The Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) has issued a tender to empanel rooftop solar installers.

The deadline for the submission of bids is July 1, 2020, while the date for the opening of the financial bid has been scheduled for July 8, 2020.

These grid-connected rooftop solar projects ranging between 1 kW to 500 kW will be set up at various locations in the state. The contract will be valid for five years under the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model. The solar systems will be set up under the second phase of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) rooftop solar program.

In August last year, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had issued operational guidelines to implement the second phase of its grid-connected rooftop solar PV program. Overall, 22 GW of rooftop solar PV projects is to be installed under the second phase of the program.

Interested bidders need to submit a sum of ₹200,000 (~$2,637) as the earnest money deposit (EMD). Performance security of ₹500,000 (~$6,595) will also be required for this tender. Besides this, all successful bidders have to deposit a service charge at the rate of ₹2 ($0.02)/Watt of the capacity allocated by CREDA.

Interested bidders can quote a separate rate for each capacity ranging between categories of 1 kW to 10 kW, 10 kW to 100 kW, and 100 kW to 500 kW.  The successful bidders can execute the projects for which the sites can be identified by the prosumers or on the sites allocated by CREDA.

The consumers will also be allowed to benefit from the net metering mechanism. The solar modules will be warranted for 25 years, while the rooftop solar systems would be warranted by the empanelled vendor for five years from the date of commissioning of the project.

Apart from the supply and installation of the rooftop solar systems, the scope of work would also include operation and maintenance services for five years.

The declared annual capacity utilization factor (CUF) should not be less than 15%. Also, the successful bidder should maintain generation so as to achieve the annual CUF of at least 15% for 25 years. Further, the tender notice adds that the bidder will be liable to compensate for any shortfall in the generation. This will, however, be relaxed in case of non-availability of grid or load.

Central finance assistance (CFA) of up to 40% will be given for systems up to 3 kW, whereas, for projects above 3 kW capacity and up to 10 kW, a CFA of 40% would be applicable for the first 3 kW, and 20% for the rest. No CFA will be provided for capacity beyond 10 kW.  A CFA of 20% will be given for group housing societies and residential welfare associations for the installation of a rooftop system up to 500 kW. However, it will be limited to 10 kW per house.

It has been specifically mentioned in the document that only indigenously manufactured solar PV panels (both cells and modules) should be used for the projects for availing the subsidies.

To take part in the bidding process for category 1 (For 1 kW-10 kW), the prospective bidder should have satisfactorily completed a 1 kW project in each year during the last three financial years. Or, they should have completed two projects of 10 kW in the last three years or a cumulative capacity of 100 kW in the last three FYs.

Similarly, for category 2 (between 10 kW to 100 kW), the bidder should have installed at least 10 kW capacity in each year during the last three financial years. Or, should have completed a project having a capacity of 50 kW in the last three years or installed at least 500 KW cumulative capacity.

Whereas in category 3 (100 kW to 500 kW), the interested bidder should have completed at least 50 kW of projects in each of the last three FYs, one project of 100 kW, or a cumulative capacity of 1 MW.

Regarding the financial criteria, for a project ranging between 1 kW to 10 kW, the minimum average annual turnover in the last three FYs should be ₹5 million (~$65,926). Similarly, for projects ranging between 10 kW-100 KW, the annual turnover should be ₹7 million (~$92,297).

Lastly, for the highest category of up to 500 kW, the minimum average annual turnover should be ₹10 million (~$131,854).

According to Mercom’s Q1 2020 India Solar Market Update, the rooftop solar installation in Chhattisgarh totals to nearly 19 MW.

In January 2020, the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited floated a tender for the empanelment of vendors for the installation of 1 kW to 500 kW of rooftop solar projects in the state.

Recently, in Delhi, the Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited announced the lowest bidder and the quoted price for rooftop solar projects under the CAPEX model. For the CAPEX model Part A, Amplus KN One Power Private Limited emerged as the L1 bidder with the quoted project cost of ₹37,000 (~$492.3)/kW. For the CAPEX model Part E as well, Amplus KN One Power Private Limited was declared as the L1 bidder with a quoted project cost of ₹39,200 (~$521.6)/kW.

 

Image credit: Sungrow

Anjana is a news editor at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, she held roles of senior editor, district correspondent, and sub-editor for The Times of India, Biospectrum and The Sunday Guardian. Before that, she worked at the Deccan Herald and the Asianlite as chief sub-editor and news editor. She has also contributed to The Quint, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, Reader’s Digest (UK edition), IndiaSe (Singapore-based magazine) and Asiaville. Anjana holds a Master’s degree in Geography from North Bengal University, and a diploma in mass communication and journalism from Guru Ghasidas University, Bhopal.