Strategic Alliances

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.

Historic Swiss brand Leclanché is on an expansionist trail, notably in India and low-carbon shipping, but restructuring its debts will involve ceding even more control of the venerable company to institutional investors.

Ministry of Science and Technology has reissued a plea for overseas solar companies to partner up with Indian concerns to kick-start production lines.

Suzlon Energy has sold subsidiaries Amun Solarfarms and Avighna Solarfarms to Canadian Solar for Rs545 million. The company set up the units as special purpose vehicles for two solar projects of 15 MW each, at Ramannapet and Kamareddy.

Around US$1 billion is expected to be raised in the sale of up to 30% of Sterling & Wilson’s solar engineering arm. The funds will come from a pre-listing stake sale followed by an initial public offering (IPO), and will be used to reduce the debt of the 153-year-old conglomerate.

The Indian Ministries of External Affairs and Power, in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), organized the South Asia Power Summit 2018, held recently in New Delhi. The daylong conference highlighted that diversity of energy resources in South Asian countries brings the opportunity to provide affordable, low-carbon energy in the region. The business case for enhanced energy trading in the region, and challenges faced in inter-country electricity trading were important elements of this discussion.

A failed association with IL&FS has failed to deter SoftBank from its plan to invest a staggering $1tn in Indian solar by 2030. Now the Japanese funding giant is working with Essel Infraprojects on a 500 MW plant, with further details yet to be revealed.

The programme allows the installation of solar roof atop apartment blocks, which otherwise could not install such systems. Potential in the area is around 15 MW, of which 6 MW have been signed up for already. Another 5 MW should be developed in this second phase of the project.

Through a US$100 million contribution, La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) has increased its stake in Azure Power Global Ltd to 40%.

Two of the world’s biggest players in the oil industry have backed the nation’s ambitious solar target – and are putting their money where their mouth is.