India installed over 1.46 GW RE in March 2021: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said India installed 1,463.31 MW of new renewable energy capacity in the month of March 2021, pushing the aggregate to 94.43 GW as on March 31, 2021. It comprises 40.09 GW solar PV capacity, 39.24 GW of wind energy, 10.31 GW of bio-power and 4.79 GW of small hydro power. According to the ministry, 49.7 GW renewable energy capacity is at various stages of implementation and 25.91 GW is at various stages of bidding.

Enel seeking IFC support for solar in India: Enel Green Power (EGP) is in line for a debt investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for a 300 MW AC solar project it is developing in Rajasthan. IFC is considering investment of $50 million from its own account investment and helping mobilize $100 million through parallel lenders to help with the total project cost of around $200 million. If approved, EGP will use the proceeds to finance the construction of the project through a project company called Thar Surya 1 Pvt. Ltd. It won the 300 MW AC capacity under an auction concluded by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in July 2020, electricity generated from which will be sold to SECI under a 25-year PPA for INR 2.37 per kWh (see Enel Green Power Bags First Solar Contract In India).

Solar-powered microgrids and water pumps: CSC, the e-governance arm of India’s government and private energy company Tata Power will together set up solar-powered microgrids and water pumps in rural areas of the country, starting with 10,000 solar microgrids, as proposed by Tata Power. According to Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency, the partnership plans to supply these microgrids in residential and commercial establishments, and solar water pumps to farmers. It is being aimed at increasing clean energy access while encouraging people to move away from expensive fuels as kerosene and creating local jobs for rural denizens. The effort also has an aim to create village level entrepreneurs.

Thin layer nano coating solution for solar panels: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has issued a works contract for supply, application and prove out of thin layer nano coating solution over the surface of solar panels at BHEL-Trichy. They will have to supply a free sample of the nano coating solution separately to BHEL with enough quantity to coat at least 2 panels of a typical 2m2 surface area each. The winner will be expected to supply enough quantity of the thin layer nano coating solution to be used on a glassy surface of 2,496 solar panels out of 19,968 panels used for a 5 MW grid interactive project. The coating is expected to arrest or minimize soiling losses due to accumulation of various kinds of dust, pollen and particulate matter on the panels. Last date to submit bids is April 24, 2021, as per the tender notice.

Amplus acquires rooftop solar projects: Amplus Solar has purchased 17 onsite operational rooftop solar projects of Sterling and Wilson Private Limited (SWSL) located in Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka. These projects, Amplus explained, have been supplying clean energy to 13 ‘leading industrial, commercial and institutional customers and takes the company’s existing operational distributed solar generation portfolio to exceed 800 MW.

AGEL commissions 50 MW solar project: Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) has commissioned a 50 MW solar power plant in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh through a subsidiary Adani Solar Energy Chitrakoot One Limited (ASECOL). The project is tied under a 25-year PPA with the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) for INR 3.07 per kWh. It takes AGEL’s total operational renewable energy capacity to 3.52 GW of which solar generation capacity comprises over 3 GW.