Distributed solar

UK’s development finance institution CDC will invest $1 billion in green projects in India between 2022-26. Besides, UK has committed a new $200-million private and multilateral investment into the joint UK-India Green Growth Equity Fund that invests in Indian renewable energy.

Feeding solar electricity directly from its own panels into overhead lines on a fully-electrified rail network would be more cost-effective for the state-owned company than buying that green power from the grid, according to a new study.

Developers and EPC contractors have until September 30 to apply for grid-connected, ground-mount solar installation under the Scheme that allows farmers to set up PV power plants on their uncultivable land and sell the generated power to the State Discoms. The plants, in sizes of 500 kW to 2 MW, shall come upon land within a 10 km radius of substations.

As technology redefines the delivery of network services, grid operators in remote areas the world over are searching for more cost-effective and reliable alternatives to traditional poles and wires. Standalone power systems are the solar application that is at the forefront of the switch, and they’re ramping up fast.

The adoption of local, community-based energy solutions like rooftop solar and batteries can help make the energy grid more flexible and reliable. Home solar and batteries will enable the growth of ‘prosumers’ who produce and share energy, as well as consume it.

Developers have until August 31 to bid for grid-connected solar installation under the Scheme that allows farmers to set up PV power plants on their uncultivable land and benefit from selling the generated power to the State Discoms.

The maintenance cost of an electric vehicle is estimated to be significantly lower than internal combustion engines, and studies show home solar furthers the cost savings and boosts carbon emission reductions.

A new report says solar-plus-energy storage will become an attractive investment option for commercial consumers in India as early as 2023 for electricity bill reduction. For high-tariff paying residential consumers, the system will reach grid parity post-2027. The report findings are based on the levelized cost analysis of solar-plus-energy storage systems for consumers in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.  

The acquisition is in line with the Hyderabad-based corporate solar developer’s plan to ramp up. For Norwegian developer Statkraft, the selloff is part of its strategic plan to exit the distributed solar segment in India and focus on developing large-scale projects.

Loom Solar has installed a solar plus storage system at a small ashram in the hills of Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The system comprises 6x440W Shark Super high-efficiency PV panels, a 5kWh (100Ah/51.2V) Atom lithium battery, and a 5kVA high-frequency design (string) inverter.