2016 | Govt Must Act as a Catalyst to Unleash Residential Rooftop Potential

Chasing astiff 2022 target of 40 GW, India’s rooftop solar industry is finally coming into its own. Registering a phenomenal growth of 113 per cent over the past one year, the country’s rooftop solar capacity recently crossed the 1-GW mark, a milestone that should inspire the industry to give a much-needed impetus to this nascent segment and set the pace for unprecedented capacity additions in years to come. Rooftop solar in India has everything going for it—favorable government policies, streamlined processes, an efficient regulatory mechanism and an investor-friendly business environment. But will it be enough to take us to 40 GW? Not really!  Though leading solar consultancy services provider Bridge to India has projected an installed capacity of just 12.7 GW in 2021, a host of decisive measures can even propel us to the 40-GW mark.

While the commercial and industrial categories are driving much of the growth as of now, accounting for 63 per cent of the installed rooftop solar capacity, it is the hitherto dormant residential market that can really get things moving. The residential category has enormous potential that is simply waiting to be unleashed. Even if half of the estimated 205 million households in India opt for rooftop projects with an average capacity of just 2 KW, we can easily achieve an installed capacity of 20 GWand get halfway through in no time. Once solar systems become more viable, people will start viewing them as necessities. When that happens, there will be no looking back.

The government can act as a catalyst to spur the growth of the industry by coming up with an incentive-based mechanism and formulating effective policies. The rooftop solar segment will be in for a revolutionary change when it becomes mandatory for all residential buildings to install solar PV plants. More and more states should come forward and emulate the example of the Delhi government, which is providing a generation-based incentive or Rs 2 per unit (kWh) to residential consumers over and above the central government capital subsidy of 30 per cent. Easing the process, the Delhi government has also allowed people to call a third-party solar developer to get the solar PV plant installed.

A well thought out net metering policy can also make all the difference by enabling households to save on their electricity bill sand earn from the power they produce. Through net metering, residents can source their supply both from the grid and their solar PV plants. If the supply from one of them stops, the system switches to the other. The meter records power consumption from both the sources and charges the users for the difference. Reverse net metering is also an attractive proposition that enables consumers generating their own electricity through solar power to send the unused or excess electricity generated by their solar plants back to the grid and even get remunerated for it. This mechanism can be a game changer, but sadly, the implementation is lacking.

The major impediments in the way of growth of the residential rooftop category are the prohibitive costs of solar systems, lack of financing options, poor awareness levels and the practical difficulties associated with operation and maintenance, a factor which is dissuading many developers from opting for rooftop despite its immense scope.

While the cost of rooftop solar has been progressively declining at a rate of 12% per annum over the past four years, a typical1-KW solar system without battery costs Rs 65,000-70,000 with 30% subsidy. Since modules account for 60 per cent of the costs of a solar PV plant, the development of cheaper modules, coupled with optimisation of overall costs through competitiveness, economies of scale and integration of technologies, will make rooftop solar financially more attractive to residents. But a greater concern for house owners is lack of low-cost finance. Banks and financial institutions should extend low-interest loans to fund rooftop solar projects so that getting a loan for a solar PV plan becomes as simple as securing one for a car or house.

The lack of awareness also leaves a lot to be desired, explaining why the residential category continues to lag. We have observed during our solar awareness drives in residential areas that only a small fraction of people is aware how rooftop projects can help them save on their power bills and give assured returns. Some people are aware of the 30 per cent subsidy to domestic consumers, but then, they do not know how and where to apply. To bridge this gap, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has put in place a centralised facility to enable consumers of all categories, including residential, to apply online for installation of solar rooftops on their premises. Making the process hassle-free, the consumers will be directly approached by service providers.

The lack of skilled manpower for installation and operation and maintenance is another problem area. While the commercial and industrial categories are equipped with enough technical manpower to deal with snags, this is not the case in the residential category, where solution providers seldom have a provision for adequate back-up services. The situation calls for preparing a large technical workforce that is fully trained in the basics of installation, operation and maintenance. The move will also help generate thousands of new jobs. As an alternative for house owners who find the process of installation, operation and maintenance too cumbersome, companies like Hartek Power are planning to come up with portable 1-KW and 2-KW kits which will be as easy as installing a satellite dish.

Since 70% of India still resides in villages, rooftop solar can go a long way in electrifying rural areas as well as remote places which are not connected with the grid. Decentralised cluster power generation can work wonders in scantly populated far-flung villages, where the cost of supplying power through newly laid transmission lines can be prohibitively high. Empowering people by providing electricity to un-electrified areas, rooftop solar has done what the government could not. Lighting up the lives of people who have not known what electricity is, rooftop solar is poised to power a New India.

2016 | Grid Manufacturing Missing Link in India’s Solar Chain

Buoyed by the positive response from the industry and the proactive approach adopted by various state governments, India is now making rapid strides in the solar segment. The country’s solar power generation has gone up 14 times in a span of just five years from 0.5 MW in 2011 to 7 GW now. As a result, the revised solar target of 100 GW by 2022 looks distinctly achievable. In an ideal situation, this shift to renewable energy should provide a ready answer to the power woes of the country, which is blessed with abundant sunshine throughout the year, but the situation in India is not so ideal because the transmission system is not growing in sync with the increase in solar power generation.

If left unaddressed, this yawning gap could leave us with a lot of catching up to do later, putting immense pressure on the existing transmission lines, eventually leading to system collapse. The fact remains that our transmission lines are not geared up to receive the kind of solar power being injected into the grid. Given the high stakes in the solar sector, we cannot afford to have breakdowns.

As the first and foremost step, we should upgrade our transmission and distribution lines. The way the solar sector is growing, it becomes imperative for every state which has jumped on to the solar bandwagon to upgrade its T&D system accordingly. The failure to do so may create a difficult situation, in which states like Punjab find themselves today. Having gone into a solar overdrive, Punjab is now well on its way to achieving an installed solar capacity of 1GW by the end of this financial year. But the T&D system in the state has not been upgraded adequately to withstand this additional load of electricity. While the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd has been asked to build separate transmission lines to evacuate green energy, it is expected to build only inter-state transmission lines, at least in the initial stages. Within the states, the local governments have to invest in capacities.

Lack of an efficient and reliable T&D infrastructure is one of the biggest obstacles in the way of realising India’s solar potential. Our existing transmission capacities are grossly inadequate. Millions of kilowatt hours of electricity are lost due to inter-state transmission congestion. High T&D losses make solar power generation a highly unviable proposition. Though the government, in association with the NTPC and the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, is focusing on upgrading its substations and T&D lines to reduce T&D losses, this needs to be done on a war footing. The situation calls for urgent corrective action. We cannot afford to operate with the same network of poles and wires.

The answer lies in constantly upgrading the grids and coming up with new ones to match the outflows created by new solar projects. The example of Andhra Pradesh is worth emulating here. Whenever the Andhra Pradesh government comes up with a plan to set up new solar projects, it has a parallel plan on T&D ready. Let’s enable the utilities to acquire the financial firepower to invest heavily in grid infrastructure and make large-scale green electricity purchases.

India needs to gradually upgrade its grid ring system from 440 KV to 765 KV to 1,200 KV so that maximum power can be transferred to the central ring and suitably distributed among power-deficient areas of the country. The upgrade from 66 KV to 132, 220 and 440 KV should take place simultaneously. At the end of the day, each unit generated must reach its rightful destination. If we cannot achieve this one thing, the entire purpose will get defeated.

Oct 2016 | Hartek Power Bags 460MW Solar EPC Orders in First Half of 2016-17, Records 373% Growth in Order Size

Ø Poised to exceed its 500-MW target for 2016-17, Hartek Power prevails over many big competitors to secure the 460-MW orders spread over six states—Punjab, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra

Chandigarh, October 17, 2016: Cruising to its target of connecting 500-MW solar projects to the grid in 2016-17, Hartek Power, one of India’s fastest growing Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies based in Chandigarh, has bagged 460-MW solar EPC orders already in the first half of the current financial year, thus registering a steep increase of 373% over
last year when the company had secured just 123-MW orders.

The 460-MW solar EPC orders bagged by the company include 16 substations projects of up to 132 KV spread across six states, including Punjab, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Specialising in executing high-voltage turnkey substations and power infrastructure
projects, Hartek Power will provide complete turnkey solutions for these projects and execute post-inverter work covering the design, engineering, supply, installation, automation and commissioning of the power plant electrification.

“Aggressively capitalising on India’s solar overdrive, we have prevailed over many big competitors to bag these orders. Given the favourable market scenario, the proactive approach of the government is pushing solar power and our unmatched expertise in connecting solar projects to the grid, we will in fact exceed the 500-MW target quite smoothly,” said Hartek Power Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Hartek Singh.

He, however, said Hartek Power would continue to be selective about the orders it chooses. “Known for our commitment to quality and timely execution of projects, which has won us the trust and admiration of key developers in the Indian solar space, we will not take up any order unless we are sure about delivering it in time with no compromise on quality whatsoever,” he said.

A pan-India company with presence in 17 states, Hartek Power is focusing on consolidating its position in South Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, which offer immense business opportunities in the form of bigger projects, as well as traditionally well-performing states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. “While tapping business opportunities in the three southern states, where 3-GW tenders are under execution, we are also expanding our operations to new geographies like Jharkhand, which will close the bids for 1.2-GW projects in the current financial year. At the same time, we will strengthen our hold in states like Punjab where we have traditionally been doing well. In fact, out of the 500-MW solar projects awarded by the Punjab government recently in the Phase 3 auction, Hartek Power has bagged solar EPC orders for 200-MW projects, which comes to 40%,” said Hartek Singh.

A solar solutions provider known for its expertise in connecting solar power to the grid, Hartek Power has installed substations for 258-MW solar projects (till March 31, 2016) since it entered the solar EPC business three years ago. The 25-year-old company is part of the billion-INR Hartek Group, which contributes significantly towards the entire power sector value chain through its diversified portfolio covering Power Systems, Rooftop Solar, Power Distribution Products, Fuel Services and Value-Added Services.

India’s installed solar generation capacity has gone up by more than three times from 2.5 GW to 8 GW in a matter of just two years, offering huge opportunities for growth to firms like Hartek Power.

Aug 2016 | Hartek Power Bets Big on South India, Targets 500-MW Solar EPC Orders in Next Financial Year

Ø The company has set a target of 1 GW for the next financial year, out of which 500 MW, or 50 per cent, will come from southern states
Ø Hartek Power plans to make the most of the key developments in the solar sector in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka by tapping the business opportunities the upcoming projects will bring its way

Hyderabad, September 22, 2016: Riding the solar wave holding sway on South India, Hartek Power, one of India’s fastest growing solar EPC companies, is going all out to consolidate its operations in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka by targeting substation orders for at least 500-MW solar projects from these states in the next financial year.

With its expertise in connecting solar power to the grid standing it in good stead in South India, Hartek Power plans to make the most of the key developments in the solar sector in southern states by tapping the business opportunities the upcoming projects will bring its way. In pursuit of the 100- GW target for 2022, South India is focusing more on bigger solar projects, which will result in bigger orders for companies like Hartek Power.

Out of 500 MW of solar power the company is aiming to connect to the grid in the current financial year, southern states will account for at least 150 MW, or about 30%. Taking a quantum leap in sync with the rapid progress that the country in general and South India in particular is making on the solar front, Hartek Power has set a target of 1 GW for the next financial year, out of which 50 per cent, or 500 MW, will come from southern states, a threefold increase as compared to 2016-17.

Known for its expertise in executing solar EPC projects, Hartek Power has installed substations for 258-MW solar projects (as on March 31, 2016) since it entered the business three years ago. Out of this, 70 MW, or roughly 27%, came from South India. Going by the sizeable orders bagged by the company in the first half of the current financial year, Hartek Power has raised the bar and set a target of connecting 500-MW solar projects to the grid in FY 2016-17.

“A total of 3-GW tenders are under execution in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, presenting huge business opportunities. With southern states pressing the pedal on solar projects, Hartek Power is also setting higher targets accordingly. South India is the fastest growing solar destination, and we are doing everything to tap the opportunities this unprecedented growth will bring our way. Our target is to secure solar EPC orders for at least 500-MW projects from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka in 2017-18 on the lines of our latest success in Punjab where we have bagged half of the 500-MW orders,” said Hartek Power Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Hartek Singh.\

Out of the 500-MW solar projects auctioned by the Punjab government recently, Hartek Power has bagged solar EPC orders for 250-MW projects, grabbing 50 per cent of the market share.

Hartek Power had successfully connected a prestigious 50-MW solar project spread over 220 acres to the grid in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh in March this year. The project happened to be Hartek Power’s first one in the state and its biggest in South India.

“What has clicked for us is our commitment to quality and timely execution of projects. We will leverage the successful execution of our 50-MW Anantapur project to strengthen our position in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This project has enabled us to stamp our authority as solar EPC specialists who religiously adhere to deadlines while maintaining the utmost quality. Targeting some key developers who have been allotted projects under recent tenders, Hartek Power will shortly open an office in Hyderabad to tap the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana markets, where most
of our existing clients are among the successful bidders,” said Hartek Singh.

Hartek Power also has big plans for Karnataka, where it has commissioned substations for 20-MW solar projects and is executing another 90 MW, including a 50-MW project in Ittigi district which is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of this year. The company bagged a 40-MWproject in the state from a leading solar developer recently. “Having the largest pipeline of projects in the country at 3.3 GW, Karnataka presents immense opportunities,” said Hartek Singh.

Hartek Power will focus on the rooftop segment in Tamil Nadu, which happens to be India’s Number 1 state in rooftop solar. The company had done a 50-KW rooftop project in Chennai two years ago.

Jul 2016 | 330-MW Solar EPC Orders in its Kitty in Q1, Hartek Power Eyes 500 MW this Financial Year

Ø These orders are spread across six states, including Punjab, Bihar, Karnataka, MP, UP, Maharashtra
Ø Known for its expertise in executing solar EPC projects, Hartek Power has installed substations for 258-MW solar projects since it entered the business three years ago
Ø Going by the size able orders bagged by it in first quarter, the company will cash in on the solar overdrive to cruise to the 500-MW target quite smoothly

Chandigarh, July 6, 2016: Riding on the solar wave, Hartek Power Pvt Ltd, one of India’s fastest growing Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies based in Chandigarh, has bagged substation orders for 330- MW solar projects across the country in the first quarter of the current financial year. With these orders in its kitty, Hartek Power is poised to connect 500-MW solar power projects to the grid in financial year 2016-17.

The 330-MW solar EPC orders bagged by the company include 10 substation projects of up to 132 KV spread across six states, including Punjab, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Specialising in executing high-voltage turnkey substations and power infrastructure projects, Hartek Power will provide complete turnkey solutions for these projects and execute post-inverter works covering the design, engineering, supply, installation, automation and commissioning of the power plant electrification.

Known for its expertise in executing solar EPC projects, Hartek Power has installed substations for 258-MW solar projects since it entered the business three years ago. Going by the sizeable orders bagged by it this time, the company has raised the bar and set a target of connecting 500-MW solar projects to the grid in FY 2016-17. Hartek Power has done well to cash in on the solar overdrive that the country has shifted into since the government revised the National Solar Mission target for 2022 last year from 20 GW to 100 GW.

“Given the upbeat market sentiment, the renewed focus of the government on solar power and our unmatched expertise in providing grid connectivity to solar projects, we are expected to cruise to this target quite smoothly. Our commitment to quality and timely execution of projects has won us the trust and admiration of key developers in the Indian solar space,” said Hartek Power Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Hartek Singh.

Starting the year on a positive note by bagging 330-MW solar EPC orders in the first quarter itself, Hartek Power is looking to build on this momentum to accelerate its growth. “Having already made our presence felt in the Indian solar industry, which offers enormous business opportunities, we are now eyeing a considerable share in the country’s rapidly growing solar market,” said Hartek Singh.

Entering the solar EPC domain in 2013, Hartek Power commissioned substations for 45-MW solar projects in the very first year. In the following year (2014-15), the company executed EPC orders for 90-MW solar projects, taking the figure to 135 MW, a threefold increase. Hartek Power further consolidated its position in FY 2015-16 by providing grid connectivity to 123-MW solar projects spread across Punjab, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka, thus enabling the company to register a nearly twofold increase as compared to the overall figure in the previous year.

India’s installed solar generation capacity has gone up from 2.5 GW to 7 GW in a matter of just two years, offering a huge scope for growth to firms like Hartek Power.

Jul 2016 | Hartek Power Enters Chandigarh’s Rooftop Solar Segment, Executes City’s First Project in Commercial Category

Ø The 436-kWp project at Chandigarh Technology Park is the third largest solar PV project to be commissioned in the city after the ones at PEC, GCG-11
Ø CREST achieves success in private intervention area for the first time with the completion of this project, thus setting the pace for much-needed capacity additions in the commercial category

Chandigarh, June 1, 2016: Foraying into Chandigarh’s rooftop solar segment, Hartek Power Pvt Ltd, one of India’s fastest growing Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies based in Chandigarh with expertise in executing rooftop solar and high-voltage substation turnkey projects, has successfully executed the city’s very first solar project in the commercial category at Chandigarh Technology Park in Kishangarh.

This 436-kWp project is the largest solar PV project to be commissioned in Chandigarh after the ones at Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12 (1,000 kWp) and Government College for Girls, Sector 11 (495 kWp), taking Chandigarh a step closer to becoming a “Model Solar City”.

While the Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society CREST) has helped Chandigarh emerge as India’s Number 1 city in state intervention models for solar power generation by installing solar PV projects to the tune of 6.53 MW on the rooftops of 134 government buildings in the city (as on March 31), it is for the first time that CREST has achieved success in the private intervention area with the completion of this project, thus setting the pace for much-needed capacity additions in the commercial category.

The scope of work of the project included installation of solar panels and inverters, supply, design and engineering. The project was allotted in February.

Hailing the achievement, Hartek Power Chairman and Managing Director Hartek Singh said, “Having forayed into the rooftop solar segment only recently, we have installed more than 3-MW solar PV projects already and are in the process of completing another 10 MW in Punjab. The seamless execution of our first rooftop project in Chandigarh is a result of some great teamwork, and this is just the beginning. Rooftop solar installations will witness massive growth in times to come as this renewable source of energy will lead to sustainability and a clean future.”

Hartek Singh said that since lack of funds is a major constraint in the way of achieving the city’s revised target of 100 MW by 2022, private participation should be encouraged to give a push to solar power generation in the high potential residential and commercial segments. “With attractive power purchase prices in place, a lot more can be done to attract private investments to complement the State intervention model,” he said. Planning to enter the residential segment with its solar solutions, Hartek Power also specialises in connecting solar projects to the grid.

 

Apr 2016 | Hartek Power Connects 50-MW Solar Project to Grid in Andhra Pradesh

Ø Having completed its first and biggest project in the state and linked another 10 MW of solar power to the grid in Karnataka, Hartek Power is poised to soon wrap up the 113-MW order awarded by a leading solar developer in October
Ø With the commissioning of these substation projects, Hartek Power achieves its target of connecting 250-MW solar projects to grid by the end of FY 2015-16, sets out on a mission of executing another 250 MW in current financial year

Chandigarh, April 15, 2016: Hartek Power Pvt Ltd, one of India’s fastest growing Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies based in Chandigarh with expertise in executing high-voltage turnkey substations and power infrastructure projects, has successfully connected a 50-MW solar project to the grid in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The scope of work of the 132/11 KV substation project, which happens to be Hartek Power’s first one in the state and its biggest in South India, involved complete turnkey solutions and post-inverter works covering the design, engineering, installation and commissioning of the power plant electrification and automation systems as well as pooling stations.

With the completion of this project, followed by the execution of a substation with an evacuation of 66 KV for a 10-MW solar project in Chitradurga district of Karnataka, Hartek Power is all set to wrap up the 113-MW order awarded to it by a leading developer in October for solar grid connectivity projects spread across five states, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab and Bihar.

Hailing the achievement, Hartek Group Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Hartek Singh said, “Having achieved the target of connecting 250- MW solar projects to the grid by the end of financial year 2015-16, we have now set out on a mission of executing substations for another 250- MW solar projects by the end of the current financial year. We uphold high quality standards and create immense value for our clients in terms of services and timely execution. That explains our growth as one of the fastest growing EPC companies in India.”

Hartek Power is eyeing new opportunities in South India with the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments proactive on the solar front and other southern states also following suit. While Andhra Pradesh came out with a 1,000-MW tender for a solar park in September, followed by another 1,000-MW tender in Kadapa district recently, Telangana had also floated a 2,000-MW tender last year. “Targeting some key developers who have been allotted projects under these tenders, we will shortly open an office in Hyderabad to tap the South Indian market,” said Hartek Singh.

Mar 2016 | To Mark Women’s Day, Hartek Power Organizes Free Breast Cancer Screening, Awareness Camp at Bapu Dham

Ø More than 50 women examined, given tips on early detection, prevention of breast cancer at free check-up camp organised by Hartek Power in association with PGI
Ø Hartek Power also organises street play, inspirational talks by breast cancer survivors to spread awareness about the disease among women of the colony

Chandigarh, March 8, 2016: Hartek Power Pvt Ltd, one of India’s fastest growing Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies based in Chandigarh, observed International Women’s Day by organising a free breast cancer screening and awareness camp in association with the PGI at the Anganwadi in Bapu Dham Colony.

More than 50 women of the colony were examined and given tips on early detection and prevention of breast cancer by a team of PGI doctors. As part of its effort to generate awareness about breast cancer among women from underprivileged sections of the society, Hartek Power also organised inspirational talks by breast cancer survivors and a street play emphasising the need to identify signs of breast cancer early and take remedial action before it becomes too late.

Women employees of Hartek Power, who took the initiative to conduct this camp, not only encouraged women of the colony to share their health-related concerns with PGI doctors and seek medical counsel, they also went door to door to bring as many women to the camp as they could.

Lauding the enthusiastic efforts of the company’s women employees, Keerti Singh, HR Head, Hartek Power, said, “We are proud of you for taking the initiative to observe Women’s Day in such a wonderful way. Women are equal partners in India’s growth story, and we need healthy women to make a healthy society. Your commitment towards underprivileged sections of the society resonates with the values our company upholds as a socially responsible organisation.”