Tamil Nadu added record solar open access capacity in the first nine months (9M) of the calendar year (CY) 2024, surpassing the annual capacity additions of the previous years, according to Mercom’s Q3 2024 India Solar Open Access Market Report. India added 4.8 GW of solar open access capacity in 9M 2024, up almost 69% from 2.8 GW in 9M 2023. Tamil Nadu ranked fourth among states during this period, accounting for nearly 12% of the installations in the country. The state’s capacity additions increased by over 101% compared to 9M 2023. In the third quarter of 2024, solar open access installations in India totaled 1.1 GW, a 36% drop quarter-over-quarter and over 6% decline year-over-year.

Andhra Pradesh has unveiled its Sustainable Electric Mobility Policy 4.0 for the duration between 2024 and 2029. The policy aims to make the state a global hub for high-value electric vehicle manufacturing while encouraging the adoption of e-mobility solutions and sustainable practices, with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality (Scope 1 emissions) in the transport sector by 2047. The policy also envisions utilizing a corpus fund of ₹5 billion (~$58.94 million) for developing e-mobility cities and establishing 100 incubation centers for e-mobility startups. Additionally, it aims to achieve 100% electrification of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation fleet.

Ambuja Cement, a cement company under the Adani Group, has commissioned and begun power transmission from its 200 MW solar power project in Khavada, Gujarat. The solar power from the project will help Ambuja Cement save 70% of its current electricity costs. The company received standing clearance for this solar power project from the Western Regional Load Dispatch Centre on December 12, 2024. An additional 806 MW of renewable energy capacity is expected to be commissioned in phases between March 2025 and June 2025. Of this, 156 MW of wind power from Khavada and 300 MW of solar power from Rajasthan is expected to be commissioned in phases by March 2025. The remaining 350 MW is expected to be commissioned by June 2025.

Premier Energies Global Environment, a subsidiary of Premier Energies, has announced setting up of a 1 GW solar module manufacturing facility at the EMC Maheshwaram industrial zone in Telangana, on leasehold premises owned by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation. This move is a part of Premier Energies’ plan to augment its tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) module manufacturing capabilities and cater to the growing demand for high-efficiency solar modules. The proposed project, approved by the company’s capex committee and board of directors, is expected to be completed by March 2025.

The Power Grid Corporation of India has been awarded PFC Consulting’s inter-state transmission system strengthening project to evacuate renewable energy from Gadag and Koppal region in Karnataka. The tender was floated in July 2024. The scope of work involves the development, operation, and maintenance of the project on a build, own, operate, and transfer basis. It also includes the completion of all the necessary activities for integrating the renewable projects The Koppal-II and Gadag-II power stations are being developed as part of more extensive plans to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Both projects are expected to be completed by December 2025.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Deviation Settlement Mechanism and Related Matters) Regulations, 2024 aim to bring precision and stability to India’s electricity grid. However, they introduce new complexities that stretch the renewable energy sector’s capacity to adapt. Renewable energy generators are asked to meet these new standards without the tools needed to succeed. Although remarkable progress has been made, India’s renewable expansion is built on the foundation of a grid that wasn’t initially designed for these demands. This puts India’s energy transition efforts to a live test for integrating renewables into large-scale grid systems.

A new type of lithium-ion battery featuring single-crystal electrodes could extend the lifespan of electric vehicles (EV) and power grid storage systems, according to a team of researchers at Dalhousie University. Using Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan, the team studied a new type of lithium-ion battery featuring single-crystal electrodes. This innovation significantly outperforms traditional batteries, opening new possibilities for EVs and energy storage.

Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) must scale up to 50 times faster than is currently projected, per the 2024 Annual Report by the LDES Council. According to the report, LDES solutions of more than 1 TW and up to 8 TW are needed by 2030 and 2040, respectively, on a global scale to achieve the net zero emissions target. However, LDES solutions of only about 120 GW have been installed to date, and an additional 113 GW are planned with a projected capacity of 222 GW by 2035. The LDES Council recommends setting a global storage target of 1.5 TW by 2030 to support the COP28 goal of deploying 11 TW renewables by the same year.