India added 6.9 GW of solar open access capacity in 2024, a 77% year-over-year increase from 3.9 GW, according to the newly-released Mercom India Q4 & Annual 2024 India Solar Open Access Market Report. The increase in solar open access was primarily driven by the availability of low-cost Chinese modules, which were imported before the reimposition of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers from April 2024.

Adani Renewable Energy Holding Twelve (Adani Green Energy), Sprng Vayu Vidyut (Sprng Energy), Illuminate Hybren (Mahindra Susten), and Avaada Energy won NHPC’s auction to set up 1,200 MW interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects with or without energy storage (Tranche -X).

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy issued the updated Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) norms for solar cells. According to the revised guidelines, a solar cell based on crystalline-silicon technology will be considered domestically manufactured only if produced in India using an undiffused silicon wafer, commonly known as a black wafer. These wafers fall under Customs Tariff Head 3818, and all manufacturing processes involved in converting them into solar cells must be carried out within India.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission approved the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s petition to adopt a tariff for 1,200 MW ISTS-connected solar projects with 600 MW/1,200 MWh energy storage system. The approved tariff ranges between ₹3.41(~$0.039)/kWh and ₹3.42(~$0.04)/kWh.

As businesses increasingly transition toward clean energy, financing options for solar projects have become a crucial discussion topic. At the recent C&I Clean Energy Meet hosted by Mercom in Chennai, industry experts from leading financial institutions discussed multiple lending options, loan structures, and interest rates available for businesses investing in solar energy.

Western Coalfields, a subsidiary of Coal India, invited bids to install 1.343 MW of rooftop solar systems at its residential and non-residential buildings. The systems must be installed within 180 days of receiving the work order. The installer must also oversee the systems’ maintenance for five years after the initial one year warranty period.

Growth equity firm Singularity AMC is investing ₹5 billion (~$57.2 million) in Madhya Pradesh-based renewable energy company Bhilwara Energy. Singularity AMC is backed by investor Madhusudan Kela and led by Yash Kela and other Singularity AMC partners. The two companies have signed definitive agreements to support the creation of an integrated energy transition platform, HEG Greentech.

In the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries alone, about 50% of primary energy is consumed for cogeneration-based power and desalination plants, according to the International Desalination Association. Desalination, the process of extracting salt from seawater, has long been a lifeline for many water-scarce countries, particularly in the Middle East, where freshwater is scarce, and demand is rising.