India’s growth slows as developers add 1.7 GW in Q1
Solar installations fell 49% year-on-year in the first three months of 2019, with rooftop PV additions plunging as installers struggled to secure approval for projects immediately before the general election, according to new statistics from Mercom India Research.
Battle of the module reliability rankings
While module makers are attempting to get the best possible scores for their products on third-party tests, third-party testing providers are also offering competing products to rank products. We look at what’s similar and what’s different in the tests.
Japanese firm Mitsui invests in Mahindra Susten to support its solar expansion
The Mahindra Group cleantech firm will continue to have majority 51% stake in its subsidiary Marvel Solren, with Mitsui owning the balance. Currently, Marvel operates four distributed solar projects in India with a combined capacity of 16 MW, which the two partners aim to expand to 150 MW by 2023.
MNRE invites gravity storage, solar-driven hydrogen production research proposals
The preliminary proposals must reach the ministry by June 30. These will be examined by a committee and the shortlisted parties will be invited to submit final proposal.
India’s solar cell exports to USA lose preferential treatment
Having acted against Turkey, the Trump administration has removed India too from the list of nations exempt from import tariffs on solar cells and modules.
ISA invites bids for solar PV project development in member countries
Following Indian utility National Thermal Power Corp.’s proposal for PV projects in International Solar Alliance member countries, the organization has invited bids from companies in such nations with comparable credentials and experience, as long as they own at least 250 MW of solar capacity.
India set to acquire lithium for EV batteries in 6 months
The acquisition would be made through Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL)—a joint venture of three public-sector mining units—which recently visited the Lithium Triangle countries in South America (Chile, Argentina and Bolivia) to explore the possibility of lithium acquisition.
India leads the way as PV threatens coal-fired power
Falling PV panel prices led to notable year-on-year falls in the cost of developing solar plants around the world. India led the way with PV projects costing a weighted average of just $793/kW of capacity installed in 2018. Costs in China dipped to $879/kW last year, while solar projects in US and Australia cost $1,500.
IGL extends bid deadline for solar PV system plus battery tender
Bidding is now allowed up to June 20. Bidders are required to submit the respective corrigendum along with the bid, duly signed and stamped.
SECI trims 100 MW Telangana solar project
The tendered solar PV capacity for state-owned coal mining company Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is now revised to 90 MW (AC). Further, the commissioning period has been increased to 12 months.
