Utility Scale PV

The power ministry has announced that the exemption on grid charges is now available to solar and wind projects to be commissioned up to June 30, 2025. The waiver is also allowed for pumped-hydro storage and battery energy storage system projects.

An international research team has designed a residential solar-plus-storage system based on gravity. The system was built with a solar power generator, a bulk booster charge controller, an inverter, a solenoid device, a deep cycle battery, a pulley block, a geared motor, a microcontroller, and wire ropes. Its creators said the system is ideal for regions with high solar radiation. They found that, due to its high electrical requirements, the system needs to rely on high-power solar modules with an output of over 500 W.

Danish fund IFU will hold 39% ownership and United Nations’ S3i 10% in Acme Solar’s 250 MW Rajasthan project. Acme holds the majority stake of 51%.

Ruchi Gupta is a research fellow at the University of Geneva’s Institute for Environmental Sciences. She focuses on how flexibility options, such as sector coupling with hydrogen production, can support renewable energy integration and decarbonize a wide range of sectors.

Solar module prices have increased by about 15-20% over the last 4-5 months to around 22-23 cents/watt as of date. As PV modules comprise about 50-55% of the overall project cost, such an increase in the module price level, if sustained, may moderate the debt service coverage metrics for developers by about 12-14 basis points. 

The state-owned hydropower producer plans to bid for 1 GW out of 5 GW grid-connected solar capacity tendered under the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Scheme. In a pre-bid arrangement, it has tied up with NDMC for the sale of power from its solar projects at an INR 2.44/kWh (US$ 0.033/kWh) tariff for 25 years.

Modules represent 45 to 55% of the project capex. In a very competitive market like India, independent power producers have lower margins, and even a modest increase in module prices will put more pressure on them.

A fresh petition filed with the regulator Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) shows the clean energy developer is not seeking discharge from the 2×300 MW solar project won at an INR 2.44/kWh (US$ 0.033/kWh) tariff in 2018.

An Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) report says the sale of power in the futures market will benefit renewable energy developers and distribution companies alike.

The solar capacity is to be developed on a build-own-operate basis in the Jiribam district. Bidding closes on July 9.