— Dr Horst J. Kayser, CEO,
AEG Power Solutions BV
AEG Power Solutions, a leading manufacturer of power electronic
systems for industrial power supplies and renewable energy, has
been in India since 2006. Furthering its commitment to the
subcontinent, AEG PS recently inaugurated a modern power
electronics factory in Bengaluru. In an exclusive interaction,
Dr Horst J. Kayser tells
Venugopal Pillai on how AEG PS through
its products and solutions plans to support India's solar power
ambitions. Kayser is also upbeat on his company's offerings to
India's future key areas like LED lighting and Smart Grid.
AEG PS has been in India since 2006. Tell us brief about your
offerings for India in the renewable energy sector and how the
India story been so far.
AEG PS has been existence in India since 2006 under the name
of Harmer & Simmons catering to the telecom market. The
telecom market was in a growth mode and an AWT facility was
put up in Bangalore to support sales and service activities for
the telecom market. Although a renewable energy market was
existing for quite some time, the real push through National
Solar Mission took off only last year and now we see a big
potential for renewable energy power plants and more so in the
Solar PV power plants.
Please elaborate on the recently-inaugurated Bangalore power
electronics factory. How do you see the new facility furthering
AEG PS's presence in India?
Based on the big potential and ambitions from National Solar
Mission, it was very critical to show our commitment to Indian
market and so we have started our Bangalore facility with a
space of about 80,000 sqft of space and capable of annual
production of 400 mw of solar inverters. Right now the plant is
capable of manufacturing both PV 250 and PV 500 apart from the
other products that are being manufactured. The manufacturing
facilities presence in India will also boost its opportunities to
cater for other products such as UPS to support other sectors.
What is your view in India's solar power ambitions, which
envisages 20 GW of capacity by 2020 under the National Solar
Mission? What challenges do you foresee?
The Indian government has already announced its ambitious
forecast to meet 20GW by 2020 under the National Solar
Mission policy. However we have seen the challenges as this
year the installed capacity will be far below the expectation and
the reasons could be attributed to financial closures which have
delayed the starting of the project though the deadline was
already fixed. Few developers who have started well at the beginning of the year are able to complete the projects. As such
planning and financial closures will be key challenges to
completion of projects as per schedule.
Tell us in brief about the product and service portfolio of AEG's
Energy Efficiency Services (EES) line of business. Are these
products available in India?
There is a large product range around industrial UPS and
telecom power supplies. And yes, in the future these products
will be also produced in the new factory.
What is your view on capital costs of setting up solar power
plants, which we understand are on a declining trend? Do you
feel that new technologies could lower these costs further?
Technological progress and strong international competition
along the entire solar value chain drive down cost of solar
installations continuously. Other than only one or two years ago
today it is assumed that PV solar will reach grid parity in many
markets around the world as of 2013, which will again drive
growth and further cost reductions.
Some analysts feel that the global solar power equipment and
services is slowly moving away from Europe and finding itself in
developing countries like India.
Western Europe was certainly a front runner in developing solar
power and a solar and renewables industry. But this market is
currently globalizing fast with many countries supporting PV
solar installations and like in e.g. wind power as well with many
successful companies from fast developing countries like India
as well.
"Smart Grid" and LED lighting are emerging forces in India's
quest to improve energy efficiency. How do you think AEG PS
could contribute to these measures?
AEG PS is clearly a potential winner in the race to smarter grids!
With AEG PSs strong heritage in industrial power electronics
and our experience in renewables we are well positioned to
benefit from smart grid demand.
We provide industrial smart micro grid solutions and smart
hybrid energy management solutions for mobile telephony base
stations under the brand name of ECOpx.
We are supporting the development of storage solutions for
renewables may it be based on batteries or on advanced power
to gas applications e.g. by providing high efficiency power
supplies for hydrogen production with electrolysis. We are also
providing intelligent power supplies for LED lighting solutions
and power controllers for the crystal growth process of saphire
needed for LEDs.
With respect to the Renewable Energy division of AEG PS, which
countries currently drive AEG PS's global business? In the
coming years, how important does India look to you?
India is one of our key focus markets for growth. That's why we
have built our factory here as well. Of course we are present in
Western Europe, developed a strong presence in Eastern
Europe as well and now look also to other markets like China,
southern Africa, the Middle East and North America. But again:
India currently has our strongest attention and focus!