The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) has invited bids from reputed manufacturers or EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contractors for a rate contract to solarize 300 HP of grid-connected agricultural pumps under the Kisan Urja Suraksha Evan Utthan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) program in Kerala.

The scope of work includes the supply, installation, and commissioning of solar ground-mounted or rooftop power projects with grid connectivity for the solarization of existing agricultural pumps in the state for different capacities.

Interested bidders are expected to pay an earnest money deposit of ₹50,000 (~$674), and the project is expected to cost ₹12 million (~$161,852).  The last date for the submission of bids is March 24, 2020.

Bidders are required to quote their price for projects based on the capacities – 1 kW, 2 kW, 3 kW, 4 kW, 5 kW, 6 kW, 7 kW, 8 kW, and 10 kW. The installation is expected to be completed in two months from the date of the supply order. Delay in supply and installation will carry a penalty of 0.5% per week up to a maximum of 10%.

To be eligible to take part in the competitive bidding process, the bidder must have had an annual turnover of at least ₹30 million (~$404,630) in each of the last three financial years.

The bidder should have service centers and should be authorized service providers in all districts of Kerala.

Also, the price bids for the installation of a rooftop or ground-mounted system are to be quoted separately by the bidders, and the lowest bid will be considered separately for rooftop and ground-mounted systems. It is mandatory to use indigenously manufactured solar panels with indigenous solar cells and modules, the tender notes.

The price quotes should be inclusive of the initial cost of supply, installation, commissioning, and support during the warranty period of five years.

Only crystalline silicon cell PV modules of 325Wp or higher capacity need to be used in the installation.

The MNRE launched the guidelines for the KUSUM program with the following components:

• Component A: Set up 10 GW of decentralized ground-mounted grid-connected solar projects of individual projects, up to 2 MW
• Component B: Install 1.75 million standalone solar-powered agriculture pumps of individual capacity up to 7.5 HP
• Component C: Solarize 1 million grid-connected agriculture pumps of individual capacity up to 7.5 HP

Earlier, Mercom reported that ANERT issued a tender for 10 MW of off-grid solar power projects at public institutions across 14 districts in the state of Kerala. The scope of the work included the supply, installation, and commissioning of the off-grid solar power projects with battery banks and load sharing. The solar modules will be installed on the rooftops of public buildings based on orders issued by ANERT district offices.

Previously, ANERT floated a tender for a 30 kW grid-connected rooftop solar system with battery backup and electric vehicle charging station at its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.