India could add 8.5 GW of solar in FY2022
Solar capacity addition in the fiscal year 2021-22 will surge, led by a strong project pipeline. Tariffs will go up amid rising module prices but will remain competitive at below INR 3/kWh (US$ 0.040/kWh).
Jakson commissions 50 MW solar plant in Uttar Pradesh
The 200-acre solar plant is located in the Kheragarh district of Agra. It benefits from a 25-year, fixed-tariff power purchase agreement with Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited.
IEEFA warns the financial risk for new coal under-estimated
A new IEEFA report says the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for coal in India is calculated based on an overestimation of factors such as utilization rates. The deemed low cost per unit of energy makes coal-fired plants look more attractive to potential investors than these really are!
Transparent solar panels for agrivoltaics
Romande Energie and Swiss research institute Agroscope are testing startup Insolight’s transparent PV panels in an agrivoltaic project. The modules are replacing the plastic covers used to grow strawberries and raspberries.
Camel death sparks debate over siting solar in deserts
The sharp-edged angles at a solar installation site in Rajasthan injured a camel so severely that it bled to death.
NTPC tenders 500 MW of solar EPC work
August 10 is the deadline to submit bids for setting up the grid-connected solar projects anywhere in India. The projects are tendered under the Open category, allowing the use of only India-made cells and modules.
MUFG closes US$ 163 million finance for Azure Power’s 300 MW solar project
The latest transaction follows MUFG’s commitment to the debt funding facility for Adani Green’s under-construction hybrid portfolio of solar and wind projects in Rajasthan.
Using the oceans’ depths to store renewables, compress hydrogen
Underwater gravity energy storage has been proposed as an ideal solution for weekly energy storage, by an international group of scientists. The novel technology is considered an alternative to pumped-hydro storage for coasts and islands without mountains that are located close to deep waters, and may also be interesting for PV if used to store green hydrogen.
Solar photovoltaic quality control and waste management in India
As PV waste is set to rise rapidly in the coming decades, India needs to invest in efficient recycling technologies and devise a clear-cut policy for the safe disposal of PV waste. Guidelines for stringent quality checks and validation for both imported and locally produced solar panels are also needed to avoid early-loss solar waste.
Tata Power to exit coal by 2050
The energy company says it will use hybrid-technology projects, round-the-clock renewables, battery storage, floating solar and green hydrogen as it attempts to wind down the 69% of its energy generation fleet based on thermal power.
