Off-grid solar

Norwegian analyst Rystad Energy has predicted the stop on PV tenders in Karnataka will see Rajasthan become India’s leading solar state this year. The market research firm expects India to add only 10 GW new solar in 2020, however, and the same figure in 2021.

The annual global outlook report for solar published by IHS Markit notes there was no real uptick in the amount of new capacity added last year, compared with the returns seen in 2018. That is likely to kill any hope India has of overtaking the U.S. as the world’s second biggest solar market in 2020.

Ceiling tariff is fixed at Rs 3.13 per unit for the 30 MW grid-connected projects that are to be set up by state-run generators using domestically made equipment. The 940 KW of off-grid solar capacity is tendered under state budgetary support for year 2019-20.

Solar installations in year 2020 are set to exceed 10 GW after a year hit by political uncertainties, module price increases associated with safeguard duty and a fewer number of awarded tenders. The outlook for battery energy storage installations for solar projects, however, is bleak as such combinations in India can cost 3-5 times more in 2020 than standalone renewable projects.

Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported in 2018 that 2,281 villages across the nation lacked access to electricity. As a vast archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia faces serious challenges when it comes to electrification, as inter-island connection remains prohibitively expensive. Two experts in the field, Ahmad Agus Setiawan and Chayun Budiono, share their knowledge.

Launched in November 2015, the alliance aims to collectively address key challenges to the scaling up of solar energy in member countries that fall between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Out of 121 prospective member countries, over 83 have already joined it in a period of just four years.

An Indian Institute of Technology research team analyzed around 300 studies about PV panel waste containing carcinogenic metals. The researchers said solar module recycling is not economically profitable and policy support is necessary to avoid panels being dumped in landfill.

These systems—to be deployed in Aurangabad, Nashik and Pune—will have provision for mobile charging, transfer of automated meter reading and water discharge reading data.

Clean energy investment across 104 emerging markets fell sharply by $36 billion in year 2018 from the previous year, even as their coal burn surged approximately 500 terawatt hours to a record high of 6.9 thousand terawatt-hours. Though the decline in clean energy investments was driven largely by China, inflows to India and Brazil also slipped by $2.4 billion and $2.7 billion, respectively. India, however, emerged as the market with greatest renewables potential.

The order enabling payment of a rupee for every kilowatt-hour generated by off-grid PV systems has been extended until October 2021 because of anticipated delays in the state electricity board hitting its renewable purchase obligation.