Monday, November 18, 2013: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has shared data on the capacity utilization factors (CUFs) of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants commissioned under the India’s National Solar Mission (NSM) for September 2013.
According to a Solar Server report, plants that were commissioned under Phase 1, Batch 1 and Phase 1, Batch 2 of the NSM, which also include the solar plants that were included in Phase 1 via Migration Scheme, reported CUFs of 19–26 per cent. This is an increase from the CUFs reported in July 2013, during the peak of monsoon season. The body, however, did not share data for August 2013.
The only exceptions were the newly commissioned 20 MW PV plant in Maharashtra, which recorded 10.4 per cent CUF, and two 5 MW PV plants in Rajasthan with 12.7 per cent and a 13.3 per cent CUF. The latter are both a part of the Migration Scheme.
The data also throws light on a 5 MW PV plant in Rajasthan that is doing exceptionally well with 38.9 per cent CUF. No explanation is available on these outliers though. Also, Phase 1 Batch 2 plants have recorded higher CUFs.
The plants that were commissioned through the Rooftop PV and Small Solar Power Generation Program (RPSSGP) recorded much lower CUFs of 7.5–21 per cent. And PV plants under Phase 1 Batch 2 performed comparatively better than Phase 1 Batch 1 or Migration Scheme plants.
