Renewable Energy in India

Holistic and Combined i.e Hybrid Renewable Energy Generation per Taluka / District of Each state with Energy Potential study with Investment seeking proposal with land (barren) identified with Revenue department clearances and also with a clear MAP of Evacuation with existing Transmission lines and future lines to planned, which shall be appended to RfP and not ask each developer to identify the location and struggle with Government Administration (which will increase time and Costs (read wrong costs)) complying to Land Acquisition bill and also eliminate the real estate babus to relinquish 5000 acres of land per state, which is BENAMI now.....I do not know how this excess land in BENAMI exist when we have Land ceiling Act!!

In order to do an extensive and credible study to explore renewable energy potential in each Taluka, State and Central Government Can hire international Consultancies with Video Documentation with GPRS MAPS to know the real truth and there shall not be much difference between reports and the ground reality, otherwise, hold these agencies responsible with necessary punitive clauses.

These costs can be recovered in the form of Bid document charges, which any serious developer will pay. However, the Equity selling proxy promoters, who have access to the power corridor and bid with Net worth Financial capacity, but, not worthy of any Renewable energy promotion as we saw in JNNSM wherein a large corporate bought equity from the other bidders and later an investigation took place.....

Following is the excerpts of the Mail written to MNRE and KREDL, in Jan 2012 (now we see their web site showing Biomass study is under progress):

For Power evacuation, we need to know the following (as we can't use the existing data):

a). Distance from the Power generation site, which normally comes under KREDL (single window agency) i.e where one can put up the plant by undergoing NA or KREDL has identified land bank in Yadgir, but, how many km is the Substation from these sites, which we verified, was difficult to ascertain due to patch lands and the distance was over 10 km in certain cases.

b). Whether these substations can accept 20 MW or 10 MW or 5 MW of intermittent Solar PV load (non firm power which at times may create grid related disturbances etc). Biomass power is firm power as long as Firm biomass feed stock is available.

Therefore, we have been writing to many agencies involved to come out with a common approach, wherein the bidding documents identify clearly the SLDCs where the Project Developer can upload (evacuate) the energy generated with an in principle approval (with location MAP with transmission distances etc) from SLDC and ESCOM to accept such Renewable energy as the States are bound to buy the RE under RPO.

If the investor or RE Generator has to run around to know the fundamentals, then, please try to imagine how many man hours will be wasted and how much money gets drained from many participants for the same location? Instead, these data is available with KPTCL / KREDL / KERC / ESCOMs or such multiple organisation, but, Single window agency KREDL does not produce such VITAL information in their bid documents, hence, we as entrepreneurs are trying to tie the loose ends and make things happen for the good of our state.

I hope you understand our concern and append the finer details of evacuation, project site, land bank, the maximum capacity of MWh the substation can take or any upgrade is needed etc be appended in the bidding documents or even in your web sites also.

Further, any new substations are under development, the same with a clearly identified MAP with distances will help the people to understand the grid network to ensure the grid sustainability, reduction in transmission lines and hence the losses can be planned while making the bids, which otherwise will be a wasteful exercise or delays such study after PPA if the land can't be acquired.

REC Mechanism can be much better planned (quick realization of projects) with such transparent information for the benefits of Grid managers, state and the Project Developers which enhances the growth of infrastructure, thus, the citizens of Karnataka can have better quality of life with this kind of reformed thinking of providing VITAL INFORMATION and reduce the project development expenses and to be very investor friendly to save much precious TIME as Karnataka is lagging in power production compared to many states....these are few bottlenecks, which administration can bring the quick change.

Here, i would even suggest KREDL that the authenticated Solar Irradiation if uploaded, will make it mandatory to achieve CUF and the energy generation firmness as the data like wind speed can be a mandatory number while designing the Solar Power Plants. Why unnecessarily get the data checked and verified by many private parties, instead, the Govt in any case need to verify the results, thus, govt can either appoint an agency and get the radiation results for the benefit of creation of Solar Parks etc...

The Biomass availability can also be uploaded with a proper study with type of biomass, so that this can be harnessed too with Hybrid RE generation to ensure the grid stability.

Though the Project Developer has to recheck what Govt agency provides the information for his investment safety, but, the evacuation related issues can be made clear from the day 1 to plan in a more systemic way to plan transmission grid and to educate the farmers on whose land the transmission line has to pass through.

Hope you understand our concern and act accordingly. Any support needed, please feel free to contact us as we have the passion to contribute to our native land with a business / growth sense for long term sustainability.