Centre will give housing societies ₹18,000/kW under new rooftop solar programme

Ahead of polls, the Centre approved a rooftop solar scheme—PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana—with a budget of ₹750.21 billion (~$9 billion), offering 300 units of free electricity per month. The Centre will provide financial assistance for residential houses, group housing societies, and residential welfare associations. The scheme aims to install rooftop solar projects in 10 million poor and middle-class households. Rooftop solar projects up to 2 kW in residential households receive ₹30,000 ($361.85)/kW or part thereof, while additional capacity between 2 kW and 3 kW is eligible for ₹18,000 ($217.12)/kW. 

A Mercom report said central financial assistance (CFA) for residential consumers stands at ₹657 billion ($7.9 million), while incentives for DISCOMs amount to ₹49.5 billion ($597 million). Local bodies will receive ₹10 billion ($120.6 million), model solar villages in each district receive ₹8 billion ($96.4 million), innovative projects get ₹5 billion ($60.3 million), and the payment security mechanism is allotted ₹1 billion ($12.06 million).

Central financial assistance for residential sectors with a tender capacity of up to 2 kW will receive 60% of the benchmark cost of 2 kW. Additional tender capacity in the residential sector (up to 1 kW) will get 40% of the benchmark cost of the additional kW. No additional funds will be provided for residential sectors beyond 3 kW. Group housing societies and residential welfare associations (GHS/RWA) for common facilities, including EV charging, up to 500 kW (@3 kW per house), are eligible for 40% of the benchmark cost of additional kW. 

Mahindra, JSW, Avaada Win NTPC’s 1.5 GW Tranche II Solar Auction

State-owned NTPC’s auction to set up 1,500 MW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar power projects (Tranche II) across India was bagged by Furies Solren (Mahindra Susten), JSW Neo Energy (JSW Energy), and Avaada Energy.

According to the Mercom report, Furies Solren quoted the lowest tariff of ₹2.59 (~$0.0312)/ kWh to win 300 MW. JSW Neo Energy won 700 MW at a tariff of ₹2.6 (~$0.0313)/ kWh. Avaada Energy was awarded 500 MW out of the 750 MW quoted capacity at a tariff of ₹2.6 (~$0.0313)/kWh. The other participants who did not qualify in the auction were ReNew Solar Power (ReNew), Solarcraft Power India 8 (BluPine Energy), and TEQ Green Power XIX (O2 Power).

Gujarat tenders 250 MW/500 MWh of battery storage, 1 GW of solar

Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. (GUVNL) invited bids to set up 250 MW/500 MWh of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) connected to the Indian grid. It has also tendered for the development of up to 1 GW of solar projects in India. The BESS pilot projects includes aggregate storage capacity of 500 MWh (250 MW x two hours), with two complete charge-discharge cycles per day.  It will use the BESS on an on-demand basis, according to the requirements of state distribution companies during peak and off-peak hours.

BESS developers selected by GUVNL will set up their project on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis. The objective is to make the energy storage facility available to GUVNL for charging/discharging the BESS on an on-demand basis. GUVNL has also launched a tender to procure 500 MW of solar from projects to be set up anywhere in India, with a greenshoe option of additional capacity up to 500 MW without energy storage. Bidding closes on April 22. The bidders selected by GUVNL will set up solar power projects on a BOO basis, PV magazine reported. 

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