Solar glass beaming bright

India’s solar glass market is heating up as recent policy changes, aimed at bolstering domestic production, encourage multiple players to enter the fray.

Among the policy measures, the Ministry of Finance has imposed a 10% basic customs duty (BCD) on import of solar glass effective October 1, 2024, citing sufficient domestic manufacturing capacity in progress. To recall, the anti-dumping duty imposed in 2017 by the government on imports of solar glass…

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RE states levying “resource tax”, making it harder on peers

India’s ambitious energy quest risks stumbling on the additional charges being levied by key states on generation of electricity from renewable sources. Rajasthan was the first to impose such a levy, followed by Madhya Pradesh. More recently, Tamil Nadu has announced its own.

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Mineral security critical to power growth

Demand for batteries is on the rise due to their widespread application in electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy integration, data centres and many other sectors. Lithium-ion based batteries dominate the battery energy storage (BES) market due to their high energy density, long cycle life and declining costs…

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Solar flare up

Up till the middle of 2023, solar module manufacturers were in a race to expand capacity, buoyed by sunny projections of demand. Then, module prices started declining as four headwinds – excess production, severe competition, technological advancement and falling raw material costs – coalesced, cooking up a perfect storm…

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Hybrids powering the renewables ride

India’s renewable energy sector has seen remarkable growth, driven by the government’s ambitious net-zero target, supportive policies and declining technology costs. Also, increased competition is driving down the cost of setting up renewable projects…

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Budget gives a leg-up to clean energy

The full Union Budget for this fiscal has provided a much-needed impetus to the clean-energy sector through direct capital support, lower taxation on inputs and policy initiatives for segments that are underperforming, underdeveloped or critical for future power systems. To put this into perspective, the government has allocated Rs 19,100 crore to the Ministry of New and Renewable…

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Implementation of resource adequacy policy by all states key to tackle surge in power demand

Prompt implementation of the Resource Adequacy Framework guidelines issued by the Ministry of Power in 2023 by all states is crucial for improving planning and resource management in the power sector. That would ensure a coordinated response to demand variations and enhance the reliability of power supply in the context of estimates that India’s peak power demand could surpass 400 GW by fiscal 2032. Demand hit an all-time high of 250 GW in May 2024, up substantially from 224 GW recorded in summer months (April to June) of 2023, led by soaring summer…

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Merchant power, new avenue for renewable energy

The emergence of merchant projects has added a new dimension to the renewable energy market as these offer developers flexibility in navigating the dynamics without long-term commitment. To be sure, the strategy of placing part of a project’s capacity under merchant operations is not new—it has been practised by thermal power plants for years. And now, it is picking up pace in the renewable energy…

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Energy storage ecosystem key to unlocking clean energy potential

Energy storage systems (ESS) are vital for deepening renewable energy integration and enhancing grid stability. This month, a bid of Rs 44.7 lakh per megawatt (MW) per year was discovered for battery energy storage systems (BESS) under the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd’s (GUVNL) Tranche III bid. This marks a 66% reduction from the bid that won the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI)…

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Consensus eludes on banking provision in green open access push

The issue of the Green Energy Open Access (GEOA) rules by the central government in fiscal 2022 marked a watershed moment from a policy perspective for open access (OA) consumers. However, as of June 2024, only 13 states have fully adopted the rules, two states have partially adopted the rules, and one state has issued draft regulations. A key aspect of the policy, the banking provision, has seen the most

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Tightrope walk for power regulators: Balancing discom health and consumer interest

Retail tariff orders issued by state electricity regulators for this fiscal versus increasing power purchase cost is the big conundrum before distribution companies (discoms). Tariff orders are issued on a yearly or multi-year basis to determine the revenue requirements of discoms. The tariff estimation process typically involves review of past performance, estimation of power demand, cost of power purchases…

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ALMM reinstatement spurts record quarterly sector growth

India’s solar capacity addition in Q1 2024 grew 341% y-o-y to a record high of 7,918 MW, marking the highest ever capacity addition in a single quarter. Utility scale and open access (OA) projects accounted for 56% and 31% of new capacity addition respectively, followed by rooftop solar with 10% and the off-grid segment…

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