Asia

Earlier this year, when a landmark tender by India’s nodal agency for solar energy, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), concluded the largest solar-cum-storage tender globally (~3 GWh of storage connected to 1.2 GW of solar), it highlighted a critical challenge India faces in bringing solar energy to scale: battery storage technologies.

The onset of Covid-19 has brought into focus the critical importance of indigenization and localization of battery cells as a series of disruptions in the supply chain for Li-ion batteries will also affect Indian electric vehicles and stationary energy storage market.

The project—requiring investment of 34.9 million euros—will be built by EPC contractor Jakson with modules supplied from JA Solar.

The grid-connected solar project—scheduled for commissioning in September 2021—is valued at Rs 1730.16 crore and will be developed using Tata Power’s own cells and modules.

Pinaki Bhattacharyya, Amp Energy India MD and CEO, speaks to pv magazine about the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the solar industry and the ways in which the government can build a positive sentiment in the industry.

May 4 is the deadline to submit bids for the solar capacity which shall come up at the state-owned coal miner’s Singareni Thermal Power Plant storage reservoir (10 MW) and Dorli open-cast project void (5 MW) in Telangana.

Over 21.6% or 3 GW of solar and wind installations will get delayed due to supply and labour disruptions caused by the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, according to the analysts which in a January report forecast the country to add over 15 GW of renewable capacity this year.

The clarification came after States reacted wrongly to the power ministry’s recent order providing a moratorium on conventional power payments and started stopping payments or curtailing renewable power.

Interested solar EPC contractors can now submit expressions of interest till April 30 to get empaneled with the state-owned Central Electronics Limited.

April 10 is the last date to submit technical bids for installation and commissioning of the rooftop solar systems with battery backup at State Bank of India’s branches, offices and residences in Chandigarh region.