Policy reversals threaten private sale of renewable energy
19 March 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
DISCOMs across India are increasingly railing against private procurement of renewable energy. Following Uttar Pradesh’s recent decision to cancel net metering for C&I consumers, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana have withdrawn most incentives provided to open access solar power. And Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL), India’s largest...
Policy reversals threaten private sale of renewable energy
19 March 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
DISCOMs across India are increasingly railing against private procurement of renewable energy. Following Uttar Pradesh’s recent decision to cancel net metering for C&I consumers, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana have withdrawn most incentives provided to open access solar power. And Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL), India’s largest...
2018 ends on a low note
12 March 2019 | Arti Mishra Saran
BRIDGE TO INDIA has released its quarterly market report - India Solar Compass Q4 2018. The report contains detailed analysis of solar capacity addition, tender issuance, leading market players, prices and other market trends for the last quarter as well as our estimates for the next two quarters. Only 1,446 MW capacity was added in Q4 2018 - 990 MW…
2018 ends on a low note
12 March 2019 | Arti Mishra Saran
BRIDGE TO INDIA has released its quarterly market report - India Solar Compass Q4 2018. The report contains detailed analysis of solar capacity addition, tender issuance, leading market players, prices and other market trends for the last quarter as well as our estimates for the next two quarters. Only 1,446 MW capacity was added in Q4 2018 - 990 MW…
Indian RE increasingly dependent on foreign capital
11 March 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
A quick look at the profile of winning bidders in utility scale wind and solar auctions over last three years throws some pointed results. The role of international investors – utilities, developers and financial investors (pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, PE funds) – is becoming more critical. Their combined share has gone up steadily from 32% in 2016 to 65%…
Indian RE increasingly dependent on foreign capital
11 March 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
A quick look at the profile of winning bidders in utility scale wind and solar auctions over last three years throws some pointed results. The role of international investors – utilities, developers and financial investors (pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, PE funds) – is becoming more critical. Their combined share has gone up steadily from 32% in 2016 to 65%…
A draconian approach to solve quality problems?
04 March 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
MNRE recently issued a notification to create an “Approved List of Models and Manufacturers” of PV cells and modules in India. The notification states that all solar projects set up under any form of government scheme or programme would be required to procure cells and modules from the approved list. It would be effective from April 2020 onwards and approvals…
A draconian approach to solve quality problems?
04 March 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
MNRE recently issued a notification to create an “Approved List of Models and Manufacturers” of PV cells and modules in India. The notification states that all solar projects set up under any form of government scheme or programme would be required to procure cells and modules from the approved list. It would be effective from April 2020 onwards and approvals…
India Solar Compass Q4 2018
India Solar Compass provides a comprehensive update on the Indian solar market. It includes detailed updates and commentary on tender issuance, auctions, capacity addition, tariff ...
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India Solar Rooftop Market
Indian rooftop solar market has grown rapidly at a CAGR of 88% in the last five years and is estimated to have reached 3,399 MW as of September 2018. However, this is still way sho...
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India Solar Open Access Market
Total open access solar capacity in India is currently estimated at 2,894 MW, just 12% of total solar capacity in the country. Open access solar is fundamentally a very attractive...
Buy Report Download Executive SummaryStorage tenders pick up in India
28 February 2019 | Jyoti Gulia
After years of anticipation, grid scale storage tenders have finally started picking pace in India. Seven tenders with a total storage capacity of 84 MWh (with 78 MW of solar PV capacity) have been issued in the last one year. These tenders have been issued by SECI, NTPC and NLC predominantly in remote areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Himachal…
Storage tenders pick up in India
28 February 2019 | Jyoti Gulia
After years of anticipation, grid scale storage tenders have finally started picking pace in India. Seven tenders with a total storage capacity of 84 MWh (with 78 MW of solar PV capacity) have been issued in the last one year. These tenders have been issued by SECI, NTPC and NLC predominantly in remote areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Himachal…
Cabinet approval for rooftop and rural solar schemes means little
24 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Last week, India’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs finally issued its approval for two signature policy schemes announced by the government more than a year ago. The two schemes – SRISTI, covering rooftop solar and KUSUM, covering agriculture solar – are ambitious. The target is to add total distributed solar capacity of approximately 36,000 MW...
Cabinet approval for rooftop and rural solar schemes means little
24 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Last week, India’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs finally issued its approval for two signature policy schemes announced by the government more than a year ago. The two schemes – SRISTI, covering rooftop solar and KUSUM, covering agriculture solar – are ambitious. The target is to add total distributed solar capacity of approximately 36,000 MW...
Uttar Pradesh deals a blow to rooftop solar
22 February 2019 | Arti Mishra Saran
In January 2019, Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) issued new Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Gross / Net Metering (RSVP) Regulations, 2019. These regulations supersede RSVP Regulations, 2015. The most important element in the new regulations is cancellation of net metering for commercial, industrial, institutional and government consumers. Other key features of the policy are as follows ...
Uttar Pradesh deals a blow to rooftop solar
22 February 2019 | Arti Mishra Saran
In January 2019, Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) issued new Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Gross / Net Metering (RSVP) Regulations, 2019. These regulations supersede RSVP Regulations, 2015. The most important element in the new regulations is cancellation of net metering for commercial, industrial, institutional and government consumers. Other key features of the policy are as follows ...
Renewable Energy Certificate market has lost its relevance
18 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Something unique happened in the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) market last month. Prices of solar RECs moved above the specified floor (INR 1,000/ MWh) for the first time ever and touched INR 1,750/ MWh. Non-solar RECs also traded above the floor level at INR 1,500/ MWh. The price jump came even as trading volumes continued to stay low...
Renewable Energy Certificate market has lost its relevance
18 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Something unique happened in the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) market last month. Prices of solar RECs moved above the specified floor (INR 1,000/ MWh) for the first time ever and touched INR 1,750/ MWh. Non-solar RECs also traded above the floor level at INR 1,500/ MWh. The price jump came even as trading volumes continued to stay low...
DISCOM payment delays sapping industry confidence
11 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
A DISCOM payment crisis has been building up again in India. The Ministry of Power payments portal shows that outstanding dues increased to INR 410 billion (USD 5.9 billion) by November 2018 (March 2018: INR 250 billion). These numbers are based on limited available data, actual amounts are likely to be much larger...
DISCOM payment delays sapping industry confidence
11 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
A DISCOM payment crisis has been building up again in India. The Ministry of Power payments portal shows that outstanding dues increased to INR 410 billion (USD 5.9 billion) by November 2018 (March 2018: INR 250 billion). These numbers are based on limited available data, actual amounts are likely to be much larger...
MNRE refuses to give up on manufacturing
04 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
After failure of its flagship 10 GW integrated manufacturing tender, SECI has issued another integrated tender combining project development (3 GW) and module manufacturing (1.5 GW). There are some notable changes over the previous tender. Minimum bid size has been reduced to 1 GW project development...
MNRE refuses to give up on manufacturing
04 February 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
After failure of its flagship 10 GW integrated manufacturing tender, SECI has issued another integrated tender combining project development (3 GW) and module manufacturing (1.5 GW). There are some notable changes over the previous tender. Minimum bid size has been reduced to 1 GW project development...
OPEX market continues to gain share but for how long?
31 January 2019 | Jyoti Gulia
Rooftop solar market in India has seen share of OPEX model increase from barely 2% in 2012 to an estimated 35% as of September 2018. The model is growing rapidly as it is very attractive particularly for the C&I consumers – they make assured cost savings over grid power without any upfront capital investment. Plus, system installation and operation responsibility…
OPEX market continues to gain share but for how long?
31 January 2019 | Jyoti Gulia
Rooftop solar market in India has seen share of OPEX model increase from barely 2% in 2012 to an estimated 35% as of September 2018. The model is growing rapidly as it is very attractive particularly for the C&I consumers – they make assured cost savings over grid power without any upfront capital investment. Plus, system installation and operation responsibility…
Gujarat rides roughshod over developers
28 January 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Gujarat has cancelled the Banaskantha solar park based 700 MW utility scale solar tender for which an auction was conducted in December 2018. Winning bidders were SB Energy (250 MW, INR 2.84/ kWh), Fortum (250, 2.89) and Engie (200, 2.89). Reason for cancellation is same as ever and arbitrary – the winning tariffs are “too high.” Main reason for high…
Gujarat rides roughshod over developers
28 January 2019 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Gujarat has cancelled the Banaskantha solar park based 700 MW utility scale solar tender for which an auction was conducted in December 2018. Winning bidders were SB Energy (250 MW, INR 2.84/ kWh), Fortum (250, 2.89) and Engie (200, 2.89). Reason for cancellation is same as ever and arbitrary – the winning tariffs are “too high.” Main reason for high…
