Chandigarh, Apr 20 (UNI) Shortage of solar photovaltaic (SPV) modules have hampered the installation of 550 SPV water pumping systems in the state, Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) Director S S Sekhon said today.
The director told UNI that for the year 2003-04, the Central Government had fixed the target of installing 700 SPV pumpsets, fitted with two HP motor for irrigation purposes, in the state but till January 31 this year the PEDA could install only 150 pumpsets due to non-availability of SPV modules.
He said under the tender invited by the PEDA, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was supposed to supply the SPV modules to PEDA, but after supplying just 150 modules the BHEL declined to provide the remaining modules to the PEDA.
In India, BHEL, TATA BP Solar India Ltd, Central Electronics and few other companies manufacture solar modules and in view of the demand in the international market, mainly from Germany, these companies prefer to send modules to foreign countries to meet the export target.
Another reason of the module shortage is that silicon wafers, an important component of SPV, are in short supply and their cost has gone up as a result of the rapidly growing international market. The silicon wafers are produced by Japan, Russia, USA and a few other countries.
He said, PEDA had a meeting with the members of the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Source to extend the deadline for installation of the remaining 550 SPV pumps till September 30.
Mr Sekhon said in Punjab, PEDA has installed 1,850 SPV pumpsets, the highest in the country, which can deliver about 1,40,000 litres of water per day, sufficient for 10 acres of wheat crop and five acres of paddy crop.
Under the earlier scheme, the cost for installation of the SPV pumpsets came to about Rs 2.77 lakh, the farmer had to pay only Rs 65,000 as his share for installation of a SPV pumpset but after the reduction in the subsidy his share has gone upto Rs 1.25 lakh, he said.
The remaining amount was borne by the Central and the state government, Mr Sekhon added.
UNI DP PV GC1710
The director told UNI that for the year 2003-04, the Central Government had fixed the target of installing 700 SPV pumpsets, fitted with two HP motor for irrigation purposes, in the state but till January 31 this year the PEDA could install only 150 pumpsets due to non-availability of SPV modules.
He said under the tender invited by the PEDA, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was supposed to supply the SPV modules to PEDA, but after supplying just 150 modules the BHEL declined to provide the remaining modules to the PEDA.
In India, BHEL, TATA BP Solar India Ltd, Central Electronics and few other companies manufacture solar modules and in view of the demand in the international market, mainly from Germany, these companies prefer to send modules to foreign countries to meet the export target.
Another reason of the module shortage is that silicon wafers, an important component of SPV, are in short supply and their cost has gone up as a result of the rapidly growing international market. The silicon wafers are produced by Japan, Russia, USA and a few other countries.
He said, PEDA had a meeting with the members of the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Source to extend the deadline for installation of the remaining 550 SPV pumps till September 30.
Mr Sekhon said in Punjab, PEDA has installed 1,850 SPV pumpsets, the highest in the country, which can deliver about 1,40,000 litres of water per day, sufficient for 10 acres of wheat crop and five acres of paddy crop.
Under the earlier scheme, the cost for installation of the SPV pumpsets came to about Rs 2.77 lakh, the farmer had to pay only Rs 65,000 as his share for installation of a SPV pumpset but after the reduction in the subsidy his share has gone upto Rs 1.25 lakh, he said.
The remaining amount was borne by the Central and the state government, Mr Sekhon added.
UNI DP PV GC1710
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