- Evaluation Plan:
- 2013-2017, India
- Evaluation Type:
- Final Project
- Planned End Date:
- 07/2017
- Completion Date:
- 12/2017
- Status:
- Completed
- Management Response:
- Yes
- Evaluation Budget(US $):
- 20,000
Terminal evaluation - Market Development and Promotion of Solar Concentrator based Process Heat Applications in India
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Title | Terminal evaluation - Market Development and Promotion of Solar Concentrator based Process Heat Applications in India | ||||||||||||||
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Atlas Project Number: | 00061446 | ||||||||||||||
Evaluation Plan: | 2013-2017, India | ||||||||||||||
Evaluation Type: | Final Project | ||||||||||||||
Status: | Completed | ||||||||||||||
Completion Date: | 12/2017 | ||||||||||||||
Planned End Date: | 07/2017 | ||||||||||||||
Management Response: | Yes | ||||||||||||||
Focus Area: |
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Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021) |
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Evaluation Budget(US $): | 20,000 | ||||||||||||||
Source of Funding: | Project | ||||||||||||||
Evaluation Expenditure(US $): | 20,000 | ||||||||||||||
Joint Programme: | No | ||||||||||||||
Joint Evaluation: | No | ||||||||||||||
Evaluation Team members: |
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GEF Evaluation: | Yes
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Key Stakeholders: | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) | ||||||||||||||
Countries: | INDIA |
Lessons | |
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Findings | |
1. | Project Design and Formulation The overall design of the India CSH Project is strong. The design process of the CSH Project was benefited by the presence of key personnel from the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE)9 in New Delhi, and an international consultant with a strong background in renewable energy development. NISE has been involved in research and development of solar energy in India for almost 30 years. Tag: Clean Energy Energy National Programme/Project Design Technology |
2. | Risks and Assumptions In the CSH ProDoc, critical assumptions were provided in the PRF which in general provided reasonable assumptions for PMU personnel to monitor during implementation of the Project. Examples of key critical assumptions included: • Timely execution of planned activities with adequate resource mobilization to meet goal-level GHG emission reduction targets; The Project risk log in the CSH ProDoc includes 20 risks (on Annex C on Pg 79 of the ProDoc). These risks are quite strongly linked to the critical assumptions of the PRF; however, similar to the large number of indicators in the PRF, there are too many risks that would need monitoring by the PMU personnel. Current practices in preparing ProDocs recommend that no more than 6 risks be entered Tag: Monitoring and Evaluation Risk Management |
3. | Lessons from Other Relevant Projects Incorporated into CSH Project Design The ProDoc of the CSH Project does list government supported renewable energy support and demonstration programs into its design, including efforts under the JNNSM and implemented by the SEC (or NISE) with the support of MNRE. These were explained in detail under the baseline situation of the CSH Project. There was no listing for any related donor supported projects in CSH promotion or demonstration. With a lack of commercially available CSH applications in India and globally in 2011, India has managed to initiate a market for CSH application for process heat industries, possibly due to the fact that CSH has been embedded in Government of India’s policy for promoting solar and specifically with focus on solar thermal technologies in National Solar Mission of NAPCC. India also had an edge over other countries due to the close working relationships amongst a diverse range of stakeholders from government, CSH suppliers, beneficiary industries and institutions, academia involved with the development of different CSH technologies, and a few foreign experts visiting India on technologies and systems for a variety of medium temperature range thermal process heat applications. Tag: Clean Energy Energy National Technology Value Chain |
4. | Planned Stakeholder Participation The CSH Project identified a wide range of stakeholders from government, industry, research and academic institutions (both national and international) and financial institutions that would be required to work together seamlessly to create the enabling environment for CSH demonstration investments. A full list of CSH stakeholders is provided in the ProDoc on Table 12 on Page 23. Interactions between stakeholders were planned through series of awareness creation workshops, pilot demonstration programmes, capacity building workshops, national and international conferences, state level meetings with state nodal agencies (SNAs), international knowledge sharing tours, participation in bi-monthly planned project executive committee (PEC) meeting and bi-annually planned project advisory committee (PAC) meeting. Tag: National Regional Civic Engagement Programme/Project Design Capacity Building |
5. | Replication Approach As a Project objective, the ProDoc has targeted 32,900 tCO2 emissions reductions by the EOP not only through GEF support of CSH demonstration projects but also through supporting replication projects cumulating to 45,000 m2 of collector area. The ProDoc has also kept a provision to support (in addition to the MNRE support) up to 60 replication projects (apart from 30 demonstration projects), additional support for projects operating in ESCO mode, and support systems requiring repair and rehabilitation (later added during project implementation). Tag: Climate Change Adaptation Emission Reduction Project and Programme management Technology |
6. | UNDP Comparative Advantage As is usually the case with several other UNDP projects, the CSH Project had a distinct advantage compared to projects funded by other donor agencies in terms of its focus on policy-based and crosssectoral approaches as well as creating local capacities through effective collaboration with a wide range of local stakeholders, encompassing public and private sectors in addition to technical experts, civil society and grassroots level organizations. These approaches were strongly applicable to promoting CSH projects on the CSH Project. Given UNDP’s long track record on a wide variety of projects within the energy sector, UNDP was the appropriate agency championing this Project. Tag: UNDP Management |
7. | Linkages between CSH Project and Other Interventions within the Sector Tag: Emission Reduction Clean Energy National Country Government Technology |
8. | Management Arrangements The implementing partner of the CSH Project was the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in accordance with UNDPs National Implementation Modality (now referred to as National Execution or NEX modality). NEX modality tasks MNRE with responsibility for certifying work plans and approved budgets, reporting on procurement, coordinating and tracking co-financing, terms of reference for contractors and tender documentation, and chairing the Project Steering Committee (PSC). The Chair of the PSC was to be the National Project Director (NPD) from MNRE, a senior official responsible for overall guidance to project management, including adherence to the Annual Work Plan (AWP) and achievement of planned results as outlined in the ProDoc, ensuring the use of UNDP funds through effective management and well established project review and oversight mechanisms, ensuring coordination with various ministries and agencies, providing guidance to Project teams to coordinate with UNDP, and reviewing reports and administrative arrangements as required by GoI A Project Management Unit (PMU) was to be established to implement the Project, headed by a fulltime National Project Manager (NPM) responsible for implementing day-to-day activities in coordination with the National Project Director (NPD). The NPM was to be supported by two Project Officers, and technical experts as required from different disciplines and project management consultants with expertise in project, finance, and legal matters. Tag: National Implementation Modality Country Government UNDP management |
9. | Adaptive Management Tag: Harmonization Project and Programme management |
10. | Partnership Arrangements Partnership arrangements were made by the CSH Project to deliver the numerous outputs to achieve the Project objective of “increasing use and promotion of CSH systems for low and medium temperature process heat applications”. In consideration of the wide range of skill sets required to achieve this objective, it was necessary for the Project to engage in effective partnerships with CSH manufacturers, energy professionals and consultants, professional associations, ESCOs, NGOs and CSOs. These partnerships were fostered and strengthened through regular contact at various forums such as workshops, PSC meetings, and conferences. Tag: Knowledge management Partnership Bilateral partners Technology |
11. | Feedback from M&E Activities Used for Adaptive Management Feedback for M&E activities was provided primarily through PIRs. The evaluation had the opportunity to review PIRs from 2013 to 2017 that contained progress reports of the CSH Project work against clearly defined and quantifiable output indicators. Despite this evaluation’s previous concern over the high number of indicators to be monitored (see Para 26), the PIR is provided descriptors of progress against more than 90% of the 63 indicators. With the satisfactory quality of the feedback, the PIRs served as a primary sounding board, mostly positive, in providing feedback to the PMC. The timely and high quality feedback in these PIRs enabled the PSC to undertake necessary adaptive management measures that would serve to catalyze CSH projects. This aspect of the CSH Project has in part been responsible for timely completion of high quality outputs. As such, feedback from M&E activities for adaptive management are rated as highly satisfactory. Tag: Monitoring and Evaluation Project and Programme management |
12. | Project Finance The CSH India Project had a GEF budget of US$ 4.40 million that was to be disbursed over a 5-year duration. Implementation of Project activities started after organization of the inception workshop in May 2012 and was completed in December 2017, with only 9 months added to the original Project duration of 60 months. Table 2 provides the known expenditures against the components, and depicts a slower start to the Project than anticipated in the Project design. The planned AWP expenditures provides a better reflection of the adaptive management of the budget. The 2012 AWP planned expenditure of US$42,580 was a reflection of the PMU’s need to focus on stakeholder engagement and capacity building prior to implementing the demonstration CSH installations planned under Component 3. This backs the statement on Para 27 that the generation of 1,050 tonnes CO2eq of emission reductions in Year 1 was not realistic, adding another risk to the Project of not reaching the cumulative target of 32,900 tonnes CO2eq by the EOP. Notwithstanding, the satisfactory results of the Project (as reviewed in Section 3.3) are an indication that the Project was cost-effective in its utilization of GEF grant funds (see Section 3.3.7 and Para 77). Tag: Emission Reduction Private Sector Financing Procurement Project and Programme management Capacity Building Coordination |
13. | Project Finance The CSH India Project had a GEF budget of US$ 4.40 million that was to be disbursed over a 5-year duration. Implementation of Project activities started after organization of the inception workshop in May 2012 and was completed in December 2017, with only 9 months added to the original Project duration of 60 months. Table 2 provides the known expenditures against the components, and depicts a slower start to the Project than anticipated in the Project design. The planned AWP expenditures provides a better reflection of the adaptive management of the budget. The 2012 AWP planned expenditure of US$42,580 was a reflection of the PMU’s need to focus on stakeholder engagement and capacity building prior to implementing the demonstration CSH installations planned under Component 3. This backs the statement on Para 27 that the generation of 1,050 tonnes CO2eq of emission reductions in Year 1 was not realistic, adding another risk to the Project of not reaching the cumulative target of 32,900 tonnes CO2eq by the EOP. Notwithstanding, the satisfactory results of the Project (as reviewed in Section 3.3) are an indication that the Project was cost-effective in its utilization of GEF grant funds (see Section 3.3.7 and Para 77). Overall, the cost effectiveness of the CSH Project has been satisfactory in consideration of the positive results of the Project and its impact of catalysing interest in CSH investments in the industrial sector. Tag: Emission Reduction Effectiveness Private Sector Financing Procurement Project and Programme management Capacity Building Coordination |
14. | M&E Design at Entry and Implementation The M&E design of the CSH Project is contained in Section 14 of the ProDoc. The M&E design of the CSH Project is comprehensive as well as standard to other similar GEF projects within UNDP. The design included the inception workshop and report, measurement of means of verification for project results and progress, PIRs, midterm evaluations, final evaluations, audits, and visits to field sites. The M&E design is rated as satisfactory. Tag: Monitoring and Evaluation Project and Programme management |
15. | Performance of Implementing and Executing Entities The performance of the implementing partner of the CSH Project, MNRE, can be characterized as follows: The performance of UNDP (the Implementing Agency) can be characterized as follows: • UNDP was able to effectively communicate and collaborate with MNRE to execute the CSH Project according to the regulations of both Government of India as well as UNDP; Tag: National Country Government UNDP management |
16. | Results Component 1: Technical capacity development Under this Component, there were 3 expected outcomes: Tag: Effectiveness Technology Technical Support |
17. | Component 2: Awareness enhancement and capacity building Under this Component, there were 2 expected outcomes: Tag: Energy Effectiveness Bilateral partners Country Government Awareness raising Capacity Building Technical Support |
18. | Component 3: Pilot demonstration of CSH technologies for various applications Under this Component, there were 2 expected outcomes: • Activities under Outcome 3.2 were intended to result in “Improved technical and economic performance of commercial and near commercial CSH technologies in an increased diversity of applications”. Project resources were to be used to generate several outputs including: o Output 3.2.1: Documentation of results of demonstration and replication projects; and o Output 3.2.2: Completed Performance monitoring, analysis and overall evaluation for demo and replication projects. Based on the information presented in Table 8, the rating of the results of Outcome 3 is assessed as satisfactory. This is in consideration of the Project exceeding its targets for completed and operational CSH installations, most of which were documented for their energy and financial performance. The availability of information of successful CSH installations, in fact served the CSH industry very well with respect to sustaining the rates of investment into new CSH projects. In Tag: Effectiveness Project and Programme management Technology |
19. | Component 4: Sustainable financial approach in the adoption of CSH technologies and applications in India Under this Component, there were 2 expected outcomes: Tag: Effectiveness Human and Financial resources Sustainability Technology |
20. | Relevance The CSH Project is relevant to the development priorities of India, notably the Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) of 2006 and the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). Tag: Climate change governance Energy Relevance National Country Government |
21. | Effectiveness and Efficiency The effectiveness of the CSH Project has been highly satisfactory due to: Tag: Effectiveness Efficiency Private Sector Financing Resource mobilization |
22. | Country Ownership and Drivenness One of the primary reasons for the success of the CSH Project has been the strong level of ownership and drivenness of MNRE and the Government of India. A review of the PSC meeting minutes of the CSH Project provides strong indications of the level of participation of MNRE and its government partners in managing the progress of the CSH Project. As such, the TE team can conclude that country ownership and drivenness of the CSH Project can be rated as highly satisfactory. Tag: National Country Government |
23. | Mainstreaming The intended objective and outcomes of the CSH Project were successfully mainstreamed with: Tag: Emission Reduction National Regional Communication |
24. | Sustainability of Project Outcomes In assessing sustainability of the CSH Project, the evaluators asked “how likely will the Project outcomes be sustained beyond Project termination?” Sustainability of these objectives was evaluated in the dimensions of financial resources, socio-political risks, institutional framework and governance, and environmental factors, using a simple ranking scheme: Tag: Environment Policy Sustainability Rule of law Awareness raising |
25. | Impacts The primary impact of the CSH Project has been raising awareness of the technical viability of CSH installations on reducing the use of fossil fuels for social cooking and various industrial applications. To some extent, it has also demonstrated the financial viability, especially to those users who can accept a longer payback period of a CSH investment. The Project has generated considerable interest amongst a wide range of stakeholders from government to CSH manufacturers and suppliers in India to end users such as educational institutes and several industrial and commercial entities. Tag: Energy Impact National Awareness raising |
Recommendations | |
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1 | Expedite the issuance of related BIS standards for various CSH technologies developed under the project |
2 | Continue supporting the STFI helpline and website on CSH technologies for continued awareness creation and knowledge sharing among stakeholders. Need to continue website updation, e-newsletter, magazine for continued updation and dissemination amongst stakeholders. Financial resources are required for the continuation of the STFI helpline, operation and maintenance of the website on CSH technologies with its e-newsletters and magazine. Disruptions in the operations of the STFI helpline and website would only blunt momentum of the Project in building confidence in |
3 | Further strengthen the support for additional testing equipments at the CSH test centers established at NISE, Gurugram and Pune University The current inventory of equipment at these testing laboratories will need to be upgraded to ensure these laboratories |
4 | MNRE & UNIDO CSH project should leverage the potential development of over 800 potential CSH projects that were identified by this Project to widen horizon of CSH application in India Follow-up should include energy audits of these potential projects, and identification of potential and appropriate CSH technologies that may be available in India over the next 5 years (see Action 6 regarding the need for foreign technical assistance to improve the efficiencies of CSH equipment currently available in India). This would include CSH technologies that have significantly higher efficiencies resulting from expected foreign partnerships between domestic and foreign CSH equipment manufacturers. |
5 | Issue performance-based benchmarks for different CSH technologies using analysis of performance monitoring data of existing systems with NISE The present subsidy norms are only based on the square meter area of solar concentrating collectors installed. The outcome of this criteria has been the promotion of systems with shorter payback periods where higher subsidies are received for larger installations, irrespective of its performance efficiency. This results in financial assistance to inefficient systems. With the Project having supported online and off-line monitoring systems for different CSH technologies for a wide range of applications, operational field performance data is now available to evolve performance-based benchmarks for different CSH technologies that can be used to remove this subsidy distortion. The evaluation has been informed that MNRE has developed a discussion paper around this issue. The evaluation wants to mention the importance of addressing this issue of performance-based financial assistance which can be easily resolved from the analysis of performance monitoring data available with NISE. In addition, performance-based financial assistance for CSH systems will incentivize local CSH manufacturers to improve the performance of their manufactured equipment creating demand for international inputs into the Indian CSH industry |
Key Action Update History
Expedite the issuance of related BIS standards for various CSH technologies developed under the project
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2021/01/14]
The project made breakthrough in achieving the publication of three BIS standards (IS 16648: 2017; Concentrated Solar Thermal — Specification; Part-1 Paraboloid Dish Concentrator, Part-2 Scheffler Concentrator, Part-3 Paraboloid Dish Concentrator) post evaluation mission (were ready and awaiting formal issuance during mission) and same has already been passed on to TE team who appreciated this project fete
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Expedite the publication and issuance of the remaining BIS standards through follow-up with BIS for finalization and immediate publication of fourth remaining standard on CSH specifications
[Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2018/09/03] |
PMU, BIS | 2019/08 | Completed | The key action has been completed History |
Continue supporting the STFI helpline and website on CSH technologies for continued awareness creation and knowledge sharing among stakeholders. Need to continue website updation, e-newsletter, magazine for continued updation and dissemination amongst stakeholders.
Financial resources are required for the continuation of the STFI helpline, operation and maintenance of the website on CSH technologies with its e-newsletters and magazine. Disruptions in the operations of the STFI helpline and website would only blunt momentum of the Project in building confidence in
prospective investors into solar concentrating technologies.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2021/01/14]
The CSH India PMU at MNRE & UNDP had discussions on this in joint meeting with PMU-UNIDO who is implementing another CSH related GEF program. It was decided that the activity will be continued through publication of newsletter and project website
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continue information updation and dissemination amongst CSH stakeholders through follow-up with CSH PMU in UNIDO by UNDP and CSH India PMU
[Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2019/08/26] |
UNDP, PMU | 2019/08 | Completed | This key action has been completed. History |
Further strengthen the support for additional testing equipments at the CSH test centers established at NISE, Gurugram and Pune University
The current inventory of equipment at these testing laboratories will need to be upgraded to ensure these laboratories
can support the testing of CSH equipment according to best international practices.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2021/01/14]
The issue was discussed in PEC meeting in November and being considered.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Further support from either MNRE or donors is required for additional testing equipment at the 2 CSH testing laboratories in Pune and Gurgaon. MNRE and PMU to follow up with test centers for additional requirements and take decisions at the earliest.
[Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2018/09/03] |
UNDP, PMU | 2018/08 | Completed | The action has been followed up with and completed History |
MNRE & UNIDO CSH project should leverage the potential development of over 800 potential CSH projects that were identified by this Project to widen horizon of CSH application in India
Follow-up should include energy audits of these potential projects, and identification of potential and appropriate CSH technologies that may be available in India over the next 5 years (see Action 6 regarding the need for foreign technical assistance to improve the efficiencies of CSH equipment currently available in India). This would include CSH technologies that have significantly higher efficiencies resulting from expected foreign partnerships between domestic and foreign CSH equipment manufacturers.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2021/01/14]
UNDP & PMU has shared the details of over 800 potential CSH projects that were identified by this Project to Unido CSH PMU
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Follow-up with UNIDO PMU on taking up action for consideration for identified CSH SME potentials
[Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2018/09/03] |
UNDP, PMU | 2018/08 | Completed | History |
Issue performance-based benchmarks for different CSH technologies using analysis of performance monitoring data of existing systems with NISE
The present subsidy norms are only based on the square meter area of solar concentrating collectors installed. The outcome of this criteria has been the promotion of systems with shorter payback periods where higher subsidies are received for larger installations, irrespective of its performance efficiency. This results in financial assistance to inefficient systems. With the Project having supported online and off-line monitoring systems for different CSH technologies for a wide range of applications, operational field performance data is now available to evolve performance-based benchmarks for different CSH technologies that can be used to remove this subsidy distortion. The evaluation has been informed that MNRE has developed a discussion paper around this issue. The evaluation wants to mention the importance of addressing this issue of performance-based financial assistance which can be easily resolved from the analysis of performance monitoring data available with NISE. In addition, performance-based financial assistance for CSH systems will incentivize local CSH manufacturers to improve the performance of their manufactured equipment creating demand for international inputs into the Indian CSH industry
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2021/01/14]
MNRE has set up a committee to explore the development of possibility performance based benchmark and study it from all aspects.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Follow-up with MNRE to conclude and issue the performance based bench mark for various CSH systems in India for variety of applications
[Added: 2017/12/20] [Last Updated: 2018/09/03] |
UNDP,PMU | 2018/08 | Completed | History |