India added 521 MW of rooftop solar in Q2 2021
The second quarterly (April-May-June) addition of 521 MW is India’s highest-ever rooftop solar capacity installed in a quarter.
Solar on new-build homes has significantly shorter payback period
A report by BloombergNEF and Schneider Electric has pressed the case for governments to unlock the world’s potentially huge rooftop solar potential, and cited California’s solar mandate as a shining example.
Orsted’s transition shows the way for Indian utilities and renewable energy companies
Orsted transitioned from a coal-intensive utility to a global renewable energy leader creating immense shareholder wealth. A new report looks at what strategic decisions led to this transition and learning for Indian companies to look forward to the future energy transition.
New solar-powered hydrogen tech from Japan
Moreover, two big Russian corporations have unveiled plans to produce hydrogen and Portuguese utility EDP said it wants to set up a a pilot project for a green hydrogen plant in Brazil.
In H1 2021, India met 72% of electricity demand growth through solar and wind
The figures paint a better picture for India than other Asian nations, where fossil fuel-based generation accounted for a much bigger share in meeting the rise in electricity demand.
CATL claims to have made sodium-ion batteries a commercial reality
The manufacturer has launched sodium-ion products online. Production has begun and will be easily scalable, according to the CATL chairman. Researchers have been keen to make the technology work as it offers a cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternative to lithium-ion products.
India has reached 42.3 GW of grid-interactive solar
India has installed 42.3 GW of cumulative grid-connected solar capacity, with additions led by Karnataka (7,409 MW), Rajasthan (6,581 MW), and Gujarat (5,132 MW).
Larsen & Toubro secures transmission line, substation orders
The Indian multinational EPC contractor has been awarded significant power transmission and distribution contracts in Ladakh and Ayodhya, in addition to overseas projects in Saudi Arabia, Africa and Thailand.
Transforming lives through solar mini-grids
Smart Power India (SPI), a subsidiary of US-based impact investor Rockefeller Foundation, has supported the setting up of more than 300 renewable energy mini-grids cumulating to 9.2 MW of capacity across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, the largest such cluster in India. Jaideep Mukherjee, chief executive officer at SPI, spoke to pv magazine about the role of mini-grids in rural upliftment and the barriers to overcome.
Covid adds to solar manufacturer woes
A pandemic-related sales slump has dealt another blow to domestic panel makers already faced with rising input costs and an expected surge in imports due to the scheduled wind down of safeguarding duties on foreign products from late July.
