SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH

at
IOC-R&D Centre, Faridabad

Dr. D.K. Tuli

General Manager (Alternate Energy)
 Coverage

• Solar Energy Research Plan of IOC-R&D

– Approach
– Line of action (strategy)
– Basic research
• Solar Power Generation Plans of IOC
– Solar Lanterns & other products
– Solar hydrogen dispensing station
– Large scale solar farms
 Three-Pronged Approach

1. Infrastructure & Expertise Creation

2. Product Development & Technology

Evaluation

3. Basic Research Projects

R&D Strategy - Infrastructure & Expertise Creation

– Set-up laboratory facility for testing of lanterns and other solar

energy driven products
– Testing facility for solar panels

– Up-gradation of laboratory facility

• To certification level
– Discussions with TUV, Germany and Fraunhaufer, Germany
• For Solar Cell Research
• For Solar Thermal Research
 Targeted Areas of Expertise
Solar PV

• Testing of Modules & Components of PV Systems –

Mechanical, Electrical, Environment & Other Related Tests
• Energy yield assessments – Study of local irradiation data & system
details and long term yield forecasts compilation using simulations
• Site Condition Evaluation – Actual energy yield at the site including
shadowing/seasoning and type of plant (off or on grid, pump systems etc)
• Technology advisory services – Based on global technology evaluation
and relevant standards/regulations
• Plant monitoring, output energy yields checks and evaluation –
Data logging and analysis capabilities
• Damage & fault assessment – Determination and analysis of damages
& malfunctions of the systems including required repairs
Necessity for Comprehensive Testing

Why?
• Prolonged exposure to weather and extreme temperature conditions
• Sturdiness of insulating materials
• Performance of wires
• Extent of current leakages
• Fire and health hazards

For Whom ?
- Grid tied systems
- Government rebates and tax incentives
- House insurance
- Off-grid systems
- Current leakages
- Durability
Benefits of Comprehensive Testing Facilities

• Setting up of complete laboratory facility

– Can be utilized for all R&D purposes as well as for certification purpose
• Sole Indian party status and second Asian certification country after Japan

• If utilized for certification, can earn extra revenue

• All collaborative basic research efforts shall be helped by

leveraging the lab facility successfully and the pace of
development will be enhanced by aggressive
institution/industrial collaborations
 Targeted Areas of Expertise
Solar Thermal
Basic research areas:

• Advanced coatings
• Improved reflectors
• Advanced thermal collectors
• High temperature resistant thermic fluids

Applied research areas:

• Hydrogen generation through solar thermal route

•Advanced solar systems for
• refinery steam pre-heating
• solar assisted biomass gasifiers
• air heating & drying etc.
Hydrogen through Solar Energy
 R&D Strategy
Product Development & Technology Evaluation
– Technology / product tie-ups
– for LED lanterns & other appliances development
– for panels
– for solar thermal products
– IITs & CSIR labs such as CMERI, CEERI, CAZRI etc

– Existing technology evaluation and data generation

• Actual field evaluation exercise on controlled basis on a 10 KWp size plant complete
with data management facilities
– Power generation & data logging to evaluate all possible commercial PV
technologies amongst following :
» Mono and/or multi c-Si
» a-Si
» CPV
» CIGS
» CdTe

– Activity can be extended further for all remaining cell technologies under
incubation
 Basic research for Improved Solar Systems

• Focus on 3rd & 4th Generation PV Cells

• Solar thermal systems leading up-to hydrogen generation

Outsourcing
&
Collaboration

R&D Strategy – Basic Research

 Solar
Lanterns
from
IndianOil

Made for poor, adored

by rich…….a viable
solar power generation
for India
 Kerosene use - Market Surveys
Puri & Bhubaneswar

Parameter Unit Puri Sea beach Nolia basti, Puri Unit-12, BBSR
Target segment Mostly small shops Mostly fishermen Slums
(39/500) (49/700) (36/200)

Income Rs./day 200/- 110/- Not divulged

(Range) (50-500) (75-200)

Kerosene ltr/month 40 20 23
consumption (Range) (10-70) (7-35) (10-60)

SKO purchase @ Rs./ltr 27/- 26.30 25/-

price (Range) (23-30) (20-30) (25-28)

Monthly SKO Rs./month 1071/- 515/- 574/-

spend (Range) (250-1950) (280-900) (250-1500)

Amount ready to Rs./day 4.10 4.70 4.60

pay for SL (Range) (3-5) (3-12) (3-5)
 The hows & whys of solar lights
Solar light brighter, healthier & cheaper than kerosene lamps

• Brighter than kerosene lights

– 15-20 times better quality light
• 150-200 lumens vs. 10-20 lumens (kerosene ‘dibri’)
• No smoke
– Virtual elimination of soot-related health hazard
• Cheaper than kerosene lights
• No moving parts, very little maintenance
• Near-zero heat
– Can sit very close to lamp: boon to villagers & shopkeepers
• Above all, endless source of energy
 Solar lighting options for the poor &
3 options middle class
1. Central charging station with lanterns on rental for low-
income villagers
– Regular income for the rural entrepreneur
– Micro-financing by MFI/RRB/CB for purchase of lanterns by the
poor
2. Solar lights with small panels for relatively well-off
villagers
– Direct purchase & use
3. Village adoption
Options 1 & 2 practical for both
urban & semi-urban customers
•Low-income areas
•Shops/mandis (marketplace)
•Emergency lights
 Solar Charging Station (SCS)
The Concept

• Solar charging stations

– At RO/KSK/LPGD or Any central location
• Direct charging during the day
– Batteries inside the lanterns

D(PBD) inaugurating SCS, Sathla KSK Rooftop solar panels, Sathla KSK
 Solar Charging Station (SCS)
The Concept

• Customers pay rent for lantern & a fee for charging

lantern on a daily/monthly basis
– Every evening, Customers bring the discharged lantern and
take a charged lantern with them
– Alternatively, the charging station owner arranges for delivery
& collection of lanterns
 IndianOil’s Solar Charging Station
KSK, Sathla, UP
 IndianOil’s Solar Lantern Charging Rack
KSK, Chokoni, UP
 IndianOil’s Solar Lantern in use
Ujhari village, Gajraula, Bareily DO

Sweet shops using IndianOil’s solar lanterns

A chemist shop using

IndianOil’s solar lanterns
 Solar Lantern’s Specifications
Parameters MNRE IndianOil

PV module 2.5 – 5 (Wp) 2.5 – 4.5 (Wp)

Battery Upto 7AH @ 12V 4 – 7 AH @ 6 - 7 V

Electronic efficiency Min 80% Min 80%

Average duty cycle per 4 hours • Central charging

day Upto 6 hrs in full
brightness
Autonomy 14 hours  Upto 8 hrs in dimmer
• Stand alone mode = 4
hrs

Lux (1’) V=105 H=32 (*) Three categories

 INDIANOIL’s Solar Lanterns
(Proposed Target Specifications )
Parameters Solar Lamp Solar Lanterns Solar Petromax
PV module 2.5 Wp 4.5 Wp 8 Wp

Battery Upto 3.5 AH @ 6/12 5 AH @ 6 V 12 AH @ 6 - 7 V

V

Electronic Min 80% Min 80% Min 80%

efficiency
Average duty Central charging Central charging Central charging
cycle per day  5-6 hrs in full  5-6 hrs in full brightness  5-6 hrs in full
brightness  7-8 hrs in dimmer brightness
Autonomy  7-8 hrs in dimmer  7-8 hrs in dimmer
Stand alone mode = 4 hrs
Stand alone mode = 4 Stand alone mode = 4
hrs hrs

Lux (1’) V = 70-104 V = 105-175 V > 190

H =15-25 H = 26 - 50 H > 65
 IOC-R&D Plan & Targets (2011-2013)
• New product development
– Rural usage
• Lanterns
• Solar powered fans
• Pump sets
• Street lights
– Urban usage
• Home lighting systems
• Fans
• Garden lights 2011
• Mobile chargers
• Street lights
• Inverters
• Captive power generating sets
– Miscellaneous (Industrial including commercial buildings) usage
• Cookers
• Power generating units
• Demo Projects
– Installation of solar powered systems within R&D 2012-13
– Extending support to install solar systems in sister divisions
– Setting up some proven technological units in the country as demo units to leap-frog the technical know-how

~ 50+ MW (12000 ROs x 6 W/d x 200 days x 4 years)

Solar Mission target = 200 MW for of-grid by 2013
Development of Solar based HCNG
dispensing station at Delhi during
Commonwealth Games

Project Objectives
To gain experience with onsite Solar Hydrogen Production infrastructure and
Hydrogen HCNG utilization in automotive vehicles

 To study performance, emission, reliability and safety aspects of hydrogen

powered vehicles

 To demonstrate Hydrogen / HCNG powered vehicles for public awareness

and acceptance during Commonwealth Games
 Work Plan

Work Plan

IOC will set up on-site Solar Photovoltaic / Electrolyser based

hydrogen dispensing station.

The station will comprise the following

Solar photovoltaic panels
Electrolyser
Hydrogen compressor
Hydrogen Storage
Blender & Dispenser
 Infrastructure Required

S.No. Description Specification

1 Solar Photovoltaic System 25 kW (Peak- 50 kWp)
Output : 100 V (DC)

2 Electrolyser 5 Nm3/hr
Purity; 99.999 %

3 H2 Compressor Suction Pressure: 5-10 bar

Discharge Pressure: ~450 bar

4 H2 Storage Pressure 450 bar

5 HCNG Blender Blending Range: 0-50% (v/v)

6 Dispenser HCNG : 200-250 bar

Hydrogen : 350 bar
 Existing Fuels

Facility
Creation

m
Sho
r Mediu
term t term
GOAL
Product Basic
Development Long Research
& Evaluation term
Competencies
& Future Fuels
Future Fuels
Leadership

A progressive & profitable energy centre of repute having

international level research facilities,
development expertise and certification accreditations
Basic Research on New Generation PV Cells

Possibilities:
 Multi junction devices
– Stacks of single junction cells in descending order of band-gap
– Top cell captures high-energy photons and passes rest on to lower band-gap
cells
 New materials / material technologies
– Nano PV cells
– Dye sensitized cells
– Polymer cells
 Concentrator PV
– Concentrates and utilizes maximum sun power
PV Cells…..theoretical projections
# Junctions in Cells 1 Sun µ Maximum Concentration µ
1 Junction 30.8% 40.8%
2 Junction 42.9% 55.7%
3 Junction 49.3% 63.8%
n Junctions 68.2% 86.8%
PROS:
• Multi junction is one of the approach to exceed single junction
efficiencies
• For 50% efficiency, it is mentioned that 5 junctions shall be needed
assuming 80% absorption is possible
CONS
• The tandem approach is limited by the availability of stable materials
of desired band gaps
• Concentration possess challenges in acceptance angle and thermal
management as the degree of concentration is increased
 Solar Energy
Some Interdisciplinary Areas of R&D

• Hydrogen generation through Solar Energy

– Comparative study of PV & Thermal route
• Building Integrated PhotoVoltaic
– Emerging & promising area
• Polymeric Materials and chemicals used in solar panels
– Polymeric films
– Adhesives
• Hybrid Systems
– Fuel cells
– Combustion engineering
 Type Testing – SOLAR PV
MECHANICAL TESTS
Terminal Tensile and/or torque test on electrical IEC 61215-10.14
terminations to assess the ability to withstand IEC 62108-10.12
Robustness the normal stresses associated with handling IEC 61646-1014
UL 1703-22, 28
and insulation
IEEE 1262-5.9 & 1513-5.9

Static Determines the ability of the module to IEC 61215-10.16

withstand wind, snow, ice, or other static load IEC 62108-10.13
Mechanical IEC 61646-10.16
UL 1703-39
Load Test IEEE 1262-5.11

Impact Test Assesses the adequacy of the system to UL 1703-29

withstand impact forces

Surface Cut Verifies if the covering surface can withstand UL 1703-24

surface cuts IEEE 1262-5.12
Susceptibility IEC 61730-10.3

Junction Box Verifies if junction box can withstand tensile UL 1703-39

pull forces
Securement
Hail Impact TestSimulates hail impact to determine the ability
to withstand and survive severe hailstorm
IEC 61215-10.17
IEC 62108-10.9
IEC 61646-10.17
conditions
ASTM E-1038 & E 822
IEEE 1262-5.14 & 1513-5.11
 Type Testing – SOLAR PV
ENVIRONMENTAL TESTS

Thermal Cycling Rapid cycling of temperature extremes

between -40 C and + 85C for 200 cycles at 6
IEC 61215-10.11
IEC 62108-10.6
IEC 61646-10.11
hours per cycle to test the ability to withstand
UL 1703-35
thermal mismatch, fatigue or other stresses
IEEE 1262-5.7 & 1513-5.7
caused by rapid, non-uniform or repeated ASTM E 1171-6.5
changes of temperature

Humidity Rapid cycling of both temperature and IEC 61215-10.12

humidity extremes similar to thermal cycling IEC 62108-10.8
Freeze Cycling with additional high humidity @ 10 cycles per IEC 61646-10.8
UL 1703-36
24 hour. Determines the ability to withstand
IEEE 1262-5.8 & 1513-5.8
high temperature and high humidity followed ASTM E 1171-6.6
by freezing temperatures

Damp Heat +85C & 85% RH for 1000 hours to test the IEC 61215-10.13
ability to withstand the effects of long-term IEC 62108-10.7
Test penetration of humidity IEC 61646-10.13
IEEE 1262-5.13 & 1513-5.10
ASTM E 1171-6.7
 Type Testing – SOLAR PV
ELECTRICAL TESTS
Ground Path Continuity / Verifies electrical continuity between all IEC 62108-10.3
exposed conductive parts and the IEC 61730-2-10.4
Bonding Path Resistance grounding point under high current UL 1703-25
IEEE 1262-5.3
condition
IEEE 1513-5.3
ASTM E 1462-7.3

Electrical Isolation Measures the quality of electrical IEC 61215-10.3

insulation under various conditions. IEC 62108-10.4/10.5
(Including wet/dry hipot, Verifies the adequacy of electrical IEC 61646-10.3
leakage current and insulation between all active parts of the UL 1703-21/26/27
IEC 61730-10.6
dielectric voltage power generating circuit and the frame or ASTM E 1462-7.1/7.2
withstand tests) the outside world IEEE 1262-5.4,5.5,5.6
IEEE 1513-5.4,5.5,5.6

Bypass / Blocking Diode Assesses the adequacy of thermal design IEC 61215-10.18
and relative long-term reliability of IEC 61646-10.18
Terminal Test (Non- bypass/blocking diodes used to limit the IEC 62108-10.11
intrusive) detrimental effects of system hot-spot IEEE 1262-5.15
IEEE 1513-5.12
susceptibility

Impulse Voltage Verify the insulation’s ability to withstand UL 1703-21

over-voltage
 Type Testing – SOLAR PV

OTHER TESTS

Temperature Determines the effect of temperature on the IEC 61215-10.4

current, voltage and peak power output of the IEC 61646-10.4
Coefficients module

Temperature Verify the system to withstand high heat IEC 61730-2-10.7

without showing signs of stress or deformation UL 1703-19
Tests

Visual Visually inspect system for damage and IEC 61215-10.1

compliance with design criteria IEC 62108-10.1
Inspection IEC 61646-10.1
IEC 61730-2-10.1
IEEE 1262-5.1 & 1513-5.1
ASTM E 1799
 Learning from the Workshop
Solar PV and Solar Thermal are two distinct and separate areas of solar energy research
•

Traditionally, solar thermal was more in use quantitatively, while solar PV is now spreading far & wide
•

Total installed solar thermal capacity in world ~ 500 MW

•
Total installed solar PV capacity in world ~ 15 GW
•
At present, installing solar thermal plant is relatively cheaper than solar PV plant of equivalent capacity
•
Solar Thermal – Some Areas Under R&D
Basic research areas:

• Advanced power cycles

• Advanced coatings
• Improved reflectors
• Advanced thermal collectors
• High temperature resistant thermic fluids

Applied research areas:

• Development of organic Rankine cycle system

• Solar dish engines such as Stirling/steam/micro-turbines for decentralized power
• Development of suitable receiver systems
• Solar energy storage devise – Solargas, Fuel Cells, Molten salts with low freezing temperatures
and options for low & medium temperature applications
• Development of heliostats with automatic tracking controls
• Advanced solar systems for
• cooling
• green buildings
• cooking
• air heating & drying etc.
Solar PhotoVoltaic – Some Areas Under R&D
• Areas of basic research:
– Crystalline silicon based solar technology
• Modeling & simulation of novel structures
• Reduction in optical losses
• Reduction in wafer thickness
• Indigenous development of transparent conducting light trapping oxides (TCLO)
• Development of silver paste etc
– Non-crystalline based solar technology
• Development of CIGS (Copper indium gallium di-selenide) based solar modules
• Amorphous silicon based modules
• Nano-silicon & dye sensitized modules
• Areas of applied research
– Improvement of module life
– Module making processes
– Low weight modules etc.
 RESOURCES NEEDED…..cumulatively
Manpower

18 18
CAPEX
Rs. crores
16

14 25
14
25 22
12 12 20
20
10 10
15
8
10 7
6

4 5
5 *
4

2 0
0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2015
2010 2011 2012 2013 2015
Year Year

2010 – Initiation & lantern project

2011 – Data generation & research project initiation

aL 2012 – Building & lab upgradation + demo projects onstream

mn
d
skra 2013 Projects fructifications
* In case of certification/accreditation lab
 LIST OF ACTIVITIES
Activity Dedicated Manpower Quantity
Lantern project 2
Equipment procurement 2

2010
& Building/lab set up
Lab upgradation 2
Product development (PV + thermal) 2 (1+1)

2011 - 2012
Solar fuels (gasification + reforming) 2 (1+1)
Data generation (PV + thermal + outside 3 (1+1+1)
R&D)
Demo systems 3
Propulsions 2
2013 +

TOTAL
18