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The Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have signed an agreement to infuse US$100 million into an ambitious $250 million project designed to unlock private sector initiatives for the creation of rooftop solar power capacity across India.

Battery storage is racing even faster than the PV market did a few years ago. Costs are plummeting and new production lines are popping up all around the world. Smart people with smart ideas are leveraging venture capital and research funds. M&A activity is also accelerating with a new range of investors taking interest. But the technology battle is far from over, says Ragna Schmidt-Haupt, Partner at Energy Consultancy Everoze.

Maharashtra (473 MW), Tamil Nadu (312 MW), Karnataka (272 MW), Rajasthan (270 MW) and Uttar Pradesh (223 MW) are the top five states accounting for 54% of the total market—according to Bridge To India’s latest India Solar Rooftop Map report

Sustainable development expert Auroville Consulting has launched the Solar Village Search Engine to help fund its Solar Village Initiative, which aims to power 100 villages in Tamil Nadu with solar by the year 2030.

Ever tumbling panel prices have brought a fresh round of low solar power tariffs after an earlier 1 GW super tender was annulled in the state. The latest reverse auction was oversubscribed by almost 50%.

Swiss battery maker that intends to bring production lines to Gujarat has been helped along in a planned reduction of its debt pile by its domestic authorities. The way is now clear for a shareholder vote next Tuesday.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has reevaluated the solar potential of the region, in the light of steepling falls in the cost of generating solar electricity. The big push will start with 7.5 GW of new capacity, with a request for selection expected within a fortnight.

The iSTAR-C program of India’s International Solar Alliance (ISA) was adjudged an outstanding project during the Paris Peace Forum this month. The program is one of many ISA initiatives to develop solar resources in member countries. After the first assembly of the ISA, interim Director-General Upendra Tripathy tells pv magazine about the organization’s achievements and plans.

India’s largest power company is set to make a statement of intent with procurement, and has set a first round bid ceiling of Rs2.67 for the reverse bidding auction. Successful bidders will secure a one-year PPA which can be extended by six months.

Supervising authority has given the state distribution company the green light to conduct three 500 MW solar tenders. The move marks the first procurement exercise held by TANGEDCO in almost 12 months.