Policy

Streamlining the Discoms, better financing options, customer-centric approach, data sharing and push for residential through standardization are a few steps that can help India achieve its ambitious rooftop solar target.

Rural micro enterprises in India suffer as financiers perceive lending for solar powered livelihood appliances as risky, owing to a lack of understanding of the technology and the viability of these enterprises—says a report by India’s Council on Energy, Environment and Water which also makes recommendations to improve the economic viability of financing for these products.

Revoking PPAs with renewable developers will undermine national climate and air pollution goals and lock in higher electricity costs for the state by jeopardizing new renewable projects.

Legal decision is the latest blow to new chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy’s determined attempt to reverse the clean energy gains made by his predecessor N Chandrababu Naidu.

The prime minister also underlined that global actions to tackle climate change are not enough, and called for mass movement to bring about behavioural change.

A total of 168 expressions of interest were received by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in the second round of PACEsetter Fund programme. Out of these, projects by the Society for Economic and Social Studies, Customized Energy Solutions India, The Energy & Resources Institute and Raghavendra Suntech Systems were chosen for the award of grants.

The government’s move to slash corporate tax rates to 22% from 30%—and to 15% for new manufacturing companies—has largely been hailed by the solar industry even as it feels impact will be limited.

Lower-middle and low-income countries, which account for 40% of the world’s population, get less than 15% of energy investment.

While some of the industry insiders gathered at REI 2019 have made predictable calls to be free of the restrictions imposed by regulators, others maintained policy support is crucial and audience members voiced concern about India’s lack of recycling rules.

The Chinese manufacturer claims to be the first company in the nation to supply that volume of solar modules. The news is unlikely to be welcomed by a government desperate to foster its own solar manufacturing sector.