NTPC's EPC tender for 1.2 GW solar: The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has issued a tender seeking EPC package with land for the development of grid connected solar PV projects up to 1.2 GW capacity in Rajasthan. Brief scope of work is mentioned as design, engineering, installation, commissioning of grid connected solar projects. Minimum project capacity of an individual project will be 10 MW or multiples of 10 MW. Minimum capacity to bid for is 50 MW, and maximum capacity by a single bidder will be 600 MW. Operation and maintenance services will be part of the job for 3 years from the date of successful completion of trial run. According to the tender announcement, last date to submit bids is May 2021.
Borosil Renewables to go ahead with expansion: Borosil Renewables Limited has secured a go ahead from the company's Board of Directors for its expansion plan to to raise its production capacity of solar glass by an additional 1,000 tons per day (TPD), along with all the processing capabilities in 1 or 2 phases. In a stock exchange filing, it said the company expects an investment of INR 10 billion ($133 million). In December 2020, the company raised INR 2 billion through qualified institutions placement (QIP) from private equity firm Convergent Finance and other investors to expand its Gujarat located fab's annual production capacity from 450 tons a day to 950 tons a day. It had shared back then that 450 tons a day is enough to produce 2.5 GW of solar modules annually (see India PV News Snippets: Borosil, Amp Energy, BESCOM). After the Indian government imposed basic Customs Duty (BCD) on imported solar cells and modules, and Ministry of Finance slapping CVD on imported solar glass from Malaysia, the management said it expects positive impact on its business with increased demand (see India PV News Snippets: MNRE, Borosil, GUVNL, PGCIL).
105 MW solar project commissioned: ReNew Power has commissioned a 105 MW solar power plant in Patan district of Gujarat using advanced mono PERC solar modules with seasonal tilt structure design. It is contracted to sell power to Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) at INR 2.68 ($0.036) per kWh. With this project, ReNew Power said its total operational solar power capacity in Gujarat goes up to 145 MW, and total to 4.7 GW across India. ReNew Power is set to become a publicly listed company after it entered into a definitive agreement with NASDAQ traded special purpose acquisition company, RMG Acquisition Corporation II (see ReNew Power Getting Ready For NASDAQ Listing).
Wipro targets net zero GHG emissions by 2040: India headquartered global business consulting and information technology company Wipro Limited will chase net-zero GHG emissions by 2040 for the group. It has also set an intermediate target of 55% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 in absolute emission levels to its base year of 2016-17 (April-March). It says the targets are based on the globally accepted Science based Targets initiative (SBTi). Among the initiatives it shall undertake to achieve these targets includes increasing the use of renewable energy in own facilities in India through private power purchase agreements (PPA) and captive solar power. Details of its commitment are available on its website.