Author Archives: Raj Prabhu
About Raj Prabhu
Raj Prabhu is a recognized thought leader in clean energy markets where his work has influenced policies worldwide. He has a deep understanding of regulatory policy and clean energy markets and his market and opinion pieces are regularly published on both MercomIndia.com and other leading publications globally. Raj is also a regular speaker and presenter on clean energy policy and finance topics at conferences worldwide. Raj attended the KLE College of Science in Bangalore, India for physics and chemistry, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel and Institutional Management from Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island. More articles from Raj Prabhu.
The Indian Solar Markets’ Top Players in 2020
Solar installations in the calendar year (CY) 2020 totaled 3.2 GW, a 56% decline compared to 7.3 GW of capacity added in 2019. The Covid-19 outbreak brought the solar industry ...
Basic Customs Duty of 25% on Solar Cells and 40% on Modules to Take Effect from April 2022
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced the basic customs duty (BCD) on imported solar cells and modules starting April 1, 2022. The BCD on solar modules ...
Pooled Tariff: Answer to Selling Power from Manufacturing-Linked Solar Projects
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has been looking for ways to ensure that power sale agreements (PSAs) are signed on time so that the renewable project construction activity ...
Despite COVID-19, About $7 Billion Worth of Solar Tenders Announced in Q1
While the global pandemic continues to affect the solar industry around the world, India announced 14 GW of solar tenders. Despite the pandemic, about 3.5 GW of solar projects were ...
Solar Installations Jumped from Just 3 GW to 25 GW in 4 Years Under PM Modi
It has been a little over four years since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over and it is a good ...
India’s 100 GW Solar Target is at the Mercy of States and Conflicting Government Policies
India’s push to promote clean energy development marks an important chapter in its growth story that could create a more sustainable future, but only if its various government agencies can ...
Indian Modules Exempt from US Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar Imports
The United States has exempted India from the levy of a 30 percent anti-dumping duty on its solar imports. India is one among the hundred countries including Brazil, South Africa, ...
President Trump Imposes 30 Percent Tariff on Solar Cells and Modules, Now It’s India’s Turn
President Trump today revealed the much-anticipated anti-dumping tariffs on imported solar cells and modules at 30 percent for the first year, which will gradually decline in five percent increments over a ...
Azure Power and ReNew Power Are the Winners in the 250 MW Bhadla Solar Auction
In the 250 MW Bhadla Solar Park auction, Azure Power won the bid to develop 200 MWs by quoting the lowest tariff of ₹2.48 (~$0.0388)/kWh. ReNew Power won the remaining 50 ...
ISMA Files Petition Seeking Imposition of Safeguard Duty on Imported Solar Cells
The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has filed a petition with the Directorate General of Safeguards that seeks to impose a Safeguard Duty on imported solar cells from China, Malaysia, ...
MNRE Announces $3.7B in Financial Assistance to DISCOMs to Boost Rooftop Solar in India
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released a new proposal to overhaul the existing rooftop solar implementation mechanism by making it the responsibility of distribution companies (DISCOMs) ...
India Goes All In to Support Domestic Solar Manufacturing with a Bevy of Subsidy Proposals
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released a concept note of a proposal to build out India’s manufacturing supply chain, including polysilicon, wafers/ingots, cells and modules. MNRE ...
Malaysia Allocates 563 MW for Solar in Second Large Auction
Suruhanjaya Tenaga, Malaysia's Energy Commission, awarded a total of 563 MW of solar in its second large scale solar tender, against the original planned capacity of 460 MW. These projects ...
Solar and Wind Account for Over 60% of New Power Capacity Additions in India as of 9M 2017
Solar and Wind accounted for majority of new power capacity additions with renewable energy installations accounting for almost 19 percent of the country’s total installed power as of September 30, ...
U.S. ITC Recommends Lower than Expected Tariff in Suniva Antidumping Case, Setting a Precedent for India
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has announced antidumping tariff recommendations in the 30-35 percent range, much lower than what Suniva and SolarWorld were looking for. The full set of ...
SBI and World Bank Extend $357 Million Credit to 7 Indian Companies for Solar Rooftops
The State Bank of India (SBI) and the World Bank have announced ₹23.2 billion ($357 million) in credit facilities for seven Indian solar companies that will be used to develop ...
Wind Becomes Competitive with Solar as Tariff Drops to a Record Low ₹2.64/kWh
In India, wind power tariff has dropped below ₹3/kWh for the first time with the lowest winning bid of ₹2.64 (~$0.0413)/kWh quoted in the second 1 GW wind auction conducted ...
5 Reasons Why You Should Attend the Renewable Energy Expo 2017
5 Reasons Why You Should Attend the Renewable Energy Expo 2017 As India’s largest cleantech conference opens, there are a lot of unanswered questions that everyone wants answers to. Here ...
Solar Imports Fell by 9 Percent Quarter-over-Quarter in Q2 2017, Ahead of Anti-Dumping Recommendations
In the second quarter (Apr-Jun) of 2017, export and import activity totaling $1.24 billion (~₹ 79.9 billion) was registered in the Indian solar sector. This was $124.08 million (~₹11.1 billion) ...
Rising Chinese Module Prices Pose Significant Short-Term Challenge for India’s Solar Industry
After falling by approximately 5 percent in the second quarter of 2017, for the first time in years, the average selling price (ASP) for Chinese modules is increasing quarter-over-quarter in ...
India Imposes Anti-Dumping Duty on Tempered Solar Glass Imported from China
The Indian Ministry of Finance has imposed an anti-dumping duty on tempered glass (solar glass) imported from China in the range of $64.04 per metric ton (MT) to $136.21/MT. The ...
Lessons for India from the Suniva Solar Anti-Dumping Case Hearing
On Tuesday, the much-anticipated public hearing by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on the Suniva and SolarWorld Section 201 trade case was held in Washington, D.C., with both sides ...
7.5 GW CPSU Program Could Be a Game Changer for Indian Domestic Solar Manufacturers
Mercom recently broke the news that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed developing 7.5 GW of solar by 2022 using domestically manufactured solar cells and modules ...
India Plans to Deploy Seven Million Electric Vehicles by 2020
India is targeting the deployment of five to seven million electric vehicles in the country by 2020 under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020. The NEMMP’s goal is ...
First Solar to Supply 241 MW of Modules to Edify Energy’s Solar Projects in Australia
First Solar has won contract to supply solar modules totaling 241 MW for solar projects being developed by Edify Energy in Australia. According to a company release, RCR Tomlinson, the ...
