SECI Rooftop Tender Changes

• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has revised the terms of Request For Selection (RfS) for its 500 MW rooftop solar capacity tender
• 500 MW capacity is divided into three Parts - A of 200 MW, Part B of 200 MW and Part C of 100 MW
• Bidders can bid for a minimum of 500 kW capacity under Part A, 2 MW under Part B and 100 kW under Part C, while the total is 64 MW
• Last date for the submission of bids remains unchanged at June 3, 2016

Under the 500 MW tendered for rooftops in India by the Solar Energy Association of India (SECI) on April 22, 2016 (see Largest Indian Rooftop Tender), the agency has revised the maximum aggregate bid capacity for all states. Now a bidder can bid for a maximum 64 MW capacity for all three different parts (A, B, C) that the capacity is divided into. Earlier bidders were allowed to bid for a maximum capacity of 30 MW only for Part A and B together.

According to the amended RfS released on May 4, 2016, the 500 MW of rooftop capacity tendered is divided into three parts: Part A and C bid are based on a CapEx model, Part B on a RESCO model. Part A will have 200 MW capacity (earlier 250), Part B will have 200 MW (same as before) and Part C will have 100 MW capacity (earlier 50 MW). The bidders will have to make bids for a minimum of 500 kW capacity under Part A, 2 MW under Part B and 100 kW under Part C.

The maximum project cost stays at 75 INR per W ($1.13).

Earlier this week, on May 2, 2016, clean energy consultancy Bridge to India pointed out that the capacity of 500 MW is split between 300 MW for EPC installers and 200 MW for project developers, while only 50 MW was reserved for residential segment. In a blog post, it stated, "Overall, this tender should act as a catalyst for the residential and institutional segments of the rooftop solar market but the tender design has lot of scope for improvement. Unless some of the conditions are relaxed, we anticipate that the tender subscription would be very low for the institutional market segment."

The last date for the submission of bids remains unchanged at June 3, 2016.

Earlier SECI had allocated 42.75 MW of rooftop solar PV capacity to various bidders in January (see SECI allocated 42.75 MW of PV rooftop capacity).