The MoU envisages exploring prospects in renewables, LNG for road transport, regasification of imported LNG, and import and handling of different hydrocarbons which are important chemical and petrochemical precursors. 

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has exempted solar projects to be commissioned till March 31, 2024, from the requirement to source modules from the Approved Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) list. The move provides developers with the flexibility to source modules at the most cost-competitive rates.

Using some of India’s existing gas-based power capacity as peaking plants would be more economical than the other options in the short-term market for peak power supply. Gas-based power plants can provide ancillary services to maintain the grid’s power quality, reliability, and security as renewable energy capacity increases, says a new report by IEEFA.

Berkeley Lab study shows how deep cost reductions in clean technology and India’s renewable and lithium edge can enable a pathway for cost-effective energy independence by 2047.  

Ranjit Gupta-led Ocior Energy has committed a cumulative investment of INR 80,000 crore to build two green ammonia facilities of 1mtpa each in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. 

NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL) has tendered the land and extra-high-voltage (EHV) transmission system package for up to 2 GW of solar PV projects in Rajasthan, connected to the inter-state transmission system.

India added 13.9 GW of solar capacity and 1.8 GW of wind in 2022, which together accounted for 92% of the overall 17 GW of annual electricity generation deployment.

SJVN Green Energy Ltd (SGEL) has received a Letter of Award from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (MSEDCL) to develop a 200 MW solar project anywhere in Maharashtra. The project development cost is estimated at INR 1,000 crore.

A new report by IEA PVPS Task 18 provides a blueprint guide on how to conduct feasibility studies for off-grid and edge-of-grid power systems. The optimal system size and specifications vary depending on the client’s priorities. The desired project outcomes can be identified using pure financial analysis (NPV, IRR) or additionally taking environmental performance into account.

More and more people want to invest in PV arrays and battery storage systems. However, there are a number of myths that could lead to disappointment among customers, according to one German consumer association.

Scientists from Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE and US panel maker Solaria have applied thermal laser separation and post-metallization passivated edge technology to tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) cell production. They have developed shingle PV devices that are more efficient than cells built with conventional laser scribing and mechanical cleaving methods.

The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has certified that a South Korean research team has achieved a 25.73% efficiency rating with a perovskite PV cell based on alkylammonium chlorides. The champion device built by the scientists reached an efficiency of 26.08%.

US engineers have built a scalable thermal energy storage prototype system that combines the best latent and sensible heat transfers. The technology, which is now market-ready after three years of testing, consists of engineered cementitious materials and thermosiphons in a combination that enables fast, efficient thermal performance at low cost.

A US-Canadian group of scientists has used Lewis base molecules to improve surface passivation in a perovskite solar cell. The team produced a device with a high open-circuit voltage and remarkable stability levels.

A numerical study by researchers at India’s Chitkara University shows enhanced performance in the top device of a tandem solar cell based on copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). The design had a higher open-circuit voltage, with the top cell acting as a current-limiting cell.

Gautam Solar has supplied 70 MW of PV panels to solar projects in the states of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh over a period of four months.

TrendForce says polysilicon will be 3.2% cheaper in March than in February. This will lead to lower wafer, cell and module prices and will effectively spur installation demand.

Adani Group has committed to building 15 GW of renewable power projects in Andhra Pradesh, while Reliance announced its 10 GW solar plans for the state. Avaada, Greenko, Indosol, and ReNew have also pledged massive investments into the state’s renewables sector.

Reliance Industries Ltd will invest in building 10 GW of solar energy generation capacity in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It has also applied for 6 GW of poly-to-module capacity under the second round of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for solar manufacturing which received bids from eleven companies in total. 

Triveni Glass is the latest to venture into solar glass production after Asahi India Glass, Gold Plus Glass Industry, and Chiripal Group. It plans an 840tpd factory with an estimated investment of INR 1,000 crore.

NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL) is enlisting technical consultants for green ammonia feasibility studies. Both domestic and international agencies can apply. The enlisted consultants will be awarded the study project following competitive bidding.

Fraunhofer ISE has presented the results of retrofit heat pump installations in multi-family homes in Germany. One demonstrator featured rooftop solar PV and a multi-source heat pump developed in partnership with Viessmann. It uses air and geothermal as heat sources.

SolarPower Europe says in a new report that households in Germany, Spain, and Italy can more than triple their savings by pairing PV with heat pumps. It said this combination helped families to save between 62% and 84% on their annual energy bills in 2022.

The Hyderabad-based developer will use the amount towards the capital expenditure of more than 25 GWh of pumped storage projects.

Essar has formed Essar Energy Transition (EET) that will focus on investing in hydrogen, decarbonization, new energy infrastructure, and biofuels. EET plans to invest $3.6 billion in developing low-carbon energy transition projects in the UK and India over the next five years.

While the current policy regime supports the adoption of flexible resources like batteries, grid flexibility and resilience require more focus and a range of calibrated efforts, including due acknowledgment as a sector priority and robust planning at the central and state level. The upcoming union budget provides an opportunity for the government to develop flexible and resilient grids.

The major impediments to floating solar photovoltaics (floatovoltaics) are the high cost of materials and the complex installation involved. 

Here are three trends in the solar sector that will gain momentum in 2023, leading to wider PV implementation.

With the latest generation of household devices increasingly connected and internet-of-things (IoT)-enabled, dye-sensitized solar cells can finally realize their latent promise and help reduce the carbon footprint of billions of manufactured goods.

Today, following the ESG (environmental, social and governance) mandate is more than just ticking off a box in the compliance checklist. It is taking ownership of the consequences of the businesses and working towards creating a positive impact by partnering with the right groups.