2020

The Japanese electronics giant has unveiled three monocrystalline half-cut cell modules said to provide 2-3% better performance than standard, full cell panels. The claimed efficiency of the modules exceeds 19.5% and Sharp says power output ranges from 330-395 W.

Increased funding under the KUSUM Scheme to create further markets in farmland solar, viability gap funding to promote installation of grid-connected battery storage, and R&D support to zero-carbon technologies for cement and steel sectors would take India ahead on the green path—says the sustainability thinktank.

Researchers from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have created flexible solar cells made of crystalline silicon. They claim to have stretched a crystalline silicon cell’s surface by around 95% while maintaining conversion efficiency of around 19%.

Developers have until February 25 to bid for ISTS connected wind-solar hybrid projects to be set up anywhere in India at the location of their choice. Bidding for 4 MW of grid-connected floating solar project with 2 MW/1 MWh battery energy storage system—to be set up in Andaman & Nicobar Islands—closes on February 13.

The first Indian power plant, with a capacity of 5.5 MWp, was inaugurated in 2017 in the state of Uttarakhand. With the just commissioned photovoltaic power plant of 27 MWp, the developer claims to offer the lowest price of solar electricity in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Domestic bids are invited to provide operations and maintenance services for the solar plant at NTPC Rajgarh. Bidding closes on January 30. Techno-commercial bids will open on February 8.

The R&D facility in Navi Mumbai will house three automation labs to ensure EV charger design and development as per the international quality and safety standards for cells and battery packs, rapid prototyping, and reliability and environmental tests.

India needs to look at a diverse set of flexibility options such as natural gas capacity, variable renewables themselves, energy storage, demand-side response and power grids, to ensure successful integration of wind and and solar PV, says an International Energy Agency (IEA) report.

The project—valued at Rs 15,050 million—is to be set up using only domestically manufactured cells and modules. Completion period is 20 months.

Ratings may be downgraded if there is a persistent delay in resolving the tariff related dispute or any adverse revision in the tariffs by the state regulator and/or continued delays in receipt of payments from DISCOMs.