MNRE

Because of a comparably lower price, vacuum tube collectors are becoming more and more popular in India. Based on a capacity of 100 litres of warm water per day, an average thermosiphon system with flat plate collectors is sold at INR 20,000 (EUR 208), whereas a solar water heater with a vacuum tube collector costs on average INR 16,000 (EUR 167). To protect the business of the around 60 flat plate collector manufacturers in India, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued a memorandum on 20 October 2011. Its most important sentence says that, “manufacturers shall import no components other than ETCs (Evacuated Tube Collectors)”.

In its Circular No.147 /ICD- 36 /2011  dated 3 August 2011, the Indian National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has included solar water heating systems as an eligible technology for subsidy and low-interest loans if they do not exceed a capacity of 400 litres. The circular is addressed to all commercial banks and regional/rural banks involved. An earlier circular - No.110 dated 27 May 2011 - had already announced the Capital Subsidy-cum-Refinance Scheme for decentralised solar PV installations.

As part of the initiatives of the UNDP/GEF Global Solar Water Heating Project (GSWHP), the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has started a voice-activated National Helpline on Solar Water Heaters to raise awareness of the technology and answer the questions of consumers. The service, which has been operating since 15 September 2011, is managed by the Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI). It has a toll-free number (1800 2 33 44 77), with service hours from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM between Monday and Friday, and 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Saturdays. The two employed call centre agents offer help in both Hindi and English.

To spread information about the various developments in the country's solar thermal market, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI) have started India’s first and only solar thermal e-Newsletter: InSolTherm Times. The monthly publication was formally launched on 1 August 2011 by MNRE Secretary Deepak Gupta. Considering the substantial market growth of the solar water heating sector, there is a great need to share information about the latest trends in technologies and policy.

Several well-known speakers shared their market figures from key solar thermal markets worldwide with the audience of the Global Solar Thermal Markets session at the Intersolar Conference at the beginning of June. Whereas India and Brazil maintain high growth rates, the European solar heating and cooling sector has to again cope with a decline of now 13 % in 2010 compared to the previous year. The chart shows the developments of markets with a volume of 200,000 and 500,000 m². It is part of the 16-page brochure “Solar Thermal Markets in Europe”, which the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) presented at the Intersolar.
Figure: ESTIF

To expand the solar thermal market and minimise the application time for subsidies and soft loans, the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has devised a new application method for its national subsidy scheme: Since 1 April, it has offered Channel Partners (CP) to directly submit their project proposals to MNRE.

This handbook was prepared in the framework of the project ‘Solar Water Heating Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative’ funded by the UNDP, UNEP, GEF and ICA (International Copper Association). It was done in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The objective of this publication is to provide adequate information and guidance to customers of solar water heater with a view of helping them in selecting the right technology and product for their applications.

More than 200 participants attended the side-event dedicated to the solar heating and cooling sector during the Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference (DIREC) 2010 in New Delhi, India, at the end of October. International thought leaders highlighted the global development of low-temperature solar applications and the possibilities for widespread distribution of this technology.
Photo: Jaideep Malaviya

The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has just released the application procedure for claiming incentives under the recently launched national subsidy programme, which is part of the National Solar Mission.

On the 17^th of June, the Federal Government of India announced a new set of financing guidelines intended for off-grid solar systems under the National Solar Mission. Among other technologies, these new guidelines consider both low and medium temperature solar thermal systems, as well as off-grid PV systems. Photo: MNRE