Page 8 - Solar Energy

Alpex Solar announces plan to double PV module capacity to 2.4 GW by FY26

Solar solutions provider Alpex Solar on Wednesday announced its expansion plans to double its photovoltaic solar module capacity to 2.4 GW by FY2025-26. A greenfield project of 1.2 GW solar PV modules capacity will be installed in the company's newly acquired land parcel at Kosi Kotwan, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, a statement said. The company will also explore a foray into solar cell manufacturing in the range of gigawatt capacity. The new project will be funded through internal accruals and loans. Once the new line is set up, the company expects a capacity of 2.4 GW by FY2026, enabling it to meet the growing demand in India and other key global markets. The company aims at deeper integration with the solar cell foray building upon its presence in solar PV modules and aluminium frames. Ashwani Sehgal, Managing Director, Alpex Solar said, "We are exploring the foray into solar cell manufacturing. This may afford us multiple advantages, including cost, profitability, and branding, an

Jakson Engineers plans Rs 2,000 cr investment to expand solar mfg biz

Jakson Group arm Jakson Engineers on Wednesday said it is planning to invest about Rs 2,000 crore for expansion of its solar manufacturing business. Jakson Engineers Ltd (JEL) -- part of the leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate Jakson Group -- announced a significant expansion of its solar manufacturing business, a company statement said. According to the statement, the company plans to invest approximately Rs 2,000 crore for setting-up a 2,500 MW Solar Cell manufacturing facility, which will be developed in two phases and is simultaneously expanding its existing solar module manufacturing facility to 2,000 MW. This expansion marks a major milestone for Jakson Engineers, reinforcing its dedication to meeting the growing demand for solar energy solutions. By significantly ramping up its manufacturing capabilities, Jakson aims to better serve its growing customer base and contribute meaningfully to the global shift towards renewable energy. Sundeep Gupta, Vice Chairman & .

Reliance to commission first solar giga-factory this year: Mukesh Ambani

Reliance Industries Ltd, India's most valuable company, plans to commission its first solar giga-factory this year as part of a pivot towards green energy, its chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Thursday. The solar giga factory will include the manufacturing of PV modules, cells, wafers and ingots, polysilicon, and glass at a single location. The modules convert sunlight into electricity. Addressing the annual shareholders meeting, he said the first train of 20GW solar PV (photovoltaic) manufacturing "will commence production" by the end of this year. It is also targeting industrialising sodium-ion cell production at the MW level in 2025 and the first 50 MWh a year lithium battery cells pilot in 2026. Reliance, in 2021, announced plans to invest USD 10 billion over three years to develop a new fuels business based on 100 GW of renewable power capacity by 2030. The plan involves setting up four giga factories for manufacturing renewable equipment, battery storage, fuel cells and hydrog

Satellites to beam sunlight down to earth at night, says California startup

A California-based startup plans to send satellites with mirrors in space to reflect sunlight onto solar farms at night. They aim to boost solar energy production by providing sunlight after dark

JK Tyre to invest Rs 1.32 cr to acquire 26% stake in solar energy venture

JK Tyre and Industries is set to invest Rs 1.32 crore for 26% stake in solar power firm Truere Galaxy, that was incorporate less than five months ago

UP plans to install solar power plants along 296-km Bundelkhand Expressway

The Uttar Pradesh government plans to install solar power plants along both sides of the 296-km Bundelkhand Expressway. According to GEAPP (Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet)-- a global alliance for green energy transition -- it has conducted a study and found that 450 MW solar power plants can be installed on both sides of the highway. GEAPP said it has also prepared a detailed project report (DPR) which has been approved by the state government. "In the study, we found that 450 MW solar power plants can be installed on both sides. We presented the study to the state government and they have approved it," Saurabh Kumar, vice-chairman of GEAPP, told PTI on Sunday. On August 9, Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi and Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh spoke to various stakeholders and solar energy experts in Lucknow and made them aware of every aspect of this project. "We are now assisting UPEIDA (Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Author

Guidelines issued for component under 'PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana'

The government on Monday issued operational guidelines for implementation of 'Model Solar Village' component under PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Under the scheme component, emphasis has been laid on creating one model solar village per district across India, to promote solar energy adoption and enable village communities to become self-reliant in energy needs, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said in a statement. A financial outlay of Rs 800 crore has been allocated for this component, providing Rs 1 crore per selected Model Solar Village, the ministry said. The scheme guidelines for implementation of Model Solar Village were notified by MNRE on August 9, 2024. The selection process involves a competitive mode where villages are assessed on their overall distributed renewable energy capacity installed on 6 months after the declaration of the potential candidate by district-level committee (DLC). As per the guidelines, in order to be considered under the competition

Sunkind Energy secures 20 MW solar projects in Punjab, Maharashtra

Clean energy company Sunkind Energy on Monday said it has secured new solar power projects totalling around 20 megawatts (MW). The contracts have been awarded by Nahar Group and Jindal Group, the company said in a statement. For Nahar Group, the company said it will set up a capacity of 7.3 MW in Ludhiana, Punjab, for captive purposes and a 19.6 MW captive solar project for Jindal Group in Nashik, Maharashtra. Both projects will be set up in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. The company aims to complete these contracts by September 2024, Sunkind Energy founder and CEO Hanish Gupta said. The company did not provide any financial details of the project. As per industry estimates, 1 MW of solar projects involves an investment of around Rs 5-7 crore, including land cost. Gurugram-based Sunkind Energy is a leading EPC solar company in the country, having a total orderbook of 52 MW solar projects under various stages of implementation.

Quantum Capital to buy US power producer Cogentrix Energy for $3 bn

Cogentrix, which was bought by Carlyle from Goldman Sachs in 2012, operates more than 70 gas, coal, solar and other renewable assets

About 151 GW green capacity under implementation in India: Pralhad Joshi

Renewable energy projects of about 151 GW capacity are under various stages of implementation in the country, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has said. The Minister for New and Renewable Energy further said that around 76.42 GW of renewable energy capacity will be operationalized in next 3-4 years. "The government is taking several initiatives to prioritise renewable energy. Nearly 151 GW of renewable projects are being implemented, and 76.42 GW will be operationalized in 3-4 years," he said addressing a session at 'Mercom India Renewables Summit 2024' in the national capital on Friday. The tendering process for 76.42 GW capacity of projects has already been completed, the minister said. The renewable energy capacity has increased over 2.5 times from 76 GW in 2014 to more than 195 GW as of June 2024, Joshi said. The solar power capacity witnessed a steep jump from just 3 GW in 2014 to more than 85 GW now while wind power capacity increased from 21 GW to more than 46 GW, the minister

This renewable energy solutions provider stock has zoomed 625% in 15 months

Suzlon Energy rallied 5% to Rs 57.82, hitting an over 13-year high on the BSE in Tuesday's intra-day trade after the firm reported highest quarterly EBITDA in 7 years at Rs 370 crore in Q1FY25.

Torrent Power to build 50 MW solar projects for ARS Steel's power supply

Torrent Power's subsidiary Torrent Urja 14 (TU14) will set up solar projects of up to 50 MW to supply clean power to ARS Steels & Alloy International (ARS), a BSE filing said on Monday. As per the Subscription and Shareholders' Agreement (SSSA) signed on Monday, ARS will also have an equity stake in the TU14 -- an arm of Torrent Power. The SSSA has been signed by Torrent Power, ARS and TU14 for the supply of power from by development of up to 50 MWp solar power generating projects in Tamil Nadu through open access from the project of TU14 to the production units of ARS," the filing said. "Significant terms of SSSA include that ARS shall at all times during the subsistence of the power supply and offtake agreement hold not less than 26 per cent of the aggregate equity shares of TU14," Torrent Power said. Torrent Power is into generation, transmission and distribution of power. The company is also engaged in the manufacturing and supply of power cables.

L&T bags Rs 10-15K cr order to build two solar plants in West Asia

Proposed plants will have a cumulative capacity of 3.5 GW, the Indian engineering giant said. The work on the projects will commence soon

Congress targets PM over 'Adani group taking Chinese help in solar project'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a news report that the Adani Group has "selected eight Chinese companies to help" its solar manufacturing project and called for a strategy "to wean India of its dependence on China". He said it has to be ensured that the taxpayers' money does not benefit Chinese companies. In a post on 'X', Ramesh said, "The non-biological Prime Minister infamously told the nation on June 19, 2020, after the Galwan clashes that 'Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai (Neither has anyone entered our borders, nor has anyone occupied territories)'." "However, he shows no hesitation in liberally issuing visas to Chinese workers to help one of his 'tempowallah' buddies," he said in the post on 'X' while tagging with it a newspaper report about Adani Solar seeking Centre's nod to bring a few engineers from China. Ramesh's "tempowallah buddies" jibe is in reference to PM Modi's attack on Rahul ..

Copper demand to skyrocket with shift to clean energy sources: HCL CMD

The demand for copper, a key component in electric vehicles, will go up substantially as the world shifts to cleaner energy sources to mitigate climate change, according to Hindustan Copper Chairman and Managing Director Ghanshyam Sharma. By transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced significantly. "As the world transitions to cleaner energy sources...the demand for copper will increase significantly as a vital component in electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines etc," the CMD said in a recent message on the company's website. He further said the company has been given the charge of utilisation of the nation's copper resources in an efficient and sustainable way. India, he said, is committed to achieving net zero emission by 2070. According to ICRA, the domestic refined copper demand growth is expected to remain healthy at 11 per cent in

High installation cost barrier to adopting solar rooftop power: Report

High cost of installation and lack of skilled workforce are among the top three barriers to adoption of rooftop solar power in India, according to a survey. The survey was conducted by Luminous Power Technologies, involving 4,318 respondents from 5 metros and 8 non-metro cities. About 90 per cent of the respondents of 'Solar Spectrum of New India' survey acknowledge the need for specialized skills in solar panel installation, and 45 per cent believed skilled labour is unavailable locally. "The top barriers to the adoption of solar power in India are shortage of specialized skills, perceived cost implications and accessibility," it said. The study further said that around 59 per cent respondents have concerns over high initial installation costs. "A noteworthy proportion believe that the cost of implementing solar power solutions is slightly more compared to traditional energy sources," it said. This suggests the need to build awareness of financial schemes and avenues available f

Gruner to set up compressed biogas plant in Gujarat at Rs 220-cr investment

Gruner Renewable Energy on Monday said it will set up a compressed biogas (CBG) plant in Gujarat at an estimated cost of Rs 220 crore. The CBG plant in Navsari is expected to produce 44 tonnes of biogas per day (TPD) using cost-effective feedstocks such as paddy, pressmud, canetrash and of municipal solid waste (MSW). This equates to an annual production of over 16,000 tonnes of biogas, Gruner Renewable Energy said in a statement. "Gruner Renewable Energy, in collaboration with a leading business conglomerate, is all set to establish Asia's largest compressed biogas plant in Navsari, Gujarat. The estimated cost of this plant is approximately Rs 220 crore," it said. As India works towards decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, opening of plants like Navsari is going to play a critical role in meeting our goals of championing sustainable energy solutions, Gruner Renewable Energy Founder and CEO Utkarsh Gupta said. The establishment of CBG plants will significantly reduce the country's

Minda Corp partners with Taiwan firm to locally produce sunroof for PVs

Auto components maker Minda Corporation on Friday said it has inked a pact to form a joint venture with Taiwan-based HSIN Chong Machinery Works Co to locally produce sunroofs for passenger vehicles. The 50:50 partnership aims to localise the production of sunroof and closure technology products. "This collaboration underscores our commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat, as we strive to deliver comprehensive system solutions encompassing product design, development, and manufacturing for passenger vehicles," Minda Corporation Chairman & Group CEO Ashok Minda said in a statement. HSIN Chong Machinery Works Chairman Roger Hsi said the company is looking forward to collaborate with Spark Minda to expand its footprint in India's growing vehicle market to develop and manufacture innovative integrated automotive sunroof and closure systems for next-generation vehicles. The company is confident that this partnership will effectively channelise the complementary strengths of both organisations ..

Domestic open access solar capacity addition doubles in Jan-Mar: Mercom

Open access solar installations rose two-fold in India to 1.8 gigawatts during January-March this year supported by several factors, including reduced module cost, US-based Mercom Capital has said. Solar power through open access is an arrangement where a power producer establishes a solar power plant to supply green energy to consumers. India added over 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of solar open access capacity in the first quarter of the calendar year of 2024, posting a two-fold increase from 909.3 megawatts (MW) in Q4 2023, the report titled 'Mercom India Solar Open Access Market' said. As of March 2024, the cumulative installed solar open access capacity stood at 14.3 GW. Solar open access developers benefited from lower Chinese module prices and the suspension of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) order for projects commissioned through March 2024. Additionally, lower power purchase agreement (PPA) prices, due to reduced project costs, further incentivized consumers t

SECI invites bids for annum supply of 539,000 metric tonnes green ammonia

State-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India has invited bids for the selection of ammonia producers for the annual supply of 5.39 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of green ammonia. The bids are invited under SIGHT Programme of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). According to the statement, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a Request for Selection (RfS) of green ammonia producers for the production of green ammonia in India through cost-based competitive bidding under Mode 2A of SIGHT programme of the NGHM being implemented by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). The bidding for a total available capacity of 5.39 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT)/annum of Green Ammonia intended for production and supply will be carried out through e-bidding followed by e-Reverse Auction process. Green Ammonia produced will be supplied to the fertilizer companies, it stated. The MNRE had earlier issued the Scheme Guidelines for implementation of SIGHT Programme Component II: ...