GeoModel Solar, a leading international consultancy company in solar resource and photovoltaic (PV) energy assessment, announced at the 5th Renewable Energy India 2011 Expo in New Delhi last month that it would be launching its flagship online system SolarGIS in India.
The SolarGIS high-resolution solar resource database, interactive maps and PV simulation software “make solar power planning more accurate and cost effective, and thus reduces risk in decision making” says the company.
The authors of SolarGIS are well-known for their previous work on the PVGIS research project, which has played an important role in the fast-growing European solar energy industry in recent years.
Meanwhile, the SolarGIS platform was first launched in Europe, Africa and Middle East in 2010, and also consists of other applications: iMaps, climData, and pvSpot; each focused on different services for the solar industry.
“The use of high-resolution data and tools based on the state-of-art scientific knowledge result in a lower uncertainty of solar electricity calculations in India - a region which is known by its complex climate and geography,” commented the company in a recent statement.
SolarGIS pvPlanner for instance brings a new experience to solar power plant developers as it allows accurate calculation of solar electricity for any location in India. The pvPlanner plays an important role in the selection of the most appropriate places for solar plant construction.
Thanks to an intuitive interface and easy site search via address or geographic coordinates, pvPlanner allows fast comparison of various sites and technology options, and helps to optimise choice of different types of modules, inverters and mounting strategies.
The SolarGIS solar resource database is based on advanced numerical models and geoinformation infrastructure, and has been acknowledged by an independent survey as the best performing solar resource database in the market, claims GeoModel Solar, which also provides expert consultancy and bankable reports for planning, financing, and operation of solar energy systems in Europe, Africa, Asia and Brazil.
Solar buzz
The 5th Renewable Energy India 2011 Expo last month attracted over 14,000 trade visitors and 527 exhibitors from 33 countries. The strongest buzz was seen in the halls dedicated to solar energy, which has received the most aggressive push from the Indian government through the recently launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.
Attracting a huge delegate interest, for instance, the engaging panel discussion on Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission was chaired by Shri Deepak Gupta and moderated by Kuljit Singh, Partner, Ernst & Young.
“The role of solar power in India is undergoing a profound change… The tremendous turnout of over 500 exhibitors reflects the dynamic opportunity that India offers today. With government support through initiatives like Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, India will offer a stable and continuous opportunity for renewable energy players in coming years,” commented Dr. Charlie Gay, President of Applied Solar, Applied Materials, Inc.
Meanwhile Dr. Shi Zhengrong, CEO and Founder of Suntech Power, who has several solar innovations and patents to his credit, said: “We are very excited about India’s goals to power its impressive economic growth through renewable energy. With one in every three people in India lacking access to a reliable power source, we applaud India’s initiative to invest in nature’s most abundant energy supply – the sun”.
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