Solar Thermal Federation of India launched

The aim of the solar thermal association is to expand solar water heating, but also promote applications beyond that.

The solar thermal association will be headquartered in Delhi comprising. K Subramanya, CEO, TATA-BP Solar will be the Chairman. Hemant Revankar, Managing Director, Bipin Engineers, will be the Vice-Chairman and Jaideep Malaviya, an industry veteran will steer the solar thermal federation as its full time president.

The solar thermal federation came into existence following the recently unveiled Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission which has set a target of 20 million m2 by the year 2022.

Subramanya says: “India receives the second highest solar radiation (annually 1800 hrs) after California in USA which makes it apt for near universal usage of solar water heating application pan India.

“The National solar mission is a step towards ensuring that and most of us in the industry felt the time is ripe for some concerted action to expand the solar water heating space besides exploring applications beyond water heating as well. Having a voice and a platform is crucial to leverage this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Policy and finance

Top on the agenda of STFI is evolving an appropriate policy framework and user-friendly financing mechanism to make this target realisable by working in close coordination with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Power and Ministry of Urban Development in India.

Another important focus would be to enhance the competitiveness of the Indian solar thermal industry through continuous investment in R&D besides market awareness and development.

Training and certification

The solar thermal federation aims to develop a pool of proficient in installation and maintenance personnel through a launch of a common industry-accepted certification programme on a pan-India basis.