Residential PV

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has issued a request for proposals for solar PV rooftop demonstration projects in member countries under its Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model. The aim is to promote solar among ISA member countries.

2017 was a busy year for India’s solar industry. As of the end of November, the country had installed around 5.5 GW of PV. With its ambitious renewable energy goals, it is paving the way to becoming a world leader in the industry. Overall, the country saw a rapid increase in renewable energy activity, with solar dominating almost 48% share of total capacity installed.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will make available $3.6 billion to distribution companies in India to boost their deployment of rooftop solar PV projects under Phase-II the National Solar Mission.

Uttar Pradesh released a new solar policy on December 7 for the development of 10.7 GW of solar installations in India by 2022, including 4.3 GW through rooftop solar. The government has proposed several incentives and offers to promote solar growth in the state.

This week’s Intersolar India 2017 in Mumbai, which ran from Tuesday to Thursday at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), highlighted both the potential and the challenges of India’s vast residential PV market. Everything from policy to unique environmental challenges and installation processes was discussed.

Milan Koev, REC Group’s Vice President Sales & Marketing APAC, speaks to pv magazine about the potential of India’s rooftop solar market.

India has installed total 1,861 MW rooftop PV as of September 2017 as the state of Maharashtra overtakes Tamil Nadu to become largest for rooftop solar, as per latest report by Bridge to India. Analysts have revised India’s rooftop projection to 10.8 GW by 2021.

India’s rooftop PV ambitions present a US$23 billion investment opportunity, says Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). However, despite the sub-sector being the fastest growing, its 40 GW targets are “unachievable”.

India plans to take action against solar power companies using imported equipment for projects, which were awarded under the country’s domestic content requirement scheme, according to local media.

Record growth continues as India installed 2,247 MW of solar projects in Q3 2017, up 15% from Q2 2017. The total installation at the end of 2017 is expected to range from 9.5 GW to 10 GW. The 7 GW solar installation in first nine months covered more than one-third of total new power capacity addition in 2017.