China added 7.21GW of solar PV in the first quarter of the year, roughly 70MW compared to the same quarter last year, according to figures from China’s National Energy Administration (NEA).
Plenty of naysayers have warned about unrealistic bidding and various delays damaging the Indian solar sector, but the head of ACME Solar, one of the largest developers India, approaching 1GW of installed capacity, has a very positive outlook on the industry's future. PV Tech caught up Manoj Kumar Upadhyay, the founder, chairman and managing director of ACME Group at the company offices in Gurgaon, New Delhi, to discuss delayed PPAs, transmission infrastructure, the approaching Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and a unique point of view on India's Ultra Mega solar power parks.
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 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.
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.
Around 75% of all India’s solar capacity additions in the last 12 months have been in southern states, according to the latest industry update from consultancy firm Bridge to India.
The Chilean Congress has passed a major law on electricity transmission, which will help the development of both renewable and non-renewable energy projects.
Developers have experienced curtailment of solar power in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, according to India’s Solar Power Developers Association (APDA).
China has set its 2016 solar installation cap at 18.1GW and took significant steps to address curtailment and encourage consolidation, according to leaked documents being widely circulated in China.
