Distributed solar

The adoption of local, community-based energy solutions like rooftop solar and batteries can help make the energy grid more flexible and reliable. Home solar and batteries will enable the growth of ‘prosumers’ who produce and share energy, as well as consume it.

Developers have until August 31 to bid for grid-connected solar installation under the Scheme that allows farmers to set up PV power plants on their uncultivable land and benefit from selling the generated power to the State Discoms.

The maintenance cost of an electric vehicle is estimated to be significantly lower than internal combustion engines, and studies show home solar furthers the cost savings and boosts carbon emission reductions.

A new report says solar-plus-energy storage will become an attractive investment option for commercial consumers in India as early as 2023 for electricity bill reduction. For high-tariff paying residential consumers, the system will reach grid parity post-2027. The report findings are based on the levelized cost analysis of solar-plus-energy storage systems for consumers in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.  

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.

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 Togolese government aims for universal access to electricity this decade and for half of its power to come from clean energy sources under the National Development Plan (NDP).

A 500 kW solar project by the side of the Bada Talab in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, uses 1540 PV panels supported through cantilever frame. The installation runs 1.2 km.

India’s solar-powered irrigation mission has had a sluggish run despite the PM-KUSUM scheme providing ample flexibility and budgetary support for the system implementation. An IEEFA report highlights the need to address the challenges of coordination, affordability, business models, technology and awareness creation at State level to increase the uptake.

Small and marginal farmers in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar are making productive use of solar energy to reduce their losses and increase income, thanks to an innovative pay-per-use cooling service for perishable horticulture produce.