1.52 GW new RE added In Oct. 2021: In the month of October 2021, India added 1,522.35 MW of new renewable energy capacity to the grid, taking the cumulative to 103.05 GW. It comprises 47.66 GW of solar energy, 39.99 GW of wind, 10.58 GW of bio energy, and 4.82 GW of small hydro capacity. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), there is a further 50.98 GW of capacity at various stages of implementation, with another 32.06 GW under various stages of bidding. It further informed that the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) issued letters of award (LOA) on October 4, 2021 to set up 5 GW of solar PV capacity using domestically manufactured solar PV cells and modules, under tranche-III of the CPSU Scheme Phase-II. It added that IREDA is currently evaluating financial bids it received in response to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for solar manufacturing (see IREDA Qualifies Bidders For Solar PLI Scheme).
MNRE updates ALMM list: MNRE has added 5 new names to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules (ALMM) list I, taking it to a total of 39. The new entrants include Novasys Greenergy Pvt. Ltd. from Maharashtra, Pahal Solar from Gujarat, Pixon Green Energy Pvt. Ltd. also from Gujarat, Alpex Solar Pvt. Ltd. from Uttar Pradesh, and Vikram Solar Ltd.'s Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu located plant. Getting into the ALMM is important for manufacturers as only those who feature here will be eligible to supply their products for all government/government assisted projects/projects under government schemes and programs, as well as for projects set up to sell electricity to the government.
LOA to Azure Power for 150 MW hybrid project: Azure Power has acknowledged receiving a letter of award (LOA) for its 1st 150 MW ISTS connected wind-solar hybrid power project from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). Once it is online, the facility will supply power at a fixed tariff of INR 2.35 ($0.032) per kWh for 25 years. It is part of 1.2 GW ISTS hybrid tranche-IV auction (see India PV Snippets: SECI, Tata, Loom, ArcelorMittal, ICRA). Azure will set up this 150 MW capacity as 100 MW solar and 50 MW wind, and bring it online within 18 months from signing power purchase agreement (PPA).
Andhra Pradesh to purchase 7 GW solar power from SECI: The State Government of Andhra Pradesh will buy about 7 GW of solar power from SECI for INR 2.49 ($0.033) per kWh under an agreement under ISTS connectivtity, once it is approved by the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC). Local media quoted state Energy Secretary N. Srikant as confirming the decision to buy this solar power in 3 phases, starting from 2024. He said the option to buy solar power from SECI is more economical than generating within the state. The tariff is significantly lower than INR 4.36 ($0.059) per kWh the state government is paying to procure thermal power from state discoms, and delivering it free of cost to the state's farmers.
Notably, Andhra Pradesh had conceived a 10 GW solar power plan to be set up within the state to supply free of cost and clean electricity during the day to the farmers. Of this, it even auctioned 6.4 GW for INR 2.47 per kWh as lowest tariff, but the same fell into legal tangle after Tata Power filed a writ petition to stop the auction (see Andhra Pradesh Auctions 6.4 GW Solar PV Capacity).
According to Srikant, his government will use the land earmarked for 10 GW solar power plant capacity for other projects.