LoA for 320 MW solar project for Tata Power Solar: Tata Power Solar has received letter of award (LOA) for a 320 MW ground mounted solar PV project from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The company plans to operationalize the $162 million project by May 2022. It will install, commission and grid connect the project on a turnkey basis while also providing O&M services for 3 years. This project takes the company's total order pipeline to close to 4 GW.
AGEL commissions 150 MW PV project: Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) subsidiary Adani Solar Energy Kutchh One Limited has commissioned a 150 MW AC solar power project in Kutchh, Gujarat. It will supply clean energy to Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) for INR 2.67 per kWh for a period of 25 years. With this project, AGEL said its total operational renewable energy capacity has grown to 3,125 MW out of 14,795 MW total renewable capacity, including 11,670 MW awarded and under implementation.
Solar panel making unit by women: A women's self-help group from Kawatha village in Maharashtra's Wardha district has been reported to have set up a small scale solar panel manufacturing facility. The Economic Times (ET) says Tejaswi Solar Energy Backward Class Women's Industrial Co-operative Society is to be inaugurated officially by a state minister on Indian Republic Day, January 26. Women of the village were trained into solar panel manufacturing and construction by the Durga Solar Energy of Dungarpur in Rajasthan with the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai providing technical support. Women here were trained in information technology, financial management, accounting, tally, online ordering of raw materials, marketing, among other tasks. As per the news report, the factory is ready; and work to make panels is underway. Back in 2018, the foundation stone was laid for a PV module manufacturing plant in Gaya, Bihar to be owned and operated by women's self-help group federations at the local level (see Foundation Stone Laid For PV Fab In Bihar).
Industry doesn't want basic custom duty in budget: As the Indian government gets ready to announce the country's annual budget for FY 2021-22 on February 1, 2021, solar power developers have demanded the basic customs duty (BCD) on solar cells and modules to be held back and not introduced in the budget. A Press Trust of India (PTI) report says the developers believe the decision could severely hamper the country's ability to achieve 175 GW renewable energy target by 2022, especially at a time when COVID-19 related disruption. Developers want the government to also factor in rise in prices of metals and alloys. They also want the government to simplify the tax structure and provide relaxations in Goods and Services Tax (GST).
There has been a talk of BCD imposition on imported solar cells and modules for long now with the MNRE reported to have contemplated bringing it into effect in August 2020 which has not yet materialized (see MNRE Details Basic Custom Duty Proposal For Solar). According to Mint, the government now aims to impose the duty from April 1, 2022 (see India PV News Snippets: Manufacturing, NVVN, Ayana, HCCB).
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