Smart grid management in Rajasthan will be India’s first
GE Renewable Energy will implement, in the state of Rajasthan, an advanced grid management project that will provide real-time data monitoring to better understand current and future energy usage and enable transmission of renewable energy based on demand.
No construction permits without solar in one town in Telangana
The municipal council of Karimnagar has mandated rooftop solar on new buildings of a certain size as part of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s Smart City Mission, which requires 10% of municipal energy to be generated from solar.
Global utility-scale solar set for double-digit growth: Goldman Sachs
Utility-scale solar power capacity will grow by double digits globally in 2019 and 2020, driven by expansions in the United States, Europe, Middle East and China.
Avanze setting up 1 GW Lithium-ion cells plant in Andhra Pradesh
Delhi based Avanze Inventive will set up the Lithium-ion cells manufacturing unit in the state of Andhra Pradesh with the help of the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB). The plant, with total size of 1 GW, will entail a total investment of Rs 1800 crore (US$ 256 million).
Manufacturing the Manufacturing Policy for Indian Solar Modules
India needs a manufacturing policy that is scalable, secure, strategical and supportive and promotes both the growth and spread of solar while protecting the interests of domestic manufacturers.
Phase II of Rooftop Solar Scheme approved
The President of India has sanctioned financial outlay of Rs 11,814 crore for phase II of grid-connected rooftop solar programme to achieve ‘40 GW by 2022’ target.
BYPL commissions solar microgrids with storage batteries
Power discom BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) has set up four such microgrids at its offices in East Delhi. These microgrids will combine rooftop solar with lithium-ion-based battery energy storage systems.
Solar capacity addition to slow down till FY2019-20: Crisil
While commissioning is expected to slow down in FY 2018-19 due to the impact of the safeguard duty and GST issues, FY 2019-20 is weak due to delay in auction as several tenders got delayed/cancelled. However, FY2019-20 onwards, solar capacity additions are expected to pick up due to several factors including subsiding/removal of the safeguard duty (which would ease cost pressures).
Li-ion cells face doubled import duty from April 2021
In a move to promote indigenous manufacturing, the government has doubled the basic import duty on lithium ion cells—used in manufacturing of lithium ion accumulator for EVs—to 10 per cent from April 2021. Battery packs used in manufacturing electric vehicles face tripled import duty of 15 per cent as against the current 5 per cent.
GST and safeguarding duty have driven up solar power costs nearly 6%
A study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water claims the imposition of goods and services tax on PV projects, safeguarding duty on module imports and late payments from hard-up power distribution companies are all hindering Indian solar.
