Andhra Pradesh experienced renewed growth in open access solar capacity additions in Q1 2024, after a weak four quarters in 2023. The state accounted for the second-highest solar open access capacity (21%) in Q1 after no solar open access projects were commissioned in the previous quarter. India added 1.8 GW of new solar open access capacity in Q1 2024, the most in any quarter to date, with the top five states accounting for 79.3% of the new installed capacity, according to the recently released Q1 2024 Mercom India Solar Open Access Market Report.

Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments has issued a request for proposal to implement 10 MW grid-connected rooftop and ground-mounted solar photovoltaic power projects on state and central government buildings in Rajasthan under the renewable energy service company mode. The last date to submit the bids is July 22, 2024. Bids will be opened the next day. Bidders will be responsible for the design, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of the projects, as well as their operation and maintenance for 25 years.

The Jodhpur division of North Western Railway has floated a tender for 1,074 kW grid-connected rooftop solar power systems at various service buildings and gates. The last day for the submission of bids is July 22, 2024. The scope of the work includes the setup, testing, and activation of on-grid solar power systems in the Jaipur Division. This includes a wall-mounted inverter, SPV array, module mounting structure, power conditioning unit, controls, protections, interconnecting cables, switch gears, and necessary features to support grid power. The project’s estimated cost is ₹44.6 million (~$534,227).

SJVN Green Energy has invited bids to purchase or lease 800 acres of land in Punjab for setting up solar power projects up to 200 MW capacity. The purchase or lease, which will be for 28 years, will include the requisite statutory clearances, chain-link fencing around the periphery of the land, and connectivity with the state transmission utility. The last date to submit the bids is July 23, 2024. Bids will be opened the same day. Bidders must be entities registered in India. Joint ventures or consortiums are not allowed.

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad has invited expressions of interest to set up a 3.5 MW in-house captive solar photovoltaic project to maximize energy savings at its campus. The last date to submit bids is July 24, 2024. Bids will be opened the next day. Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit of ₹350,000 (~$4,200). The scope of work includes planning, design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, and five years of post-commissioning operation and maintenance. Bidders must have completed at least one similar solar project of 2.8 MW capacity or larger in the last seven years.

Researchers from Monash University, the University of Oxford, and the City University of Hong Kong have developed a “self-healing” mechanism for perovskite solar cells. Their findings, published in the journal Nature, showcase how perovskite cells exposed to heat or moisture can effectively repair defects that would otherwise degrade the cell’s performance over time. Perovskite solar cells have long been regarded for their high efficiency, low cost, and lightweight. However, their susceptibility to environmental factors like moisture and heat has hindered their large-scale implementation.