"An exciting country with enormous demand for energy" – Impressions from Intersolar India

In an Interview Aaron talks about his experiences in India

The Intersolar India trade fair was held in Mumbai from December 14 to 16, 2011. The fair was an important event for the fledgling Indian PV market. Aaron Gerdemann represented our company there along with a number other employees from India and Germany. We interviewed him about his trip.

What makes the Indian PV market so special?

Aaron Gerdemann:Indiais an exciting, up-and-coming market. The economy there is booming and the demand for energy is enormous. The Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission is aiming to create a total of 20 gigawatts of grid-tied capacity and two gigawatts of off-grid capacity by 2022.

Since fall 2010, SMA has been present in the Indian metropolis of Mumbai with its own sales and service company. From there, our colleagues are supporting various PV plant projects, including several large-scale ones.

What role can solar companies play in the Indian PV market?

Aaron: The market inIndiais just establishing itself, and experienced solar companies are playing an important role in providing the foundations for subsequent growth, i.e. by providing local partners with technical qualifications and aiding market development. A lot of the discussions which took place at the trade fair centered on our project experience and range of services, and the possibility of us providing our infrastructure to build a large PV plant. These areas are particularly important for international partners.

What was your brief for Mumbai?

Aaron: At the conference which ran parallel to the trade fair, I gave a speech about extreme environments and also had the chance to hear many other interesting presentations. After the fair, I visited several large PV plant customers at various sites around the country and carried out workshops on power plant solutions and country-specific customer requirements. This also gave me an insight into the difficulties that are caused by the country’s climate. Inverters are exposed to quite unique conditions such as sandstorms, extreme heat or monsoon rains.

Did you also have the opportunity to experience India on a personal level?

Aaron: It was my second trip there andIndiais now well on the way to becoming one of my favorite countries in the world. It is of course very loud and hectic, and I wouldn’t recommend visitors to get behind the wheel of a car there, but the people are friendly, good-tempered and open, and the general atmosphere is simply fantastic.