Smaller companies are finding it increasingly difficult to enter the Indian large-scale solar market and partake in the multi-gigawatts of competitive auctions for PV capacity.
The Indian Finance Ministry’s order imposing a safeguard duty for two years on solar imports from developed countries as well as China and Malaysia has brought long-awaited clarity to both manufacturers and developers, but both segments of the industry have a number of fears.
Chemicals firm Wacker Chemie has painted a rosier picture of polysilicon supply and demand in 2018 than most when reporting a small second quarter decline in polysilicon revenue.
Tariffs in a 1GW solar auction in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have hit INR3.48-3.55/kWh (US$0.051-0.052), which is significantly higher than bids in other recent Indian auctions for a range of reasons, including a history of PPA renegotiations.
India installed more than 10GW of solar during the financial year 2017/18 for the first time ever, according to the latest Solar Map from consultancy firm Bridge to India.
India has given the option to solar power procurers to extend the timelines for land acquisition, financial close and PV project commissioning, which should help developers working on interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected plants.
The sanctioning of a tendering scheme for 2.5GW of hybrid wind and solar capacity in India, to be allocated through a transparent bidding process, has been branded as “the right step”, by consultancy firm Bridge to India.
Bidding in the Indian solar industry has been deemed irrationally aggressive by 70% of CEOs responding to a survey from consultancy firm Bridge to India, however, sentiment remains upbeat about growth prospects and the overall industry.
Maharashtra’s latest 1GW auction has attracted winning bids of between INR 2.71-2.72/kWh (US$.0.04), staying almost flat with India’s most recent PV auction in Andhra Pradesh.
