Manufacturers want 50% basic customs duty on solar imports
India imported solar cells and modules worth $1.3 billion from China in FY2019-20. Domestic manufacturers have demanded a level playing field to compete against cheaper imports.
Under-construction solar projects get a five-month blanket extension for completion
In March, the government said delays in renewable energy plant construction on account of Covid-19-prompted supply chain disruption would be considered a force majeure event.
Safeguard duty on solar cell imports extended by a year
The import duty will be levied on Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai solar cells – whether assembled into modules or not – at 14.9% from today and falling to 14.5% in six months’ time. Malaysian products are exempted as their imports have fallen dramatically since the duty was imposed, in July 2018.
Safeguarding duty extension fails to win over manufacturers
The investigating arm of India’s commerce ministry has proposed continuing to apply the duty levied on solar cell imports from the east at a rate of 14.9% from July 30 and falling to 14.5% six months later.
India needs solar modules worth Rs 15,000 crore annually
The country—which meets over 80% of the solar module demand through imports—can turn the present crisis into an opportunity by ramping up domestic manufacturing with measures like fiscal incentives.
Designing behind-the-meter solar-plus-storage program for India
A new report outlines key considerations for Indian regulators and other stakeholders when designing behind-the-meter distributed solar-plus-storage system programs, based on evidence from similar programs in the United States.
One Nation, One Sun, One DSM
The government needs to rationalize and ensure uniformity of Deviation Settlement Mechanism (DSM) regulations across the country for the seamless integration of renewable energy.
IESA proposes a policy framework for energy storage in Electricity Act
Defining energy storage under the Electricity Act could help start ancillary services and frequency regulation through energy storage as a flexible asset. It will also help to enable electric vehicle charging infrastructure, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) concepts and microgrids integration with expanded grid connectivity in the long run, according to the industry body.
Solar manufacturers in SEZs say customs duty will be counterproductive
Module manufacturers in special economic zones would be at a disadvantage when selling in the domestic market as they would be required to pay basic customs duty on the value of solar modules.
Covid-19 impact: Acme Solar wants to abandon record-low solar price tariff
The developer wants to cancel the power purchase agreement it signed in 2018 for a 600 MW project awarded at a tariff of Rs2.44/kWh, as it fears Covid-19-affected commissioning of the project will stretch beyond the six-month extension from the scheduled date enshrined in the agreement.
