Asia

Long regarded as a solar pioneer, the state has now announced grand plans to shoulder the burden of 17% of the nation’s clean energy ambition as India races to install 175 GW of clean energy capacity in just three-and-a-half years.

Proposals by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments, Jaipur to set up solar-based EV charging infrastructure have received funding under the government’s FAME India scheme. These projects will come up at Delhi NCR, Udyog Bhwan, and Delhi-Jaipur-Delhi, Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai as well as Delhi-Chandigarh-Delhi highways.

Unlike the other, India-wide 1.2 GW tender, rolled out simultaneously, the delivery point for these projects should be chosen from designated inter-state transmission system substations in Madhya Pradesh.

The Finnish clean energy major will install public charging stations for electric vehicles across MG’s showrooms in 5 cities including Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad by September this year.

The state government will defy a ministerial order not to renegotiate signed deals after leadership of the legislative assembly changed hands in May’s elections. Consultancy Bridge to India says the contracts are legally binding but the move will shake investor confidence nevertheless.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India has invited bids to set up 1.2 GW of grid-connected solar under the fifth phase of its national interstate transmission system program. The projects – to be established on a build, own, operate basis – will be awarded through e-bidding and a reverse auction with a tariff ceiling of Rs2.65/kWh. Bidding closes on July 31.

Analysis of the solar pumping programs being rolled out across five states backs claim switching irrigation systems to PV could give the nation a huge leg-up towards its renewable energy ambition.

Central government has thrown down the gauntlet to the nation’s largest motorbike and scooter manufacturers after they resisted a proposal to ban non-electric sales from 2025 onwards.

The European Union and India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have jointly launched standard operation procedures and monitoring tool for Indian solar parks. While the procedures will help to ensure consistency of standards across solar parks, the online monitoring tool will allow better tracking of the solar parks development and operation.

The US-based impact investor will invest in specialized financial institutions in India that can develop and scale commercial rooftop solar finance solutions, serving an estimated US$ 9 billion market opportunity.