Blogs
More to Indian solar tariffs than meets the eye
17 April 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
India achieved a record low solar tariff of INR 3.29 (US¢ 5.1)/kWh in the Rewa tender in February. That record was surpassed last week in an auction conducted by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for a 250 MW project in Kadappa, Andhra Pradesh, where Engie’s Solairedirect submitted the winning bid...
Renewable capacity addition catches up with thermal power in India
10 April 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Energy transformation has arrived in India. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India’s total renewable capacity including solar, wind, bio-mass and small hydro grew by around 11.2 GW in FY 2016-17, at par with thermal capacity addition, which registered a decline of 50% in the year. The country added 5,526 MW of new solar capacity (up 83% over FY 2015-16) and...
UDAY has been successful in achieving its most important objective
03 April 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
It has been nearly eighteen months since the Ministry of Power announced the vital Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme for financial and operational reform of power distribution companies (DISCOMs) in India (refer,
Urgent reform needed to achieve energy sector transformation in India
27 March 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
The Indian power sector is in early stages of transformation from coal-centric generation to variable renewable power generation (refer). This transformation will pose several daunting commercial and technical challenges for both policy makers and market players. It will also inevitably...
Launching BTI India Solar Price indices
22 March 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
BRIDGE TO INDIA is launching India Solar Price Indices, a series of indices to track and monitor key price trends in the Indian solar market. Our objective is to publish pricing data specifically applicable to the Indian solar market – devoid of exchange rate movements or source of equipment. We expect the indices to bring more transparency to the sector and provide reliable, independent...
Bidding behavior in the Indian solar sector not sustainable
20 March 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Last week, BRIDGE TO INDIA launched its latest report: “Analysis of utility scale solar tenders in India”. This report examines recent bidding history for all PPA-based, open category tendered projects to understand risk-return relationship in the sector. From July 2015 to December 2016, India allocated 12.6 GW of solar projects to private developers through...
India not doing enough to capture energy storage opportunity
14 March 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
After squeezing global solar module manufacturers out of business, China is at it again. It is using every trick available – government subsidies, domestic quotas, restriction on foreign players and cornering raw material supplies – to dominate energy storage industry, which has been so far led by Japanese and Korean manufacturers such as Panasonic, Samsung SDI and LG Chem. The country is...
Another year from hell for module suppliers
06 March 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
Solar module prices are expected to continue declining in 2017 as global supply continues to exceed demand. As the largest supplier and installer of solar modules, China will continue to drive global pricing. The country’s demand is expected to be up to 20% lower than in 2016 – as against a record 34 GW of installations in 2016, it is expected to add only about 28 GW in 2017 – putting...
India’s first wind power auction to upend traditional business model
28 February 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
India’s first ever wind power auction has resulted in a record low wind power tariff of INR 3.46 (US¢ 5.2)/kWh, just marginally higher than the record low levelized tariff of INR 3.29 (US¢ 4.9)/kWh in the recent Rewa solar auction (refer). Mytrah, Sembcorp, Inox and Ostro are...
India’s problems with coal sector continue
20 February 2017 | BRIDGE TO INDIA
In January 2017, India’s coal imports declined by 22 percent to 14 million tonnes (refer) because of lukewarm demand from power generating stations. Coal India Limited, which accounts for 80% of domestic coal production, has posted its worst ever...
Rewa project is a glimpse into future of the power sector
20 February 2017 | Vinay Rustagi
The 750 MW Rewa solar project has seen tariffs fall to a record low of Rs 2.97/ kWh. Levellized tariff works out to Rs 3.29/ kWh, 24% below the previous low of Rs 4.34 seen in an NTPC tender in January 2016. Most of this fall can be attributed to lower equipment cost. Solar module prices, constituting about 60% of capital costs, have fallen by 26% in the last year. The Rewa auction makes...
Lacklustre budget
15 February 2017 | Mudit Jain
The Union Budget of India for financial year 2017-18 was presented last week. The Indian budget making exercise is somewhat unique as it is seen as setting the tone for major government policy and reform agenda rather than merely a record of financial book-keeping. From that perspective, the budget was a disappointment as it didn’t break any new ground for the renewable sector. It included a...
