Blogs
Weekly Update: Uttar Pradesh releases RfP for 300 MW
05 August 2014 | Akhilesh Magal
The state of Uttar Pradesh released a Request for Proposal (RfP) for 300 MW of solar PV last week (click here to access). This is a part of Uttar Pradesh’s solar policy announced last year that targets 500 MW by 2017. In March 2013, the state had...
Weekly Update: The Indian government wants to fix the RPO mechanism
30 July 2014 | Jasmeet Khurana
Last week, the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) under the new minister held a meeting with the Forum of Regulators (FoR) to discuss ways to revive the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) mechanism (refer). Until...
6 reasons why we fail to act on climate change
23 July 2014 | Tobias Engelmeier
There are no reasonable doubts that man-made climate change is happening and that it is likely to have a devastating effect on the planetary ecosystem, which includes us. Almost everyone knows it. And yet, collectively and individually, politically and privately, we fail to act. I am no exception. Why is that? The blog contains a personal list of hypotheses. The cost of fighting climate...
Weekly Update: India announces bids for 1,500 MW under the National Solar Mission
22 July 2014 | Jasmeet Khurana
Last week, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) released a draft document outlining allocation process for another 1,500 MW of solar PV capacity under phase two of India’s National Solar Mission (NSM) (refer). Allocations will be made...
Why this may be the decade for Indian power sector equities
17 July 2014 | Akhilesh Magal
The recent railway price hikes indicate that the Modi government is capable of taking tough decisions that are unpopular but in India’s long-term interest. This augurs well for the entire economy and in particular for the power sector. Power prices need to be deregulated. This will mean prices go up in the short-term, but in the long-term that will ensure a more stable grid The Minister...
Solar modules costs in India fell by 3-6% in the last year, inverter costs by 8%
16 July 2014 | Mudit Jain
The costs for key solar equipment have fallen moderately in India over the last year. Chinese tier-1 crystalline modules came down by 3%, thin film modules by 6% and inverters by 8%. Cost reductions were thus much more moderate this year than in the year before. Nevertheless, a continuing fall in solar costs is essential for unlocking the grid parity market. This progress will now likely be...
Weekly Update: Solar manufacturing in India: can the new government make it happen?
15 July 2014 | Jasmeet Khurana
In the budget, presented last week, the new government took further measures to support solar manufacturing by eliminating the ‘inverted duty’ structure. ‘Inverted duty’ meant that while there was an import duty exemption on finished solar modules, there was no similar exemption on raw materials and components used in module assembly, thus putting Indian manufacturers at a disadvantage...
What does the new budget mean for India’s solar market?
11 July 2014 | Mudit Jain
Finance minister Arun Jaitley announced the new budget for the financial year 2014-15 on 10th of July. The Indian solar sector was looking forward to it as the new administration had signalled strong support and ambitious plans for the industry. Unfortunately, there is very little in the budget for the solar sector. It is, perhaps, still too early, in the new administration, for game-changing...
Projections for solar growth in India (ADD scenarios)
10 July 2014 | Mudit Jain
The Indian solar market is at a crucial juncture. Anti-dumping duties (ADD) will impact the market – severely if imposed, still substantially even if not (just by creating uncertainty). Projects under the National Solar Mission (NSM) will be affected least. Projects under state policies and parity-based projects might not only be delayed but fully called off. For more details, please...
Analysis of the impact of anti-dumping duties on the Indian solar market
09 July 2014 | Vinay Rustagi
The Ministry of Commerce has recommended anti-dumping duties (ADD) for solar cells and modules from the leading supplier countries. The final decision on their imposition is now awaited. Since then, the solar market in India has come to a standstill, with many projects and policies on hold. For more details, please download the latest edition of the India Solar Compass (July 2014)
Weekly Update: What can India’s solar industry expect from the new budget 2014-15?
08 July 2014 | Jasmeet Khurana
The new budget for 2014-15 will be the first of the recently elected government in India. The expectations are high, but the finance minister has to walk a tightrope to ensure fiscal prudence in an economy that has been handed over to him in a bad shape. BRIDGE TO INDIA expects the government to increase the allocations to the MNRE The government should think of ways to strategically...
Why the Indian solar market is exciting and dynamic
02 July 2014 | Tobias Engelmeier
Is the Indian solar market finally going to live up to its huge promise? I have hopes that it will. The new government has made all the right “noises”. It wants to embed solar firmly within a larger energy strategy for the country. The new Power Minister, Piyush Goyal, wants to take his cue from China, currently the world’s largest solar market. At the same time (and predictably) power...
