Blogs
Weekly Update: SECI launches the second round of competitive bidding for rooftop solar PV projects
07 May 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has announced the second round of biddings for the implementation of large scale, grid connected rooftop PV systems ranging from 100 kWp to 500 kWp for a total allocation of 11.1 MW. A developer can apply for multiple projects for a minimum allocation of 250kWp and a maximum of 2 MWp No Feed-in-Tariff is being offered. Instead, the bidder will...
Weekly Update: Andhra Pradesh changes allocation process, policy instability to hurt investor confidence
30 April 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
The south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh had carried out a bidding process for an allocation of 1,000 MW earlier this year. The state followed a L1 (lowest bid) process, where developers were required to meet the lowest tariff being offered by any other developer for a given sub-station. The policy’s bidding process accounted for different project sizes, land costs and irradiation levels...
Weekly Update: Cross Subsidy Surcharges hiked for Open Access consumers in Maharashtra
16 April 2013 | Akhilesh Magal
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) released a commercial circular no. 190 last month (dated March 14 2013), clarifying the matter of Cross Subsidy Surcharge (CSS) for Open Access (OA) consumers. Under this circular, all generators including renewable energy generators who...
Weekly Update: Clarification on projects commissioned under batch two phase one of the NSM
09 April 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
Last week in our April 2013 edition of the India Solar Compass we had mentioned that a number of projects under the Batch II, Phase I of the NSM had not been commissioned within the deadline of February 26th 2013. Since then, we have had a chance to interact with some company representatives and market stakeholders and would like to clarify that a few of these project have in fact been...
On making errors: How and why we write about the Indian solar industry
08 April 2013 | Tobias Engelmeier
We regularly publish reports on the Indian solar market. These are read by a majority of national and international market stakeholders: on average by 10,000 people, including most industry leaders. We realize and appreciate that our views and opinions are taken seriously and influence the market. That only reaffirms our commitment to ground them firmly in facts. Only: facts, are not always...
The market this quarter – Installed PV capacity in India reaches 1.41 GW
03 April 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
We have released our latest quarterly update from the 10th edition of the INDIA SOLAR COMPASS. The total installed capacity in India has now reached 1.41 GW. Most off-grid projects that apply for capital subsidy from the MNRE in the new financial year will be put on hold until the end of the financial...
Save coal for the future – a case for renewables in India?
02 April 2013 | Tobias Engelmeier
What is the cost of burning India’s coal reserves? And should that cost be added to the equation when determining whether to switch to renewables? This is a preliminary thought-piece. The thought goes like this: fossil fuels are burned and gone. Renewables are – as the name suggests – unlimited. Could coal be used more sparingly for purposes other than generating electricity? Perhaps not...
Weekly Update: India’s largest solar REC project of 33 MW commissioned
01 April 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
India’s largest solar REC project of 33 MW was commissioned last week. The promoter of the plant is Giriraj Enterprises, which has diversified business interests. Sterling and Wilson was responsible for the EPC for the entire 33 MW and will also be responsible for the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the plant for the next five years. The project estimates an average of 53,000 RECs...
Weekly Update: Uttar Pradesh announces bids for 200 MW of solar capacity
25 March 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
Uttar Pradesh has announced a bidding process for a 200 MW capacity (refer to the Request for Proposal (RfP), PPA and Escrow agreement documents). The state has also finalized its draft solar policy. It is now called ‘Uttar Pradesh Solar Policy 2013′ (refer to the
Can solar reduce smog in Delhi?
20 March 2013 | Tobias Engelmeier
Rooftop PV could reduce the capital’s power costs and improve its supply security. These are benefits typically associated with solar. However, the real benefit might lie in reducing Delhi’s chronically high levels of smog. We are only just beginning to understand the economic (let alone social and political) cost of excessive pollution. A look at China helps. Smog in Delhi has reached...
Weekly Update: Punjab announces a bidding process for 300 MW of solar projects
19 March 2013 | Jasmeet Khurana
The Indian state of Punjab has released a request for proposal (RfP) document for allocation of 300 MW of solar PV in the first phase of its state solar policy (refer to the RfP document). Punjab had earlier set a target of 1 GW of new solar capacity by 2022 in its ‘New and Renewable Sources of Energy Policy – 2012′...
Big vs. Small – What is the future for PV in India?
14 March 2013 | Tobias Engelmeier
As the Indian solar market is moving from subsidy-driven PV projects with public PPAs to commercially-driven private PPAs, two trends are emerging to service India’s power customers: large PV plants (e.g. 100 MW), located in high irradiation areas selling power through the grid directly to end-users and local, captive PV plants (e.g. 100 kW). Both might have a role to play in India. Which...
