Commercial & Industrial PV

With Narendra Modi’s government stunning pollsters with another huge victory, the solar industry expects renewable power momentum to be maintained with steps including anti-dumping duty on solar module imports, a national policy for rooftop solar and an emphasis on easing private-sector participation in the power sector.

The fund will be used for a broad modernization program that will help Indian railways to transition from dependence on fossil fuels to renewable energy.

CNG distributor Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has invited bids for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of 1 KWp solar PV system (4x260W panels) along with Lithium-ion batteries and inverter for 12 hours backup. A total of 76 such system combinations are to be supplied. Bidding closes on May 30.

Currently, the Mumbai-based solar EPC firm is executing 134.5 MWp project capacity to be commissioned by September 2019. It expects to surpass cumulative installation of 350 MWp by the end of FY 2019-20.

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids for development of 2 MW solar PV power projects—1 MW each for Siachen and Partapur army posts—in Leh region of Jammu & Kashmir. The projects are to be developed on ‘build, own operate’ basis.

In a recent survey, DNV GL found that demand for blockchain-related skills in the solar sector is 50% higher than in other energy industries, while 33% of respondents said that the use of drones is having a significant impact on their businesses. However, the solar industry needs a common framework to help advance digitalization further.

The European solar trade body expects 128 GW of new PV capacity in 2019, with China likely to bring around 43 GW online and Europe experiencing enough demand to deploy about 20.4 GW. In 2020, global solar demand is expected to reach 144 GW, while in the following three years new PV additions are forecast to total 158 GW, 169 GW and 180 GW, respectively.

In a recent survey, an overwhelming 73% of respondents said they remain upbeat about India’s renewable growth prospects, despite recent policy reversals and various other operational challenges the industry faces.

This is Tata Power’s fourth major partnership with an energy retailer to expand its presence in the e-mobility business. As part of the MoU, the private-sector electricity generator with work with Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) to set up solar rooftop projects and commercial-scale electric vehicle (EV) charging and battery swapping stations.

Waste-to-energy, battery lifecycle solutions and hazardous waste management will make up an increased share of Fortum’s business in future. While solar will continue to be a mainstay for the Finnish clean energy company in India, Fortum wants to deepen its presence in the electric vehicle space with smart solutions, according to Sanjay Aggarwal, the company’s India MD, and Juha Suomi, area director for Asia, who spoke exclusively to pv magazine.