‘Relentless’ lobbying landed solar panel firm

By Doug Schmidt, The Windsor Star May 11, 2010 10:57 PM

WINDSOR, Ont. — Midnight phone calls and a promise to “do what it takes” helped Windsor land a cutting-edge solar panel firm and the possibility of 500 jobs within three years.

Photograph by: Tyler Brownbridge, The Windsor Star

Prasanth Sakhamuri, managing director of HHV, left, and Ross Beatty, president of Solar Source Corporation take part in a press conference at the Windsor Airport on Tuesday, May 11, 2010. A new solar paneling manufacturer will be locating in Windsor.

“Most of the times you lose — but sometimes you’re going to get lucky,” said Patrick Persichilli, executive vice-president of the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation.

“We were relentless,” Persichilli said Tuesday of the 18-month lobbying effort to bring Ontario’s first solar panel manufacturing facility to Windsor. Solar Source Ontario is a joint venture of a subsidiary of Canadian merchant bank Solar Bancorp Inc. and India-based multinational HHV.

While there were other places with the “capability and capacity” to host a high-tech manufacturing facility, Solar Source president Ross Beatty said Windsor impressed with its “political will” and its persistence.

“Windsor is a wonderful place for us to put our (North American) beachhead,” he said. “It was very attractive that the mayor, the city wanted to turn Windsor into a (renewable energy) hub,” he added.

Francis said Windsor’s message to potential investors has been: “You tell us what you need and we will make it happen.”

As part of the deal to attract Solar Source, Windsor city council, meeting behind closed doors Monday, agreed to spend up to an estimated $4 million to build a 45,000-square-foot facility that will then be leased back to the company. The manufacturing plant will be the first occupant of a new business park being developed on Windsor Airport lands located between the Concession 8 and 9.

In return, Solar Source promises to invest “well in excess of $40 million” in its Windsor launch, with the first solar panels to be coming off the line by the end of the year at an operation expected to employ up to 200 people by next year, according to Beatty. Depending on the renewable energy marketplace, considered on an upswing, he said a Windsor workforce of up to 500 is possible within three years.

“This is going to be a hub,” said Beatty, who predicts other renewable energy companies will now focus on Windsor.

“An industry is being born” in Windsor, said Francis. He promised “other announcements to follow” Solar Source’s decision to set up in Windsor. He described the joint venture’s choice of Windsor as its first North American presence as “very significant, historical.”

The development corporation’s Persichilli said turning the local area into a renewable energy hub is not about reinventing the community but about leveraging two of the area’s traditional strengths — “making things and moving things.”

Beatty said Windsor’s location, with lots of sun — despite the pouring rain during Tuesday’s announcement at Windsor International Airport — and having a skilled workforce at the doorstep of the United States were all factors in deciding to locate here.

One of the people thanked on Tuesday was Rakesh Naidu, the local development corporation’s “director of business attraction” credited with selling the Solar Bancorp Group of Companies on Windsor’s dream of turning itself into Ontario’s renewable energy centre. Beatty, who joked about getting calls at all hours from Naidu, said he was introduced to him 18 months ago when his group went to Queen’s Park, enquiring about startup locations, and Windsor was mentioned as a possibility.

Persichilli said Windsor’s willingness to make the initial investment of a factory location was another key element in Solar Bancorp’s decision.

Francis said options are still being explored on how to fund the promised building, including the municipally owned airport either borrowing money on the market or council “assisting.” He said the lease rate charged to the new company will be “very competitive,” with property taxes on the municipally owned land “part of the lease.”

Beatty, who also heads the umbrella Solar Bancorp Group of Companies, said the focus will be on hiring “local talent” and that his company is already looking at a research and development partnership with the University of Windsor.

HHV managing director Prasanth Sakhamuri, who flew in from corporate headquarters in Bangalore, India, for the announcement, said about 30 per cent of the jobs will be for assemblers, while engineers, technicians, administration and marketing staff will be among the other employees sought. He said salaries and wages will be “competitive.”

Asked when the hiring process starts, Beatty answered by referring queries to the company’s website at www.solar-source.ca.

It will be Ontario’s first solar panel manufacturing facility. Under the province’s Green Energy Act, any investor wanting to tap into Ontario’s lucrative new renewable energy feed-in-tariff program must commit to a 60-per-cent Made In Ontario content level for project services and components.

Sakhamuri said the Windsor facility will boast “world-beating” technology and its products will be targeted to domestic and export markets across North America.

“We’re really excited about being here,” said Sakhamuri.

“Today’s a sunny day,” Beatty said as the rain pelted down outside.

© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star

Ontario Announces 184 Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects

Toronto April 8, 2010 – The Solar Bancorp Group of Companies welcomed the Ontario Power Authority’s announcement of further green-lighted Feed-in-Tariff projects, pointing to the Ontario Government’s commitment to ensuring the province is a global leading solar jurisdiction.

“The Ontario Government continues to support their innovative program to create more than 700 MW of ground mount and roof top solar projects.  This program will see employment energized as construction begins immediately and takes place over the next three years,” said Ross J. Beatty, President of the Solar Bancorp Group of Companies. 

Beatty went on to say:  “This announcement shows the Ontario McGuinty government is committed to being a global leader in terms of renewable energy, recognizing the importance of alternative energy sources for their growing economy.  We also recognize the Ontario Power Authority and its partners for positioning for the future in renewable energy and making it possible today.” 

The Solar Bancorp Group of Companies include:  Solar Bancorp Inc., Solar Source Corp., Solar Source PEI Corp., Solar Source Ontario Corp., Solar Fields Corp., Solar Research Group, and Solar Rooftops Corp.

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Ontario Announces 184 Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects

NEWS RELEASE

TORONTO, April 8, 2010 – More Ontario homes and businesses will soon be powered by green energy with the awarding of contract offers for almost 2,500 megawatts of renewable energy announced today by Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Brad Duguid. These projects, approved under the province’s landmark Feed-in Tariff (FIT), are part of the largest green energy investment of its kind in Canadian history.

These projects are in addition to the 510 renewable energy contract offers totalling 112 megawatts (MW) approved last month.

“These projects are the latest accomplishments of the Green Energy Act which is making Ontario a place of destination for green energy development, manufacturing, and expertise.” said Minister Duguid. “The investments generated by FIT will not only create green jobs, but will also build a coal-free legacy for future generations.”

The 184 projects announced today will generate enough energy to power 600,000 homes. Located in communities across the province, the total 694 Feed-in Tariff (FIT) contract offers announced to date will create 20,000 direct and indirect green jobs and attract about $9 billion in private sector investment, as well as investment in new Ontario-based manufacturing.

“In six short months the Feed-in Tariff program has delivered strong results and has more than exceeded our expectations,” said Ontario Power Authority CEO Colin Andersen.

Enabling community and aboriginal participation in renewable energy development is a key objective of the province’s Green Energy Act. Thirty-six community and aboriginal projects will receive a first round FIT contract. These projects are located in communities throughout the province.

”I’m pleased to see aboriginal and local communities across Ontario as active participants in the green energy movement. Their leadership enhances Ontario’s efforts to establish itself as a North American leader in renewable energy,” said Minister Duguid.

Seventy-six of the approved projects are ground-mounted solar photovoltaic, 47 are on-shore wind and 46 are waterpower projects. There are also seven biogas, two biomass, four landfill gas, one roof top solar and one off-shore wind projects.

Significantly expanding the amount of renewable generation is a key part of the provincial government’s strategy to address climate change by eliminating dirty coal-fired generation by the end of 2014. The FIT program’s mandatory requirements for “made in Ontario” technologies and services also makes renewable generation a key part of the strategy to make the province North America’s leader in green jobs and manufacturing.

Future transmission system expansion will open up capacity to accommodate more renewable projects. Projects that did not receive a first round FIT contract offer will now be put through what is called an Economic Connection Test (ECT) to identify transmission or distribution system expansion projects that support renewable generation and meet economic requirements. The first test will start in August/September. Renewable energy projects enabled by these expansions projects will be eligible for a FIT contract once work begins on the projects.

The Ontario Power Authority is responsible for ensuring a reliable, sustainable supply of electricity for Ontario. Its four key areas of focus are: planning the power system for the long term, leading and co-ordinating conservation initiatives across the province, ensuring development of needed generation resources, and supporting the continued evolution of the electricity sector.

India makes thin film solar cell leap

HHV Solar develops technology, equipment for setting up production facility, inks deal with Canadian firm Seema Singh.

Bangalore: It’s rare that scientists in India develop new technologies and see them reach the marketplace, at least during their active career. The barriers are both cultural and scientific. For A.K. Barua, professor emeritus at the 130-year-old Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in Kolkata, commercialization took long—32 years— but eventually it helped his industry partner HHV Solar Technologies Pvt. Ltd break into the international league where a handful of companies sell turnkey production lines for thin film solar cells.

A.K. Barua (left) with Prasanth Sakhamuri at HHV Solar’s manufacturing facility.

With the setting up of a 10MW demonstration production facility in Dabaspet, 50km from Bangalore, that will become operational in about three weeks, HHV Solar becomes the first Indian company to have developed the technology as well as the equipment for setting up a production facility for thin film solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules. At $12 million (around Rs54.7 crore) for the plant, HHV says it has cut the hardware cost from the prevailing rate for setting up such a unit of about $30 million.  “That’s very competitive. High capital cost is a major factor in the adoption of thin film technology,” said Amol Kotwal, deputy director, energy and power system, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Frost and Sullivan (F&S). Only a few equipment suppliers operate in this space, led by Applied Materials Inc., headquartered in California, and Oerlikon Solar of Swiss industrial group Oerlikon. If domestic users take to HHV’s technology, the competition could get very tough for existing vendors, said Kotwal.

HHV has signed a deal with Solar Source Corp., a Canadian renewable energy holding company, to establish Canada’s first thin film amorphous silicon solar panel manufacturing plant.   “We are in serious negotiations with some Indian companies and intend to close at least four deals very soon,” said Prasanth Sakhamuri, managing director of HHV Solar, a holding company of Hind High Vacuum Co. Pvt. Ltd.   Solar technology is entering the third generation, but first-generation crystalline silicon solar cells dominate the market, accounting for 87.3% of the global 6.3 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic installations, according to F&S estimates for 2009.   Thin solar cells constitute the second generation, where amorphous silicon leads the pack. The latter, though cheaper, lighter and flexible, is less efficient than crystalline cells.  A global race is on to increase the efficiency of thin cells, from the present 6.75-7% to 10% and beyond. From its research stable, supported by the ministry of new and renewable energy, HHV plans to roll out modules with 8% efficiency within a year. Efficiency refers to the rate at which solar power is converted into usable energy.

Thin SPVs are just trickling into India. In February 2009, Moser Baer India Ltd started the first such line of 40MW capacity, set up by Applied Materials Inc.  In October, KSK Surya Photovoltaic Venture signed up Applied Materials for a 150MW capacity thin film line in Hyderabad.  “So far there was no market in India. Companies exported most of their modules. The solar mission has created the critical local demand,” said Madhu Atre, president of Applied Materials India. The feed-in tariff of Rs18.44/kWh under the National Solar Mission (NSM) is a definitive step forward, he adds. The feed-in tariff is a premium, cost-based compensation rate offered to producers of renewable energy.  India’s SPV market had a capacity of 972MW in 2008, which is estimated to increase to 2,575MW in 2015, according to F&S. But this falls short of the NSM target of 20 gigawatts by 2020.

Barua, who is also chairman of research and development in NSM, says the targets are aggressive and difficult to achieve. “But that doesn’t mean we will not work towards it.”  For a long time, India didn’t pay attention to solar technology, Barua said. His own lab, despite being an early starter, faced intermittent funding shortages. Crystalline silicon, with about 15% efficiency, has gained some market share but since temperatures in many parts of the country go very high, thin film is more suitable in those regions, he said. “Beyond a point, a one degree rise in temperature leads to half a percent drop in crystalline cell efficiency.”

At the core of Barua’s team’s work lies the “plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition” technology, which is a method of depositing silicon on glass to turn it into an electricity-generating module. “It’s a proud moment for us to have completely indigenized the technology development as well as the equipment,” said C.S. Solanki, professor of energy science and engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. He says it comes at the right time as this is the focus of the NSM. However, “unless the cost difference (between crystalline and thin film) is substantial, say $1 per watt, thin film adoption will be low,” he cautioned.  The actual cost-benefit ratio, Sakhamuri said, is not efficiency dependent. “Thin film is 35% cheaper than crystalline. For a given 100W module, thin cells produce more power than crystalline as they react to a wider spectrum of sunlight.”  The sleek shop floor, designed by the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, has been built to attract customers, said Sakhamuri. It’s working—from rice mill owners to jewellery exporters, everyone seems to be interested in solar power now, he said.