The New Year 2015 is already here and having been tardy in sending out greetings, I decided to write a blog on the year that went past.
Mid year in 2014, we got a new Government with its new policies and promises for change to meet the hopes and development aspirations of 1.3billion people. Six months later, I ponder over the progress made by Shri Shakti Alternative Energy Ltd (SSAEL) in 2014 and the following thoughts come to mind. We have
- launched R&D activities with an MoU with STA, Spain signed at the Knowledge Expo 2014 in Greater Nodia
- set up an unique rooftop solar system of 22.5KWp with tracking and solar booster mirrors (the performance ratio is over 120%!!)
- came up with innovative proposals/ roadmaps for harnessing solar in Rajasthan and Telangana
- started championing the use of solar charging stations for Electric Vehicles and distributed solar power plants to serve the irrigation needs of farmers using electrical pumpsets in separated agricultural feeders.
- we are euphoric over the changes sweeping the solar industry in India with fivefold increase in targets to 100GW by 2022
- made steady progress on the 100MW solar park in Rajasthan where the new State Government's new policies have resolved many a pending issue
- and we moved into new office premises at Gachibowli at the heart of Hitec City and the Knowledge Hub of Hyderabad !
I was in Manila at ADB's headquarters in June to attend Asia Clean Energy Forum where I presented my journey as a clean energy entrepreneur, thanks to the invitation from CTI PFAN and ADB. I was very impressed with the conference facilities within ADB HQ.
I had a chance to go on a business trip to Spain in October and combined the same with a holiday in Spain and Paris with my wife and kids. In Spain, I saw the world's largest solar thermal research lab – Platforma Solar de Almeria (PSA) and met my long term friend Alberto Albaizar and his wife Toti Martinez, now a celebrated Author with 45 books published. In Paris, I drove in a Pugeot electric car, Twitz Tour, complete with GPS and an audio tour of all the historical monuments.
I visited Israel for the first time in September (luckily the peace treaty was signed just two days before I landed) for business. My hosts were kind enough to organize a whirlwind one day trip which gave me a chance to experience Jerusalem's complex history and also realize my fantasy of floating in the Dead Sea. The security check by El Al Airlines is an experience by itself.
I was saddened with the loss of some dear friends and long time mentors who have influenced me. Bala Kailasam, my roommate at University of Iowa, a film maker and winner of President's Gold Medal for the Best Documentary Film in 1994; Shri UR Ananthamurty, noted Kannada writer and Professor of English and Gyanapith Award Winner and Shri BK Bakhshi, former Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, a scholar and member of SSAEL's Board.
I read some great books in 2014 (on the Kindle that I got from my wife for my Birthday) – 'The Third Industrial Revolution- How Lateral Power is Transforming Energy, the Economy, and the World ' by Jeremy Rifkin;
'The Startup Nation – The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle' by Dan Senor and Saul Singer (with a foreword by Shimon Peres) and
'The Silent Film' by Sharayu Phalke Summanvar which is an amazing biography of Shri Dadasaheb Phalke who single handedly kick started the film Industry in India without any support from the Government or VCs. Both TIR and Startup Nation are a must read for anyone involved in the energy industry whether as an entrepreneur or otherwise. The Silent Film has some bitter truths and realities of the hard life of an entrepreneur who was the frontrunner for Bollywood.
I am really charged up for 2015 which I think would be reckoned soon as the year that will propel renewables forward and start the decline of coal. I am hoping that UNFCCC will broker a climate deal in Paris in 2015. BTW, we launched a new website for the company, please check out www.ssael.co.in with an inbuilt blog and marketing videos for rooftop solar systems and our solar park – Rajasthan Solar Processing Zone.
Best Wishes for the New Year 2015 to you, your family and colleagues at work.
How was your year? What do you expect from 2015? I would like to hear from you.
– Satya
