Category — Grid-Connect

The solar eclipse of January 15, 2010 was an annular eclipse of the Sun which NASA figures show had a magnitude of 0.9190.  This eclipse is unique in that it will have the longest duration of this millennium, a total of 11 minutes and 8 seconds. It reached its greatest effect as it passed over the Indian Ocean. Whilst most countries would have only observed a partial eclipse, many inhabitants of India were lucky to have the full eclipse highly visible.

Parts of India would have witnessed the eclipse duration of around 10 minutes and 24 seconds. The next annular solar eclipse with such a long duration is not expected until December 23, 3043.

OPS India exported this live solar insolation graph from the recently commissioned 1 MW solar photovoltaic grid connect system in Jamuria, West Bengal. The graph shows the reduction in solar insolation and associated drop in the systems exported power. This can be seen in the graph from 12.40pm to 3.00pm with the eclipse peaking at 2.15pm.

Below is a Video of the Eclipse over Varanasi, India, as filmed by the BBC.

OPS India has recently completed the prestigious solar power project at Governor house, Raj Bhavan, in Kolkata, West Bengal. Raj Bhavan Kolkata is the country’s first Governors residence to switch to solar power generation. India’s President Pratibha inaugurated the solar power system in December 2009.

West Bengal’s Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi), The Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah, President Smt. Pratibha Patil and West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation MD Gon Chaudhuri joined together to turn on the solar power at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata. Dr. Farooq Abdullah also announced the governments allocation of Rs. One Crore ($220,000 USD) for all Governor houses in the country to introduce solar power generation.

Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi has been striving to build awareness of carbon emissions through green and energy efficient building initiatives. The introduction of solar power at Raj Bhavan is expected to reduce the buildings carbon emissions by 40%.  The first stage implementation of solar PV at Raj Bhavan is 10kW however by March 2010 a further 40kW will be added and connected to the grid. The final system will be about 110kW.

OPS India supplied the system design, products and power integration for the Raj Bhavan system.

“We will all pool our scientific, technical and managerial talents, with financial sources, to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people”
Dr. Manmohan Singh, PM India.

India’s largest pilot project of solar PV grid-connect is now online and a huge success!

OPS India (Optimal Power Synergy India) is in the final stages of its 3 megawatt grid connect project in Karnataka, India. OPS India has supplied the 3 megawatt project with all power conversion equipment and system integration. Whilst two thirds of the project is now fully operation and online, the final commissioning is set to occur in the next week.

This project will supply 3MW during daytime (11am to 5pm) to the state grid which will enable greater power capacity to meet the irrigation power supply demand. This pilot project is expected to facilitate future planned projects in the areas of Shikaripur taluk in Shimoga district and in Itnal village in Chikodi talu of Belgaum district. The Karnataka government is planning to launch a solar technology programme to over 3900 villages, estimated to meet the energy needs of 5.0 million people.

India will soon launch an ambitious plan to boost its solar power generation from 3 MW to 20,000 MW by 2022. The policy framework, known in official circles as “the National Solar Mission,” will address the high cost of manufacturing solar panels as well as the currently high price of solar power (in comparison to conventional coal power stations).

For more Flickr photos of this project please follow the photo links below.