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management system. ADB said in a release.
The owner and operator of the microgrid, ADB to provide $346mn loan “Effective metering, billing and usage-
Epic Energy, will provide over 70% of the based tariffs for customers served by HVDS
store’s electricity consumption. for power supply project in network will set the stage for investments
The installation of the eleXsys technology in energy efficient pumps, drip irrigation
solution will enable the surplus stored clean rural Maharashtra and could support improvements in subsidy
energy to be traded into the South Australian management,” said Konishi.
network when demand is at its highest. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ADB will support awareness raising efforts
As part of the project, EV chargers will the Government of India on Monday signed on the benefits of HVDS compared to the
be erected on site for customers, co-workers a $346 million loan pact to help provide traditional electricity distribution network as
and the IKEA delivery fleet servicing South efficient and reliable power supply to rural well as efficient use of electricity and water.
Australia. agriculture customers in Maharashtra. Improved awareness will help expand
The second stage of the project will include The signatories to the loan agreement the HVDS network to cover agricultural
the construction of sustainably sourced for the Maharashtra Rural High Voltage customers beyond 2022 and mobilise
timber PV shade structures across the IKEA Distribution System (HVDS) Expansion commercial financing.
Adelaide car park. These structures will host Program were Sameer Kumar Khare, The loan will be under ADB’s results-
additional solar panels which will increase the Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and based lending (RBL) modality, where fund
amount of surplus energy to be sold into the ADB), Department of Economic Affairs in disbursements are linked to the achievement
grid while continuing to power the site. This the Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the of agreed program results rather than to
stage will generate a further 30% the store’s Government of India, and Takeo Konishi, upfront expenditures, as is the case with
energy needs, resulting in IKEA Adelaide Country Director of ADB’s India Resident traditional investment lending.
becoming 100% powered by onsite renewable Mission. “This first ADB-financed RBL program
generation. The program aims to provide efficient and in South Asia’s energy sector will help in the
Following these stages, IKEA and its reliable power to agricultural customers in early construction and installation of metered
partners will move to investigate the viability Maharashtra’s rural areas through adoption HVDS through the installation of about
of hydrogen energy being generated on site. of HVDS that will help reduce distribution 46,800 kilometers of grid extension lines,
Based on the success of the project, in the losses, and improve agricultural productivity construction and upgrading of distribution
future there is also the possibility for IKEA to and farmer incomes, Khare said after signing substations,” the release said.
transform itself into an energy provider that the loan agreement. The program will also build institutional
can create and sell clean, renewable energy to “The demand-driven program supports capacity of the Maharashtra State Electricity
the energy network. capacity building and awareness raising on Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL)
HVDS and will also establish a complaint on HVDS.
redressal mechanism for rural consumers,” he
added.
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION The program will be implemented until
March 2022, by which time about 1.50,000
metered HVDS connections are expected, the

Week 42 21•October•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P13