Author Archives: Rahul Nair
About Rahul Nair
Rahul is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before entering the world of renewables, Rahul was head of the Gujarat bureau for The Quint. He has also worked for DNA Ahmedabad and Ahmedabad Mirror. Hailing from a banking and finance background, Rahul has also worked for JP Morgan Chase and State Bank of India. More articles from Rahul Nair.
Rate Contract Tenders Floated for 3,000 Polycrystalline Solar Modules
Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL) has invited tenders for two rate contracts. The first tender has invited bids to procure 2,000 mono or polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules qualifying for ...
Consultancy Tender Issued for 25 Solar Projects in Gujarat
The Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL) has issued an e-tender inviting consultancy services to verify the designs and drawings of 25 solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The projects with capacities of ...
India Installs 521 MW of Rooftop Solar Capacity in Q2 2021, the Highest in a Quarter
India marked a 53% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) increase in rooftop solar installations in the second quarter (Q2) of 2021, the highest for any quarter, with 521 MW installations compared to 341 ...
Andhra Pradesh Accepts SECI’s Offer for 9 GW of Solar at ₹2.49/kWh
The Andhra Pradesh government has agreed to procure 9 GW of solar power from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). SECI will supply power to the state's agriculture sector ...
Generic Tariff of ₹3.51/kWh Proposed for Small Solar Projects Under KUSUM Program
The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) has issued a draft to determine the feed-in-tariff (FiT) for decentralized solar projects with 500 kW to 2MW capacity. These projects come under ...
Indian Railways Issues Tender to Empanel Consultants for Solar Projects
The Railway Energy Management Company Limited (REMCL), a joint venture of the Indian Railways and RITES Limited, has issued a notice inviting tender (NIT) to enroll agencies or consultants to set up ...
State Transmission Utility to Compensate Solar Project Developer for Generation Losses
The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has directed Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTCL) to compensate a solar project developer for generation losses. KPTCL is directed to pay compensation at ₹4.43 ...
US Installs 345 MW of New Energy Storage Systems in Q2 2021: Report
According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest report, the United States installed 345 MW of new energy storage systems in the second quarter (Q2) of 2021 – a year-over-year (YoY) increase of ...
Los Angeles to Transition to 100% Renewable Energy by 2035
The Los Angeles City Council has voted to have the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) transition to 100% renewable energy by 2035. The proposal was passed in ...
Average Cost to Build Large-Scale Solar Rises by 12% Year-Over-Year
According to Mercom’s recently released Q2 2021 India Solar Market Update, the average cost of large-scale solar projects in the second quarter of 2021 (Q2 2021) was ₹38.6 million (~$529,036)/MW. The ...
Deadline to Complete Solar Projects Under Component-A of KUSUM Program Extended
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has extended the time given to complete grid-connected solar projects under ‘component-A’ of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM ...
Rajasthan Electronics Issues Tender for 8,000 Mono or Polycrystalline Solar PV Modules
The Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL), a joint venture between the Union and the Rajasthan governments, issued a notice inviting a rate contract tender for 8,000 monocrystalline or polycrystalline ...
Jai Narain Vyas University Issues Tender for 1 MW Rooftop Solar Project
Jai Narain Vyas University (JNVU) has issued a request for selection (RfS), inviting bidders to set up a 1 MW rooftop solar project with net metering facility under the renewable ...
Maharashtra DISCOM Directed to Clear Dues of Four Wind Energy Generators
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has ordered the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to fulfill its payment obligations for energy injected into the grid from four wind ...
MSEDCL Floats Tender to Procure Power from 800 MW of Wind Power Projects
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) has issued requests for selection (RfS) to procure 500 MW wind power from intrastate wind power projects and 300 MW wind power from ...
Rajasthan Electronics Issues Tender for 200,000 Mono or Multicrystalline Solar Cells
The Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL), a joint venture between the Union and the Rajasthan governments, has issued a notice inviting tender (NIT) to supply 200,000 monocrystalline or multicrystalline ...
Power Ministry Notifies Timelines to Replace Existing Meters With Smart Meters
The Ministry of Power (MoP) has notified the timelines to replace existing meters with smart meters with a prepayment feature. The notification is effective August 17, 2021 All consumers (other ...
MNRE Announces New Benchmark Costs for Off-Grid Solar Systems for FY 2022
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has notified new benchmark costs for off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and decentralized solar PV systems for the financial year (FY) 2021-22. The new ...
MNRE Hikes Benchmark Costs for Rooftop Solar Projects in FY 2022
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued benchmark costs for grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for the financial year (FY) 2021-22. The benchmark cost for FY ...
Can Solar Developers Rely on Local Manufacturers for Module Supply Without Disruptions?
The government's focus lately has shifted strongly towards establishing a domestic solar manufacturing base. The government has levied safeguard duty, Basic Customs Duty (BCD), introduced the approved list of module ...
Delhi Regulatory Commission Releases Renewable Purchase Obligation Guidelines
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has announced the ‘Renewable Purchase Obligation and Renewable Energy Certificate Framework Implementation Regulations, 2021.’ The regulations are effective from April 13, 2021. The rules govern ...
Solar EPC Costs May Rise in the Next Few Quarters Due to Rising Component Prices
Mercom hosted a webinar on August 13, 2021, to understand the critical role solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) companies play in the Indian solar segment while mitigating the challenges ...
Ministry Proposes Rules to Promote Renewable Energy Open Access
The Ministry of Power (MoP) has issued the Draft Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2021. The last date for submission of feedback is September 15, ...
Indian Solar Imports and Exports in 1H Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Imports of solar cells and modules surged by a staggering 1,000% in the second quarter (Q2) of the calendar year (CY) 2021, totaling $762 million (~₹56.6 billion) as compared to ...
Tamil Nadu Plans to Install 5,000 Solar Pumps for Farmers Providing 70% Subsidy
Tamil Nadu has proposed installing 5,000 solar pumps for which 70% subsidy will be provided, according to the state's first-ever 'agriculture budget' recently presented to the Legislative Assembly. Minister for ...
