Sunrise CSP India Pvt. Ltd., founded by Deepak Gadhia and Pranav Gadhia in 2018, stands at the forefront of solar concentrator technology in India. The company was established to introduce the “BIGDISH” Solar Concentrator, developed by Sunrise CSP Australia in collaboration with the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, to the Indian market.
Deepak Gadhia, the Chairman of Sunrise CSP India, and Pranav Gadhia, the CEO, have been trailblazers in the solar concentrator field. Their pioneering efforts through their earlier venture, “Gadhia Solar Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd.”, brought the SK 14 Parabolic Concentrator and Scheffler Concentrator to India. These technologies enabled the creation of some of the world’s largest solar thermal systems for cooking, heating, and cooling.
Among their notable achievements are:
- The world’s largest solar steam cooking system at the Shirdi Temple, capable of preparing 50,000 meals per day.
- India’s first and largest solar air- conditioning system, boasting 100 Ton Refrigeration (100 TR=350 KW) capacity, to cool a 160-bed Cancer hospital run by the NGO Muni Seva Ashram.
Additionally, they manufactured and supplied India’s first solar steam generating system to Tapi Food Ltd in Surat for food processing.
To showcase the feasibility and effectiveness of the BIGDISH technology in India, Sunrise CSP India, with technology transfer assistance from the Australian team of Sunrise CSP Australia, constructed the world’s first and largest commercial BIGDISH installation at the Muni Seva Ashram.
This installation provides steam for the Cancer Hospital’s laundry, cooking, sterilization processes, and hot water supply, serving as a testament to the practical application and potential of solar concentrator technology in India.
Through their innovative projects and strategic partnerships and collaborative approach with Sunrise CSP Australia and Australian National University, Deepak and Pranav Gadhia and Team Sunrise CSP India continue to lead the way in harnessing solar energy for sustainable development, making significant contributions to the renewable energy landscape in India.
Paving The Way for a Cleaner, Brighter Tomorrow
Sunrise CSP India is leading the charge in solar thermal innovation with its groundbreaking BIGDISH Concentrator, the world’s largest and most efficient solar concentrator. This marvel of engineering is the culmination of over 40 years of dedicated research and development. It began with ANU building a modest 20 m2 concentrator, then expanded to 400 m2, and now stands as the formidable 500 m2 BIGDISH. The BIGDISH Concentrator promises to be a game changer in the realm of solar thermal energy.
Its design is both ingenious and practical, occupying a smaller footprint while delivering unparalleled efficiency.
This powerhouse of a device can generate steam at extraordinary temperatures and pressures, reaching up to 160 bar and 600 degrees Celsius. Such capabilities not only make it ideal for powering steam turbines but also position it as a cornerstone for sustainable industrial processes. Imagine a future where industries no longer rely on traditional, polluting fuels.
The BIGDISH can turn this vision into reality.
It has the versatility to produce steam, thermic fluid, or pressurized hot water, replacing conventional fuels like coal, diesel, High-Speed Diesel (HSD), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and Piped Natural Gas (PNG).
This transition to clean energy will not only slash fuel costs but also dramatically reduce carbon emissions, making a significant impact on both corporate sustainability goals and national carbon reduction targets. The BIGDISH Concentrator isn’t just a technological innovation; it’s a beacon of hope for industries striving to decarbonize.
One notable example of this spirit in action is the development of the BIGDISH Solution. A significant challenge in this project was transporting the massive 25-meter diameter BIGDISH.
The innovative solution Sunrise CSP Australia and ANU had devised was the “Factory in the Field” (FIF) concept.
Instead of transporting the BIGDISH in Semi Knocked Down (SKD) or Completely Knocked Down (CKD) conditions, they created a mobile, containerized factory that could be dispatched directly to the site. Raw materials, such as steel rolls and pipes, are sent to the site, where the entire structure is manufactured using local labour.
This approach not only reduces transport costs but also generates local employment, exemplifying the team’s commitment to practical, community- benefiting solutions. The FIF concept highlights Sunrise CSP’s dedication to overcoming challenges through creativity and resourcefulness, ensuring the company’s growth and success.
Milestones of Sunrise CSP’s Journey in India
Since deciding to bring its technology to India, Sunrise CSP has achieved several major milestones:
Formation of Sunrise CSP India (2018) as Subsidiary of Sunrise CSP International. The establishment of the Indian branch marked the beginning of Sunrise CSP’s journey in India, laying the foundation for future developments and local operations.
Raising Funding for BIGDISH: Successfully secured seed funding from investors in USA to build the world’s first BIGDISH in India, demonstrating investor confidence and commitment to advancing solar technology in the region.
Successful Technology Transfer: Achieved a comprehensive technology transfer for manufacturing the BIGDISH in India. This included not only the transfer of drawings and designs but also the development of the innovative “Factory in the Field” (FIF) concept and the establishment of a Solar Mirror Panel Manufacturing Unit. All these was done via Zoom as none of the Sunrise CSP Australian team member could travel to India as originally planned due to strict COVID 19 restrictions imposed by Australia.
Approval from Indian Boiler Regulation (IBR) Authorities: Secured approval to manufacture a Solar Boiler, with IBR authorities modifying their regulations to accommodate the unique requirements of a moving boiler. This approval was a significant regulatory milestone, enabling the deployment of their advanced solar technology in compliance with local standards.
The Pathway to Entrepreneurial Success
As a business visionary, Deepak advises aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the industry to embody the “4 P’s” for success:
Passion: A deep-seated enthusiasm and dedication to the industry, driving continuous innovation and commitment to the business.
Perseverance: The resilience to overcome challenges and setbacks, maintaining focus and determination to achieve long-term goals.
Professionalism: Upholding high standards of integrity, reliability, and ethical behavior in all business dealings and operations.
Purpose: A clear and meaningful mission that guides the business, providing direction and motivation for all actions and decisions.
Sunrise CSP is known for bringing disruptive technologies to India BIGDISH technology has recently garnered recognition as a preferred partner in the industry.
As a testament to this, the Sunrise CSP India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Engineers India Limited (EIL), a leading public sector company.
According to the MOU, for all projects exceeding Rs 30 Crores, Sunrise CSP will provide its BIGDISH technology, while Public Sector Navratna Company “Engineers India Limited” (EIL) will handle the Balance of Plant (BOP) aspects.
Together, they aim to offer comprehensive solutions encompassing heating, cooling, and power generation. The difference between present prevalent Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) System and Solar Concentrator is that Solar PV generates electricity from sunlight whereas the Solar Concentrators generate heat in form of high pressure steam of hot thermic fluid. The efficiency of conversion of Sunlight to Electricity in PV is around 20 % efficiency but in large MW/ GW scale Solar Power Plants the Sunlight to Electric Conversion Efficiency with Solar Steam can be around 40 %. And if the Solar Power Plant is in area where the steam coming out of turbine can be used for heating and or cooling than the efficiency can be around 90 %. It’s called Co-generation and Tri-Generation Plants.
This strategic partnership highlights Sunrise CSP’s commitment to leveraging its innovative technology in collaboration with established industry players like EIL, thereby enhancing their capabilities to deliver integrated and impactful solutions to their clients.
Having successfully demonstrated that the world’s first BIGDISH which is the largest Solar Concentrator in the world and the world’s most efficient Sunrise CSP is now gearing to supply the system to help Indian Industry decarbonize.
Nearly 50-60 % of the energy in world is used by industry for heating and industries are under pressure not just to reduce their fuel consumption to be cost competitive but are increasingly under pressure by government to reduce their carbon footprint to combat global warming and climate change. Meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and ESG (Environmental Sustainable Governance) demands by buyers are also forcing them to Go Green. Thus BIGDISH offers them a perfect solution to provide them Green Steam saving the fuel like coal, diesel, CNG used in their boiler. Even if Industries were to use the Steam generated by Solar Energy during 7-8 hrs sunshine hours daily and with average 300 days of Sunshine days in India it would still lead to reduction of around 20 % of their present fuel consumptions saving the industries not just money but helping them to reduce their carbon emissions.
Sunrise CSP India is already negotiating with Industries and soon setting up many systems and literally “Sky is the Limit” and its really Sunny days of Solar Sector not just in India but world over and Sunrise CSP India is poised to find its place under the Sun.
When Sunrise CSP in India was established it was looking forward to grow organically starting with single and multiple BIGDISH Project to provide Heating and Cooling Solutions for Industry but has been forced to change track and grow faster.
Due to realization by Governments world over that that Solar Thermal Storage via Molten Salt can offer more cost effective and sustainable solutions that present thermo-chemical electrical batteries like Lithium ion batteries etc there has been renewed interest in establishing Concentrating Solar Power Plants (CSP). Storage of power for longer duration in Molten Salt compared to Electrical batteries would be lot cheaper and also it would not pose the challenge of shortage of raw materials needed to manufacture electrical batteries and also molten salt do not face the challenge of “life” and “disposal”.
Looking at global trends National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in India has come out with Expression of Interest (EOI) for a 50 MW Solar Power Plant with Storage and “ Solar Corporation of India “ (SECI), a arm of Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), set up to fulfil National Solar Mission (NSM) has declared that by the end of year 2024 or beginning of the year 2025 it will come out with tender for 500 MW Solar Thermal Power Plant with Storage.
This means instead of manufacturing 100’s of BIGDISHES Sunrise CSP has to gear to manufacture, supply and install 1000’s and 10,000’s of BIGDISHES and that too not just in India but world over!!!.
India is well positioned to again play a very important role in the world just like Information Technology gave India a push these time it could be Renewable Energy that propels India to new heights. Sunrise CSP India is subsidiary of Sunrise CSP International and holding Company and thus with Sunrise CSP International based in Europe, Sunrise CSP Australia with Australian National University on its side and Sunrise CSP India with talented young Engineering pool available in India is perfect mixture to take it globally where India will not just manufacture and supply but also where its Engineering capabilities will be offered and also serve as application development centre.
Sunrise CSP India is already negotiating with several Industries and soon setting up many systems in India. It has also submitted its bid for the NTPC “EOI” along with a strong consortium and thus literally “Sky is the Limit”.
It’s Sunny days for Solar Sector not just in India but world over and Sunrise CSP India is poised to find its place under the Sun.
