How our experience of working on solar PV rooftops helped us transition seamlessly into the EV business: 

For the last 14 years, we have been working with MSMEs/industrial customers on solar power rooftops. During this time, we visited more than 16000 customers from the C & I (commercial & industrial) sector and converted a large number of them into regular customers. After 5 years of implementing the policy of FREE AFTER-SALE SERVICES, we were able to serve 111 customers in 52 cities in 12 states, and generate 35+ MW of power. This policy of offering free after-sale service turned out to be a fruitful decision as not only did it bring us immense success, but it also increased our confidence, boosted morale, and prepared us to face the several bigger challenges that were yet to come.

After gaining more than a decade’s experience in establishing and expanding a business, we were armed with several key skills, such as creating sales leads and converting them into business. We also gained experience in consulting, facilitating, arranging, designing, sourcing solar products of international repute (BOS), cabling, erecting, testing and commissioning (I & C), operation & maintenance (O & M), and providing after-sale services, among various others. This experience proved to be of immense help as we ventured into the EV business.

We are an authorized channel partner and VAR (value-added reseller) of M/S TATA POWER SOLAR SYSTEMS LIMITED (TPS). In December 2019, we started providing backend infrastructure to support EV charging for residential customers. We carry out various tasks such as site surveying, designing, civil work, cabling, erection, testing & commissioning (I & C), supplying, packing, forwarding and transporting the electrical equipment as per BOQ installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station hardware (supplied by Tata Power). It also includes energising the charger, interacting with customers for sign-off on estimation, obtaining a NOC from the concerned housing society, applying for a meter, and seeking approval from DISCOMs for load enhancement.

Government Guidelines, Standards, and other Regulations for the EV sector:

On 14/12/2018, the Ministry of Power came up with guidelines and standards for the charging infrastructure for EVs and revised them on 01/10/2019. Mentioned below are some of the important guidelines issued by the ministry.

• Private charging at residences/offices should be permitted and DISCOMs may facilitate the same.
• The flexibility to choose the number and models of chargers as per the market requirements.
• PCS or chains of PCS can take power for charging through open access.
• For PCS, the tariff will be determined by the appropriate commission per the tariff policy issued under section 3 of the Electricity Act 2003. HERC & DERC will fix the tariff for PCS.
• Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) shall be accredited by NABL.
• Public charging stations (PCS) will require tie-ups with online network service providers (NSRs) to enable remote/online booking of charging slots.
• Captive charging for internal usage for personal/lease fleet having a tie-up with at least one NSR shall be permitted to meet their 100% requirement and DISCOMs may facilitate the same.
• PCS in housing societies, malls, office complexes, restaurants, hotels, petrol pumps, and other places should be permitted to charge vehicles on their premises.
• Fact Charging Stations (FCS), which are PCS for long-range EVs and heavy-duty EVs (like trucks, buses, etc), will have at least two chargers of a minimum of 100 kW (200v -750v or higher).
• At least one charging station on a grid of 3 Km x 3 Km in the cities.
• One charging station every 25 Km on both sides of the highways.
• One charging station every 25 Km on both sides of the highways.
• For intercity travel by EVs and heavy-duty EVs like e-buses and e-trucks, a fast-charging station will be installed every 100 km on each side of the road, in addition to the PCS mentioned above.
• State/UT governments to perform land identification and provide CLU for PCS.
• DISCOMs may facilitate the same as per given density/distance parameters.

Challenges faced while entering the EV sector in India

The revised guidelines announced by the Ministry of Power have been welcomed by all stakeholders in the EV sector in India. The introduced changes will increase the impact of PCS on increasing profitability and improving the EV infrastructure in India.

As this sector is fairly new, we can predict many hurdles that any new player will be faced with as they enter into the development of EV Public Charging Stations (PCS), or Fact Charging Stations (FCS), or Network Services Provider (NSR), or any other lucrative activities such as:

• Electric Vehicle Demand
• Development of infrastructure for the accessible charging of EV
• Developing/choosing the hardware for turbo/fast/moderate/slow charging for PCS to cater to high charging demand while adopting the standards set by DST/BIS (yet to be notified).
• Compliance with CEA safety standards for two/three/four wheelers and heavy vehicles for PCS.
• Compliance with PCS guidelines (yet to be announced by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) as CNA regulator and SNA from states.
• EV station management, remote monitoring, invoicing, accounting, management of charging hardware and software, management of an online system for EV chargers, and booking of time slots for charging.
• Ensuring that DISCOMs provide electricity connections and transformers on time.
• Land and CLU issues.
• Local issues such as obtaining approval from the state government.
• The flexibility of choosing & availability of models of chargers for PCS
• EVCS spare parts and service.
• EVCS repairs and replacements.
• Grid tariff policy
• Grid availability & capacity
• Ensuring the supply of uninterrupted electricity, quality, consistency, and reliability, followed by through scrutinizing and optimisation.
• Battery availability, cost, second use, recycling.
• The intensity of EV battery waste and its impact on the environment.
• Introduction of new policies, incentives, subsidies, and regulations for the EV sector.

V-Stare®

Our plans for EV

At present, the estimated demand for electricity in India roughly falls between 250 GWh and 300 GWh. To this, solar PV will add approximately 100 GWh. Out of this, 40 GWh will be added by solar PV rooftops by the year 2022.

When that happens, the EV sector in India will fall by anywhere between 1.5 to 2.5 lakhs by the year 2030. At the same time, the electricity demand in India will fall between 350GWh and 400GWh, and EVs will likely consume 3% to 4% of the total electricity. This indicates that by 2030, the EV sector in India will achieve anywhere between 12GWh and 14GWh. Of this, 70% will belong to the C & I (commercial & industrial) sector and 30% will belong to the residential and other sectors. The 70% share of the C & I sector will amount to nearly 8 to 10 GWh.

We are at the initial stage of finalising our partners for one or more areas of our EV business. The areas are listed hereunder:

Introduction and installation of solar rooftops for PCS or FCS with banking solutions, Net Metering or open grid access.

And/or

Public Charging Station (PCS)

And/or

Fact Charging Stations (FCS)

And/or

Network Services Providers (NSPs)

And/or

R & D work for improved recycling and reusing of EV vehicle batteries.

Details of identified activities for each area are as under:

Installation of the solar rooftop at PCS with 

• • Off-grid banking solutions
  • Interactive grid with net metering
  • Interactive grid for open access

Public Charging Station (PCS): DC or AC

Development of accessible infrastructure for EV charging as fast-charging stations (FCS) up to 50 kW

• • Installation of captive charging PCS for big consumers.
  • Turbo/fast/moderate/slow charging PCS to cater to the demand for multiple charges.
  • PCS for housing societies, malls, office complexes, restaurants, hotels, petrol pumps, etc. within or outside the city limits.

Fact Charging Stations (FCS): Development of accessible charging EV infrastructure up to 100 kW 

• • For long-range EVs and heavy-duty EVs (like trucks, buses, etc) within or outside the city limits.
  • For inter-city travel on highways for heavy-duty EVs like e-cars, e-buses, e-trucks, etc.

Network Services Providers (NSRs)

The S6R® software that has been developed by us is an innovative platform dedicated to empowering the end owners of solar rooftop systems. The idea behind the S6R project was to integrate technology and robotics into solar PV systems to achieve better profitability and sustainability. It allows us to offer the best possible services and solutions to customers. As a result, it goes on to benefit customers in the long run, as it helps them maximize their savings and profits. We plan on investing in developing the solar infrastructure in the NCR so that it can serve the purpose of EV charging after the required optimization.

R & D in Battery Charging Stations for improved recycling and reuse of EV batteries

Two of the most promising business opportunities in EV include PCS with battery charging facilities and the recycling and reusing of batteries. EV batteries have a life span of 8 to 10 years. However, this can be extended to up to 20 to 25 years after proper recycling. Chinese smartphone makers have been successfully recycling smartphone batteries. This has led the battery recycling market in China to experience rapid growth. India can adopt the same approach in the case of EV batteries as this will work in the favour of both customers as well as entrepreneurs.