The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender for two 1.5MW(AC) solar power projects with battery energy storage systems of 0.75MW / 2.5MWh each at two locations in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian solar tariffs have matched their lowest ever in the most recent 2GW auction from Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), hitting INR2.44/kWh (US$0.036) for the first time since May 2017, and with much of the capacity expected to be set up in Rajasthan.
India’s unusual tender for 5GW of PV manufacturing capacity linked with 10GW of solar projects has been called many things, ranging from pioneering to fanciful, but the earliest stages have seen some of the global industry’s biggest names toss their hat in the ring.
India has given the option to solar power procurers to extend the timelines for land acquisition, financial close and PV project commissioning, which should help developers working on interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected plants.
Lightsource BP has completed its first utility-scale solar farm in India after bringing online a 60MW project in Maharashtra, having won the contract through a competitive 450MW tender process completed in September 2016.
The sanctioning of a tendering scheme for 2.5GW of hybrid wind and solar capacity in India, to be allocated through a transparent bidding process, has been branded as “the right step”, by consultancy firm Bridge to India.
