3 - 5 December 2019 | Pune, India
As a part of Solar Payback project to accelerate Solar Heat for Industrial Processes (SHIP) and to give first-hand training on designing and understanding economics, Solar Thermal Federation of India and Indo-German Chamber of Commerce organized training in Pune from 3 to 5 December 2019. The faculty from Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy trained 25 participants, largely project developers and institutions active in solar thermal energy. The training aimed at understanding the application of solar thermal energy for industrial applications. It also imparted to optimise the total cost of the plant with the best possible heat output for a given area for a 20 year life cycle. “The amazing part was the economic analysis for a sample case study using a computer simulated model that helped understand the payback period and Internal Rate of Return using different fuel options as well as different types of solar thermal systems. It helped best understand how SHIP projects must be considered on a long term basis under India’s vast geographic conditions with varying direct solar radiation,” stated Jaideep Malaviya, Secretary-General, Solar Thermal Federation of India.

A visit to Asia’s only testing facility for concentrated solar thermal technology at School of Energy Studies, Savitribai Phule University of Pune was undertaken. Participants were explained the procedures adopted for testing as per the Bureau of Indian Standards..

The overall feedback received demonstrated that more such training should be conducted in various industrial sectors with requirements for heat energy up to 150 °C. This will give more exposure to industries using process heat and gain their confidence. Sector specific designed training helps to reduce performance errors and also justifies the use of incentives granted by the central government.