Highlights

A new report suggests that the State shut down 3.1 GW of old coal plants and replace the lost generation with renewables. It also advocates switching from expensive power (tariffs > INR 4/kWh) to renewable energy (which now costs INR 3/kWh or less) and halting the construction of new coal plants.

The system generates electricity and heat for residential houses and small businesses. An integrated energy management system should guarantee maximum self-consumption of the solar power produced.

The project—to be set up in captive mode—will come up at Omkareshwar reservoir as two units of 13 MW and 12 MW capacity. The generated power will be used, through Narmada Valley Development Authority, for pumps of various irrigation and multipurpose projects.

The Andhra Pradesh solar auction was oversubscribed by 8.5 GW, but the final prices are significantly higher than the INR 1.99-2.00/kWh record-low tariffs discovered in recent auctions.  

Work is underway for the installation of 10 GW hybrid renewable power projects in the Indian Union Territory of Ladakh. Land identification and preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for the necessary transmission infrastructure have already begun.

Dutch transmission system operator Tennet, which also serves Germany, is planning to create flexible electricity demand and reduce grid congestion by promoting the use of smarter heating systems and heat pumps that can also be powered by solar and wind energy. According to its experts, intelligent control of heat pumps may result in the creation of between 0.5 and 1 GW of temporary grid flexibility by 2030.

The renewables-powered mini-grid with 50kW peak system capacity was recently installed at the residential colony of the institute’s Center for Excellence in Farm Machinery (CoEFM) in Punjab. It uses solar trees of different capacities and biodiesel-run generators to provide uninterrupted power. 

The monocrystalline module provider added a new product to its Hi-MO 4 series. The new panel has a power output of 410/420 W and a conversion efficiency between 20.5% and 21.0%. The width of the module is standardized, while three different length options can be chosen to maximize capacity in a rooftop project.

Bidders have until February 22 to lodge their interest to develop the PV capacity that shall come up in three blocks of 245 MW each at Nokh Solar Park.  

Imported solar inverters and lanterns will get costlier, as the union budget for the next fiscal year has proposed customs duty increases from 5%, for both items, to 20% and 15%, respectively. The budget, which also incentivizes Indian manufacturing of solar project components whilst giving a helping hand to raw materials, makes no mention of solar cells or panels.