NTPC and MAHAGENCO will develop a 2.5 GW solar park under a JV; GIZ and MNRE seeking proposals for innovative solar applications; Mitsui is taking 49% stake in ReNew's 1.3 GW RE project; JSW Energy commissions 225 MW solar capacity; Goldi Solar solarizing Surat Textile Market for Avadh Group.
Joint venture for 2.5 GW solar park: NTPC Ltd will form a joint venture (JV) with Maharashtra State Power Generation Co (MAHAGENCO) to build an ultra mega solar park with 2.5 GW capacity. The Maharashtra government cleared the INR 17.27 billion ($227 million) proposal. The JV will be a 50:50 venture between the two partners. It will establish projects under EPC contracts on land owned by the utility, state, center or private properties. The state government reportedly said solar parks of different capacities will come up at identified locations in Latur, Washim, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, Nashik, Jalgaon, Pune, Beed, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Akola, Dhule and Hingoli, according to local media reports. Recently, Maharashtra's capital Mumbai said it will target net zero carbon emissions by 2050, 2 decades earlier than the national target, becoming the 1st South Asian city to aim for the timeline.
Proposals sought for innovative solar applications: GIZ Germany is inviting proposals for new and innovative solar applications under a project called Innovative Solar Areas (IN-Solar). It is a bilateral project with the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The objective is to find innovative ways to expand solar PV's application to optimize the use of land with the winner standing a chance to win €200,000. Some of the themes under which participants can submit their ideas are solar PV on innovative sites as waste landfill, closed mines; vertical installation as building integrated PV (BIPV), agro PV; PV for cooling, cold storage; green hydrogen-based applications and any other innovative application of PV. Interested participants can only submit their bids under any one theme and should be open to the idea being implemented on the ground. Last date to submit applications is April 28, 2022, according to the call available on the website of SECI.
ReNew gets Mitsui investment: Japan's Mitsui & Co Ltd is picking up 49% stake in a 1.3 GW renewable energy project of ReNew Power Private Limited that's currently under development. Mitsui will be invested in the project company ReNew Surya Roshni Private Limited through its local presence MIT Power India. The project is designed to have 3×300 MW wind farms, along with a 400 MW solar power plant with up to 100 MWh battery storage. The entire 1.3 GW renewable energy project with 100 MWh storage is to come up in 3 states of India, namely Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Electricity generated from 400 MW capacity is contracted to be supplied to SECI for 25 years on completion in August 2023.
"While it is difficult for conventional renewable energy projects to commit stable electricity supply due to the intermittent nature of winds and solar irradiation, this Project commits electricity supply of 400 MW with high capacity factor on a round-the-clock basis from a portfolio consisting of multiple wind and solar plus battery storage farms. This is the first of its kind in India ('round-the-clock scheme'). The total cost of the project will be around US$ 1.35billion," shared Mitsui.
225 MW solar project online in Karnataka: JSW Energy Limited has announced commercial operations of a 225 MW solar power project by its subsidiary JSW Renewable Energy (Vijayanagar) Limited in Vijayanagar, Karnataka. JSW said the project is part of the earlier announced 958 MW Solar and Wind Projects signed (25 year PPA) with JSW Steel under the Group Captive scheme. The company is also constructing 2.25 GW of greenfield renewable energy capacity, and aims to reach 10 GW renewables capacity by FY25, and 20 GW by FY30.
Surat textile market goes solar: Solar panel maker and EPC service company Goldi Solar is setting up a rooftop solar power plant for Surat's First Textile Market for Gujarat based Avadh Group. The project is to be completed within 3 phases, out of which phase I of 100 kW has been commissioned. Goldi Solar will deploy its own high efficiency modules for the project which is likely to generate 497,400 kWh annually for the market to save costs on electricity, according to local reports.