Page 9 - Solar Energy

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: ...

SAIL's Bhilai steel plant to install solar energy systems in premises

Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) has decided to install solar power generation systems on the rooftops of various buildings in its plant premises and township in Bhilai. The flagship unit of the country's largest steel maker Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), BSP, has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) for the solar power generation project within the unit's premises, a statement issued by the plant management said on Wednesday. The proposed plan shall generate about 2 MW of electricity, it said. Besides, a project of rooftop solar energy systems installation on residences and offices in the township is also underway, which has the potential to generate about 3 MW of electricity, it said. Upon completion, the two projects shall lead to a reduction in as much as 2,900 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emission every year, thereby helping in environment conservation, it said. On May 9 this year, a Power Purchase

Biden's new tariffs on Chinese EVs, steel adding to tensions with Beijing

The Biden administration announced plans to slap new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment an election-year move that's likely to increase friction between the world's two largest economies. The tariffs come in the middle of a heated campaign between President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, in which both candidates are vying to show who's tougher on China. The tariffs are unlikely to have much of an inflationary impact because of how they're structured. Administration officials said they think the tariffs won't escalate tensions with China, yet they expect that China will explore ways to respond to the new taxes on their products. It's uncertain what the long-term impact on prices could be if the tariffs contribute to a wider trade dispute. The tariffs are to be phased in over the next three years, with those that take effect in 2024 covering EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel an

Diversifying portfolio

Silver investors must take note of its industrial use

Microsoft to power data centres with Brookfield renewables deal: Report

Microsoft expects its partnership with Brookfield to help finance the creation of renewable electricity projects to be built between 2026 and 2030

CESC acquires co building 300 MW solar park in Rajasthan for Rs 3.84 cr

CESC Ltd on Friday said one of its step-down subsidiaries has completed the acquisition of a company that is in the process of implementing a 300-MW solar park in Rajasthan. The acquisition aims at bolstering the renewable energy portfolio of the power utility. In a regulatory filing, CESC said Purvah Green Power has completed the acquisition of the 100 per cent stake in Bhadla Three SKP Green Ventures at a consideration of Rs 3.84 crore. The power utility said that the acquired company is developing a solar park with a capacity of 300 MW in Phalodi district of Rajasthan, and its operations are entirely based in India. "The target company has not yet generated any revenue, as its project is still under development. However, it has obtained the necessary approval from the central transmission unit for interstate evacuation of solar power with a capacity of 300 MW and has partially acquired land," CESC said in the filing. The power utility did not provide details regarding the ...

Waaree Energies bags 220 MW solar module supply order from Sprng Energy

Waaree Energies on Monday said it has secured an order from Sprng Energy to supply 220 MW of solar modules. It will supply the modules for Sprng Energy's upcoming project in Gujarat, Waaree Energies said in a statement. "This collaboration stands as an opportunity for Waaree to take on a crucial role in advancing India's green energy sector, aligning with our dedication to national sustainability objectives," Hitesh Chimanlal Doshi, Chairman & Managing Director of Waaree Group, said. Waaree Energies is among India's largest manufacturers of solar PV modules with an aggregate installed capacity of 12 GW, as of June 30, 2023.

Govt to resume curbs on solar modules imports to boost local producers

The curbs are part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's effort to gain self-dependence in energy by encouraging local solar panel output

TPSSL commissions 100 solar project with 120 MWh battery storage capacity

Tata Power Solar Systems (TPSSL) on Tuesday said it has commissioned 100 MW solar PV project, coupled with 120 MWh utility scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), at Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh. TPSSL bagged the Rs 945-crore project on EPC (engineering procurement construction) basis from the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) in December 2021, a statement said. The order scope included engineering, design, supply, construction, erection, testing, O&M, and commissioning of the projects. According to the statement, TPSSL, a fully integrated solar company in India and a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), has successfully commissioned the country's largest solar and BESS project comprising 100 MW Solar PV Project coupled with 120 MWh Utility Scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), at Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh. The TPSSL team displayed exceptional project execution and engineering prowess during the project execution, which faced ..

Adani Green operationalises 1,000 Mw of solar projects at Khavda in Gujarat

Adani Green Energy Ltd delivered 1,000 Mw in less than 12 months of starting work at Khavda. This involved installing about 2.4 million solar modules

Open access solar capacity addition at record 3.2 GW during 2023: Report

India added a record 3.2 gigawatt of open access solar capacity during 2023, posting a 6.66 per cent rise supported by factors, including reduced module cost, according to a report. In its latest report, US-based research firm Mercom Capital said the open access solar capacity addition was 3 gigawatt (GW) during 2022. Solar power through open access is an arrangement where a power producer establishes a solar power plant to supply green energy to consumers. It is the record high open access solar capacity addition in a calendar year. The cumulative installed solar capacity in the open access segment stood at 12.2 GW as of December 2023, the 'Mercom India Solar Open Access Market Report' said. Open access solar is one of the bright spots in the country's solar market, attracting commercial enterprises and industrial units to shift towards solar and other clean energy sources, Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group, said. "The potential cost savings for businesses are hard to igno

Uttar Pradesh govt to rake in Rs 80K crore through solar energy push

The Yogi Adityanath government is planning installations of rooftop solar plants and solar parks to achieve this target

NHPC to set up 1,200 MW solar project in UP at Rs 797 cr investment

State-owned NHPC expects to complete the proposed 1,200 MW solar power project entailing an investment of Rs 796.96 crore in Uttar Pradesh in two years, the company said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday laid the foundation stone of the solar project through virtual mode. NHPC in an exchange filing stated that the Jalaun Ultra Renewable Energy Power Park at Orai in the Jalaun district of Uttar Pradesh will be developed by its subsidiary, Bundelkhand Saur Urja Ltd, at an investment of Rs 796.96 crore. "The park is proposed to be constructed in 24 months from the investment approval and will generate about 2,400 MUs (million units) of electricity every year," NHPC said. NHPC, under the Ministry of Power, is the largest hydropower development organisation in India, with capabilities to undertake all the activities from conceptualisation to commissioning of hydro projects. The Faridabad-based company has also diversified into solar and wind energy development.