Asia

In September 1988, the United Nations spelt doom for the Maldives when the organization predicted that a gradual rise in average sea levels would leave the Indian Ocean nation of 1,196 small islands completely covered by water within 30 years.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids for setting up of 100 MW (AC) grid-interactive solar PV power plants at the premises of state-owned coal mining company Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in the state of Telangana. The project would be awarded through reverse auction. The deadline for bid submission is June 7.

Narendra Modi’s BJP party is seeking re-election with the aim of ensuring the electrification of all railways by 2022 and turning renewable energy into a popular movement with steps including an emphasis on solar farming. Even if the elections spring a surprise, however, the renewable momentum is unlikely to slow as no government can afford to roll back the clean power tide.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) received 27 MW from the solar project based in Madhya Pradesh, which will gradually increase it to 99 MW. The power received was used to run operations on the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Central Secretariat metro station link.

Lead-acid battery manufacturer Exide Industries has entered into 26-30% equity shareholding agreement with Singapore-based Cleantech Solar Energy for three captive solar power plants to be set up for its manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Maharashtra.

National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous R&D institution of Ministry of New and Renewable (MNRE), has invited bids from technically and financially capable manufacturers to manufacture and deliver NISE designed and developed solar dryer cum space heating systems on pan India basis.

Deployment of lithium-ion battery storage systems is growing rapidly, with Wood Mackenzie recently predicting that the U.S. market alone could be worth $4.7 billion within the next five years. Demand is rising for both grid-scale and behind-the-meter applications in a number of markets throughout the world, particularly in East Asia, the global hub of lithium-ion battery production. But a recent string of fires in South Korea – one of the world’s biggest markets for stationary storage, thanks to a concerted government push – has rekindled smoldering concerns about safety.

The world had more than half a terawatt of PV generation capacity at the end of last year as emerging solar markets picked up the slack caused by Beijing’s subsidy about-turn to the tune of a 20% rise in installations outside China.

Pune-based Electronica Finance Limited (EFL) has raised $10 million from a climate fund managed by Swiss impact investor responsAbility to diversify its SME lending offering and to expand into financing solar PV for the commercial and industrial markets.

Mobility company Shuttl will also set up more than 50 EV charging points in prime locations and state-run power distributor BSES Rajdhani Power Limited will invest in testing facilities to support stabilizing the grid for EV charging, as well as pilot schemes on effectively integrating renewable electricity into its network.