Refresher Training Course on

Thermal and Photovoltaic

Applications of Solar Energy
Preliminary Inputs for
Discussion Session-I

Tara C. Kandpal

Centre for Energy Studies

Indian Institute of
Technology Delhi
Hauz khas, New Delhi -
Tentative List of Issues for Discussion

• Potential End Uses and Their Prioritization

• Niche Areas of Each Identified End-Use
• Maximum Utilization Potential
• Barriers (Causal factors) to Dissemination
• Incentives for Enhanced Dissemination
• Policy Measures (what?, how?, when?,
where?) (R&D support, financial/fiscal
incentives, regulations, quality control etc)
 Reported Cumulative Achievements
S.No. Year
Solar water heating systems (m2) Solar cookers (No.) Solar home systems (No.) PV lanterns (No.)
1 1983 ------ 18000 ------ ------
2 1984 12283 30000 ------ ------
3 1985 24147 46000 ------ ------
4 1986 44392 72000 ------ ------
5 1987 66307 92000 ------ ------
6 1988 88836 1.1 lakh ------ ------
7 1989 1 lakh ------ ------ ------
8 1990 ------ 1.77 lakh ------ ------
9 1991 1.9 lakh 2.01 lakh 5050 ------
10 1992 2.29 lakh 2.3 lakh 11600
11 1993 ------ ------ ------ ------
12 1994 ------ ------ ------ ------
13 1995 ------ 4.1 lakh ------
14 1996 ------ 4.2 lakh 23000 50000
15 1997 ------ ------ ------ ------
16 1998 ------ ------ ------ ------
17 1999 4.5 lakh 4.62 lakh ------ ------
18 2000 5.5 lakh ------ ------ ------
19 2001 6 lakh ------ ------ ------
20 2002 6.8 lakh 5.3 lakh ------ ------
21 2003 8 lakh ------ ------ ------
22 2004 10 lakh ------ ------ ------
23 2005 15 lakh 5.99 lakh 342607 538718
Solar Thermal Applications
End Use Priority Assigned Remarks
Water Heating
Domestic
Community
Commercial
Industrial
Cooking
Cooling and Refrigeration
Space Heating
Drying
Power Generation
Distillation
Any Other
 Characteristics of Solar Energy Resource
Low flux density

Large collection area to meet a specific demand

Material Requirement Space Requirement

Monetary cost Embodied energy In short Competition with

supply in urban agricultural
areas
activities
Problem for Issue of energy
users with low payback
purchasing power
 Characteristics ------ energy resource (Contd)

Intermittent availability

Problem in need satisfaction during the period(s)

of insufficient availability

Poor reliability

Use of auxiliary and /or Add storage

system(s)

Increased cost Storage tech.

Increased Low not yet fully
mature
cost sustainable
energy fraction Cost of Cost of increased
storage collection area
Niche areas and Utilization Potential
(A) Domestic Water Heating
Desirable Characteristics of
Niche Areas
• Low ambient temperature (less than 25
0
C) in the morning during most of the
year
• Daily solar radiation availability of
more than ------- kWh/m2
• Annual income of more than------
• Existing water heating options using
electricity /LPG /Kerosene
Factors to be Used in Estimating
Utilization Potential (maximum)
• Total number of households in areas
with ambient temperature less than
25 0C at 6.00 am
• Factor for solar radiation availability
• Factor for purchasing power
• Factor for propensity to use solar
systems
• Factor for availability of cheaper
alternative option(s).
Niche areas and Utilization Potential

(A) Domestic Water Heating (continued…)

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas Utilization Potential (maximum)
Niche areas and Utilization Potential (continued…..)

(B) Solar Cooking

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas
• Boiling type cooking predominant
• Daily solar radiation (total/steam)
availability of more than------ kWh/m2
• Annual income of more than Rs------
• Lunch time after 1.00 pm
• Small/Large Family size (??)
• Person (s) available for reorientating
the cooker and other associated tasks
• Existing cooking with LPG / Kerosene
/electricity /natural gas
Utilization Potential (maximum)
• Total number of households in the
country in areas with daily solar
radiation availability of more than
• Factor for lunch timings
• Factor for family size
• Factor for availability of manpower to
reorient/adjust (and attend to) the solar
cooker
• Factor for availability of cheaper
alternative options.
Niche areas and Utilization Potential (continued…..)

(B) Solar Cooking (continued…)

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas Utilization Potential (maximum)
Niche areas and Utilization Potential (continued…..)

(C) Solar Drying

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas
• Cash crops (high selling price per unit
amount, incremental cost of solar
drying may not be significant)
• High perishable (seasonal) fruits and
vegetables
• Industrial products
Utilization Potential (maximum)
• Amounts of different cash crops
produced and ownership pattern
• Factor for matching between the time
of load and solar radiation availability
• Any other??
Niche areas and Utilization Potential (continued…..)

(C) Solar Drying (continued..)

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas Utilization Potential (maximum)
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies

(A) Solar Domestic Water Heating systems

Potential Causal Factor Possible Approach for

Enhancing Dissemination
• Low capacity utilization • Integration with other possible end
uses (e.g. cooling)
• High capital cost
• Financial/Fiscal incentives to the users
• Lack of promotions, After sales
and/or Production incentives to the
services
manufacturers
• Poor system design, site selection
• Carbon benefits internalized
• Promotional campaigns in the niche
areas
• Entrepreneurship training in niche
areas
• Business development meets
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies

(A) Solar Domestic Water Heating Systems (continued…)

Potential Causal Factor Possible Approach for

Enhancing Dissemination
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies
(B) Solar Cookers
Possible Approach for
Potential Causal Factor Enhancing Dissemination
• Technology modification/upgradations,
• Non-satisfaction of perceived need(s)
development of new designs
of the user
• User training to adapt to solar cooking
─ Cooking time
• Provide financial/fiscal incentives to the
─ Convenience
user
─ Taste
• Provide production incentives to the
─ Reliability manufacturers
• Higher cost as compared to other • Internalize carbon benefits
available options for domestic cooking
• Promotional campaigns in the niche
• Lack of promotion, after sales service areas
• Entrepreneurship training in niche areas
• Business development meets
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies
(B) Solar Cookers (continued…)
Possible Approach for
Potential Causal Factor Enhancing Dissemination
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies
(C) Solar Dryers (for Agri-produce)

Potential Causal Factor Possible Approach for

Enhancing Dissemination
• Poor capacity utilization (due to • Develop multi-crop dryers and/or
seasonal production) integrate with possible end uses
• Unreliability / mismatch between solar • Design, develop and disseminate hybrid
radiation collection and the rate of dryers with optimal solar fraction
energy requirement
• Promote community applications and/or
• High capital cost facilitate availability of solar dryers on
rental basis
• Poor awareness
• Awareness/demonstration programmes
in niche areas with higher capacity
utilization applications
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies
(C) Solar Dryers (for Agri-produce) (continued…..)

Potential Causal Factor Possible Approach for

Enhancing Dissemination
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies
(D) Solar Cooling

Potential Causal Factor Possible Approach for

Enhancing Dissemination
• Very high capital cost • Develop low cost yet efficient collectors
for providing higher operating
• Mismatch between objectives of
temperatures
collector efficiency maximization and
engine efficiency maximization • ??
• Unavailability of commercially viable
solar collectors for providing higher
operating temperatures
• Unavailability of appropriate cooling
technology that suits solar application
 O&M
capital cost
Economic/
Technical financial
barriers barriers
Cost
effectiveness
Site
selection

Social/environmental
barriers

Local capacity: infrastructure and

knowledge barriers
Political, institutional and
legislative barriers
 Availability of Resources
Appropriateness of Technology
Anthropological Issues
Leadership Honesty
Labour Habits and Customs
Land Hybrid Systems
National Priority/Goals
Need satisfaction

E L E P H A N T
Economic Feasibility Technology Transfer
Energetic Viability Traditions
Environmental Sustainability

Equity
Education Perceived Needs
Employment Purchasing Power
Experience Sharing Peoples Participation
 THANK YOU
FOR YOUR INPUTS
 Experience Curve: Reasons for
Decline in Marginal Cost
• Changes in Production: Process innovation,
learning effect, economies of scale

• Changes in the Product: Product innovation,

product redesign, product standardization

• Changes in input prices

 Green House Gas Mitigation Benefits

• Increasing concern for environmental

sustainability in selecting energy resource
technology combinations.
• Most of the renewable energy options are
relatively much less GHG emitting (often,
only embodied emissions).
• Credits under CDM can help make them
more attractive.
PURCHASING POWER AND MOTIVATION
TO USE SOLAR ENERGY

Monthly repayment installment (MRI) depends upon

total cost Co of the system
fraction ( f ) of the capital cost provided as loan
loan repayment installments (N)
effective interest rate per period (de)

d e (1 +d e ) 
 N

MRI = f Co  
(1 +d e ) −1 
N
 

Gross income > n [ MRI ]

where n is a specific multiplying factor depending upon the

country/specific location
Annual Income vs. Number of Households in India

100
100
90
Number of households (million)

90
Number of households (million)

80
80 70
60
70
50
60 40
50 30
20
40
10
30 0
20 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000
Annual income (Rs)
10
0
20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000
Annual income (Rs)
 FUEL PURCHASE vs.
FUEL GATHERING
Use of non-commercial fuels
Fuelwood
Agricultural residues
Dungcakes

at
ZERO PRIVATE COST
to the user

Negligibly small opportunity cost of the

fuel saved by solar energy technologies

Little motivation to invest in solar energy technologies

 DIFFUSION CRITERIA

◆Resource availability

◆Technological appropriateness

◆Energetic feasibility

◆Socio-cultural acceptability

◆Environmental sustainability

◆Financial and economic viability

Photovoltaic Applications
End Use Priority Assigned Remarks
Domestic Lighting
SHS
Lantern
Mini-grid
Street Lighting
Water Pumping
Grid-connected Power
Generation
Communication Kiosks
Light Houses
Fencing
Battery Chargers
Niche areas and Utilization Potential
(A) Solar Home Systems /PV Lantern
Desirable Characteristics of
Niche Areas
• Remote un-electrified households
• Households in areas suffering from
frequent power cuts • Factor for solar radiation availability
• Daily solar radiation availability of
more than ------- kWh/m2
• Annual income of more than------
Factors to be Used in Estimating
Utilization Potential (maximum)
• Total number of households in un-
electrified areas
• Factor for purchasing power
• Factor for propensity to use solar
systems
• Factor for availability of cheaper
alternative option(s).
Niche areas and Utilization Potential

(A) Solar Home Systems /PV Lantern (continued…)

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas Utilization Potential (maximum)
Niche areas and Utilization Potential
(B) PV Pumps for Irrigation Water Pumping
Desirable Characteristics of
Niche Areas
• Un-electrified villages
• Villages suffering from frequent
power cuts
• Daily solar radiation availability of
more than ------- kWh/m2
• Annual income of more than------
Factors to be Used in Estimating
Utilization Potential (maximum)
• Total number of landholdings of size
larger than -------- hectares in un-
electrified areas
• Factor for solar radiation availability
• Factor for purchasing power
• Factor for propensity to use solar
systems
• Factor for availability of cheaper
alternative option(s).
Niche areas and Utilization Potential

(B) PV Pumps for Irrigation Water Pumping (continued….)

Desirable Characteristics of Factors to be Used in Estimating

Niche Areas Utilization Potential (maximum)
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies
(A) Solar Home Systems /PV Lantern
Potential Causal Factor
• Decentralized low capacity utilization
• High capital cost
• Lack of promotional and after-sales
services
• Poor system design, site selection
Possible Approach for
Enhancing Dissemination
• Innovative financing mechanisms
• Financial/Fiscal incentives to the users
and/or Production incentives to the
manufacturers
• Carbon benefits internalized
• Promotional campaigns in niche areas
• Entrepreneurship training in niche
areas
• Business development meets
Potential Causal Factors and Possible Strategies

(A) Solar Home Systems /PV Lantern (continued…)

Potential Causal Factor Possible Approach for

Enhancing Dissemination
 Additional Issues
• Progress towards development of low cost
solar cells
• Operation in ESCO mode
• Linking income generation with improved
and additional illumination
• Benefits of programmatic CDM
• Quality Control
• Auxiliary/Back up arrangements
Thank You for your inputs