Avaada Energy, ReNew Solar Power (ReNew), Solairedirect Energy India (ENGIE), SAEL Industries, and NTPC Renewable Energy were declared winners in the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s auction to set up 1,500 MW Inter-State Transmission System-connected solar power projects in India under Tranche XIV. Avaada, ReNew, ENGIE, and SAEL quoted the lowest tariff of ₹2.57 (~$0.0310)/kWh to win 300 MW, 300 MW, 100 MW, and 600 MW, respectively.

Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam has invited bids to set up pilot projects of 250 MW/500 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems in Gujarat under tariff-based global competitive bidding (Phase III). The last day to submit the bids is April 22, 2024. Bids will be opened on May 1. The project must be completed within 18 months. The minimum bid size must be 140 MWh (70 MWh x 2 hours).

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced that the President of India has approved the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, with a budget of ₹750.21 billion (~$9 billion). The ministry also issued a breakdown of central financial assistance for residential houses, group housing societies, and residential welfare associations. The PM Surya Ghar initiative aims to install rooftop solar projects in ten million poor and middle-class households.

MNRE has set aside ₹44.4 billion (~$535.6 million) to incentivize manufacturing of electrolyzers to reduce costs for hydrogen production in the country, as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The program aims to make domestically made electrolyzers – a key component for green hydrogen production, internationally competitive in performance and quality and to build out its supply chains. It also intends to support both established and new electrolyzer technologies.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has invited bids for 3.5 MW rooftop solar projects on its under-construction Phase-IV network stations under the Renewable Energy Supply Company model, as the metro service provider looks to power its operations using solar energy. The last date to submit bids is April 25, 2024. Bids will be opened the next day. The project’s estimated cost is ₹136.8 million (~$1.68 million).

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a request for selection from project developers to set up 1,200 MW ISTS-connected solar power projects with 600 MW/1,200 MWh energy storage systems anywhere in India under Tranche XV. SECI will enter into a power purchase agreement with the successful bidders to purchase solar power for 25 years. The selected bidder must set up the projects on a Build Own Operate basis and commission them within 24 months of the effective PPA signing date.

Convergence Energy Services Limited has invited bids for selecting a managed service partner for the operations, management, maintenance, and security of 31 public service electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across Noida. Bidders will be responsible for seamlessly managing the Energy Efficiency Services Limited  public EV charging stations. The bidder will be solely responsible for the security and maintenance of the public charging stations in Noida.

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation has invited bids to install 2.8 MW of rooftop solar systems and associated support structure works on Aarey station and depot buildings of the Mumbai Metro Line 3 project. The scope of work includes site survey, investigation, design, engineering, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of rooftop solar systems within twelve months. RESCO model will be used for the projects.

SECI has issued a request for the selection of electrolyzer manufacturers for setting up 1.5 GW of electrolyzer manufacturing capacities in India under strategic interventions for the green hydrogen transition (SIGHT) program (Tranche- II). The last date for the submission of bids is April 30, 2024. Bids will be opened on May 3. The total capacity is segmented into distinct buckets.

The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company has invited bids for the design, engineering, supply (except module), module unloading, erection, testing, and commissioning of 569 MW of grid-connected solar power projects. The projects will be set up under the second phase of Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana to solarize agriculture feeders in various districts of Maharashtra. The last day to submit the bids is May 5, 2024. Bids will be opened on May 10.

Florida-based Sunergy Renewables, a residential solar and storage firm, announced it will begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange after merging with ESGEN Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company. The merged company, now called Zeo Energy Corp, will trade its shares and warrants under the ticker “ZEO” and “ZEOWW” and will be led by Sunergy’s senior management.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a dual cooling and power generation strategy that simultaneously harvests solar energy in a solar cell and directs heat away from the Earth through radiative cooling. As conventional energy generation methods come with increased environmental costs, the researchers took to turning two underutilized renewable resources, the sun and outer space, into solutions to generate electricity and passively cool down structures.