— Pradhyumna T. Venkat, CEO, Enterprise Applications
& Energy Services, Gemini Communication Ltd
The energy and utilities division of Gemini Communication Ltd
provides end-to-end services to power, water and gas utilities.
Gemini has also begun energizing telecom towers through
solar-based solutions.
Pradhyumna T. Venkat gives an overview
of Gemini's activities and outlines the key growth areas for the
future. In India's power sector, he strongly feels that Smart Grid
would be the next wave of focus and investment. An interview by
Venugopal Pillai.
At the outset, please summarize the various services offered
by Gemini to power utilities for achieving distribution
automation.
We design, build, install, maintain, operate and manage
distribution network and systems of utility providers in the
power, water and gas segments. Our services include
intelligent metering systems, billing and pre/post-paid
systems along with relevant back-end IT infrastructure.
To what extent can power distribution automation help reduce
commercial losses of power distribution utilities?
With the ongoing implementation of R-APDRP by the various
utilities, the AT&C losses have decreased considerably. By
implementing a complete distribution automation solution, it is
possible to stop manipulation of meter, reduce unaccounted
supply, have accurate meter reading, abolish fraud and
decrease service expenditure.
Tell us more on the automatic metering reading (AMR) systems
developed by Gemini.
Gemini offers a complete smart metering and billing system
that manages all processes related to actual flow of utilities -
from production, distribution and retail to consumption by the
end-user. Metering data is gathered automatically in regular
intervals and updated to the back-end server in real-time. The
solution is packed with highest quality and reliability standards
and has been made flexible and adaptable for different
conditions and most importantly is affordable.
It is said that Smart Grid is 30 per cent energy and 70 per cent
IT & Communications. What is your view and how do you rate
upcoming business opportunities from the Indian Smart Grid
endeavour?
The Smart Grid incorporates and integrates information &
communication technologies into power transmission &
distribution networks thereby making the network intelligent,
efficient and reliable. The next wave of focus and investment in
the power sector will be in building Smart Grids and the power
ministry has already announced that about Rs.500 crore will be
invested immediately for undertaking about 8 pilots for Smart
Grids. There is going to be a tremendous opportunity in the next
3-5 years for IT System Integrators and Solution Providers for
designing, building and managing Smart Grids in India.
We understand that Gemini provides alternative solutions to
energizing telecom towers. Please elaborate on the technology
and the business potential.
There are currently about 100,000 telecom towers in the
country that do not have grid-connected power supply and are,
thus, dependent on diesel generators. Gemini intends to focus
on providing off-grid solar power solutions for this segment.
In this direction, Telesolar Solutions Pvt Ltd has signed a
power purchase agreement with a leading telecom operator.
Telesolar Solutions will set up 1,000 solar energy systems for
the operator, supplying power to its telecom sites for a fixed
monthly charge and manage them for 10 years.
So far, it is commissioning these systems for about 20
tower sites in the Bihar telecom circle. It intends to cover 500
by September 2012 and 1,000 by March 2013. Gemini has
selected outdoor, non-AC sites, as the power consumption by
AC sites is much higher. Given that these sites run 24x7 on
diesel-based power, the savings so far have been substantial.
The company has been able to achieve 35-40 per cent savings
in the monthly operational expenditure of the telecom
operator at the installed sites. It has been successful in
showcasing the benefits on the ground and Telesolar
Solutions is in the process of signing a similar contract with
another large telecom operator.
Tariffs under JNNSM are drastically falling, as seen in recent
rounds of bidding. What is your view on the possibility of solar
generation achieving parity with grid power?
The JNNSM predicted that solar energy will achieve grid-parity
by 2022, but looking at the recent developments in the bidding
process resulting in tariff going down considerably, we could
see grid parity in the next 4-5 years itself.
Please summarize Gemini's future plans in the two broad areas
of power distribution automation and renewable energy.
We are today an emerging leader in the energy services segment,
with technology, innovation and affordability as key differentiators
for the solution offered, servicing the Indian market. We are
aspiring to become the dominant cross-sector international "clean
and green" energy technology and solution provider.