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.
India’s Power Supply Deficit Widens to 0.5% in Q2 2020 Amid COVID: CEA
India’s power supply deficit widened to 0.5% in the second quarter of 2020 (Q2 2020), up from 0.4% in the same period last year, according to the data from the ...
In FY 2020, 44.3% of Infosys’ Electricity Came From Renewable Sources: Interview
Infosys, an Indian information technology company, recently signed up for 'The Climate Pledge,' committing to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its businesses by 2040, making it the first Indian company ...
TPG’s Rise Fund Acquires 1 GW of Solar Projects from Trina Solar
The Rise Fund, a global impact investment fund managed by TPG (formerly Texas Pacific Group), announced that it had acquired about 1 GW of solar projects from Chinese solar module ...
DISCOM Aggregate Losses Increased by 68% to ₹496.23 Billion in FY 2018-19: PFC Report
The Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC Limited) has released a report with key findings on the performance of state power utilities in the country for the financial year (FY) 2018-19 ...
SECI’s 2 GW Wind Tender Increased by 500 MW, to be Complemented with Solar Power
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued amendments to its recent tender for 2 GW of Interstate transmission system (ISTS) connected wind projects (Tranche IX). The capacity of ...
Enel Green Power Partners with Norfund to Set up Renewable Projects in India
Italian renewable energy company Enel Green Power (EGP) announced that it has entered into a long-term, joint investment partnership with Norwegian private equity fund Norfund to set up renewable energy ...
Corporate Funding for Solar Slid Globally in 1H 2020 But, It Could Have Been Worse
Total corporate funding – including venture capital (VC) funding, public market, and debt financing – dipped 25% to $4.5 billion (~₹336.09 billion) in the first half of 2020 (1H 2020) ...
This Machine Learning Algorithm Could Improve Lithium-Ion, Fuel Cell Performance
Researchers at Imperial College London claim to have developed a new machine-learning algorithm that could improve the design and performance of lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells. They claimed that the algorithm would ...
CFM Partners with AMPYR Energy to Set up 138 MW of Onshore Wind Farms in Karnataka
Climate Fund Managers (CFM) and AMPYR Energy announced that they have partnered to develop 138 MW of onshore wind farms in Karnataka. CFM is a Netherlands-based investment manager with a ...
IEX’s New Real-Time Power Market Sees Over 515 Million Units of Trading Volume in June
The Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) announced that its new real-time electricity trading platform had enabled a trading volume of 515.46 million units (MUs) of power in June 2020, its first ...
Punjab Invites Applications from Farmers Interested in Installing Solar Pumps
The Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has invited online applications from farmers, panchayats (village councils) for the installation of solar pumps for agricultural irrigation in the state. The solar pumps ...
SECI Floats Tender for a 5 MW Solar Project at Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a notice inviting tender (NIT) for 5 MW of grid-connected, ground-mounted solar projects at the V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust at ...
Electricity Act Amendment Proposals That Could Invigorate the Renewable Energy Sector
The Electricity Act of 2003 was enacted by the Government of India to govern the country’s power sector with the best interests of all its stakeholders in mind. The Act’s ...
Suzlon’s Net Losses Rose to ₹26.92 Billion in FY 2020 Amid Historically Low Installations
Pune-based wind turbine-maker Suzlon Energy, in its annual earnings report for the financial year (FY) 2020, reported that its losses during the year had widened due to falling revenues and lower ...
Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Seeks to Invalidate PSA Termination for 300 MW Wind Power
The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has filed a petition with the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) seeking it to invalidate the cancellation of a power sale agreement ...
Karnataka’s Shivamogga Smart City Reissues a 25 MW Solar Tender on Tunga Canal
Karnataka’s Shivamogga Smart City Limited (SSCL) has reissued a Request for Proposal (RfP) for the construction of 25 MW of canal-top solar projects. The tender has been reissued with modifications ...
L&T Infrastructure Finance Receives $50 Million from AIIB to Fund Renewable Projects
L&T Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (LTIF), an Indian non-banking financial company (NBFC), announced that it had received the first $50 million (~₹3.72 billion) of a $100 million (~₹7.43 billion) external ...
CleanMax Secures $10 Million in Credit Facility to Expand its Rooftop Solar Business
The Global Climate Partnership Fund (GCPF) announced that it has provided Indian solar rooftop developer CleanMax with a $10 million (~₹743.08 million) credit facility to help it expand operations into Southeast ...
Month in a Minute: Top Headlines from India’s Renewable Sector in June 2020
June was an eventful month as the global economy slowly tried to get back on its feet amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Indian renewable industry saw quite a few ...
BSNL Tenders Rooftop Solar Systems on its Buildings in Maharashtra
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has issued a request for proposal (RfP) for implementing grid-connected rooftop solar projects at its buildings in different parts of Maharashtra under the RESCO ...
NTPC and Indian Oil to Set Up a Waste-to-Energy Project in Delhi
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian Oil and NTPC Limited to develop a demonstration waste-to-energy project at the Okhla landfill site ...
Power Ministry Imposes Cyber Security Measures on Imported Power Supply Components
The Ministry of Power (MoP) has issued a notice mandating all power supply system equipment, components, and parts imported into the country must pass through a check for harmful embedded ...
Highlights from DGTR Hearing on Continued Imposition of Safeguard Duty on Solar Imports
The Director-General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) conducted an oral hearing where domestic and international industry representatives put forth their representations about the continued imposition of safeguard duty (SGD) on the ...
Tata Power to Set Up Infrastructure Investment Fund to Bolster Its Renewable Business
Tata Power announced that its board of directors had given its in-principle approval for setting up an infrastructure investment fund (InvIT) for the company’s renewable business. The Mumbai-based power electric ...
Stanford Researchers Develop New Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Batteries Used in EVs
Researchers at Stanford University have claimed they developed a new electrolyte design that boosts the performance of lithium metal batteries that could increase the driving range of electric vehicles (EVs) ...
