Uma Gupta
Manufacturing the Manufacturing Policy for Indian Solar Modules
India needs a manufacturing policy that is scalable, secure, strategical and supportive and promotes both the growth and spread of solar while protecting the interests of domestic manufacturers.
BYPL commissions solar microgrids with storage batteries
Power discom BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) has set up four such microgrids at its offices in East Delhi. These microgrids will combine rooftop solar with lithium-ion-based battery energy storage systems.
Solar capacity addition to slow down till FY2019-20: Crisil
While commissioning is expected to slow down in FY 2018-19 due to the impact of the safeguard duty and GST issues, FY 2019-20 is weak due to delay in auction as several tenders got delayed/cancelled. However, FY2019-20 onwards, solar capacity additions are expected to pick up due to several factors including subsiding/removal of the safeguard duty (which would ease cost pressures).
Li-ion cells face doubled import duty from April 2021
In a move to promote indigenous manufacturing, the government has doubled the basic import duty on lithium ion cells—used in manufacturing of lithium ion accumulator for EVs—to 10 per cent from April 2021. Battery packs used in manufacturing electric vehicles face tripled import duty of 15 per cent as against the current 5 per cent.
25.75 GW farmland renewable with Rs 34,422 crore support approved
The President of India has approved total central financial support of Rs34,422 crore for the Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) rural solar scheme. Through the scheme, the government aims to add solar and other renewable capacity of 25.75 GW by 2022.
ReNew Power raises US$ 375 million with green bond
The independent power producer will use the capital raised through the green bond to refinance outstanding external commercial borrowings and as Capex in eligible green projects.
SolarPower Europe and NSEFI sign MoU on solar cooperation
Brussels-based SolarPower Europe and the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation on operation & maintenance (O&M), installation quality, digitalisation and storage.
Cabinet approves five-year plan for EV battery manufacturing
Aiming to localize production across the electric vehicle value chain, the government will support battery manufacturing at a gigawatt-scale. The initial focus will be on large-scale module and pack assembly plants by the next fiscal year, followed by integrated cell manufacturing by 2021-22.
Gujarat’s 1 GW solar tender shunned by developers
Project developers turned their back on a procurement exercise linked to projects at the Dholera Solar Park, after insisting the challenging terrain meant the electricity price ceiling stipulated by the state would make projects unviable.
Exide JV partner gets a big boost ahead of Li-ion battery operations in India
The revenues of Switzerland-based Leclanché have increased more than 2.5 times to exceed CHF 47 million in 2018 compared to CHF 18 million in 2017.
