To ensure their continued viability, nearly 8 GW of solar PV projects have been granted an extension by the Ministry of New and renewable Energy (MNRE).
The recent 35.29 MW rooftop solar tender, floated by Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVNL) hit a historic low tariff of Rs. 1.58 (US$0.022) per unit. Overall, it attracted 31 bidders, and was oversubscribed by 630%.
In a major development, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has directed the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to fix the upper permissible solar tariff at Rs. 2.50 (US$0.036)/kWh and Rs. 2.68 ($0.038)/kWh for developers using domestic solar cells and modules (without safeguard duties), and imported products (with safeguard duties), respectively.
A time-bound process would eliminate financial uncertainties for stakeholders – be it developers, lenders or the DISCOMs. It is a particularly big relief to solar PV power developers seeking pass-through for the impact of goods and services tax (GST) on project costs.
With a rapid reduction in costs, solar plus storage can be an effective alternative for customers buying peak power from the grid. At the same time, utilities can avoid investments in peak capacity or eliminate load shedding by utilizing these resources.
The government department has allocated various months for enabling organisations to hold their tendering and bidding processes, but critics have pointed out states are free to formulate their own plans.
Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) to develop 1 GW of grid-connected solar PV projects at the proposed 5 GW Dholera Solar Park. The state of Maharashtra, meanwhile, has issued a generic PV tariff.
Hyderabad based Cygni Energy plans to utilize the capital to triple its solar DC solutions production capacity from 4,000 units to 12,000 by H1 2019, develop new technology-enabled products and streamline the product lifecycle, as well as expand nationally and internationally.
Banks categorize renewable energy projects as risky and believe they offer lower rates of return than fossil fuel schemes, making them reluctant lenders.
Bidders can apply for the whole capacity or 50 MW sections, and the maximum payable tariff for the energy generated cannot exceed Rs2.93/kWh. The electricity generated will be sold to the state power company.
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