Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Thursday, 11 May 2017

From ELON to ION



A news report in  Hindustan Times ( 11 May ) reads :


“ Ather Energy plans to clone Tesla’s charging biz model “



Under this plan, Ather Energy ( Bangalore based manufacturer of electric 2 wheelers ), plans to install charging stations at malls, cinemas, offices and business parks




Just like TESLA which has put up ( mostly in USA / Europe ), 5400 Supercharger Stations and 9000 “ Destination Charging Connectors that replicate the convenience of home charging by providing hotels, resorts, and restaurants with Tesla wall connectors “



But Indian Electricity Act says  :  Sorry ! You cannot sell electricity !



So the plan hinges on changes being effected to the Electricity Act 2003 , even as Ather Energy’s letter travels from PMO to DIPP to Department of Heavy Industries to Ministry of Power  !



Under the Act , an individual or a private Institution cannot sell electricity unless one obtains a discom license to distribute power, from a competent State Government Authority



I am confused !



Already now , many homes who have installed “ Reverse Metering “ arrangement for their roof-top solar-panel generated electricity , are “ feeding “ power into the State Grids . May be that is not a “ sale “ but a “ barter “ ?  Without paying GST ?



And already from this month , Tesla has started selling Solar Roof-Top Tiles , for delivery around the World . I have no doubt that millions of Indians will start installing these tiles on their roofs / terraces , because :



·         These will be cheaper than current clay tiles


·         They are more efficient ( in conversion of solar Energy ) than PV solar panels


·         They come with guarantee of “ Infinity Years “


·         They are unbreakable and look much better





Expect these households to “ sell “ their surplus electricity to their neighbours  !



Or get a Auto-Garage to fix these tiles on the roof of their cars to continuously charge their EV car’s Li-ion battery , ( ala ISRO-designed EV ) !



Imagine !  No need for any EV Battery Charging Station !



Those having any doubts ( re Indian ingenuity / innovation ) , should read following news ( Economic Times / 11 May ) , re Mumbai based Start Up, “ ION Energy “ :



“ ION Energy specialises in creating a layer of infrastructure to enable the adoption of electric vehicles in India



It leverages proprietary enhancements to the Lithium ion tech in its energy storage systems ( - ala Tesla’s POWERWALL  ? )



“ We are an energy storage company working on two broad principles ,


·          first is decoupling of energy storage systems from their applications


·          the  other being standardization of design such that energy storage systems can be used across a variety of applications interchangeably  “



said Akhil Aryan , founder of ION Energy .




ION IS LOOKING TO DELIVER A BETTER PRICE PER KILOMETRE , FIVE-SIX TIMES BETTER ACCELERATION , 10-12 TIMES LONGER LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING TIME , COMPARED TO EXISTING OPTIONS






I suspect that Akhil’s vision is to get anyone and everyone , to not only generate Solar Power but to store it and “ sell “ it ( - to anyone and everyone ? )



Why not , when the RAW MATERIAL ( sunlight ) costs ZERO ! And " Manpower Cost " is negligible !




Decoupling “ millions of houses from State Electrical Grid Supply  ?  You bet !



And , let us not forget the praise that Shri Narendra Modiji heaped on illiterate village woman , Noor Jehan of UP , in his “ Man Ki Baat “ ( Nov 2015 )




She put up a small workshop to assemble lanterns which can be re-charged using Solar Power . She rents out these lamps for Rs 100 per month



When the lamp gets dis-charged , villagers brings it to Noor Jehan who re-charges using her solar panel power , for Rs 3-4 !



Is she “ Selling “ electricity ?  It is time for a thorough re-vamp of our Electricity Act



And as for that 90 page , “ National Electric Vehicle Policy “ document which NITI Aayog has prepared in consultation with Rocky Mountain Association and likely to release today or tomorrow , policy recommendations in respect of Vehicle Charging Infrastructure may already be rendered “ Out-dated “ by ELON and ION !


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12  May  2017




  





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