Highlights

Bridge To India’s latest report shows India installed a cumulative rooftop solar capacity of 6,792 MW as of December 31, 2020. Capital expenditure (capex) model, wherein consumers own the system, accounted for a majority of this capacity (72%). 

The record low price was offered for the 600 MW Al Shuaiba PV IP project, which competed in the second round of the country’s procurement scheme for renewable energies.

The innovators will be required to showcase their technologies in actual field conditions. The shortlisted ones will be empanelled and allocated sites for installing solar pumps under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme.

The solar farm benefits from a power purchase agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India at an INR 2.49/kWh (US $0.034/kWh) tariff. The electricity generated will be supplied to the state Discom of Rajasthan. 

Scientists have set a new efficiency record for a single-junction perovskite solar cell at 25.6%. The cell additionally showed operational stability for 450 hours, and intense electroluminescence with external quantum efficiencies of more than 10%.

Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd has issued a tender to develop an aggregate 41 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar capacity in Madhya Pradesh. The RESCO mode capacity shall come upon the buildings of different government departments and private institutions. The ceiling tariff is fixed at INR 4/ kWh. Bidding closes on May 5.

The solar manufacturer and EPC player has added new lines to its existing factory at Bengaluru, widening its current product range to include half-cell and bifacial mono PERC panels.

The national production-linked incentive scheme introduced to encourage domestic manufacturing will now encompass solar. The PV policy will offer increased rewards for the production of more efficient panels and for Indian content.

Nearly 19 GW of renewable energy capacity tendered by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is on hold due to electric distribution companies’ unwillingness to sign the power purchase agreements. Manufacturing-linked solar projects alone account for a 63% share of the capacity in limbo.

Global and Indian industry players have created an India hydrogen alliance committed to building a hydrogen economy and supply chain in India. NYSE-listed hydrogen solutions provider Chart Industries and India’s Reliance Industries will act as co-leads of the coalition that aims to help develop hydrogen production and storage, industrial and transport use-cases.