Daily News Wrap-Up: Rajasthan Announces Winners for 2 GWh BESS Auction

Maharashtra launches rooftop solar program for economically weaker sections

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Eleven companies won Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam’s auction to set up 1,000 MW/2,000 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS). The successful bidders are Stockwell Solar, Oswal Cables, Micromax Informatics, Patanjali Renewables, RCRS Innovations, Viviana Power Tech, Galaxy Mining and Royalties, Manda Projects, Mineralia Impex, Onward Solar, and S T Electricals. Stockwell Solar, Oswal Cables, Micromax Informatics, Patanjali Renewables, and RCRS Innovations quoted a tariff of ₹177,500 (~$1,999.77)/MW/month to win 400 MWh, 200 MWh, 100 MWh, 200 MWh, and 100 MWh, respectively.

The Maharashtra government approved the Self-Reliant Maharashtra Residential Rooftop solar program, under which households below poverty line (BPL) will need to pay only ₹2,500 (~$28.20) for a 1 kW rooftop solar system. The program aims to promote self-generation of electricity among economically weaker and lower-middle-income households. The program is expected to continue until March 2027. The subsidy structure varies according to the consumer category. BPL consumers will receive a 35% subsidy on the installation cost.

Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission approved retail electricity tariffs for the financial year (FY) 2026. For the commercial category with a monthly contract demand of over 50 kVA, the energy charge is reduced by 3.9% from ₹8.85 (~$0.099)/kVA to ₹8.5 (~$0.095)/kVA. The monthly fixed charge has been increased to ₹300 (~$3.38)/kVA from ₹320 (~$ 3.60)/kVA. Energy charges for large industrial consumers are benchmarked to 11 kV at ₹6.50 (~$0.073)/kWh. Consumers taking supply at higher voltages receive a 3% rebate on the energy charge at 33 kV, a 4% rebate at 132 kV, and a 5% rebate at 220 kV.

Advait Energy Transitions secured an order worth ₹872.9 million (~$9.85 million) from the Power Grid Corporation of India for supplying emergency restoration systems (ERS) under package ERS-II. The order involves the procurement of ERS equipment designed for 400 kV transmission lines. Advait Energy will execute this order over 18 months. The company said the ERS systems supplied under this order will help restore transmission lines in the event of tower failures or disruptions caused by natural disasters, technical faults, or other emergencies.

Renewable energy company Hero Future Energies secured a loan of ₹19.8 billion (~$221 million) from public sector banks State Bank of India and Canara Bank for the development of a 120 MW wind-solar hybrid project with energy storage systems. In 2024, Hero won the capacity under SJVN’s auction to supply 1,200 MW of firm and dispatchable power from inter-state transmission system-connected renewable energy projects with energy storage systems. The company won the capacity at a tariff of ₹4.25 (~$0.0506)/kWh. Hero has received the funding for its special purpose vehicle, Clean Renewable Energy Hybrid Three. The loan has a repayment tenure of 21 years.

Haryana-based solar module manufacturer Saatvik Green Energy received orders worth approximately ₹7.07 billion (~$79.62 million) to supply solar modules to undisclosed Indian independent power producers and engineering, procurement, and construction contractors. It has received the orders in two sets. One set of orders is worth ₹4.88 billion (~$54.96 million). The second, from three clients, is worth roughly ₹2.19 billion (~$24.73 million). The company stated in a regulatory filing that the ₹4.88 billion (~$54.96 million) order is a repeat one. Both orders will be executed within FY 2026.

RPSG Solvanta, the solar manufacturing wing of the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, announced the commissioning of its 4 GW solar module manufacturing facility in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. According to the Group, the facility will focus on adopting advanced photovoltaic technologies, including tunnel oxide passivated contact, interdigitated back contact, and perovskite-based solar cells. The facility’s commissioning is part of RPSG’s renewable energy expansion strategy, as it sets the groundwork for building an integrated solar ecosystem encompassing cell, module, and upstream manufacturing at scale.

Foraying into utility-scale projects, Haryana-based solar energy solutions company Loom Solar commissioned 17.9 MW of solar projects across India. The projects include an 8 MW project in Tamil Nadu, a 5.3 MW project in Madhya Pradesh, a 1.1 MW project in Uttarakhand, and a 3.5 MW project in Rajasthan. The company also announced its strategy to address the growing demands of the utility-scale market by integrating battery energy storage solutions with large-scale solar arrays. Its strategy is underscored by the growing demand for BESS in India.

Government-owned lender Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) announced an 86% year-over-year (YoY) growth in its approved loans as of the end of the second quarter (Q2) of FY 2026. IREDA’s approved loans stood at ₹331.48 billion (~$3.73 billion) at the end of Q2 FY 2026, compared to ₹178.6 billion (~$2.01 billion) by the end of Q2 FY 2025. The loan disbursements stood at ₹150.43 billion (~$1.69 billion) as of the quarter’s end, a 54% increase from ₹97.87 billion (~$1.1 billion) in the same period of the previous year. IREDA’s loan book at the end of Q2 was ₹844.45 billion (~$9.51 billion), rising 31% YoY from ₹645.64 billion (~$7.27 billion).

Sembcorp Green Infra, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based energy solutions company Sembcorp Industries, signed a share purchase agreement with ReNew to acquire 100% of ReNew Sun Bright, its subsidiary, for approximately SGD246 million (~$190 million). ReNew Sun Bright’s 300 MW solar project in Fatehgarh, Rajasthan, commenced generation in November 2021. The interstate transmission system-connected project operates under a 25-year power purchase agreement with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company. The acquisition, subject to conditions precedent, including regulatory approvals, will be funded through a combination of internal cash resources and external borrowings.

Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) awarded 486 MW of solar plus storage projects under its innovation auction. The successful bid prices ranged from €0.0479 (~$0.056)/kWh to €0.0559 (~$0.065)/kWh, with an average volume-weighted award price of €0.0531(~$0.062)/kWh. Bundesnetzagentur said this price is lower than the ceiling price of €0.09 (~$0.1)/kWh and the previous auction’s average volume-weighted awarded price of €0.0615 (~$0.072)/kWh. Bids in innovation auctions can only be submitted for combinations of different types of renewable energy or renewable and storage projects.

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