Fantastic Four

A snapshot of topics covered by Power Today in the last one year.

September 2011
The third anniversary issue began with Retro - a round-up of articles from past [October 2010 to August 2011] issues. The editorial focus was the 'Power List 2011' featuring 50 companies from transmission and distribution (T&D), generation, renewables and engineering. In Generation, Analysis was about a greater private sector share in generation. Interaction was with HD Khunteta, CMD, REC. In T&D, Analysis wrote about how the aggregate net worth of SEBs has been wiped out. In Renewables, Analysis was about solar mission financing, in Report we incorporated the views of Mike Rann, MP and Premiere, South Australia, and Interview was with Tulsi Tanti, CMD, Suzlon. In Engineering, Analysis was about challenges in equipment manufacturing, challenges in solar EPC segment and Spotlight featured PP Gupta, MD, Techno Electric.

October 2011
The cover story was about IT in Power and smart grid implementation. Technology was about convergence of IT and OT in utilities. Analysis was about safeguarding nuclear plant facilities, the concluding part of the IIFL report on SEBs and Energy security: Need for shale gas. Focus was about the switchgears industry. Spotlight featured Rajiv Wahi, Executive Chairman, Vestas India. Process spoke of generation through waste heat recovery and the latest trends in wastewater treatment. Green spoke of the importance of solar cables as a critical component and the biomass segment. Reports were about the India Nuclear Energy Summit 2011 and the Siemens drive technologies division meet.

November 2011
The edit focus was on Power Financing in solar, wind and smart grid segments. Green was about Biomass gasification: Status and trends. Spotlight featured K Subramanya, CEO, Tata BP Solar. Interactions were with Pradhyumna T Venkat, CEO, Energy and Utility Business, Gemini Energy, and Dr Eric P Loewen, President, American Nuclear Society. Policy spoke of how 'Power for all' can be achieved if exemptions continue. In Focus, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Praful Patel unveiled a roadmap to increase the competitiveness of the equipment sector. Analysis provided an insight into failure analysis methods for equipment. Reports included an excerpt from the speech of US PDAS Geoffrey R Pyatt at the Indo-US Nuclear Energy Safety Summit about the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and The Lloyd's Register group conference addressed issues and challenges in supporting India's energy sector. Event covered India Nuclear Energy 2011 where Dr Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman, AEC, said that there is a continuous endeavour to improve on global safety benchmarks.

December 2011
The cover story spoke of how if the distribution segment is unviable to effect recoveries it will end up in losses. Policy spoke of rural electrification and empowering women. In the Analysis segment one article spoke of the importance of independent verification and validation to assure quality at various stages of the project and another about using renovation and modernisation (R&M) to extend the plant's lifespan. Equipment spoke of the role of gensets and inverters in terms of power management while Focus commented on the need to encourage R&D in view of the technology gap in switchgears and control gears. Spotlight featured Manoj Toshniwal, MD, EMC, and Interactions were with Richard Sadler, CEO, Lloyd's Register Group, and Fred Maxik, CTO, Lighting Science Group. Technology was about carbon capture and storage. Event was about the world's first 1,200 kV SF6 circuit breaker while Reports were about Solarcon India 2011, Essar's foray into CFBC boilers and Cablewire 2011.

January 2012
The edit focus was Forecast 2011 about challenges faced by the power sector and the lessons learnt allied with a Report about solar tariffs in future. Technology was about data diodes that offer cyber security. Analysis was about smart metering in terms of the LV network and communication infrastructure in smart grids. Policy was about how solar lanterns have transformed life in rural India. Green featured Sumant Sinha, Chairman and CEO, ReNew Wind Power. Focus was on outdated tests in switchgears and cables. Equipment was about risk management to avoid expensive, unscheduled maintenance measures in plants. Spotlight featured Vijay Karia, CMD, Ravin Cables. Interaction was with Hoshang Subawalla, Business Head, GE Water and Process Technologies. Event covered Intersolar and Reports were about the SKF technical session, the Bloomberg UTV Power Summit 2011 and the ISQA Awards.

February 2012
The edit focus was about the wind energy segment allied with Analysis about off-grid RE solutions and Report was about Indian wind power potential. Focus was about the power backup market. In Equipment we spoke to MV Kotwal, President, (Heavy Engineering) L&T, in Spotlight to Ravi Ulangwar, AVP and head – Power Sector, KBL, and in Interactions to Oskar Von Maltzan, Director, KFW, and Rajiv Mishra, MD, CLP India. Event was about Elecrama 2012 and Reports featured Rudicon 2012, a status sheet about Open Access and service tax exemptions to power projects.

March 2012
The cover story was about hydro policies to accelerate project development. Analysis was about hydro potential and challenges and a T&D status report. Green spoke of harnessing solar energy for pumping purposes. Focus was about boilers, turbines and generators and the lease and rental segment. Spotlight featured Raja Kochar, MD, Eaton Corporation, India. Technology looked at SMPs vs thyristors. Interaction featured Howard Wenger, President, SunPower Corporation. Event was about the second Power Today Round Table. Reports were about the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit and an Essar offshore project..

April 2012
The cover story was about grid evacuation issues with a vox pop incorporating views of the industry. Green spoke of generation versus installed capacity. Spotlight featured Rajesh Jain, Chairman, Emco India. Interaction featured Chris O'Brien, Head of Market Development, Oerlikon Solar. Focus was about testing and measuring instruments and turbines and lubricants. Analysis was about inspection and lifecycle management and metamorphosis of Delhi distribution. Policy spoke of accelerating distribution reforms. Budgetspeak - evident from the title itself. Process was about e-procurement to help discoms maximise efficiency and curtail losses.

May 2012
The cover story was about cogen and biomass. In Interaction we spoke to Gyanesh Pandey, CEO, Husk Power Systems. Policy was a review of the Union Budget. Analysis was about overcoming tech limitations of the past and urban transmission. Focus was about metering in the distribution sector and capacitors. Green was about repowering old wind farms. Spotlight featured PC Pankaj, CMD, NEEPCO. Event about the third PT conference featured comments of all the 32-odd speakers. Report covered the 7th Asia Gas Partnership Summit 2012.

June 2012
The edit focus was Balance of Plant. In Interaction we spoke to Siddharth Mehta, CEO, Essar Power Distribution. Analysis was about future business models and the role of IT. Focus was about transformers and insulators. Spotlight featured Harsh Shah, MD, Pratt and Whitney Power Systems – India. Green spoke of the drop in solar tariffs allied with Reports on solar and wind funding and M&A activity. Event was about a Gamesa press meet. Reports spoke of upgrading of energy standards for ACs and covered the IT conference at Toronto.

July 2012
The cover story was about bridging the coal demand and supply. Analysis was about R&M and life extension. Reports were about cyber security for crucial power networks and imposition of import duty on power equipment. Interaction was with Richard Cotterell, MD, Perkins India. Focus was on conveyors. Analysis was about power tariff reforms and Spotlight featured Anil Sardana, MD, Tata Power. Green was about JNNSM bids. Policy was about the role of power exchanges and Analysis was about SHP capacities and challenges. Reports covered the PowerGrid conference and Industrial Extension Bureau seminar.

August 2012
The cover story was about the opportunities and challenges in smart grids allied with smart metering and funding and M&A activity articles. Spotlight featured PK Ranade, CMD, Advance Metering Technology. Interaction featured Girish Shirodkar, Partner and MD, and Naoki Shimoda, Director, Energy & Environment, Strategic Decisions Group. While one Focus was on Automation, another was about motors. Policy spoke of the need to accelerate distribution reforms. Green contained the concluding part of the SHP article. Event was about our Third Power Today Round Table. Report was about solar funding and M&A activity.