Renewable and inexhaustible, solar energy is harnessed using mirrors and panels to produce electricity by transforming the continuous flow of energy from the sun.
The industry is on the cusp of revolution for cleaner, inexpensive and a sustainable energy future for the world.
To understand the potential and implications of the utilisation of solar energy in the chemical industry, Chemical Industry Digest obtained the views of Manu Karan, Vice President of CleanMax, India’s leading renewable energy developer and sustainability partner of choice for leading corporates in India.
Chemical Industry Digest (CID): Is solar energy technology based
on PV (solar panels) or does it also include concentrated solar energy? Are these panels / equipment indigenously produced or are they imported?
Manu Karan (MK): Of all the green solutions that are being explored, solar power seems
to be the most feasible as sun rays reach most parts of the country and India enjoys
more than 333 sunny days being in a tropical region. Solar energy has two main basic
sources of power: concentrated solar thermal systems(CSP) and Photovoltaic (PV) solar
power solutions.
At CleanMax, we specialise in PV solar power solutions, which uses photovoltaic technology that generates electricity from sunlight in a direct electricity production process.
Until a few years back, the market in India was uncertain and very small, hence a lot of equipment and technology was imported. Today most of the technology is sourced from Indian manufacturers. Each installation is different based on the space, industry
type and usage. Hence, we customise our solar power solutions for each client.
CID: Is the solar energy provided as an alternative supplementary source or can it provide all the needs of a chemical plant? Up to what kW of electricity can it generate?
MK: At CleanMax, our mission has always been to help commercial and industrial sector
(C&Is) to achieve their sustainability targets while also saving cost. We offer chemical
companies a way to reduce their power costs by 20-40% (depending on the state) without
any upfront investment.
PV Solar power can be generated only during the day and it works as a supplementary source to grid power which leads to better efficiency and sustainability over time.
A 1 MW plant can generate around 1.5 million units of electricity in the first year. Through rooftop solar, a chemical plant can source upto 10-15% of its energy requirements.
Through open access (either 3rd party sale or group captive), a chemical plant can source
upto 90% of its energy requirements from Solar.
CID: To what extent can a chemical plant be independent of grid power by also utilizing solar power? Can continuous supply be ensured even during days when there is no sunlight?
MK: While solar along with batteries is a possible technology for 24/7/365 days of power, it is not a commercially viable solution to source all of a Chemical plant’s energy from such a combination of technology.
Solar as a commercially viable technology can only be a grid synchronised supplementary source of energy. Hence, by definition, the chemical plant sourcing solar power through this method will not be grid independent. However, even though there is grid dependency,
there is tremendous savings in cost of energy through grid synchronised onsite and offsite solar power.
To service this need, CleanMax has expanded its large-scale offerings to almost all major states – if a manufacturer has factories in different states in India, chances are we can provide grid-connected renewable energy in most of those. The only states where we
don’t provide open access power are those which don’t permit it at all.
We are successfully providing around 10.5 million units of solar electricity annually to leading chemical companies across different locations in India through our open access solar farms and rooftop solar projects, which means abating around 10,080 tonnes CO2 per
annum, equivalent to planting 1,51,205 trees or taking off 1,941 vehicles off the road.
CID: What about the space required to put up the panels and against what space how much kW can be generated?
MK: 1 MWp (1000 kWp) solar system would require 10,000 sq. m / 1,00,000 sq. ft / 3 acres of shadow free area. The electricity generated is also largely dependent
on the capacity requirement and the number of solar panels installed.
CID: Lithium storage as we understand is for small units. Since there are safety issues that are associated with Lithium, how safe are these batteries for use in chemical plants?
MK: Contrary to popular belief, lithium is safer than lead acid batteries as lead batteries emit more harmful gases which are not only harmful to the environment but also to the workers working in the factories. Thus lithium batteries are very safe for usage in chemical
plants.
CID: Could you throw some light on RE100?
MK: Globally, over the past one or two decades, sustainability and climate change have moved from the margins of corporate decision making to the mainstream. As of today, many of the world’s largest companies have signed onto RE100, which commits them
to achieving 100% renewable energy sourcing within a defined time frame. The list of signatories includes leading manufacturers from all major industries, and includes Unilever, General Motors, Akzo Nobel, Philips, Nestle, Dalmia Cements and Tata Motors, to
name just a few and dozens of others have signed similar pledges.
Ten years ago, any sustainability initiative, however small, was typically seen as a positive measure. Today, there is a strong push for companies to switch over completely to renewable energy, for 100% of their power requirement. Hence those who have not signed
the RE100 pledge are also feeling the urgency of addressing the sustainability of their operations; based on pressure from shareholders, investors, customers and employees.
India’s renewable power capacity has soared by almost 150 per cent in the last five years to 86 GW. The government has set a target of 175 GW renewable energy capacities by 2022 which includes 100 GW from solar.
