India to launch its own battery cell production
India’s PV sector is expanding at a serious pace, creating jobs and further securing energy supply for many businesses. Yet, sourcing battery cell technology at the current rate resulted in annual foreign exchange of Rs. 1012 crore creating deficits, that hopefully can be averted in the future.
Fortum selling 54% shares of its 185 MW PV portfolio in India
The company was adamant that it will not exit the Indian PV market, after rumors last October suggested that the company will sell its PV assets in India. Now, the company reiterates its commitment and stresses that additional funding will be used to develop new assets.
Azure Power secures 25-year PPA for 75MW project in Assam
Earlier this year the state announced it would install an additional 590 MW of solar PV to meet growing energy demand. Last year Assam had a 4.2% energy deficit.
India: The first solar plant bid at INR 2.44 expected to go live in August
The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) says the nation will exceed 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity as plans for bidding for 115 GW of renewable power projects to March 2020 were announced. The target for PV parks has been increased from 20 GW to 40 GW with some 41 parks in 21 states – with aggregate capacity of more than 26 GW – already sanctioned.
SECI launches tender for manufacturing capacity
The government’s Solar Energy Commission of India (SECI) has tendered 5 GW of solar manufacturing capacity to be set up across the country. The capacity will be linked to grid-connected PV projects with the plants developed on a build-own-operate basis.
Greenko to buy Orange Renewable for $1 billion
Greenko, backed by Singapore’s GIC and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, is set to buy the solar and wind portfolio of Orange Renewable. The move will constitute Greenko’s largest acquisition and will add 1 GW to its operational capacity to raise the company’s portfolio to 4.2 GW, just shy of the capacity held by ReNew Power Ventures, the country’s largest renewable energy company.
India’s rooftop sector still lagging behind
With barely 1.8 MW solar power (roof top) achieved in the first month of the 2018-2019 financial year, against the end of year target of 1000 MW, India’s solar dreams are hitting massive rooftop blocks. Grid-interactive solar power (ground mounted) has fared better, achieving 231.81 MW against the EoY 10 GW target.
Affordability and lack of charging points stalls electric vehicle take-up in India: Bloomberg
Bloomberg New Energy Finance says EVs will make up only 7% of new car sales in nation by 2030, compared to a predicted 44% for European sales, 41% in China, 34% in the US and 17% in Japan
India may miss solar PV target, says CEO survey
The country will achieve solar PV capacity of 50 to 75 GW by 2022 – a little over 60% of the 100 GW target. Total rooftop capacity will be less than 10 GW.
By 2030, EVs could outnumber the total vehicles in India today
To smoothen this transition, the country needs to build fast solar PV-powered charging stations. In 2017, there were only 220-250 operational charging stations in India, compared to 56,000 petrol stations.
