Uma Gupta
Solar Imports: India defers safeguard duty, provides relief to ongoing projects
Even though postponing the duty on solar cell imports from China and Malaysia is not a long-term resolution, it will offer relief to developers with ongoing PV projects, especially for those with shipments in transit or which arrived after 30 July.
Court clears solar imports from customs without paying safeguard duty
As per the court order, Shapoorji Pallonji can retrieve its solar PV panel consignment at Chennai port, which has been cleared by customs, provided it pays the safeguard duty in case the related notification is upheld.
Court to hear Vikram Solar’s safeguard duty petition next week
The Government of India will also consider changes to the 25% safeguard duty imposed on solar cell imports from China and Malaysia only after the next hearing in the Odisha High Court, which stayed the levy.
Acme Solar to quit projects if safeguard duty not passed on to utilities
As of July, Acme Solar had about 2.8 GW solar projects at different stages of development across India. Recently, it won another 600 MW of SECI’s 3 GW interstate transmission system (ISTS) tender, at a tariff of INR 2.44/unit (USD 0.036/unit).
Safeguard duty fallout: NTPC and MPUVNL delay solar auctions
Responding to developer requests, the state-run NTPC has deferred a 2 GW solar auction by a week, to Tuesday. Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd is another state-owned corporation that has extended its bid submission deadline – for 33 MWp of rooftop solar – from August 9 to August 17, after similar requests.
Few winners as India imposes 25% safeguard duty, says IHS Markit
The tariff means PV projects will pause as developers adjust procurement strategies and new tenders risk delays or cancellation. The two-year limit on the duty will not be long enough to prompt more cell manufacturing capacity and as for imports, there are doubts over how the origin of cells will be adjudicated so that Chinese and Malaysian cells are subject to the charge, say analysts.
Amplus to set up 400 MW solar capacity in Uttar Pradesh
Encouraged by the state’s investor-friendly solar policy, distributed power producer Amplus Energy Solutions will install 400 MW of solar capacity for R20 billion over three years. In the first phase, Amplus will develop a 50 MW ground-mounted project in Mirzapur district.
India: Karnataka tops in renewables capacity, may double it in a decade
Owing to a rapid scaling up of solar capacity, Karnataka has overtaken Tamil Nadu to become India’s top state in terms of installed renewable energy capacity. The state installed 5 GW of new PV capacity in 2017-18 alone—according to a report by the US-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
India: GST on li-ion batteries cut by 10%
India’s energy storage industry feels the government’s move to reduce GST on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries from 28% to 18% will benefit electric vehicles and the renewables sector. The government has also cut GST on the raw materials for battery manufacturing, to jump-start domestic industry.
Greenko’s 2.75 GW solar, wind, storage project approved in Andhra Pradesh
Greenko Energies will set up India’s largest Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP) in Andhra Pradesh at an investment of INR 150 billion (US$2.2 billion). Recently approved by the Andhra Pradesh government, the project will comprise 1,000 MW of solar energy, 550 MW of wind energy and 1,200 MW of standalone pumped storage capacities. It is expected to provide employment to 15,000 people during construction and 3,000 people after construction.
