Markets

The nation saw 1.3 GW of renewable energy secured for business through private PPAs in 2018, almost twice as much as the volume recorded in Australia, but the picture could change next year if China follows through with its renewable portfolio standard commitment.

State-owned NLC India Ltd – formerly the Neyveli Lignite Corporation – has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Tamil Nadu to set up a 1 GW solar project in the state.

At the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee meeting, the South Korean government urged China to lift import measures against its polyoxymethylene, optical fiber, polysilicon and grain-oriented electrical steel. China imposed duties on polysilicon from South Korea and the United States in July 2013.

Avaada Power and Adani lead the way with each bidding for half the 1 GW of capacity available, after the state distribution company raised the maximum tariff and extended the bid deadline.

The solar industry seeks tailor-made financing options for end consumers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro SMEs (MSMEs), in addition to supportive and stable government policies to ensure speedier progress.

India Ratings and Research has maintained a stable-to-negative outlook on India’s power sector for FY2019-20 owing to issues such as slower resolution of the stressed [coal based thermal] capacity, domestic coal unavailability, and reluctance of DISCOMs to sign long-term power purchase agreements. The outlook is not sunny for solar either.

Sources have told pv magazine the authorities are ready to restart the nation’s residential rooftop segment and have also agreed upon subsidy payments for other distributed generation and utility-scale projects.

Abu Dhabi based Masdar Clean Energy is in talks to acquire a 30-35% stake in Hero Future Energies. With the stake sale, the renewable energy arm of Hero Group expects to raise $300-350 million for its expansion into global markets, according to reports.

From a metallurgical engineer to India’s CNG warrior and later, the country’s Solar Man, Pranav Mehta’s story reads like a series of ‘renewable’ steps. In the first of pv magazine India’s new personality interview series, editor Preeti Verma Lal talks to the Global Solar Council’s new head. He discusses what’s on the to-do list and the strategies needed to succeed.