Utility Scale PV

The project—set up in Madhya Pradesh—is one of the world’s largest single-site solar power plants. It is also India’s first PV project to supply power to an inter-state open-access customer.

The Italian utility, fresh from securing its first 300 MW of PV generation capacity in the recent, record-setting tender held by SECI, has teamed up with the state-owned Norwegian Investment Fund to commit to further clean energy facilities in India.

The fossil fuel company will become a partner in the fund, which invests in clean energy projects.

The plant—constructed and operated by Germany-headquartered IBC Solar Energy—is NextEnergy’s first investment in India as part of its strategy to acquire ready-to-build or operational solar projects across high-growth international markets.

The solar plant—to be set up under a ‘build-own-operate’ basis—is part of the Dholera Solar Park capacity tendered by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd under ninth phase. July 16 is the last date to lodge the interest.

The expected return would leave the nation woefully short of its ambitious 175 GW clean energy target, which was laid down with a 2022 deadline. Chief executives who criticized aggressive clean power auctions said they would like to see more fossil fuel facilities thrown into the mix.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) and NLC India—both under India’s Ministry of Coal—would form a joint venture with 50:50 equity participation to develop 5 GW of power assets, including 3 GW solar and 2 GW thermal.

Cost savings associated with switching to least-cost energy solutions like wind and solar can be redeployed for economic recovery. At the same time, building resilience on fronts like energy system design and supply-chain management is crucial to deal with unexpected shocks and crises.

Domestic bids are invited for engineering, procurement and construction of a 50 MW floating solar project that shall come up over a 303-acre water body in Kollam District. Bidding closes on August 11.

Developers have until September 1 to bid for the tendered capacity that shall come up along railway tracks on railway land in various states.