Page 10 - Solar Energy

China shadow on flagship PLI for domestic manufacturing of solar equipment

Majority PLI winners list Chinese vendors for setting up solar equipment manufacturing

SJVN gets LoI for 200 MW solar project form Gujarat Urja Vias Nigam

State-owned SJVN Ltd on Wednesday said it has received a letter of intent from Gujarat Urja Vias Nigam Ltd to set up a 200 megawatt (MW) solar power project. The tentative cost of construction and development of this project is Rs 1,100 crore, SJVN CMD Geeta Kapur said in a company statement. "SJVN has received the Letter of Intent (LOI) from Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) for 200 MW Solar Power Project in GUVNL Phase XXII," it said. The ground-mounted solar project shall be developed by SJVN subsidiary SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL) anywhere in India through an EPC contract. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) shall be executed with GUVNL after the adoption of the tariff by GERC (Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission), it said. The project shall be commissioned in a period of 18 months from the date of signing of PPA. This PPA shall be signed between GUVNL and SGEL for 25 years, SJVN added. The project is expected to generate 508.4 million units in the first year

Metafin secures $5 million equity to catalyse solar adoption in rural India

Metafin, a cleantech-focused NBFC, on Wednesday said it has raised USD 5 million in equity funding, led by Prime Venture Partners and Varanium Capital. Metafin, which specialises in rooftop solar loans for semi-urban and rural MSMEs, provides financing and installation solutions through its network of lending and installer partners. In a release, Metafin said it plans to utilise funds to expand across states, grow its loan book, enhance its technology and IoT stack, and hire key talent. "In addition to our climate impact, every plant we enable helps India increase energy inclusion, broaden financial inclusion, and improve livelihoods. Our goal is to finance over one million such projects in the next 5 years," Metafin Founder and CEO Sandeep Chopra said. India has set a 280 GW target for solar adoption by 2030. Metafin has enabled almost 1,000 installations in UP and Bihar (14+ MWs), of which 90 per cent are off-grid, replacing diesel directly. These installations, the company sai

Alpex Solar IPO to open on Feb 8, sets price band at Rs 109-115/share

Solar energy solutions provider Alpex Solar Ltd on Monday said it has fixed a price band of Rs 109-115 apiece for its Rs 75-crore initial public offering (IPO). The issue will open for public subscription on February 8 and conclude on February 12. The bidding for anchor investors will open for a day on February 7, the Greater Noida-based company said in a statement. The maiden public issue comprises a fresh issue of 64.8 lakh equity shares. At the upper end of the price band, the company aims to mobilise Rs 74.52 crore. Of the IPO proceeds, Alpex plans to utilise Rs 19.55 crore to upgrade and expand its solar module manufacturing facility and increase its capacity from 450 MW to 1.2 GW. Further, Rs 12.94 crore will be used to set up a new manufacturing unit for its solar modules' aluminium frame; Rs 20.49 crore to meet its working capital requirements and the remaining for general corporate expenses. Post the completion of the issue, shares of the company will be listed on the NSE

Consumers installing solar panels at home to get zero power bills: Delhi CM

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that under the Delhi Solar Policy 2024, people installing rooftop solar panels at home will get generation-based incentives. He said such consumers will be paid for solar power generation. Under the policy, all government buildings having an area of 500 square metres will have to mandatorily install rooftop solar panels in the next three years, Kejriwal further said. Delhi Power Minister Atishi said the solar policy was approved by the Cabinet two days back and it would be notified within 10 days. The 2016 policy of the Delhi government enabled the deployment of over 250 MW of rooftop solar plants within the city and around 1,250 MW of utility-scale solar plants, totalling 1,500 MW. This meets 7.2 per cent of Delhi's annual electricity demand.

Alpex Solar files preliminary papers with sebi to raise Rs 75 cr via IPO

Solar energy solutions provider Alpex Solar on Wednesday said it has filed preliminary papers with SEBI to raise Rs 75 crore through an initial public offering. The offer comprises fresh issuance of 64,80,000 equity shares with a face value of Rs 10 each, a company statement said. Alpex Solar has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) for the IPO and shares will be listed with NSE Emerge. The company intends to raise around Rs 75 crore through the IPO, it stated. It will utilise net proceeds from the IPO to upgrade and expand its existing solar module manufacturing facility from 450 MW to 1.2 GW under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, besides setting up a new manufacturing unit for its solar module's aluminium frame. The funds will also be used to meet its working capital requirements and for general corporate expenses. Corporate Capital Ventures has been appointed as the book running lead manager to the issue and Skyline Financial Services is the registrar. Alpex Solar

Israel to install solar energy facilities on highways for first time

The project includes the construction of solar facilities for the production of green electricity in a total area of approximately 250 acres

First Solar invests $700 mn for solar manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu

US-based First Solar said it has invested USD 700 million in setting up India's first integrated solar manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu that was inaugurated on Thursday. The facility, which has an annual capacity of 3.3 gigawatts (GW), is located in Tamil Nadu. It will produce the 'company's series 7' Photovoltaic (PV) solar modules for the Indian market. The facility has provided a direct employment opportunity to around 1,000 people, according to a statement. Tamil Nadu's Minister for Industries, Promotions and Commerce TRB Rajaa was the chief guest at the plant's inaugural ceremony that was also attended by the United States Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti and Chief Executive Officer of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Scott Nathan. The factory sets a high bar for sustainability and advanced manufacturing and has created high-value jobs in the state. It will support India's ambition to become self-sufficient in solar technology, Rajaa said. Garcetti

Apraava Energy bags 250-MW solar project from NHPC via auction route

Apraava Energy on Thursday said it bagged a 250-MW solar energy project from state-owned NHPC Ltd. The project, won through the e-reverse auction mechanism at a walk-out tariff of Rs 2.53 per kWh, is scheduled to be completed within 24 months, a company statement said. This is Apraava's first greenfield solar power project through the auction route. The interstate transmission system (ISTS) connected solar energy project has been awarded by the NHPC Ltd in Rajasthan, the statement said. Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Managing Director, Apraava Energy, said in the statement, "We are excited to strengthen our solar energy portfolio with this win in Rajasthan, a pivotal state driving the growth of renewable energy in India." The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the NHPC and Apraava Energy is for a period of 25 years from the scheduled commissioning date. As part of the agreement, Apraava Energy will be responsible for design, construction and operation of the project for the PPA tenure.

Power sector financer REC likely to lead National Rooftop Solar scheme

Sources said REC will be made the nodal agency for the scheme to spread its reach across the country and plug the inefficiencies

Waaree Energies files IPO papers; plans to raise Rs 3K cr via fresh issue

Solar panel maker Waaree Energies on Friday filed fresh preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating to Rs 3,000 crore and Offer For Sale (OFS) of 32 lakh equity shares by a promoter and existing shareholders, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). Those selling shares in the OFS include promoter Waaree Sustainable Finance Private Ltd and shareholders -- Chandurkar Investments Private Ltd and Samir Surendra Shah. Proceeds from the fresh issue will be used for setting up the 6GW (gigawatt) of Ingot Wafer, Solar Cell and Solar PV module manufacturing facility in Odisha. Besides, a portion will be used for general corporate purposes. Waaree Energies, one of the major players in the solar energy industry in India, is focused on PV module manufacturing with an aggregate installed capacity of 12 GW as of June 30, 2023. The Mumbai-based firm has a

Storage: New challenge for renewables

Implementation of storage for India's green transition clearly emerges as the new challenge for the renewables vision

Adani Green signs PPA for 8,000 Mw solar power with Solar Energy Corp

With this, Adani Green now has tied up PPAs of 19.8 gigawatt (Gw). The balance in its 20.6 Gw locked-in portfolio is merchant capacity, the company said

Adani Green Energy completes power purchase project of 8,000 MW for SECI

Adani Green signed the final PPA with the company to supply 1,799 megawatts of solar power for 25 years

Waaree Energies to invest $1 billion in Texas solar panel factory

The announcement is the latest major corporate commitment to solar manufacturing since passage of U.S. President Joe Biden's landmark climate change law last year which offers subsidies and tax breaks

PM-KUSUM: Baton handed to states to customise agriculture-solar goals

Scheme likely to go off-Budget as targets linked to discom reforms

Adani Green Energy announces incorporation of two step down subsidiaries

Adani Green Energy on Friday announced the incorporation of two step down subsidiaries Adani Renewable Energy Fifty Six Ltd and Adani Renewable Energy Fifty Seven Ltd. "Adani Renewable Energy Holding Nine Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, has incorporated two wholly-owned subsidiaries, namely, Adani Renewable Energy Fifty Six Ltd (ARE56L) and Adani Renewable Energy Fifty Seven Ltd (ARE57L) on December 14, 2023," a BSE filing stated. Both step down subsidiaries have authorised as well as paid-up share capital of Rs 1 lakh each. The main objective of the new subsidiaries is to generate, develop, transform, distribute, transmit, sale, supply any kind of power or electrical energy using wind energy, solar energy or other renewable sources of energy, as per the filing. Adani Renewable Energy Holding Nine Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, holds 100 per cent share capital of ARE56L and ARE57L. The new subsidiaries were registered with the Registrar of Companies,

Open access solar capacity grows 21% to 907 MW in Sept quarter: Mercom

The country recorded a 20.6 per cent rise in new installations of open access solar capacity to 907 MW in the September quarter, according to Mercom India. India had added 752 MW (Mega Watt) of open access solar capacities in the year-ago period, the research firm said in its 'Q3 2023 Solar Open Access Market Report'. On a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis, the capacity addition was 36 per cent higher than the 666 MW in the April-June quarter, the report said on Monday. As of September 2023, the country's cumulative installed open access solar capacity was 11 GW (Giga Watt). Under the open access model, an individual or a company can set up a green energy plant and sell the clean power generated in the open market to discoms or private consumers. "The drop in solar project costs attracted consumer attention this quarter. Power purchase agreements that were on the back burner are now being signed," Priya Sanjay, Managing Director at Mercom India, said. Emphasis on greening products

EKI Energy partners with Indian Oil to promote sustainable solar cooking

Global carbon credit developer and supplier EKI Energy Services and state-owned refiner Indian Oil Corporation have collaborated to promote sustainable indoor solar cooking system. EKI Energy Services and Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) have formalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to this effect, an EKI statement said. According to the statement, this strategic collaboration aims to promote 'Surya Nutan', IndianOil's innovative indoor solar cooking system. IndianOil, the country's largest fuel refiner and retailer, has a prominent presence across the entire hydrocarbon value chain, it stated. Under the MOU, IndianOil will share the technology of Surya Nutan with EKI Energy to enhance its production and distribution, supported by carbon finance while contributing towards the betterment of society and environment. EKI Energy will oversee the end-to-end management of Surya Nutan encompassing manufacturing, marketing, installation, and the provision of after-sales services.

Rooftop solar installations rise 34.7% to 431 MW in Jul-Sep: Mercom

The rooftop solar installations in India registered a 34.7 per cent year-on-year jump to 431 MW during July-September 2023, aided by a fall in module prices, Mercom India said. The rooftop solar installations were at 320 megawatt (MW) during the three-month period of 2022, the research firm said in a report. The rooftop solar capacity addition was also higher at 1.3 gigawatt (GW) in the first nine months of 2023, compared to 1.2 GW in January-September 2022. India's cumulative rooftop solar capacity reached 10.1 gigawatts (GW) at the end of September 30, 2023, the 'Q3 2023 Mercom India Rooftop Solar Report' said. "We are starting to see a surge in momentum in rooftop installations. The significant drop in module prices has reached a turning point, sparking increased procurement activities that offer attractive returns for rooftop solar investments. We foresee two very robust quarters coming up," said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. The majority of installations were in th