Rewa Ultra Mega Solar has issued a request for proposal to select a developer for 13.8 GW of pumped hydro storage projects across different sites in the state. The last date to submit the bids is June 7, 2023, and they will be opened on the same day. The bidding document is priced at ₹295,000 (~$3563). The successful bidder must submit a bid security of ₹1 million (~$12,079). The project development fee payable for each site is ₹25,000 (~$302)/ MW of the estimated capacity.

Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation invited bids for the design, supply, construction, installation, and commissioning of a 12 MW solar power project at Bella Ludhiarchan in the Kangra district of the state. The developer must also oversee the project’s operation and maintenance for 12 years. The last day to submit the bids is June 1, 2023. The bids will be open on the same day. Bidders should submit an earnest money deposit of ₹13.2 million (~$159,434).

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) approved the tariff of ₹2.90 (~$0.035)/kWh for procuring 500 MW of solar power on a long-term basis from projects developed within the state. The Commission allowed the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) to enter into a power purchase agreement with the successful bidder for 25 years.

MERC also approved MSEDCL’s proposal to procure 150 MW of solar power at ₹3.3 (~$0.040)/kWh from projects under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana. The Commission has also allowed the solar power procured from these projects to count towards meeting MSEDCL’s solar renewable purchase obligations. MSEDCL had sought approval to adopt a tariff for the long-term procurement of 150 MW solar power from 2 MW to 10 MW capacity projects connected to the distribution network. Initially, MSEDCL had a ceiling tariff of ₹3.30 (~$0.040)/kWh for decentralized projects under MSKVY, which was later revised to ₹3.10 (~$0.038)/kWh.

PFC Consulting invited bids to develop an interstate transmission system (ISTS) for integration of renewable energy zone (Phase-II) in Koppal-II (Phase A&B) and Gadag-II (Phase A) in Karnataka. The transmission projects will be developed on a build, own, operate, and transfer basis. The last date to submit the bids online is July 17, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day. Within ten days of the letter of intent, the selected bidder must submit ₹1.26 billion (~$15.25 million) to the nodal agency as a contract performance guarantee.

Solar module maker Canadian Solar‘s net income surged 809% year-over-year (YoY) to $84 million for the first quarter (Q1) of the financial year 2023, fueled by increased module shipments and improved margins. The module manufacturer’s engineering, procurement, and construction subsidiary CSI Solar shipped 6.1 GW of solar modules to 70 ‘countries in Q1, a 66% rise YoY. The top five markets ranked by shipments were China, Brazil, the U.S., Spain, and Germany. Net revenues for the January-March quarter were up 36% YoY to $1.7 billion. The increase was mainly driven by a significant increase in solar module shipments, partially offset by lower module ASPs and lower revenues from utility-scale battery storage solutions and project sales due to the timing of projects.

The recent policy tweaks enacted by the government, mainly the exemption on fees for wheeling electricity across state borders and General Network Access rules, have fueled the decarbonization efforts by corporates, making them commercially viable, Nishit Mehta, Chief Business Development Officer, Serentica Renewables, said on the sidelines of the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2023. Mehta listed delays in land acquisition and grid connectivity as the most pressing problems for renewable developers.

To achieve India’s national targets for solar capacity additions, alternatives such as the floating solar need to be explored and established, considering their lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and operation and maintenance costs, which is further complemented by easier deployment, Deepak Ushadevi – MD & CEO – Ciel & Terre India, said in an interview on the sidelines of the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2023. He added that the extra 5-7% generation from floating solar due to panel cooling also reduces the LCOE.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) have said that all-organic redox flow batteries (NORFBs) could achieve enhanced energy density, stability, and solubility by introducing pyrylium salt into the mix. This development could pave the way for cleaner and more efficient grid energy storage systems. The team’s research focuses on non-aqueous all-organic redox flow batteries (NORFBs), which have gained significant interest due to their environmental friendliness and higher energy density than aqueous batteries.