open access

Ratings agency ICRA has estimated Indian green hydrogen will cost that much if produced at sites featuring clean energy generation capacity and electrolyzers. That is between 50 US cents and a dollar per kilogram cheaper than in locations where the two systems are not co-located, with the saving possible due to a reduction in open-access, intra-state grid charges.

The Mumbai-based utility-scale solar power development and EPC company has announced it expects to commission 70MWp of ‘captive mode’ solar capacity in Chhattisgarh by mid-April. The capacity is part of a 168MWp open-access PV order from diversified business conglomerate HIRA Group.

Only the solar products and manufacturers making to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) will now be eligible for open access and net-metering projects—in addition to government-backed projects—installed in the country. These include projects set up for sale of electricity to the Government under Section 63 of Electricity Act, 2003. The amendment shall apply to renewable energy projects which apply for open access or net-metering facility from April 1, 2022.

The Delhi-based distributed solar company secured the projects under Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited’s Open Access solar scheme in the State.

The open access plant was set up on turnkey engineering, procurement and construction basis with the fashion retailer holding 26% ownership of the plant.

The power generated from the captive project in Solapur city of Maharashtra will be supplied to NTT Com-Netmagic’s data centres across the state.

With Karnataka withdrawing open access waivers and the policy not replicated elsewhere, corporate buyers are increasingly favouring group captive projects that are exempt from the cross-subsidy surcharge—the largest and most unpredictable component of grid charges for open access power.

With continuous decline in costs of solar power generation, the chorus for shortening the 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) period is growing louder.

Solar installations picked up significantly in the January-March period, with 1.89 GW of utility-scale PV projects providing 76% of the quarterly total. Rooftop PV accounted for the remaining 590 MW of new capacity additions. Looking ahead, Bridge to India expects the uptrend to continue, as the first quarter ended with a record amount of capacity in the national pipeline.

The solar capacity addition of 7-7.5 GW in FY2019-20 will be 15% higher than a subdued 6-6.5 GW in FY 2018-19. Of the total, 1 GW would come through open access/group captive route and grid-connected rooftop.