dcr

Indian utility NTPC has invited bids for 35MW of grid-connected solar PV projects across two states, with the requirement to source domestic solar equipment.

India recently proposed a new strategy of supporting its domestic solar manufacturers by allocating 7.5GW of local content tenders to Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs), but analysts have identified a number of limitations.

Plans for a major financial package to support India’s domestic PV manufacturers have been cancelled by the Indian government in order to be reshaped for the current state of the industry, according to a source close to the issue.

Delegations from the US and India have agreed that India has until 14 December this year to enact the ruling of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against its local content policy for solar equipment.

India-based PV manufacturer and EPC firm Vikram Solar has expanded its module manufacturing capacity from 900MW to 1GW at its fab in Kolkata.

Indian utility NTPC has retendered 250MW of PV at a solar park in Karnataka after infrastructural issues at the park dampened the interest of developers to participate.

Integrated PV firm Tata Power Solar has doubled its module manufacturing capacity and raised its cell capacity by 65% at its plant in Bangalore, southern India.

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has scrapped 150MW of solar capacity that was due to be auctioned under local content rules, in what may be a sign of the WTO ruling against the DCR taking effect.

Fears about India’s largest procurer of solar energy being unable to cope with payment defaults have been allayed by its inclusion in a payment security mechanism, according to the latest update from consultancy firm Bridge to India.

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.