- 100-MW solar plant in southern India meets required safety and quality standards, supporting one of the world’s fastest growing solar markets
- The project certificate was issued according the world’s – the only, global specification for certifying solar PV projects DNVGL-SE-0078
- Certificate demonstrates the project’s compliance with all relevant safety features
Telangana, India, 23rd August 2018 – DNV GL, issued the world’s first project certificate for photovoltaic (PV) power plants to CLP India’s Veltoor Solar Power Project in Telangana, India. The project is owned by SE solar Ltd (SPV of Suzlon Energy Ltd and CLP India).
The ever-increasing demand for reliable, affordable and low carbon electricity has driven a global upsurge in renewable energy resources.
In 2016, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced the world’s largest renewable energy expansion programme, with the stated aim of reaching 175 GW of green power generation by 2022, including 100 GW of solar power. India is making good progress on these goals, increasing solar capacity by 370% in three years, making solar its fastest growing energy source.
The solar project by CLP India Veltoor in the southern Indian state Telangana is one of the larger solar projects in the country. This 100-MW plant, was developed by SE solar Ltd (SPV of Suzlon Energy Ltd and CLP India) and commissioned in phases starting mid-2017 and supplies energy to the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited.
The certificate confirms all relevant safety features of the solar park and demonstrates the technical compliance of the project with the globally recognized standards. Certification of the Veltoor Solar Power Project was carried out according to the service specification DNVGL‑SE‑0078 Project certification of photovoltaic power plants. This is the world’s first, and currently only, global guideline for certifying solar PV projects.
Certification of a PV power plant project according to the specification implies the overall evaluation of the asset including its design basis, design, grid code compliance, manufacturing process, transport and installation, commissioning and optionally in-service phases. Each of these phases will be closed with a statement of compliance after successful completion. The specification includes detailed description of each phase and is guiding through the certification process.
The Veltoor park highlights the global nature of modern solar projects, employing PV panels from China, solar tracking technology from the USA, and an electrical system from Europe as well as services from numerous local contractors.
“Having been involved with the Veltoor Solar Power Project since its earliest days, we are very happy to award it the first ever PV project certificate and support the fast-growing Indian solar market,” said Fabio Pollicino, Director and Service Line Leader for Project Certification”.
“Thanks to our global presence, we were able to call on colleagues close to and familiar with the project’s key suppliers to ensure alignment. This helped to streamline the whole certification process and enable the high quality that CLP was committed to delivering,” said Kim Mørk, Executive Vice President Renewables Certification at DNV GL.
Paulo Rocha, Chief Operating Officer of CLP India, added: “We are keen to expand our solar portfolio in India with projects that deliver value for our shareholders and our customers. Ensuring the highest quality is key to that strategy, but it is a real challenge in such an international project, especially as there was no global standard for PV parks when we started. We felt project certification was the ideal way to guarantee quality at every stage in the project, and DNV GL was the only certification body that could provide a complete guideline to achieve that.”
About DNV GL
DNV GL is a global quality assurance and risk management company. Driven by our purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, we enable our customers to advance the safety and sustainability of their business. We provide classification, technical assurance, software and independent expert advisory services to the maritime, oil & gas, power and renewables industries. We also provide certification and supply chain services to customers across a wide range of industries. Operating in more than 100 countries, our experts are dedicated to helping customers make the world safer, smarter and greener.
DNV GL in the power and renewables industry
DNV GL delivers world-renowned testing and advisory services to the energy value chain including renewables and energy management. Our expertise spans onshore and offshore wind power, solar, conventional generation, transmission and distribution, smart grids, and sustainable energy use, as well as energy markets and regulations. Our experts support customers around the globe in delivering a safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy supply.
