By Solar Times Bureau
The Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI) and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
(IGCC) have teamed up for the international ‘Solar Payback’ project, which aims to increase
the use of solar thermal energy in industrial processes. The Kick-Off Meeting took place in
Mumbai on 16 December 2016.
Supported by the German Federal Environment Ministry funded by the International Climate
Initiative, the three-year project will be implemented in India, South Africa, Mexico and Brazil.
It is coordinated by the German Solar Association BSW-Solar and eleven partner organisations:
three German companies, plus each target country’s national solar industry association and
German Chamber of Commerce.
Facilitators from Germany include research institute Fraunhofer ISE, the German Investment
and Development Corporation (DEG) and communications and market research agency
solrico. The project will be jointly implemented in India by Pune-based STFI and IGCC with its
head office in Mumbai. It was launched in October 2016 and will end in September 2019. The
budget for the four countries is EUR 2.96 million.
The use of solar heat for cleaning, steam production, bath heating and surface treatment in
manufacturing is still a niche market in India and around the world. “With Solar Payback, we
aim to raise awareness about the huge market potential of solar process heat for three
reasons: to reduce CO2 emissions, to save energy costs for the investors and to sharpen the
competitive edge of local industries,” said Jörg Mayer, Managing Director of BSW-Solar.
India’s industrial companies, which are responsible for 38 % of the country’s total energy
consumption, have installed a total of 40,000 m2
of collector area for solar process heat so far.
“The saving potential of solar heat technologies in the industry is enormous, and payback
times are pleasingly low,” was how STFI Secretary General Jaideep Malaviya described the
Indian market. “Solar Payback is likely to increase the confidence of industrial customers to
supplement carbon-based fuels.” Suitable technologies for solar process heat are either flat
plate collectors, concentrating dishes or vacuum tube collectors with CPC mirrors. Most
systems based on these three technologies have been manufactured in the country, satisfying
the current government ́s Make in India strategy.
Solar Payback has so far focused on an in-depth analysis of market barriers and drivers by
drafting a solar process heat roadmap and making policy recommendations. In addition, it
intends to strengthen the industry by offering training for planners and raise awareness by
organising an industry conference. The project partners will use a wide range of activities and
communication tools to get in touch with the relevant stakeholders in politics, business and
financing. Key activity targets include:
Drafting a National Solar Process Heat Roadmap
Developing a financing/business tool for planners and investors to offer preliminary
analyses of solar process heat plants
Developing policy recommendations for uptake of solar process heat at national level
Organising train-the-trainer workshops on planning / designing solar process heat
systems
Implementing an online matchmaking network for investors and technology providers
Organising a local industry / stakeholder conference
This project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the
Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this
initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. IKI website
With around 800 member companies, BSW-Solar is one of the largest lobbying organisations
for solar electricity and solar heat in Germany. It is headquartered in Berlin. BSW website
Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI) founded in 2010 is the voice of solar thermal
industry in India comprising of country’s solar thermal manufacturers that constitute 80% of
the market. http://www.stfi.org.in
The Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC/AHK Indien) promotes Indo-German
Economic Cooperation since 1956. With six offices in India, a representation in Germany and
more than 6,000 member companies IGCC is the largest bi-national chamber in India.
http://indien.ahk.de/