Highlights

The renewable energy developer’s operational capacity increased to 5,410 MW (4,763 MW solar and 647 MW wind) as of September 30, 2021, a 93% growth from 2,800 MW in September last year. Much of this capacity addition during the year was through the acquisition of operational solar assets.

Funding avenues available to solar developers range from green bonds and multilateral development bank loans to infrastructure investment trusts.

The latest edition of a clean power jobs survey produced by IRENA and the International Labour Organization has stressed the important role which will need to be played by the public sector if the energy transition’s employment benefits are to be shared equally.

The input costs of the two biggest contributors to solar plant development expense have gone through the roof since the world began to come out of Covid-19 lockdowns, to leave project developers with some difficult choices.

The new energy arm of Reliance Industries Limited has made an open offer to acquire 4,91,37,420 shares from Sterling and Wilson Solar’ public shareholders at a price of INR 375 per share.

The solar capacity addition for the calendar year 2021 is expected to touch 14 GW (11 GW utility scale and 3 GW rooftop) if the third Covid wave does not strike between November and December.

Global bids are invited to set up giga-scale advanced-chemistry battery cell manufacturing units in India under the government’s production-linked incentive scheme. To be eligible for the government subsidy, the bidder would have to commit to setting up a minimum of 5 GWh capacity. Bidding is open until December 31.

Sydney-based 5B has taken the wraps off a new generation of its re-deployable modular Maverick solar technology which it says is not only quicker and easier to install than the previous model but 30% more powerful.

The 97%-efficient device is said to be the most powerful PV microinverter developed by the company to date and is capable of forming a microgrid during a power outage. The U.S. manufacturer expects to ship the first products in December.

The recent increase in the goods and services tax applied to solar cells and modules, from 5% to 12%, coupled with a planned 40% customs duty on panel imports, is set to increase project costs for developers.