India floats mega tender of 7.5 GW for Jammu & Kashmir
India’s Solar Energy Corporation of India has invited solar power developers to construct 7.5 GW grid connected projects in Leh and Kargil Districts in the state of Jammu & Kashmir under a competitive bidding process. Bid submission deadline is April 30. Tenders will be opened on the same day. The date of reverse auction will be advised at a later date.
The long read: The time is right
Kaco is launching a mass-produced string inverter with silicon carbide switches onto the market following 10 years of discussion about the technology within the industry. In the 100 kilowatt plus segment, the technology produces small, lightweight devices with few components.
The long read: Fit for the 21st century
Co-extruded backsheets are opening up novel circular possibilities for the solar industry, as well as driving durability and lowering costs, writes Netherlands-based materials specialist DSM.
The long read: Materials matter
As problems with component failure have already laid bare, there is a clear need for contract clarity at every stage of a PV project, from material and component sourcing to power purchase and operations agreements. Here, pv magazine investigates a little covered issue for module buyers, which could threaten insurance coverage and the overall success of a project further down the line.
India will auction 80 GW of solar, wind capacity by March 2020
The Indian Government plans to tender 60 GW of solar and 20 GW of wind capacity by March 2020. This would complete the planned auctions for its targets of 100 GW solar and 60 GW wind installations by 2022, leaving two years for project execution, according to an year-end review by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Green Climate Fund signs $100 million pact for India’s rooftop solar
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.
Rooftop solar grows by 75% to add 1.5 GW of new capacity
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
Substantial solar gains to be had from clean air – study
Eliminating emissions from the air would increase solar radiation by an average of 11%, allowing solar cells to generate one tenth more electricity claim researchers in a new study. Focusing on China, they say an additional 85-158 TWh of electricity could be generated annually in 2040, if the air was clean.
Auroville search engine will crowdfund solar power for 100 villages in Tamil Nadu
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.
India could generate all of its power from renewables by 2050
A renewable energy system in 2050 is technically possible and economically viable for India, with the levelized cost of electricity falling from the current €58/MWh (Rs4,626) to €52 under one scenario in a recent report, and to €46 in another that included demand for power, water desalination and non-energy industrial gas sectors.
