Punjab Energy Development Agency has invited bids from farmers, groups of farmers, panchayats, co-operatives, farmer producer organizations, and water user associations in the state for setting up three grid-connected solar power projects with a total capacity of 4.5 MW under Component A of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan. The three projects to be developed under the tender will be of 1 MW, 1.5 MW, and 2 MW capacities.

West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company has invited bids to select agencies to supply, install, operate, and manage 47 electric vehicle charging and battery swapping stations. The bidders must bear the cost of setting up the stations and should commission them within six months of receiving the work order. The last day to submit the bids is September 20, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries has appointed Engineers India, a public sector engineering consultancy company, to oversee the progress of selected beneficiaries under the Production Linked Incentives program for Advanced Chemistry Cell for energy storage. Engineers India will act as independent engineers for all three beneficiaries who are in the concluding stages of developing advanced chemistry cells. With the prototype testing almost done, commercial production is expected to begin gradually in FY 2024.

ACME Group, a renewable energy company, has signed a land agreement with Tata Steel Special Economic Zone to establish a pioneering green hydrogen and green ammonia project at the Gopalpur Industrial Park in Odisha. The facility is expected to produce nearly 1.3 million tons per annum of green ammonia and be powered by renewable energy sources. The company said its project marks an advancement in the renewable energy landscape of Odisha, positioning it as the state’s first-ever green hydrogen initiative.

The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology has invited bids for the selection of consultants to set up project management units for the proposed Kerala Green Hydrogen Mission. The last date to submit the bids is September 15, 2023. Bids will be opened the following day. The successful bidder must furnish an amount equivalent to 3% of the contract value per annum as a performance security deposit.

France-based energy firm ENGIE has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Houston-based battery storage company Broad Reach Power, with a focus on facilitating the growth of its renewable energy portfolio. The acquisition was facilitated in partnership with investment funds EnCap Investments and Apollo. The transaction involves a multifaceted portfolio encompassing 350 MW of operational assets and 880 MW of assets currently under construction and slated for commissioning by the close of 2024.

At the end of 2022, there were 374 hybrid power projects (each with capacities of 1 MW and above) in the United States, a 25% year-over-year increase, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The hybrid projects comprise solar plus storage, wind plus storage, wind-solar plus storage, thermal plus storage, and solar plus wind power projects. These projects accounted for 41 GW of generating capacity, a 15% increase from the previous year. The integration of energy storage surged to 5.4 GW/15.2 GWh, representing a 69% and 88% growth, respectively.