The Mumbai-headquartered rural banking services provider will set up the electric vehicle charging infrastructure across its huge network of Nextgen outlets, which it plans to increase from current 3504 to 300,000 by FY 2024-25.

While it is often stated only 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, a review of research into the second life and recycling of lithium-ion batteries suggests that is a gross understatement. A new study found almost 100,000 tons of waste batteries were recycled last year – about half of what reached end-of-life.

State-owned Central Electronics Limited (CEL) has invited bids to set up a cumulative 50 MW capacity of grid-tied, ground-mounted solar plants at various locations in the state of Maharashtra. The plants, in capacities of 500 KWp to 10 MWp, are to be set up in turnkey mode. Bidding closes on July 24.

Having won a 100 MW floating solar project last month, state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has added another 25 MW from NTPC to emerge as the largest EPC player in India’s floating solar segment.

Jaipur-based Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited has invited bids to supply 5000 quantities of 5W crystalline silicon solar cells. Bidding will close on July 17.

The ‘inverted umbrella’ shaped canopies use monocrystalline flexible solar panels on top to generate electricity for functions like mobile and laptop charging, and lighting.

Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were the top five states by annual installation, accounting for 60% of the new capacity.

The state-owned power generator has commissioned 63 MW capacity out of the 100 MW solar PV power plant in Tirunelveli district, with Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) as the beneficiary.

The deals will pave the way for four new solar parks that are set to be commissioned towards the end of next year.

Jaipur’s Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited has invited bids from Indian manufacturers for the supply of 75 Wp solar modules based on crystalline silicon technology. Bidding will close on July 19.

The new budget aims to seize the opportunity in energy storage and EVs through a range of incentives. However, alongside demand, production and export, the government also needs to focus on e-waste management and Li-ion battery recycling to sustain raw material supply and minimize environmental impact.

The high-level committee formed by Andhra Pradesh government to review and renegotiate the signed power purchase agreements with wind and solar power developers has the potential to impair the cash flows of projects in the sector.

Independent power producer KPI Global Infrastructure has received Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation’s approval to enhance solar power evacuation from 30 MW to 70 MW (30 MW existing + 40 MW additional capacity) at 66 KV Amod Substation of district Bharuch in Gujarat.

Under an MoU signed with Solar Energy Corporation of India, grid-connected rooftop solar systems totaling 3-4 MW capacity will be installed on more than 200 police establishments across the capital.

Long regarded as a solar pioneer, the state has now announced grand plans to shoulder the burden of 17% of the nation’s clean energy ambition as India races to install 175 GW of clean energy capacity in just three-and-a-half years.

While India’s recent union budget announced steps to create an electric vehicle market, the solar sector still has issues that have not been addressed.

With half-cut, bifacial, shingle cell, and heterojunction designs being deployed at the scale of hundreds of megawatts, it is an exciting time to be in solar cell and module technology.

The annual report has placed EVs at the heart of India’s decarbonization and called for an Indian answer to the U.S. ‘Motor City’ of Detroit, where electric vehicles and the batteries to run them could be manufactured.

To boost electric vehicle adoption in the country, the government has reduced goods and services tax on electric vehicles to 5% from 12%. Further, it will provide additional income tax deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh on interest paid on loans taken to purchase electric vehicles.

Citing the risk to solar projects, lobby group the National Solar Energy Federation Of India has asked the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to exclude flat steel products coated with alloy of aluminum and zinc from anti-dumping duty.

Proposals by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments, Jaipur to set up solar-based EV charging infrastructure have received funding under the government’s FAME India scheme. These projects will come up at Delhi NCR, Udyog Bhwan, and Delhi-Jaipur-Delhi, Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai as well as Delhi-Chandigarh-Delhi highways.

Previously, a mere €240 million (Rs1,870 crore) was set to flow into the giga-factory. The corporation’s management reasoned new demand for its battery cells made more investment necessary.

The Finnish clean energy major will install public charging stations for electric vehicles across MG’s showrooms in 5 cities including Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad by September this year.

Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S. used x-ray imaging to observe cracks forming in a solid state lithium battery, a discovery they say changes the understanding of performance of solid state batteries and which could lead to more durable systems.

Central government has thrown down the gauntlet to the nation’s largest motorbike and scooter manufacturers after they resisted a proposal to ban non-electric sales from 2025 onwards.

Solar pioneer Philip Wolfe lists the world’s largest solar parks. In these articles, a ‘solar park’ is defined as a group of co-located solar power plants.

The state has decided to withdraw almost all incentives available to open access solar, including exemption from electricity duty and distribution losses for projects injecting power at 33 kV or below. The policy reversal—clearly to appease state discoms—is likely to impact capacity addition.

India needs a manufacturing policy that is scalable, secure, strategical and supportive and promotes both the growth and spread of solar while protecting the interests of domestic manufacturers.

Situated in south-east India, the state of Andhra Pradesh is a leading producer of renewable energy with 7.2 GW of installed capacity as of December 2018. The state’s share of renewable energy as part of total capacity has trebled in the last four years from 11% in 2014 to 30% in 2018.

The last 10 years have seen India emerge as a solar superpower, setting an example from which many emerging countries in Africa and Southeast Asia are eager to learn.