Author Archives: Nithin Thomas Prasad
About Nithin Thomas Prasad
Nithin is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Previously with Reuters News, he has covered oil, metals and agricultural commodity markets across global markets. He has also covered refinery and pipeline explosions, oil and gas leaks, Atlantic region hurricane developments, and other natural disasters. Nithin holds a Masters Degree in Applied Economics from Christ University, Bangalore and a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai. More articles from Nithin.
Corporate Funding for Battery Energy Storage Companies Was Up 136% at $6.6 Billion in 2020
Total corporate funding (including venture capital funding, public market, and debt financing) for the battery storage, smart grid, and energy efficiency sectors in 2020 was up 112% at $8.1 billion ...
SECI Payouts to Solar, Wind Developers up Slightly at ₹3.85 Billion in November 2020
The Solar energy Corporation of India (SECI) paid nearly ₹3.85 billion (~$52.6 million) to solar and wind developers in November 2020, which amounted to over 60% of the total amount ...
Supreme Court Lifts Stay Order on Chandigarh DISCOM Privatization
The Supreme Court of India issued orders placing a hold on a stay order given by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, on the privatization of Chandigarh’s electricity distribution company ...
UPERC Allows Time Extension for Completing a Municipal Solid Waste Power Project
The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has extended the scheduled commissioning date (SCOD) for a 14 MW municipal solid waste (MSW)-based power project in Agra. It also directed the ...
World Bank Floats EoI for Off-Grid Solar Energy Access Report
The World Bank has issued expression of interest (EoI) documents seeking consultants for an assignment to chart out an investment roadmap for sub-Saharan African countries to help them achieve universal ...
Kerala Budget Proposes ₹2.5 Billion Loan for Rooftop Solar, Cuts Tax on EVs
Kerala’s Finance Minister Thomas Isaac announced a 50% reduction in motor vehicle tax for electric, fuel cell, and full hybrid battery electric vehicles (EV) for five years in the state’s ...
Jharkhand Sets ₹3.09/kWh Levelized Tariff for Solar Projects Under KUSUM
The Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) has set a pre-fixed levelized tariff of ₹3.09 (~$0.042)/kWh for power from decentralized solar and other renewable energy projects between 500 kW and ...
SECI Issues Tender to Construct a 25 MW Solar Project at a Coal Washery in West Bengal
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender on behalf of the Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) to construct a 25 MW solar power project at its ...
Tender Released for Supply of 1.8 Million Multicrystalline Solar Cells
Central Electronics Limited (CEL) has floated a tender for 1.8 million multicrystalline solar photovoltaic cells with wattage greater than 4.68W. Bidders are not required to pay an earnest money deposit ...
Bids Invited for Supply of 300,000 Multicrystalline Solar Cells
Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL), a joint venture between the central government and the Rajasthan government, has floated a tender for 300,000 multicrystalline silicon solar cells with a wattage ...
Solar Federation Seeks Exemption from Charges Levied on Renewable Energy Developers
The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) has written to the Electricity Department of Rajasthan with comments and suggestions on the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (RERC) renewable energy tariff ...
Thanjavur Smart City Floats Tender for 3 MW of Solar Projects at a Sewage Treatment Unit
Thanjavur Smart City Limited (TSCL) has floated a tender for a 3 MW solar power project at the Sirajudeen Nagar Sewage Treatment Unit in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. Interested bidders are ...
Why the Draft PPA for Andhra’s 6.4 GW of Solar Projects Was Considered Violation of Law
The High Court of Andhra Pradesh has upheld Tata Power Renewable Energy’s contention that Andhra Pradesh Green Energy Corporation’s (APGECL) request for selection (RfS) and power purchase agreements (PPA) for 6.4 GW ...
EoI Invited for Feasibility Survey and Inspection of Solar Pumps Under KUSUM Program
The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) for a third-party feasibility survey and inspection of solar pumps installed in the state under Component-B of ...
Delhi Floats Tender for the Operation of 575 Electric Buses in the City
The Transport Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), has floated a request for qualification and proposal for the operation of 575 electric buses at three clusters in the ...
Maharashtra Announces Renewable Policy, Plans for 13 GW of Solar Projects
The Maharashtra State Cabinet has issued its ‘Unconventional Energy Generation Policy’ to promote non-conventional source-based energy generation. The policy is divided into two parts. In the first part of the policy, the ...
REIL Floats Tender for 200,000 Multicrystalline Solar Cells
Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL), a joint venture between the center and the Rajasthan government, has floated a tender for 200,000 multicrystalline silicon solar cells of 4.67W. Bidders are ...
![Top Five States for Utility-Scale Solar Installations in 2020 [Infographics]](https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/client/q_glossy,ret_img,w_800,h_554/https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Top-Five-States-for-Utility-Scale-Solar-Installations-in-2020-Infographics.jpg)
Top Five States for Utility-Scale Solar Installations in 2020 [Infographics]
Cumulative utility-scale solar installations in India at the end of December 2020 stood at 34 GW, according to Mercom India Research. Installations were slow for most of the year due ...
Indian Oil Corporation Invites Bids for 15 Fuel Cell Electric Buses in Faridabad
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has floated a tender for 15 hydrogen polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell electric buses to be supplied at its research and development center in ...
Andhra High Court Stays Awarding of 6.4 GW of Solar Projects Tendered Recently
The High Court of Andhra Pradesh has directed the Andhra Pradesh Green Energy Corporation (APGECL) to not enter into any agreements for its tender for 6.4 GW of solar power ...
Medical College in Haryana Floats Tender for 1 MW of Rooftop Solar under RESCO Model
The Maharaja Agrasen Medical College at Agroha, Haryana, has floated a tender to enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) for power from a 1 MW of rooftop solar system under the ...
Malaysia To Provide Net Metering for 500 MW of Residential and C&I Solar Systems
Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA) announced its New Energy Metering Program 3.0 (NEM 3.0), which aims to incentivize the export of excess solar energy into the grid ...
Solar Industry Executives Weigh in On Growth Prospects and Outlook for 2021
With a tumultuous year behind it, the Indian solar industry has much to look forward to in 2021. The country has a robust solar project pipeline, and investors are optimistic ...
SECI Issues Tender for 50 MW of Solar Projects with 10 MW Agro-PV Component in Tamil Nadu
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has released a tender for 50 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, including a 10 MW agro-PV component in Tamil Nadu. Agro PV ...
Safeguard Duty Reimbursement Only for Minimum Contracted Solar Capacity in PPA: KERC
The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) ruled that the imposition of Safeguard Duty (SDG) on imported solar cells and modules constituted a ‘change in law’ event. It said Fortum Solar ...
