Policy

CLP India will acquire a 49% stake in Suzlon’s 50 MW and 20 MW solar projects in Dhule, Maharashtra. These two projects were won by Suzlon through competitive bidding in auctions by the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI). As per the power purchase agreement signed, the tariff rate is fixed for 25 years at 4.115 INR/kWh for 20 MW and 3.66 INR/kWh for 50 MW.

From cheer to gloom, the Indian solar industry has had mixed reactions to the Supreme Court’s interim order lifting the stay on imposition of 25% safeguard duty on imported solar cells and modules.

In a significant move, which will greatly impact India’s solar industry, the country’s Supreme Court has reportedly given the go-ahead for the government to impose 25% safeguard duties on imports of PV cells and modules. The levy will be effective July 30, 2018.

The award of the nation’s first solar project quality certificate may signal a renewed determination by the federal authorities to crack down on low-quality panels – with Far Eastern imports firmly in their sights.

In a major development, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has reduced its solar manufacturing tender size from 5 GW to 3 GW, and curtailed the minimum bid capacity from 1 GW to 600 MW. The size of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), however, remains unchanged at 10 GW.

To ensure their continued viability, nearly 8 GW of solar PV projects have been granted an extension by the Ministry of New and renewable Energy (MNRE).

In a major development, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has directed the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to fix the upper permissible solar tariff at Rs. 2.50 (US$0.036)/kWh and Rs. 2.68 ($0.038)/kWh for developers using domestic solar cells and modules (without safeguard duties), and imported products (with safeguard duties), respectively.

A time-bound process would eliminate financial uncertainties for stakeholders – be it developers, lenders or the DISCOMs. It is a particularly big relief to solar PV power developers seeking pass-through for the impact of goods and services tax (GST) on project costs.

With a rapid reduction in costs, solar plus storage can be an effective alternative for customers buying peak power from the grid. At the same time, utilities can avoid investments in peak capacity or eliminate load shedding by utilizing these resources.