Installations

Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GESCL) has tendered the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) work for an aggregate 224 MW of grid-connected solar projects in the State. The projects, to be set up in 10-55 MW sizes, shall come up in Surendranagar, Morbi, Kutchh, Jamnagar, and Surat districts. Bidding closes on September 8.

Researchers from the TNO in the Netherlands have proposed two novel east-west PV plant designs that are claimed to increase soil quality underneath the solar panels. Both approaches are said to provide a 77% ground coverage ratio, which compares to a 90% ratio in conventional east-west oriented projects.

The solar plant in the Beed district will supply power to leading corporate customers under the captive structure.

Large-scale solar parks will be key to India’s transition to clean and green energy. Such parks are already being built or planned in States like Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. However, there is still scope for forward-looking and well-aligned policies across States to make the most of this global phenomenon. 

The Indian developer will build a 1,300 MW hybrid renewable energy capacity (900 MW wind plus 400 MW solar) supplemented with storage to ensure a round-the-clock supply. The project cost is estimated at approximately US$ 1.2 billion.

India’s commercial and industrial solar sector added 501 MW of solar capacity in the January-March period of 2021, taking the cumulative C&I PV capacity to 10,485 MW as of March 31, 2021.

The Delhi-based Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) has directed Tamil Nadu State Load Despatch Centre (TNSLDC) and The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) to compensate developers at 75% of PPA tariff per kWh on solar curtailment.

A British-Australian research team has assessed the potential of liquid air energy storage (LAES) for large scale application. The scientists estimate that these systems may currently be built at a cost between €300 and €600 per kilowatt-hour and that a positive business case could be favored by certain conditions, including a determined price structure in the energy market and the presence of a grid unable to support high levels of renewable energy penetration.

Philippines-based AC Energy, which operates 150 MW AC ground-mount solar plants in India, is joining hands with Hong Kong-based solar developer NEFIN to develop, construct, and operate rooftop solar projects across Asia.

The Haryana-based developer will construct, own, and operate up to 500 MW of hybrid renewable energy generation capacity to meet the requirements of RackBank’s hyper-scale data center.