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NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION -"SOLAR INDIA" LAUNCHED.....November 23,2009Following is the text of the statement in the Lok Sabha today (November 23, 2009) by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy on Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission – “Solar India” “I am happy to announce that the Government has approved a new policy on development of solar energy in the country by launching of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. This is a historic and transformational initiative of the UPA Government and I am proud to have the privilege of being assigned the task of overseeing its implementation.The Solar Mission is very much in line with the vision of modern India of Pandit Nehru, which has made India today, a leading uclear and space power. This Mission is one of the eight key National Missions which comprise India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change.It has a twin objective – to contribute to India’s long term energy security as well as its ecological security. We are living in a world of rapidly depleting fossil fuel resources and access to conventional energy resources such as oil, gas and coal is becoming increasingly constrained. The rapidin this context and in view of high solar radiation over the country solar energy provides a long term sustainable solution. The Solar Mission recommends the implementation in 3 stages leading up to an installed capacity of 20,000 MW by the end of the 13th Five Year Plan in 2022. It is envisaged that as a result of rapid scale up as well as technological developments, the price of solar power will attain parity with grid power at the end of the Mission, enabling accelerated and large-scale expansion thereafter. During this time we expect many new ideas to emerge and technologies to become more efficient. Quite obviously, in order to set the stage for achieving this ambitious target, what we do in the next 3 to 4 years will be critical. Therefore, the Cabinet has approved setting up of 1,100 MW of grid solar power and 200 MW capacity of off-grid solar applications utilizing both solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies in the first phase of the Mission. In addition, Mission will also focus on R&D and HRD to develop and strengthen Indian skills and enhance indigenous content to make the Mission sustainable. Mission will establish a single window investor-friendly mechanism, which reduces risk and at the same time, provides an attractive, predictable and sufficiently extended tariff for the purchase of solar power for the grid. The focalpoint, for the next 3 years, will be the NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), which is the power trading arm of the NTPC.Government will designate it for the purchase of solar power generated by independent solar power producers, at rates fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission and for a period specified by the latter. Government will provide equivalent MW of power from the unallocated quota of NTPC for bundling with solar power. The utilities will be able to account for purchase of solar power against their RPO obligations. I wish to record my deep appreciation and grateful thanks to my senior colleague, Shinde Saheb, who as Minister of Power,has made this arrangement possible and has supported this Mission at every stage of its evolution.The Mission also includes a major initiative for promoting rooftop solar PV applications. Solar tariff announced by the regulators will be applicable for such installations. The power distribution companies will be involved in purchase of this power. There are several off-grid solar applications which are already commercially viable or near viability, where rapid scale up is possible. This requires regulatory and incentive measures as well as an awareness campaign. Solar thermal heating applications, such as water heaters, fall in this category. Solar lighting systems for rural and remote areas are already being distributed commercially in several parts of the country. This is expected to help our rural masses. The mission will have a very focused R&D programme which seeks to address the India-specific challenges in promoting solar energy.We have to pool available resources both human and financial to strengthen the existing scientific infrastructure in the country. We would involve various stakeholders in human resource development and other capacity building efforts.Mission will also accelerate the process of development of domestic industry in this sector. I seek cooperation of members of the House to make Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission a success, which will help establish India as one of the global leaders in Solar Energy. ZEBASOLAR Receives Approval For 36MW Thin Film Based Manufacturing Plant In The State of Chattisgarh, India19th August 2009ZEBASOLAR Private Limited India have received an approval from CREDA, the Chattisgarh Renewable Energy Agency, to build a 36MW Thin Film Manufacturing plant in the Capital city of Raipur . The project will be integrated with the 100MW Solar Farm agreement that ZEBASOLAR Energy has announced this month with CREDA. ZEBASOLAR intends to build the first phase of the plant in 2010 with 18MW worth of capacity and launch Phase II for an additional 18MW in 2012. ZEBASOLAR will benefit from large subsidies granted by the State and Central government programs for constructing the project in a developing State which will be of up to 65% of the CAPEX. ZEBASOLAR's Thin Film plant will also benefit from a captive supply agreement it will have with ZEBASOLAR's allocations of Solar Farms in the State of Gujarat, 10MW of which have already been allocated this month. ZEBASOLAR has also received an approval for its 100MW of applications in Chattisgarh for Solar IPP farms, which will be buildout over the next five years. ZEBASOLAR has 300 MW of Solar Farm approvals pending in other Indian states which are to be allocated within the next 12 months, which will also become a supply source for the thin film plant in the future. ZEBASOLAR has chosen Solar Thin Films, Inc., a United States and Hungary manufacturer of thin film equipment, as its vendor, Shahal Khan President of ZEBASOLAR INC stated, " We are pleased to have received this approval from the State of Chattisgarh for the construction of our plant, even though that market currently is very competitive in the module manufacturing sector, we believe with our captive allocation of Solar Farms in India and with the combination of the large subsidies given to us by the State and Central government, our cost per watt will be lower than $1, thus giving us a pricing advantage up and above any price available in the retail market. This integrated model will increase our IRR's by an additional 3%, since we have a revenue potential of over $150 million dollars in our captive Solar Farms in India, that uptick is significant". According to Robert Rubin the CEO of Solar Thin Films Inc. (OTCBB SLTN), "Having been selected by ZEBASOLAR Inc. as the prime vendor to build a 36MW thin film manufacturing plant in Raipur represents a a major milestone for our company. It is our first contract in India and affords us the ability to work together with a first class organization such as ZEBASOLAR . This agreement should lead to much increased visibility for the company in several other world markets". ZEBASOLAR INC’s Indian Subsidiary Awarded 10MW PV Power Station In The State Of Gujarat17th August 2009ZEBASOLAR INC is proud to have been chosen out of the numerous applicants as one of the allotted companies for India’s first major allocation of Solar farms in the State of Gujarat. The 743MW award of Solar concessions thus far is the largest in India and one of the largest allocations in the world to date by a Government. The Gujarat PV Project involves an investment of €35 million euro on the part of ZEBASOLAR PVT LIMITED INDIA, a 85% subsidiary of ZEBASOLAR INC USA. This plant will have an annual power production of 16.37 million kWh, and a franchised operation term of 25 years. This win, the first for ZEBASOLAR in India, is on the heels of more than 500MW of Solar plant applications the company has made in various Indian states in early 2009. In late January 2009, The Gujarat State Energy Agency (GEDA) planned an open tender to confirm the on-grid electricity price and technical solutions. An estimated total of 70 International majors and domestic energy players bid for with over 5,400 MW worth of tendered applications. "We are very proud to have won our concession in The State of Gujarat, we commend the Honorable Chief Minister of the State, Mr. Narendra Modi as well as the Secretary of Energy Mr. Jagdeesan, for their vision and foresight in bringing Gujarat as the State which is not only leading the push in India to go GREEN, but also making an impact on the world market by announcing a concession of this size, ZEBASOLAR will bring its partners and technology to ensure that the State succeeds in its plans and initiatives and helping India become a renewable energy leader”, stated Shahal Khan, Founder and President of ZEBASOLAR INC. “The project is expected to start construction within 5 months and has to be completed within the 6 following months. Coming online estimated in mid-2010 and supplying the State with clean and efficient Solar Power", commented Majid Khan, Director of ZEBASOLAR INDIA, All PV systems will be PV tracker panels, installed on land. ZEBASOLAR is in the process of setting up the GUJARAT joint venture company and confirming the EPC contract.
GUJARAT MONEY18th August 2009http://gujaratmoney.com/2009/08/18/zebasolar-inc-awarded-10mw-pv-solar-power-station-in-gujarat/ CNBC17th August 2009http://www.cnbc.com/id/32444807 FORBES17th August 2009GEDA AWARDS 734MW of Solar Power in Gujarat India, ZEBASOLAR Selected as one of the allotees17th August 2009http://www.geda.org.in/pdf/solar_allotment_webnote.pdf ZEBASOLAR RECIEVES APPROVAL TO INVEST IN 100MW SOLAR POWER AND 56MW in BIOMASS PLANT IN THE INDIAN STATE OF CHATTISGARH14th August 2009Company says it has sanctioned approvals from the State Energy Board CREDA to proceed forward with an Investment of over $450mm in the State Starting in 2010. Building on plans first announced in January of 2009, New Jersey-based ZEBASOLAR INC today asserted it is proceeding with its large scale investment of USD into renewable energy projects in India. The company is currently developing a 10 MW Solar renewable energy project in Gujarat, in Chattisgarh a 56MW BIOMASS plant and a proposed 100MW solar PV plant. "ZEBSOLAR is proud to bring our project development and management skills to the State of Chattisgarh, we are now looking forward to transitioning the company form a developer to an active operator of large scale Solar and BIOMASS projects in Chattisgarh, we look forward to helping The State of Chattisgarh achieve its Renewable Energy goals and we commend the vision of its Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh, The Chief Secretary The Honorable Joy Oommen and The Director of CREDA SK Shukla and Principal Secretary Mr. DS Misra”. Stated Majid Khan, MD of ZEBASOLAR INDIA ZEBASOLAR said it is "approaching all the major financial institutions to mobilize project financing for its allocations." The New Jersey-based company, which initiated operations in 2008, has offices based in New Jersey, Lisbon and Raipur Chattisgarh India plans Massive Increase in Solar Energy10 August 2009India is Targeting 20GW of Solar Power as Part of its Climate and Energy StrategyIndia will launch a solar power target by September 2009, which could increase the output from almost nothing to a staggering 20GW by 2020 - in a bid to fight global warming. To put this in context, today's global PV installed capacity stands at around 14GW. The target, which would help India close the gap on major solar players such as China, is part of a US$19 billion, 30 year scheme that will also help boost India's influence in crucial international talks for a new UN climate deal - COP 15 - in Copenhagen later this year; India's stance to date has been that it must use more energy to lift its population from poverty and that its per-capita emissions are a fraction of those in rich nations, which have burned fossil fuels unhindered since the industrial revolution. When fully developed, India's planned solar power generation would be equivalent to around one-eighth of India's current installed power base, and would help the emitter of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions limit its heavy traditional reliance on dirty coal, as well as pacify the nagging power deficit that has stifled its growth. In India about 56% of the 1.1 billion-plus population do not have access to electricity. In spite of its pledge to develop clean technology, coal remains the backbone of India's power sector, accounting for about 60% of generation, with the Government planning to add 78.7 GW of coal-fired power generation during the five years ending March 2012. Of this, 15.1 GW has been commissioned. The National Solar Mission (part of a National Action Plan on climate change) envisages the creation of a statutory solar authority that would make it mandatory for states to buy some solar power, as per the draft of the plan, which provided detailed proposals for the first time. "The aspiration is to ensure large-scale deployment of solar generated power for both grid connected as well as distributed and decentralised off-grid provision of commercial energy services," the draft policy said. Investment would be made on incentives for the production and installation and also for research and development, and the plan offers financial incentives and tax holidays for utilities. TheMission envisions three phases starting with 1-1.5 GW by 2012 along with steps to drive down production costs of solar panels and drive domestic manufacturing. The move could unlock the country's renewables potential and benefit companies such as Tata BP Solar, a joint venture between Tata Power and BP plc's solar unit, BP Solar, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, a state-run power and engineering equipment firm, and Lanco Infratech. India's Climate Plan, released in 2008, identified harnessing renewable energy, such as solar power, and energy efficiency as central to its fight against global warming. Currently around 8% of India's total power mix is from renewables, although India is a leading provider of wind power technology. The draft policy document estimated that India could reduce about 42 million tonnes of CO2 emissions with its new solar plan, which aims to provide access to solar-powered lighting for 3 million households by 2012. The proposed plan is to make the use of solar-powered equipment and applications mandatory for hospitals, hotels and government buildings, and encourage the use of solar lighting systems in villages and small towns with micro financing. The plan will also outline a system of paying households for any surplus power from solar panels fed back into the grid. The National Solar Mission will add to India's bargaining power in international negotiations, although India's refusal to commit to any binding emission targets has angered many rich countries demanding greater commitment. "Such unilateral action will give India the moral high-ground because the rich countries have not committed to anything in terms of finance and technology," said Siddharth Pathak, Greenpeace India's chief climate campaigner. India's economy has grown by 8%-9% annually in recent years, and contributes about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Clear Skies Solar Announces Strategic Project Finance Partnership with ZebasolarNew York, March 18th 2009Financing Partnership forms the strategic link to bring funding resources for multi Megawatt Solar Power Projects domestically and abroad. Clear Skies Solar, Inc. (OTCBB:CSKH), a leading provider of turnkey solar electricity installations and renewable energy solutions, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Zebasolar. With this partnership, Clear Skies Solar (CSS) will achieve a major milestone of financing its pipeline of multi-megawatt solar installations globally. “This MOA grants Zebasolar the right of first refusal to finance and own any of the more than 40 Megawatts currently in Clear Skies’ project pipeline – with an approximate value of $170 million for a period of twelve months,” stated Clear Skies Solar CEO Ezra Green. “Project financing availability is critical to our business. The global financial crisis has had a major impact on our business, and this relationship is a key component in Clear Skies’ continued growth,” added Green “For Clear Skies, this partnership is an important step in solidifying its pipeline and breaking ground on many of its contracted projects.” Clear Skies continues to move forward developing its multi-megawatt project pipeline in Greece, India and the United States. “As the world moves toward the clean power solution that solar energy technologies offer, we believe that we are strategically positioned to benefit greatly as the global economy recovers,” said Green. Zebasolar President and Executive Director Shahal Khan – who has been invited to speak at the CleanTech Equity 2009 conference in Monaco – looks forward to the partnership as a growth opportunity for both cutting-edge companies. “Our business strategy is to build a strong portfolio of solar power generation projects with a focus on the U.S., Southern Europe and India, and this partnership with Clear Skies Solar is an integral step toward fully realizing our business strategy. The experience, capabilities and shovel-ready projects that Clear Skies brings to this relationship will allow us to continue to expand our project pipeline with the confidence that the design and building of these projects will occur flawlessly,” said Khan. About Clear Skies SolarClear Skies Solar, Inc. (CSS), through its wholly owned subsidiary, provides full-service renewable energy solutions to commercial, industrial and agricultural clients across the country. CSS was incorporated in 2003 and launched formal operations in 2005. During that time period, CSS developed its proprietary systems, obtained licenses and certifications and acquired technologies that could maximize the impact of its construction expertise on the renewable energy sector. CSS has become one of the premier solar electric installation companies in the country. For more information about CSS, visit www.ClearSkiesSolar.com. About Zeba SolarZebasolar is a world leader and developer of solar energy power projects in India and in Europe. Zebasolar management are veterans in the industry with many firsts in Solar including financing of over 100MW of solar power plants in Europe, first in the development of thin film technology and over 20 patents in solar and solar technology in CPV, Thin Film and Photovoltaic. Through its’ integrated business model. Zebasolar has developed and launched over $1Billion in solar projects to date. For more information visit www.zebasolar.com. ZEBASOLAR chosen as one of the 50 companies to Present at Clean Equity MonacoLondon, UK, March 5th 2009ZEBASOLAR Limited, has been invited to present at CleanEquity Monaco 2009, the second annual environmental technology conference, organised by boutique investment bank, Innovator Capital. Shahal Khan, Executive Director will present at this prestigious event on the 19th and 20th March 2009. Up to 50 next generation, international Cleantech companies will present to senior members of the worlds investment, political, media & construction industries. This invitation-only event provides a rare opportunity for investment, gathering intelligence, business development and exposure to breathtaking new science. The lead sponsor is Barclays Wealth, which offers private banking services to wealthy clients in over 140 countries. The regional hosts are Monaco's Chamber of Economic Development and the International Chamber of Commerce. Other supporting organisations include: NYSE Euronext , UNEP FI , Invest Securities, the Hugin Group, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Société des Bains de Mer. ZEBASOLAR UNVEILS PLANS FOR THIN-FILM SOLAR MODULE MANUFACTURING IN INDIANew Jersey, USA; and Ahmedabad, INDIA.—March 7th, 2009ZEBASOLAR today announced plans to establish 80 MW of thin-film solar module manufacturing capabilities in India, in two states. ZEBASOLAR’s India announcement follows plans unveiled last month by the company to utilize its integrated manufacturing and captive power plant generation model in order to supply the most cost effective modules in the industry to its 450MW pipeline of Solar power plants it has agreed to build in India in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh. Clear Skies Solar and ZebaSolar seal finance partnershipZebaSolar President and Executive Director Shahal Khan said his company’s “ business strategy is to build a strong portfolio of solar power ... Clear Skies Solar and Zeba Solar sign solar deal19 Mar 2009 ... ZebaSolar President Shahal Khan added, ‘Our business strategy is to build a strong portfolio of solar power generation projects with a focus ... Clear Skies Solar Announces Strategic Project Finance Partnership ...ZebaSolar President and Executive Director Shahal Khan - who has been invited to speak at the CleanTech Equity 2009 conference in Monaco - looks forward to ... Clear Skies finds financing partner in ZebaSolar - Finance ...18 Mar 2009 ... The agreement essentially grants ZebaSolar the right of first refusal to ... our business strategy,” said ZebaSolar President Shahal Khan. ... CleanEquity Monaco 2009 Conference18 Mar 2009 ... 12:30 PM - 12:55 PM, Company Presentation Aile Saint James: SOMS Technologies - Miles Flamenbaum Aile Beaux Arts: Zeba Solar - Shahal Khan ... Clear Skies Solar Announces Strategic Project Finance Partnership ...ZebaSolar President and Executive Director Shahal Khan - who has been invited to speak at the CleanTech Equity 2009 conference inMonaco - looks forward to ... |