Markets

Though electric vehicles are up to 67% less emissions intensive than gasoline cars, their competitiveness depends on many factors like the source of electricity used for vehicle and battery manufacturing and charging. Given that India still has a high share of coal or other fossil fuels in its power mix, electrifying the current car taxi fleet would help it cut emissions faster than incentivising the use of privately owned EVs because of the taxis’ greater utilisation in terms of miles travelled.

Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited has invited global bids for setting up of an aggregate ground-mounted solar capacity of 57 MW at three sites in the state. Of the total capacity, 30 MW shall come up in Faridabad, and plants of 15 MW and 12 MW at two separate sites in Yamuna Nagar. Bidding closes on July 17.

The world’s number one mono silicon module manufacturer will add another 5 GW to its annual panel production capacity in 2020 as it pursues 16 GW of output this year and 25 GW next year.

Mining company Neometals and Manikaran Power have started a jointly funded study into the feasibility of establishing India’s first lithium refinery, which would process ore from the Mount Marion mine in Western Australia.

The developer’s Gujarat business will supply power for Rs2.69 under a 25-year PPA after winning a tender conducted by the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

The tariffs are slightly above Rs2.48/kWh seen in March procurement but still fairly below the levels hit in Maharashtra and Gujarat auctions recently—reaffirming the state’s attractiveness to PV developers.

The NITI Aayog has suggested banning sales of non-electric two and three wheelers in 2025 and cars, trucks and buses five years later as well as forcing public fleets and the cars used by ride hailing apps to be electric.

Following UK-based private equity investor Actis dropping the purchase plan, debt-laden Essel Infraprojects is reportedly negotiating the deal with Adani Group for Rs 1,800-2,000 crore.

A requirement for domestic-only solar modules has been lifted in the latest solar tender by the Indian power giant. Interested bidders have until next Wednesday to get their submissions in.

India’s Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has invited bids from domestic and international players for setting up of small grid-interactive solar plants ranging from 500 KW to 2 MW at lands of state-owned utilities. The cumulative capacity, to be installed in turnkey mode, is 40 MW for Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh each and 20 MW for Jharkhand. The state-run energy service company is also mulling to install an aggregate 200 MW of grid-connected solar rooftop across 5,000 state-owned buildings in Maharashtra.