India has installed 42.3 GW of cumulative grid-connected solar capacity, with additions led by Karnataka (7,409 MW), Rajasthan (6,581 MW), and Gujarat (5,132 MW). 

The acquisition is in line with the Hyderabad-based corporate solar developer’s plan to ramp up. For Norwegian developer Statkraft, the selloff is part of its strategic plan to exit the distributed solar segment in India and focus on developing large-scale projects.

The latest global PV industry outlook published by trade group SolarPower Europe, has indicated tight supply of the solar panel raw material is expected to persist this year but the trade body said it would be unlikely to drive further price rises.

A survey conducted among top executives in the renewable energy industry elicited positive feedback on most fronts, including government policies, demand for renewable power as well as land. 

The rooftop solar solutions provider will utilize the funds for its existing and new pipeline of distributed PV projects under its asset vehicle MYSUN+.

The agrivoltaic project was commissioned for Gro Solar Energy under the state government’s Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana. It uses 30,300 Panasonic solar modules and string inverters, and occupies a land area of 50 acres.

The Indian developer will use the 3DExperience virtual platform to manage its utility-scale solar, wind, and hybrid energy projects more efficiently. The platform enables users to track the progress of multiple complex projects, quickly act on insights and ensure best-in-class delivery.

Sax Power has developed a new residential battery which it describes as a game-changer in the battery technology.

If built, the project would be the world’s largest floating PV power plant and would reach the same capacity as the largest ground-mounted facility currently in operation.

The New York-headquartered solar racking solutions provider is opening an India office with an eye on business development, engineering, and manufacturing support. The company has more than 12 GW of projects either operating or under development across the world.

Longi’s 25.19% efficiency rating for its new p-type TOPCon solar cells, confirmed by the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin, is reportedly a world record.

The bifacial panel has a power output of up to 485 W and an efficiency of up to 21%. It relies on a transparent backsheet and is encapsulated with polyolefin elastomer (POE).

The Gujarat-based manufacturer is scaling its production lines up to 1.5 GW with the addition of 1.2 GW of mono PERC output capacity by the end of December. The new line will produce up to 600Wp panels with an efficiency of 21.4%. 

Two different devices designed by German manufacturer Bosswerk can feed up to 300 or 600 watts into the home network. The company offers a 12-year guarantee.

All eyes are drawn to China every year for SNEC, the world’s biggest solar PV expo, as it invariably features a large number of new products from the key Chinese manufacturers. Vincent Shaw was on the scene in Shanghai this year and took the opportunity to take the industry’s pulse.

The New Delhi-based electric mobility firm has launched electric vehicle (EV) battery packs using lithium-ion cells from China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL).

The battery system, which is aimed at increased self-consumption, can handle a maximum DC input power of 18 kW and 1000 V.

Through various initiatives and schemes, the Indian government has created a conducive environment for industry stakeholders to expand domestic manufacturing. The industry should seize the opportunity to ramp up capacity and manufacture emerging technologies such as monocrystalline (mono-Si), bifacial and half-cut cells, micro-inverters, and tracking equipment, all of which promise further solar efficiency gains over the coming years.

Saudi scientists have tested several cooling technologies for solar panels and have found that active techniques work better than passive ones under harsh climatic conditions. The most effective one consists of a system based on four heat pipes immersed in a box of liquid, as liquid bulk, integrated with the back of the solar panel.

The PV module relies on Jinko’s TOPCon mono cell technology, for which a record efficiency of 25.25% was announced in late May. TÜV Rheinland has confirmed the result.

Tata Power owns an expansive network of over 500 public electric vehicle chargers in 100+ cities across India. Partnering with HPCL allows it to further expand its base in line with the Indian government’s National Electric Mobility Mission Plan to promote electric mobility.

Sonnen has published test results indicating the longevity of its storage systems after extended use.

The generator can be combined with batteries, solar panels, or small wind turbines. It is based on a proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology and is claimed to have a minimum lifetime of 5,000 working hours.

The Magenta electric vehicle charging station in Mumbai has 21 AC/DC chargers, including four DC chargers of 15-50 kW capacity and 17 AC chargers of 3.5-7.5 kW capacity.

Loom Solar has installed a solar plus storage system at a small ashram in the hills of Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The system comprises 6x440W Shark Super high-efficiency PV panels, a 5kWh (100Ah/51.2V) Atom lithium battery, and a 5kVA high-frequency design (string) inverter.

The idea behind introducing the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) was to have a quality benchmark for solar modules. However, in its current form, it is more of a non-tariff barrier for foreign manufacturers and limits solar developers in terms of the choice of module wattage and make.  

As PV waste is set to rise rapidly in the coming decades, India needs to invest in efficient recycling technologies and devise a clear-cut policy for the safe disposal of PV waste. Guidelines for stringent quality checks and validation for both imported and locally produced solar panels are also needed to avoid early-loss solar waste.

The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in batteries and solar will help India graduate from a passive recipient to an active driver in the global clean-tech story.

With the draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2021, India is providing the right policy direction for this decade of the energy transition. Yet, there is room for further improvement. 

Modules represent 45 to 55% of the project capex. In a very competitive market like India, independent power producers have lower margins, and even a modest increase in module prices will put more pressure on them.