Even though monkeys were allegedly wreaking havoc on India’s solar rooftop systems last year, 2016 was remarkable for the Indian PV sector. With solar taking 1% the nation’s electricity share and India set to become the world’s third largest market in 2017 , Bloomberg New Energy Finance has proclaimed that ‘solar is king of Indian renewables’. Add the completion of the world’s largest solar plant to these accolades and you have a good indicator of the South Asian giant’s ambitions. Even India’s biggest oil, steel and mining companies are getting on board the solar rush.
China-based EPC and project developer China Singyes Solar Technologies Holdings has won an EPC contract for a 100MW solar plant in Uzbekistan on behalf of state-owned firm Uzbekenergo.
Indian firms Adani and Azure Power have won 50MW solar capacity each in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in an auction with local content rules, according to consultancy firm Mercom Capital Group.
Indian minister for energy and mines Piyush Goyal has said that the whole world laughed at India when it announced its plans to reach 100GW of solar power by 2022. Azure Power progresses on 14MW rooftop for Delhi Metro. Fonroche divests from India to focus on Latin America.
Rooftop solar specialist Asia Clean Capital (ACC) has signed a power supply agreement with steel and iron industry firm Wisco Jiangbei Group for a 14MW solar rooftop plant in China.
Ghana went to the polls this month to elect a new government. The NPP (New Patriotic Party) claimed victory with 53.7% of the vote, but what does this mean for the clean power industry? Jo Wilkinson, Solar Media’s head of event content, summarises the potential.
China has released its latest five-year plan for the solar industry with a focus on tackling curtailment, improving project quality and further reducing its feed-in tariff.
Norwegian solar developer Scatec solar has secured investment for its 100MW Nova Scotia solar PV plant in Dutse, in the Northern Nigerian state of Jigawa.
Tariffs for utility-scale solar power in India are expected to go below the four rupee (US$0.059) mark next year, which would be a “radical moment” for India’s entire power sector, according to consultancy firm Bridge to India.
