Renewable Energy Certificates

August 24, 2022

Brace Up For Carbon Credit Trading in India

Carbon credits are like passes that allow their owners to emit a certain amount of CO2 and other GHG within a prescribed limit. This limit is […]
July 4, 2013

Indian Regulators and Courts start to enforce REC compliance as prices crash

REC in India The Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) scheme is the major policy initiative taken by the central government to use a market based mechanism, to promote green […]
April 11, 2013

India's Renewable Energy Industry to hit a huge transmission hurdle soon, after REC bungling

India’s Renewable Energy Industry India’s renewable energy industry is already facing huge problems due to the country’s dysfunctional governance. The whole power industry is in crisis, […]
March 29, 2013

India's Renewable Purchase Obligation Policy to fail, thanks to our screwed up Government

India’s RPO Model India’s energy industry is a royal mess in all respects be it mining, electricity generation or distribution. Large parts of the populance do […]
February 5, 2013

12 International Practices for Renewable Energy Trading

Policies for Renewable Energy Trading Twelve of the most notable types of policies that have promoted renewable energy worldwide are given below: 1. U.S. Public Utility […]
December 5, 2012

Indian Renewable Energy Certificate market crashes with only 10% RECs sold and that too at the floor price

Indian Renewable Energy Mandate not Met India’s much hyped market based renewable energy incentive system of “Renewable Energy Certificate” (REC) has crashed. The REC market which […]
January 31, 2012

Solar Energy Corporation of India to Supervise Indian Federal Solar Program

Solar Power in India has taken off under the ambitious JNNSM government subsidy scheme with almost 400 MW of Solar Capacity installed in 2011 . With various states like Gujarat, Karnataka coming up with aggressive solar subsidy schemes on their own as well, solar power capacity in India should surge by around 1 GW in 2012. This has made India one of the fastest growing solar markets in the globe right now.
January 12, 2012

World's Largest Energy Saving Certificate Trading Scheme to Start in India

The Indian government is going to set targets for large power users so that their energy usage is capped. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is going to supervise this program in which Energy Saving Certificates will be awarded . This certificates can be traded on the energy exchanges providing an incentive for large energy users to improve energy efficiency . Note Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) are already trading successfully on IEX since the last year . REC have promoted the usage of Renewable Energy by providing a market linked mechanism to find prices for green energy in India.
January 3, 2012

What will be India's Solar Power Capacity in 2012 after 400 MW in 2011

Solar Power in India has been growing at a rapid clip due to a number of favorable factors 1) Big Energy Deficit 2) Lots of Sulight 3) Falling prices of Solar Panels 4) Favorable government subsidies. Indian Solar Power Capacity in 2012 Many of the small firms have been weeded out and the developers and banks have got some experience in this new solar industry.Expect 2012 to be much better and expect at leas a doubling of the solar power capacity as both phase 1 and phase 2 winners in JNNSM complete projects.Rajasthan,Gujarat and Karnataka state subsidies should also see some projects being complted Solar Power Capacity in India in 2012 should be around 1 GW which is not bad and will make it one of the top 10 Solar Markets in the world.
May 31, 2011

CERC to increase Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) frequency compliance to facilitate lumpy REC Trading

Central Energy Regulatory Commission (CERC),India's Electricity Regulator is planning to increase the frequency of compliance of the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) for states from an annual affair to a bi or quad annual affair.Note Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Trading in India started in 2011 to facilitate the development of the Renewable Energy Industry in India.According to the RPO,a certain percentage of a state's electricity generation must come from clean energy sources.States and utilities which can't meet their renewable energy requirements can buy REC from Indian Energy Exchanges to meet their needs.Power Exchanges in India have already set the ball rolling in terms of trading in RECs.
May 31, 2011

Indian Solar Energy Market sees entry of DuPont Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Modules with Wipro

DuPont Apollo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DuPont started a 50 MW thin-film photovoltaic module manufacturing facility at Shenzen in 2010. DuPont Apollo is focused on the China domestic market but seems like that they are not getting too much traction in the hyper competitive Chinese market and now trying its hand in the Indian market where solar manufacturing industry is not too competitive. Indian Solar Energy Market has seen the entry of many foreign companies eager to tap this huge opportunity.This list of foreign solar companies in India keeps growing on a daily basis with both startups like Abound and large companies like First Solar,Suntech making India as an integral part of their global growth strategy.DuPont the global chemicals giant too has entered the solar energy industry in partnership with Wipro EcoEnergy.DuPont Apollo will supply Wipro with its Thin Film Amorphous Silicon Solar Panels which will be used in the grid projects.Note a number of Joint Ventures in Indian solar industry have been recently formed.
May 12, 2011

Renewable Energy in Poland (Wind,Biomass) in Brief – Increasing with Huge Prospects due to 90% Dependence on Coal

Poland is one of the largest countries in Europe to have such a high dependence on Coal Energy to meet its Electricity Needs.Note European Union has a target to meet 20% of its Energy by 2020 from Renewable Energy sources which has mad the fossil fuel dependent Eastern European countries looks towards Wind,Solar and Biomass Energy.Note Eastern European countries like Romania have seen a boom in wind energy driven by incorrect Green Energy subsidy policies while the Solar Boom in Czech led to a drastic increase in electricity prices forcing the government to Bust it with a combination of FIT cuts,tax increases and strict regulation.Poland which is the largest Eastern European country in the EU has traditionally depended on Coal to meet most of its Energy Needs.Despite the major disadvantages of Coal,Poland has resisted reducing the support given to the Thermal Power Industry.The cheapness and abudance of Coal has made it hard for Poland to shift its Energy Policy like other Coal dependent nations like South Africa,China and India.
May 8, 2011

Solar Industry in India sees Joint Ventures increasing as Indian Companies look to tap Foreign Expertise

India has a massive potential in Solar Energy with at least 20 GW of  Solar Power to be installed by 2022 according to the JNNSM Plan.This […]
May 7, 2011

Solar in Haryana,India – Why "Hareda" is giving priority to JNNSM sanctioned Solar Plants

HAREDA which is the state renewable energy development agency akin to MNRE at the centre will put these solar farms under a fast track approval process.Note Red Tape in India is quite notorious especially for small project developers who lack the connections and resources to get things done.Note Haryana gives seperate incentives on its own for solar energy,solar water heaters and solar lighting as well.Haryana is desperately deficient in renewable energy despite being one of the most industrialized and fastest growing states in the country.Haryana cities like Gurgaon and Faridabad have benefited hugely from being part of India’s National Capital Region (NCR).However Haryana only generates 0.5% of its 4000 MW of Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources.The state has negligible Wind or Biomass Energy.Despite a Department of Renewable Energy being setup to specifically promote the use of Alternative Energy Sources,the state has not had much success.Haryana is richly endowed with Solar Energy Resources with 320 days sunny days.The State has managed to win some allocation from the centre’s JNNSM scheme.It is also promoting the use of solar energy through disseminating solar kits amongst 2000 schools and providing solar lighting in around 500 villages.
May 1, 2011

NTPC Renewable Energy – Negligible Capacity,however 500 MW Wind,Solar Energy PPA signed with States eager to meet Green RPO

NTPC,India's largest power generating utility with around 35 GW of electricity capacity is set to enter renewable energy in a big way as it has singed 500 MW of PPAs with state distribution companies for supplying green energy.Note India's electricity regulator CERC has mandated a 6% Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) in 2011 which will increase by 1% each year to 15% by 2020.A number of states have fallen behind in meeting their RPO and would need to either generate or buy Green Energy to meet the CERC targets for renewable energy.NTPC which is predominantly a thermal power utility has been planning to set up wind and solar power plants but nothing has been done till now.However after signing these PPA with the Madhya Pradesh,Orissa and Karnataka government,the renewable energy projects should get accelerated.
April 25, 2011

Solar Energy in India- Maharashtra learns from JNNSM,not to use Reverse Auction Bidding in Subsidy Mechansim

Maharashtra which is the largest power generating state in India but deficient in renewable energy sources of generation will not use the discredited reverse auction bidding mechanism being used in the First Phase of the JNNSM Federal Solar Subsidy Policy.The reverse auction bidding was done due to the massive deluge of applications for setting up solar PV and solar thermal power plants.Based on the Rs 17.91/Kwh Feed in Tariff,developers had bid discounts with the solar project owner offering the biggest discount winning the right to build the solar power plant.This had led to irrationally low bidding for projects and it is all but certain that these solar projects will either be not be built at all or run into heavy losses.
April 7, 2011

Solar Mission of India Explained – Objectives,Targets,R&D,Manufacturing,Three Phases of JNNSM,Off Grid Solar

India launched its Solar Mission by the name of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) with a lofty target of 20 GW by 2022.The Solar Mission has been divided into 3 phases and promotes solar energy installation,solar industry,solar heaters and off grid solar.Note the Solar Mission provides subsidies and incentives to promote the use of Solar Energy from the Central Government.Different States such as Gujarat have enacted laws to support solar energy on their own which is seperate from the Federal Target for Solar Power.I think the 20 GW target for 2022 is very low and will be easily exceeded but that is a separate discussion.The Solar Mission is not a rigid document but is a work in motion as the second and third phases will be implemented taking in the feedback and success of the first phase of the Solar Mission which has already announced the Solar Project Winners.
March 6, 2011

Rooftop Solar Energy in Australia sees a Boom leading to Subsidy Cut Pressure in Spain,Czech Deja Vu

Other states are looking to do so as well.Like other Solar Subsidy Programs elsewhere in Czech,Germany,Spain,Australia too has seen solar energy costs fall much faster than subsidies.This has led to a boom in solar installations as the returns become very high.These costs are ultimately passed on the customer electricity bills drawing howls from the states.Large Wind Energy Producers like Origin Energy have also seen the prices of RECs decrease so that is not feasible to build new wind farm projects.On top of all this confusion,the Australian government can't make up its mind on a Carbon Tax which will help it to meet the 2020 20% Green Energy Target.
March 4, 2011

India Solar Subsidy JNNSM Guide – What you needed to know

The Indian Government’s launch of the ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission(JNNSM) was done with much fanfare with a target of reaching 20 GW of Solar Capacity by 2022 under 3 phases from the 81 MW currently.While the government had the best intentions and had laid down a well defined 10 year plan with subsidy support for both Solar Thermal and Solar PV Technology,it has already run into problems.Due to high interest the government went in for bidding of projects which led to irrationally low bidding from unknown firms.This has put the entire exercise in question with the the biggest private utility saying JNNSM is a failure.Without extensions of deadlines it looks highly unlikely whether the 37 winners will actually put up the plants.