The positive atmosphere of the exhibition reflected the strong state of India's solar market. Companies and investors took full advantage of opportunities to exchange ideas and information; numerous contracts were signed and cooperation agreements reached.
With 200 exhibitors, the event was completely booked out several weeks before the opening date. Companies from 12 countries presented their products, solutions and services to around 11,000 international visitors an increase of 20% over the previous year.
Event organizers also report positively on the conference, which took place at the same time. Around 680 attendees discussed the opportunities and challenges posed by India's solar industry with over 100 speakers. Also, the fourth Intersolar AWARD for Solar Projects in India was presented.
Thanks to Intersolar India, all eyes in the international solar industry were once again on Mumbai from November 18 to 20, 2015. On November 18, Indias Joint Secretary of the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Tarun Kapoor, helped open the exhibition at the Bombay Exhibition Centre with great ceremony. Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, served as keynote speaker, discussing The Role of Solar Energy in our Future, Renewables Based Energy System.
Exhibitors and visitors were evidently extremely satisfied with this years exhibition. "We have been exhibiting at Intersolar India ever since it started," said Saugata Dutta, President Business Development Vikram Solar. "This year saw a significant increase in visitor numbers. Together with the conference, the exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to network with others in this field, to get to grips with the latest technological developments and to tell people in the solar industry about our own innovations."
Amid the event's lively atmosphere, numerous contract and partnership deals were reached. Shri Rajendra Shukla, the Minister for New and Renewable Energy in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, announced the start of the worlds largest solar project, Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Project at Intersolar India. The project with a total of 750 megawatts is to be installed over an area of 1,560 hectares, with completion projected for June 2017.
Initiators of the solar park are the Solar Energy Corporation of India in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited. The Chinese company Huawei Technology and the Indian company Waaree Energies used the exhibition to announce their future partnership: Waaree will procure from Huawei intelligent PV systems and string inverters with a total output of 100 megawatts.
The industry is experiencing a boost, not least following the Indian government's decision to increase the installed PV output thirtyfold to 100 GW by the year 2022. 4-6 GW of additional output are projected for 2016, which would put India in 4th place among the world's top solar markets. Given its high level of solar irradiation, abundant open spaces and steadily growing energy needs, India is considered one of the most attractive sites for solar energy.
Even so, the country still lacks sufficient capacity to produce PV modules and also needs national and international investors. Intersolar India was the perfect arena to discuss objectives and bring together companies, investors and representatives of science and politics to create the right conditions for meeting these objectives. This year's conference also picked up on these themes with its focus on the Indian market and energy storage.
Forward-looking discussions at the congress
100 experts from research and industry shed light on current developments in the Indian solar market. The Indian governments growth targets were the subject of such presentation as Indias PV Market: Driving A New Momentum or Project Financing: Promising Prospects in the Indian Context. The experts agreed that though the goals were ambitious, they were also thoroughly achievable for the country. However, still more incentives are needed, especially to achieve the goal of installing 40 GW of roof-mounted installations.
Visitors and exhibitors were obviously extremely satisfied with the presentations and fresh ideas at the events. The conference plays a central role in giving us an overview of developments in India's solar industry. It is also a good opportunity to meet and understand opinion leaders in the industry," explained Kishor Sharma, Regional Sales Manager North BU Regenerative & Photovoltaic, Bonfiglioli Renewable Power Conversion India Pvt. Ltd.
Particular interest was generated by the sessions entitled Field Experience of Ground Mounted PV Power Plants in India and Field Experience of Rooftop PV Power Plants in India by Rakesh Bohra, Infosys, and Harshita S. Kumar, L&T Construction. Visitors were particularly excited about roof-mounted installations, as the Indian government hopes to produce around hopes to install around 40 GW of commercial and industrial roof-mounted installations by the year 2022.
For the first time, the 4th Indo-German Energy Symposium took place at the same time as Intersolar India as one of the conferences side events. With workshops such as Making RE and EE Business a Win-Win for Private and Public and Bankable Business Models to Finance Solar Projects in India, the sessions offered fresh ideas on the profitability and financing of solar technologies. The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy also hosted a side event.
International and Indian experts from institutes and companies discussed the topic of Concentrated Solar Technologies for Medium & High Temperature Heat Applications. Speakers included Dr. R. P. Goswami, Director of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India and Anna Heimsath, leader of the team for concentrating collectors at the Institute for Solar Thermal and Optics at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Germany.
Intersolar AWARD for Solar Projects in India
For the fourth time, the Intersolar AWARD in the category Solar Projects in India was presented at this year's Intersolar India. A panel of judges had nominated eight pioneering projects in advance, three of which were honored with the Intersolar AWARD. The key criteria for the decision were the social relevance of the winning projects, coupled with their particular benefits for the environment. The decision makers also praised the degree of technological innovation and the role of the winning projects as models for other regions to follow.
Among the projects honored was the Solar Power Plant at Cochin International Airport by Bosch Ltd. with an output of 12 MWp (megawatt peak). Under this project, the company designed and operates a solar power installation at Cochin Airport. This makes the airport the first in the world to run exclusively on solar energy.
Sterling and Wilson Ltd. won the award for their 11 MWp Total Turnkey Solar Project in Maharashtra. The solar installation supplies 18,000 households with energy and saves 14,000 metric tons of CO2 annually as compared to conventional energy sources. This makes the plant a model project for the commercial use of renewable energies for educational establishments and the free economy.
A further award went to Trojan Battery for the project SunRider Solar Boat. The boat is India's first and Asia's largest commercial passenger ship to be completely powered by solar energy. Its low environmental impact and low noise levels make it ideal for tourism purposes in wildlife and bird reserves.
