India

Reliance Industries said its solar unit will buy UK-based sodium-ion battery technology provider Faradion for GBP100 million (US$135 million) including debt, as the Indian conglomerate pushes forward with its ambitious plan to move into the renewable energy industry.

The Mumbai-headquartered solar manufacturer supplied its 335 Wp polysilicon modules for the 1.53 MW PV project located at Kovilpatti in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.

The solar sector in India bounced back to make 2021 the best year in new PV capacity addition. The year also witnessed a massive response to PLI tender for solar manufacturing and launch of 50 GWh battery cell tender and green hydrogen mission.

The Chinese inverter maker has expanded its offerings in India beyond commercial and residential solar sector by launching 250 and 253 kW inverters for the utility segment. It also plans to bring its offgrid solutions to the Indian market in 2022.

This is the fifth credit line signed between REC Limited and KfW for the financing of power sector projects and the third credit line for the financing of renewable energy projects.

The Chinese inverter maker has signed a contract with India-based Rays Power Infra to supply 1,500V, 3.125 MW central inverters to the 280 MW solar project, set to be installed in the Rangpur district of Bangladesh.

The core objective of renewable energy deployment in India is to promote economic growth, enhance energy security, increase energy access, and reduce climate change. Sustainable development is possible by the use of clean energy and by ensuring access to affordable and reliable energy for every citizen.

The lead-acid battery major, which is into lithium battery assembly in a joint venture with Swiss firm Leclanche, will set up a multi-gigawatt lithium-ion cell manufacturing plant as it strives to become more cost-competitive and better serve its customers.

Nexcharge, a joint venture of India’s largest lead-acid storage battery manufacturer, Exide Industries Limited, and Swiss Lithium-ion battery manufacturer Leclanché, has fully automated assembly lines of li-ion battery packs, modules, and cell testing labs in Gujarat. Ketan Chitnis, vice president-stationary BU, tells pv magazine the government’s PLI Scheme is a major incentive for attracting investment into Li-ion cell manufacturing.

State-owned NTPC Limited has selected California-headquartered Bloom Energy’s electrolyzer and hydrogen-powered fuel cell technologies for the nation’s first green hydrogen-based energy storage deployment.