MAHAGENCO – Successfully Completed One Year in Operating Solar PV Project

The state owned power utility company MAHAGENCO (Maharashtra State Power Generation Co. Ltd) is successfully operating a solar PV power plant since the past one year in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. MAHAGENCO operates large thermal power plants in the state making it a major power generating company. MAHAGENCO initially commissioned one demonstration solar PV project of 1MWp capacity. However, this project is its first fully fledged solar project and the electricity generated from it will be used to fulfill Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO). Solar power project has a total of 4 MWp of installed capacity. Break-up of the total capacity is 2 MWp based on Thin Film Technology and a 2MWp based on Multi Crystalline Technology. The project was commissioned in Feb 2012.

Project location: The project activity is located in Village: Ambora, Post: Urja Nagar, Taluka: Chandrapur in Maharashtra.

Project technology: Project is using both Crystalline and Thin Film technologies. The generated DC power from solar panels is being converted into AC power using inverters. The output electricity from the inverters is being stepped up to 33Kv using transformers.  The electrical power at 33 kV level is evacuated through appropriate transmission arrangements to a 33 kV feeder from Chandrapur MIDC substation and connected to the 33 kV grid.

Solar module technology in detail;

Details of solar PV modules	Technical Details of 2 MWp Crstalline Technology	Technical Details of 2 MWp Thin films Technology
Type of Solar Photovoltaics modules	Crystalline	Thin film
Make of Solar Photovoltaic modules	WAAREE Energies Pvt Ltd	QS Solar
Model of PVmodules	WS-230	QS 85
Capacity of each photovoltaic modules	230	85
Total number of photovoltaic modules	8696	23688
No.of Modules in Series (string)	7	7
No of Strings in parallel	3384	3384
No. of junction boxes	32	24
Lifetime of project	25	25
Max power voltage Vmp	29	87.5 V
Max Power Current Imp	7.93 A	0.98 A
Length of the Frame	1660mm	1400mm
Width of the Frame	992 mm	1100 mm
Weight	20.5 Kg	25.1 Kg
Module Efficiency	14%	Not provided (Usually 10-12%)

 Electricity generation

Parameters	Values	Unit
Installed capacity	4	MW
No of days	365	Days
Hours	24	Hr
Plant Load Factor (PLF)	17.41	%
Electricity generation	6,100	MWh

 

Carbon credits 

MAHAGENCO is also availing benefits of carbon credits. The project is registered under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) which is governed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Please find relevant information below;

Carbon Credit Certification/mechanism	CDM
CDM Methodology	AMS ID Ver.17
Date of registration	20th Dec 2012
Crediting period	7 Yrs (Renewable)
Crediting period started from	2012-13
GHG grid emission factor	0.95 tCO2/MWh
Annual average GHG emission reduction (Carbon Credits)	5,616
Total GHG emission reductions (Carbon Credits) till 2018-19	39,310

The status of carbon market is uncertain and hence the possible revenue from this project is expected to be lower than usual. Please read more about the current scenario of carbon market and knowhow of the situation.

This project has created a good example for state owned utilities. In addition, the clean energy generation from this project is contributing in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of India.

Information Source: CDM PDD of this project activity available on UNFCCC website.