International Conference Explores Solar Thermal Technologies for India’s Renewable Energy Transition

New Delhi: The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) jointly organized a two-day International Conference on Solar Thermal Technologies in New Delhi from February 12 to 13, 2024. The conference aimed to deliberate on the integration of Solar Thermal and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) storage with renewable technologies, exploring their potential in the Indian context.

The inauguration on February 12, 2024, was graced by the presence of Secretary of New & Renewable Energy, Shri Bhupinder Singh Bhalla; Managing Director of SECI, Shri R P Gupta; and Director General of NSEFI, Shri Deepak Gupta. Secretary Bhupinder Singh Bhalla highlighted India’s substantial progress in solar PV growth and ambitious targets, emphasizing the necessity of exploring new technologies like Solar Thermal and Concentrated Solar Power for reliable and emission-free energy generation. He expressed optimism that the conference would pave the way forward for CSP in India.

SECI CMD Shri R P Gupta emphasized the global emergence of Solar Thermal Technology and Concentrated Solar Power with storage as promising solutions, aligning with India’s ambitious energy targets. Director General, NSEFI, Shri Deepak Gupta advocated for exploring CSP to accelerate the nation’s energy transition, considering it a potential starting point for a Solar Thermal revolution.

On the first day of the conference, international experts and industry representatives shared their experiences and outlined India’s potential in these areas. Industry representatives and speakers from Belgium, Israel, Spain, and Germany presented global case studies and discussed the financial viability of such projects in their respective countries.

Speakers highlighted that solar thermal is emerging as a promising solution, offering substantial advantages for long-duration energy storage. Solar thermal has the capability to support India’s Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) requirements, including round-the-clock power supply to meet diverse consumer demands.

A special session addressed by speakers from SECI unveiled the broad features of the proposed tender for the supply of FDRE through blending CSP with other renewable energy technologies.

The second day of the conference features speakers from academia, research institutions, financial institutions, and industry representatives from across the globe, further exploring the potential of Solar Thermal Technologies and Concentrated Solar Power in shaping India’s renewable energy landscape. The discussions aim to contribute to the ongoing efforts in India’s energy transition, promoting reliable and sustainable sources of power.