Indian utility NTPC has invited bids for 35MW of grid-connected solar PV projects across two states, with the requirement to source domestic solar equipment.
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released a document clarifying the rules for state government offtake of solar park capacity, while the World Bank plans to provide US$100 million for solar park infrastructure.
India installed 5.5GW of utility-scale solar capacity in the last fiscal year and the country is expected to add another 8GW in the coming year, according to consultancy firm Bridge to India’s ‘India Solar Map’.
India’s biggest utility, NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) is seeking bidders to add a 6MW / 24MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to a 17MW PV plant in Manglutan, South Andaman.
Indian solar tariffs reached yet another new low yesterday with the Indian arm of French clean energy firm Solairedirect winning 250MW(ac) of capacity in Andhra Pradesh with a record bid of INR 3.15/kWh (US$0.0494).
Finnish firm Fortum has commissioned a 70MW solar PV plant in the Indian state of Rajasthan, which it won last year at what was then a record low tariff of INR4.34/kWh (US$0.067).
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$175 million loan to India’s major network operator and utility Power Grid Corporation of India (Powergrid) relating to solar park transmission.
Indian utility NTPC has retendered 250MW of PV at a solar park in Karnataka after infrastructural issues at the park dampened the interest of developers to participate.