineering, financial and
strategic support of our Chinese partners, we believe
we can expand rapidly to fulfill the appetite for the
development of affordable housing in the UK, said
Barry ONeill, chief executive of Welink Energy.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

energy future

11

apriljune 2016

A Unified Approach for Effective

Implementation

A smart city is a sustainable and efficient urban centre that provides a high quality of life to its
inhabitants through optimal management of its resources. Energy management is one of the most
demanding issues within such urban centres owing to the complexity of the energy systems and
their vital role. In this article, Atanu Dasgupta focusses on energy aspects, in general, related
to the theme of the Smart City deployment while dwelling mainly on the triumvirate of energy,
mobility, and information and communication technology (ICT). The central idea is research and
innovations on sustainability and self-sufficiency of energy in cities that are expected to pave the
way to low energy blocks and areas and eventually spread their wings to whole of the city.

smart city is an urban

development vision to integrate
multiple
information
and
communication technology (ICT)
solutions in a secure fashion to
manage a citys assetsthe citys assets
include, but are not limited to, local
departments information systems,
schools,
libraries,
transportation
systems, hospitals, power plants, law
enforcement, and other community
services. The goal of building a smart
city is to improve quality of life by using
technology to improve the efficiency
of services and meet residents needs.
Smart cities have a high potential
to significantly contribute to the
achievement of the national energy
and climate targets and achieve for
the country likewise in a specific
time-frame. For improved energy
efficiency, it is essential to find lowcarbon solutions for new buildings,
blocks, neighbourhoods, and districts
and new ways for the cost-efficient
refurbishment of existing ones. The
integration and management of energy
supply with predominant exploitation
of local resources and active citizen
participation shall be the hall mark of
smart city movements. Smart grids for
electricity, gas, heating/cooling, etc.,
and an all pervading ICT infrastructure
will be the prime enablers for this.
E-governance
is
identified
as a prerequisite in smart city
implementation which will be based
on the above endeavours. In order
to achieve such a goal, there are
many challenges that include the
management of open data, use of
most appropriate applications, in
addition to all related infrastructure
and privacy issues. Standardization and
interoperability are further key issues
to be dealt with. Standards for future
services and installations need to
ensure compatibility with existing ones
in a seamless manner. Considerations
of the citizens behaviour need to be
assessed continuously and improved

accordingly. Main gaps with regard to

successful implementation of smart
solutions may come from the associated
non-technical fields, understanding of
the project in a holistic manner, and
quality of implementation.

THE BACKGROUND
Cities around the world have been
increasing in size and number and
economic activities are concentrated
in urban regions and urbanization has
been on the rise. According to a recent
World Bank Report, 250 million more
people are expected to live in cities in
South Asia over the next 15 years. While
the ever-increasing urban concentration
raises the environmental stress through
growing demand for resources and
services, such as mobility, cities often
stage a unique environment to allow
experimentation with innovations,
such as smart solutions for sustainable
energy and resource utilization. As
a result, local authorities manage a
unique role to play favouring innovation
and bringing in technological and
organizational
excellence
and
leadership. The goal, therefore, is how
best to design and develop cities into
the so-called smart, intelligent, and
sustainable communities.
Internationally, the concept of
smart cities and solutions towards
smart cities highlight a complex and
multidisciplinary approach towards
fulfilment of a better quality of life.
The smart city initiatives include
strong
interconnections
among
infrastructure planning, technological
development, and holistic integration
and development of citizens services

and business, city governance involving

all stakeholders. The challenges
include, but are not limited to, the
convergence of energy generation
and use alone but development
of mobility sector in general and
widespread deployment of ICT in
every activity in daily urban life. The
methodologies with respect to energy
aspects in smart cities must include
the integration and management of
the supply of energy with deployment
of local resources as much as
practicable. According to a relevant
European study, a smart city can be
defined as one that shall offer maximal
quality of living to its inhabitants with
a minimal consumption of resources
by
intelligently
interconnecting
infrastructure
(energy,
mobility,
communication, etc.) on different
hierarchical levels (building, district,
and city). Further, in appreciation of
the central role of energy in smart
cities and in view of an improved
energy supply and demand-side
management being targeted, the term
Smart Energy City was introduced
by Nielsen in 2013 with the following
definitionThe smart energy city is
highly energy and resource efficient,
and is increasingly powered by
renewable energy sources; it relies
on integrated and resilient resource
systems, as well as insight-driven and
innovative approaches to strategic
planning. The application of ICT is
commonly a means to meet these
objectives. Thus, implementation of
smart city is not just another project
but it is a movement that aims for
holistic well-being of the city dwellers.

Smart cities have a high potential to significantly contribute to

the achievement of the national energy and climate targets and
achieve for the country likewise in a specific time-frame. For
improved energy efficiency, it is essential to find low-carbon
solutions for new buildings, blocks, neighbourhoods, and districts
and new ways for the cost-efficient refurbishment of existing ones.

apriljune 2016

14

energy future

ENERGY CONSCIOUSNESS
Keeping in view the definition of the
smart energy city discussed above,
the following key expressions may be
focussed on as parts of the strategic
planning and implementation in
connection with smart city movements:
Sustainable energy scenario
Energy conservation
Energy on demand and new forms
of energy storage
Flexible
energy
management
systems for buildings, factories,
etc., for electricity, gas, and water
infrastructure
Local generation, co-generation, and
renewable energy
Light-emitting diode (LED) street
and residential lighting
Co-location,
sharing,
and
convergence
Mobility in the smart city
Reduction of carbon footprint
Pervasive ICT for all the above.
In the light of above, one of the key
deliverables in a smart city is initiating
a conversion from fossil fuels to
renewable energy for everyday city life.
This is aimed at: (i) Energy conservation
and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions (GHGs); (ii) Reducing use of
fossil fuels progressively; (iii) Utilizing
local resources and creating jobs for
the local community; and (iv) Reducing
the costs of energy towards 2050.
The aforesaid transition is expected
to encounter challenges from multiple
directions that may include, but not
be limited to: (i) Technology: The
development of new technologies and
infrastructureenablers for renewable
energy resources; (ii) Business:
Opening of windows for new
markets, services, and industries
for implementation of such new
technologies and innovations; (iii) Policy:
The creation of new policies and
institutions that will promote the most
beneficial technologies for society, that
in turn will usher in the most profitable
investments for these new businesses.

The fossil fuels-based energy system

today makes the implementation
and use quite flexible and predictable
as good quantum of energy can be
stored in liquid, gas, and solid forms
through the use of fossil fuels. Thus,
energy can be delivered on demand
any time conveniently and flexibly, as
long as there is an access to a suitable
fossil fuel storage in the vicinity like a
coal storage for a power plant, cooking
gas in a household cylinder, homes
connected to electricity/thermal grid,
etc. However, owing to diminishing
resources and other challenges,
such convenience and flexibility
cannot be assured forever. Figure 1
presents a flow diagram of the current
energy system.
The energy system of the smart
city will predominantly rely on
renewable energy resources, such as

wind, solar power, biomass, and other

non-conventional sources. Currently,
such resources do not contain large
amounts of stored energy, but instead
the energy from the wind, sun, waves,
and tides must be harnessed and used
in the same form as it is produced.
Smart city energy systems of the
future are likely to be constrained by
such deficiencies. The new task in the
changing environment will be how
the future energy system, which will
be aimed to be based progressively
on renewable energy, operate bereft
of such flexibility presently being
provided by fossil fuels-based stored
energy at an affordable cost? Probably,
the solution lies in the smart city energy
system that will find new methods
of creating flexibility of interlinked
operation within the ecosystem
of energy.

Figure 1: Energy system today

SOME SMART DEFINITIONS

Smart electricity grids are related infrastructures that can integrate
the actions intelligently of all stakeholders connected to itgenerating
companies, DISCOMs, and consumers. The aim is to deliver efficient,
sustainable, secure, and affordable electricity supplies all the time.
Smart thermal grids are a network of pipes emanating from centralized
plants and from a number of distributed production units for heating
or cooling and connecting the city including various residential and
commercial blocks, so that the end-users can be suitably served.
Smart gas grids are gas infrastructures including storage units that can
intelligently integrate the actions of all users and producers connected to
it in order to efficiently distribute sustainable, affordable, and secure gas
supplies and manage storage.
Based on these fundamental infrastructures, an optimal solution for each
individual sector as well as for the overall energy system is going to be
achieved in a smart city energy system in which a unified approach is central
to collectively coordinate among smart electricity, thermal, and gas grids for
the benefits of all stakeholders.

energy future

15

apriljune 2016

The future smart energy system

shall embrace new techniques and
infrastructures to present new forms
of flexibility of operation in the
conversion stage of the energy system
hitherto unknown. Todays simple
linear approach in energy systems
(i.e., fuel converted for end-use) is
going to change to a predominantly
interconnected approach in this
ecosystem in order to achieve this
futuristic scenario. This approach
shall be aimed at interconnecting
the electricity, thermal, storage, and
mobility sectors in such a manner
that the flexibility across these
different sectors can meaningfully
and affordably compensate for the
lack of flexibility from renewable
resources, such as wind and solar.
The smart city energy system shall use
technologies and wherewithal, such
as: (i) Smart electricity distribution
grids to meet flexible electricity
demands, such as residential and
street lighting and electric mobility
system to the intermittent renewable
resources, such as wind and solar
power; (ii) Smart thermal grids (district
heating and cooling) to interconnect
the electricity and heating sectors to
enable thermal storage to be utilized
for creating additional flexibility and
compensate for heat losses in the
energy system; and (iii) Smart gas

grids to interconnect the electricity,

heating, and transport sectors to
enable gas storage (including refined
liquid fuel) to be utilized for creating
additional flexibility.
Therefore, suitable infrastructure
must be developed as parts of the
deliverables. A comprehensive plan
for solar and wind power generation
shall have to be planned in advance for
such cities that will also be supported
by other renewable resources, such as
biomass, geothermal, municipal waste,
etc. Suitable electricity and gas grids
with related infrastructure need to be
developed concurrently with state-ofthe-art thermal energy storage system.
Individual
homes/offices/market
places, etc., shall be encouraged to
generate required energy through
rooftop installations, which may have
grid connectivity. Home-based battery
charging stations shall be used for
electric vehicles (EVs), which can also
deliver part of the energy required for
the household.
The energy system of the smart city
will rely heavily on energy conservation,
which is another important component
in the context of smart city. The
age-old concept of energy saved
is energy produced is central to
such an idea. Residential and streetlighting in cities consume significant
electrical energyabout 24 per

apriljune 2016

16

cent of total domestic consumption.

Therefore, energy-efficient LED lighting
in smart cities should be considered
as one of the most important tools
in the area of energy efficiency and
conservation. Some progress in this
connection has already been visible
under Demand Side Management
based Efficient Lighting Project (DELP)
and LED street lighting projects being
implemented by Energy Efficiency
Services
Limited (EESL)
under
government initiatives. However, such
projects need to be synergized with
smart city projects that are also being
implemented by the government.
The smart cities must consider other
efficient devices and measures in the
domestic and commercial arenas,
such as energy-efficient fans, airconditioning, and heating.
Energy conservation measures shall
consider suitable retrofitting in existing
buildings and factories necessary to
reduce avoidable loading on energy
consumption. For new buildings, the
design shall be entirely different from
the existing practices as emphasis
must be laid on energy efficiency and
conservation from day one of planning
and implementation. Building an
energy management system for large
buildings, offices, factories, market
places, etc., must synergize efforts of
various associated energy facilities

energy future

including
in-house
generation/
co-generation of electricity, gas, water,
waste management, etc., and their
consumption/coordination by the endusers. The smart energy city shall have
its own smart grids carrying electricity,
gas, water, and heating/cooling
pipelines, etc., in such a manner that
the entire operations shall be based
on the highest possible efficiency
at lowest cost so as to benefit the
common citizens and all stakeholders
to the maximum extent possible.

LOCAL GENERATION,
CO-GENERATION, AND
RENEWABLE ENERGY
One of the important parameters in
smart energy city implementation is to
be self-sufficient in energy generation
based on renewable energy and local
resources to the maximum extent
possible. There will be a number
of decentralized generating plants
based on renewable sources that may
even include rooftop grid-connected

solar/wind generatorsmay be of
very small capacities. Cogeneration
plants for generating electricity,
heat, and gas shall be made as viable
options using latest technologies
and experiences around the world.
However, bulk energy through the
national Extra High Tension (EHT) grid
shall be made available for meeting
energy requirements of such cities
during implementation stages till
they become self-sufficient. The
dependence on such systems can
be progressively decreased as the
implementation advances.

CO-LOCATION, SHARING, AND

CONVERGENCE
Co-location and sharing of facilities
and infrastructure shall be very
common in the smart energy city
environment. For example, the number
of telecom towers can be drastically
reduced by co-locating the various
service providers equipment on fewer
number of common (shared) towers.

The poles for street lighting must be

shared by service providers for placing
their equipment for Wi-Fi and other
radio systems for last mile connectivity.
The gas/water pipelines must also carry
piggy-back fibre-optic cables using the
common right of way, which will also be
shared by local electricity distribution
grids. The EHT towers in the vicinity of
the smart city shall also be used for colocation of telecom companies radio
antennas. Optical ground wire (OPGW)
shall replace all overhead plain ground
wire so that the former can also carry
telecom traffic through optical cable
impregnated in the ground wire.
The conventional underground optical
cable infrastructure shall be a thing of
the past especially for the long distance
routes. Thus, great convergence will
happen in such environment which
will ultimately benefit all stakeholders.
The convergence initiatives thus taken
shall help in reducing carbon footprint
to a large extent furthering the concept
of liveable cities.

Energy conservation measures shall consider suitable retrofitting in existing buildings and factories
necessary to reduce avoidable loading on energy consumption. For new buildings, the design
shall be entirely different from the existing practices as emphasis must be laid on energy efficiency
and conservation from day one of planning and implementation. Building an energy management
system for large buildings, offices, factories, market places, etc., must synergize efforts of various
associated energy facilities including in-house generation/co-generation of electricity, gas, water,
waste management, etc., and their consumption/coordination by the end-users.

energy future

17

apriljune 2016

MOBILITY IN THE SMART CITY

THE ICT INFRASTRUCTURE

A sustainable city transport system

shall be developed by interconnecting
energy and fuelling infrastructure,
wherein fleets of transport vehicles
shall be fuelled by predominantly
alternative energy carriers for public
and private transport systems. Electromobility will be totally integrated with
the energy system through smart
grid infrastructure.

The pervasive ICT infrastructure

shall pave the way for the successful
implementation and management of
the smart city, wherein a multitude of
highly complex and modern facilities
are expected to work in synergy.
For this purpose, high capacity optical
backbone network shall be established
along the smart distribution grid
with adequate last-mile connectivity
extended
to
individual
users
including homes and offices, market
places, factories, and all relevant
establishments. The smart metering
system shall ensure optimization of
electricity consumption and cost
as applicable to all individual users
and also offer the most efficient yet
profitable control and coordination
between
the
energy-producer(s)
on one side and users on the other.
The meaningful interaction of various
sectors, such as energy (electricity, gas),

THE SMART GRID CONCEPT

The smart city shall necessarily be under
the purview of the smart grid system
for managing the electrical energy
scenario. Some action in connection
with smart grid implementation has
already been initiated in the country.
The smart city will not be smart
enough unless the proposed initiatives
therein do not seamlessly connect
with the smart grid initiatives already
under implementation.

apriljune 2016

18

mobility (EVs, railways, etc.), energy

storage, water supply, sewage
management, garbage disposal, and
municipal waste management, etc.,
will all rely heavily on the robust ICT
infrastructure that will be based mainly
on optical cable network supported
by technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Li-fi,
Broadband over Power lines (BPL), etc.
The e-governance facilities envisaged
for the smart city shall totally depend
on such infrastructure dedicated for
this purpose. The ICT infrastructure
shall also rely heavily on the Internet
of Things (IoT) which is about
deploying sensors (RFID, IR, GPS, laser
scanners, etc.) for every object under
consideration, and connecting them
to the internet through dedicated
protocols for trafficking of information,
with a view to achieve intelligent
recognition, location determination,
tracking
of
mobility/movement,
monitoring, control, and management.

energy future

With the technical support from IoT,

smart cities need to have most essential
features of being instrumented,
interlinked, and intelligent. A smart city
can be developed only by integrating
all these intelligent features at various
stages of development of IoT.

THE INDIAN SCENARIO

Appreciating the importance of the
Smart City movement, the Indian
government launched the Smart
Cities Mission in June 2015. The Smart
Cities Mission is an urban renewal
and retrofitting programme by the
Government of Indiawith a mission to
develop 100 cities all over the country
making them citizen-friendly and
sustainable. Initially, 98 cities were
selected as smart candidates and
these will be turned into smart cities in
due course of time.However, by 2017,
100 cities shall be identified for this
programme. The Smart City initiative
of the Indian government is expected
to initiate unprecedented activities
of restructuring, development, and
re-deployment of resources in selected
cities. The smart city will strive to
implement optimal and sustainable
use of all the resourcesprecisely
emphasizing on services rendered to
the citizens while ensuring an optimal
balance among social, environmental,
and
economic
costs.
Energy
management, urban transportation,
waste management, sanitation, water
management, affordable housing,
citizen services, and e-governance are
the key sectors directly related to the
smart cities initiative. Figure 2 presents
the basic framework of a smart city.

and the Centre was to shortlist 100

cities based on certain evaluation
criteria, such as existing service levels,
institutional systems and capacities,
self-financing assessment, and past
track record. The Government of India
released the list of 98 cities, including
many state capitals for the ambitious
Smart City Mission on August 27,
2015. Subsequently, the proposal
level evaluation considered impact of
proposal, cost-effectiveness of smart
city plan, innovation and scalability,
and processes followed as the criteria
at Stage 2.
The Indian government finally
selected 20 cities from among the
initially shortlisted 98 cities on
January 28, 2016 based on evaluation
discussed above.

CHALLENGES FOR THE SMART

CITIES INITIATIVE
Each of the designated smart cities
has its own implementation plan and
strategy being directed by a group
of consultants, bureaucrats, and
politicians. True local sensitization
has been far less than adequate
as stakeholders are hardly aware
of responsibilities towards and
expectations from such projects.
There is no unified approach which
makes the challenges more onerous
and implementation heterogeneous

and haphazard. In many cases,

such projects have been planned
through retrofitting of infrastructure,
facilities, and services which are even
more difficult to implement rather
than greenfield projects. It must
be recognized that effective interlinkages need to be assured among
technological development efforts,
infrastructure planning and overall
integration, ushering in the era of new
services and business, e-governance
and seamless involvement of citizens
and service providers. Convergence
of total energy sector, mobility, ICT,
and IoT in the smart city environment
is recognized as a major challenge
for seamless development in future.
Another important area in the present
context is complete preparedness
for disasters triggered by natural
calamities and failure/malfunctioning
of operating/management systems in
connection with all smart city facilities
and establishments.

Unified approach for project

implementation
It is understood that there will be
a multiplicity of implementation
strategies for selected cities being
dictated
by
local
authorities
and politicians. It is therefore
recommended that a centralized
and unified approach be taken for

SELECTION OF SMART CITY

CANDIDATES
The mechanism being followed
for selection of candidates for
implementation of the smart city
programme has been conceived
of several stages. In Stage 1, State
governments had proposed a number
of potential cities as smart candidates

Figure 2: Framework of a smart city

Source: Energy Research Knowledge Centre, European Commission

energy future

19

apriljune 2016

the success of such projects being

conceived for implementation in view
of the complexities associated with
such projects having multiplicity of
coordination challenges and synergies
envisaged. The unified approach
shall ensure identical strategies and
plans for execution starting from the
conceptualization stage to delivery for
all the cities. Considering the Indian
scenario and background in general,
it may be assumed that the selected
cities have very similar problems and
challenges while the expectations
of the citizens are also identical. The
unified approach shall also keep
room for corrections mid-way, should
something fail somewhere owing to
miscalculations or errors.

examination of Figure 3 shall once

again establish the fact that such
interoperability
among
various
service sectors is a must to ensure
flexibility, reliability, and efficiency of
services to the end-users and service-

providers. Interoperability must be

based on sound and robust principles
of standardization in the absence of
which the smart city systems cannot
operate efficiently and reliably. In
this connection, it appears that the

Interoperability and standardization

Next
to
energy-consciousness,
interoperability, and compatibility
among various service sectors
including various systems, subsystems,
and installations will extend credibility
to the smart city movement. A close

Figure 3: The future smart city energy system

apriljune 2016

20

energy future

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has

already presented and finalized some
framework. Internationally, Europe,
Japan, Korea, and the USA have
already seen lot of activities in this
regard. In order to ensure quality of
implementation, interoperability of
services and functions, etc., it is felt
that experiences from such countries
should be looked into and examined
for inspiration and meaningful
assistance for the Indian endeavour.

CONCLUSION
As brought out earlier, smart
city
movement
with
energy
consciousness at its core is not just
about implementation of another
government-initiated
project.
It
cannot just be another municipal
body-led model of urban development
with usual in-built attributes, such
as inefficiency, cost overrun and
uncertain implementation schedule. It

is important that all the stakeholders

in the project must be adequately
sensitized beforehand at the time of
conceptualization of the project itself.
Apart from energy consciousness,
the smart city initiative has many
components that must be considered,
debated, understood, and accepted by
all concerned before adapting such a
complex and multifaceted project for
implementation. A unified execution
approach is necessary for success
of such projects for all the cities
wherever the projects are going to be
implemented. The unified approach
shall determine the objectives of such
projects with realistic expectations
and goals taking due cognizance
of the Indian context and arrive at
methodologies for implementation
for all the cities. Keeping this
requirement in view, a centralized
task force must be constituted
to determine the sensitivities,

energy future

21

components, and phasing of the

smart city projects, methodologies
for implementation from feasibility
stage to delivery including packaging
of contracts, technical specifications,
implementation
schedules,
etc.
The task force must be constituted
of international consultants with
adequate ideas, knowledge and
exposure in the related fields;
and technocrats, ICT experts and
professionals experienced in various
fields in connection with smart city
implementation. The execution at
each selected city shall be managed
in a corporate style independent
of
bureaucratic
and
political
interferences and for this purpose a
special purpose vehicle route shall
have to be developed.
Mr Atanu Dasgupta is an independent
consultant in the field of Energy and
Power
System
Telecommunications.
Email: vu2atn@gmail.com.

apriljune 2016

An Alternative Source for

Producing Heat and Power

Biomass is partially oxygenated hydrocarbon. It contains more ash but less sulphur than fossil
hydrocarbons. Since the heat content of a good quality biomass is about 70 per cent of high
grade coal and 40 per cent of diesel, it could serve as an alternative resource for generation of
heat and power, and industrial raw materials. In this article, Dr Madhuri Narra, Dr Anil Kurchania,
Dr Murari Shyam, and Dr Bhim Sen Pathak discuss the process of generation of green power and
manure from surplus crop residues taking example of a pilot plant installed at the Sardar Patel
Renewable Energy Research Institute (SPRERI). They have highlighted SPRERI technology on
conversion of crop residues into methane-rich biogas.
apriljune 2016

22

energy future

s a result of fourfold increase

in
agricultural
production
since 1951, large quantity of
crop residues are produced, some
of which have become surplus to
their traditional uses as animal feed,
domestic fuel, construction material,
etc. (Figure 1). The annual surplus of
crop residues in India is estimated at
70 million tonnes or more, which at
present is generally burnt on-farm,
are available every year in the country,
mostly in irrigated areas. The rice (and
straw) yields in Punjab are one of the
highest in India. A glaring example of
the waste of surplus residues is the
on-farm burning of about 14 million
tonnes of rice straw in Punjab each
year. This crop residue is burnt during
the months of OctoberNovember
each year to clear the land for wheat
sowing. Collection and disposal of this
straw, which is spread thinly over a
large harvested area, pose a practical
problem. Farmers spend time and
money in burning the straw. There is a
general desire to restrict and even stop
the practice of uncontrolled burning of
rice straw because it causes serious air
pollution. Rice straw has high cellulose
and hemicellulose content and low
lignin content. Most of this surplus,
which is now wasted, could serve as
a source of energy generation in the
form of methane-rich biogas along
with good quality manure.

Studies carried out at the National

Physical Laboratory, New Delhi
concluded that the open burning
of straw in the field resulted in
perturbation
to
the
regional
atmospheric chemistry due to
emission of gaseous compounds, such
as CO2, CO, CH4, N2O, NOx, NMHCs, and
aerosols. The emissions of CH4, CO, N2O,
and NOx were estimated to be about
110, 2306, 2, and 84 Gg, respectively,
from the burning of rice straw in India
during the year 2000. Residue burning
also causes loss of plant nutrients,
decrease in soil biota, and reduction in
total nitrogen and carbon content in
the top soil layer.
There is an urgent need to develop
suitable technologies which benefit
farmers at large by adding value
to the surplus crop residues and
simultaneously mitigate the problem
of air pollution caused due to burning
of crop residues on farm. Research and
development (R&D) efforts are focussed
throughout the world for developing
cost-effective
technologies
for
converting crop residues into methane
rich biogas. Anaerobic digestion has
great potential to become a major part
of the crop waste management system
as it has triple advantage of producing
clean source of energy, returning
the organic matter to the soil, and
avoiding serious air pollution due to
large scale burning of crop residues in

concentrated crop production regions.

Systems used to digest solid waste are
classified according to the percentage
of total solids (TS) in the waste stream.
1020 per cent low-solids anaerobic
digestion; wet fermentation
20 per cent high-solids anaerobic
digestion; dry fermentation.
High-solids
anaerobic
digestion
systems have been developed to digest
solid wastes (particularly municipal
solid waste) at solids contents of
30 per cent or above. High-solids
systems enable the reactor size to be
reduced, require less process water
and have lower heating costs. In this
direction, with particular reference to
surplus crop residues, a technology
for conversion of crop residues,
such as rice straw, wheat straw,
sugarcane trash, etc., into methanerich biogas and good quality compost
has been developed at the Sardar
Patel Renewable Energy Research
Institute (SPRERI).

SPRERI TECHNOLOGY ON
CONVERSION OF CROP
RESIDUES INTO METHANE-RICH
BIOGAS: SUBSTRATE
AND INOCULUM
Paddy straw was collected from
local farmers during the harvest,
transported and stored near the
plant. The straw size was reduced to
approximately 1.25 cm long pieces.
The physically pretreated straw along
with the culture was anaerobically
digested in batch type reactors at 50C
temperature for 21 days. The total
solids content (TSC) of the reactor was
35 per cent.

Pilot plant

Figure 1: Estimated crop residue production in India during 19512021

Source: SPRERI, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand (Gujarat)

energy future

23

Based on the optimized parameters

obtained at bench scale studies, 100 kg/
day rice straw based biomethanation
system was designed. The system
consisted of six molten salted (MS)
reactors each having the capacity to
take load of 300 kg rice straw, an MS

apriljune 2016

trough, an MS platform, gas storage

unit, a heating system, and necessary
pump and piping. Each batch reactor
was connected to a common header
by flexible pipe. Necessary valves
were provided for isolating individual
reactor from the header for monitoring
work. Header was connected to gas
conveying line for conveying gas to the
gasholder.
The salient features of the system are
as follows:
Six independent reactors, which can
be operated without disturbing the
operation of other reactors
A lid with hinges at the bottom for
easy opening and closing of reactor
from the bottom and easy removal
of the digester material from the
reactor
Flange groove and gasket around
the bottom of the reactor and for
gas tight closure of the reactor at the
bottom
A water jacket around the top with
lid for prevention of gas leak and
providing anaerobic condition
An insulated trough with six water
inlets and outlets for hot water
circulation and maintaining the
temperature of the reactors
Gas header with valves for conveying
gas from each reactor to the gas
storage unit
A
separate gas storage unit
consisting of a water tank and a
gasholder
Biogas-based water heating system
for maintaining the temperature of
the reactors
Platform
over the trough for
easy inspection and loading of
the reactors.

Gas was analysed, periodically,

for its methane content using gas
chromatograph. Partially decomposed
material was analysed for TS and VS
every time it was removed from the
batch reactor.

Feeding the batch

The average daily gas production
from one kg of TS fed obtained
during bench scale studies was
computed and found that consistent
gas production was obtained if the
batch is charged every third day on
multiple batch operation. Hence,
reactors were fed twice a week, i.e.,
on Mondays and Thursdays regularly.
Each reactor was fed with 300 kg of
chopped rice straw. Water was added
to the chopped rice straw to make TS
concentration 35 per cent in the feed.
The prepared rice straw and culture
ratio was kept as 2:1. Both mixing
and feeding were done manually.
A thermocouple wire was placed at the
centre of each reactor while feeding
for measuring temperature of the
reactor. After charging the reactor, the
lid was placed over the reactor in water
jacket provided and gas outlet was
connected to the gas flow metre. Gas
produced for two days was recorded
using this separate metre as it contains
more carbon dioxide. Gas outlet of

the reactor was connected to the

header subsequently. Each batch was
terminated after the incubation period
of 201 days.

PERFORMANCE MONITORING
The biogas yield per day and per unit
reactor volume for the straw were
found to be 3.2 and 8.0 times of the
cattle dung, respectively. Besides, the
water requirement is reduced by more
than 85 per cent. The reduction in TS
and VS was 23.6 and 38.2 per cent,
respectively (Table 1). This shows
good decomposition and anaerobic
digestion activities in the reactors. The
methane contents of the biogas varied
between 5557 per cent. Picture 1
provides an overview of the pilot plant
installed at SPRERI.
Table 1: Average performance of the pilot
plant for biomethanation of paddy straw
Parameter
Mass of straw fed (kg/d)

35

Reactor temperature (oC)

50

Retention period (d)

21

Biogas yield
- l/kg TS fed
- Methane content (%)
- TS reduction (%)
- VS reduction (%)

Picture 1: Overview of the pilot plant installed at SPRERI

apriljune 2016

24

78.85

Total solids concentration (%)

Compositional analysis
Rice straw and inoculum were analysed
for physico-chemical characteristics
after collection using standard
methods and its TS and volatile solids
(VS) were analysed every time before
feeding into the reactor. Biogas was
measured every day at fixed time.

Paddy

energy future

239
5557
23.6
38.2

Investment on the power plant based

on SPRERI technology including
mechanized
materials
handling
systems may be recovered in a
reasonable time-period through sale of
the power and the compost provided
carbon credit and financial incentives
for avoiding serious pollution caused
by uncontrolled burning of crop
residues in open fields.

COMPOSTING OF PARTIALLY
DECOMPOSED MATERIAL
Partially
decomposed
material
removed from the batch reactor on
its termination was composted. It
contained around 6671 per cent
moisture and 5262 per cent VS. The
initial moisture content of 5070 per
cent is considered to be the most
satisfactory for aerobic composting.
Since the material had enough
moisture required to start composting,
its moisture level was not altered
and its composting was initiated
immediately. The material was piled
up in the form of a heap. The height
of the heap of all the batches was kept
1.41.6 m. The heap was turned
on every Monday and Thursday.
Temperatures at various points
throughout the composting mass

were recorded with thermocouples

using 1 m long probe. The maximum
temperature was recorded at the
centre of the mass. More than 75oC
temperatures were achieved. It can be
concluded that the mass was properly
aerated and it did not turn anaerobic,
as high temperatures do not persist
under anaerobic conditions. In aerobic
composting, adequate supply of
air throughout the mass is of prime
importance, otherwise the mass would
turn anaerobic. Composting process
went on smoothly. Lump formation
that is common during composting
was not observed in any of the
batches. Some lumps were seen in
partially decomposed material when
it was removed from the reactor. These
were soft and broken during turning
and composting. The colour of partially
decomposed material was light brown,
which changed to darkish brown
during composting. The final compost
had a nice aroma and good humus
content. It contained N, P2O5, K2O as
11.2, 1.32.2, and 1.22.1, respectively.
Quality of the compost prepared by
SPRERI is quite comparable with the
quality of compost usually being
marketed at various places.

energy future

25

CONCLUSION
As per SPRERIs estimation, about
70 million tonnes (MT) of surplus
crop residues is available. If collected
and converted, this surplus of crop
residues has an estimated potential
of producing over 15,330 million m3
of biogas annually by using SPRERIdeveloped technology at high
solid biomethanation process (219
m3/t biogas production per day).
The anaerobic digestion of paddy straw
resulted in biogas and good quality
manure. Total reaction cycle, i.e., from
rice straw to biogas and compost can
be completed in 50 days instead of
8090 days required for conventional
composting. Hence, SPRERI process is
faster and produces energy in addition
to manure. The pilot plant developed is
simple to operate and easy to maintain.
However, fully mechanized system of
MW size is required to be developed,
evaluated and technical soundness
and economic viability should be
worked out.
Dr Madhuri Narra, Dr Anil Kurchania, and
Dr Murari Shyam, Sardar Patel Renewable
Energy Research Institute (SPRERI), Vallabh
Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India. E-mail: bio@spreri.
org, madhuri68@gmail.com; and Dr Bhim Sen
Pathak, Energy Consultant, KC-5, Ghaziabad,
Uttar Pradesh, India.

apriljune 2016

A smart city is an urban region

that is highly advanced in terms of
overall infrastructure, sustainable real
estate, communications, and market viability.
They tap a range of approachesdigital and
information technologies, urban planning best practices,
public-private partnerships, and policy changeto make a
difference. In this article, Aditi M Phansalkar and Dr Anjali Parasnis
review the current status of resources, such as water, food, and land
in urban areas of India, with special reference to the Mumbai Metropolitan
Region (MMR).While suggesting a few novel and innovative approaches for the
Indian smart cities, they feel that its time India revisits its own potential in terms of its
advanced vernacular architecture and traditions and goes that extra mile to articulate
a robust plan for the smart cities of the future, which will reflect India in all possible ways.

efore we anchor ourselves into

the crucial discourse of smart
cities and their emergence in
the future, here is an excerpt from a
book called Anti-Fragile by Nassim
Nicholas Taleb, a New York Times
bestseller author. He has coined an
interesting concept, applicable to the
current splurge of smart city buzz.
He articulates that some things
benefit from shocks; they thrive and
grow when exposed to volatility,
randomness, disorder, stressors and
love adventure, risk and uncertainty, yet
there is no word for the exact opposite
of fragile, lets call it anti-fragile. The
resilient resists shocks and remains
the same, the anti-fragile, becomes
better. Anti-fragility is a singular
property allowing us to deal with the
unknown and manage it well. The
concept merely highlights the state
which India is already into. The state of
randomness, with ever-increasing flow
of stressors, the shocks (both perceived
and experienced), and transitions. In all
probability, we can assume, this is the
state which can help us get better. With
a multitude of opinions and theories
revolving around the grandiose
concept of smart cities, we must aspire
to craft the vision well-suited for India.
While we talk about the transitions,
Indian traditions have reflected
ecological harmony for centuries
and have made our civilization a
better suited one in the context of
the traditions which were followed.
The traditional houses, meaningful
integration of festivals into our lives,
the food patterns, and the traditional
outfits largely seemed to be wellthought responses to the surroundings
and the environment. These actions
behold deeper scientific logic than
they perceived and projected.
For instance, all over India, there
are sacred groves, a smart way of
conserving natural resources. These
are essentially dedicated to local
deities. These predominantly were one

of the many direct ways and means

to protect the local biodiversity of the
region. In Maharashtra, these sacred
groves are located in the Western
Ghats and are locally known as Devrai.
The word Devrai came from two local
words; that is, Dev which means God
and rai means forest. So it means
Gods forest is Devrai. Similarly, a
native tree found in Thar desert of
western Rajasthan known as Khejri
is valued for its moisture-retaining
properties and it is not axed even if it
comes in the way of construction. Tree
conservation activities were integrated
in the lifestyles of the communities.
However today, the lifestyles
are rapidly changing, the products
are
becoming
market
driven,
and synthetic materials are freely
entering into the value chain. These
elements are flooding the markets,
the households, and also the garbage
bins. The society, which was once
completely relying on the wholesome
concept of reuse, reduce, and recycle
of material for generations, is clueless
about the usage and disposal of these
newer elements, ultimately leading
to a chaotic situation. Globalization
and consumerism is dragging us into
its whirlpool, where we are unable
to efficiently adapt. We are just
responding. We need to keep into
account the complex nature of such
transitions while we plan our future
Smart Cities.

CITIES, ENERGY, AND

ARCHITECTURE
In the context of urban explosion,
especially, the gradual yet steep rise
in commercial floor plates, India is
the worlds fourth-largest energy
consumer. It is envisaged, that with
this pace, India will take over China
in the next decade and will become
the primary energy consumer. This
can bring along huge implications on
the overall economic performance of
the urban fabric. While expanding the

energy future

27

urban centres is on the Governments

agenda, the uncertainty associated
with energy access to all households,
commercial spaces, and industries
still holds itself rooted. Moreover,
unaccounted
distribution
losses
significantly impact the overall
accounting in India. In India, average
T&D (Transmission & Distribution)
losses have been officially indicated as
23 per cent of the electricity generated.
However, as per sample studies carried
out by The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI), these losses have been
estimated to be as high as 50 per cent
in some states. The number is huge and
unwelcoming, especially in the context
of the burgeoning energy security
issues. Energy efficiency measures
will not hold true, if these concerns
are not addressed by the competent
authorities on priority.
Additionally, the mushrooming of
matchbox style compact designs of
commercial spaces, especially malls
and retail complexes, are infamous
for their huge energy and water
footprints. Climatic conditions have a
direct impact on the usage of energy
in buildings. A deeper understanding
of the existence as well as sustenance
of such resource-intensive spaces with
respect to the climate and context
should be required. The architecture
in India too has always been climate
responsive, responding to different
climatic zones. Be it sloping roofs in
high rainfall areas, such as coastal
Maharashtra, Kerala or Jaali windows
in hot and dry climates, or mud houses
in arid regions, all have emerged
as signature styles not out of mere
aesthetics but as thoughtful design
responses. Response essentially
formed the design philosophy in
traditional architecture. Similarly,
response formed the driving force
for defining the landscape of cities.
The shadow casting techniques
utilized in the hot and humid cities,
to maintain cooler temperatures and

apriljune 2016

immense help. In order to manage a

problem, it is important to measure
it in the first place. Thus, in order to
manage the energy to further optimize
it, we need to know the consumption
of the energy at every stage.

MAPPING OUR CURRENT STATUS

Peri-urban areas and infrastructure
development

Picture 1: Comparative understanding of the Indian traditional architecturePast and Present

direct heat gain on the streets, stand

as an excellent epitome of climate
responsiveness (Picture 1).
Today, unfortunately, our cities
are seen to be responding to global
signature languages. However, this
has come with the cost of diluting the
scientifically correct local responses
and being oblivious to our current
status with respect to the access
and availability of the dependent
resources. Interestingly, the Energy
Statistics 2013 of Indias National
Statistical Organization (NSO) shows
that electricity accounted for more
than 57 per cent of the total energy
consumption during 201112 in India,
and the building sector is already
consuming close to 40 per cent of the
electricity. This is expected to increase
to 76 per cent by 2040. A large share of
demand will come from the residential
sector in India.
As per the Bureau of Energy
Efficiencys (BEEs) assessment, lighting
and air conditioning use 80 per cent
of the energy in commercial buildings,

whereas fans and refrigerators guzzle

maximum energy in residential
buildings. Furthermore, as per the
USAID ECO-III Projects commercial
growth forecast, commercial spaces
are yet to increase by 66 per cent than
the existing by 2030s. This means that
a serious focus on building designs,
as per Indian climatic conditions,
complimenting the same with various
other energy conservation measures,
can ensure mitigation of the GHG
emissions. Thus with this context,
one can deduce that, sustainable
development has very little to do with
what the world is focussing on these
days and has a lot more to do with
what we already did till date.
While envisaging the growing
urban centres becoming the replicas
of the western urban fabrics appears
lucrative, the long-term sustainability
of such centres of growing concern.
Dependence on renewables could be
one solution, but demand optimization
should also be equally prioritized.
Net metering for energy could be of

apriljune 2016

28

While we aspire to venture into the new

age of smart cities it is imperative to know,
what is the state of different resources,
how and where are they sourced from?
What is their state of being? What is their
availability? And many more such mind
alluring questions.
According to a study (Figure 1)
conducted by the Indian Institute for
Human Settlements (IIHS) in 2011, in
1951, there were only five Indian cities
with population greater than 1 million
and only 41 cities more than 0.1 million
population. In 2011, there were three
cities with population greater than
10 million and 53 cities with population
greater than 1 million. Furthermore, by
2031 it is projected that there will be
six cities with population more than
10 million. Now the concern here is
not how many cities are lined up to
get mushroomed. The concern is, will
they mushroom sporadically or upon
emergence, would they be cities or
just haphazard settlements getting
regularized out of no choice.
City development is largely
observed and is also projected
to occur in the green field areas.
There is an equally rapid spillover of
population and allied infrastructure in
the peri-urban areas. Whereas, in the
brown field areas, since land is in high
demand, the city developers often opt
for high rises. It is estimated that Asias
peri-urban populations will increase
by approximately 200 million over the
next 25 years, accounting for 40 per cent
of urban population growth. These
areas, once catering to the immediate
responsive needs, a breather to

energy future

Water security of smart cities, would be

a function of protection of the water
bodies which supply water, making
necessary policy arrangements and
ensuring their continual revival
and safeguard.

Food

Figure 1: The increasing population trend

Source: Urban India 2011: Evidence, Indian Institute of Human Settlements and India
Urban Conference

older settlements, are now getting

themselves converted into dependent
entities again adding pressure on
surrounding areas or still worst the
distant areas, thus, literally dragging
all the systems into a unidirectional,
compulsive non-stoppable whirlwind.
Most often, the structures in the
core city or brownfield areas are
dependent on distant sources to take
care of its basic needs like food, water,
and energy, and also of the disposal
of waste and sewage. Already, cities
such as Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai
ferry water from as far away as 200 km.
While we need to budget the resources
well, it is imperative to also install a
cap as per the carrying capacities of
the resources. But our current status
speaks otherwise.

STATUS OF THE RESOURCES

Water
Globally, if we investigate, a study
conducted by the International Water
Management Institute (IWMI) looks at
the future water availability scenarios
for India. It deduces that the total water
demand in the Business as Usual (BAU)
scenario is projected to increase 22 per
cent by 2025 and 32 per cent by 2050.
The per capita water consumption
especially in urban areas may rise to
200 lpcd as against 135 lpcd. Studies
by KPMG India effectively highlights
the crossing over of water demand
on water availability in the near future
(Figure 2). This would mean the cities
will have to look for their own fresh
water source.

Figure 2: Future water scenario in India

Source: Water Sector in India: Overview and Focus Areas for the Future, Pan-IIT Conclave
2010, KPMG India

energy future

29

The state is no different when it comes

to procuring food. As per the Down to
Earth data, there are just 100 districts
in the country left with more rural
than urban population. They must be
in all probabilities the districts, where
our food is grown. Treating them
as the living fossil of the agrarian
country, they need not require a mere
protection, but a paradigm uplift
in the approaches which make us
look at these areas as non-lucrative
and secondary.
To delve further deeper in this
issue of sourcing the food, TERI had
undertaken a quick research, which
indicated the potential increase in the
food prices owing to the absence of
planning in the Mumbai Metropolitan
Region (MMR). The assessment
assumed that the agricultural lands
will be displaced to peripheral or
green field areas and the basic food
items, such as milk, eggs, and so on will
be sourced from a distance. Thus, the
annual fuel requirement for bringing
in food products in MMR, even for basic
food supplements, such as vegetables,
milk, and eggs to meet the minimum
dietary requirements is presumed to
be very high. The minimum distance
considered was typically from areas
which are located 200 km and
500 km away. Table 1 provides the
present food statistics for MMR region.
Table 2 clearly explains that there
is a dire need to strengthen the
food security, sufficiency as well as
sustainability in cities. A smart city
is thus presumed to protect its own
food systems and practices while
making it efficient enough to make
it available at affordable cost and
consumable quality.

apriljune 2016

Table 1: Present food statistics for MMR area

Table 2: Total fuel requirement to bring in basic perishable food items to MMR

Food
items

Annual
consumption
per capita

Total food
consumption
per year

Eggs

55 eggs

13 crore eggs

Vegetables

77 kg

18 crore kg

Milk*

71 kg

17 crore kg

Note: * Although milk is measured in litres, we have

considered it in terms of kg for maintaining the
uniformity using standard conversion factors

If the agricultural lands continue to

blatantly get converted for alternative
uses, these areas will tend to shift
farther away from cities. Which would
mean, more inflated food prices
even for basic food items. This may
interestingly also result in a rise in
demand for cheap local options, which
may or may not be nutritious. Thus,
shifting or encroaching agriculture
lands would mean, a direct threat
to food and nutrition security. This,
again, places our perceived model of
development under ambiguity.

Land
The process of urbanization establishes
some reversible and irreversible impacts.
While the reversible impacts can still
be tackled, the irreversible are the
ones, which need to be reckoned

Capacity of
truck per
item

Fuel required (in

litres) for a single
journey of a truck
in km
200 km

500 km

13,000 eggs
(small truck)

13

32

15,525 kg of
Milk

40

10,000 kg of
vegetables

40

Total number of
trips

200 km

500 km

97,872

13

31

100

107,143

42

107

100

178,127

71

178

well in advance. As seen in Figure 3,

urbanization, with the absence of
planning, may result in a permanent
damage to the system.
Figure 3 clearly indicates the need
to remain anti-fragile to the future
changes. Many changes, which
our current developmental model
demands are permanent and place the
entire system in a state of irreversibility.
The agriculture lands once lost for
construction cannot be revived
further, resulting in a permanent loss
of food-growing areas. This implies
procurement of food from alternative
lands, which can be way too far from
the source of consumption.

Humans and housing

Centralization of livelihood options is
driving the human resources in one

direction and destination, that is, the

cities. Migration is one component
which requires urgent attention.
It can act as a catalyst to shackle all the
demand-based statistics pertaining to
the citys population to a great extent.
As mentioned in one of the reports
published by KPMG on affordable
housing in India, urbanization can be
described as a product of demographic
explosion and poverty-induced ruralurban migration. Studies suggest
that the net migration share to the
urban growth in the world grew from
21 per cent to 24 per cent in the
past decade which by all means is
significant. If there exists no policy
to encapsulate the population spurt
which is projected to happen in certain
locations, the resource management
could remain a major and incremental

Figure 3: Unidirectional flow of change in natural land cover to land use

apriljune 2016

30

Total fuel
requirement for a
one way journey
(in lakh litres)

energy future

challenge for the civic authorities.

Moreover, as per the Planning
Commission and NSSO Report No.
508 (200405), it is estimated that
the number of urban poor had
increased by 34.4 per cent from 1973
to 2004. In such scenarios, the financial
budgeting along with the resource
budgeting, housing requirements and
affordability of these basic amenities
would go for a toss.
Surprisingly from all the cities, which
have been selected under the smart
city development programme, only
one has committed to make its
housing infrastructure green. The rest
seem to be ambiguous on this aspect.
Moreover, there seem to be no binding
on inculcating these aspects which is
presumably most resource-intensive.
The result of this is the incremental
pressure on urban infrastructure and
an increase in the number of homeless
people living on the streets. Though
the homeless people population has
declined, as per the 2011 Census, it is still
somewhere close to 1.77 million, which
is again very significant. Inadequate
availability of affordable housing

could be one of the core reasons for

this, whereas, absence of a clear policy
framework is in turn making affordable
housing a big challenge. Interestingly,
housing infrastructure, irrespective of
its affordability, simply cannot sustain
without the resources.
This also becomes a challenge for the
urban local bodies, as they have to face
multiple management issues, such as
storm water management and solid
waste management. Incidences like
the recent Deonar Dumping Ground
fire, which blindfolded the city for days
together adding toxic fumes, especially
dioxins, which are carcinogenic,
emerging out due to burning of
plastic. A man-made act was capable
of paralysing the entire system, owing
to lack of management and the
ever-increasing scale of solid waste.
Other urban concerns, such as urban
floods, fire outbreaks, and many
more, remind us persistently that
in all probabilities, we are missing
out on charting a people centric
developmental path. The concern here
is, we are yet to build smart cities.

PROPOSED INNOVATIVE
APPROACHES
Let us imagine a situation where the
window of our living room, housed
in a plush apartment of a new age
smart city, overlooks nothing but
another living room. What if the solid
waste we presume we have disposed
rightfully lies right in front of our
gates. What if, for most of the time in
a year, we do not see the sun owing
to pollution; however, we are still
very much in an imposed Smart City.
The irony of the situation is, if we
observe carefully, these dream home
sellers advertise their projects as
Sea View Apartments, Hill View
Apartments, where it is believed that
a good home essentially cannot be
complete without the existence of
these natural entities. But then the
question remains, what are we doing
to conserve them?
In the process, if we take a closer
look at the definition of a smart city, as
defined by the Government of India in
their smart cities draft as published on
their website, here is what it states:

Figure 4: Proposed ideology for the development of

future smart and sustainable cities in India

The first question is what is meant by

a smart city. The answer is, there is no
universally accepted definition of a
smart city. It means different things to
different people. The conceptualization
of Smart City, therefore, varies from city
to city and country to country, depending
on the level of development, willingness
to change and reform, resources and
aspirations of the city residents. A smart
city would have a different connotation
in India than, say, Europe. Even in
India, there is no one way of defining a
smart city.
There is a catch here. Lets repeat
what it says- It means different things
to different people. But then can this
be assumed, that it gives the liberty to
adopt tangent ways, given a common
country of origin? So, we affirmatively
presume that Central government is
central to the idea of developing a city
in an Indian way.
With this reference our proposition
of future smart cities essentially roots
itself on the concept of cluster living.
Cluster living concept is nothing novel
but a long established practice for us.
However, it is indeed surprising to see
the anti-fragility of the concept even
in modern times. Figure 4 explains the
core element of the concepts.
So, if we go by the current status
of development, we assume that the
food, water, land, energy, and human
resources all would be sourced from
places other than the core city. The

existence of all these external entities,

would define the sustainability of
the core city. What if any of these
systems collapse? Can we regard this
establishment as sustainable, even if
the basic minimum requirements of
food, energy, and water supply are not
met? And to add to the woes there
are hundreds and thousands of such
buildings, malls, and establishments,
getting ready to add pressure to
immediate and distant resources.
The sharp peak in the energy
consumption
is
inevitable,
if
appropriate measures are not
undertaken right at the planning
stages of these cities. It is also
important to note that there is a
dire need to compliment energy
budgeting along with energy
conservation measures.
A smart city model should presume
the need of conserving not just the
immediate surroundings of the city,
but also understand the deeper need
to diligently protect the entities
outside the city, which the core city is
dependent on. Cluster living can ensure
and encourage the protection of these
dependent entities or resources.
To put this simply, it wont be incorrect
to claim that our economical as well as
environmental stability is essentially
at the mercy of these peripheral areas.
A cluster living approach shall ensure
that the cities are the amalgamation
of self-sufficient units. Adoption of

apriljune 2016

32

this approach can invariably reduce

the unidirectional pressure of the
developmental demands on the
scarce and singular sources available.
Parallel efforts, such as mass awareness
generation, improving the policy
arrangements to drive the necessary
actions, budgeting our resources
for efficient planning, and diligently
calculating the carrying capacities of
our resources to be able to ensure their
availability are some of the must-have
approaches while we craft the vision
for our smart cities.

energy future

With increasing education levels and

disposable incomes, the demand
for water, housing, transportation,
and better medical facilities shall
consequently increase. This may lay
multifold pressures on the entire
system. The result being that the
cities will woefully fall short of all
that is necessary to sustain the tag of
smart. It needs to be understood by
all of us, that the making of a smart
city cannot be the lone responsibility
of the government. It is agreed, that

the traditional practices have been

tested for a smaller scale of operations,
however, they could be tested for larger
scales of operations, replicated with an
inherent objective of harmonizing the
development with the environment
and basking on the ancestral wisdom
which we possess.
As a famous saying goes, the only
place you reach if you follow the crowd
is exit is apt of India. Indian traditions,
festivals, rituals, practices, settlements,
value systems, scientifically robust

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33

responses, and communities have

evolved together. Old is gold but with
a logic. Its time India revisits its own
potential and goes that extra mile
to articulate a robust plan which will
reflect India in all possible ways.
Ms Aditi M Phansalkar, Research Associate,
TERI Western Regional Centre, Mumbai,
Maharashtra, India. Email: aditi.phansalkar@
teri.res.in; and Dr Anjali Parasnis, Associate
Director, Sustainable Habitat Division, TERI
Western Regional Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra,
India. Email: anjalip@teri.res.in.

apriljune 2016

The Government of India has announced the development and construction of 100 Smart
Cities to meet the demands of its rapidly growing and urbanizing population. This new
initiative includes construction of new municipalities and renovation of existing cities as the
rural population shifts into urban areas. As countries move from being primarily agrarian
economies to industrial and service sectors, they also urbanize. This is because urban
areas provide the agglomerations that the industrial and service sectors need. Pallavi Shukla
believes that the concept of Smart Cities in India is an evolving one and much of its success
will depend upon proper formulation and careful implementation by the authorities.

t has been estimated that 90

per cent of the worlds urban
population growth will take place
in developing countries, with India
taking a significant share of it. Urban
areas also contribute a higher share to
the GDP. While the urban population
is currently around 31 per cent of the
total population, it contributes over 60
per cent of Indias GDP. It is projected
that urban India will contribute nearly
75 per cent of the national GDP in the
next 15 years. It is for this reason that
cities are referred to as the engines of

economic growth and ensuring that

they function as efficient engines is
critical to our economic development.
The global experience is that a countrys
urbanization, up to 30 per cent level,
is relatively slow but the pace of
urbanization speeds up thereafter, till it
reaches about 6065 per cent. With an
urban population of 31 per cent, India
is at a point of transition where the
pace of urbanization will speed up.
These issues can be mitigated
through the adoption of scalable
solutions that take advantage of

apriljune 2016

34

information and communications

technology
(ICT)
to
increase
efficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance
quality of life. It is in this context
that the Government has decided
on developing 100 Smart Cities in
the country.
Cities that take this approach are
commonly referred to as Smart+
Connected Communities (S+CC), i.e.,
Smart Cities. Interest in smart cities
has triggered plenty of theoretical
and technology-led discussions, but
not enough progress has been made

energy future

in implementation related initiatives.

In addition, there are a number of
factors hindering adoption of Smart
City solutionsscaling of newer
technologies is unproven; technology
challenges the existing status quo in
how cities are run; and the complexity
of how cities are operated, financed,
regulated, and planned. Smart Cities,
however, present an opportunity to
integrate physical city infrastructures
from utilities, transportation, and real
estate to city services.

UNDERSTANDING SMART CITIES

Three pillars of Smart Cities are
infrastructure, operations, and people.
In a smart city, these pillars work in
an interconnected and integrated
fashion to utilize resources efficiently
and strive to deliver services remotely
over networks. Cities embracing the
smart city philosophy aspire to move
the vast majority of their processes for
engaging with and delivering content
or services to citizens online, such that
the interaction between the citizen
and the public authority is carried out
on a connected device. The aim of the
mission is to reach out service delivery

beyond the confines of government

premises and beyond the restrictions
of the normal working day for public
administration employees.

Smart city framework

An integrated smart city framework
comprises
the
following
key
enablerssmart governance, smart
living, smart people, smart mobility,
smart environment, and smart
economy (Figure 1).

WORLDWIDE SCENARIO
As world urbanization continues
to grow and the total population is
expected to double by 2050, there
exists an increased demand for
intelligent, sustainable environments
that reduce environmental impact
and offer citizens a high quality life.
European Union (EU) classifies 240 of
the 468 cities in the 28-nation block
with 100,000+ inhabitants and at
least one smart city characteristic
as smart cities. The European
Commission identifies Amsterdam
(the Netherlands), Barcelona (Spain),
Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki
(Finland), Manchester (UK), and Vienna

(Austria) as the most successful in the

EU. Europe, The Middle Eastern and
African regions represent the largest
number of smart cities at present.
It is expected that within a decade,
Asia-Pacific will take the lead. By 2025,
Asia-Pacific will account for 32 smart
cities, Europe will have 31, and the
Americas will contribute 25. In Japan,
the national government has selected
13 locations for its Eco-Model Cities
(EMC) scheme. This includes four
major citiesKitakyushu, Kyoto, Sakai,
and Yokohamaplus nine further
small and medium cities. China, too, is
pursuing a smart cities strategy as part
of its efforts to stimulate economic
development and eradicate poverty.
This strategy involves at least 54
smart city projects, and includes cities,
such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu,
Hangzhou, and Wuhan, who are aiming
to build smart cities during the Twelfth
Five Year Plan (201115).
The Smart City is emerging as
an important basis for future city
expansion in the global scenario. High
density city populations increase
strains on energy, transportation,
water, buildings and public spaces, so
solutions need to be found which are
smart, i.e., both highly efficient and
sustainable on one hand, as well as
generating economic prosperity and
social well-being on the other. This is
best achieved by mobilizing a citys
resources and coordinating its actors
using new technologies and forward
looking joined-up policies. Smart City
initiatives are spread across all six
characteristics, but most frequently
focus on smart environment and
smart mobility.

THE INDIAN GOVERNMENTS 100

SMART CITIES MISSION
Indian governments biggest mission is
to roll out 100 smart cities across the
country (Table 1). These smart cities will
leverage innovation and technology
for e-governance, Digital India

Figure 1: Smart city components

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35

apriljune 2016

initiative, employment generation,

involvement of the citizens in decisionmaking and policy execution, as well
as in improving the quality of life.
Moreover, with renewed efforts for a
clean and green India, these upcoming
smart cities will be modelled on the
Swachh Bharat initiative and zero
emission policies.
Table 1: Shortlisting of 100 Indian cities
for the smart cities mission
Economic criteria
Cities accounting for 54 per
cent of incremental GDP till
2025

69
Figure 2: Description of the 98 cities to be developed as smart cities

Geographic inclusivity
All state capitals (not
included above)
Tourist or religious heritage
cities (not included above)
Hilly and coastal areas
Mid-sized cities
Total

12
8
4
7

(Karnataka), Udaipur (Rajasthan), and

Guwahati (Assam).

100

The cities in the first list have made it

to the top of the competition based on
implementation framework, including
feasibility and cost-effectiveness,
which had a weightage of 30 per cent,

The government had unveiled a list

of 98 cities (Figure 2), including 24
state capitals for its ambitious Smart
Cities project. Two other cities will be
announced later. Maximum number
of to-be-developed smart cities is in
Uttar Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu
and Maharashtra.
Out of these 98 cities, the
government has announced the
names of the first 20 cities which will
be developed into smart cities in 2016.
The first 20 cities announced by the
Government of India are: Bhubaneswar
(Odisha), Surat (Gujarat), Kochi (Kerala),
Ahmedabad
(Gujarat),
Jabalpur
(Madhya Pradesh), Visakhapatnam
(Andhra Pradesh), Pune (Maharashtra),
Jaipur
(Rajasthan),
Sholapur
(Maharashtra), Davangere (Karnataka),
Indore (Madhya Pradesh), New Delhi
Municipal
Corporation
(NDMC,
Delhi), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu),
Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), Chennai
(Tamil Nadu), Ludhiana (Punjab),
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Belagavi

Criteria for the selection

apriljune 2016

36

followed by result orientation (20 per

cent), citizen participation (16 per
cent), smartness of proposal (10 per
cent), strategic plan (10 per cent), vision
and goals (5 per cent), evidence-based
city profiling and key performance
indicators (5 per cent), and processes
followed (4 per cent).

energy future

and municipal bodies will account

for merely one-fifth of the money
needed for the mission. As per
Central government estimates, a
whopping funding amount of `4 lakh
crore will be infused chiefly through
private investments and loans from
multilateral
institutions
among
other sources.
In the initial phase, 20 smart
cities recently announced by the
government will get the funds first, to
kick start their development process.
With a per city allocation of `100 crore
for each of the five years of the mission
period, the central assistance to the
mission is around `50,000 crore.

Bilateral and multilateral agencies

The Union government is set to
approach the World Bank and the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) for
a loan of 500 million and 1 billion
each for 201520. The Department of
Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance is
presently scrutinizing a proposal sent

Figure 3: Traditional cities versus smart cities

In the subsequent years, the

government will announce 40 cities
each to be developed as smart cities as
per the Prime Ministers plan to develop
100 Smart Cities in the country. Figure
3 presents a comparison between
traditional and smart cities.

STRATEGIES FOR SMART CITY

DEVELOPMENT
City improvement, renewal, and
extension are the basic strategic
components in smart city mission.
In Greenfield township development,
smart solutions are applied covering
larger parts of the city. Table 2
presents the descriptions of the
three model components of smart
city development.
Smarter solutions need use of
technology, information, and data

in different aspects of the smart

city. Recently, Delhi government
announced application of smarter
solutions to make public transport
robust. For example, e-tickets in buses,
common mobility card, passenger
information system, electric buses as
well as 600 buses and 500 midi buses,
etc. It will reduce average commute
time or cost to citizens who will
have positive effects on productivity
and quality of life of citizens. Waste
water recycling and smart metering
are few examples which can make
a substantial contribution to better
water management in the city.

Funding
Centre approved `1 lakh crore for
the ambitious five-year Smart Cities
plan, whereas State governments

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37

apriljune 2016

Table 2: The descriptions of the three model components of smart city development
Process

Retrofitting

Redevelopment

Green-Field Townships

Type of
Development

Existing developed area

Existing urban sprawl (including

railway, bus stations, etc.)

Vacant land

Land Extent
Required

Minimum 500 acres in size

Minimum 50 acres in size

Minimum 250 acres for each

township

Focus for
Development

Zero emission
initiativessolid and
liquid discharge
High-speed, highbandwidth connectivity
and CCTV surveillance in
all public areas

In addition to all retrofitting components,

the following have to be deliberated:
Redevelopments with higher FAR and
lower ground coverage to provide more
green footprints within the city
Smart measures to make the buildings
green and energy-efficient

In addition to all redevelopment

components, the following have to
be deliberated: Trade facilitation,
incubation, skill development
centres

Infrastructure
Development

Quality electricity and

water supply through
smart metering
Installation of LED
lighting, use of intelligent
traffic and parking
management systems in
required areas

Road widening, allocation of

recreational and open spaces

Development of base physical

infrastructures, such as roads,
power, water supply, sewerage,
waste management, etc.
Quality infrastructure for
education, health, and recreation
Provision and integration of multi
modal transport systems

Implementation
(No. of years)

Implementation in five
years

Implementation in five years

Implementation in five years

Implementation
(through)

SPV (ULB, State, Centre)

SPV (Public/Private Developer)

Equity Participation by GoI, States,
ULBs

SPV (Public/Private developer)

Equity Participation by GoI,
States, ULBs

Selection
Process

Selection through City

Challenge Competition

Selection through City Challenge

Competition

Selection through City Challenge

Competition

Planning
Principles

Planning in an existing
built-up area of a
municipal ward, preparing
plan with citizen
participation

Replacement of existing built-up area

and preparing a new layout plan with
enhanced infrastructure by way of
mixed land use

Introduction of smart solutions

in a vacant area using innovative
planning

Case Examples

Connaught Place in Delhi Kidwai Nagar in Delhi

Bhendi Bazar in Mumbai

by the Ministry of Urban Development

on procuring loans from these two
institutions. Similarly, such proposals
will also be sent for procuring funds
from the BRICS New Development
Bank, China-led Asian Investment
Infrastructure Bank, Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA), Agence
Franaise de Dveloppement (AFD),
and Germanys GIZ, etc.
Technical assistance will be provided
by The World Bank, ADB, AFD, KfW,
JICA, in addition to a host of other
agencies to the cities in preparation
of their Smart City plans as well as on
the procurement of consultants. These

Land pooling/land reconstitution

in outer Delhi, GIFT city in Gujarat

include UK governments Department

for International Development, United
Nations
Industrial
Development
Organization, and US Trade and
Development Agency.

FEATURES OF A SMART CITY

Some of the important features
necessary for smart cities are assured
water and power supply, sanitation,
and solid waste management, efficient
urban mobility and public transport,
IT connectivity, e-governance, and
citizen participation. A few of the
important features of smart cities are
as follows:

apriljune 2016

38

Promoting mixed land use

planning for unplanned areas
containing a range of compatible
activities and land uses close to one
another in order to make land use
more efficient.
Expand housing opportunities for
all.
Reduce congestion, air pollution
and resource depletion, boost local
economy, promote interactions,
and ensure security. Creating
walkable localitiesstrengthening
public transport, road networks
for pedestrians and cyclists, and
necessary administrative services

energy future

are offered within walking or

cycling distance.
Open spacesparks, playgrounds,
and recreational spacesin order
to enhance the quality of the life of
citizens.
Variety of transport options
Transit Oriented Development
(TOD), public transport and last mile
para-transport connectivity.
Making governance citizen-friendly
and cost-effective.
Giving an identity to the citybased
on its main economic activity, such
as local cuisine, health, education,
arts and craft, culture, sports goods,
furniture, hosiery, textile, dairy, etc.
Rely on online services to bring about
accountability and transparency. By
forming e-groups for listening to
peoples views and taking feedback,
online monitoring of programmes
and activities with the aid of cyber
tour of worksites.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT
India is the worlds fourth largest in
installed capacity, according to the
Ministry of Urban Developments
2014 Concept Note on Smart Cities.
Yet it continues to be a country with
scarce electricity distribution. Electric
energy is one of the most important
resources in any economy and the
challenge posed by its supply must be
handled well. The extent to which the
economy can grow is fully dependent
on the efficiency and sustainability of
energy supply to industries and homes.
Accentures Digitally Enabled Grid of
2014 report found that Indias rapidlygrowing distribution systems need
to address network and sustainability
issues of outage response, to help in
reducing cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
This can be achieved through theft
reduction of electricity and electrical
installation systems. Indias smart grid
establishment received a big boost
after blackouts that affected more
than 600 million people in 2012. Smart

grid technology allows systems (the

grid) to be fed by alternate energy
sources, such as solar, wind, and
hydrocarbons, among others. The
integration of this power generation
into the smart grid enables further
decentralization of distribution and
boosts nationwide generation. Such
innovation
encourages
low-cost
systems that reduce transmission
costs and have minimal impact on
the environment.
The selected 20 cities have submitted
their proposals for transforming their
city into a smart city. They include all
the components with action plan.
Few essential features achievement
plan for Bhubaneswar city are 24X7
energy supply project by establishing
a ring fenced distribution network,
underground electric wiring project
to reduce transmission lines and
susceptibility , solar rooftop projects
on public buildings, railways, smart
metering and SCADA project, etc.
Pune included state-of-the-art energy
efficiency practices in buildings,
streetlights and transit systems, 24X7
energy supply, etc. Similarly, other
cities have also included the energy
component as a major category in
their proposals.

CHALLENGES
Creating physical infrastructure is not
the only solution for a smart city. India
has not been able to provide good
roads, clean water, power, transport,
and so on for all its citizens, even after
independence. It is hoped that public
private partnerships (PPP) will deliver,
but the mechanism seems to need a
lot of tweaking in order for it to work.
The big challenge will be to create selfsustaining cities, which create jobs, use
resources wisely, and also train people.
This also means more autonomy for
the cities. However, the question of
autonomy is still a moot question
depending heavily on the maturity of
the Indian political system.

energy future

39

The concept of Smart City envisioned

by the incumbent Indian government
is a much needed and timely one.
The international comparison clearly
shows that in Europe and elsewhere,
a great deal of emphasis is being
placed on preserving and developing
smart cities. Multidimensionality of
smart cities concept cross-cutting
ICT applications on transport, energy
management, water management,
healthcare, etc., is an important aspect.
In India, converting the existing
congested cities into smart ones is
a formidable task. While Greenfield
cities, as planned along the Delhi
Mumbai corridor are a little easier
to set up, but conceptualization and
implementation of the same have to
be done with a forward vision and
continuous monitoring in existing
cities. The concept of Smart Cities in
India is an evolving one and therefore,
a great deal, as stated above, will
depend upon proper formulation and
careful implementation.
Ms Pallavi Shukla, Information Analyst,
Library and Information Center, Knowledge
Management Division, TERI, New Delhi, India.
Email: pallavis@teri.res.in.

apriljune 2016

The

SOLAR
QUARTERLY

While the sun moves from east to west direction during the course of a day, the assembly of
solar modules do not budge even an inch from their position. This leads to loss of some amount
of solar power. A simple tracking solution is now available to align the PV array in the path of
moving sun. In this article, Dr Suneel Deambi takes a close look at the issues, challenges,
and opportunities of single-axis tracking system from several key considerations.
apriljune 2016

40

energy future

ach one of us likes to bask in

the sunshine more so during
the winter months. It goes to an
easy extent of shifting our position
the moment we feel any reduction
in the availability of sunshine. This is
what could be termed as tracking the
sun in simplistic terms. In a way, most
of us are familiar with the changing
position of the sun as well as its
intensity from the time of sunrise to
sunset. If it is so, then where does the
need arise to deliberate on the sun
tracking issue? Well, there is more to
it than what meets the eye in terms of
a fixed type of solar photovoltaic (PV)
array. We being live entities are able
to move along with the sun but the
array is incapable of moving by itself.
The simple enough reason is that a PV
array is a fixed type of ground/roofmounted structure. The turning point
is that the sun moves from east to west
direction during the day. However, the
assembly of solar modules, i.e., the
array does not budge even an inch
from its position. There is no reason to
feel disheartened any more as a simple
tracking solution is now available to
align the PV array in the path of the
moving sun. This raises a very pertinent
question at this junctureIf we are
losing some amount of solar power
by not adhering to the practice of sun
tracking in case of large capacity (i.e.,
1 MW and above) PV power plants,
then what is the solution?

THE UNDERLYING RATIONALE

As mentioned above, tracking can bring
in some gain from within the same
solar PV system. However, it means an
additional cost liability too apart from
the routine maintenance requirements.
A typical solar power producing system
whether big or small has no moving
parts associated with it so much so
that one fails to mark its existence
even from a very close quarter. This
will not be the case when a tracking
unit finds its way into the PV system.

There is an added issue which merits the consideration of the

project developers. This importantly concerns the land use as
the tracking system puts an additional demand on land area
availability. The solar modules incorporated in the system
need to be spaced out in order to avoid shading one
another as they track the sun.
Prior to understanding trackers at
some length, it seems appropriate to
take a quick look at a financial term or
two. Take for example the levelized cost
of energy or simply LCOE. The moot
question is if, it makes good sense to
lower the capital cost and operation
and maintenance (O&M) cost of a solar
power plant via a tracking feature? The
immediate purpose at hand seems to
be improving the LCOE. Here a tracker
is a generic term, which is used to
describe such devices as can orient
various payloads towards the sun.

UNDERSTANDING THE TRACKING

REQUIREMENTS
Take a simple case of a solar PV system
wherein the payload is the solar
module. Seemingly, no other balance of
system component other than a tracker
can enhance the performance of a PV
system. As per reliable estimates, use of
trackers in a PV system can improve a
PV systems output up to a maximum of
40 per cent in direct contrast to a fixed
tilt array. The increment of production
improvement over a fixed system
would be much in accordance with the
projects latitude and type of tracker.
The benefits of trackers often vary
between the different categories of
trackers, i.e., one-axis, 1.5 axis, and dualaxis. These trackers generally incur an
added cost relative to the fixed type of
PV systems. In purely cost competitive
terms, the enhanced energy harvest
must be more than the added cost of
installing and maintaining trackers
over the lifetime of a PV system.
There is an added issue which
merits the consideration of the project
developers. This importantly concerns

energy future

41

the land use as the tracking system

puts an additional demand on land
area availability. The solar modules
incorporated in the system need to be
spaced out in order to avoid shading
one another as they track the sun.
Simply put, it means that the modules
must be spaced farther apart, thereby,
possibly leading to enhanced land use
and its associated cost for the project
developer. There is an additional
negative attribute of using tracker
in terms of bringing in a higher O&M
cost. This usually tends to be more for
this type of system operation. With an
expected system lifespan of around
25 years, the O&M cost could become a
major cost component in the realm of
overall system cost.

CHOOSING BETWEEN A FIXED

AND MOVING TYPE PV SYSTEM
Solar PV technology has received
accolades so far due to its distinct
attributes of being clean, reliable, safe,
and emission freewith no moving
parts at all. However, when it comes
to making a clear choice between
the fixed and tracking type systems,
several factors like the ones discussed
below come into active consideration.

Land availability
The present era is that of large capacity
megawatt scale PV power plants in the
country. The tracking systems possess a
larger area footprint per MW. It implies
that the use of trackers is not favourable
for those areas that have a very limited
availability of land. In general, fixedtype PV systems require around
45 acres of land per MW as against
a use of 47 acres for an equivalent

apriljune 2016

The

SOLAR
QUARTERLY
capacity under tracking conditions.
Choice of a specific technology also has
a bearing on the land requirements.
Thin film modules being less efficient
offer fewer prospects for tracker
friendly utilization. The trackers need
fewer modules for the same energy
output. As such, the crucial comparison
for evaluating trackers must account
for the cost of modules and trackers.

System performance and cost

Quite clearly, trackers are intended
to enhance the generation but due
consideration needs to be given to
the accompanying cost of trackers
and modules. It would be preferable
to consider the overall cost of a PV
system. Taking two numbers of MW
systems of 10 MWp capacity each
into consideration, a fixed-tilt system
would turn out to be a cheaper choice.
However, a single-axis tracking system
has witnessed a significant cost
reduction in the recent times. Take a

case specific example of Bakersfield

in California, which demonstrates a
25 per cent enhancement in project
performance within the sun soaked
regions especially. Now to account
for this variation in the performance,
it may be useful to raise the capacity
of a fixed-tilt project size to around
12.5 MW. Thus, a single-axis tracking
project seems to be more attractive
at the existing price range of solar
modules. However, there may not be
a striking difference between a fixedtilt- and a single-axis tracking system
in areas receiving little sunshine.
Solar module is the power producing
part of both the off-grid and on-grid
energy system. The energy made
available by the solar system is directly
proportional to the solar radiation
incident on the module. Incidentally,
the amount of solar radiation received
is always changing at a particular
orientation. This implies a clear need to
orient the path in such a way so as to

receive the maximum possible amount

of radiation. The additional piece of
equipment which does this trick is
commonly known as a solar tracker.
Let us take a closer look at the solar
to electric conversion efficiencies of
commercially available solar modules.
Actually, these normally range
anywhere between 1418 per cent
in case of MW scale power plant
installations. It means that these type
of modules are capable of converting
just 1418 per cent of the available
sunlight into useful electricity. The
moot question is as to what extent
such efficiency values can progress
due to ongoing/future technology
advancements? The readily available
value is a natural limitation of around
26 per cent for single junction
crystalline silicon modules.

CHOICING BETWEEN THE

TRACKER TYPES
Presently, two types of trackers are

Solar module is the power producing part of both the off-grid and on-grid energy system.
The energy made available by the solar system is directly proportional to the solar
radiation incident on the module. Incidentally, the amount of solar radiation received
is always changing at a particular orientation. This implies a clear need to orient the
path in such a way so as to receive the maximum possible amount of radiation.

fixed-tilt based system. For the singleaxis tracker, this amount was placed at
`9.90 lakh per MWp with an equivalent
rate of escalation. The degradation
concerning the performance of a
multi-crystalline silicon module was
duly considered.

KEY FACTORS AFFECTING THE

TRACKING DECISION

Picture 1: 200-kW CPV modules on a dual-axis tracker in Qingdao, China

available in the marketplace. These

are better known as the single-axisand dual-axis tracking units. The
single-axis tracker (SAT) tracks the
suns path in a day implying thereby
that it compensates for the variation
in solar radiation due to rotation.
In contrast, the dual-axis trackers
possess the capability to move over
two axes (Picture 1). Thus, this tracker
can compensate both for the rotation
and revolution of the earth. This article
deals specifically with the singleaxis trackers for a variety of end-use
considerations. It is a system designers
guess to include or exclude the
choice of a single-axis tracker in a MW
capacity facility. In financial terms, it is
the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) which
matters the most in deciding the
worthiness of a solar PV power plant.
Thus, it is of interest to determine the
sheer ability of trackers in exercising
any noticeable impact on this key
financial parameter, i.e., the IRR. It has
a strong bearing on the following
few parameters besides the spatial
coordinates of the project:
Cost of land/modules
Cost of the tracking structures
Actual gain in radiation.

Thus, it is quite important to collate

all these factors from the viewpoint of
their financial analysis too for deciding
on the suitability of incorporating a
solar tracker in the existing scheme
of things.

THE MODELLED NUMBERS

The era of MW scale power plants in
India owes its origin to the Jawaharlal
Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM)
in 2010. A limited amount of field data,
which needs to be analysed for the
specified purpose, is currently available.
Sun Power Corporation has put in
place a LCOE model for costbenefit
estimation. The major assumptions
flowing into this model are based on
the guidelines provided by the Central
Electricity Regulatory Commission
(CERC), India. Lancoa premier EPC
solar company, has included its own
field experiences. As per which, the
following few assumptions came into
being:
Debt-equity ratio: 80 per cent
Rate of interest: 11 per cent
Return of equity rate: 16 per cent
Expected lifespan: 25 years.
The O&M costs were assumed to be
`9 lakh per MWp. It involved annual
escalation rate of 5 per cent in case of

energy future

43

Yield: It is basically related to the

number of units produced per kWp of
the system installation. It is expected
to go up with the use of a single-axis
tracker. The amount of enhancement
in this yield is mainly the benefit a
system derives from a technological
improvement. The system yield is
influenced by several factors, such as:
(i) Latitude; (ii) Distance from large
water body; and (iii) Dust that can
disperse radiation within a specific
location. As per the study done by
Lanco, six locations were considered.
These
included:
(i)
Askandra
(Rajasthan); (ii) Bhatradra (Gujarat);
(iii) Gulbarga (Karnataka); (iv) Anantpur
(Andhra Pradesh); (v) Puducherry; and
(vi) Kovilpatti (Tamil Nadu).

Land utilization
Solar PV power plants place a sizeable
demand on the availability of land.
As more and more number of such
plants are being put up, the land cost
is going up strongly even within the
far off parts of the country. Table 1
presents the comparative land cost for
the above said locations.
Table 1: Comparative land costs at the
considered locations
Location

Cost per acre (`)

Askandra

200,000

Bhatradra

500,000

Gulbarga

350,000

Anantpur

300,000

Kovilpatti

500,000

Puducherry

3,000,000

apriljune 2016

The

SOLAR
QUARTERLY
Importantly, the system design should
be in a manner so as to ensure its
utilization in the most efficient manner.
Solar modules are placed in a number
of rows taking sufficient care not to
cast any shadow on the adjacent rows.
As is well known, the formation of any
such shadows can lead to module
damage, thereby, affecting the power
generation values. Practically, a specific
inter row spacing is needed to avoid
any shadow formation. However, it
essentially depends on the latitude
of a plant location. This specific
consideration is more commonly
referred to as the ground coverage
ratio (GCR). Such a number goes up as
one moves towards the equator. Take
the case of Puducherry in southern part
of India, within which, GCR figure could
be as high as 90 per cent. There is no
change in the GCR value vis--vis the
single-axis tracking, no matter what the
latitude value is. Such a figure is about
45 per cent for the single-axis tracking.
It implies that the trackers would use
double the land area in Puducherry
as compared to the fixed-tilt systems.
There could be no impact in case of
very cheap availability of land. Assume
for a moment any small increase in the
land cost. It could be offset by a good
enough increase in the plant yield
with the use of a single-axis tracker.
This increased utilization of the
land at varying price, i.e., from one
geographical region to the other could
be deemed suitable only if, there is

some sizeable increase in the number

of units generated per year via singleaxis tracking. Table 2 gives a figurative
comparison of the percentage increase
in yield for: (i) Fixed-tracking system
and (ii) Single-axis tracking.
It is quite clear from Table 2 that the
GCR remains constant in case of singleaxis tracking systems, no matter what
their latitude may be.

Solar module as a key determinant

Till few years back, the cost of solar
module used to be prohibitively
high. However, it did not cost much
to put up a module mounting
structure in relation to the overall cost
contribution of solar modules. Today,
that scenario has changed for good
with module prices having declined
significantly. Thus in the renewed cost,
the cost contribution of mounting
structures seems to be significant
when viewed in overall system cost
terms. Let us now take the role of solar
to electric conversion efficiency of the
solar modules into account. The best
commercially available modules of
today are not more than 22 per cent
efficient, with majority of modules
deployed under the actual field
operating conditions being just about
1517 per cent efficient. Assuming that
efficiencies of solar modules touch
their uppermost limit of 27 per cent in
future, the need for single-axis tracking
may not be a catchy one for more
reasons than one.

TRACKING THE DEVELOPMENTS

INTERNATIONALLY
The tracking technology applicable to
large capacity solar PV power systems
have undergone several path breaking
improvements more so since the last
few years. This has transformed into
reduced cost for equipment as well as
routine operation cum maintenance.
Simultaneously, more number of
projects incorporating the tracker
technology have come up, which is a
marked departure from the previous
times. An encouraging example is
that of First Solar, which despite being
a thin film module (CdTe) producer,
acquired Ray Tracker in 2011. It can
be explained by a revealing fact that
First Solar develops its solar project in
areas with little concern for land area.
More recently, few more European
companies, namely DEGERenergie and
Mecasolar have attempted to make
forays into the North American tracker
market. The simple idea is to take
advantage of low competition and
growing demand.
As per the available market
information, single-tracking units seem
to edge past the double-axis trackers at
least for now. A core issue with dual-axis
is basically that the added generation
from upgrading from single- to dualaxis does not economically pan out in
terms of the extra materials and costs.
Currently, there is a marked preference
for a single-axis tracking rather than

Table 2: A figurative comparison of the percentage increase in yield for: (i) Fixed-tracking system and (ii) Single-axis tracking
Ground Coverage Ratio
(Fixed Tracking)
(%)

Ground Coverage Ratio

(Single-Axis Tracking)
(%)

Percentage Increase in Yield

Askandra

39.90

45.0

14.36

Bhatradra

60.0

45.0

15.88

KA (Gulbarga)

63.2

45

18.52

AP (Anantpur)

78.9

45.0

20.95

Puducherry

90.10

45.0

20.89

Tamil Nadu (Kovilpatti)

92.30

45

20.76

Location

Source: Lanco

apriljune 2016

44

energy future

dual-axis trackers. The dual-axis market

players have proved more successful
in smaller-scale markets. Such trackers
are finding their way into residential
systems as well as in the large capacity
solar farms. It is equally true that trackers
have proved their worthiness in quite
hostile, i.e., harsh conditions. The dualaxis trackers are more attractive in areas
with production-based incentives like
the feed-in tariffs. There is yet another
type of dual-axis tracker namely
QBotix, which is promising to be a
pathbreaking development indeed.
Its key attributes being in terms of
offering increased margins and ease of
installation.

Key technical features of QBotix tracker

It is mainly comprised of about
200 trackers, which total around
300 kW. The tracker has two robots
one primary and the other one serving
as a backup. These move on a steel
monorail to each tracker. In turn, the
monorails also contain two charging
points for the robots. Further, a robot
moves along the rail every 40 minutes
so as to adjust each tracker individually
throughout the day. Besides, the rail
also carries the wiring of the system
thus dispensing with any need for
trenching. Importantly, the QBotix
system makes use of less steel, which
normally is regarded as a major price

driver for the tracking systems. In cost

terms, this unique design is available
for almost half the cost of a dual-axis
tracker. In conclusive terms, this tracker
enables to achieve a LCOE reduction
of up to 20 per cent as compared with
the fixed-type systems. Additionally,
the robot is made of water- and dustresistant components and is thus
weather-resistant.
This novel design of this tracker
is such that the robot collects
performance and reliability data
thus allowing it to optimize the
performance of each tracker and
thereby the full system. It also has builtin GPS sensors, memory capabilities,

Importantly, the system design should be in a manner so as to ensure its utilization in the most
efficient manner. Solar modules are placed in a number of rows taking sufficient care not to
cast any shadow on the adjacent rows. As is well known, the formation of any such shadows
can lead to module damage, thereby, affecting the power generation values. Practically,
a specific inter-row spacing is needed to avoid any shadow formation.

energy future

45

apriljune 2016

The

SOLAR
QUARTERLY
Table 3: The key specifications and operational characteristics of single-axis tracking units of Scorpius make
Tracker type

Single-axisautomatic

Tilt angle

45 degrees from Zenith

Block size in kW per motor/drive/controller set

200 kW/250 kW/300 kW/500 kW or more

Motors per MW

25 (depends on the configuration)

Tracker height

1 m above ground

Module mounting

Both in landscape and portrait modes

Welding during installation

None needed

Linear actuators and drives

Lubrication required once per year

Energy gain

Up to 25 per cent much in accordance with the site-specific conditions

Land needed per MW

57 acres per MW (design cum location dependent)

Performance monitoring

Cloud-based preventive maintenance

Average power consumption

Less than 0.02 per cent of the energy generation of the plant

Limited Financial (estimated)

Payback on tracker investment

Around 3 years

Internal rate of return increase

3 per cent

Reduction of LCOR power generation cost

10 per cent

and wireless communications. On a

bigger note, nearly 50 per cent cost
of the solar system even today is for
balance of system alone. Thus, it is
amply clear that the use of trackers in
growing numbers may play a pivotal
part in cutting costs.

Tracking at an indigenous level

Selective few tracking variants are
currently available in the country,
such as a Pune-based company
namely Scorpius Trackers Private
Limited, which was set up in 2012 to
provide tracking solutions for solar
PV applications. It has so far deployed
more than 300 trackers for applications
as varied as solar water pumping,
rooftop systems, and other distributed

system applications. Table 3 presents

the key specifications and operational
characteristics of single-axis tracking
units of Scorpius make.
The Scorpius make single-axis
tracking units have been deployed in
a solar park at Raichur and earns the
distinction of being Indias first fully
tracked park.

THE TRACKING WAY FORWARD

Solar PV technology is expected
to incorporate several new design,
engineering, and cost-cutting features
in its resolve to become a really costcompetitive energy option. At current
prices, it is being seen as trailing behind
the cost of conventional power supply
cost by a mere 15 per cent. This makes it

amply clear that solar power can draw

still closer by taking a sizeable recourse
to the solar tracking path. Why not
when the gains likely to accrue from it
are so visible? The need of the hour is
to track for a gainful purpose of extra
power generation, wherever feasible.
It would not be a misplaced notion to
point out that solar PV technology and
associated programme are in a stage
of continuous evolution. However,
cost alone should not be the key
determinant to gauge its true success
under the actual field operating
conditions.
Dr Suneel Deambi, PhD, is a technical consultant
(renewable energy) and content developer
(S&T). Email: sdeambi@airtelmail.in and
deambisuneel@gmail.com.

AZISINDIA2016_EQ International_210x297.qxp_Layout 1 06.04.16 08:48 Seite 1

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The Paris agreement has set

a goal of keeping the global
warming well below 2 C and
also for the first time agrees
to pursue efforts to limit the
increase in temperatures
to 1.5 C. In this article,
Ramakrishnan M highlights
that despite the debate on the
provisions and enforceability
of the agreement, there is
a discernible global trend
towards less reliance on fossil
fuels, prevention of climate
change, and efforts to create
a sustainable society. Read
further to know more

ever has a discussion on

renewable energy been more
relevant than in the wake of
the 21st session of the Conference
of the Parties (COP21) in Paris during
NovemberDecember
2015. The
conference resulted in the adoption
of the Paris Agreement. Some of the
key clauses of this agreement are to
limit global warming to less than 2C
compared with pre-industrial levels
and to achieve emissions neutrality
during the second half of the twentyfirst century. In fact, by 2030, the share
of low-carbon power generation is
expected to grow to almost 45 per cent,
which would help contain power
emissions and cater to an expected
40 per cent rise in global energy
demand. The International Energy

apriljune 2016

48

Agencys World Energy Outlook 2015

predicts a cumulative $7.4 trillion
global investment in renewable energy
by 2040. This colossal spend is likely
to lead to seismic shifts in the global
energy mix over 20142040 (Table
1). Renewable energy is expected to
surpass coal as the largest source of
electricity by 2040, as well as account
for 51 per cent of the total increase in
electricity generated over 20142040.

TECHNOLOGY MIX
Solar power is generated through
several
technologiessolar
photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal,
concentrated solar thermal power
(CSP), and concentrated PV. Among
these, solar PV holds the largest
share of the solar power market

energy future

Table 1: Global Electricity Generationby source (TWh, 201440)

Growth
% Share
(% between 201440)

Type

2014

% Share

2040

Renewables

5,440

23

13,400

34

146

Hydro

3,961

17

6,191

16

56

Wind

740

3,570

383

Solar

239

1,839

671

Others

500

1,800

259

9,610

41

11,900

30

24

Coal
Gas

5,100

21

9,000

23

76

Nuclear

2,520

11

4,580

12

82

Oil

1,030

515

-50

Total

23,700

39,395

66

Source: World Energy Outlook 2015, International Energy Agency (November 2015);
Renewables 2015 Global Status Report, REN21 (June 2015); TSC Analysis

(98 per cent in 2014), followed by CSP

(2 per cent in 2014), with the rest of
the technologies having negligible
market share by value. Currently, the
market for solar PV is larger than CSP
due to substantial investment and
R&D initiatives undertaken by various
national governments and multiple
projects in the pipeline. However, CSP
technologies are expected to grow
at a faster rate in the future, as new
markets, such as China, India, Brazil,
Canada, Germany, and France look to
invest in them. Innovations will bring
down the cost of air-cooling systems,
and this will help CSP plants ramp up,
as well as reduce their dependence on

water resources. Apart from this broad

technological development, several
bubble trends with the potential to
transform the solar power industry
have emerged in recent times. Two of
these have been discussed below.
Monocrystalline
technology:
A monocrystalline PV solar panel
module is made from a single silicon
crystal. Though expensive, it is more
efficient than multicrystalline and
thin-film PV technologies.
Ongoing innovations: In
August
2015, Solar Window Technologies
unveiled a revolutionary solar
window technology that can turn
any glass pane into a solar panel.

GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS TO
FOSTER GROWTH
The Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions (INDCs) submitted
by countries to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) prior to the COP21
summit have formed the core of
collective and increasingly ambitious
climate action; COP21 has facilitated
several other important collaborations
to accelerate the clean energy
revolution. Two of the prominent ones
are as follows:
The
International Solar Alliance
(ISA) was launched at the COP21
climate conference, with 121
countries (between the Tropic of
Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn)
supporting it to pursue cooperation
in the areas of training, institution
building, regulatory issues, common
standards,
and
investments,
including joint ventures. This could
prove to be instrumental for India to
realize its target to establish 100 GW
of solar capacity by 2022, and provide
247 power to all households across
the country by 2019.
The Global Solar Council is a businessbacked council formed at the COP21
summit to bring together regional
and national solar associations
in a bid to support innovations

in the energy market. It aims to

unify the solar power sector at an
international level and encourage
wide-scale adoption of solar energy
through cooperation.

UTILITIES AND NON-UTILITIES TO

EMBRACE RENEWABLES
Advances in residential solar power
generation and storage have led to
customer churn and trimmed down
the margins of utility providers. Utilities
are thus partnering with renewable
energy startups. This has also helped
companies, such as SolarCity, Nest, C3,
and EnerNOC to achieve a larger scale
of operations. A few such partnerships
are as follows:
In
May 2015, US-based utility
company MidAmerican Energy
announced plans to invest $900
million more into wind energy over
May 2015December 2016, bringing
the companys total wind investment
to $6.7 billion.
Duke Energy acquired a majority
stake in commercial solar developer
REC Solar for $225 million in February
2015.
Utilities are set to be the major
customers for the energy storage
industry as well, as they invested
approximately $90 billion in new
technologies and services in 2015
in the USA. Most of this investment
is aimed at enhancing the energy
distribution
and
transmission
network, of which storage is a major
component. Non-utility corporations
are also actively procuring renewable
energy to mitigate the financial and
environmental impact of climate
change. In February 2015, Apple
entered into an agreement with
US-based solar PV provider, First Solar,
to procure 130 MW of solar energy over
25 years for $84 million. The energy will
power its California operations. Fellow
technology giants Amazon, Facebook,
Google, and Microsoft have all made
similar investments in various forms of
renewable energy.

ENERGY STORAGE: THE GAME

CHANGER
While fossil fuels provide a steady
supply of energy throughout the day,
clean energy is intermittent, fluctuating
along with atmospheric conditions. As
a result, storing clean energy during
peak generation periods, in order to
manage power volatility, will be crucial
to closing the price and performance
gap versus fossil fuels.

Growing energy storage options

Energy storage market is poised for
growth with state legislation and
regulations being the key drivers.
Lithium batteries can store electricity
from the sun for use at night or on a
cloudy day. Large-scale manufacturing
plants are being built worldwide
by companies including BYD, LG
Chem, Samsung SDI, and Tesla Motors.
Some other important points are:
Flow batteries turn electric energy
into chemical energy and back again
to electric energy. They are scalable
and work like rechargeable batteries.
Liquid cooling is a good choice
for fast action and large-scale
energy needs. In 2014, GE made
an investment in Highview Power
Storage, a startup that uses liquid air
to store energy. When air is cooled
to 196C, it turns into a liquid and
700 litres of air can be stored in
1 litre of space. The advantage is
that this does not require complex
chemicals
for
storagejust
insulated stainless steel tanks. When
the energy is needed, it is warmed
and expands, powering a turbine to
produce electricity.
Hydrogen is a great energy storage
medium. It is benign if it leaks, it

is readily available, and it is fairly

easy to turn water to hydrogen
and then hydrogen to electricity.
Energy storage company ITM
Power converts wind energy into
hydrogen for vehicle fuelling and
energy storage.

RISE OF PROSUMERS: A NEW

CATEGORY
The arrival of small-scale decentralized
energy installations has led to the
emergence of prosumersenergy
customers with the ability to generate
and store their own electricity. The
steady growth of both residential and
commercial prosumers in the energy
market can be attributed to solar and
wind power (the most popular forms of
non-hydro renewable energy) reaching
grid parity in various countries.
This is when the cost of energy from
renewable sources is less than or equal
to the price of purchasing energy from
the electricity grid. Self-consumption
not only provides cheap electricity to
people, it also guards them against
energy price volatility.

Changing relationship between utilities

and customers
In the near future, the relationship
of utility providers with their end
customers is expected to gain
importance.
Industry
experts
predict that by 2020, there will be
approximately 20 million residential
prosumers in North America.
The age of the prosumer
presents
challenges
for
utility
providers accustomed to thinking
of customers in terms of kilowatt
hours consumed. Prosumers will be
the new business partners that will

Utilities are set to be the major customers for the energy storage
industry as well, as they invested approximately $90 billion in
new technologies and services in 2015 in the USA. Most of this
investment is aimed at enhancing the energy distribution and
transmission network, of which storage is a major component.

apriljune 2016

50

energy future

trigger many disruptions in the utilities

business model and will eventually
transform the historical dependency of
electricity consumers on utilities into
new relationships of interdependency.
As per the Capgemini Report (released
in October 2015), new business
models are expected to emerge that
increase accessibility to on-site energy
generation tools for a large number of
consumers.

Consumers as active participants in

energy transition
Prosumers will support the transition
towards a sustainable energy mix;
distributed renewable generation
systems give consumers the access
to resilient and competitive power
systems that are cleaner than
conventional sources of energy. This is
supported by the successful business
models of PV systems suppliers, such
as SolarCity and SunPower. These
companies offer solar panel installation
at the customers rooftop and sell
electricity back to the customer
at reduced rates while generating
revenue by trading renewable
energy credits.
It is important to note that the
prosumer model attracts private
capital from consumers that have
lower expectations in terms of the rate
of return than pure financial investors,
thereby reducing the cost of global
transition towards cleaner forms
of energy.

Demand-side flexibility
To make the best use of on-site
generation and reap concrete
economic benefits, prosumers will
drive the development of solutions,
such as storage, smart appliances,
and flexible contracts for consumers.
These developments will reduce the
peaks of production and consumption,
congestion issues, and bottlenecks for
the benefit of grid operators.
Schneider Electric is one of the
companies working towards solutions
in this area. In April 2015, the company
introduced a solution that predicts
the load profile for industrial and
commercial buildings by tracking
energy-relevant inputs. It then cuts
down energy bill using demand
management techniques.

Prosumers to shape the next generation

of renewable electricity policy
The following are important channels
through which the rise of prosumers
will foster new policy frameworks:
Prosumer-friendly
regulations:
This includes leniency in terms of
obligations to inject electricity into
the grid, minimum installation sizes,
and taxation policies for prosumers.
Ease
of accessibility to grid:
Arrangements, such as purchasing
programmes or leasing models are
likely to be introduced.
Facilitation of peak reduction and
demand-side flexibility:
Specific
programmes
to
bring
new

energy future

51

technologies to the market and

facilitate the deployment of smart
appliances will be formulated.
Design of new grid tariff models and
market rules: This includes ensuring
the return of excess power to the
grid and proper remuneration for
the same, and access to aggregation
services for prosumers.

THE OUTLOOK FOR RENEWABLES

While it is fairly clear that renewables
are going to dominate the energy
landscape in the years to come, there
are several factors that will impact the
trajectory that this industry will take.
The efficiency and cost-effectiveness
of renewable power are continuously
improving, but policies continue to
determine the adoption of renewable
power. Legislations that favour
renewable energy will be crucial
drivers for growth. Varied energy
storage devices and innovations will
result in easier and efficient energy
management, stable electricity, and
improved
customer
satisfaction.
Moreover, new entrants from the utility,
non-utility, and residential sectors will
change the landscape of investment,
electricity production, transmission,
and consumption.
Mr Ramakrishnan M is Vice President at The
Smart Cube, Windsor IT Park, Sector 125, Noida,
Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a Research & Analytics
Leader, managing around 350 people across
India, China, Romania, and the US. Email:
Ramakrishnan.M@thesmartcube.com.

apriljune 2016

A Success Story Chartered

by State-Owned NBCC

apriljune 2016

52

energy future

The renewable sources of energy provide a visible and viable option to harness
non-polluting and sustainable energy that does not cause greenhouse effects. Of late the
large scale use of solar energy for generation of clean power having zero emissions, is receiving
impetus from governments all over the world, especially in the wake of the recently concluded
Paris Agreement (reached at the end of COP21) that calls for surface temperature increases to be
limited to 2 C. The Indian government is also largely promoting mega solar energy programmes
in the country involving huge investments. In this article, Dr Om Prakash Nangia provides salient
details about a success story chartered by state-owned The National Buildings Construction
Corporation Ltd (NBCC) in a first-of-its-kind initiative by harnessing solar energy for its
real estate business. The technical highlights presented about the prevailing environmental
friendly carbon free solar energy technologies, are simple and brief for general
awareness of readers and especially for the younger generation.

ndia is a solar-resource rich country

and receives abundant amount
of solar insolation (an average
radiation of 47 kWh per m2 per day
with approximately 300 sunny days
annually). The abundant solar energy
in India has demonstrated a durable
and efficient potential by its direct
conversion into electricity through
the use of solar photovoltaic and
thermal technologies. The Jawaharlal
Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM)
launched in January 2010 by the
Indian government , has been set up to
promote the development and use of
solar energy for power generation and
other uses with the ultimate objective
of making solar energy competitive
to fossil-fuel based energy options.
The Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy (MNRE), Government of India has
been widely promoting development
and deployment of large number of
renewable energy solar systems with a
view to accelerate promotion of solar
energy technologies and for countrys
energy security. With downward
trend in the cost of solar energy, large
multi-megawatt grid connected solar
power projects are being installed
all over the country. The solar power
systems (in various capacities of kWs
to MWs) are also being installed for
electrification needs where the grid
connectivity is neither feasible nor
cost-effective and also on the rooftop
of industrial, commercial, institutional,

and residential buildings involving

net-metering. With energy demands
only set to increase in emerging and
developing countries, solar is the
primary and affordable form of energy.
Also for climate change mitigation,
the energy transition through the
use of carbon free solar technology
is going to be the key factor.

INTRODUCTION TO NBCC
The National Buildings Construction
Corporation Ltd (NBCC), a construction
business company in India, is a bluechip Government of India Navratna
Enterprise under the Ministry of
Urban Development. The company
was set up in 1988 and with changing
business scenario it has undergone a
sea change with a tremendous growth.

The
Company
has
been
receiving Excellent rating from the
Government of India consistently since
2004. Besides its several segments of
operation, the primary one is the niche
real estate segment. With added thrust,
its real estate business has acquired a
whole new dimension.
NBCC has earned a distinction
for itself in construction of green
buildings. It has embarked on a
mission to be a leader with high
brand equity in construction business,
offering
sustainable,
innovative,
and
cost-effective
construction
products and services contributing
to the national wealth and upholding
responsibility for the environment.
It carries out re-development of
Government properties on a model

Picture 1: The re-developed New Moti Bagh Green Residential Complex in Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi

energy future

53

apriljune 2016

of self-sustenance. The New Moti

Bagh Green Complex (113 acres) in
Delhi, under General Pool Residential
Accommodation (GPRA) Scheme is
one of the finest examples of such
a re-development work in recent
times (Picture 1). The project today is
certified as the largest Green Home
Complex of its kind in the country.
The company had taken the first-ofits-kind initiative in 2010 under this
project by utilizing the benefits of
renewable energy (RE) technologies
for this large multi-storeyed residential
VIP complex, in providing alternate,
eco-benign, and clean source
for electricity and water heating
applications (since the sun delivers
its energy in two forms, viz., light and
heat). The technical consultancy for this
turnkey solar energy-based project for
the installation of both photovoltaic
(PV) and thermal solar energy systems
in the entire residential complex in
New Moti Bagh was entrusted to
the author of this article. The total
installation and commissioning work
of the solar systems in Types VI, VII,
and VIII accommodation and common
areas including streets and parking
areas, was completed in three years.

The state-owned enterprise through

its core business is determined to set
a great example across the community
and motivate masses to adapt RE
systems generating green and clean
energy to support and save the planet
earth from climate change through
global warming. The Government
of India also supports such projects
taken up by both public and private
sector institutions and organizations in
the country.

etc. The SPVS can store electricity

during daytime in a battery for later
use in the night (Figure 1). It is also
possible to integrate large (kWs &
MWs) solar plants with the grid so
that power generated by the PV arrays
could be fed to grid with the help of
transmission lines.

Merits of solar PV system

OVERVIEW: SOLAR ENERGY

SYSTEMS
Solar energy systems (PV and thermal
type) can be installed in a shadowfree open space either on ground or
on rooftop. Its modular systems can
be quickly installed anywhere with no
gestation period.

Solar energy is environment friendly

Robust, reliable, and weather proof
The fuel is limitless, abundantly
available, and free of cost
No moving parts to wear out or
break down
Minimal maintenance required to
keep the system running
Produces no noise, no harmful
emissions or polluting gases
PV modules normally perform over
25 years.

Solar PV technology
A solar PV system (SPVS) is a concept
of generating DC electricity from the
sunlight falling on a solar array and
converting it to a normal AC power
with the help of an inverter. Once
electricity is available, it can be used
for a variety of applications, such as
lighting, pumping, battery charging,

Solar thermal technology

The technology that converts solar
energy into heat is known as solar
thermal technology and can be
used for water heating and cooking
requirements in our daily life. Solar
water heating is now a mature
technology. Widespread utilization
of solar water heaters can reduce a
significant portion of the conventional
energy being used for heating water in
homes, factories, and other commercial
and institutional establishments.
Internationally, the market for
solar water heaters has expanded
significantly during the last decade.

Solar water heating system

A solar water heating system (SWHS)
consists of a collector to collect (absorb)
solar energy.The total system with solar
collectors, an insulated storage tank to
store hot water and pipelines is called
solar water heating system as shown
in Picture 2. The life of the systems
is generally 1520 years with proper
maintenance. The solar collectors
are being manufactured in India at
par with the ones available abroad.

Figure 1: A stand-alone solar PV system

apriljune 2016

54

energy future

Picture 2: Solar water heating system

(Type VI flat)

The choice of water heating system

depends on heat requirement,
weather conditions, heat transfer fluid
quality, space availability, annual solar
radiation, etc. The SHW systems are
economical, pollution-free, and easy
to operate in tropical countries such
as India. There are two types of solar
water heaters:
Flat Plate Collector Technology: The
solar radiation is absorbed by flat
plate collectors (FPC) which consist
of an insulated outer metallic box
covered on the top with glass sheet.
Inside, there are blackened metallic
absorber (selectively coated) sheets
with built-in channels or riser tubes
to carry water. The absorber traps
the solar radiation and transfers
the heat to the flowing water which
is stored in an insulated storage
tank. The re-circulation of the same
water through absorber panel in the
collector raises the temperature to
80C (maximum) on a good sunny
day. (This type of water heating
system has been installed in New
Moti Bagh residential complex).
Evacuated Tubes Collector (ETC) Type:
This system is made of double layer
borosilicate glass tubes evacuated
for providing insulation. The outer
wall of the inner tube is coated with
selective absorbing material. This
helps absorption of solar radiation

Picture 3: Solar PV LED-based lighting in Type VIII towers

and transfers the heat to the water

which flows through the inner tube.
Life of this system is normally shorter
than FPC type.

SOLAR SYSTEMS INSTALLED AT

THE RE-DEVELOPED NEW MOTI
BAGH RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX
The following solar systems were
installed by the NBCC at the redeveloped
multi-storeyed
VIP
residential complex with an initiative
on RE, initiating its success story.
i) Solar PV Systems
(a) Solar PV stand-alone street light
systems on the streets inside the
residential complex having 1+ 3
days autonomy for dusk to dawn
operation.
Brief technical requirements for the
systems:
High efficiency PV multi-crystalline
modules of 180 W, SOx 36 W, low
pressure sodium vapour lamp and
two 12 V low maintenance lead
acid (LMLA) batteries have been
installed in each system.
(b) Solar PV LED Based Lighting
Systems in Type-VI Towers
(c) Solar PV LED Based Lighting
Systems in Type-VII Bungalows
(d) Solar PV LED Based Lighting
Systems in Type-VIII Bungalows)
Brief common technical requirements
for (b), (c), (d) systems:

energy future

55

High efficiency PV multi-crystalline

modules of 370 W, white LED
lamps of 15 W each and 12 V LMLA
batteries have been installed in each
system having 1+ 3 days autonomy,
for dusk to dawn operation. (Picture
3 represents a solar PV LED lighting
system in Type VIII).
Solar PV power stand-alone
systems for common area lighting
in each floor of type VI multistoreyed ten towers. Two types of
systems capacity, viz., 15 kWp in
two towers and 40 kWp in eight
towers have been installed for dusk
to dawn operation daily.
Brief common technical requirements
for the two systems:
High efficiency PV multi-crystalline
modules of 220 W each, 5 kVA PCU,
120 V battery bank and 15 kVA PCU,
240 V battery bank, respectively,
have been installed with each
system having 1+ 2 days autonomy
and for dusk to dawn operation.
The system should have rugged
design to withstand tough
environmental conditions and high
wind speeds over 150 km/h. Total
number of PV modules installed:
1,538. The life of the modules is
over 25 years. Picture 4 shows the
solar PV array for lighting system
installed in Type VI towers.

apriljune 2016

Picture 4: Solar PV array for lighting system installed in Type VI towers

ii) Solar Thermal Water Heating

Systems
SWH Systems: Flat Plate Collectors
(FPC) Type
(a) 500 lpd in Type VIII bungalows
(b) 500 lpd in Type VII bungalows
(c) 75,200 lpd for Type VI multistoreyed towers with each system
consisting of 1,800 lpd (24) and
2,000 lpd (16)
Brief technical requirements for the
SWH systems:
Flat plate selectively coated solar
collectors (absorber size of size
2.1 m2) with nine fins and
(absorptivity > 0.95)as BIS
standards to be installed on rooftop.
The absorber material is copper
sheet (0.2 mm) with heat treatment
to withstand temperature of 300C.
Risers of copper tube (diameter
12.5 mm) and header of copper

tube (diameter 25 mm). Glazing:

Toughened glass with low iron
transmissivity (> 85 per cent) and
thickness 4 mm. One number
insulated hot water stainless steel
storage tank of equivalent capacity
as per system size. Solar hot water
systems are to be designed in
accordance with guidelines laid
down by the MNRE, Government
of India and as per the relevant BIS
standards.
The SWH systems were installed
in all bungalows and high-rise
towers in this GPRA campus.
Picture 5 shows the solar water
panel installed at Type VIII
accommodation.

CONCLUSION
The initiative of installing RE systems
at NBCCs re-developed VIP residential

Dr Om Prakash Nangia, Senior Consultant

in Solar Energy, and Director at New Era
Solar Solutions Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi. Email:
om.p.nangia@gmail.com, nangiaom@newerasolar.com.

Picture 5: Type VIII solar water panel

apriljune 2016

complex is a highly commendable

work. It has resulted in various positive
outcomes listed below:
Achieving partial dependence on
fossil-fuel based grid electricity.
Utilization of alternate clean source
of electricity with no fuel costs.
Supporting the environment with
zero emission of greenhouse gases.
Setting a great example across the
community and motivating young
generation in adapting RE systems
through construction projects.
Support and save the planet earth
from global warming.
Supporting
the
Government
of Indias mission of providing
electricity for all by 2022 in
the country.
Supporting
the
international
agreement at Paris during COP21
and launching of the International
Solar Alliance (ISA) in 2015 with
Indias initiative and leadership.
Savings
achieved in terms of
electrical units and financial
implications have been provided
below:
a) With Solar PV Systems:
- Total electricity units saved
per day: 2,791
- Final monetary savings per
day: `16,946
- Total monetary savings per
annum: `508,380
b) Solar Water Heating Systems:
- Total electricity units saved
per annum: 1,750,248
- Total monetary savings per
annum: `16,889,893
In meeting its own targets for
green buildings and catching the
imagination of the stakeholders with
NBCC being an organization having
exclusive expertise in the field.
Providing a lush green and beautiful
residential model complexan
important landmark in central Delhi.

56

energy future

BO O KS O N E N E RGY

The Energy and Resources Institute

TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook (TEDDY) 2015/16
(with a complimentary CD)
A TERI Publication

TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook (TEDDY) is an annual publication brought out by The Energy and
Resources Institute (TERI) since 1986. It is the only comprehensive energy and environment yearbook in India which provides
updated information on the energy supply sectors (coal and lignite, petroleum and natural gas, power, and renewable energy sources),
energy demand sectors (agriculture, industry, transport, residential, and commercial sectors), and environment (local and global).
The publication also provides a review of the government policies that have implications for these sectors of the Indian economy.
2016

434 pages

Hardback

220mm x 280mm

9788179935835

`1995.00

Multiple Choice Questions on Energy

Arun K Tripathi

Multiple Choice Questions on Energy contains about 1300 multiple choice questions covering various sectors of energy, including
mechanical energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, nuclear energy, thermal energy, magnetic energy, sound energy, energy
from coal, petroleum oil and natural gas, renewable energy, and energy conservation. An introduction to energy has been presented
in a comprehensive yet simplified form. This book is useful for academicians, students pursuing engineering or agriculture-related
courses, aspirants of various competitive exams, professionals, and stakeholders in the energy sector. It can also be a tool for various
quiz programmes organized in schools, universities, and engineering institutions.

2011

354 pages

Hardback

150mm x 240mm

9788179933053

`295.00

Handbook on Energy Audit and Environment Management

Y P Abbi and Shashank Jain

This book deals at length the energy audits and takes a closer look at the concept of environment management. TERI endeavour to
bring its experience of over two decades in the field of energy audits provide methodology and guidelines to those involved in this
field. Energy audits may be considered as the first step towards understanding how energy is being used in a given facility. It indicates
the ways in which different forms of energy are being used and quantifies energy use according to discrete functions. The Handbook
on Energy Audit and Environment Management offers an overview on industrial energy conservation.

Reprint 2012

302 pages

Hardback

180mm x 240mm

9788179930920

`1500.00

Energy Security and Economic Development in India: a holistic approach

Bala Bhaskar

This book attempts to construct an appropriate definition for the concept of energy security. The evolution of energy security is
traced at both the global level and in the Indian context. This book elaborates on the concept of energy security, highlights its
linkages, enumerates Indias indigenous energy resources, examines the status of energy security in the country, and makes policy
suggestions to ensure energy security in the country.

2012

376pages

Hardback

160mm x 230mm

9788179934609

`795.00

Energy Audit of Thermal Power, Combined Cycle, and Cogeneration Plants

Yash Pal Abbi

Energy Audit of Thermal Power, Combined Cycle, and Cogeneration Plants attempts to refresh the fundamentals of the science and engineering
of thermal power plants and establishes its link with the real power plant performance data through case studies, further developing
techno-economics of the energy efficiency improvement measures. It is hoped that the book will rekindle interest in energy audits
and analysis of data for designing implementation measures on a continuous basis.

2012

260 pages

The Energy and Resources Institute

Attn: TERI Press
Darbari Seth Block
IHC Complex, Lodhi Road
New Delhi - 110 003
Prices are subject to change

Hardback

210mm x 297mm

E-mail teripress@teri.res.in
Tel.
2468 2100 or 41504900
Fax
2468 2144 or 2468 2145
India +91 Delhi (0) 11
Web
http://bookstore.teri.res.in

9788179933114

`1500.00

To purchase the book, visit our

online bookstore at
http://bookstore.teri.res.in or send
us your demand draft or cheque in
favour of TERI, payable at
New Delhi.

he 7th GRIHA Summit was

organized from February 16
20, 2016 at the India Habitat
Centre, New Delhi. The theme of the
conference was Cities of the Future
and it served as a platform for
knowledge sharing on sustainability
solutions for built environment both
at the city and building scale. Some
of the key subjects covered in the
conference were turning efficient
building facades, water distress in
growing cities, waste into building
blocks, social upliftment and income
equality, indoor environment quality,

smart metering for buildings, existing

buildings, sustainable transport, and
post disaster resettlement.
Inaugurating
the
Summit,
Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General,
TERI and President GRIHA Council
said, Considering that two-thirds
of infrastructure that will exist in
2030 is yet to be built, it presents us
with a huge opportunity to ensure
that all new buildings are green.
Dr A K Tripathi, Advisor/Scientist-G,
Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy (MNRE), Government of
India, congratulated the GRIHA

apriljune 2016

58

team for creating a 100 per cent

indigenous green building rating
system. He said that out of the
100,000 MW solar power goal of India,
40,000 MW will be in the form of
rooftop solar power, which translates
fully into the building stock, which
directly relates to green buildings.
He also highlighted that the cost of
renewable energy at `4.50/unit as
compared to that of electricity from
the grid at `5.25/ unit, removes any
question of its unviability.
Setting the theme of the GRIHA
Summit 2016, Ms Mili Majumdar

energy future

said that GRIHA has evolved in the

last seven years and has grown from
30 projects to 700, covering almost
28 million m2 of green footprint.
Although there is still a long way to
go, substantial impact has been made
thus far. This journey would not have
been possible without the support of
government and private stakeholders.
GRIHA is recognized and incentivized
by many urban local bodies and was
recently acknowledged as a tool to
achieve the climate change goals in
Indias Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions (INDCs) submitted to the
United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the
Conference of the Parties 21 (COP21)
held at Paris in December 2015.
The four-day GRIHA Summit
served as a platform for knowledge
sharing in different domains of
green building industry. It facilitated
multi-stakeholder partnerships and
networking among governments,
academia, civil society organizations
and professionals from different
disciplines, such as architecture,
engineering,
and
construction
management. In addition to plenary
sessions where several eminent
speakers addressed the audience, key
sessions revolving around feasibility
of smart cities in Indian context,
architectural design and technology
for efficient buildings and hands on
activity workshop for students and
media were also organized during
The GRIHA Summit 2016. Talking
about the ideology of cities of the
future, Dr Bimal Patel, President &
Acting Director, CEPT University
said that our capacity to predict
the future is very limited, and this
uncertainty must be taken seriously
and cities must not be subjected to
rigid policies. He also pointed out that
there is no cost involved in formulating
the codes but there are huge costs
involved in implementing them,
which ultimately leads to difficulty
in enforcing them. He emphasized

that our focus should be on problems

which must be solved immediately
and maybe leave some problems to
be solved by the next generation.
As a prelude to the main conference,
the Summit also hosted a set of side
events along with an exhibition of a
multitude of green products, all aimed
at transforming the discussion of
sustainability and green buildings into a
comprehensive and prolific experience
for the attendees. The summit was
concluded on Green Lifestyle where
the panellists expressed concerns
about the growing disconnect
between nature and our lifestyle
and how we are not able to protect
the environment. Different levels of
certification to projects were awarded
that have maintained the standard
for sustainable habitat according
to GRIHA norms. A total of seven
projects were felicitated, including
three 5-star ratings, two 4-star ratings,
and two 3-star ratings. Projects with
5-star ratings were Manipal University,
Jaipur; Infosys Pocharam, SDB 4 & 5,
Hyderabad; and Institute of Public
Enterprise, Shamirpet, Hyderabad.
Chandigarh Airport and A J C Bose
Road Residential Project, ITC, Kolkata

energy future

59

were recognized as 4-star rated

projects. Ansal Esencia, Gurgaon and
Ganga Cypress, Pune were recognized
as being 3-star rated. GRIHA Council
also awarded three SVAGRIHA rated
projects. IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Ropar
were felicitated as GRIHA LD (Large
Developments) rated projects.
The Council recognized projects
from diverse fields of building and
construction for their exemplary work
on promotion of sustainable habitats.
These nomination categories were
health and safety, site management,
passive design, energy, materials,
and
water
management. The
projects included IIT Hyderabad
and High Court, Goa. Dr Ajay Mathur
congratulated all the projects that
received GRIHA rating and exemplary
awards. Mr Ashok Chawla, Chairman,
TERI emphasized the linkage between
economic growth and environmental
responsibility and said that one
cannot exist without the other.
He highlighted the importance of green
buildings in the Indian context and its
role in mitigating climate change. He
also congratulated the GRIHA Rating
system for mainstreaming the green
agenda in the country.

apriljune 2016

The Future
of Smart
Cities

The US Green Building

Council (USGBC) is
committed to transforming
the way our buildings are
designed, constructed, and
operated through Leadership
in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) verification
system for sustainable
structures around the world.
During the GRIHA Summit
in New Delhi, in an interview
with Abhas Mukherjee for
Energy Future, Gautami
Palanki, Director, USGBC,
presented her views on
various facets of green and
sustainable buildings and
sustainability issues in India
as well as globally.

Gautami Palanki, Director at US Green Building Council, manages product development and global implementation of the leedon.io
a data driven performance scoring platform. Prior to USGBC, as a sustainability consultant, she managed the design and
implementation of energy, water, and resource efficiency initiatives and LEED certification across new and existing buildings. She is an
experienced architectural designer, with a focus on international commercial and hospitality projects. Ms Palanki is a licenced architect,
with a BArch from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University and an MS in Sustainable Design from Carnegie Mellon University. She has
completed training for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and GRESB, and is a LEED accredited professional based in Washington, DC.

apriljune 2016

60

energy future

The US Green Building Council

(USGBC) believes that Better
buildings are our legacy. What is your
take/opinion on that?
Green,
high
performing
and
intelligent buildings are our legacy.
USGBC represents a talented and
mission driven team, which brings
together stakeholders from across
the world, with a mission of market
transformation. With over hundred
green building councils and several
thousand sustainability professionals
worldwide, this is a legacy of a larger
community. I am an architect, and
it is my professional responsibility
to offer new solutions and ideas for
better buildings.

What do you do to help make

buildings better and more
sustainable?
USGBC and GBCI (Green Business
Certification Inc.), offer solutions
to design and operate an optimal
built environment. Our certification
frameworks provide guidance to
develop the smallest tenant space,
for example, through the LEED for
commercial interiors rating system, to
global standards for Environmental,
Social, Governance (ESG) reporting
on the largest infrastructure projects,
through GRESB Infrastructure. I am
on the LEED technical development
team, that has developed a data based
performance scoring platform; LEEDon
(www.leedon.io). We create simple
methods for a building, campus,
neighbourhood or city to monitor
energy, water, waste, indoor air quality,
and for people to view and contribute
positively to these metrics.

What challenges do you face in

implementing your plans and how do
you foresee the future of sustainable
or green buildings in the world?
It can be challenging to communicate
technical content in a simple, actionable
manner. Green building professionals

are continually finding creative ways to

encourage environmentally preferable
strategies. For example, carbon
emission reduction is a critical issue
that needs immediate action from all
of us. Together, if we are thoughtful
about using less electricity and taking
public transport or carpooling instead
of driving, we will achieve positive
results. Collective action can lower
resource consumption, direct and
indirect costs. This challenge has
tremendous opportunity.

With urbanization, urban areas

are expected to house 40 per cent
of Indias population by 2030, this
requires comprehensive development
of infrastructure in smart cities. How
do you visualize the green building
movement in Indias smart cities of
the future?
Sustainable high performing buildings
are critical to smart cities. Smart
people designing, operating, and
using buildings optimally will make
cities smarter. We have a chance to be
innovators and leaders! Let us take this
unique chance to create infrastructure
that can evolve and be flexible to
accommodate future technologies
and future generations. In India, we
are seeing the impact of resourceinefficiency, in water shortages, poor
air quality, power cuts, etc. With a
large urban influx, the demand on
energy, water, and natural resources is
going to increase. It is critical that any
new environment is responsible and
responsive. Building new is not always
the only solution, improving existing
assets is one too. Let us renew the
emphasis on ongoing performance
managementcontinuous verification
and improvement of our infrastructure.
Also, strategically USGBC has signed
an MoU with Indias first smart city, i.e.,
GIFT City, wherein it aims to accelerate
smart and green built environment
with this, USGBC shall support various
developers,
architects,
planners,

energy future

61

landscape architects, MEP consultants,

engineers, etc., of GIFT City as they
pursue LEED certification.

Do you think that Indias smart cities

would be able to face this challenge
of green buildings implementation
strategies?
Yes, it is an opportunity more
than a challenge. Green building
design concepts are the basis of our
vernacular architecture. Bio-climatic
design is the root of our design
philosophy. We are inherently resource
efficient in our lifestyle. In the last
decade, we may have taken a detour,
and need to course correct. I am
originally from Hyderabad, even today,
if you go to the Golconda fort during
peak summer (+45C), it is still cool
in the fort, with no air conditioning.
We need to channel these concepts
in contemporary architecture. Today,
bio-climatic design, technology, and
renewables offer a key combination
to intelligent planning and smarter
contemporary cities.

What role do you think GRIHA and

the GRIHA Council are playing
for promoting green building
sustainability practices in India?
It is exciting to see organizations
worldwide provide regional education
and awareness on green buildings. The
GRIHA Summit has been a collaborative
platform to share experiences and
lessons learnt from different parts of
the world. The Council has successfully
brought together real world solutions
and innovative project case studies to
demonstrate answers to challenges.
TERIs GRIHA and USGBCs LEED
have partnered to promote the best of
global and Indian practices to ensure
efficiency of design, construction,
and operation of high performance
buildings. The partnership will focus
on two key initiatives:
(i) Existing buildings: The GRIHA Council
implementing and supporting the

apriljune 2016

LEED for Existing Buildings rating

system and the LEED Dynamic
Plaque for Indian and Southeast
Asian markets.
(ii) New buildings: Offering seamless
pathways for dual ratings for new
buildingsGRIHA projects will
have the opportunity to earn LEED
certification and LEED buildings will
have the opportunity to earn GRIHA
certification.
There is a unilateral desire to create
higher performing assets and
professionals can choose from green
building rating systems, LEED and
GRIHA included, which only results in
more green buildings!

Please tell us in brief about the

possible strategies related to the
design and operations of indoor
spaces to achieve the desired air

quality. Also tell us that how various

green building rating systems, such as
LEED and GRIHA are addressing the
indoor environment quality issues?
It is appropriate that the GRIHA
summit is in Delhi. The World Health
Organization (WHO) and the United
Nations (UN) statistics indicate over
a million people are affected by air
quality and the cost of (bad) air quality
is about $0.5 trillion a year! Air quality
needs to be addressed outside and
inside buildings. LEED encourages
lower vehicle emissions from locating
new
buildings
in
appropriate
neighbourhoods, implementation of
environmentally responsible materials,
including
composite
material
assembly, high performance filtration
media, and ongoing monitoring of
indoor air quality (IAQ) contaminants

in existing buildings. The rating

system also requires verification of IAQ
periodically in operational buildings,
including interior carbon dioxide levels
and total volatile organic compounds.
LEED credits offer synergies between
IAQ and energy efficiency or IAQ and
occupant health, resulting in multiple
benefits to the end user. The rating
system expands the scope to Indoor
Environmental Quality (IEQ) which
includes acoustics, daylighting, access
to external views and air quality
to improve the overall experience.
These are examples of best practices,
supported by scientific research, and
structured as a prescriptive framework
in the rating system. The step by step
approach helps individuals design and
operate a property with enhanced air
quality and gain occupant health and
productivity benefits.

ENERGY

JanuaryMarch 2016

The Complete Energy Magazine

Volume 4

Issue 2

Annual `800

The Complete Energy Magazine

Vishal Pandya
Co-founder and Director
REConnect Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd

By looking at the technologies, policy decisions, and business ventures that have the potential to overcome energy shortage and our
crippling dependence on depleting fossil fuels, Energy Future draws from a deep well of expertise at TERI (The Energy and Resources
Institute), Indias leading research institute on energy and green growth. Knowledge of energy security and development is a critical
requirement in the modern global economy, and Energy Future aims to educate and inform you about the wide world of energy; its history,
its future, how the energy industry works, how it has affected the world, and how it continues to affect you and me.
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THE ENERGY AND RESOURCES INSTITUTE
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JUST RELEASED

PUBLICATION

EXPLORING ECO-FRIENDLY
TRAVEL FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

EXPLORING ECO-FRIENDLY
TRAVEL FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

2016 180 x 240 mm 120 pages

Hardback General Reference
ISBN: 9788179934449 Price: `295.00

This book is printed on recycled paper.

Ages: 12+ years

Nothing can go faster than the speed of light. But it seems the superfast, snazzy, chic,
and hi-tech vehicles will soon outshine this adage. Fast, faster, fastest technological
advancements in transportation have made mobility of people and goods easy, connecting
the entire world and expanding world trade. It has steered globalization giving a boost to
the wealth of nations.
On the flipside, aircraft, ships, trucks, and trains powered by the combustion of fossil
fuels, moving across the sky, oceans, and land have accelerated climate change,
besides giving way to the problem of global energy crisis due to the huge demand and
short supply of fossil fuels.
So the world now aims at combining energy-efficient technologies with clean fuels to
enjoy the benefits of vehicles while being sensitive to the environment. Hybrids, electric
cars, and biofuels are some of the examples in this regard. However, there is still a long
way to go.

Contents
Transport Energy Sources: Types Energy Sources: Impacts Alternative Fuels
Transit Issues and Solutions Green Transport Green Cities Hybrid buses by TATA
Motors Lets quizzzzzzz!!! Lets solve this crossword! Lets locate the green cities!
Measures to Control Air Pollution in India Doing Your Bit Glossary
The Energy and Resources Institute
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A Review on Paddy Residue Based Power

Generation: Energy, Environment, and
Economic Perspective
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 59,
June 2016, Pages 10891100
S M Shafie
Todays world is mostly dependent on fossil fuel for power
generation. The dependency on fossil fuels is leading the
world into a complex crisis comprising the insecurity of
supplies; environmental impact; and also the fluctuation
of fuel price. With a view to tackle this crisis, scientists are
shifting their interest on new energy sources, such as
biomass resources, solar, tidal, and geothermal energies.
Among these, biomass resources have been around for
domestic use for a long time, but have not yet been utilized
for industrial-scale power generation. Whereas other
renewable sources have a long way to go on the path to
technological advancement, to be utilized in a mass scale and
compete with fossil fuel as a cost-effective alternative. The
most potential biomass resource is lignocellulosic biomass,
which includes paddy residue. Paddy residues are widely
abundant agricultural wastes, which have a high potential
for utilization in energy industries. The major challenges to
the proper utilization of paddy residues in power generation
are improper management, lack of economic study, and lack
of collection network. Lastly, the economic, environment,
and energy policies play an important role for developing
paddy residues as a fuel for energy industries.

Solar Photovoltaic Energy Progress in India: A

Review
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 59,
June 2016, Pages 927939
Sarat Kumar Sahoo
The mitigation of global energy demands and climate
change are the most important factors in the modern world.
Development and application of solar energy have been
regarded highly by the Government of India and common
people, and they thought that solar photovoltaic energy
can provide more energy in the future as compared to other
renewable energies. In the last decade, solar photovoltaic
energy research and development has been supported
by the Central government and State governments.
This paper discusses the current progress of solar
photovoltaic energy in India. It highlights the renewable
energy trend in India with major achievements, state-wise
analysis of solar parks and industrial applications. Finally, it
discusses the Indian governments policies and initiatives
to promote solar energy in India. This review on solar
photovoltaic energy will help decision makers and various
stakeholders to understand the current status, barriers, and
challenges for better planning and management in this field.

energy future

Basis of Energy Crop Selection for Biofuel

Production: Cellulose vs. Lignin
International Journal of Green Energy, Volume 13, Issue 1,
2016, Pages 4954
T Kikas, M Tutt, M Raud, M Alaru, R Lauk, and J Olt
This paper investigates the suitability of Jerusalem
artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.), fibre hemp (Cannabis
sativa L.), energy sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), Amur
silver-grass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus), and energy grass
cultivar (cv) Szarvasi-1 for biofuel production in Northern
climatic conditions. Above ground biomass, bioethanol
production yield, and methane production yield are used
as indicators to assess the bio-energy potential of the
culture. Results presented show that the energy crops of
Southern origin produce 3070 per cent less biomass than
in the origin region. Nonetheless, both perennial and annual
energy crops produce high above ground biomass yields
(6601,280 g m2) for Northern climatic conditions.

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Experimental results show that bioethanol yield is dependent

on cellulose content of the biomass. The higher the cellulose
content, the higher the bioethanol yield. Biogas production
on the other hand, depends on lignin content. The lower
the lignin content, the higher the biogas yield. Therefore,
the selection of the energy crop for bioethanol production
should be based on high cellulose content, while for biogas
production it should rather be based on the low lignin content.

A Holistic Approach to Energy Efficiency

Assessment in Plastic Processing
Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 118, April 2016,
Pages 1928
B Alexander Schlter and Michele B Rosano
A significant increase in the industry energy efficiency is
crucial for transforming the worlds energy systems. Many
production sites offer high energy saving capabilities, and
if these are accompanied by short periods of economic
amortization, companies should be willing to act. This case
study provides a novel and extended energy assessment
for plastics processing plants including primary energy,
greenhouse gas emissions, and energy costs. The research
distinguishes between the standard form of separate
individual energy assessments and provides a more
innovative holistic approach taking all relevant energy
flows within the production system into account. Dynamic
simulation offers a quick and effective way to predict the
results of the possible energy saving measures highlighted
in this analysis. The paper presents validated energy
consumption simulations based on realistic processing
conditions for two injection moulding factories in
different climatic zones. The results show that combining
a number of separate energy saving measures can reduce
the primary energy demand by around 26 per cent for a
German plant under temperate climate conditions and
20 per cent for a Western Australian plant under
Mediterranean conditions. However, when the separate
energy saving measures are holistically combined, the
reduction in energy use significantly increases to 41 per cent
and 43 per cent, respectively. This holistic energy strategy
involves incorporating better cogeneration and waste heat
recovery options. For small- and medium-sized companies
in particular major energy infrastructure investments may
often be considered too expensive without examining
the extended benefits from a holistic energy assessment
perspective. In contrast, a holistic framework, like the one
suggested in this paper could provide a number of new
options for increasing energy efficiency that individually
might normally not be accepted under conventional
economic rate of return analysis.

apriljune 2016

On the Path to Sustainability: Key Issues on

Nigerias Sustainable Energy Development
Energy Reports, Volume 2, 2016, Pages 2834
Norbert Edomah
In the face of scarcity of energy resources and rising energy
prices due primarily to a world of increasing demand, energy
security concerns becomes more crucial both for the private
and public sector alike. At the same time, energy policies
have been shifting and policy changes have become hard
to predict because of radical changes in energy supply.
This paper analyses the barriers to sustainable energy
development in Nigeria which are: (i) Cost and pricing
barriers, (ii) Legal and regulatory barriers, and (iii) Market
performance barriers. It concludes by highlighting some
key policies that can help address some of the identified
barriers in order to ensure a secured sustainable energy
future for Nigeria. This paper uses exploratory research
tools for data collection from already published statistical
reports to analyse the Nigerian energy profile with specific
focus on: historical energy production and consumption
trends; trends in fossil fuel use for electricity generation; and
issues around energy resource vulnerability, with the view
of understanding the link to the current barriers towards
achieving a sustainable energy future. Data from different
sources such as the US Energy Information Administration,
British Petroleum Statistical Review on World Energy, among
other documents were used for the analysis of the Nigerian
sustainable energy barriers.

Mountainous Areas and Decentralized Energy

Planning: Insights from Greece
Energy Policy, Volume 91, April 2016, Pages 174188
Nikolas M Katsoulakos and Dimitris C Kaliampakos
Mountainous areas have particular characteristics, whose
influence on energy planning is explored in this paper,
through a suitably tailored methodology applied to the
case of Greece. The core element of the methodology is
a linear optimization model with a total cost objective
function, which includes financial, as well as external costs
and benefits. Altitude proves to have decisive influence
on energy optimization results, because it affects energy
demand. The improvement of local energy systems provides
greater socioeconomic benefits in mountainous settlements,
due to the high shares of renewables and energy efficiency
interventions in the optimal solutions. Energy poverty can
be alleviated by redesigning local energy systems and
the structure of the energy market. However, spatial and

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aesthetic restrictions, presented often in mountainous

settlements, may affect the operational costs of energy
systems, which is a crucial parameter for confronting
energy poverty. Furthermore, the study indicates that it
could be better to electrify remote areas, far from electricity
grids, by decentralized systems than by grid expansion.
The results of this study and the assumptions made about
the way in which energy market should function, could
be utilized for reconsidering energy policy measures,
aiming at supporting sensitive societies to improve their
development perspectives.

Energy Performance Certificates and

3-dimensional City Models as a Means to
Reach National TargetsA Case Study of the
city of Kiruna
Energy Conversion and Management, Volume 116,
May 2016, Pages 4257
Tim Johansson, Mattias Vesterlund, Thomas Olofsson, and
Jan Dahl
Enhanced dissemination of information regarding energy
saving and climate change targeted towards property
owners is considered to be an important strategy in order
to reach the Swedish national target of energy efficiency in
the building sector by 2050. Here the municipality energy
advisors and the national register for energy performance
certificates can facilitate the mitigation of energy use in
the building stock. So far, few studies have focussed on the
practical roadmap to the national target of energy use on
the city/district level and to the communication aspects
with stakeholders in the creation of energy city models.
In this paper, a city energy model is developed based
on the requests and need for visualization from a group of
energy advisors. Six different scenarios are studied in order
to analyse the possibility of reaching the energy targets
specified by the government in the town of Kiruna. The
results show that: (i) It is possible to automatically create
city energy models using extract, transform, and load
tools based on spatial and non-spatial data from national
registers and databases; (ii) City energy models improve
the understanding of energy use in buildings and can
therefore be a valuable tool for energy advisors, real estate
companies, and urban planners. The case study of Kiruna
showed that the proposed energy saving measures in the
energy performance certificates need to be implemented
and new buildings in the urban transformation must be of
high energy standard in order to reach the national target
in Kiruna.

energy future

Dynamic Linkages among Energy

Consumption, Environment, Health and Wealth
in BRICS Countries: Green Growth Key to
Sustainable Development
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 56,
April 2016, Pages 12631271
Khalid Zaman, Alias bin Abdullah, Anwar Khan,
Mohammad Rusdi bin Mohd Nasir, Tengku Adeline Adura
Tengku Hamzah, and Saddam Hussain
The objective of the study is to examine the four pillars
of green growth (or green environment), that is, energy,
environment, health, and wealth in BRICS countries namely,
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, over the period
of 19752013. The study examines the relationship between
energy consumption, environment, health, and its resulting
impact on BRICS economic growth. The study uses three
environmental variables (i.e., agricultural technology,
carbon dioxide emissions, and population density), three
energy sources (i.e., nuclear energy consumption, electricity
production from renewable sources, and combustible
renewable and waste); two health proxies (i.e., fertility rate,
total, i.e., births per woman, and infant mortality rate); and
GDP per capita for economic growth. These variables were
selected due to the vital importance in the BRICS nations. The
overall results indicate that environmental variables have a
deleterious effect on the BRICS economic growth, while
energy sources significantly increases economic growth
in the countries. Health expenditures and infrastructure
requires proper care of fertility and mortality related health
issues in the BRICS countries. The results emphasized the
importance of green growth and sustainable developmental
policies that help to expedite growth process and welfare of
the countries.

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apriljune 2016

For Effective Energy Storage

Applications
LD ENERGY STORAGE RACKS
The long duration (LD) Energy Storage Racks (Picture 1) are
high performance, fully integrated battery systems for a
widerange oflong durationenergy storage applications. The
LD Energy Storage Racks are available in two configurations:
700 V (nominal) rack offering 76 kWh of available energy
and 38 kW of continuous power (charge or discharge)
950 V (nominal) rack offering over 100 kWh of available
energy and 52 kW of continuous (charge or discharge).
The LD Energy Storage Racks are fundamental building block
of NEC Energy Solutions GBS rack-integrated grid-scale
energy storage systems. As standalone DC energy storage
components, they are suited for a varietyof custom grid and
commercial applications. The LD Energy StorageRack offers
industry-leading performance and inherent multi-layersafety
for the most demanding energy storage scenarios.
The LD Energy Storage Racks include:
Battery modules utilizing industry-proven Nanophosphate
technology
Complete
Battery
Management
System
(BMS),
orchestrating continuous monitoring of voltage,
temperature, and safetyconditions, as well as cell balancing
and optimization of modulestate-of-charge
Integrated ducting for ambient or forced air cooling,
depending onapplication requirements
Nested safety design providing multiple layers of protection
at thecell, module, BMS, and rack level
Voltage fusing for the entire rack

apriljune 2016

68

Picture 1: A Long Duration (LD) Energy Storage Rack

energy future

CAN bus communications between BMS to high level

system controls
Optional Equalizer that automatically balances multi-rack
configurations.

Some salient features of LD Energy Storage Racks are as

follows:
High performance: The LD Energy Storage Rack delivers an
unparalleled combination of cycle life, calendar life, and
energy performance. Multi-year testing of the cells and
modules, under both realistic and extreme conditions,
confirms life expectancy of > 4,500 cycles.
Nested safety design: The LD Energy Storage Rack is
engineered for the utmost safety, enabled by the

intrinsically safe design, fusing at the cell level, module

level and rack level, extensive fault monitoring at
the module level and automatic opening of the dual
contactors upon power loss or safety cover removal.
Battery module features: LD Energy Storage Racks
contain field-replaceable battery modules with on-board
intelligence that communicates with the BMS to:
Monitor voltage on every cell bank and provide
independent module voltage measurements
Measure representative cell temperatures
Maintain cells in optimum state-of-charge and help
prevent overvoltage conditions
Monitor overvoltage conditions and signal shutdown,
if detected.

HR ENERGY STORAGE RACKS

The High Rate (HR) Energy Storage Racks (Picture 2) are
fully integrated battery storage system offering reliable
energy storage for a wide range of high rate and high power
applications. The HR Energy Storage Racks are available in two
configurations:
700 V (nominal) rack offering 51 kW continuous power
(102 kW maximum, charge or discharge) with 26 kWh of
available energy
950 V (nominal) rack offering 68 kW continuous power
(136 kW maximum, charge or discharge) with 34 kWh of
available energy.
The HR Energy Storage Racks are elements of NEC Energys
GBS integrated grid-scale energy storage systems.
As standalone DC energy storage racks, they are suited for a
multitude of customized high power grid and commercial
applications. The HR Energy Storage Racks are standardized
products that deliver best-in-class performance and inherent
multi-layer safety for the most demanding energy storage
scenarios.
The HR energy storage racks include:
Battery modules utilizing industry-proven Nanophosphate
technology
Battery Management System (BMS) that continuously
monitors voltage, temperature, and system conditions and
performs cell balancing. Nested safety features provide
layered protection at the cell, module, BMS, and rack level
CAN bus communications between BMS and higher system
controls.
Source: www.neces.com

energy future

69

Picture 2: A High Rate (HR) Energy Storage Rack

apriljune 2016

THE COMING MICROGRID REVOLUTION: BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR

NEXT-GENERATION ELECTRICITY
In The Microgrid Revolution: Business Strategies for Next-Generation Electricity, the author
explains the current state of electricity production, identifies its widespread problems,
and proposes a specific approach and particular solution to the puzzle of supplying clean
energy for the twenty-first century world. This book explores the tremendous opportunities
of the new electricity revolution that looks to threaten the century-old business models
of our existing power production infrastructure. This unique book proposes public policy
and business strategy-level initiatives that could overcome the structural impediments
that prevail in the current electricity industries and predicts the important changes to
come in the immediate and distant future. This book synthesizes seemingly disparate
concepts from the telecom and electricity industries with business strategy and policy and
regulatory issues, allowing readers to see the tremendous opportunity at hand in clean
electricity technologies.

Author: Mahesh P Bhave

Publisher: Praeger; Year: 2016

HARNESS THE SUN: AMERICAS QUEST FOR A SOLAR-POWERED FUTURE

In Harness the Sun, Philip Warburg takes the readers on a far-flung journey that explores
Americas solar revolution. Beginning with his solar-powered home in New England, he
introduces readers to the pioneers who are spearheading our move towards a clean energy
economy. The readers meet the CEOs who are propelling solar power to prominence and
the intrepid construction workers who scale our rooftop by installing panels. The readers
encounter the engineers who are building giant utility-scale projects in prime solar
states, such as Nevada, Arizona, and California, and the biologists who make sure wildlife
is protected at those sites. Warburg shows how solar energy has won surprising support
across the political spectrum. Prominent conservatives embrace solar power as an emblem
of market freedom, while environmental advocates see it as a way to reduce Americas
greenhouse gas emissions. Yet solar energy has its downsides and detractors too. Harness
the Sun offers a grounded, persuasive vision of Americas energy future. It is a future fuelled
by clean, renewable sources of power, with solar at centre stage.

Author: Philip Warburg

Publisher: Beacon Press; Year: 2016

NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR ENHANCING IN-SITU RECOVERY AND UPGRADING OF

OIL AND GAS PROCESSING
This book assesses the current application of nanotechnology in oil and gas industries and
explores new research directions in this frontier field. It outlines the theory and practical
challenges of the nanoparticle colloidal behaviour in oil matrixes and aqueous solutions,
the interactions between rock and nanofluid, and the surface phenomena relevant to
the application of this technology. The book also describes the transport behaviour of
nanoparticles in oil/sand media for in-situ upgrading and recovery of heavy oil. Currently,
the main objectives of applying nanoscale materials in oil and gas industries are the
remediation of formation damage, the improvement of energy efficiency, the abatement
of environmental footprint, and the increment of recovery factors of oil reservoirs, to
name a few. The book consists of six chapters with contributions by leading experts in the
topics of fabrication methods, opportunities, and challenges in the oil and gas industry,
modelling, and application of nanofluids in the field and environmental applications of
nanoparticles.

apriljune 2016

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energy future

Editors: Nashaat N Nassar, Farid B Corts, et al.

Publisher: Springer;Year: 2016

THE ENVIRONMENTS OF THE POOR IN SOUTH ASIA: SIMULTANEOUSLY

REDUCING POVERTY, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND ADAPTING TO
CLIMATE CHANGE
The agendas of those trying to reduce poverty and those trying to protect the environment
have been at odds in the past. But they are coming together now due to a recognition of
the increasing role of the environment in the lives of the poor in developing countries,
especially with the changes to the environment being caused by global warming. This book
contains a multitude of studies of the environmentpoverty relationship, such as those in
the drylands of Rajasthan and Odisha, the Sundarbans Delta, the Nepalese uplands, the Sri
Lankan and Bangladeshi coastlands, and the urban slums of India and Bangladesh. Floods,
landslides, droughts, degradation of natural resources, and urban pollution exert a greater
influence on the people in these areas than on those living in other geographical regions
of South Asia.

Editors: Anushree Sinha, Armin Bauer, and

Paul Bullen
Publisher: Oxford University Press; Year: 2015

URBAN DC MICROGRID: INTELLIGENT CONTROL AND POWER FLOW

OPTIMIZATION 1ST EDITION
Urban DC Microgrid: Intelligent Control and Power Flow Optimization focusses on microgrids
for urban areas, particularly associated with building-integrated photovoltaic and
renewable sources. This book describes the most important problems of DC microgrid
application, with grid-connected and off-grid operating modes, aiming to supply DC
building distribution networks.
The book considers direct current (DC) microgrid to supply DC building distribution
networks for positive energy buildings; dynamic interactions with the utility grid based on
communication with the smart grid; supervisory control systems; and energy management.
The global power system is exposed and the DC microgrid system is presented and analysed
with results and discussion, highlighting both the advantages and limitations of the concept.
Coverage at the system level of microgrid control as well as the various technical aspects
of the power system components make this a book interesting to academic researchers,
industrial energy researchers, electrical power, and power system professionals.

Authors: Manuela Sechilariu and

Fabrice Locment
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; Year: 2016

COMMENTARY ON IET WIRING REGULATIONS (17TH REVISED EDITION)

This book is a complete guide to the IET wiring regulations and the important changes
expected in Amendment 3 to BS 7671:2008. It provides comprehensive guidance on all
aspects of electrical installation design, including the Electricity Safety Quality and Continuity
Regulations. Derivations of the requirements are included along with the relevant formulas,
data installation design calculations, and examples. The Commentary also includes guidance
on related subjects, such as the prevention of electromagnetic interference, allowance for
harmonic currents, and the use of cable armouring.

Author: Paul Cook

Publisher: The Institution of Engineering and
Technology; Year: 2016

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apriljune 2016

RENEWABLE ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT

COMMON ALGAE FOR BIOFUEL BUTANOL

PRODUCTION

HE SPHERICAL SUN POWER

GENERATOR

German Architect Andre Broessel believes he has a solution

that can squeeze more juice out of the sun, even during
the night hours and in low-light regions. His company
Rawlemon has created a spherical sun power generator
prototype called the beta.ray. This technology will combine
spherical geometry principles with a dual axis tracking
system, allowing twice the yield of a conventional solar
panel in a much smaller surface area. The futuristic design
is fully rotational and is suitable for inclined surfaces,
walls of buildings, and anywhere with access to the sky. It
can even be used as an electric car charging station. The
beta.ray comes with a hybrid collector to convert daily
electricity and thermal energy at the same time. While
reducing the silicon cell area to 25 per cent with the
equivalent power output by using the ultra-transmission Ball
Lens point focussing concentrator, it operates at efficiency
levels of nearly 57 per cent in hybrid mode. At night-time the
Ball Lens can transform into a high-power lamp to illuminate
ones location, simply by using a few LEDs. The station is
designed for off-grid conditions as well as to supplement
buildings consumption of electricity and thermal circuits
like hot water.
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/spherical-sun-power-generator/

apriljune 2016

Various methods have been tried for reducing fossil fuel

dependency and containing carbon footprint for a healthier
and more eco-friendly future. Corn-produced ethanol has
been used for mixing with gasoline but there have been
side effects, such as corrosion from ethanol. So, for better
solution, the focus of the research conducted by University of
Arkansas is on converting the common algae into renewable
fuel, which can be used in automobiles with combustible
type engines. The research is done on algae which survive
on nitrogen, phosphorous, sunlight, and carbon dioxide;
and from which, organic acids and subsequently biofuel
is produced.
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/common-algae-biofuelbutanol-production/

MAKING THE BEST USE OF POLYMER SOLAR CELLS

In the recent past, a process has been developed by the
researchers at the Iowa State University and the Ames
Laboratory that can produce thin and constant light
absorbing layers on textured substrates. This increases light
absorption by polymer solar cells, thereby, increasing their
efficiency and enabling its best use.
According to one of the professors, these researchers are
making polymer cells that have the capabilities of capturing
more light within the ridges. This includes the light they

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energy future

absorb from outside and the light that gets reflected from
one ridge to another. These solar cells are made up of
polymers that are lightweight, easy-to-make, and flexible.
Their functioning is improved by a textured substrate
pattern that lets the removal of a thin light absorbing layer.
As the light absorbing layer goes through the small ridges, it
maintains good electrical transport properties in the cells.
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/best-use-of-polymer-solar-cells/

CHEMISTS DEVISE TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD

TRANSFORM SOLAR ENERGY STORAGE
The materials in most of todays residential rooftop
solar panels can store energy from the sun for only a few
microseconds at a time. A new technology developed by
chemists at University of California, Los Angeles is capable of
storing solar energy for up to several weeks. The new design
is inspired by the way the plants generate energy through
photosynthesis.
A researcher from the team stated that in photosynthesis,
plants that are exposed to sunlight use carefully organized
nanoscale structures within their cells to rapidly separate
charges pulling electrons away from the positively charged
molecule that is left behind, and keeping positive and
negative charges separated and that separation is the key to
making the process so efficient.
The two components that make the UCLA-developed
system work are a polymer donor and a nano-scale
fullerene acceptor. The polymer donor absorbs sunlight
and passes electrons to the fullerene acceptor; the process
generates electrical energy. The new design is also more
environmentally friendly than current technology, because
the materials can assemble in water instead of more toxic
organic solutions that are widely used today.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150619103601.htm

USING WASTE HEAT FROM AUTOMOBILE EXHAUST

A new technology is being developed at Oregon State
University (OSU) to capture and use the low-to-medium
grade waste heat that is now going out the exhaust pipe of
millions of automobiles, diesel generators, or being wasted
by factories and electrical utilities. According to the experts,
the potential cost savings, improved energy efficiency,
and broad application of such technology is enormous.

energy future

The new systems now being perfected at OSU should be

able to use much of that waste heat either in cooling or the
production of electricity.
According to a researcher, more than half of the heat
generated by industrial activities is now wasted, and even
very advanced electrical power plants only convert about
40 per cent of the energy produced into electricity. So, to
overcome these issues, the new system developed at OSU
may do that as, or more efficiently than past approaches as
it is more portable and have one major advantage of the
ability to produce electricity.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110610131912.htm

RENEWABLE ENERGY OBTAINED FROM

WASTEWATER
Researchers from the Universitat Autnoma de Barcelona
(UAB) have devised an efficient way to obtain electrical
energy and hydrogen by using a wastewater treatment
process. Wastewater contains an elevated amount of
chemical energy in the form of organic contaminants.
In order to make use of this energy, researchers from around
the world study ways to recover it in the form of hydrogen,
a process which efficiently eliminates organic matter from
wastewater. It not only reduces the amount of energy
needed during the process, it also obtains energy from
the produced hydrogen. The key to achieve this is what is
known as microbial electrolysis cells (MEC). So, researchers
from UAB have improved the energetic efficiency of the
cells. The experimental results were very positive and
demonstrated that these systems would have a market niche
at industrial scale. They used real wastewater instead of the
biodegradable synthetic water used in most experiments,
and achieved a biological production of hydrogen and, to
a large extent, the recovery of a good part of the energy
contained in the residues. To achieve this, researchers
selected a set of bacteria capable of transforming complex
substrates, such as methanol, dairy waste, starch, and
glycerol, into simpler compounds which could, in turn, be
degraded by exoelectrogens.
The results were very positive and high hydrogen
production and energy intensity was obtained through the
wastewater treatment.

73

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150224083114.htm

apriljune 2016

INDUSTRY REGISTRY
ASYS Automatisierungssysteme
GMBH
Your partner for high-speed
metallization lines and nextgeneration technologies for the
implementation of efficiencyenhancing cell technologies in
high-volume production.
Benzstrasse 10, 89160 Dornstadt,
Germany
Tel: +49/7348/9855-0
Fax: +49/7348/9855-91
Email: info@asys.de
Website: www.asys-solar.com
Bonfiglioli Riduttori SPA
Bonfiglioli engineers and
manufacturers inverter solutions
and power conditioners for the
grid integration of Megawatt-scale
storage systems and photovoltaic
plants.
Via Giovanni XXIII, 7/A
Lippo di Calderara (Bologna), Italy
Tel: +390516473111
Email: photovoltaic@bonfiglioli.com
Website: www.bonfiglioli.com
CECEP Solar
Main products are solar cells, solar
modules, integrated solutions for PV
power station. Certified by TUV, UL,
CE, CQC, IEC. We are the leading solar
power station invester and operator
in China.
No. 9, Bei shan Road, Xinqu,
Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu, China
Tel: +86/511/85587888
Fax: +86/511/85587711
Email: sales@cecepsolar.com
Website: www.cecepsolar.com

Creativ
PV ribbon wire, bus-bar wire, I-shapes
and cut ribbon, precision technology,
full sides plate, worldwide delivery,
60-90 MPa yield strength super soft
ribbon and lead free.
Int. Juan Lumbreras (Ex Ruta 24) Km 42
General Rodriguez, Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Tel: +54/11/59181100
Email: pvribbon@creativ.com.ar
Website: www.creativ.com.ar
Green Energy Technology inc. Ltd
A wafer, ingot, and thin film module
maker in Taiwan. We produce
multi-crystalline wafers with quality,
cost and delivery advantages.
19-2, Tatung 1st Rd, Kuanyin Industrial
Park, Taoyuan 32849, Taiwan
Tel: 886-3-653-4160207
Fax: 886-3-653-416-0211
Email: contact@getinc.com.tw
Website: www. getinc.com.tw
ISOVOLTAIC AG
Production and sale of backsheet
films for photovoltaic modules.
A-8403 Lebring, Isovoltastrae 1,
Austria
Tel: +43/59191-0
Email: info@isovoltaic.com
Website: www. isovoltaic.com
KUKA Systems GmbH
Turnkey solutions for photovoltaic
and solar thermal module production.
Engineering, robot technology and
service from one source.
Bluecherstr. 144, 86165 Augsburg,
Germany
Tel: +49/821/797-1076
Fax: +49/821/797-2092

apriljune 2016

74

Email: solar@kuka.de
Website: www. kuka-systems.de
Meco Equipment Engineers
Plating equipment for
semi-conductor and solar industry.
Turnkey plating lines for thin-film solar
cell manufacturing, metallization on
silico solar cells and on flex foil.
Marconilaan 2, NL-5151, DR Drunen,
The Netherlands
Tel: +31/416/384384
Fax: +31/416/384300
Email: meco.sales@besi.com
Website: www. meco.nl
SELECTRONIC AUSTRALIA
Over 30 years of experience has
led us to design and manufacture a
highly innovative range of inverter
chargers for grid feed battery backup
or off-grid. 2,800 W to 18,000 W.
Suite 5, 20 Fletcher Road
Chrinside Park, Victoria, Australia
Tel: +61/3/9727-6600
Website: www.selectronic.com.au
Somont GmbH
Manufacturer of stringer, layup systems, stringer-integrated
electroluminescence testing
units, fully automated matrix
interconnection solutions and
laboratory equipment f.i. soldering
table, peel force tester. Somont offers
highest performance and quality at
minimum cost of ownership.
Im Brunnenfeld 8, D-79224 Umkirch,
Germany
Tel: +4976659809-7000
Fax: +4976659809-7999
Email: sales@somont.com
Website: www.somont.com

energy future

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

INTERNATIONAL
Materials Challenges in Alternative
& Renewable Energy 2016
April 1721, 2016
Clearwater, USA
Website: http://ceramics.org/
meetings/materials-challenges-inalternative-renewable-energy-2016
China International Bioenergy &
Biomass Utilization Summit
April 2122, 2016

Shanghai, China
Website: http://www.chinaexhibition.
com

RENEWTECH INDIA 2016

Solar Asset Management Asia
(Japan) 2016

Exhibition and Conference: 17th

Solarexpo

Mumbai, India
Website: http://www.india-tech.com

Tokyo, Japan
Website: http://www.
solarassetmanagement.asia

Waptema Water Expo

Intersolar Europe 2016

New Delhi, India

Website: http://waptema.org
2nd Smart Cities India 2016 Expo

Scottish Renewables Storage &

Systems Conference

New Delhi, India

Website: http://www.smartcitiesindia.
com

Glasgow, Scotland
Website: www.scottishrenewables.
com

Milan, Italy
Website: www.solarexpo.com

May 46, 2016

Munich, Germany
Website: www.intersolarglobal.com

June 30, 2016

May 35, 2016

April 2628, 2016

June 23, 2016

June 2124, 2016

Beijing, China
Website: http://www.bbs-summit.
com

Website: http://www.inreccongress.
com

May 1113, 2016

LED Expo Mumbai 2016

May 1214, 2016
Mumbai, India
Website: http://www.tradeindia.com/

Utility Energy Forum

May 46, 2016

NATIONAL

Sunnyside Tahoe City, USA

Website: http://www.utilityforum.org

Solar Expo Gurgaon

Renewable Energy World India

May 1820, 2016

April 810, 2016

Energy Smart Show

Gurgaon, India
Website: www.eventbrite.com

May 1415, 2016

Mississauga, Canada
Website: https://energysmartshow.
com
AWEA WINDPOWER 2016

International Conference on
Computation of Power, Energy,
Information and Communication
(ICCPEIC 2016)
April 2021, 2016

May 2326, 2016

LA, USA
Website: http://www.awea.org/

Chennai, India
Website: http://iccpeic.weebly.com
Indias Renewable Energy Congress
(InREC)

The 10th China (Shanghai)

International Wind Energy
Exhibition and Conference

April 2627, 2016

May 2426, 2016

New Delhi, India

energy future

75

New Delhi, India

Website: http://www.power-genindia.
com
Power-Gen India & Central Asia
May 1820, 2016
New Delhi, India
Website: http://10times.com/
distributech-india-mumbai
Govt Achievements & Schemes
Expo
July 2224, 2016
New Delhi, India
Website: http://10times.com/ govtachievements-schemes

apriljune 2016

Renewable Energy at a Glance

Programme/Scheme-wise Physical Progress in 201516 (Up tothe month of January 2016)
Cumulative
Achievements

FY 201516
Sector
Target

Achievement

(as on 31.01.2016)

I. GRID-INTERACTIVE POWER (CAPACITIES IN MW)

Wind Power

2,400.00

1,744.78

25,188.39

Solar Power

1,400.00

1489.10

5,248.21

Small Hydro Power

250.00

132.30

4,187.65

Bio-Power (Biomass& Gasification and

Bagasse Cogeneration)

400.00

342.00

4,760.55

10.00

12.00

127.08

4,460.00

3,720.18

39,511.88

Waste to Energy

10.00

0.50

146.51

Biomass (non-bagasse) Cogeneration

60.00

10.50

602.37

Biomass Gasifiers
Rural
Industrial

2.00

0.20

18.15

6.00

8.67

160.72

Aero-Generators/Hybrid Systems

0.50

0.15

2.67

50.00

67.86

302.30

2.00

0.00

17.21

130.50

87.88

1,249.93

1.10

0.22

48.34

0.00

8.90

Waste to Power

Total
II. OFF-GRID/ CAPTIVE POWER (CAPACITIES IN MWEQ)

SPV Systems
Water Mills/Micro Hydel
Total
III. OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS
Family Biogas Plants (numbers in lakh)
Solar Water Heating Coll. Areas (million m2)

Source: www.mnre.gov.in

apriljune 2016

76

energy future

reen Terra reenTerra reen

Terra
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MA
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EARTH
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Pankaj Vir Gupta

2015

Visiting Professor, University of

Virginia, School of Architecture and
Principal, vir.mueller architects

the
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Tippy Tap:
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Health
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ta Pain

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Urban Lake Restoration:

Increasing Climate Resilience

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