The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has developed an online portal to ensure the traceability of domestically manufactured solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules and to assist in the verification of Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) in solar PV modules deployed across the country. The portal, developed in consultation with solar manufacturers’ associations, is hosted on the website of the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and can be accessed through the following link: https://solardcrportal.nise.res.in/

The MNRE has released a framework for the enlistment of solar photovoltaic modules and inverters under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana to assist consumers in making informed choices when selecting high-efficiency products with better warranties for their rooftop solar installations. The ministry said it has prescribed minimum technical standards for various components of rooftop solar installations to ensure quality.

India has made strides in expanding its renewable energy capacity over the past year, but a funding gap of over $100 billion could still derail it from meeting the International Energy Agency’s net-zero emission pathway by 2030, a report by accounting firm Ernst & Young warns. In the 2023-24 financial year, India added nearly 26 GW of new power generation capacity, with over 70% coming from renewable sources like solar and wind.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed that a transmission license be granted to Pachora Power Transmission to establish the Transmission System for Evacuation of Power from RE Projects in Rajgarh (1,000 MW) SEZ in Madhya Pradesh-Phase II. Pachora Power Transmission had requested a transmission license to establish a transmission system for evacuating power from renewable energy projects in the Rajgarh SEZ (1,000 MW) in Madhya Pradesh, Phase II.

Battery manufacturer Amara Raja Energy & Mobility has invested an additional €20 million (~$21.4 million) in electric vehicle (EV) battery firm InoBat, Norway, for a 4.5% equity stake. Amara Raja’s stake in the Slovakia-headquartered InoBat now stands at 9.32%. It had earlier invested €10 million in the company to enable it to secure a foothold in the European EV ecosystem. InoBat specializes in custom-designing batteries for EVs to meet specific requirements of global mainstream and specialist original equipment manufacturers .

The U.S. energy storage market set a first-quarter record for capacity installed in Q1 2024, with 1,265 MW/3,512 MWh deployed across all segments. This marks the highest storage capacity installed in the U.S. in the first quarter, representing an 89% increase from Q1 2023. In Q1, 993 MW/2,952 MWh of energy storage capacity was deployed in the grid-scale segment, up 101% year-over-year, with Nevada, Texas, and California accounting for 90% of the MW and MWh capacity, according to the latest report by Wood Mackenzie.

Despite global renewable power capacity reaching a record 536 GW in 2023, geopolitical conflicts, protectionism, and rising greenhouse gas emissions continue to pose significant risks for the energy transition, according to the Renewables 2024 Global Status Report published by REN21. In 2023, the global investment in renewable power reached a record $622.5 billion, an 8.1% increase from the previous year​​. Wind and solar power have been at the forefront of this growth.