NTPC Renewable Energy has invited bids for the engineering, procurement, and construction package for 225 MW of grid-connected solar power projects to be set up in Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL)’s renewable energy park at Khavda (GSECL Stage-3). The scope of work includes design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing and forwarding, transportation, unloading storage, installation, testing, and commissioning of the projects, including the supply of solar modules.

O2 Power, Continuum Green Energy, CleanMax Enviro Energy, Fourth Partner Energy, and AmpIn Energy Transition were the top solar open access developers in the calendar year (CY) 2023, according to Mercom’s India Solar Market Leaderboard 2024. Open access solar installations in the CY 2023 totaled 3.2 GW, up 5.7% from 3 GW installed in CY 2022, according to Mercom India’s Q4 & Annual 2023 India Solar Open Access Report. Cumulative solar installations in the open access market reached 12.2 GW as of December 2023.

Emmvee Photovoltaic Power, Vikram Solar, and ReNew were declared winners in NTPC Renewable Energy’s auction to supply 1.58 GW of crystalline solar bifacial modules with a minimum wattage output of 540 Wp for 1,255 MW projects at the Khavda Solar Park in the Kutch district of Gujarat. According to Mercom sources, Emmvee won two blocks of 397.70 MW each, totaling 795.4 MW, whereas Vikram Solar won one block with 397.70 MW capacity. ReNew was awarded the remaining block with 391.50 MW.

Automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra plans to invest ₹120 billion (~$1.43 billion) in its electric vehicle unit, Mahindra Electric Automobile, over the next three years up to March 31, 2027. In a stock exchange filing, the company stated that it expects to generate enough operating cash through its auto division to cover all capital investment needs without requiring additional external funding.

The Asian Development Bank has approved a $148.5 million loan to enhance, upgrade, and climate-proof the electricity distribution system in Sikkim and improve the power supply’s reliability, quality, and resilience. The project aims to improve the livelihoods of at least 1,100 women, including self-help groups, producer groups, and individual businesses, through the installation of customized renewable energy systems and vocational skills training.

After the resounding success of in-person multi-city C&I Clean Energy Meets across India, Mercom India is holding its first virtual C&I Clean Energy Meet. This exclusive virtual event is tailored to address the pressing need for clean energy solutions among large-scale power consumers in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, offering invaluable insights into cost-saving strategies. Rooftop and open access solar have emerged as attractive options for commercial and industrial power consumers in recent years.

The U.S. has announced it will bring back bifacial solar modules under Section 201 tariffs as the country clamps down on cheap clean energy technology entering its shores from China. The exclusion for bifacial modules, widely used in utility-scale solar projects, was in force under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974. The exclusion, implemented by the previous administration, had led to a surge in imports.